Audi Repair: noisey cam, noisy tappets, low oil pressure

Question
my 1999 audi a4 2.8 v6 has started whining on the right hand side of the engine, it sounds as if the noise is comming from the front of the rocker.Could it be a camshaft bearing

Answer
Hi robbie,

When you say the Right side I presume you mean that its viewed from the drivers seat..


I'd start a process of elimination first, whining noises usually mean worn out bearings usually the roller kind employed on tensioners and relay rollers, remove the fan belt first and crank the engine, if the noise is still present then move onto the timing belt bearings, remove them (note position of timing first) and place the bearing close to your ear then give it a spin, if you hear any rough or abnormal sounds then that is your culprit. also a trick I usually use to eliminate faulty or loose belts is to have the engine running then pouring some water on the belt as it spins, if the noise disappears then the belt is at fault and if not then its usually a bearing.

As for your question I doubt that the camshaft bearing is at fault here as that would indicate low oil pressure and if that was the case there would be other symptoms like noisy tappets which are of the hydraulic kind and rely on oil pressure to function properly. If you have any doubts then remove the valve cover and then one bearing at a time and inspect them for scoring and scratches. also please note that if it happens that you have to remove the camshafts on both the heads then the inlet cams are different and cannot be mixed up, I.e. mark the inlet cam for the right side cam and again for the left side cam so that they return back to the original position.

And again if the timing chain at the rear of the cams has to be removed then mark the teeth spaces between the 2 cams(16 teeth) or you will have a misfire if returned incorrectly.

Hope this helps.