A little something else to keep me busy.

[K Simmonds]

I've dealt with blocked up oil pick ups on a few 20VT's, if caught early enough then it's not a problem. If the engine sounds rough and the oil light has flicked on a few times that does not bode well, the head in general will have been staved of oil. First the tensioner looses pressure, the cams and lifters are staved of oil and then the main bearings cop it, pretty much in that order.

All you can do is pull the sump and cam cover off and have a look. A replacement 20VT engine isn't expensive so even if the motor is toast it's not the end of the world.

I had one fail with no warning whatsoever whilst driving a B5 A4 quattro just like this, that totaled the head causing the cambelt to snap stranding me beside the M5 for eight hours.

I also have a good 180bhp 20VT engine sat under my workbench should you need one.

[Tractor Dave]

Cheers Kit. Might be needing that

[newsh]

TBF it was sold on the basis that it needed a rebuild or a new engine

But you might get lucky

[K Simmonds]

I reckon it was a bargain at £200 with that nice spec and decent headlights etc, even if it needs a new engine, as I've said not the end of the world.

[Tractor Dave]

Agree

[fish]

So, thanks to Newsh and his neighbour Yann for sending this my way.

I've made an initial assessment and it quite good body wise for age and mileage. Nice spec with half leather Quattro script seats.

The main issue is the engine. I haven't actually heard it as I don't want to run it until I've looked inside but apparently sounds like a bag of nails and oil light is flickering. Plan is to drop the sump and clean the pick up plus inspect the bottom end. Then remove the rocker cover and have a poke around in there. The timing chain tensioner might be making all the noise. We will see. Pics to follow as usual.

Its not only got quattro script seats, from what i can tell it is a quattro GmbH... It should have white/silver dials, quattro script seats (half leather?) A black head liner, fog lights in the bumper and IIRC a 180bhp engine. Very nice cars.

[david1980]

so I had something similar with one of these, oil light came on as I got onto the m4, sounded like someone chucked one direction down some stairs. Drove around another 50 miles with it like it. Next morning went and started it up and as above sounded rough as hell. Cleaned the pickup and sump and it was fine afterwards. That was a 180bhp with the white dials/quattro script seats.

[Tractor Dave]

Yes, it has the white dials

[psiconauta911]

Another nice project.

[K Simmonds]

sounded like someone chucked one direction down some stairs.

That made me chuckle...

The one I was driving was also one of the nice sport spec ones with white dials and the half leather quattro script seats, you were lucky David, but the outcome from these pick ups clogging up does seem to be a bit random. As I've said to Dave I was simply cruising at motorway speed in the middle lane, felt a slight loss of power so pulled into the inside lane ready to take to the hard shoulder and within 30 seconds had lost all power. No funny noises or oil light.

I assumed the cambelt had snapped, which it had, got the car back home and peeped inside the oil filer cap to see bit's of swarf so then knew something much worse had happened. Pulled the cam cover to find complete devastation, a couple of the bearing caps had actually cracked and it had even snapped the shaft on the turbo, however I think I was simply very unlucky.

This one could be perfectly okay after a clean out, good luck Dave.

[Tractor Dave]

Thanks everyone. Advice always appreciated.

Now, this morning I removed the rocker cover and confirmed the timing chain tensioner is poorly. Bits of black plastic are all around.






I can't see any metal bits and the cam lobes look ok. One splash shield is missing.
The sludge isn't as bad as I was expecting.


However, someone was rather enthusiastic with the sealant. There is quite a bit hanging over the edges.

Next step was to get the car raised and remove the front bumper.


The left bracket is damaged.

And this cv boot needs doing.


But have I got Koni shocks?


I can't really do much more today as I need to find an engine support before I can remove the sump. This entails dropping the front subframe. Unlike the B4 where you can just support the gearbox, B5 engine mounts sit in the front of the subframe.
Anyway, front end is remarkably rust free and looking good.




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[K Simmonds]

If there's only rouge plastic and sealant in there it may well be savable, I'd pop a couple of the exhaust camshaft caps off to see if they look like they've been running very hot...

Then sump off and remove the oil pump pick up to either replace it or give it a proper clean, personally I'd also remove the oil pump and have a look to see if that's okay and measure the lash on the gears with a feeler gauge, can't recall the tolerance off the top of my head though I'm sure Google will have remembered. It'll probably be fine but you may as well whilst your in there.

[Tractor Dave]

So I borrowed my friends crane.


We will be back in business tomorrow.


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[K Simmonds]

Sorted… I have an identical engine hoist if I’m not mistaken.

[Tractor Dave]

So, bit of a sage last few days. The crane wasn't holding up and the legs were in the way. I had to get creative with some scrap metal I had.


Version 1 was bowing a little too much for my liking.


Version 2 is much stronger.

I also put the car up another few inches so I have more space to work.

Took the plugs out to aid turning the engine (you need to align a slot in the flywheel to get to two bolts through the bell housing). I discovered that I5 engines aren't the only ones that have a habit of undoing their plugs. Three of the four were just hand tight!


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