Engine Work – Timing Belt & Cam Chain Adjusters (with added engine removal)

[scottmgibb]

Hello there. My 2002 S8 is due some engine work including the timing belt change, and it has a bit of a rattle on start-up (though only when sitting for quite a while) so I thought I would have a look at that too. Let the fun begin…

I started by putting the front of the car in the service position, which all went fine (it’s all mostly been apart before). I then decided to take the cam covers off to inspect the chains. The bank 2 cover came off without the slightest issue. However, two bolts snapped when taking of the bank 1 cover - the bottom front bolt and the bottom back…

The front bolt was not going to be too much of a problem as access is fairly good, but I spent many an hour looking at and trying options for removing the rear bolt. Nothing was working. So I ended up doing this:

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Didn’t take as long as I thought it would, but I am not massively looking forward to putting it back in...

For various reasons it then sat for a while but I have finally got round to getting back to it and removed both snapped bolts last weekend. I can now get back to the actual task in hand.

The bank 2 chain was loose when I took the cover off, but bank 1 looked fine. It has been sitting for some months now and the bank 1 chain is still tight. My plan is to take them out today and have a proper look, but at the very least it looks like I need a bank 2 adjuster, and that is where my first question lies.

Having spoken with TPS it would appear a bank 2 adjuster is no longer available (though they may be able to get a bank 1). Is there a preferred aftermarket option for this?

For reference, the part numbers I am using are: 077109088E – Bank 1; 077109087E – Bank 2.

Autodoc has Ridex and Vaico at around £460 and SKV and Stark at around £225. If I use part number 077109087P (which I think is just the updated number) they also give me an HEPU kit (with chain) for about £630.

I have also found BGA (with chain) at around £300 and Torqen (with chain) for around £400.

Does anybody know if any of these kits have been used successfully?

And my other question would be does anybody have any recommendations for work to do while the engine is out? The rear water pipe is a little rusty so I will probably take that off, inspect/clean it up/replace if required and refit with new seals.

Thanks, Scott

[MikkiJayne]

So according to heresay (I've never had hands-on to look) the Americans say the Vaico is the original part (unsurprising, they make a lot of OE stuff), and according to the RS6 crowd the BGA is the original which seems tenuous.

I wouldn't fuss about chains. All the aftermarket chains I've seen (even ina and Febi) have been really weedy crap compared to the originals which are much chunkier. I compared a used chain to a new genuine one and could not measure any difference in length, so I always reuse them. Reusing the chains makes the job much easier too - you can do it just lifting the inlet cam rather than lifting both. Tuck a piece of rag down between the chain and the head on the exhaust side if you do it like that, which stops the chain falling off the sprocket and losing its position.

How do you find the poly subframe bushes btw?

[scottmgibb]

Thanks for that – some very useful advice as always. Funnily enough I think it was on an RS6 forum post that I saw something about the BGA option.
I didn’t get a chance to remove anything yesterday, but hopefully tonight.

The poly subframe bushes seem fine, but it was quite a gap between driving the car with original and these, and I replaced all the other bushes and shocks at the same time so difficult to say for sure! The car drives brilliant for something that size though. I am pretty sure there is a bit more road noise coming through, but nothing intrusive.

[Ronin]

I purchased one £30 adjuster off ebay for my 2.8 and as per MJ's advice took off the gauze filter and... the car is running and driving to this day.
I also bought a rather expensive £160 one off autodoc, compared them both and found no differences at all.

[scottmgibb]

I took the bank 1 adjuster out last night and I think it looks pretty good. Gauze and pads are intact. Only managed to break one torx socket.

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I was thinking that I had read previously that it is best to remove the gauze, and was going to ask about this, but that semes to be what Ronin is confirming above?

Other wise I have ordered some replacement pads and will get it refitted. Next up is removal of bank 2 to see why it seems to have failed. I have ordered a full replacement for this one (went with the Vaico which may have been money not well spent!) , but can always return it if it turns out it is not required.