Re[2]: Help...20V valve probs..

["Wiggins, Rodney L" <rwiggins@clev.frb.org>]

     I agree that the valve piston interference is some very bad news, but 
     for trivia's  sake I would like to point out that cold weather has been 
     known to cause slips in timing. Back in the days when I worked on Loti 
     I saw this quite often. Lotus even issued a tech bulletin attributing 
     the problem to "temperature induced tolerance changes loosening belt 
     tension, combined with increased resistance on a cold start" (ratation 
     of the cam I assume) However, I would not expect such an occurrence 
     with a fine German engineered Audi...
     
     Bob, -er, I mean Rod
     Porsche 944 turbo (manufactured by Audi? yes?)
     VW Corrado G60
     (wishing I still had my TQC in Cleveland's worst (for non quattro 
     owners) winter in years) 
     
     
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Help...20V valve probs..
Author:  rdh@sli.com (or uunet!sli!rdh) at SMTP01 
Date:    12/22/95 2:28 PM
     
     
   Desparate for some advice here......
     
   My 90Q20V had been parked for several days in temps between -10 
   ans -20 C, with no block heater.  On start-up, the engine 
   sounded like a diesel, and I let it idle till warm, hoping the 
   clatter would subside.  It didn't.  
     
   The dealer (South Centre Fine Cars) has looked at it and says the 
   timing belt jumped, therefore the clatter was valves and pistons 
   interfering.  So far, not good, but not tooooo bad.
     
If it is truly pistons and valves getting intimate, it is *WAAAAAAY* 
bad news, any way you look at it. You have done physical damage, even 
if -- for the moment -- the engine still runs.
     
However, just plain getting cold (-20C isn't all that cold) shouldn't 
cause the timing belt to jump a tooth, unless the belt was getting 
ready to do so anyways (how often replaced?). Or, through some in- 
credibly back luck seemingly related to German Engineering (half the 
people I know with Rabbit/Scirrocos/etc. had this type of experience) 
some rain/snow/squirrels/whatever managed to get onto your timing 
belt, and freeze up into RockIce or something and jam up the belt, 
slipping a tooth or two, with resultant trip to dealer...
     
     -RDH