I Saved $10,000 Buying my Wife a "Lightly Damaged" Audi SUV but it Came Hiding a Massive Problem 

Because the of lemon Lincoln video, I took a risk on a lemon Chevy Volt. Half price with 1k miles on it. 2 years later, and no issues. Thanks Sam!

You cannot perform a head leak test when there's a hole in the cooling system, fix the leak and try again.

if it was me that rooster was Kentucky style fried in 2 seconds

"Hello head gasket my old friend. I've come to talk with you again."

Fix your coolant leak first, then try the block tester. To do the timing chain and tensioners, the engine needs to come out. Change the chain aswell as it's probably stretched.

Dam my guy. I had a pair of those ramps break with the weight of my X5 when I drove it on there on an uneven surface. Be careful with them with SUVs and in the grass/dirt. The unevern surface creates pressure points that aren't in the right places and can cause failure.

Glad to see another upload 💪

I think they should have made Audi's to where you needed to take the engine out to change the spark plugs, it would attract that special type of Audi fan that enjoys everything extremely difficult.

S4 will be a cool project. The tensioners can absolutely be replaced engine in. You’ll be amazed at the space once the supercharger and oil filter housing are removed. It is a delicate job reinstalling timing cover with fresh sealant. You will also need to remove the oil cooler to access crank lock and you’ll need to unbolt the cats from the manifold. It’s a little tedious but with the right combination of tools it’s a day job.

gasket are fine! if they were the least bit bad the fluid would have turned yellow. The bubbles you saw were most likely from the system being so low and trapped air escaping once the thermostat opened up. the color change can easily be just sucking a little water up as you were pumping the bulb.

Only the Germans would think that putting timing chains on the rear of an engine would be a really great idea. Well done BMW and VW. They LOVE being overly technical and a German dealer will LOVE taking gearboxes, exhausts and God knows what else out to do those timing chains. Oh and they LOVE owning all the specialist tools as it means no one else can do the work. See where this is going?

I miss the old days when Sam would upload 2xs a week. More Sam!

That intro though, "My wife keeps telling me it's just too small!" 😂

"In theory, what you do" is get a damn lift and make your life bearable for these tasks. Makes dropping the front frame with engine/trans a much easier job. If you can afford to buy these cars, you can afford to get a lift installed.

Glad you have an update on this. The Lincoln Lemon Law Car was how I first found your channel.

You sound really enthusiastic about the S4 repair challenge, so my vote is DO IT! The projects where you are enjoying yourself are the ones that make the best videos

Samcrac! With a little wiggling, its possible to do the upper tensioners. Its a very difficult job- most people just bring out the engine. But something to note. I have a 2009 A6 with the same motor, and its had rattle at cold start since 40,000 miles. I'm sitting at 80+ now with no issue, but one VERY important thing- these cars are picky about oil. Tensioners are hydraulic, hence rattle at cold start with lack of oil pressure. Swapping to the right oil, even of same weight, from a different manufacturer, actually helps. Of course if its skipped timing it needs the job done

It is possible to do tensioners with the engine in the car, that’s the usual way that everyone does when doing this repair, only bummer is removing the catalytic converter‘s in order to access the back timing covers better. But with those faults it’s usually just the tensioners that get replaced and fixes the issue

Gotta love Sam's dad jokes lol

Good thinking to have Sage get under the car while it's on plastic ramps on soft ground.

it can definitely be done, i did the upper tensioners on the C6, on the B8 you have a lot more room in the back as you have a panel of the firewall which is removable, unlike the C6, this will allow you all the space you need to do the upper tensioners. Supercharger removal is a piece of cake, within 20-30min it will be out. SInce you're there you'll also want to do the oil filter housing gasket as that will also start leaking as the miles ad up. As for the Q7, having to do the head-gasket it is kind of a PIA cause you might also find other issues if it was driven like that for a longer time you could face possible deformation of the heads so it might not worth the work and time.

I'd send that rooster 50 yards with my foot if it ran at me like that 😂😂

2:37 why does sam always look like he just sanded a mansion full of drywall! Gray is brave!

Try replacing the cracked coolant line in the Q7 before writing it off. (I'd be willing to roll the dice if the replacement part is less than $100.)

The most frustrating part is that this dude never finish anything . He goes from one car to another never seen finishing anything.

Cars that have large coolant leaks or empty reservoirs/ puke tanks should always be approached with caution. Odds are the engine got VERY hot at some point. Blown head gasket makes sense if that car was overheated a bunch of times. That's really the only reason modern head gaskets fail.

I like this format Sam thanks man

I was just thinking about what happened with the lemon lincoln! Thanks for the great content and update.

Your home farm reminds me of the beautiful farm I recently visited outside Sydney in Australia. Only difference that, instead of cars, we saw cows, horses and Kangaroos.

You have a leak you need to fix the leak to test the head gasket . It's basically burping back through the cooling reservoir because it's the only other opening and it's higher up in the system .05 to 10 Mustang V-6 4.0L has to come out for timing chain service and Audi's V6 & 8's have always needed to come out for turbo's and all kind's of things that turned out to be wear items .

For the S4 timing chain rattle/check engine light. The fault code is due to timing chain wear, rattle is due to timing chain tensioners not holding oil pressure over time, causing rattle on cold startup. The tensioners can be replaced with the engine in vehicle, but it likely needs chains due to the check engine light, which requires either the engine, or transmission to be removed to gain access to the timing chains.

I did the two upper timing chains on my 13 A7 with the 3.0 TFSI engine in. The job is a PITA but it is very possible. You will need the timing tool and definitely a good quality set of triple squares to remove the oil filter canister and sprocket bolts, it will make your life a bit easier. A mid length set of sockets to reach the cats nuts. Trust me it a must. Don’t let the C7 chasis trick you into thinking there is much more space, there is none. You will need to remove the oil cooler to reach the special plug to place the engine at top dead center. I did mine at 100k miles and I am at 170k now. It runs like a charm and fixed the problem parts were around $1,200 straight from Audi. The issue started at 50k miles on my car. These cars last for ever with meticulous care. Almost any one can afford an Audi. They just can’t afford the maintenance. That’s just a fact.

Hi sam, I love your shows, there is a guy on youtube in the UK "Saving Salvage" who has done the timing gains on the Audi s4 and the RS4 and it looks like a pain in the neck each time he had to take the motor out and if something goes wrong which did a couple of times its out with the motor again. Just have a look at his vidios. Just keep up the good work.

“I bought it sight unseen…” Oh, Samcrac; will you never learn? 🤦‍♀️

That intro! Lmfao 🤣 it’s just too small I’m done lol

I love watching everything you buy and fix. I think if you fix the Audi S4 and video it your should make the money back. Anyway love watching you get these cars back on the road.

I'm always so depressed after watching a Samcrac video🙁 when's the last time he had a "win" on a vehicle. Car collection vs car parts yard 😒

Got into an (minor) accident -> damaged cooling line -> engine went above normal temperatures -> driver ignored warnings -> engine overheated -> gasket cracked.

Hose water is a great way to test a cooling system. When it's all fixed, fill it with the proper fluid -- but you're right (for once!) that it's a cheap and easy way to test.

There are way too many folks buying recent German brand lease turn ins because they see a relatively affordable price but have no idea about the maintenance money pit they’re about towards into. It’s pretty rare to see a 5 year old/100k mid range German auto that isn’t neglected.

The intro too funny 😭

Q7 is nice Sam. I’d go to fix it. Try that leaking pipe first and see how it goes. I’m sure Alex at Legit would enjoy the build if the gaskets need replacing 😆

great chorography in the commercial, LOL

I've seen tensioners done at my dealer in the engine bay maybe 1 or 2 times but it was on an older Q7 and a A7 where you removed the bulk head and got A LOT more room.

This channel really shows that the saying "if it sounds to good to be true. It is" is true :D

Bring the head gasket tester to the auction with you....

13:12 'look at that.....look at that.....get that....get that.....' the ultimate "I am trippin off Acid' Samcrac moment (lol !!!)

LOL onya Foghorn 😁👍🏾🖤 That's for bringing a Lemon into his yard 🐓

Sam, You really need a VCDS or VAGCAN to scan these cars. They'll tell you how far off the sensors are reading (and how fubar'ed the chain is). Timing chain tensioners are a known weak point in several VW/Audi engines with guides being a close second. If you have to pull the motor, I'd replace everything related to the timing chain and do the rear main seal while you are at it.

I saved my marriage not giving my wife a lightly damaged 'deal'. Never give your wife a 'deal' unless you don't like her. Sleep with one eye open...

Sam’s transitions to he’s sponsors are under rated! They are smoother than a dj this days

Before going crazy on the tensioners replace the N205 solenoid. Your hand nearly touched it when you touched the tensioner cover. On my 2.0TFSI i had the same problem and it was caused by a failed N205 which prevented proper oil flow to the tensioner and adjuster and caused chain rattle and timing issues.

It’s a nice car, being a barnyard mechanic with a barnyard setup of course more complex work will put you off, your setup is limiting your ambition perhaps.

If it has an egr cooler then I would be looking there first. They usually fail and leak gasses into the cooling system. Same symptoms as a faulty head gasket.

I agree with James below I missed diagnosed my head gasket ,my radiator had a small crack

@ 13:12...Samcrac drunk on his wedding night. You are a king!

Alex shouldn’t have to much trouble dropping the engine out of the Audi since HE has a lift!!! Ha Ha Ha

For car content on RU-vid I watched Samcrac, Goon Squad and Hoovies Garage over the past two years. My conclusion is that I like Samcrac the most as a person and the type of videos he makes.This car was a bummer, but I look forward to your next project!

Hey Sam, please change the metal coolant line and retorque/retighten the head bolts of the Q7 , waiting to see the result

Engine take outs always, always, ALWAYS uncover more issues that you might as well take care of, While You're In There. I'd double check your combustion leak test after you patch the leak. Good luck!

Another beautiful car that's been neglected

Hey Sam, I own an S5 (B8) and had the timing chains replaced. From what my mechanics told me: there is no way of changing the tensioners without removing the engine. Maybe, if you're lucky and have small hands you will manage to change the upper timing chain tensioners. However, if you want to do a proper job you want to replace all tensioners and that means lifting the engine. Good luck. Keep up the good work, really enjoying your channel!

lol the ants that were in the s4's engine bay at 19:37 XD

That slow motion got me in tears 😂😂

Kick it out so fast, forget it ever entered your property 😅

Every time I think about European cars, I watch one of these videos to quickly stop me from thinking about them.

Hey Sam, Check your camshaft position sensor first. Crankshaft position sensor will stop the car, but the Camshaft position sensor will throw a code and still run. Rattle on startup is a red herring. Get a high API spec diesel oil it will have better cold start lubricity and quicker pumpability to the cam Chain tensioners.

Hahahaha! That rooster! God I gave myself a stitch laughing!

I'd be concerned that I would cause a leak pumping air into the system like that

I've had two audis with the 3.0T and both make that timing chain rattle on start-up. As long as it's less than a second or two after a cold start it doesn't seem to be a cause for major concern. Since replacing the timing chain/guides is a $4000-$5000 job I just live with it. With a cam/crank correlation code you should definitely look into the variable valve timing system. Seems like a more likely culprit than the timing chain guides if the rattle goes away after a second or two.

19:37 ants pouring out of the engine bay lmao

Fix the line and try it. I've seen the test fluid turn green and the engine not overheat. It is supposed to turn yellow if it has a combustion leak on a gas engine.

Out of Warranty Audi Q7, sure Sam! This will work out just fine.

I would love a Q7

Love the shirt!

I got a SQ5 with the same engine and mine does this “rattle” for the past 3 years from time to time. Mine drives fantastic since I bought the suv in 2014.

How many different projects do you manage at the same time Samcrac?

Id never buy a VW with 85k+ miles and think its worth getting sight unseen. Good luck with that!!

Look at them ants 19:35 running down the strut tower! :D

Replaced the oil separator pcv valve unit, sometimes this unit goes bad and causes coolant to mix with oil, it may not be a blown head gasket.

VW/Audi group knows what they are doing! This is I tell my customers to purchase Asian luxury (Lexus & Acruas) as you get most of the features but the 20 years of reliability.

What does ur step mom say 🤣😂

Excellent, thanks

Ha! I have a 2017 Q7, I had to spend 12k to replace a bad motor 3 months after buying it from a Northern VA Audi dealership. It threw a rod in cylinder 5. But none of that is the big issue. The software (lane keep, parking cameras, etc) are buggy as hell. The dealerships can't figure it out. I love Audi, this is my 5th one, but know what you're getting into.

0:03 assuming is not confirming my friend…. Don’t let rich hear this…. Oh too late…

17:50 That noise is normal in an Audi because the engines are crap. It's also normal in a Mini for the same reason.

The cam/crank allocation faults are due to chain elongation. Just replacing the tensioners would not solve the problem. Your best bet is to drop the engine and replace the chains and tensioners.

You may get a kick out of this, I've dropped powertrains out of 18+ ford edges to do water pumps on the 3.5L engine. Also did that on an SHO but I was doing , other work to it so it made more sense than doing it chassis like I normally do

Sam: There's definitely coolant in the system. Me: There's definitely coolant in the oil. Let's find out.

Wouldn't a leaking EGR cooler produce the same test results?

Hiya Sam great vid thanks!!! I have a 2006 S4 V8 and I love her, she is now over 200k kms and goes like a train, full Audi service history so the stupid timing chain is very quiet!!!!

I have the TDI version of that engine in my A6 and am just about to have the top cam chain tensioners done to see if it works rather than engine out job. Good luck with yours.

When is the wife making an appearance in one of the videos is Sams wife not actually his wife and its the rooster that keeps chasing him the mystery remains unsolved 🤷‍♂️🤣

It's and Audi and it's a Q7...good luck.

Just did upper tensioners in my A6 3.2 (same engine basically). Totally doable in place.

It's rare for me to laugh out loud while watching videos alone - but "So instead I guess I'll just surprise my rooster" killed me

I own an older Audi. I think every Audi made should come with a code reader.

No...Audi's don't HIDE massive problems. They ARE massive problems, lol. Shoulda following Rich's path and gotten your dear wife a nice Audi e-Tron.

For sure fix the coolant leak first then see after that. See if you can put a rubber hose over the metal in that spot for a temporary fix (should it be possible) and see if that fixes your problem and then repeat your head gasket test. The engine out may not be that crazy if you have the ability to remove the front easily by putting it into front service position you may get lucky to "pull the engine" without it coming far out of the vehicle as you may have loads of space to simply slide it a little forward to get the space needed without completely taking it out of the car

Replace metal hose first you do test. If exhaust gases you get way more air bubbles and usually turns yellow pretty quickly when CO is getting in.