Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post Reply
Fahy_s3_8P
Enlisted
Posts: 5
Registered for: 5 years 7 months
Car Make: Audi
Car Model: 2008 s3 8p

Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by Fahy_s3_8P »

Howsit gents,

I'm new to the forum :hurray: so please forgive me if this topic is overkill as I've tried to search the site( as well as the interwebs) but no luck. Back in 08 was my first sighting of a black Audi s3 8p boosting past me, fast forward to 2018 and I now own a black s3 8p. I purchased the car in Nov 2017 and it had a full service history from audi till 136k km.i purchased the car with 146k km mileage and decided to do the service myself :hurray: all was successful. The car had no history of cambelt service so I took it to a local audi "specialist" and upon inspection the cambelt service was done,just not at an Audi dealership. Since it was already opened I decided to carry out another cambelt service for peace of mind. All done and dusted.afterward my left outer cv started making noise so I replaced all 4. I then proceeded to do all the usual mods, DP , intake, coilovers, rim refurb. Then I did a sump service and haldex service ( Just to make sure everything was healthy).so far so good. I spoke to a tuner who would happily tune my car and told me all the things he would check before even thinking about loading a map ( fuel filter, Can follower ect) so I headed over to my local and reliable part supplier and bought myself a new fuel filter, cam follower and some front shock mounts(for the coilover install). On my way back to the office, I met a golf7 gti on the n1 and we decided to play a little at respectable speeds, 2 offramps later i had to depart. Aaaah now my dilemma begins, I start slowing down and open my window a little so I can light up my cigarette and I can hear my engine being a little noisy :bang: . Terrified, I drove back to my office parking,let my engine idle for a bit and head back into my office. After work,jump into my car,start it up and it sounds normal noisy again (normal noisy = tfsi injector tick) I continue on my way and have my coilover installed the next day. On my way home from the successful coilover install I decide to use the highway to see if I can replicate the engine noise again! And I get onto the offramp and there's that noise, again!! I come home and change my cam follower( old one wasnt knackered too badly) and head out for another spin..noise is still there. Switch the car off and start it up couple hours later and it's back to its normal noisy self....i decided to head to my mechanic this morning, tell him the symptoms and tried to get the car as hot as possible on my way to him. He takes of the engine cover ,and immediately drops his head to listen for cam chain slapping noise.he then dives his head to the valve cover and looks at me..." intake camshaft is stuffed"..... at this point my face looks as if I just chowed an entire lemon...." how is that possible" I ask, "there's no power loss,it doesn't make the noise consistently, it only gets rowdy when its really hot??" ....." could also be a rocker arm" says my mech " have to strip to confirm".....a little sigh of relief. So I head home a little disappointed as he didn't have the time to do strip it immediately. On my way home, a gen 3 focus ST decided he wanted a go with the s3, so we went ( again at respectable,law abiding speeds).all fun and well.when I get home I try to listen for the rowdy noise but nothing! I do a vcds scan...no errors...i head out again in the night, drove up and down the n1 for about 45 minutes, get back home and no noise :rant: ...at this point I'm really lost as to what is going on with my s3. Has anyone ever had camshaft problems on the s3? What where the symptoms? Should I be worried? Possibly just the rockers? Any advice/help/recommendations will be highly appreciated!


Sorry for the long post gents,
Thanks in advance!
User avatar
Donavan
Lieutenant
Posts: 1921
Registered for: 17 years 3 months
Location: Ruimsig

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by Donavan »

my eyes is hurting now...…………
Audi A4 B8 2.0T - Daily
Audi A3 8L 2.0T 20V - Race Car - viewtopic.php?f=11&t=205201
EX: Mk 1 2 Door - 2L 16V Turbo
billionairebum
Cadet
Posts: 358
Registered for: 9 years 2 months
Car Make: VW
Car Model: Sportline
Membership No: 3194
Location: Randburg

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by billionairebum »

@panic will be able to advise.
User avatar
Jetta2
Field Marshal
Posts: 14929
Registered for: 17 years 3 months
Car Make: VW, VW, Aprilia
Car Model: Mk3 Golf VR6, Mk4 Caddy, RSV4
Membership No: 1087
Location: Menlo Park, Pretoria

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by Jetta2 »

Get another mechanic that knows what he is talking about......
There are no rocker arms in that head. The cams run directly on lifters to open the valves.
Ryan Demoser

1996 Mk3 Golf VR6
2017 Caddy Maxi Crew Bus 2.0 TDI
2013 Aprilia RSV4 track toy
2021 Aprilia RS660 road bike
Fahy_s3_8P
Enlisted
Posts: 5
Registered for: 5 years 7 months
Car Make: Audi
Car Model: 2008 s3 8p

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by Fahy_s3_8P »

Thanks guys,
Will have someone take a look and advise.
HendrikCTI
Cadet
Posts: 815
Registered for: 17 years 7 months
Location: Bloemfontein

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by HendrikCTI »

Get another mechanic that knows what he is talking about......
There are no rocker arms in that head. The cams run directly on lifters to open the valves.
TFSi engine with rockers? Please take a picture and show us that one. I think the aircooled VW beetle was the last VAG engine that used rockers if I am not mistaken.
My cars: 2004 Nissan Almera 1.6
1977 Datsun 1200GX
(100% FULLY restored, 13" mags fitted)
Wife's car: 2019 Suzuki Ciaz
User avatar
panic-mechanic
Panic's Place
Posts: 26715
Registered for: 21 years 7 months
Membership No: 79
Location: Benoni, putfontein.

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by panic-mechanic »

Wow some guys got a little lost in technology. Yes BWA ie golf 5 onwards / CDL(S3) engines run a roller rocker between the cam and the valve. Sounds like noisy lifters.
Are you running the right grade of oil?
Sadly cam /head/cradle damage is common on those engines.

this is the lifter and roller rocker on golf 5/6 basically all the tfsi engines.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/16Pcs-2 ... 05444.html
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
Fahy_s3_8P
Enlisted
Posts: 5
Registered for: 5 years 7 months
Car Make: Audi
Car Model: 2008 s3 8p

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by Fahy_s3_8P »

Thanks for the reply panic.
Was running shell ultra helix 5w40,after i did the sump service,my mechanic advised me to go back to castrol edge 5w30 that us advised by vw/audi
User avatar
panic-mechanic
Panic's Place
Posts: 26715
Registered for: 21 years 7 months
Membership No: 79
Location: Benoni, putfontein.

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by panic-mechanic »

Ugh. The ultra is better.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
Fahy_s3_8P
Enlisted
Posts: 5
Registered for: 5 years 7 months
Car Make: Audi
Car Model: 2008 s3 8p

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by Fahy_s3_8P »

@ panic , do you think I should swap out the oil for the helix or just get it stripped to have a look at the cam?and possibly rocker arms and lifters?
User avatar
panic-mechanic
Panic's Place
Posts: 26715
Registered for: 21 years 7 months
Membership No: 79
Location: Benoni, putfontein.

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by panic-mechanic »

The rockers itself almost never go faulty. But you buy it as a set with the lifter. I had one that we tried everything and I eventually just rebuilt the head and replaced the entire set of lifters/rollers and then it went silent. It's impossible to say without a strip and check on the cam.

The castrol vs helix is not a fix for the noise. In general the castrol causes varnishing insdie the engine - IE it looks dirty.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
User avatar
Jetta2
Field Marshal
Posts: 14929
Registered for: 17 years 3 months
Car Make: VW, VW, Aprilia
Car Model: Mk3 Golf VR6, Mk4 Caddy, RSV4
Membership No: 1087
Location: Menlo Park, Pretoria

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by Jetta2 »

My apologies. I honestly did not know those motors had the roller rockers.
But now I do know, thanks Stephan.
Ryan Demoser

1996 Mk3 Golf VR6
2017 Caddy Maxi Crew Bus 2.0 TDI
2013 Aprilia RSV4 track toy
2021 Aprilia RS660 road bike
User avatar
panic-mechanic
Panic's Place
Posts: 26715
Registered for: 21 years 7 months
Membership No: 79
Location: Benoni, putfontein.

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by panic-mechanic »

No Issue. Yup that is why you can rev them so lekker.
The audi RS4 in B7 shape is basically one the first motors where that appeared.
My S6 v10 also has that.
So 2004 ish it appeared in some engines already.
Stephan van Tonder - Jhb - Putfontein Benoni
'05 Audi A6 3.0L TDI Avant
'09 Touareg 3l TDI
'13 VW CC 2l tdi (repair project)
'05 Touareg v10

Perfect Power dealer. I do dyno tuning.
HendrikCTI
Cadet
Posts: 815
Registered for: 17 years 7 months
Location: Bloemfontein

Re: Audi s3 8p intake camshaft replacement???

Post by HendrikCTI »

Thanks for the info. And so I learned something new.
My 150cc motorcycle also has roller rockers with small bearings everywhere. Noticed this when I did valve clearance check couple of months back.
Interesting to see it rolled over to the cars.
My cars: 2004 Nissan Almera 1.6
1977 Datsun 1200GX
(100% FULLY restored, 13" mags fitted)
Wife's car: 2019 Suzuki Ciaz
Post Reply