AudiPit

2001 A6 2.8L

Car began idiling rough. Few days later got really bad and was sputtering and misfiring then stalled and would not restart. I was in denial about the sound I heard during this meltdown. Got it towed home and ran the codes and got back both camshaft sensor and crankshaft sensor. I replaced the camshaft sensor myself and had it taken to a shop to have the crankshaft sensor replaced. They opened up the housing to replace the sensor and found it had a gouge out of it that clearly indicates that either the flywheel came in contact with the sensor or something got between the sensor and the wheel. They hand cranked the engine and saw nothing out of the ordinary from the crankshaft. Car still would not start so they checked the compression and I have bent valves. Timing belt is in excellent shape but must have somehow skipped a couple of teeth. I would consider having the heads rebuilt but I need to know what caused the sensor to get gouged in the way it did. I would think that if the crankshaft torqued enough to come in contact with the sensor it would be bent and the engine would not turn over.

Just Me

no. I'd need to think about how all those facts go together. End-play seems unlikely. Even if it slipped teeth - as to sensor contact, so what? It goes round and round.

For the record, when was the TB done last and were all rolling parts replaced?

G

AudiPit

Timing belt was replaced at around 80k. Car currently has 110k. Belt still looks brand new.

AudiPit

It seems you think it is more likely that something got caught between the sensor and the flywheel as opposed to the flywheel itself coming in contact with the sensor. I am concerned as to where that thing is at now. And where did it come from. Could it have been thrown into the transmission?

Edd W

I think more likely they damaged the sensor pulling it out - my guess is all the sensors were working fine, just they were picking up the fact the cam timing had altered. If the crank pos sensor was damaged does it look like it could have still been working, or was it so damaged it would have failed?

AudiPit

It defintely looks like the crank sensor would have failed. They said they weren't getting any signal from the sensor. The plastic covering was gouged down to the copper core. The gouge is oval shaped just like you would get if you touched it with a grinding wheel. I will try to post a picture tonight.