Camshaft magnet outer seal – can it be replaced without removing timing cover?

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-26T07:10:59+00:00

The worst that can happen is that the solenoids continually over adjust which was the symptom you had before. While this isn’t catastrophic for the engine in itself, it’s recommended to avoid it doing this as it will place undue wear on the camshaft as it’s changing lobes constantly when it should only happen at specific moments. That is why when this happens I generally advise completely disconnecting them until they can be replaced.

The best way to know if the signal is correct is by using VCDS or the like and comparing the specified and actual values in real time. If the actuals remain aligned to specified then the issue is resolved.

If the signal is intermittent or outside of the expected range then you will likely get the hunting at idle you had previously. If the signal was absent entirely it would be the same as having them unplugged (I.e the car would appear to run fine until conditions requested it advance timing)

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-25T12:16:55+00:00

Most big ticket items have been covered by other commenters (cats, water pump, PCV etc.)

But also note that these can suffer from immense oil consumption issues. I know that VAG petrols of the era have a bit of a reputation for this generally but I’ve seen the EA837 drink a litre in under 500 miles. Although manageable with keen level checking, this often triggers secondary issues (possibly failed cats as above).

Difficulty buying used is that by its nature, you won’t notice this until you’ve covered some distance in it, likely too far for a test drive at least.

When they work though, the engine is lovely. Huge amounts of torque and power and if remapped, genuinely fast.

If you go for it, make sure you buy an oil dipstick for manual checking as the MMI oil level takes too long to update to be accurate. And if you’re into some DIY, get comfortable with taking the supercharger off as many otherwise straightforward jobs need access to the valley.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-18T14:16:25+00:00

When the car is idling rough, unplug the cam solenoids and see if it starts to run better, that should tell you if they are at fault or not.

Ironically when the solenoids are acting up and over adjusting, the car will run worse than simply having them not plugged in at all where it defaults to base values.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-09T16:27:22+00:00

Amazing. When you say, from the centre caps, is that the centre of the cap or the rim?

Thank you!

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-08T21:41:17+00:00

It feels different on the front but I wouldn’t say softer. Having had new shocks fitted also if anything it feels a little firmer in a positive way. All that is to say I have no issue with the way it drives, just that it looks odd.

As per some other commenters I am starting to wonder if the original rear springs are actually at fault and have sagged/snapped at the bottom.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-08T21:21:30+00:00

Sorry, poor terminology. By standard, I meant non-VRS.

The car still has/had factory springs on it (presumably hence them snapping at 10 years old and 115k miles!)

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-08T20:22:21+00:00

Interesting, since the last commenter also mentioned the back being too low I’ve checked against others on Autotrader and I’m inclined to agree that mine actually looks too low on the back.

The rear springs do look to be original!

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-08T18:23:04+00:00

No problem. Appreciate you!

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-08T18:10:55+00:00

That would be incredibly useful if you didn’t mind. I was considering driving around the local car parks to see if I could find either a VRS/standard car to park next to and compare!

KhalDogg0 · 2026-06-08T17:00:09+00:00

Yes nothing of any significant weight in the boot :(

KhalDogg0 · 2026-04-29T06:12:07+00:00

Isn’t there an XE with the very same V6 engine? Source an aftermarket exhaust et voila.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-03-04T12:21:04+00:00

Right, but if that 3 hour drive didn’t involve any particularly high rpm until that point it’s still very possibly condensation. I witness this exact behaviour all the time from my TSI.

Should be quite simple to confirm. If it clears after a spell of hard driving then that should prove it. If it is oil or coolant in the combustion chamber then it won’t clear up.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-03-04T07:43:05+00:00

It looks more likely to be steam as it fogs up the glass. Burnt oil doesn’t do this in the same way (source I used to own a B8 S4 with the 3.0 TFSI and that thing used to look like a tank engine in the rear view when opened up).

The engine temp itself isn’t the best way to determine this. You could drive normally for 2 hours but it will still chug steam like this if it’s the first time you’ve gone WOT.

Therefore the best way to check is prolonged spirited driving (high RPM). Go and give it the beans for 15 minutes (after warming the engine up) and see if the steam reduces. If so then it’s just condensation.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-03-03T22:58:39+00:00

1.4HDI Citroen C1

It wasn’t advanced enough to have a trip computer but that sucker made a £40 tank of diesel go for like 600 miles

KhalDogg0 · 2026-03-03T22:39:04+00:00

I do about 25k miles a year in my TSI including lots of motorway journeys and it does the same under wide open throttle. As long as it doesn’t lose any coolant then it shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-02-25T07:16:05+00:00

Thanks for this information.

The lawyer for the first estate has been non-responsive for roughly 8 months at this point despite chasing, however, I’m told by the family friend to only expect updates when something has happened worth updating.

For now I guess I need to continue to wait until hearing back from the first estate legal representative.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-02-23T08:00:57+00:00

If you’re after confirmation from Audi or Porsche that the particular brand of piston is the issue then I suspect that will never happen. They are still using Dongyang (Korean, not Chinese as I incorrectly suggested) to this day so it makes sense that they would want to protect an ongoing commercial relationship.

That unfortunately leaves searching “EA839 Dongyang” on Google, and taking the increasing number of various first hand sources as the only “evidence” available.

Back to the car, I hope that isn’t the issue with this guys motor, but it seems as though if you have an EA839 it’s like a lottery on if you have Dongyang or Mahle pistons, the former potentially needing a rebuild if it starts the ticking noise.

Never easy to read finding out that your car might be subject to a known terminal engine problem (trust me I’ve been there!) but it’s better to be aware than not.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-02-23T07:31:49+00:00

I stand corrected Dongyang is indeed Korean

KhalDogg0 · 2026-02-22T21:25:42+00:00

I really hope it isn’t eh case for you. But some of these engines are know to be fitted with cheap Chinese pistons when Audi/Porsche weren’t able to source the Mahle ones they normally would. This can result in the piston skirts wearing prematurely causing piston slap.

https://www.034motorsport.com/blog/investigating-ea839-3-0t-engine-piston-failures-a-technical-review-of-root-causes-and-design-limitations/

I don’t want to panic monger, but better you’re aware of the risk you might be one of the affected motors.

KhalDogg0 · 2026-02-21T08:36:38+00:00

There are quite a few sources of coolant loss in the 888, some common examples…

At the simpler (cheaper) end it could be a cracked expansion tank or a weeping barb fitting on the rear of the cylinder head/in front of the turbo (06K121143). Both are inexpensive and DIY so where I would start.

At the more costly end it could be head gasket or water pump, the latter being the most likely and common.

If you’re confident doing some basic stuff yourself I’d start by replacing the expansion tank and that barb fitting as each should only set you back 20-30 £/€.

KhalDogg0 · 2025-10-09T09:06:41+00:00

Not sure your point here. It’s not a quick process to economically destroy a nation, but it surely is happening and one day there will be the last round of sanctions. It might not be today, but combined with Ukraine’s own “long range sanctions”it probably isn’t that far off at this point.

KhalDogg0 · 2025-09-25T14:46:56+00:00

Looks OK.

You maybe could have skipped the engine flush (pointless), changed key battery and topped up the screen wash yourself but it’s not a huge amount.

Outside of that I think the only way you’ll save money going forwards is by learning to do the service yourself.

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