no I had a local shop check it out a couple weeks ago because my cel started flashing he claims to have checked the timing belt and told me everything lined up. The mechanic seemed to think it could potentially be a cracked cylinder head, but to find out he said it takes several hours to actually take the motor apart to see where the loss of compression is coming from.

Havent had any luck with anybody local on audiforums...I called the dealership yesterday and of course they would be glad to check it out but it is $93/HR...

Not a single thread i have read about any misfire, compression loss, or a misaligned cam says anything about cylinder heads. It always seems like it is either the coil-packs or a timing issue. This makes me think that it must be that the belt skipped

 

if your getting misfires and compression loss it sounds like a timing issue. You can swap coils and see if the misfire moves but unlikely. A cracked head won't cause misfires.

 

When i brought the car to the shop we talked about changing the timing belt. that was the reason we were both thinking the car was acting up. He worked on it for a hour and called me back and told me that is prolly a good idea to cut my losses. I just got this car and I am not ready to give up on it

I was told previously on audiforums that the A4 2.8 B5 does not have marks on the cam-sprocket to match up the alignment to actually check if the timing is off. is this true?

 

theres timing marks. sounds like you should cut your losses with your mechanic he doesn't know audis too well.

 

There are not marks on the cam sprockets but there are under the valve covers.

I'd pull the passenger side valve cover and check out the CCT.

 

this is what i was told previously on audiforums not from the person who looked @ the car...The 2.8 has no timing marks on the cam sprockets. He would really have to remove the front of the car as well as the upper timing covers to fully verify that the timing belt hadn't jumped and that all the sprockets were still timed correctly. He'd have to pull the valve covers (involving new VC gaskets to verify that the cam chain tensioners were still healthy and keeping the intake cams phased properly with the exhaust cams.

which doesnt sound like it can be done in an hour

how difficult is this proceduce? any special tools needed?

 

Tool's that will be needed to check timing would be...

24mm 12pt socket to move crankshaft pulley, preferably 1/2" drive.

That should be about it.

Have you ever removed the front end?

You need a T45, T30, and 8mm hex socket or key.

 

If your mechanical (ie, belt) timing is off on one side, the car will try to fire the plugs with the valves partly open. This will manifest as low compression during a compression check.

 

Ive owned this car for literally just over a month now so I havent had the time to become mechanically inclined with an Audi. Looks like i might have to start soon though...

when i bought the car the check engine light was on because of the O2 sensors. It also had a exhaust leak in one of the flex pipes. I had the exhaust repaired and the next day my cel went out. I was pumped!!! Started bragging to my friends that my cars good to go and jynxed the daylights out of it. Next day i went to go golfing and thats when the cel started flashing. Since then Ive had both O2 sensors replaced and it drove worse after i picked it up then when i brought it in.

I had those done at a shop that doesnt really specialize in Eurocars but he knows how to turn a wrench pretty good. He said whoever owned the car previously tried to take the sensors out but failed because they were completely rounded with nothing for a socket to grab. It took him 3 days to get the old sensors out, said the only way he could get them to move is with vice grips. Changing O2 sensors is pretty strait forward out with the old/in with the new right? He sounded pretty confident in completing the project and was by far the cheapest...would it be possible that the O2 sensors would have any roll with it misfiring?

 

02 sensors have nothing to due with misfires, they read air before and after cats. They are not a part of the ignition system,adding to the thedevil said, if your timing off the plugs will also fire at the wrong time causing your misfires.