S8 Power Steering Pump Failed - is engine out the only option?

A8 All/ S8 All
#1

Hi all, 07 S8 w/ 108k and the PS Pump has seized up. Fluid in the reservoir was a brown and had a burned smell so it’s my bad for not changing soon enough. Now comes the hard part, everything I can see online says the engine needs to come out, so around $4500 from my Indy.
Questions :

  1. Is engine out the only option?
  2. Is there anyway to drive fluid through the pump to try to get it to ‘unlock’ or is it more likely the impeller or whatever pushes the fluid has self destructed? The pump went all at once, parked the car and on next start it was done…no signs along the way.
  3. If motor does need to come out, what other items should we address while it’s out?

And, just in case…I’m a fairly competent home mechanic (did the carbon clean, manifold rebuild as example) but don’t have a lift/engine hoist…and would really like to find someone who can help with this project and has the skills/tools to enable. I can be the assistant, beer holder, pizza runner and of course would pay a solid rate for your time. Also, timing is very flexible as I have another car to use a daily driver. Text me on 503.803.5706 if interested.

thank you

Many Thanks

S8pdx - Car is in Portland Oregon in case anyone here has done the job and want

#2

Here’s a link from another site RE: questions on rack. Albeit, this guy only has noise.

https://forums.quattroworld.com/a8d3/msgs/13979.phtml

#3

The S8 has more room than the S6 but its a hard job no matter what.

1 — I would suggest it.

2 – The pump is ran off the back of the motor gear system. So not super easy to get to.

You can pull the front core to give you more room. Or pull the headlight to expose the resivware and then take off the return and feed hose from the resivware and try to pressurize the pump and force fluid in while you run the starter.

3 - That is a good time to do several thing but chances are you already addressed most of them by doing the carbon clean.

#4

Hi all, thank you for comments and advice.

Update from my end, my Indy shop thinks they can get to the pump by only dropping the subframe while supporting the engine on the frame rails. We’re going down this route next week and hoping that works as it cuts the labor time in half.

stay tuned.

#5

IF they have the tool to do this then they probably have worked on several Audis… that would be one of the best ways to go outside of just pulling the motor.

#6

Hi all, thanks for your advice and sorry for the lag in updates. In the end my Indy was able to support the engine on the top of the subframe and then pull the lower subframe down/away to access the PS pump. The input driveshaft was stripped even though the pump still moved (at least it does out of the car), we decided to install a new pump anyway and the total job was about $3k (980 was for the pump), so albeit costly it’s a big discount over dropping the motor. I’m now pulling fluid out to exchange from the reservoir every air filter change to ensure this never happens again.

#7

Good idea. Get the most done while you have access.

Something else to consider while the motor is down if it still is. remove the cats. It’s a good insurance against failure in the future.