tpandian11

Hello all --

Hoping for some help/insight

Recently, my check engine light (2012 A4 Avant Prestige) went on. The dealership ran the diagnostic and found the following:
- misfire faults for all 4 cylinders
- vehicle at -7 CAM phase, audi spec is less than -4
- this indicates the timing chain has stretched and needs replacement

Per Audi, this would have been a $6000 repair. The car itself is maybe worth $10k at this point. They did tell me I could drive the vehicle but if there was a more critical problem with the timing chain, this could severely damage the engine and result in a much more costly repair.

I did get my oil changed at the same time they ran the diagnostic. This was overdue, not from a mileage standpoint, but my last oilchange was about 12 months ago (only 3500 miles).

They did NOT clear the check engine light at the dealership.

About 10 miles after I left the dealership, the check engine light just turned off. I have maybe driven the car an additional 20 miles since then and still no engine light.

I am hoping for some help:

1. Is this whole timing chain/engine misfire fault a real thing or could it have simply been due to the fact that I was overdue for an oil change?

2. If the timing chain is truly "stretched" -- how long do I have potentially before the chain breaks or something worse happens...?

Thanks in advance!

uberwgn

Welcome aboard! How many miles on the car? How much oil does it burn.

The timing chain being destroyed by the dirty oil is a gradual process. It didn't happen because of a single over-due oil change. The timing chain + tensioner can be huge problems on these cars.

tpandian11

Thanks for the quick response. Current mileage is 79,500 miles.

Not sure about how much oil it burns to be honest!

So even though the check engine light has turned off, the problem is likely still real & I should get it fixed?

uberwgn

The problem is VERY real if you are at -7 degrees. You are getting to the point where other issues are going to come up, not to mention the timing chain tensioner failing. These are interference engines and serious damage occurs (valves hit pistons) when the engine is out of time and running. Usually is the end of the car.

tpandian11

Got it, thank you!!

One other question that you may or may not be able to answer:

The dealership quoted $5900 for the timing chain replacement -- does this seem reasonable?!?

I am trying to get estimates at other local European car shops...one turned me down completely saying Audi should do it.

SMac770

No, $6k to replace the timing chain is absurd. My dealership did the job for $1600 (9 hours); I supplied the parts which ran me maybe $500. This was years ago, but even if the cost today was double, that's way less than $6k.

But yeah, -7° on the camshaft adaptation is not a good place to be; time for the job sooner than later.

You don't have a scan tool, so when the MIL comes on, you can't scan the car and see exactly what the car is reporting. Even in that text of the dealership response, there's no actual DTC code presented. Was it P0016 or something else. Don't mess around with P0016 unless you want the job to get much more expensive.

uberwgn

@tpandian11 , SMac addressed your concern on the dealer's estimate. That does sound high, but it's a dealer and you should expect it.

Bigger picture: You need to figure out how much oil the car is consuming, couple that repair cost with the timing chain/tensioner repairs and figure out if the car is "economically" totaled at this time. I think most of us with this vintage of car, and similar miles are confronting the same demise - - you have NOT been singled out. Many will simply trade the car in on a day when the CEL isn't illuminated and move on with life.

Airbag

Personally i think its a red herring . Yes no doubt the timing chain needs replacing, I think the dealership did to you as they do to so many and see an opportunity to rape you and fill their bank.

many cars run at 7 or above and have zero misfires... if this car was under warranty .. even at 7 degrees they wouldn't touch it . and tell you its fine until you get a timing code.

I did mine at 8.6 i believe and the car ran flawlessly. So it is important to find out what the code was .

Under no circumstances have the dealer do it. I'm shocked another place told you to go to the dealer.. i would say it is certainly not a European car shop as this work is very common.

What country are you in ?

silver_tt

I did my timing chain about 3 years ago. Paid my indy $900 labor and it was $1,000 in parts because I did the balance shaft, cam bridge, etc. Your part list would be slightly different but this is going to give you an idea...


$127.65 06K-109-158-BE TIMING CHAIN
$78.20 06K-109-467-K TENSIONER
$3.30 N-910-967-02 BOLT (15 QUANTITY)
$220.80 06K-109-210-AF TIMING CASE
$1.61 WHT-001-760 SCREW
$11.41 06H-103-483-C GASKET
$7.91 06H-103-483-D GASKET
$0.49 N-105-724-03 SCREW
$2.12 WHT-007-212-B SEAL RING
$0.79 WHT-003-463 SEAL RING
$8.76 06J-115-403-Q OIL FILTER
$4.32 G-052-167-S0 SHOP540S ENGIN
$7.19 D-176-501-A1A SEALANT 1/
$15.76 D-176-501-A1 SEALANT
$16.10 06K-109-469-N RAIL
$24.38 06H-109-509-Q RAIL
$15.30 6K-109-469-M RAIL
$127.65 06K-109-158-BS TIMING CHAIN
$16.45 06H-109-469-AQ RAIL
$11.96 06H-109-509-P RAIL
$16.68 06H-109-469-AH RAIL
$75.90 06H-109-467-AR TENSIONER
$223.10 06H-103-144-K CAM BRACKET

$1,017.83 TOTAL

Airbag

Whenever i see " BS timing Chain" . i think ... right ??

lol