Well, bought a wrecked RS5 that is running with 27k miles. Should be lots of good parts to keep as spares and to sell off. Some front end damage. I’m going to pull an oil sample when I get it and send it off for an analysis. May end up pulling the bottom end off for new Rod bearings at least. Found an Israeli company, Calico Coated bearings, which from what I’ve read on some forums and Hot Rod sites seem to be about the best bearings out there. We’ll see, but it’s some progress.
1 Like
I wonder if the rest of us should replace our bearings at a certain mileage? Given that a lot of us drive them like hell some fresh bearings should extend the life of our 4.2’s. Let us know what you find out about that company!
That’s great news you have found another RS5 Mark !!
It’s sounds promising if it’s running as well I’m sure this one will work out ok for you I have all my fingers crossed.
Keep us posted on what it’s like and what you find if you do split the bottom end.
The company who do the Calico Coated bearings sounds interesting let us know what you find out !
Thanks Steve. My fear is that the car will show up and I’ll want to rebuild it, hopefully it won’t be that good 
https://www.calicocoatings.com/bearings/
2 Likes
Found some Audi forum threads from a decade ago where guys were running them on built motors.
https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/oem-or-calico-coated-bearings.5580696/
And an SR20 thread from a whopping 15 years ago where these guys were praising them as well.
Last, the RS5 competitor, the M3, was known for their rod bearing issues. Among the favorite remedies were VAC bearings, made by Calico. If I go nuts an supercharge my RS5, I think it’s definitely getting fresh Calico bearings.
Haha let’s hope it’s to damaged to bring back to life otherwise I fear you may have a new RS5 in the garage knowing what your like Mark !!!
The Company for the bearings looks very promising like @RS5 said it maybe its a necessity if people go down the SC route If we want these engines to last !
Just got the Oil Analysis back from Blackstone and it looked pretty good, posted below. Extra fuel is probably from multiple cold starts for short run time while the car is still in Cold Start enrichment. I myself started it up and drove it up on my trailer. At least once more before I took the sample and drained the oil for a fresh change. From a Carfax Mx report looks like it has had its normal servicing at an Oklahoma Porsche dealer. Last oil change was only 2mths before the crash although the oil looked very dark. Car has sat for a while so that might be while the Calcium is low, tends to get used up eating Acids from condensations. Overall looks good. I’m still contemplating new Rod and possibly main bearings while I’m here. A lot of extra work on one of these engines though compared to most conventional motors. Other column shows the Oil analysis I had done on the motor with the spun rod bearings as I pulled it out of the car, hence the high Iron & Copper contents.
14 RS5-220201.pdf (18.1 KB)
Ammended Blackstone report with the information I gave them on the Oil change from the last dealer. No differences obviously in the analysis. I still am thinking the high fuel content is from multiple cold starts and cold shutdowns. Never a good thing on an engine and definitely on a DI engine.
14 RS5-220201 (1).pdf (17.4 KB)
Yeah fuel is almost always on cold start you need to get the motor up to operational temps and the oil above 180 to help burn the fuel off.
Ordered a set of these for the car. They come in Journal sets, so one set covers the two Rods on the Journal, so 4 sets. From all of the serching I’ve done these seem to be about the best Rod & Main bearings made. They are popular in the Lambo community on High Performance 5.2 rebuilds, same bearings, just one more set needed for the 5.2 (4.0t uses the same Rod & Main bearings too). Have pretty much decided that even with a great Oil analysis as far as Aluminum, Iron, & Copper, I’m still going to do the Rod bearings. I’ll get an idea of what the rod bearings on a car with a good oil analysis look like at 27320 miles.
Curious what brand of oil you are using? The oil in this engine was done back in October at a Porsche dealer in Oklahoma so I’m not sure what oil they used or the exact mileage. Looks like most of the wear components of our two engines are fairly similar, oil additives are different for sure, your Titanium is up there and nothing in the oil that was in this engine. I will be swapping this engine to a Boutique oil I use in my RS6 which at 75k and putting out 550bhp and 550 lb/ft of Torque shows less wear components than either one of our two analysis here. It is a custom 7.5w40 oil, from a place known as BND Automotive.
I’ll probably pull the engine in the next couple of weeks, get the new bearings in and then hopefully within the next month or so get it in my car. We’ll see what my oil analysis looks like, BND oils and see if the breakin of the new rod bearing show anything in the analysis. Ordered the rest of the Rod Bearings today, guess I need to order some plastigauge too. I’m probably also going to swap from the OEM Rod bolts to a set from ARP.
I use Castrol 0w-40 European. I really like the oil and have used it in all my turbo BMW’s and now the RS5. I’m very interested in that special blend.
One I posted on RS6.com years ago. I had done a few changes and they all came back so low in wear metals that I started stretching the intervals to see what would happen. But I do think the C5 RS6 motor is one helluva design. Enough that they used it in the Gumper Apollo Supercar with Bigger Turbos and boosted it to just under 800bhp.
Well, got the 27k engine & tranny out of the car. Gonna split them and start stripping the engine for the JHM parts, Headers, LWCP, LW DSG Flywheel, Intake Cooling mod removal. Already have a 25k transmission so I’ll be selling the 27k DSG (NSD Coded). Should have a lot of RS5 parts available, may keep some spares for my car or upgrade stuff for my S5.
Sad to pull the engine/tranny out of a car with no serious damage, frame is in great shape. Almost makes me want to find another engine to drop into it but too many other projects, it’ll get parted out I guess.
Still planning to flip the engine on a stand and install new “King” Rod bearings. I’ll advise how the 27k bearings look, even with a good Oil analysis we’ll see if there is much visual wear on the bearings.
Are you selling any of the mods or just putting them on the new engine?
Removing them off the old engine (only put 300 mi on it) and installing them on the newer engine. Lots of other parts from the 2013 parts car. Car was not highly optioned though.
Would you hammer an easyout (counter clockwise screw) into the stuck (and broken off) bleeder valve or let it sit?
I am using phosphoric acid to cut in to the tread a bit but probably too cold for it to work and taking turns with wd40 and the hydrocarbon rust spray; Thinking it might be dirt in the tread and maybe moisture.
The bleeder valve seems soft feels like the caliper tread might not get damaged if I did hammer it in.
Sry should have answered this comment on the other thread.
The mechanic gave up after welding on a nut and doing heating and cooling cycles. They clearly don’t want to ruin the brembos given one will set us back 500-700. If someone has one for sale?
It’s not noticeable the one thing is the breaking power maybe could be better. I read brake systems might not get air in until at least the pads are a bit more worn. Don’t remember if there were any bubbles coming from the other front bleeder valves last time. Also in Mr apefactorys demo video wasn’t any
Well, I finally got around to removing the upper and lower oil pans on my 27k motor and good news. Along with the good Blackstone Oil analysis, I pulled off #7 rod cap (should’ve pulled off #4 or #8) and the bearing looked almost but not quite new. I’m still gonna pull all the rest and go ahead and install the set of King Bearings along with a set or ARP rod bolts, I will double check clearances with Plastigauge and instead of Torquing I will use my new shiny Rod Bolt stretch measuring tool.