Timing Chain noise again !!

[st3v3]

Had the S4 for 6 weeks now, and what a car it is, superb in every way.

Just booked it in for a few warranty issues with the dealer,who i do have faith in as they have been looking after our A3 for 2 years now and do a very good job. I was wondering about this timing chain issue. Looking back through some of the threads it seems that there is a TSB (i think its called) but the links dont seem to work. So my question is, what is involved in the TSB and how do i check to see if its been done. I only a have a slight noise if the car has stood for a few days, but want to check before the manufacturers warranty runs out. Also anthing else i should be looking out for before the warranty runs out.

My car is an 03 Avant with 29,000miles

Cheers
Steve

[theorangeperil]

Steve,
My car is the same age and mileage and I have a similar noise to yours (I think).

I have had the Pulley Wheel TSB done and it made no difference. I don't think it is the timing chains as I think they are at the rear of the engine. This noise seems to relate more to the pulley belts at the front of the engine. It's more of a vibration/whine at 1000-1100rpm and is worse when the engine is cold.

It's going back to the dealer on the 18th so I'll keep you posted...
Peter

[st3v3]

Peter,
Thanks for that, I do have a low spped noise, sounds like a plastic rattle, and it worse when cold, but that is a different noise to the one on start up, but will be interested to hear what the dealer says. mine is booked in on the 25th, for a few items including an awful smell from the heater sometimes, and a petrol smell in the engine bay. Do you have any info on the pulley wheel TSB (ref number ?) and what did the dealer do ?.

How long you had the car for ?.

Cheers Steve

[Pete.S]

Steve

I'm pretty sure your dealer will automatically attend to any TSB issues if their diagnostics pick up that it hasn't been done. My car suffered from a terrible clanking noise on start up when I first got it, but disappeared after it's first service (I didn't inform them of the noise, I'm presuming though that it was related to the TSB issue - there's a post about it ages ago somewhere on here!)

Also, you might want to check your washer reservoir re the smell from your heater. On this current S4, and my previous B5, I've had the most disgusting stench come through to the cabin a couple of times; on both occasions it was sediment at the bottom of the reservoir causing it (possibly from mixing different types of screen wash?). Audi dismantled it & drained it from the bottom, but you might be able to flush it out with several concurrent fill ups/empties or even by shoving a jet wash nozzle in there! (& save yourself a few quid)

[st3v3]

Pete.S,
Thanks for the information on the screen wash resevoir, i will run it down and flush it out, the smell is deff from that area. will keep you posted.

thanks Steve

[Merlot]

Steve,
My car is the same age and mileage and I have a similar noise to yours (I think).

I have had the Pulley Wheel TSB done and it made no difference. I don't think it is the timing chains as I think they are at the rear of the engine. This noise seems to relate more to the pulley belts at the front of the engine. It's more of a vibration/whine at 1000-1100rpm and is worse when the engine is cold.

It's going back to the dealer on the 18th so I'll keep you posted...
Peter

Peter

You could not have described it better. My car has always done this, the dealer has never been able to fix it and I have two months left on my warranty. I'm getting a bit worked up about it so please keep me touch if you don't mind. Thanks (FWIW I has also owned/own an 04 S4 Avant and an 04 S4 Cab and neither did/do it).

[Merlot]

Steve

Please keep us in touch next week if you get it fixed.

Thanks

[theorangeperil]

Got the car back on Saturday. They told me they had performed a flash upgrade on the engine management that improved performance but also cured a know engine noise.

Having been away for a few days in the car I am not suprised to say it hasn't cured the problem, although the car runs better and I managed 24.6mpg average as against the 19.4 I usually get.

Anyway I did wonder how a software upgrade could have cured a mechanical noise! I'm sure its just a heat shield or piece of engine cladding that vibrates when cold. The car is booked in on the 9th May for a couple of days...

In the mean time keep me posted if anyone resolves this. It beginning to get tiresome.

[Mike_K]

They told me they had performed a flash upgrade on the engine management that improved performance but also cured a know engine noise...

... although the car runs better and I managed 24.6mpg average as against the 19.4 I usually get.

I'm interested (though suspicious that this level of improvement (26% !) can come from an ECU change).

it would be good to hear if you can still report the same after a few days/weeks of running) !!! any idea what this 'flash upgrade' was ???

[Pete.S]

....and further, is the improved mpg an improvement in the overall average, or from a single journey (if single, I'm presuming at similar speed to the previous figure)? If overall, can we swap engines?

[thehood]

Got the car back on Saturday. They told me they had performed a flash upgrade on the engine management that improved performance but also cured a know engine noise.

Having been away for a few days in the car I am not suprised to say it hasn't cured the problem, although the car runs better and I managed 24.6mpg average as against the 19.4 I usually get.

Anyway I did wonder how a software upgrade could have cured a mechanical noise! I'm sure its just a heat shield or piece of engine cladding that vibrates when cold. The car is booked in on the 9th May for a couple of days...

In the mean time keep me posted if anyone resolves this. It beginning to get tiresome.

Hitchin Audi told me the flash update fixes the problem because it results in the tensioner belts kicking in earlier, thereby getting the timing right to avoid the noise.

Either way, it didn't work when they tried to fix this in my 03 S4 Avant with 29,000 miles. So they changed the oil. Still not fixed. So they are now taking the engine out to replace the tensioners, a 2 day job. All under warranty. Hitchin audi have been excellent. I'll post again after the work has been done.

[B6S4John]

I have had this problem of clanking on start up, it's timing chain tensioners loosing oil when standing overnight because they are faulty. My dealer took out my engine and changed them along with 2 of the chains sprockets and guides. If you would like to see a photo of the back of the engine when it was out mail me at b6s4john@yahoo.co.uk

[thehood]

Hitchin Audi have resolved the problem with replacement tensioners. They threw in a new clutch (just kidding, but it cost just 1 1/2 hours labour to put a new one in whole they were resolving the tensioner problems).

ALL ON WARRANTY. Except the clutch.

[the911sc]

First post here for me; Just had mine done at 40k under warranty. ECU upgrade didnt work for me either and engine out job and replacement chains and tensioners have it fixed now.
Just for fun, here's a pic!..

[Mike_K]

Awesome !

just a little bit different from the Ford Escort 1300 I used to muck about with in the 1980's (head gaskets, valves etc). I also had a Hillman Hunter with a warped cylinder head. Whenever I did a run to London from Bath, I carried a few spare head gaskets in the back. Once it blew, I could change the head gasket in about 90 minutes and once had to do it on the M4 with 3 mates in the car on the way to Twickenham... just made kick-off

Looking at the beast above scares the hell out of me !