2002 A4 TDi 130 vibrating

galvo_clare

Hi

I have an issue with my A4. It's 2002, owned by me from new and there's now around 80,000 miles on it. Since 2006, my wife has taken it over and it does less than 2,000 miles a year. It has never failed its NCT and it's serviced annually. At this stage it's had the timing belt changed a couple of times, most recently last year.
The only ongoing issue is it goes through batteries as it isn't driven enough. Last week I had another battery put in and drove home normally. It was the following day when I noticed an awful noise at idle. I don't think it's in any way related to the battery although it initially sounded like something was hitting off the engine and vibrating.
I pulled the bonnet and immediately noticed the engine was vibrating more than it should. I know it's not the quietest engine but it was like a bag of hammers.
Once warmed up, things improve but you can still hear a background rumbling.
I thought about a loose exhaust or even a clutch issue as you can feel something when driving and changing gear.
This morning, I brought it down to a local garage and after driving it, the feeling was a worn camshaft, which isn't unknown with these engines.
When we took the oil cap off, there's blowback that you can see.
The car has always had good oil and the level never dropped between services but I suppose it's not impossible.
It's going back on Thursday for the rocker cover to come off so we can have a better look.
How likely is it that the diagnosis is right and if it does need a new camshaft, what kind of cost am I looking at?

TIA

firstlight

Hi
Its essential these cars are run on 505.01 Pd Engine Oil (Newer oil is 507.00/504.00 as far as i know)

What mileage is on car?

Watch this video,is it a similar sound?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1lPVY6762Q

Other things that come to mind
Clutch pulley on altenator
Tensioner under altenator
Engine mounts
Dmf/Clutch
Injector wiring loom

Heres a price for camshaft and followers
https://www.donedeal.ie/carparts-for-sale/new-vw-audi-skoda-1-9-camshaft-amp-followers/11021445

Probably a couple of hundred to fit it on top,I am just rough guessing

I guess if your good with tools you can pull the rocker cover yourself and have a check for scaring on the camshaft

galvo_clare

Hi

Yes, I read the other thread on the VW Passat so I've come across that video. It sounds very similar to what I have. There's around 80,000 miles on the car.
It was serviced at a main dealer until a few years ago, then I moved to a good local independent. We'll see tomorrow how things look.

firstlight wrote: »

Hi
Its essential these cars are run on 505.01 Pd Engine Oil (Newer oil is 507.00/504.00 as far as i know)

What mileage is on car?

Watch this video,is it a similar sound?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1lPVY6762Q

Other things that come to mind
Clutch pulley on altenator
Tensioner under altenator
Engine mounts
Dmf/Clutch
Injector wiring loom

Heres a price for camshaft and followers
https://www.donedeal.ie/carparts-for-sale/new-vw-audi-skoda-1-9-camshaft-amp-followers/11021445

Probably a couple of hundred to fit it on top,I am just rough guessing

I guess if your good with tools you can pull the rocker cover yourself and have a check for scaring on the camshaft

firstlight

galvo_clare wrote: »

Hi

Yes, I read the other thread on the VW Passat so I've come across that video. It sounds very similar to what I have. There's around 80,000 miles on the car.
It was serviced at a main dealer until a few years ago, then I moved to a good local independent. We'll see tomorrow how things look.

The hard thing to know is if the independent has been using to the correct engine oil
Still though 80,000 Miles sounds very low for a camshaft to wear out
Id hazard a guess it is not the camshaft atal

Hope it is not anyway
Let us know anyway

JohnBoy26

It's more than likely a worn camshaft lobe.

galvo_clare

That's the current thinking. They were supposed to look at it properly yesterday but the weather got in the way.

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

It's more than likely a worn camshaft lobe.

alsiet2017

galvo_clare wrote: »

Hi

I have an issue with my A4. It's 2002, owned by me from new and there's now around 80,000 miles on it. Since 2006, my wife has taken it over and it does less than 2,000 miles a year. It has never failed its NCT and it's serviced annually. At this stage it's had the timing belt changed a couple of times, most recently last year.
The only ongoing issue is it goes through batteries as it isn't driven enough. Last week I had another battery put in and drove home normally. It was the following day when I noticed an awful noise at idle. I don't think it's in any way related to the battery although it initially sounded like something was hitting off the engine and vibrating.
I pulled the bonnet and immediately noticed the engine was vibrating more than it should. I know it's not the quietest engine but it was like a bag of hammers.
Once warmed up, things improve but you can still hear a background rumbling.
I thought about a loose exhaust or even a clutch issue as you can feel something when driving and changing gear.
This morning, I brought it down to a local garage and after driving it, the feeling was a worn camshaft, which isn't unknown with these engines.
When we took the oil cap off, there's blowback that you can see.
The car has always had good oil and the level never dropped between services but I suppose it's not impossible.
It's going back on Thursday for the rocker cover to come off so we can have a better look.
How likely is it that the diagnosis is right and if it does need a new camshaft, what kind of cost am I looking at?

TIA

I mistakenly pulled off hose in mine that was connected to the anti shudder valve and had similar problems. Just a small hose top of engine bay. Easy to fix. Google will show you were it is. Worth a shot

firstlight

any update
you get it sorted

galvo_clare

firstlight wrote: »

any update
you get it sorted

The rocker cover is coming off today so I should know something.
It was due to go in but Storm Emma got in the way and I just parked it up for a few weeks as I didn't have time to do anything with it.

galvo_clare

Yep, camshaft. Will have a quote for the work tomorrow.

galvo_clare wrote: »

The rocker cover is coming off today so I should know something.
It was due to go in but Storm Emma got in the way and I just parked it up for a few weeks as I didn't have time to do anything with it.

firstlight

Sorry to hear the bad news,Seems very low miles for a camshaft to go
Wonder if any of the tappets were worn to?
Mines on 219000 mile,Original camshaft and tappets

Have to wonder if these garages were using correct pd spec 505.01

JohnBoy26

firstlight wrote: »

Sorry to hear the bad news,Seems very low miles for a camshaft to go
Wonder if any of the tappets were worn to?
Mines on 219000 mile,Original camshaft and tappets

Have to wonder if these garages were using correct pd spec 505.01

Using the correct oil doesn't eliminate the problem. I've seen it happen to a few at not high miles, even with the correct oil. I won't say it's a very common problem but they can and do suffer from it.

galvo_clare

€600 all in. For pig iron I rang the local VW Audi dealer. €1,800!

galvo_clare wrote: »

Yep, camshaft. Will have a quote for the work tomorrow.

firstlight

galvo_clare wrote: »

€600 all in. For pig iron I rang the local VW Audi dealer. €1,800!

Did you pay the 600 to get it sorted?
1800 madness

galvo_clare

€1,800 is complete lunacy. €600, while annoying is worth it to me as the rest of the car is so good. It’s two months car payments if I had to replace it.

firstlight wrote: »

Did you pay the 600 to get it sorted?
1800 madness

firstlight

Ye i know what you mean,Hopefully you have plenty of trouble free driving with it now
Block the egr of if you havent already especially if its only doing run arounds

galvo_clare

What benefit would that bring? Would it still be ok on long runs?

firstlight wrote: »

Ye i know what you mean,Hopefully you have plenty of trouble free driving with it now
Block the egr of if you havent already especially if its only doing run arounds

firstlight

It just stops the manifold and Egr valve getting clogged with carbon deposits
Causes issues with the car,As your car is 2002 like mine it should not cause any lights to be thrown on dash
You can buy blanking plates,They simply go between the egr pipe and the egr itself
It stops the engine drawing in exhaust gases
I guess you could ask the mechanic about it while you have your car in for getting work done

galvo_clare

Got the oil and filter changed at the same time just in case of any swarf.
Camshaft, all tappets, fully synthetic oil and filter all for €560 and car is A1 again.

firstlight

galvo_clare wrote: »

Got the oil and filter changed at the same time just in case of any swarf.
Camshaft, all tappets, fully synthetic oil and filter all for €560 and car is A1 again.

Glad to hear it,A1 Sharon

jca

galvo_clare wrote: »

Got the oil and filter changed at the same time just in case of any swarf.
Camshaft, all tappets, fully synthetic oil and filter all for €560 and car is A1 again.

Very good. Those engines need a specific PD oil I'd get it myself for the next service. The oil has an extra additive for the PD camshaft because of the extra shear forces involved. If it doesn't have PD on the container it isn't suitable. Halfords do a PD specific oil.

firstlight

I get mine online,micksgarage total mc3 ineo quartz 505.01 pd oil 5 litres 30/35 Euro

Full service kit for around 60 quid

Change oil regiously 8000 kms

Car runs great on it,doesn't burn more than a few hundred mils between services

353000 kms

jca

firstlight wrote: »

I get mine online,micksgarage total mc3 ineo quartz 505.01 pd oil 5 litres 30/35 Euro

Full service kit for around 60 quid

Change oil regiously 8000 kms

Car runs great on it,doesn't burn more than a few hundred mils between services

353000 kms

Every 8k is overkill with modern oils. 15k between changes would be fine with that engine, they don't create that much sludge. The Peugeot 1.6 hdi, now that's an engine that needs 8k oil changes.

firstlight

jca wrote: »

Every 8k is overkill with modern oils. 15k between changes would be fine with that engine, they don't create that much sludge. The Peugeot 1.6 hdi, now that's an engine that needs 8k oil changes.

I agree with you on the 15,000
Just like to keep it fresh,dont mind doing it myself,gives me oppurtunity to check other things while i am at it to,more like a hobby
Oil is always good when removed,perhaps because egr is not on either
Like you said never see sludge build up
Fairly easy engine to work on for servicing