Engine Coming Out

[Turboluvr]

Howdy All,
Long time no post, I was over in Okinawa for a few years. Got back last fall and my RS6 started up fine, however I had some bad luck reciently. Someone caved in my driver's side quarter panel around Christmas. Probably a '90s Suburban from the bumper marks, but they didn't leave any info. USAA took care of it and the local Audi body shop did a terrific job, cut the old quarter completely out at the factory welds and put a new one in.

I'd been getting a small, intermitent coolant loss, while it was in the body shop the car dumped about a gallon from the right front. I feared the infamous oil cooler, coolant pipe and the Audi mechanic agreed. Thank god I heeded everyone's advice back in '09 and got the Fidelity Platnum warrenty. Fidelity is hedging their bets and refusing to approve the claim until they inspect the engine out of the car. So I had to agree to pay for removal (@ $2300) if it turned out to be a part not covered. From reading my policy that should be everything in the coolant system except for radiator and heater hoses. Anyone else have Fidelity pull this on a large claim?

I've got a Blufkin pipe to replace the stock plastic piece and will try to convince the mechanic to put it in.


James

[Turboluvr]

I added pictures to try and make it more interesting...rule #1 and all...

[905084]

Right front....make sure it's not the aux radiator. The coolant pipe is usually a small leak....

[Turboluvr]

Thanks for responding, I was beginning to feel like I'd thrown a high five and everyone had walked off.

I'm pretty sure it's not the aux radiator. It had been a small leak, I think it got large because of many small leaks as it sat in one place for a long time. They did a pressure test on it and got a little leakage, but the most they could say was that it seemed to be coming from the area of the oil cooler coolant pipe. Too packed in to actually see the leak.

[905084]

You'll know weather it's a aux rad or Bufkin pipe depending upon location...Bufkin is middle right, aux rad is front right.

[Turboluvr]

Definitely middle right, it rolls forward to come out the air scoop on the underpan.

[lswing]

Bummer, that's screwed up that Fidelity won't take a mechanic's diagnosis. Should be obvious where the leak is without removal. I believe some have even changed the pipe with engine in, 6-10 hours?

[905084]

Pull the under pan to get a better idea....Mile on the beast?

[Turboluvr]

Some have done it w/ the engine, but an Audi shop will pull it. I'd try the engine-in procedure if it wasn't under warranty, as it is I leave it to them to sort out.

The car has 57K miles. The stealer had it on a rack to see where it leaked, w/ pan off, and I've had the pan off on a rack trying to find it for weeks before it was hit. It doesn't want to leak on cue.

[905084]

[QUOTE=Turboluvr;259203before it was hit. It doesn't want to leak on cue.[/QUOTE]

?? Before it was hit?

[Turboluvr]

Yes, intermittent coolant leak before she was backed into (see pics). Was at the body shop for almost two months where she developed a more serious leak.

[hahnmgh63]

When it comes to the Bufkin pipe, shove it down your mechanics throat. If the engine comes out, leak from there or not replace it.

[Turboluvr]

I showed the Bufkin pipe to the service manager today and he said they'd do it.

[DHall1]

Fidelity wants to see the failed part. You pay till that happens.

[Turboluvr]

Yup, that's where I stand now, it goes into a bay tomorrow to get the engine pulled to see where the leak is. I've looked at every possible line that you can see for leaks, so I'm confident in the mechanic's estimate. Hopefully it works out. I'm excited to see my engine out in the open, although that will be dulled if I have to pay for it. While it's out it would be wise to have some other things done, like O2 sensors. I know there's a post listing all the things to do when your engines out, I'll search for it and try to get as much done as my wallet can handle.

[DHall1]

At your mileage.......its a toss up.

Maybe primary O2s but thats it

[ben916]

I'd been getting a small, intermitent coolant loss, while it was in the body shop the car dumped about a gallon from the right front. I feared the infamous oil cooler, coolant pipe and the Audi mechanic agreed. Thank god I heeded everyone's advice back in '09 and got the Fidelity Platnum warrenty. Fidelity is hedging their bets and refusing to approve the claim until they inspect the engine out of the car. So I had to agree to pay for removal (@ $2300) if it turned out to be a part not covered. From reading my policy that should be everything in the coolant system except for radiator and heater hoses. Anyone else have Fidelity pull this on a large claim?

I've got a Blufkin pipe to replace the stock plastic piece and will try to convince the mechanic to put it in.
James

WTH!?!?!
Sounds like a slick willy move on Fidelity.
I had the same thing happen to me, pink puddle under the right front of RS6.
Took it to stealership, they performed a pressure test and the oil cooler coolant was cracked AND I had a few small holes in the radiator. My aftermarket warranty picked up all but $200.

[lswing]

There are some nice lists of parts to replace, try using google to search the forum, or maybe someone will chime in.

Cam tensioner seals?
EGT's? Although I replaced mine when fine and one failed a year later, crap things.
Check all vacuum lines.
Intake manifold gasket.
Rebuild turbos for about $1k at Scroll or other.

[DHall1]

I did not do bufkin at 41k.

It will bite me in the butt some day.

I would leave everything else at 57k

[Amulet-S6]

I did not do bufkin at 41k.

It will bite me in the butt some day.

I would leave everything else at 57k

...but Dave, You're a gambler. (and have a back-up beast)

[DHall1]

Well that's not germane to the topic. We're talking about the German engineers that put that pipe in there to begin with. LOL


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyWVPHoFGJA





...but Dave, You're a gambler. (and have a back-up beast)

[DHall1]

We roll the dice with these things every year. I did drive a 2013 S6 with APR tune last week. Holy smokes what a rocket.

The writing is on the wall....there will be a 4.0tt in the garage at some point.

[Turboluvr]

Well, it turns out they didn't have to remove the engine after all. They used a very neat engine support brace to hold everything in place from above while they removed the oil cooler from the front (see pics). It turned out not to be the plastic oil cooler pipe, but they're still replacing it w/ the new Bufkin pipe. It was actually the O-rings on the small radiator in the oil cooler housing that were leaking. It was covered by the warranty and the transmission output seal was leaking so that's getting repaired as well.

15126151271512815129

My next question, has anyone had to replace the sway-bar mounting bolts? They are pressed into small aluminum suspension brackets, kind of like wheel studs. Mine are starting to go, they obviously get taken on and off every time I change the oil. The bolts are not covered under the warranty as they are hardware, but Audi only replaces the entire bracket for $200 apiece. Looks like a press and the right size stud would fix it. Any thoughts?

James

[jibberjive]

Curious, how much was the body work repair bill for the rear quarter?

[Turboluvr]

About $4850

[DHall1]

This is a great data point for future reference.

the engine does not need to come out for the oil cooler R@R. I like this approach to gain space.

You should write a new thread on that specific topic and link this thread.


Well, it turns out they didn't have to remove the engine after all. They used a very neat engine support brace to hold everything in place from above while they removed the oil cooler from the front (see pics). It turned out not to be the plastic oil cooler pipe, but they're still replacing it w/ the new Bufkin pipe. It was actually the O-rings on the small radiator in the oil cooler housing that were leaking. It was covered by the warranty and the transmission output seal was leaking so that's getting repaired as well.

15126151271512815129

My next question, has anyone had to replace the sway-bar mounting bolts? They are pressed into small aluminum suspension brackets, kind of like wheel studs. Mine are starting to go, they obviously get taken on and off every time I change the oil. The bolts are not covered under the warranty as they are hardware, but Audi only replaces the entire bracket for $200 apiece. Looks like a press and the right size stud would fix it. Any thoughts?

James

[Bigglezworth]

Having recently competed a tranny swap, I personally believe one to be able to perform an oil cooler swap without removing the front clip like you see in the photos here. This would save draining the transmission cooler or the air conditioning system - both which require more than just adding fluid to a reservoir to top up again.... Removal of coolant along with performing an oil change while you have the filter and oil cooler lines off is all that would be required. For the owners that don't have a swanky overhead engine support bar, you can look to block the engine from below while you remove the K-frame and motor mount to increase access.