Bad news from the mechanic

[GasX]

Took my Audi A6 (2.7 twin turbo) in to get checked out. The ABS light never went out after a brake job and the check engine light was on. They took care of everything and it was even a cheap trick to the mechanic (brakes covered on warranty and engine code pointed to a cheap vacuum hose). So why so glum?

When I picked it up, the mechanic said his one guy (who is WAY into turbos) was jealously checking out the car and noticed the intake (?) seals on the turbos were leaking. In short he said this is not good but the real problem is that the external seals will eventually go and then they turbos will need replacing. Since the car will require engine removal to do the repair and the parts are expensive, he said I am looking at an eventual $7k repair bill. In short, he told me to sell the car now.

So, does this make sense? and what should I get to replace it? I have a $10-15k budget and want something low miles, fun to drive, easy to get kids in and out of car seats in the back...

 

[CurseTheSky]

I have limited experience with turbos / related maintenance, so I won't comment on how likely this is to be true.

However, how well do you know this guy? Is this someone you've gone to for years and years or recently started going to after dozens of people recommended them, or is this just some garage that you picked on a whim? The fact that he's encouraging you to sell the car off (to avoid future hassle) makes me a feel a bit better about his intentions, though it's a pretty big move to make based off of one or two peoples' opinions.

 

[matas]

I was tempted to buy an audi a6 manual with abs light on but not check engine light. That thing was so fast. But good thing I did not buy it, because to replaced two turbos is gonna be so costly in the future.

 

[GasX]

I have limited experience with turbos / related maintenance, so I won't comment on how likely this is to be true.

However, how well do you know this guy? Is this someone you've gone to for years and years or recently started going to after dozens of people recommended them, or is this just some garage that you picked on a whim? The fact that he's encouraging you to sell the car off (to avoid future hassle) makes me a feel a bit better about his intentions, though it's a pretty big move to make based off of one or two peoples' opinions.

He's a local mechanic I have used a few times since moving to this area in May. I go there purely for its proximity to my house.

 

[mwmorph]

The 2.7 TT engine had issues with reliability. The S4 guys had to replace the turbos fairly often but it was better with the A6 due to a larger engine bay and better cooling.

That still doesn't alleviate the faulty design so I would believe him, but I would take it to get a 2nd opinion 1st

 

[blipblop]

Hi GasX, how many miles does you have on your 2.7T? A lot of people with these engines the turbos start to die ~ 60-80k...

 

[GasX]

Hi GasX, how many miles does you have on your 2.7T? A lot of people with these engines the turbos start to die ~ 60-80k...

70k - right in the middle of your range. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Raizinman]

Since it appears you took it to an Audi dealer, if a tech tells you something about a specific problem starting with your vehicle, you can have the dealership document the problem and then when it does go out, it can be covered under warranty. Go back to the dealer and have that tech write down what he told you verbally. If the seals are starting to leak, that then becomes a factory defect that is covered under warranty.

 

[Fenixgoon]

wow, didn't know the 2.7 was a TT. always thought it was a single turbo.

 

[GasX]

Since it appears you took it to an Audi dealer, if a tech tells you something about a specific problem starting with your vehicle, you can have the dealership document the problem and then when it does go out, it can be covered under warranty. Go back to the dealer and have that tech write down what he told you verbally. If the seals are starting to leak, that then becomes a factory defect that is covered under warranty.

It was a local mechanic NOT the dealer. I have already moved on, and am trying to figure out the next car...

 

[jlee]

$7k for turbo replacement?

Damn.

 

[evident]

i thought turbos were normally cheap? what about on more pedestrian cars, as automakers are going towards turbos to increase FE.

think about the new cruze coming out w/ the 1.4L turbo, replacing one pretty much means throwing the car away, no?

 

[GasX]

$7k for turbo replacement?

Damn.

Two turbos - check
Mandatory engine removal - check
German car - check
arbitrary number thrown out by mechanic - check

 

[brblx]

what the heck does he mean by 'intake seal'?

is the outlet on the boost side moist with oil? 'cause that's pretty normal if the car has some miles.

 

[GasX]

what the heck does he mean by 'intake seal'?

is the outlet on the boost side moist with oil? 'cause that's pretty normal if the car has some miles.

Interesting. That sounds like what he was describing. Definitely need a second opinion from someone who knows Audis...

 

[brblx]

it's not a good thing, but it's rare you see a car with 75-100k or more that isn't passing some small amount of oil through the turbo. the inside of the intake hoses will get a little sticky film, and the rubber hose right at the outlet of the turbo will start to degrade first, with oil seeping through it.

how old is the car and how many miles? frankly i wouldn't need too much encouraging to dump it before a nightmare repair is needed, even if the turbos are fine. i just haven't heard much good about that engine.

 

[Kroze]

Never buy a german car that's out of warranty. Learn that lesson.

They are an electrical nightmare waiting to happen and maintenance on them cost an arm and a leg. Audi is notorious for having to drop the engine in order to do anything regarding fixing under the hood.

 

[BW86]

time for k04s

 

[PhoKingGuy]

time for k04s

+1

 

[AMCRambler]

This is why I'll never by a turbocharged car for my daily driver. When they crap out, wicked expensive to replace. It's not even that it's an Audi. Turbos are an expensive part and they're usually very specific to the vehicle. I'm sure a Subaru would run a couple K to replace the single turbo.

 

[imagoon]

This is why I'll never by a turbocharged car for my daily driver. When they crap out, wicked expensive to replace. It's not even that it's an Audi. Turbos are an expensive part and they're usually very specific to the vehicle. I'm sure a Subaru would run a couple K to replace the single turbo.

Properly built and operated, most (water cooled) turbo's out last the engine. I had about 130k on my first turbo engine when it decided to dump the coolant on the highway, the resulting headgasket blowing is what stopped it.

43k on the new turbo car and nothing wrong yet.

The key is letting them cool a bit, and more often than not, buying cars where they have water cooled turbos.

On topic, not an Audi guy but on every turbo car I have had there is always a bit of oil in the intake path. However, a bad implementation would kill them quick. Most units need cool downtime which many owners ignore. The cool down time is far longer on the oil only units though.

 

[evident]

This is why I'll never by a turbocharged car for my daily driver. When they crap out, wicked expensive to replace. It's not even that it's an Audi. Turbos are an expensive part and they're usually very specific to the vehicle. I'm sure a Subaru would run a couple K to replace the single turbo.

that was always the advice given to me from others. turbos just add complications to a vehicle. again like my previous post said i'll be interested to see how the turbos in the new cruze hold up and how they will be in more daily driver type vehicles.

 

[Arkaign]

that was always the advice given to me from others. turbos just add complications to a vehicle. again like my previous post said i'll be interested to see how the turbos in the new cruze hold up and how they will be in more daily driver type vehicles.

I'll add AWD to the list of things to avoid unless you absolutely need it. Of course, I was an idiot and bought a 3000GT VR-4 back in the mid-90s. What a horrible mistake. It was a little bit of fun, and a whole lot of problems.

 

[halik]

Took my Audi A6 (2.7 twin turbo) in to get checked out. The ABS light never went out after a brake job and the check engine light was on. They took care of everything and it was even a cheap trick to the mechanic (brakes covered on warranty and engine code pointed to a cheap vacuum hose). So why so glum?

When I picked it up, the mechanic said his one guy (who is WAY into turbos) was jealously checking out the car and noticed the intake (?) seals on the turbos were leaking. In short he said this is not good but the real problem is that the external seals will eventually go and then they turbos will need replacing. Since the car will require engine removal to do the repair and the parts are expensive, he said I am looking at an eventual $7k repair bill. In short, he told me to sell the car now.

So, does this make sense? and what should I get to replace it? I have a $10-15k budget and want something low miles, fun to drive, easy to get kids in and out of car seats in the back...

There are no intake "seals" on the turbos - there are two metal pipes on the compressor sides of turbos that slide over the turbo inlet and seal it with a rubber/silicone strip that's bonded to the inside of the intake pipe. If there's oil dripping form that, it's normal (the vacuum lines tend to dump oil from the crank case/heads into the intake, see the big black thing that goes into the Y pipe top right). All you gotta do is take the intake and turbo inlet tubing out and clean it.

If the turbo compressors are leaking oil, you'd see it in your exhaust (heavy, heavy smoke). If the leak is from anywhere else, it's not something you'd see without taking off the front clip (can't really see the turbos from underneath).

Now finally if you're smelling oil and get smoke from the hood, it's your valve cover seals.

Either way that dude was talking out of his ass, I wouldn't take my car there.


<- 2000 A6 2.7T, ~130K on stock motor, trans and turbos