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Audi 's Alusil 4.2 Engine Rebuild Resources part 1

70K views 72 replies 36 participants last post by  scottmandula  
#1 ·
when audi's futuristic glass cylinder bore fails,(or why to change your oil every 5000 miles not 20000 longlife ha!). part 1, website links.
part 2 , practical tips and observations by some alusil experts
is under revision here, viewtopic.php?f=10&t=37659&p=469482"
links updated and working again john

full oem 100 page recon manual (2.6mb)(not to be done in your backyard,thou i might try)
http://www.electrosil.com.au/pdf/KS.pdf

oem block design(yes it's rocket science)
http://www.kspg.com/fileadmin/media.../Broschueren/Poduktbroschueren/KS_ATAG/ZKG_Niederdruckguss/at_alusil_audi_d.pdf

new oem honing tips(squeaking noises when using drill?)
http://mam.kspg.com/mc/epaper?guid=14c0895fead9c42c

honing paste(diamond paste ,what else cuts glass)
http://www.ms-motor-service.com/ximages/ks_pi_0018_en_web.pdf

oem tips for honing (polishing the glass)
http://mam.kspg.com/mc/epaper?guid=14c0277a3255a82c

oem tools for honing (only pages 29-34)
http://www.ms-motor-service.com/download/prospekte/MSI_50003931-02_WEB.pdf

piston damages 2010 edition (don't keep driving while misfiring)
http://mam.kspg.com/mc/epaper?guid=14c0122387e59c2c

why oil consumption(change your oil more)
http://mam.kspg.com/mc/epaper?guid=14db86f1e80b942c

why cylinder bore problems
http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_boring_trutheverybodys_ideas/

nikasil and alusil defined
http://www.engineprofessional.com/downloads/ep4/EP10-2008_18.pdf

sunnen honing techniques
http://www.engineprofessional.com/downloads/ep2/EP04-2008_20-26.pdf

sunnen honing equipment
http://www.sunnen.com/graphics/assets/documents/b74ccd4d8c9d.pdf

best uk bore finisher, capricorn
http://www.capricorngroup.net/uploads/media/911PorscheWorldMagazine.pdf

best racing cylinder liner companies ,capricorn, la sleeve, darton.
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1vy73/HighPowerMediaBackis/resources/29.htm

race engine technology mag. spyker lemans audi 4.2 s8 racing engine
http://forums.quattroworld.com/a8/msgs/36760.phtml

audi self study program for 4.2 40 valve belt drive engine part 1 and 2, english available at bentley publishers.
http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_217_d1.PDF
http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_217_d2.PDF

audi 4.2 fsi rs4 self study program
http://www.volkspage.net/technik/ssp/ssp/SSP_377.pdf

audi rs6 4.2tt ssp
http://www.vaglinks.com/vaglinks_com/docs/ssp/VWUSA.COM_SSP_244_Audi_RS6.pdf
 
#3 ·
loxxrider said:
dude you're awesome. Third post on this site from you is one of the most useful posts I've seen yet.

This is a great wealth of info for anyone with a 4.2.
:stupid:

Bravo man, this is great info, especially for me right now given I will be building my BHF motor this winter. Looks like I have some good reading to do this week.

:thanks: :thanks: :thanks:
 
#6 ·
Well this is just in time since I just picked up 97 A8 ABZ will all accessories 2 harnesses/2 ECU's with about 100k for $650
 
#7 ·
happy to pass on this info, i have many notes also to be typed up on the alusil problem, i just hope someone would say a prayer for my s8's 4.2 40v, it's my daily driver and losing compression very quickly now on no.'s 5-8. piston 2 already gone(why did i buy the best german car). i've done alot of research on the best way to upgrade to around 450 ft/lbs, just waiting to win the lottery.

any one who wants to print the pdf of the full kolbenschmidt engine reconditioning manual or a couple of the others will need this, pdf password remover v31 from http://www.verypdf.com as they are protected from printing. maybe i can email the docs as i already bought the password remover, about $30. a couple a pics, john
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#12 ·
thanks, i feel honored to be stickied in another forums hall of fame.
i just wanted drivers of audi's hot rods to be aware of whats happening to all or beloved v8 machines.
here's some pics of my redesigned exhaust(i decatted, put 2 1/2" stainless pipe from manifold back, x pipe, rs6 twin turbo resonators and rear silencers)and did some air intake mods too.
was getting ready for headers,tubular manifolds when i started having engine problem.
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#14 ·
hi rob, the s8 had 100000 miles on it when it started using alot of oil in one cylinder,this lead to having to change that spark plug every 4 months, now 20000 miles later comp. down from 205psi to 100psi and borescope shows a piece missing from the top ring land of the piston and plenty of scouring. also now other 3 pistons on bank 1-4 have lost 30%-40% comp. however number 8 still has 205psi(factory new spec.). i bought the car from the orignal owner and it has a full oil change history, still driving everyday and fairly quick too.
 
#15 ·
There ain't nothing like yesteryears high nickle cast iron blocks....! Porsche/Audi, and BMW all tried that Nickasil bull shit, stay away from me with that shit! It's nice on raceday, but that is about it..! :wtf:

http://audiproblems.com/
 
#16 ·
this is particularly why the japs (for the most part) and ford/gm/chrysler stick with iron linered aluminum blocks.

funny thing is, Yamaha tried the aluminum bore crap on many of its 2 strokes too. the problem still remained, the engine was fine und dandy until it ate a ring or minor damage happened to the cylinder wall ect... then rebuilding it became a nightmare.

what happened to be common place in the pwc 2 stroke world, would be to throw a nice thin iron liner in there. boom instant cheaper rebuilds and more robust.

sure you add alittle weight and take away alittle thermal conductivity, but it is totally worth it to gain the reliability and ease of maintenance required.

so the question remains... why cant we throw some iron liners into our v8`s? i honestly thought of this problem with my v6..... it should be able to be done, not as nice as the cast in liners but a spigotted liner should stay where she is put.
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the info! And nice D2! By any chance, do you have any sound clips with your current exhaust setup? I'm trying to find the right sound for mine...
 
#19 ·
Porsche had the right idea, at least you can replace the pistons, and sleeves on there flat 6! :eek:
 
#20 ·
the_natrix said:
so the question remains... why cant we throw some iron liners into our v8`s? i honestly thought of this problem with my v6..... it should be able to be done, not as nice as the cast in liners but a spigotted liner should stay where she is put.
It would be tricky, unless you debored the engine at the same time. VW really pushed the limits for bore spacing, and sleeves, especially wet ones, are rather thick.

"High nickel content blocks of yesteryear"... ha! The yesteryear blocks were iron cheese, they didn't start putting lots of nickel in the blocks until they started to be concerned with weight, and those pesky emissions degradation limits. Can't meet smog after 100k of service if the bores are worn out!

- Pete (Didn't Chevy learn this lesson in the 70s with the Vega?)
 
#22 ·
Thats a gorgeous S8! I've never seen one in that colour before. I love the interior combo too.

What causes the engines to fail like this? My 3.7 40V A8 had 185K on it when the autobox died, but the engine was still running perfectly. It used a litre of oil per 1000 miles consistently from 85K when I bought it to the day I sold it.
 
#23 ·
MikkiJayne said:
Thats a gorgeous S8! I've never seen one in that colour before. I love the interior combo too.

What causes the engines to fail like this? My 3.7 40V A8 had 185K on it when the autobox died, but the engine was still running perfectly. It used a litre of oil per 1000 miles consistently from 85K when I bought it to the day I sold it.
Bore scoring is what causes the oil consumption problem, and things get worse from there on in. It seems that the bore scoring has several causes, but the main one seems to be oil /gas dilution from not changing oil frequently enough. Audi's recommended oil change interval is too long by a factor of 4 it seems. Rings sticking in thier grooves from carbon build up also seems to be a major cause, and lastly in the BHF motors there is a design flaw of sorts whereby the top compresion ring is too thin and too close to the crown cutout.
 
#24 ·
Wow I guess I was just lucky then, since my A8 ran with 18k oil changes.

Audis daft oil changes have destroyed a considerable number of V6 TDIs as well. They eat their own camshafts with 18k changes!

Luckily I know better now and change the gassers at 10k and the diesels at 5. It's something to watch out for when I buy another A8 tho. Boroscope in the engine as well as sampling the trans oil...
 
#25 ·
I have never seen any Audi audi motor fail that wasnt either the owners fault or audi had a bad run of motors. If you're not using synthetic you're screwing yourself. I have seen many sludged out Audi motors that lost the nicasil and mostly in V8's. The only Audi motors I have seen fail with synthetic are 4.2 FSI motors, some FSI non-v8's and they all failed within 5000 miles of date of purchace. I do think it's stupid to coat the cylinder walls with nicasil because there are a lot of variables that can affect the nicasil but I have seen many high mileage 4.2's running just fine and I would say all of the ones I have seen are dealer queens who always get oil changes with synthetic and always maintained.
 
#26 ·
quattrocrazy said:
I have never seen any Audi audi motor fail that wasnt either the owners fault or audi had a bad run of motors. If you're not using synthetic you're screwing yourself. I have seen many sludged out Audi motors that lost the nicasil and mostly in V8's. The only Audi motors I have seen fail with synthetic are 4.2 FSI motors, some FSI non-v8's and they all failed within 5000 miles of date of purchace. I do think it's stupid to coat the cylinder walls with nicasil because there are a lot of variables that can affect the nicasil but I have seen many high mileage 4.2's running just fine and I would say all of the ones I have seen are dealer queens who always get oil changes with synthetic and always maintained.
LOL no offense but you have no clue.

Audi don't even use Nikasil and I have seen many V8's fail, they all score their bores, it's just a matter of time, not if, when.