Case Study - 2016 A6 P0021 and P052C

[Jef]

Possible engines this covers:

• 2010+ S4 and S5 with CCBA 3.0L
• 2008+ A5, 2009+ A4, 2011 A6 with CALA 3.2L
• 2009-2011 A6 CCAA 3.0L
• 2012 A6/A7 CGXB 3.0L
• 2013+A6/A7 CTUA 3.0L
• 2009+ Q5 CALB 3.2L
• 2011+ Q7 CJWE, CJWC, CJWB 3.0L

Possible fault codes this covers:

• P0011 Bank 1: Camshaft A (Intake): Retard Setpoint not Reached (Over-Advanced)
• P0014 Bank 1: Camshaft B (Exhaust): Retard Setpoint not Reached (Over-Advanced)
• P0021 Bank 2: Camshaft A (Intake): Retard Setpoint not Reached (Over-Advanced)
• P0024 Bank 2: Camshaft B (Exhaust): Retard Setpoint not Reached (Over-Advanced)
• P052A Camshaft Adj. Bank 1 Intake: Cold-Start Timing not Reached
• P052C Camshaft Adj. Bank 2 Intake: Cold-Start Timing not Reached
• P054A Camshaft Adj. Bank 1 Exhaust: Cold-Start Timing not Reached
• P054C Camshaft Adj. Bank 2 Exhaust: Cold-Start Timing not Reached

The back story, shop has a 2016 A6 with a CTUA engine that had jumped time for reasons unknown. Timing job was performed (chains, guides, ect) and would keep flagging P0021 and P052C.

There are tools used to lock the crank and cams into place. However, there is nothing time or clock the variable "camshaft adjuster" (sprocket) that gets bolted onto the camshaft. All the factory repair manual says is:

Mark the installation position of the camshaft adjuster and the camshaft chain sprocket in color for installing later.

So the problem is, what happens when you get one of these engines where things messed up or already apart BEFORE you get involved? The repair manual gives you no information on verifying the camshaft adjuster is installed correctly. The tech we were helping out with this did get some info directly from Audi that included this photo that shows an out of time camshaft adjuster (arrows added by me):

I've not resized the image, I cropped it down, but that is what we got to work with. The photo shows a pink paint mark on the head, on a "flat surface" and the notch in the camshaft adjuster should be lined up with said paint mark. Here is a better photo from the tech we were working with that shows things lined up on the engine he repairing:

When the tech had the crank / cams locked down, that notch was well outside the "flat spot" on the head and that was causing the timing issues.

The general ballpark here is from the boss to the painted mark, the cast line at the end of the flat spot is halfway between those points:

To fine tune this, with the crank/cams locked down, the bolt out of the camshaft adjuster, you can see 3 oblong holes and 3 dots, you need to have those dots centered up in the oblong holes, then you can do your paint marks:

Once you have your paint marks, you can then verify everything is lined up after the hardware is torqued down.



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[Jef]

Note that there may be additional engine codes and DTCs due to this issue. If anyone can confirm this, please let us know here so we can update the above post so it shows up in search results.

 

[Ziddywerks]

@Jef jumped time because the cam sprocket is missing the dowel pin. Phaser freewheel on the end of the cam with the bolts loose. Marks are there for ball park installation position. With crank and cams locked the phasers freewheel. Once the pin for the tensioner to removed and tensioned that's when you lock down the phasers. Piece of cake. I have 2 of these engine In the shop and some spare heads ill take pictures later to show the dowel pin on engagement point on the cam. This applies to most if not all V6 engine from that era. From 2005-2015.

This is a very similar setup to old 2.7biturbo engine and v8 engines with timing belts where the cams had to be popped free, timing belt tensioned and then the cams locked down with the tool before torque procedure of cam bolts.