Between a Rock and a Rock: Repair or Replace Engine?

[Mike Arman]

>From: "Joshua Sessler" <joshuasessler at hotmail.com>
>Subject: Between a Rock and a Rock: Repair or Replace Engine?
>
>
>Some of you have responded to my sob story about my 99 A6 Avant with 78K two
>months out of warranty and 3K out of parts/labor warranty on the tension
>roller that broke causing major engine damage -
>Well Audi will not cover anything and the Dealer is not showing any
>significant good will to do anything (other than give me the "best price
>possible").


This is a big-time sucky deal - have you considered involving a lawyer? In 
my experience, when these guys see big guns being rolled up to their 
showroom doors, they sometimes manage to find "secret" warranties or 
otherwise suddenly decide to reconsider their position . . . you might also 
think about filing an NTSB report along the lines of "car lost power from 
failed engine, danger of personal injury" and let Audi know there just 
*might* be another "5000 killer car" recall in the works, UNLESS . . .



>So here is the dilemma:
>They drilled out the broken bolt and reset the timing and did a compression
>test that showed low compression on one bank and only one cylinder holding
>any compression.
>I drove 8-10 highway miles with loud banging coming from the engine (was in
>the middle of nowhere) and then it seized.
>I have to make a decision whether to open the engine and repair the two
>cylinders and hope the heads aren't damaged or put in a rebuilt engine - any
>advice (other than don't let the dealer do it)?


My feeling would be to find a running engine out of a wreck. Once you open 
your engine up, all those bits and pieces are going to be expensive, and 
Audi parts add up in a hurry. With a different engine, at least you know it 
had to be running or it wouldn't have gotten wrecked in the first place. 
Also, you'll have the satisfaction of not giving the bastards any MORE 
money . . . and the job will probably be done more quickly as well, with 
less possibility of something being missed, and then you have to go back in 
AGAIN.

Finally, what's the car worth? You *might* actually be able to sell it 
as-is on eBay for more than you expect - basically, you need someone who 
will say "Hey, I can fix *THAT!*" (and there are a lot of them out there), 
and is willing to put his money where his mouth is.


>Thanks.
>J Sessler

Best of luck, please keep us advised on how this works out for you.

Best Regards,
Mike Arman