Needing a new engine or maybe just new heads

[Rustic]

I've lurked here for almost a decade, gleaning what I could from this great forum but now I find myself in need of some help for an issue I can't resolve on my own.
I started having some cam tensioner noises and, to make a long story short, the fixes are adding up to more than the car is worth.
I have about 124k on the car and have had no real problems up until now but I believe that finding a salvaged engine may be the most economical way of staying on the "crazy train".
I have been in contact with the guy selling one on ebay and it seems a good option, but was wondering if folks on this forum knew of an engine out there where they knew the background of that particular engine. (Folks who are salvaging their own cars etc.)

Any help would be appreciated.

[ben916]

What are the symptoms besides

some cam tensioner noises

?

From one Long time lurker to another WELCOME!!!!
I thought I had the record but you might have me beat (registered in Nov 2006, lurked for 4 years, car purchased in Feb 2010, sold in Jun 2013)

Another PNW RS6!!!
Details on yours? VIN?

Indy shop doing the work or Stealership?

[DHall1]

Engine. Does someone need an engine ?

[DHall1]

I also have low mileage cam tensioners

[Rustic]

Indy shop. 124k Daily Driver DRC is the only real problem it ever had. It's really just been one thing after another since I heard just a faint sound. Something was starving the oil (only at low pressure) to the cam tensioners so I needed to replace them, it was time for a Tbelt change etc and while its out 's add that on O2, EGV ...Then notice that whatever had got in to starve the oil to the tensioners had also got into the cam bearings and that can't be polished out so new/rebuilt heads but still nothing definitive of what went wrong...Just not sure what the next best step is at this point.

[DHall1]

Engine

......

Indy shop. 124k Daily Driver DRC is the only real problem it ever had. It's really just been one thing after another since I heard just a faint sound. Something was starving the oil (only at low pressure) to the cam tensioners so I needed to replace them, it was time for a Tbelt change etc and while its out 's add that on O2, EGV ...Then notice that whatever had got in to starve the oil to the tensioners had also got into the cam bearings and that can't be polished out so new/rebuilt heads but still nothing definitive of what went wrong...Just not sure what the next best step is at this point.

[4everRS]

Does the engine run? If so, I'm confused as to why you think you need a new one. A used engine for this car is over 10k. Count on at least another 5-8k to do the work to r&r. I would think that if the thing still runs, you could fix what's wrong for less than that.

[Rustic]

Does the engine run? If so, I'm confused as to why you think you need a new one. A used engine for this car is over 10k. Count on at least another 5-8k to do the work to r&r. I would think that if the thing still runs, you could fix what's wrong for less than that.

I guess that is what I am trying to figure out. What does a used engine go for? etc. The engine runs fine. The only reason I took it in was I was hearing a clickety clack just at throttle tip in. I was worried that it was the tranny. I then found I could recreate the sound by slightly raising the rpms with the brake engaged. I would get the same light clatter maybe between 1100up to 1200 rpms and then no sound at all. It ran just fine. But once into it, the cost of the tensioners and now heads on a 124k engine is making me look at options. I haven't ruled anything out as yet.

[SteveKen]

I guess that is what I am trying to figure out. What does a used engine go for? etc. The engine runs fine. The only reason I took it in was I was hearing a clickety clack just at throttle tip in. I was worried that it was the tranny. I then found I could recreate the sound by slightly raising the rpms with the brake engaged. I would get the same light clatter maybe between 1100up to 1200 rpms and then no sound at all. It ran just fine. But once into it, the cost of the tensioners and now heads on a 124k engine is making me look at options. I haven't ruled anything out as yet.

That valvetrain noise is normal. I've heard it on every RS6 I've driven, which is maybe 5 or so.

I can hear it when slowly raising the RPMs at idle.

I hope that you didn't tear into the heads over this.

Crappy oil might have been the cause of your oil starved cam bearing caps.

[Corbett]

If you need heads I have 2 complete heads I can probably let go

[4everRS]

OK, just my opinion here, so take it for what it's worth.

I do not get valvetrain noise on my car. If you've owned this thing for a long time (which none of us know yet) and your experiencing sounds you've never heard before, you likely have a problem. The question is, is it being diagnosed properly? You're Indy shop is apparently telling you, you need to rebuild the heads. I have never heard of this on these motors.

If you're cam tensioners are bad, you should get a code. Have you scanned the ecu for fault code? What are they?

[4everRS]

Please give us more details about the car, your ownership, when the noises started, scanned codes, ect.

[ben916]

I guess that is what I am trying to figure out. What does a used engine go for? etc. The engine runs fine. The only reason I took it in was I was hearing a clickety clack just at throttle tip in. I was worried that it was the tranny. I then found I could recreate the sound by slightly raising the rpms with the brake engaged. I would get the same light clatter maybe between 1100up to 1200 rpms and then no sound at all. It ran just fine. But once into it, the cost of the tensioners and now heads on a 124k engine is making me look at options. I haven't ruled anything out as yet.

OK, THIS in bold, I had that sound at day one of ownership (I was a 2nd owner of a 36k mile Fastest Colored RS6).
I would drive in multi level parking structures and could hear the clickety clack as soon as I would press on throttle and I never had a code for it.
I changed the oil = same sound
I had the dealership look/listen = same sound and they scratched their head with which they sit upon.
I had the indy look/listen = same sound and was honest and stated that I could have dumped a "S" ton of $ at it and get no where.

Result = car ran great until the day I sold it.

What did Bruce Willis say in Die Hard when shootin the bad guys?? Yippy ki yi yea mother flowers!!!!

[Rustic]

Please give us more details about the car, your ownership, when the noises started, scanned codes, ect.

I've owned the car for 8 years or so. 2nd owner. Always maintained. The noise was new and as I said, I just started to notice that I would here that sound when I would blip the throttle (in gear) and when it was hot. (no noise when cold. Oil was good, level correct. Car was running fine except for that sound. It was diagnosed that the Cam tensioners were getting low oil pressure which was causing the rattle but as soon as the RPMs brought up the pressure, the sound would go away. Once the tensioners were removed, there is a little screen over the oil inlet that you can see has been damaged (curiously on both sides) Whatever went through there also got into the first bearing on both sides and scared up that bearing enough that the shop believes it needs new heads (or at least one) We have pulled the oil pan and there doesn't seem to be anything unusual in there. Now, I understand that I am at the mercy of the shop and my own lack of experience with the engine (I rebuilt a couple of vw bug engines in years past but that is the extent of my wrenching) but the mesh and the scoring were obviously there.

[Rustic]

I've owned the car for 8 years or so. 2nd owner. Always maintained. The noise was new and as I said, I just started to notice that I would here that sound when I would blip the throttle (in gear) and when it was hot. (no noise when cold. Oil was good, level correct. Car was running fine except for that sound. It was diagnosed that the Cam tensioners were getting low oil pressure which was causing the rattle but as soon as the RPMs brought up the pressure, the sound would go away. Once the tensioners were removed, there is a little screen over the oil inlet that you can see has been damaged (curiously on both sides) Whatever went through there also got into the first bearing on both sides and scared up that bearing enough that the shop believes it needs new heads (or at least one) We have pulled the oil pan and there doesn't seem to be anything unusual in there. Now, I understand that I am at the mercy of the shop and my own lack of experience with the engine (I rebuilt a couple of vw bug engines in years past but that is the extent of my wrenching) but the mesh and the scoring were obviously there.

There wee no CEL and I didn't read any codes nor ask the shop for codes thrown.

[Rustic]

If you need heads I have 2 complete heads I can probably let go

PM me with what you want for them. Thanks

[yokust]

I also have a complete motor from a low mileage wrecked car has 35k on it.

[Bigglezworth]

I also have a complete motor from a low mileage wrecked car has 35k on it.

Was that your illfated car??