I’ve got an issue where the valves hit the pistons. What kind of damage am I looking at, and how bad is it? I’m worried about the lower end of the engine, but I don’t know for sure yet. I’ll probably have to pull the motor and check things out.
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That’s a paddlin’.
Lennon said:
That’s a paddlin’.
So, it’s fine then? Should I just smooth things out and keep going?
It depends on what this contact did to the bearings.
Keir said:
It depends on what this contact did to the bearings.
Yeah, I’ll need to pull the motor to get the pan off… So I’m hoping the bearings are okay.
The pistons should be fine, but the head is probably gonna need some work.
Brynn said:
The pistons should be fine, but the head is probably gonna need some work.
Those edges could develop hot spots and cause detonation.
Brynn said:
The pistons should be fine, but the head is probably gonna need some work.
Yeah, I was thinking of getting a new head. It’s frustrating, honestly. I just got this gem with only 50k miles and planned to do the timing belt in the spring… Guess I was wrong to wait.
@Nico
I’m in a similar situation, how old was the timing belt?
Bowie said:
@Nico
I’m in a similar situation, how old was the timing belt?
The timing belt was probably from 2003, I’d guess. I bought this Audi A4 from a lady who hardly drove it. It had 50k miles, and I figured I’d get the belt done but thought I could wait until summer… looks like I was wrong.
@Nico
How did the belt look visually before you started taking things apart?
Anyone else have thoughts? I’m most worried about cylinders 2 and 3. Looking to grab parts on Cyber Monday if I can.
I don’t think the bottom end is an issue. But definitely check the pistons for cracks.
Shan said:
I don’t think the bottom end is an issue. But definitely check the pistons for cracks.
The bottom end is what I’m most worried about. I’ll inspect the pistons closely and go from there. It’s an Audi 1.8t motor, and I’ve been told these lower ends are pretty tough.
@Nico
Yeah, I saw the valve was in the middle, so my first thought was Audi 5V. If you’re not planning to tune it, I’d suggest just grabbing a scrapyard head, get it decked, and install it with a new gasket. That should work.
I’m more concerned about the valve stems and whether they’re sealing properly. A compression test would be a good idea.
Merit said:
I’m more concerned about the valve stems and whether they’re sealing properly. A compression test would be a good idea.
The valves are definitely done. I’ll grab a new head, that’s no big deal. But my main concern is the lower end, since pulling the pan is a huge job.
I’d be more worried about whether the broken valve damaged the cylinder wall.