A2 TDi 75 160k miles, smokey on cold start. Is it normal?

How about the glowplug holes = or is the scope too large

Cheers Spike
Yes all of the scopes I have seen have a 6.5mm head. Forgot to measure the end of my plug today but I'm sure it is smaller than 6.5mm.

Edit, taken a look at KP 115's picture above, perhaps they are larger than 6.5mm. Any body got one they could measure?
 
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Have you a link to the tightening sequence? The smoking is now gone and she’s running loads better with the new wiring harness and glow plugs
Torque 10Nm

A2.jpg
 
Have you a link to the tightening sequence? The smoking is now gone and she’s running loads better with the new wiring harness and glow plugs
Superb!
Did you fit a new harness? How much are they these days?
 
Yes all of the scopes I have seen have a 6.5mm head. Forgot to measure the end of my plug today but I'm sure it is smaller than 6.5mm.

Edit, taken a look at KP 115's picture above, perhaps they are larger than 6.5mm. Any body got one they could measure?
Hi Phill,
I Can dig an old one out tomorrow evening if that helps, it might even be still in the boot will check when I get to work.
Cheers
Keith
 
Hi Phill,
I Can dig an old one out tomorrow evening if that helps, it might even be still in the boot will check when I get to work.
Cheers
Keith
Core diameter of thread is 8mm but I’m not sure that the hole where the tip protrudes through into the combustion chamber is that size, I’ll check my photos from when I had my head off to overhaul valve etc.
208A15FB-1264-4443-91A0-0C000EC98D8C.jpeg

The tip of Bosch Glowplugs is 4.5 mm dia
Shaft of parallel section of tip is 5.0mm dia so from that & looking at the photographs I would estimate 5.5mm - 6.0 mm for the aperture in the head for the camera to go in through.
Something like this may well fit!
DEPSTECH Endoscope Inspection Camera, Upgraded 5.5mm Ultra-Thin USB Inspection Camera Semi-Rigid Waterproof IP67 Snake Camera Borescope with 6 Adjustable LED Lights and USB Adpater-16.5ft https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0897B9...abc_H15YNKX75144Z6EYKX9J?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1


Hth
Keith.
2CC77B48-11EB-458A-B6EF-69652983DE98.jpeg
 
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Right the garage gave me the car back with just the gasket changed and it’s been leaking oil everywhere since. Just changed the rocker cover now with a new one and hopefully all will be well. Thanks to Depronman for advice on moving the egr so I could get to one bolt to make the change!!
 
Yes all of the scopes I have seen have a 6.5mm head. Forgot to measure the end of my plug today but I'm sure it is smaller than 6.5mm.

Edit, taken a look at KP 115's picture above, perhaps they are larger than 6.5mm. Any body got one they could measure?
Hi Phil,
Just wondered wether you had got any further on your quest?
Cheers
Keith.
 
Hi Phil,
Just wondered wether you had got any further on your quest?
Cheers
Keith.
No I report back when I conclude something. The car is running fine, the new glow plugs haven't melted so I have other things to tackle.
I will get a look inside the cylinder though and when I do I will report my findings.
 
Images of cylinder damage:

Bore 1

A2 Head 26.JPG


Piston crown 1

A2 Head 25.JPG


Bore 2:

A2 Head 23.JPG


A2 Head 24.JPG


Bore 3:

A2 Head 22.JPG



Another victim of the motor factor glow plug data base error I think. Now I have a choice, it runs so abandon all work on it and use it to teach my son to drive. Or take the head off and inspect it, but then I would be on for a full engine rebuild, The head is probably battered too.

Thoughts please? My gut feel is to run it. Save my parts for when I have to source a replacement AMF.
 
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It's running well with new injector seals and freshly adjusted injectors and that is despite the engine damage. I've changed nothing else, all the other parts I bought, cam shell bearings, hydraulic tappets etc have been put to one side for my replacement engine.
Done several starts today and no smoke. Not even after cranking the tandem pump to purge it of air and deliver fuel. I'll leave the car a couple of days and start it on a cold morning. It feels like the new injector seals have made a difference.

A2 Head 35.jpg
 
The hardest part is aligning the injectors correctly. Glad the engine is looking reasonably healthy. I suppose an emissions test could highlight if the bore damage was burning oil. Makes you wonder how much damage they can sustain and still work within limits.
 
If a supplier, as here, supplies an incorrect part, due to an error in their database, do they have any liability for damage or, at least foc replacements?
I mean legally, not morally.
Mac.
It would typically be that they are liable for their part at most but not for consequential damages. That’s usually in suppliers terms
 
The hardest part is aligning the injectors correctly. Glad the engine is looking reasonably healthy. I suppose an emissions test could highlight if the bore damage was burning oil. Makes you wonder how much damage they can sustain and still work within limits.
I bought a large vernier to measure the distance from the rear of the head (RH side looking at it). The job was complicated by pipes and other components interfering with the calliper.
The most difficult part of setting up was using a dial gauge to indicate when the roller is at the top of the cam. The gauge sits inside the grub button thing and the angle of the grub button changes as it goes down. One locked the gauge early. Thankfully not too early and we didn’t knock the bottom out of the injector. I would have made this into a How To but decided not to bother as I intend to scrap the block and head.
The MOT emission figures for this broken engine are exceptional. I suspect that is due to the injectors being on bottom tolerance? I’ll find and post the figures.
 
I can’t find the most recent one which is much better. This is from 2020.

4E6E2EA2-8AAF-461B-B928-ACBEA75433B5.jpeg


The incorrect glow plugs were fitted in 2016 when they will have instantly melted. The car has clocked over 30k miles with the damage.
I have wondered if I should just leave it as I only need around another 30k. It’s not me though to leave risks like bore scoring and pitting when I know about them.
 
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Perhaps better the devil you know. If it has done that mileage since at least the head / bore damage and there has not been a noticeable increase in oil consumption and the emissions are good. I would certainly continue driving it as is. Perhaps if you then decoded to sell the car then consider the engine swap. Obviously that depends on how the engine continues to perform. You could monitor it by borescoping periodically.
As I asked above....
Makes you wonder how much damage they can sustain and still work within limits.

Now we know why it is a premium car.
 
You could monitor it by borescoping periodically.
I considered that but the only way in I’ve found in is through the injector locations. It’s not a massive job, probably a full days work plus seals, gaskets and bolts. It’s not a pleasant job though.
My A2 is my daily so I need it to be as hassle free as possible and I don’t know if the damage is progressing and if there is damage downstream at the turbo. Easy monitoring would give me the confidence to continue running the car as it is.

Edit, oil consumption increasing could be a trigger for investigation but I can’t remember the last time I topped up.
 
I think if you have the space it would be a nice project to have an engine in the garage ready to go in. Be kind of nice changing parts and cleaning it up ready for the big bang when the daily goes.
Also be nice to work on the engine with it out of the tiny car for once!
 
I think if you have the space it would be a nice project to have an engine in the garage ready to go in. Be kind of nice changing parts and cleaning it up ready for the big bang when the daily goes.
Also be nice to work on the engine with it out of the tiny car for once!
Thought about that too. I could check the bottom end, timing chain, bores, the valves, injectors, cam shells, tappets, valve seals. I think that is about it then it would wait for the big swap on of ancillaries, manifolds etc. I'm tempted because I would enjoy that. But why if I don't need to?
 
Thought about that too. I could check the bottom end, timing chain, bores, the valves, injectors, cam shells, tappets, valve seals. I think that is about it then it would wait for the big swap on of ancillaries, manifolds etc. I'm tempted because I would enjoy that. But why if I don't need to?
Depends how long you intend keeping the car, it will benefit anyway even if it doesnt need it by means of blowing up. PLus the engin would be worth something later on to sell if it was done right. Or you could grab a dead one and breathe new life into it. Be nice to work on an engine in the garage, a dream for me as Ive seen @greywolfhound 's garage and thats the goal! Lucky man! :)
 
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