1996 Audi A4 2.8 won't start

10

Asked by johnyb1978 May 11, 2016 at 01:30 PM about the 1996 Audi A4 2.8 Sedan FWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

I'm in dire need for advise on why my 96 audi wont
start after I changed the head gaskets.  I'm getting
fuel and spark but car will not fire.  Im going to do a
compression test again today ti verify Im getting
compression.  Any other advice?

7 Answers

45,825

so when it cranks does it sputter and sound like it wants to start? if its not then you most likely have a issue with fuel air or spark.

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10

Deathjam4...its just cranks. It never acts like it wants to fire. I just completed the first compression test after I replaced the head gaskets and here is what I got: #1 110 psi, #2 115 psi, #3 100 psi, #4 100 psi, #5 75 psi, and #6 90 psi. I'm thinking I'm getting very low compression, especially #5. Any idea what my reading should be on a "cold" engine.

10

Deathjam,..Also, here is a list of everything I've changed: - Head gasket - Timing Belt, pulley's and water pump - Fuel Pump, fuel filter, fuel relay - Ignition coil, spark plugs, wires - Crankshaft position sensor - Camshaft position sensor Any idea where to go from here?

45,825

did you clean the points betwen the head and block properly when you did the rebuild? and was the head not damaged before hand? why did you need to do the head gaskets any ways? did you loose the belt ? this may indicate a bent valve if this is the case. This link should help with explaining the compresion question. http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?1510186 . also i am thinking that you may have not redone the gasket quote right on the rebuild or it was a faulty one. 1,2,3 sound roughly ok but 5 and 6 are low so i am guessing that is the best place to look first

10

Deathjam4, thanks for the info. I never threw a belt so I dont think I did any damage. I changed the head gaskets for two reasons...I had antifreeze in my oil and when I did a leakdown test, #2 was pissing air out of #1 cyl. But what started it all was my car lost power on my way home, check eng light instantly came on, then car died. It has not started since then. I dont believe I did anything wrong on the rebuild, but it was my first head gasket job. I followed the instructions off 12v.org to a t. What would u recommend from here? Thanks again!

1 people found this helpful.
45,825

Did you clean out any and all carbon from the engine when you did the rebuild? its entirely possible that some carbon deposit is causing a valve to stick open.other issues could even be a faulty injector or injector ring or a broken or burnt out piston ring. but if there is two cylinders side beside that has a loss of compression it usually points out a faulty head gasket. To check the piston rings get a oil can squirt can and squirt a couple shots down the cylinders that are having the low compression and if the compression gets better then its a piston ring if not its likely the head gasket or the valves are stuck open with carbon. this is usually why most head gasket jobs have the heads machined to be sure they are not warped.and flush. it is also in this day and age of crappy parts from china that you can likely get a faulty gasket. I once ordered a head cover gasket and it was broken on all 4 corners cause the idiot packing it rolled it into a tube.

10

Thanks Deathjam4!! I will let you know what i find...not excited to pull the heads off again.

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