When should I expect the dreaded timing chain issues on my 2006 S4?

[S4_ATX]

My B7 has fairly low miles (45K) for a 2006. It's in great shape, I don't drive it hard, and I take good care of it. Should I expect another 50K miles before I have to worry about timing chain issues? Or do I have to worry sooner than that due to the age of the car?

Also, do extended warranties typically cover problems caused by timing chain issues? I'm guessing not.

[Brettannica]

With a bit of luck you shouldn’t. Your year should have the updated guides. Use a good quality oil (Mobil 1 0-40), adhere to your servicing and preventative maintenance religiously and you won’t have any problems.
Although it’s hyped up on here and other times. The percentage of vehicles with failures in relation to cars built is relatively small.

And if I recall correctly, I believe you can(?) get coverage for the issue over your way. Someone else can verify this no doubt.

[Slow4]

Ever hold the bottom tip of a lit firecracker?

Firecracker is going to blow regardless, its just a matter of when
Depending on how you hold the bottom tip of the firecracker, you may or may not get hurt but the explosive pop will impact you in some way

Thats what came to mind when I opened this thread.

[Mr.Wrong]

^LOL that pretty much sums it up

[SprintBlueWorld]

No One Expects the Spanish Inquisition!

[EUROSWAGR]

78999.6 mile mark....

Just keep up on maintenance and change the oil every 3k miles. Don't beat on the car when it's cold and you'll be fine.

[SpoolBus]

92K on an 04 and no rattle, no rhyme or reason just deal with it as it comes along...like most things in life...as these threads have shown 35k, 185k, 5k yadda plastic breaks regardless of the "update" or not.
Nothing lasts forever just try to enjoy it while you have it

[Kambesama]

100K miles and I had to replace a broken guide. Guess I was unlucky (only had the car for 2 years 30k miles)

[Mr.Wrong]

I believe once all five plastic guides will get updated to the ones with metal backing like in RS4, they should last much much longer than traditional all plastic guides. JHM already replaced one of five guides to the new style, so that leaves four more to be updated. Once this happens if it already didn't, their kit will transform the way people look at our platform. Hopefully by the time I get to replacing my timing system components, all guides will be of the new style.

[TarlCabot]

I believe once all five plastic guides will get updated to the ones with metal backing like in RS4, they should last much much longer than traditional all plastic guides. JHM already replaced one of five guides to the new style, so that leaves four more to be updated. Once this happens if it already didn't, their kit will transform the way people look at our platform. Hopefully by the time I get to replacing my timing system components, all guides will be of the new style.

Amen

[Kambesama]

I believe once all five plastic guides will get updated to the ones with metal backing like in RS4, they should last much much longer than traditional all plastic guides. JHM already replaced one of five guides to the new style, so that leaves four more to be updated. Once this happens if it already didn't, their kit will transform the way people look at our platform. Hopefully by the time I get to replacing my timing system components, all guides will be of the new style.

Aren't those guides the ones that go with the tensioner? What about the ones that are w/o the tensioners are there updated ones for that? Cause my guide cracked, the one w.o the metal backing.

[TarlCabot]

Aren't those guides the ones that go with the tensioner? What about the ones that are w/o the tensioners are there updated ones for that? Cause my guide cracked, the one w.o the metal backing.

2 guides/tensioners... okay 5 left...opps JHM made one 4 left :)

[Mr.Wrong]

If you look at this picture, which I'm borrowing from the other thread, there're five plastic guides clearly seen:

Now I've seen two people get a kit from JHM where one of these five is of a new style with metal backing. I'll try to look for a picture to illustrate what I'm talking about.

Found it in OllieBug's build thread. See anything different?:
[IMG][/IMG]

[Kambesama]

My fault I was assuming you were talking about that tensioner guide on the left hand side. I just looked at JHM's kit and i saw the one guide that they changed with a metal backing and its the exact same one that cracked on my car..... if only it were sold separately.....

[TarlCabot]

yup... the second one that "mostly fails" which would not surprise (directly above the crank and below the drivers side head) me that JHM is NOT also working on that one right now

[TarlCabot]

My fault I was assuming you were talking about that tensioner guide on the left hand side. I just looked at JHM's kit and i saw the one guide that they changed with a metal backing and its the exact same one that cracked on my car..... if only it were sold separately.....

i would just replace the tensioner with OEM... don't think there are any goodies coming up for that anytime soon :(
call Jake... he can hook you up! just make sure and ask him what he is wearing or else your wife will get jealous ;P

[Kambesama]

i would just replace the tensioner with OEM... don't think there are any goodies coming up for that anytime soon :(
call Jake... he can hook you up! just make sure and ask him what he is wearing or else your wife will get jealous ;P

What other part inside there is known to break? I only saw one broken on mine and I replaced the mechanical adjuster with JHM.
Haha im sure w.e it is its not covered in engine oil and dust. Ill ask em nd see if they sell that one by itself. I have a buddy at Audi who gave me most of the stuff for free since he used to have an S4. Pretty much got all of the T.chain back together anyhow. Just replacing all the "other" stuff around the motor as preventive maintenance.

Im sure having that metal backing will last forever and since I already got the JHM mechanical adjuster repair kit there really isn't anything else that should go wrong if I replace that one to a metal one.

[Kambesama]

If you look at this picture, which I'm borrowing from the other thread, there're five plastic guides clearly seen:

Now I've seen two people get a kit from JHM where one of these five is of a new style with metal backing. I'll try to look for a picture to illustrate what I'm talking about.

Found it in OllieBug's build thread. See anything different?:
[IMG][/IMG]

TBH I don't all I see different from mine is the color of the tensioner that's above the crank and PTO

[Guitarmageddon]

After studying the order of the guides and the route the chain takes, I would say that the particular failure prone center-ish tensioner cracks because of the curve downwards the chain follows, then has to almost immediately put pressure on itself to move around the crank. Seems like it was doomed from the start. Why curve the tensioner at all, audi? Why use plastic at all, audi?

[Slow4]

After studying the order of the guides and the route the chain takes, I would say that the particular failure prone center-ish tensioner cracks because of the curve downwards the chain follows, then has to almost immediately put pressure on itself to move around the crank. Seems like it was doomed from the start. Why curve the tensioner at all, audi? Why use plastic at all, audi?

Study all you want but:

Metal on metal is a TERRIBLE idea, the updated refresh is reinforced by metal but the guide runner is plastic.

Chains are meant to curve around a track; think of it like a stronger belt driven system.

You gripe and bitch about how bad the system is until you get a chance to look at it in person THEN you marvel at the engineering behind it. It's not poorly designed or over-engineered, for the date and time, it was an efficiently designed engine....so stop bitching about a system that is currently in use in the RS4 and majority of the B8 systems.

[evildsmr]

123xxx miles oem everything. Some rattle but I'm going to do the oil jet and whatever the other thing is called because I can't remember it for the life of me right now....

Its hard to know when they will fail but with good maintenance and proper precautions you can elongate the inevitable but these engines are a ticking time bomb so if you have the funds and the means. Replace it and be happy. Just my 2 cents.

Josh

[Kambesama]

Study all you want but:

Metal on metal is a TERRIBLE idea, the updated refresh is reinforced by metal but the guide runner is plastic.

Chains are meant to curve around a track; think of it like a stronger belt driven system.

You gripe and bitch about how bad the system is until you get a chance to look at it in person THEN you marvel at the engineering behind it. It's not poorly designed or over-engineered, for the date and time, it was an efficiently designed engine....so stop bitching about a system that is currently in use in the RS4 and majority of the B8 systems.

Im assuming this updated refresh version is the JHM one? or did OEM go with it on the RS4?

[Slow4]

Im assuming this updated refresh version is the JHM one? or did OEM go with it on the RS4?

Correct.

I missed the JHM refresh by a few months but the RS4 parts are mostly metallic with plastic guide runners. It's why you don't normally hear about RS4s having timing guide failures.

[Kambesama]

Correct.

I missed the JHM refresh by a few months but the RS4 parts are mostly metallic with plastic guide runners. It's why you don't normally hear about RS4s having timing guide failures.

RS4 is just a beefed up motor of the S4 isn't it? Meaning we can buy parts for RS4 timing chain and it'll fit our motors?
Ima order an RS4 timing chain guide from my parts supplier and compare them i'll see if it fits and is a match or not. If it fails I can just return it.

[TarlCabot]

RS4 is just a beefed up motor of the S4 isn't it? Meaning we can buy parts for RS4 timing chain and it'll fit our motors?
Ima order an RS4 timing chain guide from my parts supplier and compare them i'll see if it fits and is a match or not. If it fails I can just return it.

sorry, completely different motors although similar... im thinking of doing a full swap of engine/ecu/wiring harness... but will have to extend the frame a few inches to get that fsi in there... lol

[Mr.Wrong]

TBH I don't all I see different from mine is the color of the tensioner that's above the crank and PTO

Look at the guide that's left of the crankshaft. On the first picture it's dark color - all plastic. Now look at the bottom picture, at the same guide. It's metal with a thin plastic strip on top, just like on RS4. Much sturdier design. Now we have four guides(one of them is a tensioner guide) left to be updated to the new style.

And like TarlCabot said above, no RS4 engine is a completely different animal. The only thing BNS shares with our BHF is the displacement. I would not suggest throwing RS4 guides in your engine just cause they look similar. You don't want your engine to grenade cause chain was not under proper tension.

[Mr.Wrong]

im thinking of doing a full swap of engine/ecu/wiring harness... but will have to extend the frame a few inches to get that fsi in there... lol

25th Anniversary with RS4 drivetrain, now that's something you don't see everyday! How come the frame needs to be extended? B6/7s are quite the same when it comes to frame.