How to turn over engine for leak down testing and borescope inspection?

B6/7 S4/RS4
#1

After a fruitless archive search, I hope someone is online and can offer suggestions. I’ve got the spark plugs and fuel pump fuse out, and have just completed compression testing.

Now trying to roll over the engine to get each cylinder to BDC, one at a time, so I can do leak down testing and borescope inspection. I have a handy-dandy ¼" square, 2’ long rod of Star Board (the joys of owning a boat, makes it easy to come by or make a plastic rod with which to test).

I’ve found it virtually impossible to rock the car in gear and get the engine to move, even with my sorry old ass and two strapping 20-somethings. Level, paved ground, nothing blocking the wheels. I can’t figure out what’s locking things up, other than friction.

I resorted to trying to bump over the engine with the starter by bumping the key from the “run” to the “start” position, but the starter keeps spinning until I turn the key to the “off” position, not by simply releasing it from the “start” position back to the “run” position. Some sort of ECU-controlled autostart, for lack of a better term.

Is my only option at this point to run the starter between the “off” and “start” positions, bypassing the “run” position? Is there another fuse that I can pull that will kill the autostart, or whatever it’s really called?

#2

Never mind, ended up bumping the starter a billion times.

Results, cold engine @ 98,348 miles:
Cylinder 1 - 145 psi compression, 0 percent, e.g. 100 psi @ 100 psi
Cylinder 2 - 143 psi compression, 1 percent, e.g. 99 psi @ 100 psi
Cylinder 3 - 140 psi compression, 4 percent, e.g. 96 psi @ 100 psi
Cylinder 4 - 152 psi compression, 0 percent, e.g. 100 psi @ 100 psi
Cylinder 5 - 145 psi compression, 6 percent, e.g. 94 psi @ 100 psi
Cylinder 6 - 140 psi compression, 4 percent, e.g. 96 psi @ 100 psi
Cylinder 7 - 145 psi compression, 1 percent, e.g. 99 psi @ 100 psi
Cylinder 8 - 153 psi compression, 0 percent, e.g. 100 psi @ 100 psi

Borescope looked good in each cylinder.

Seems like a fairly healthy engine.

#3

Just read my original post; eventually I’ll be able to edit my mistakes, make that “BDC” into the “TDC” that I meant it to be. D’oh.

#4

You could have turned the alternator nut (24mm) to turn the engine by hand. Or you could use the specialty socket that is an Audi specialty tool.

Does sound like your engine is healthy though.

#5

That’s basically what I do.

Pull the fuel pump fuse and run the car until it dies.

Then just go quickly between run->start->off to bump it as needed.

#6

keep posting youll get there. There is a secotion for the comp results you can check it here
http://audirevolution.net/forum/index.php?topic=727.0

I guess it dosent make much sense now for me to go over how I bumped the starter on cars. Good work great post

#7

Thanks, justincredible. I just put my results on the link you posted.