Is my TDI engine DONE? :(

H

hdlo

Member
I just bought my first A2 (1.4 TDI 75hp AMF). It hadn't been driven for months and was sold with known errors such as faulty ABS controller. Car was high mileage (200k miles), looked clean, great spec, and was cheap.

I got in a rush... Owner was very nice and an Audi guy.. He knew cars. And he'd just made the A2 ready for me, put on summer tires and done a quick wash. I remember asking him about the oil change, and he said it was done last spring. Car had only been driven 10.000 km. Engine looked reasonably dry/dusty.

I was appalled when I found the dipstick a few days later.... I had to put in a lot of oil before it even reached minimum.. Yesterday I did an oil change (5W-40 VW 505.01) and inspected every creek of the filter. I found 4-5 pieces that looked like aluminium, tested non-magnetic. (Camshaft bearings?) Drained oil looked OK as far as it didn't have shine to it. But when emptying the pan I found A LOT of flakes. I am in disbelief that these flakes can have been inside the sump. (I didn't actually see them come out from the sump.) But I am quite sure my drain pan was clean.. the bits looks like rust scales, and the magnet confirms it is ferrous.

I always keep an eye on gauges and lights when I drive my cars. Thing is, this A2 may have duped me as well? As it has DIS (driving computer) and an ABS fault that does 3 loud beeps when you drive away, and then constantly shows an alert symbol in the display. I have now read that the very same display is used to display and OIL WARNING/ALARM.... ahem.... :oops: does anyone know how the computer prioritizes these faults? There was NO beeps from the display during my trips with this car. DIS has pixel fault. I have scanned it with VAGCOM and can't find any stored fault codes of low oil level or oil pressure alarm. But I don't know if these events would throw any code.

Please advise ?
 
Last edited:
Sort by date Sort by votes
Note: the scan found an issue with the instrument cluster..
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine Labels: 045-906-019-AMF.clb
Part No: 045 906 019 G
Component: 1,4l R3 EDC 0000SG 1281
Coding: 00002
Shop #: WSC 00150
VCID: 19004B8883F0574324-FFFE
WAUZZZ8ZZ1N046685 AUZ7Z0Y1757727

1 Fault Found:
18057 - Powertrain Data Bus
P1649 - 35-00 - Missing Message from ABS Controller
Readiness: 0 0 X X X

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 08: Auto HVAC Labels: None
Part No: 8Z0 820 043 C
Component: A2-KLIMAVOLLAUTOMAT 0406
VCID: 365AA034122E983B29-FFFE

2 Faults Found:
00818 - Sensor for Evaporator Outlet Temperature (G263)
30-00 - Open or Short to Plus
01317 - Control Module in Instrument Cluster (J285)
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 17: Instruments Labels: 8Z0-920-xxx-17.lbl
Part No: 8Z0 920 930 F
Component: W1-KOMBIINSTR. VDO D13
Coding: 09030
Shop #: WSC 22076
VCID: 3FB4C5103D145973FA-FFFE
WAUZZZ8ZZ1N046685 AUZ7Z0Y1757727

2 Faults Found:
01304 - Radio
49-10 - No Communications - Intermittent
01336 - Company Data Bus for Comfort System
80-10 - Single-Wire Operation - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 18: Aux. Heat Labels: None
Part No: 8Z0 815 071
Component: Zuheizer Diesel D49ˆ
Coding: 00002
Shop #: WSC 02154
VCID: 78C66E0C58BAAE4BFB-FFFE

1 Fault Found:
01411 - Temperature Sensor (G18)
37-00 - Faulty

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 37: Navigation Labels: 4B0-035-192-RNSD-37.lbl
Part No: 8Z0 035 192
Component: Navigation BNO 0017
VCID: 76DA603452AED83BE9-FFFE

2 Faults Found:
00625 - Vehicle Speed Signal
03-00 - No Signal
00867 - Connection to ABS Control Module
03-00 - No Signal

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 46: Central Conv. Labels:. 8Z0-959-433.lbl
Part No: 8Z0 959 433
Component: Komfortgerát T01 03B3
Coding: 06720
Shop #: WSC 02154
VCID: 033C09E0117CFD93DE-FFFE

Subsystem 1 - Part No: 8Z1959801
Component: Tõrsteuer.FS BRM 0001

Subsystem 2 - Part No: 8Z1959802
Component: Tõrsteuer.BF BRM 0001

Subsystem 3 - Part No: 8Z0959801A
Component: Tõrsteuer.HL BRM 0001

Subsystem 4 - Part No: 8Z0959802A
Component: Tõrsteuer.HR BRM 0001

4 Faults Found:
01560 - Passenger Door
61-00 - Won't De-Safe
01561 - Rear left door
61-00 - Won't De-Safe
00934 - Electric Window Motor; Rear Left (V26)
62-10 - No or Incorrect Adjustment - Intermittent
01562 - Rear right door
61-00 - Won't De-Safe

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 56: Radio Labels: 4B0-035-192-RNSD-56.lbl
Part No: 8Z0 035 192
Component: Radio BNO 0001
Coding: 00205
Shop #: WSC 00000
VCID: 76DA603452AED83BE9-FFFE

1 Fault Found:
00852 - Loudspeaker(s); Front
36-00 - Open Circuit

End-------------------------(Elapsed Time: 05:00)--------------------------
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
One thing always worth asking when a lot of errors in different systems pop up like this : is the car still on the original battery? It is not unheard of - it is a Varta with an 8Z0 part number printed on top. If this is on its last legs then various spurious error messages can arise - for instance, all of the things about rear doors not desafing etc - I take it that the doors are behaving normally? My battery was like that and there was a long list of errors that were able to be cleared and have never been seen again once the battery was replaced.

You mention having to put a lot of oil in - is the dipstick still at its full and correct length? The Tdi ones are quite prone to snapping off which can make it possible to overfill if you're not fully au fait with the foibles of this.

Most of the above may turn out to be relatively trivial - although alarming-sounding. More expertise will be along soon. Best of luck!!
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Here is 2 of the flakes found in the oil filter, north and east of the knife tip.
For scale: This is an 18 mm Olfa knifeblade, and I've measured the blade bevel to 1,5 mm.

20210503_203839.jpg
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Robin_Cox said:
One thing always worth asking when a lot of errors in different systems pop up like this : is the car still on the original battery? It is not unheard of - it is a Varta with an 8Z0 part number printed on top. If this is on its last legs then various spurious error messages can arise - for instance, all of the things about rear doors not desafing etc - I take it that the doors are behaving normally? My battery was like that and there was a long list of errors that were able to be cleared and have never been seen again once the battery was replaced.

You mention having to put a lot of oil in - is the dipstick still at its full and correct length? The Tdi ones are quite prone to snapping off which can make it possible to overfill if you're not fully au fait with the foibles of this.

Most of the above may turn out to be relatively trivial - although alarming-sounding. More expertise will be along soon. Best of luck!!
Click to expand...
Thanks, although I have bigger worries than door lock fault codes atm :D Battery is not the original one, but it was indeed flat! Car had been sitting for a long time and p.o. had to put a charge on it to be able to start the car.
When I drained the engine oil I put in 4,1 litres (spec is 4,3) in total, which turned out to be right up full on the dipstick.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
This didn't look too bad IMHO.. I am shining 1000 lm on it with my headlamp.

20210503_204147.jpg


This was left when I emptied the pan...wha what?
I then sprayed some brake cleaner to uncover some of the chips...

20210503_211952.jpg
20210503_212119_HDR.jpg



Chips were indeed magnetic.
But I fail to imagine how these bits are from engine wear....? o_O

20210503_212354_HDR.jpg


I don't know what to think.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Those rust particles look more like they fell off something exposed to the elements under the car. Maybe when removing the under tray?
If you think you have internal damage or wear, do a leakdown test. That will confirm the state of the engine for sure.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
My first thoughts are the oil pump/ balance shaft chain tensioner
If this is badly worn then the chain will be rubbing on the aluminium casting and causing it to wear away hence the oil contamination you are seeing
One thing to do is to establish if there is extra end float on the crankshaft do so by pulling and pushing on the crank shaft pulley and see if you have any movement If you can feel any them the thrust faces on the main bearings are worn out. This can cause crank shaft to engine casting contact and hence the magnetic bits you have found

Cheers. Paul


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Tractor Dave said:
Those rust particles look more like they fell off something exposed to the elements under the car. Maybe when removing the under tray?
If you think you have internal damage or wear, do a leakdown test. That will confirm the state of the engine for sure.
Click to expand...
I completely agree. The bits looks rusted. If they came from inside the engine - how on earth could they have rusted? Engines don't rust inside, and certainly not in the oil sump.. But what makes it a conundrum is that the last thing I did before undoing the drain screw was sliding the tray under the car..
EDIT: I had stored a used oil filter in the "clean" pan (which was degreased and pressure washed after last usage), and I took it out before this oil drainage. I had a look at that filter body now, and did have some crud on it. I now think the filter has been on the garage floor, collecting rust from e.g. discarded brake parts, before it was stored in the tray that WAS clean :)
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
hdlo said:
The car I bought was a Cobalt Blue one with 325' on it ? But it is such a dark shade of blue that somebody may have put "Black" in the color column back in the days when it was imported.
Click to expand...
Hi hydo,
If you found them in the filter it’s done it’s job in my view, clean filter housing completely oil free before fitting a new filter & fill with the correct quantity & grade of oil run for a week & see what you get then in the oil & filter,
if you’re still seeing particulates then other more invasive measures may be required!
(ps I always use a flush when doing an oil change)

Hope that helps.
Keith.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
If engines running fine and has 4.3 ltr of oil in it, then just run it!

My guess is the sump plug had a tap run down it causing a little swarf inside the sump. If anything major was wrong i would imagine you would have worrying symptoms?

Hopefully an abs fault i had (G201 pressure) was cured with a new brake light switch
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Listen to @depronman

That oil is full of fine aluminium metal particles, no oil should look grey. Something's failed and Paul has detailed both main possibities.

Google both issues with a2oc in the search: you'll end up back on here but the Google search engine is much better than the site's own one.

Long and short for now though, don't drive it until you've got to the root cause of the issue: it'll soon be running on metal grindings again and a possibly saveabe engine might well becomes scrap.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
Tractor Dave said:
Those rust particles look more like they fell off something exposed to the elements under the car. Maybe when removing the under tray?
If you think you have internal damage or wear, do a leakdown test. That will confirm the state of the engine for sure.
Click to expand...
I agree, these might well be a red herring, but the other bits and the pearlescent oil are probably reliable indicators.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
IMHO the oil looked black. For the photos I set my 1200 lm headlamp at full tilt in attempts to make any shiny bits in it shine. Here are more pictures of the oil:
942fb6dec36c667ec02813983193f3fe.jpg
a6473a4c50125f6b07db93ef72f3f2a7.jpg


Sent from my LM-G710 using Tapatalk
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Sorry, that oil is clearly showing waves of metal. It's very distinctive. The last time I saw this was on a Porsche 996 that had failing bearings. When the sump was dropped there was a thick layer of white metal sitting in it.

If in doubt, send a sample of that oil off for analysis.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top