Audi S4 3.0TFSI - Engine Failure, but why? What happened? 

I've only recently been directed to your content, and as a 3.0t enthusiast, I have to say THANK YOU. You do an AWESOME job of sharing your knowledge. This stuff is truly GOLD for a guy like me who likes to turn his own wrenches and be accountable for every bolt or part touched. Too many shops just don't care these days.

I absolutely love these videos. I don’t own an Audi, but the level of pride and craftsmanship that is put into all of the repair work done on these vehicles is amazing and shouldn’t go un-notice.

Excellent! Great content, great editing and production quality…. You are the complete package. Thoroughly enjoy you videos… your attitude and personality really shine. Kudos!

The work done by VAG Technic is superb. All the work done is tested out on the roads to make sure the customer has his car back in top condition..

i could watch engine rebuilds all day, good work guys.

Just a small note, even though this vid is older now: piston 'slap' in english refers to the noise when a piston is loose in the cylinder bore and is slapping the sides of the cylinder. Hitting the cylinder head isn't something you'd call piston slap. Great job!

Another v6 lives to see another day! Great video, as always, and great editing too :)

I wish to have master mechanics like you here in US. Woow it's pleasure to watch your craftsmanship! Thanks for video.

Love this guy! Great content! The more I watch the more I feel Like I can take apart my own 3.0T some day! 👍😎

Top top work! You guys obviously know what you are doing and have a very clean hi tech workshop. Worth paying extra for quality work which won't bounce on you! You'll always be very busy via word of mouth etc. That's how we survive too 👍✅ One thing is apparent though.......a lot of big engined Audis ain't for the DIY fraternity.

Top notch work, all the respect from a fellow euro tech in Toronto 💪👌

Great channel...started my apprenticeship when I was 15 in 1968 in heavy earthmoving plant repair...since then I have repaired anything with an engine...can't believe the size of that engine when it's got all its running gear on it...was watching one blog where the engine had to be removed to renew the starter......😆😆..even after all these years I still love finding out why something has failed and then fix it..

Stumbled across this video, great content , subscribed

hey man, you deserve many more subscribers, your Vids are escellent!!!!! Roland from good old Germany.

What a great channel and you guys certainly know your stuff, however it’s not a good advert for Audi/VW I can’t imagine what the repair was on this job. Good for you though , stay well 🙏

Fun to see an engine like this being torn apart. I can definitely tell that you all are well experienced. One thing I didn't understand was that if the cause of failure was the catalytic converter, which in turn led to higher exhaust temperatures, aren't there fail safe mechanism programed in the ECU to limit the engine or at least provide diagnostic trouble codes (engine light) ??? or did the owner just didn't care about understanding what was happening?

I have a very shop in Southern Oregon usa!! I love your vids!! soundtracks, descriptions, rock man!!

Vcs são Brabo!!! Profissionais top demais vou aprender a língua inglesa só por causa de vcs kk pra entender todas as explicações que vcs dão.parabéns vcs são tops

👌 Very KNOWLEDGEABLE Thanks 👍 From Nick Ayivor from London England UK 🇬🇧

You are great! I have s4 b8 2010, caka engine, 245000km, i replaced lambda sensors before catalic converters, planed also to change second ones. Do you think catalic converter could be already for change or it ccould last a lot longer?

Do you have a link for the replacement catalytic converters, what sort of mileage would you recommend they are replaced to mitigate engine failure?

This video hits with me because my A6 is getting an engine swap next week. It had the same knock as in the beginning of the video. 😕

mate, you are amazing, the way you think outside the box, nice

Top work guys 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Great video!! Fix that damn fire alarm tho!!! It was annoying me just watching can’t imagine having to work with it😂😂

New follower! Loving the content!

Great job - what a disaster caused by such a simple fault.

What would early signs of such a problem developing be before the engine got to that kind of state? When I bought my car a pre-purchase inspection said the Catalytic Converter was cracked (based on tapping the Cat) but a second opinion I got disagreed and said there would be other symptoms if the Cat was cracked which were not evident in the car. I've never had an issue but after watching this video I've started to get nervous....

Hi there big Audi fan here, I have a question that’s been bothering me since I bought a salvage A6 avant. The steering seems to be locked not the steering lock itself but I have no steering at all when the car is running, at first I thought was the electric steering rack was knackerd but it looks fine and not sure if it’s to do with the crash itself that’s locked it. Any advice would be great.

Great content and very interesting 🤙

Hi, what's the milage of the wreked engine. Mine died at 206.000 km

Excellent job !

If i can ask, what was a cost of putting that car back on the road?

your one of best in this game!

Thinking about getting 2014 RS5 but good gawd the repairs on these look expensive AF 😵‍💫

How scared should a curious buyer be by the b8 or 8.5 engines? Are they more or less reliable than the normal A4 fsi tfsi engines?

Got a sub mate, nice content

Am gona definitely have to check out this place,this guy seems kool & looks like a very good mechanic but just abit worried about how long to fix cars if you need something fix fast cause I can see alot of cars in car park like waiting list,very good videos 4real😎👍

With reference to the catalytic converters breaking up. With the V12 engine used in the Aston Martin DB9 and other Astons of that era, the catalytic converters close to the exhaust headers can start to disintegrate and potentially be injested back into the engine. Obviously not a good thing, and something owners are aware of and always on the look out to prevent. The cause? Misfires due to failing coil packs sending unburnt fuel down the exhaust. The unburnt fuel then settles on the catalyst and burns, damaging the catalyst material and causing it to break up. It seems to me a simple solution would be to position the initial catalyst further away from the exhaust header, though there is probably a good reason why this is not done.

Thanks brother,keep it up! Howmuch for a job like that?

Wouldn't go near this engine personally but tip my hat your on your game

Great Video buddy keep up the good work , but can you do me a favour stick a battery in that smoke alarm its annoying as hell.

I like that C5 in the background! ;)

Are there any sensors on the catalytic converters that tell the warning signs before it causes more damage?

Great work guys, love the videos, can you also list the music please

Badass production

I’ve got a swirl flap code on bank 1 that can prob be fixed with the bracket mod. But also had an overboost code which apparently required a new turbo, that the actuator clip was snapped and glued on

Got a Lexus ISF and you just don’t get content like this on other channels…ever, so subscribed for unreliable content 👍🏻

Your vedios are Amazing keep up the 👍 great knowledge 👏 The 🌎 is watching And love it 💪 #nebraska

Sorry if I missed it but what was the mileage on this vehicle?

hi great video. my question is what was the total cost to the owner.

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="762">12:42</a> is that ticking sound from the hpfp or is that knocking?

Great work guys. Question will this engine fit in a 2007 audi with the 3.2 lit?

Can you make a video on pulling the engine out. Thanks for sharing the information on the 3.0t platform!

great sound track!

That knocking sound 😱

Nice video guys!!👍 Mi A6 3.0 Tdi have maybe the same bad problem, CRTE motor is really difficult to find, 😞 (Loss of crankshaft synchronization/ P191A00).

what oil do you put in these engines? i am using Liqui Moly Molygen New Generation 5W-40 on s5 2013 is this a good choice?

Iv emailed you about my sq5 🙏🏽 thank you Ryan

What spec is the green audi estate on the ramp in the clip? Love the colour

What was the mileage on that engine....have same engine in my S5

Hi. Can you give some sort of idea of the cost of this engine replacement including all parts and labour?

About two years ago we had one do this for no reason just after an oil change, span a rod bearing and destroyed the engine. We found a used and and got it all back up and running, then someone nicked it off the customers drive…

Good work.

Great video VAG Technic! Does this happen on the B9's too. Or are the cats better on that engine?

Can someone highlight what went through? No idea what the the issue with the engine.

Are the timing chain guides in the new kit upgraded to last longer?

Watching a lot of these excellent videos I’ve come to the conclusion that these high end Audi,s with expensive engines aren’t worth the money the repairs must cost a fortune

Found your channel last night and now subscribed. Amazing work but please change the battery in the smoke detector ! The beeping drives me up the wall !

Im looking at getting a s4 or s5 but just curious to know is you had to replace the engine and etc how much would it be

Interesting to see what it takes to repair such engine. Video hard to watch due loud soundtrack.

Great work! Pretty nice to watch, but a bit too much when the cod montage editing came in xD

@VAG Technic Can I bother you to ask what brand catalyst you went with for replacement? And why you chose to keep them in the OEM location rather than relocating them downstream? Downstream GESi or HJS cats in the "midpipes" are the go-to option here in N. America when the owner wants to keep cats rather than just delete them with "test pipes".

Hey VAG Tech! Loved the video. Wanted to ask you. My cousin just recently bought a 2012 Audi S4 3.0TFSI. He drove it for about a week and the Check engine light (CEL) came on. Today he went to the electrician and he scanned 3 codes. P045500 P052A00 and P052C00. The first one is something with the fuel system (fuel cap was put on not correctly ?). The other two is the ones with the camshaft sensors in the bank 1 if im not mistaken. He managed to clear the codes out. Do you think it's safe to drive it if it doesn't show up again after a week or two ? What would you suggest doing ? My cousin also feels like the car starts longer now in the mornings when cold. So is it a bad camshaft/crankshaft sensor or the timing chain is out of adjustment and skipped a tooth ? Thank you vey much for the answer man.

Thanks for sharing this video! Definitely a car for the pros haha. Editing was cool, but I guess some people are very fragile :) Keep up the excellent work!

Bardzo dobrze mówisz po angielsku;)

This is crazy decat all the way 🔥🔥

Where are you located?

wow ur good.. so many high tier audis there..

Hi there! Great video as always and I have my experience with half the same issue to report I have an A6 4F with that engine (CAJA) original 290hp and had it chipped to 350hp. After some time I got missfires on one cylinder bank in every gear at around 6k rpm with a behaviour that felt like a rpm limiter. I changed all the sparkplugs and coils and everything on that side. Still that issue. Then I took my injectors out an gave them to testing (flow rate and spary pattern) and 2 of 3 on the affected side had issues in the top end. I changed changed all 3 injectors on the affected side and the issue still remained. Then I had a look trough the exhaus manifold lambda hole and saw the destroyed cat. Hat to buy the hole part of the exhaust until the middle of the car for around 1800€ (for one side) and replace it. Then everything was fine and the engine still runs perfectly fine and with full power again. The idea that just the cat being destroyed would cause that kind of damage from your video seems very strange to me because the ECU shut of 2 to 3 cylinders due to misfires immediately. I blame my faulty injectors puttin in too much fuel and overheating the cat so it broke. My car has 170k km (110k miles) on it. Thank you guys for your videos and keep up the good work!

The location of the secondary O2 is most definitely not why this engine has a habit of destroying cats. It's the high likelihood the the face of the substrate to become fouled by coolant and or oil from either a bad PCV or leaking IC which looks to be the case of this failure. Also the close proximity to the manifold and the high EGTs these engines run once tuned also takes its toll.

How much did the job cost?

Hi where are you from need you to look at my audi a6 3.0

Just found your channel, very good loving the content. As someone who is looking to possibly buy a s4 3.0 tfsi in the near future any things to look out for other than cats would be appreciated. Have heard to avoid the 2009/2010 s4 due to engine failures. True or false?

Hi VAG Technic, would my 15 plate RS5 engine have the same potential CAT disintegration issue that could wreck my block too? It’s currently on 30k mls?

Should I go catless to prevent this from happening to my S4?

Hello. How many kilometre?

Hey! Have you fixed a lot of audi a4 b7 2.0 tfsi engines? engine code BGB

Hello, when cat can failure a badly?

What’s your opinion on the new 3.0T TFSI vs the previous?

Was thinking about getting a audi a7 but the timing chain issues have put me right off

Very cool 😎

Cool. I want a huddie too!

Been a long time since Audi fitted a reliable engine worthy of their reputation.

Hi I have a Audi allroad where are you based please

thats a scary thing for 3L TFSI owners because you wont know when/if your cat is coming apart and when you realize it, it might be too late, i guess maybe a simple hand over the exhaust tip periodically just to feel the exhaust flow pulses might be an indicator? damn those cats!

I am surprised, that there is no factory safety solutions against that. Usually turbo engines go into emergency and limited boost state, but not this one. Strange.

You do quality work, but I do not like V6 engines. I think they are too much of a compromise in terms of engineering. I prefer the straight six design as exemplified by BMW. Having said that, you provide a valuable service in keeping the Audi's on the road.

So with this engine, on my A7 as well, I've replaced all the usual known issues. Engine mounts, front sway arms and PCV/oil pump/thermostat stuff. So is the catalytic converter failing a risk to the engine? IE does debris flow down the exhaust manifold and back into the block? Would a pre emptive fix here be wise if that is the case? Car only has 50K km on it.... keen to see it do another 50K km without any surprises too.

how much for labor?