Some good news about camshaft wear...

[neckarsulm]

I wonder if the cars with the premature cam wear have been "ragged" whilst cold (before the oil temp comes up)?
There was problems with (VW) G60 engines getting a bigend chatter as a result of this......
Just a thought.....

There doesn't seem to be any other reason does there unless it's hard use even when warm with tired long life oil?

One thing to consider is that clocking an RS4 has always been worth doing if you are that way inclined, even now at under £20k, 10k miles seems to equate to up to £2000 and when they were newer, this would have been a lot more. And the 20k / 2 year gap between long life services gives more scope for this. So failures on low mileage cars may not be all they appear.

[TopBear]

I wonder if the cars with the premature cam wear have been "ragged" whilst cold (before the oil temp comes up)?
There was problems with (VW) G60 engines getting a bigend chatter as a result of this......
Just a thought.....

I would have thought, the turbo's would have been knackered first though, if it were high revs and stress (i.e. ragging) whilst not at normal operating temps.

[TopBear]

I wonder if the cars with the premature cam wear have been "ragged" whilst cold (before the oil temp comes up)?
There was problems with (VW) G60 engines getting a bigend chatter as a result of this......
Just a thought.....

There doesn't seem to be any other reason does there unless it's hard use even when warm with tired long life oil?

One thing to consider is that clocking an RS4 has always been worth doing if you are that way inclined, even now at under £20k, 10k miles seems to equate to up to £2000 and when they were newer, this would have been a lot more. And the 20k / 2 year gap between long life services gives more scope for this. So failures on low mileage cars may not be all they appear.

What so now every lowish mileage car with cam-wear has been clocked?
Err a bit of speculation and conjecture on your part methinks.

[Silversea]

I wonder if the cars with the premature cam wear have been "ragged" whilst cold (before the oil temp comes up)?
There was problems with (VW) G60 engines getting a bigend chatter as a result of this......
Just a thought.....

I would have thought, the turbo's would have been knackered first though, if it were high revs and stress (i.e. ragging) whilst not at normal operating temps.

The oil supply may be less restrictive going to the turbos than the cams?

[andream88]

mine@49'000miles

[Contigo]

I wonder if the cars with the premature cam wear have been "ragged" whilst cold (before the oil temp comes up)?
There was problems with (VW) G60 engines getting a bigend chatter as a result of this......
Just a thought.....

There doesn't seem to be any other reason does there unless it's hard use even when warm with tired long life oil?

One thing to consider is that clocking an RS4 has always been worth doing if you are that way inclined, even now at under £20k, 10k miles seems to equate to up to £2000 and when they were newer, this would have been a lot more. And the 20k / 2 year gap between long life services gives more scope for this. So failures on low mileage cars may not be all they appear.

Where's the "WTF?" smilie?

On a serious note though, wouldn't the reams of service history, receipts, service invoices and MOT certificates that I and many other have with these "low mileage cars" dispel that theory?

[neckarsulm]

On a serious note though, wouldn't the reams of service history, receipts, service invoices and MOT certificates that I and many other have with these "low mileage cars" dispel that theory?

I didn't say every car
Does every RS4 have reams of service history?
Clocked RS4s are out there Topbear and paperwork is no guarantee.
It's the first three years that are the biggest risk before MOT time.
I'm just mentioning it as we are looking at failures at x miles and the mileage isn't a given

[Spunbigendbearing]

The Audi-specialist who maintaines my car and a bunch of others with the 2,7-biturbo engine,had an S4 about two months ago with all sorts of knocking noises.
Turned out to be camwear,but in this case really bad;i can't recall the milage (km's actually) ,but it was high.
He thinks there is more then one cause,as some have mentioned.

[Contigo]

Does every RS4 have reams of service history?

I'd say most of them will have a service histry booklet and at least a few of the MOT's and service invoices with them. I made sure I checked it out on mine too so that everything matched and added up.

I think this is clutching at straws a bit and as has been said it might just be luck of the draw or a combination of a few things like long life, original MAF and cars that have hard a "hard life". I'm not convinced we will ever find out tbh.

[neckarsulm]

I think this is clutching at straws a bit and as has been said it might just be luck of the draw or a combination of a few things like long life, original MAF and cars that have hard a "hard life". I'm not convinced we will ever find out tbh.

So when are you going to get yours checked?

[Contigo]

Well it was in for service a week or so ago and it was down to be done then but to be honest I ain't in any major rush. It will get done in time, if the cams are wearing they are wearing and I will need to get a new set but I'm sure I'll get the usual warnings, if not then it's bye bye engine time.

[neckarsulm]

Well it was in for service a week or so ago and it was down to be done then but to be honest I ain't in any major rush. It will get done in time, if the cams are wearing they are wearing and I will need to get a new set but I'm sure I'll get the usual warnings, if not then it's bye bye engine time.

I felt like that but I can't underestimate the peace of mind now knowing what's under those cam covers

[drjones1]

Well it was in for service a week or so ago and it was down to be done then but to be honest I ain't in any major rush. It will get done in time, if the cams are wearing they are wearing and I will need to get a new set but I'm sure I'll get the usual warnings, if not then it's bye bye engine time.

I felt like that but I can't underestimate the peace of mind now knowing what's under those cam covers

All of what you say is very very true.. but i have to many cars all of which have cam covers and all need spending money on in one way or another!!! and a wife whom i tell has many appreciating assets around her... (i hope she never comes on this forum)

We by our very nature want to know that what we have is the very best, I've come to learn that you will chase it forever.. and people make money out of us. As i'm sure we have all heard before, fix it when its broke... i'm convinced its cheaper..

[Contigo]

I was cleaning mine today and fired her up and listened with the hood up and there's a definite ticking coming from the RHS of the engine, it's just there and only audible with the hood up and not from in the car, it's alway been there thinking about it and my mate's B6 has the same thing but louder on idle too.

The problem is that I have the paranoia now from this thread and know that checking is for peace of mind but do they not all have a slight ticking sound on "tick" over?

[kn9]

How big a job and how much to replace them?