So I thought I would start a build/update thread of my B6 – we have been through a lot together and I have yet to decide if she is cursed.
The back story:
I have always wanted a B6 S4 for as long as I can remember, so I started my research on AZ. The first thread I read what justincredible’s engine tear down thread which was an absolutely amazing read. So I started reading and learning as much as I could for when I would purchase my S4. Unfortunately in Australia we have some licensing restrictions, when you first get your license you are on your L (learners) and you have to drive a total of 120 hours with someone in the car then you do a test and you get a probationary license for 3 years, currently I am on my last couple of months of my probationary license. The probationary license has some restrictions where you cannot drive V8’s or turbo/supercharged cars, so that ruled out the S4 and 1.8T. Mind you the other limiting factor is getting an S4 is the 50 grand price tag.
I am involved in club level motorsport – great fun, I do everything to motorkhana’s, Khanacross, track days to a full rally weekends. Well before the Audi I had a Nissan Pulsar and decided to use it in a motorkhana as both race cars were out of action, well the Nissan took a beating and I managed to blow the gearbox on it (auto) and I decided that it was time for a new car – the hunt was on.
The start of a love affair:
I managed to find a nice example of a 3.0 and decided it was mine and picked up on my birthday 24th of April. This is how she looked bone stock day one
http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/890333735.jpg
Things were great, I was having a blast in my car, until one day we had an argument with a tight underground car park and a concrete pylon – we lost
I do take a lot of pride and care with my car and for this to happen it really hurt, I almost cried.
So while my baby was off being repaired I was looking for wheels specifically VMR 701’s, during the repairs my car needed to be inspected for registration. The bad part was it failed the first inspection due to tyres, so that threw the plans for VMR’s. Well I needed new tyres and wanted to wheels, so picked up some RS4 reps 19x8.
The mod bug hit me again and it was time the ugly ass unpainted lowers had to go. It is amazing how some cars can pull unpainted lowers off really well, but my car couldn’t. So my brother helped me paint the lowers and it cost me a bottle of vodka to my sister in law
During this time I had been looking at brake upgrades and suspension, I had been looking at the ECS Porsche Cayenne kit but the callipers would not clear the wheels, so I decided to go with the S4 set up. I purchased the complete rear kit from ECS and 2 piece front rotors so I can track down some front S4 callipers. I am having a hard time trying to find a set, they are nearly impossible to find in Australia and on eBay. I think JHM should stock S4 front callipers on their website as I could imagine a lot of people would buy them – I would. I decided the suspension would be H&R springs with Bilstiens with an RS4 rear sway bar, I figured since I was doing the suspension I should replace all of the front control arms – it may have not needed it, but it gave me piece of mind knowing that my suspension and its components were better than when it came from the factory. The install of the suspension took a complete weekend and it was well worth it. I have one piece of advice, anyone planning on doing their own suspension buy a hydraulic bottle jack to help remove the rear springs. What you do is place the jack on the rear control arm and the body and separate the 2 with the jack and then you can simply pull the springs out – works a treat.
http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/127964268.jpg
http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/191529727.jpg
The murder scene:
Now as some of you may have read, my engine is cactus. I haven’t gone into details about what happened as it still hurts, but it is about time since we are starting to push the engine it could be something to look out for – and I now need some advice on what to do.
So 1 week and 1 days after the suspension install, I put my car in for service at the dealership to replace a torn inner CV boot and a oil change and find out why my ESP and ABS lights were on. Yes i know I could have done the oil change and the CV boot myself but I was a bit lazy.
The next days I was driving to work loving life and enjoying the summers day. While I was sitting in traffic I notice my RPM’s were sitting a little higher than usual by about 1 or 2 hundred RPM. Stuck it in neutral and rev the engine and it settled, thought nothing of it. As I get closer to work the high RPM comes back, then the RPM’s start fluctuating – i am like f*ck I have dropped a cylinder. I get the car parked up and luckily in a spot where a tow truck or a car trailer could get too. I call my service advisor at the dealership and have a panic chat with him; he asks if I can drive the car to him and I am like hell no I don’t trust it. I call my brother and advise him we have to get a car trailer and trailer it to the dealership that night – no problems. Loading a modded Audi on to a trailer in the middle of the night in some side street looked like the dodgiest thing and so many people slowed down to see what we were doing.
Car was booked in the service department that morning, I was chatting with the service advisor and we thought it may have been coil packs and we spoke about the recall. So I left the car with him and went to work. Later in the day I get a call “Your car has the right coil packs and is running like a Swiss watch, come get it” – excellent
Pick it up and drive it home, everything is fine. Go to go out later that night get 800 meters from my house and the most horrible noise came from my car – think diesel engine falling apart. I shut the car off and then try to fire it again – NOTHING FUCK! Call my brother my car is fcked come check it out. It was dead nothing we could see or think of could work out what went wrong; btw it was a Friday night. Monday morning came I ring my service advisor and tell him of the problem and he organises a tow truck to take it to the workshop. I get a call later that day BAD news we found metal filings – Shit
The car was then towed back to my brother’s place, where I had a mate come and pull the top of the motor apart to see what the damage was…stunned and in disbelief is what I was – this is what we found.
http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/321490416.jpg
http://audirevolution.net/addons/albums/images/618519568.jpg
What happened was that the screws that hold the cam gear onto the cam had started to slowly undo and pulled the left bank out of timing and pretty much did what you see above.
The next chapter:
Anyway so what’s done is done, I had decided to look for another motor here in Australia, but there are like none available and if there is it is stupidly expensive. I had a company over in the states trying to locate an engine and ship it to me, unfortunately long story cut short they couldn’t get one for me. So 4 months of me pinning my hopes on these guys were for nothing, so I am back to square one and just not sure what to do. I have been without my car for 8 months now and it is killing me.
Fret not my fellow B6ers I have not just let the car sit there and not do anything to it. I have pulled the interior trim to paint and wrap in suede and I have installed a complete LED interior light upgrade.
So my questions to you is do I keep looking for another engine and try and find someone who will ship it to Australia or do I pull the engine and rebuild or do we think the block is toast.
So that is my story and I will keep updating this thread with any updates and mods.
;D