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Thanks for the lengthy replies. I've looked on the title and insurance and owners manual and can't seem to figure out what model it is exactly. I think it's a four cylinder. It has heated leather seats and tiptronic shifting if that helps. Also I think the original MSRP in 2002 was around 24k. I know it's burning oil because I have to top it off for my friend all the time. It goes from top of the dipstick marker to barely visible on the dipstick in about 500 miles. I've never noticed burning oil smell or smoke though. My biggest fear is that will this car will eat my wallet. I just recently bought a motorcycle for 1250, spent $1200 fixing poo poo on it, rode it 50 miles, and am now selling it for $1500 so I'd like to avoid that again.
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May 12, 2010 03:15
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This isn't really a mechanical question, but it has to do with Audi's. I currently own a 2001 S4 saloon and am trying to get out of that and into an Imola Yellow B5 S4 Avant (6 speed obviously). Does anyone here know of someone or some place where I can search high and low for this specific vehicle? Kinda like a car bounty hunter I guess. Obviously there's auto-trader, cars.com, and ebay but those haven't been very helpful. I'm also aware there are Audi forums, but those don't appear to have much in the department of this specific car (audizine has one imola avant for sale, but I'm looking for other options).
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May 12, 2010 03:27
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azerdude32 posted:This isn't really a mechanical question, but it has to do with Audi's.
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May 12, 2010 16:00
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hayden. posted:Thanks for the lengthy replies. I've looked on the title and insurance and owners manual and can't seem to figure out what model it is exactly. I think it's a four cylinder. It has heated leather seats and tiptronic shifting if that helps. Also I think the original MSRP in 2002 was around 24k. Well my dad's 98 passat 1.8t went 240k+ miles on dino oil and smoked like a chimney. And he definitely did not take care of the car. 3k seems a little high due to the miles and work needed, but odds are it'll probably last you a good bit longer as a standard beater.
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May 12, 2010 23:23
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My friend is looking for a quattro A4 in the 4-6k range. This puts him in the very early 2000s. I told him to avoid the 1.8Ts because of sludging. Is that correct? Are there other things to be concerned about?
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May 13, 2010 01:47
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kimbo305 posted:My friend is looking for a quattro A4 in the 4-6k range. This puts him in the very early 2000s. I told him to avoid the 1.8Ts because of sludging. Is that correct? Are there other things to be concerned about? the continued health of his finances
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May 13, 2010 07:09
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I don't think it's the best thing either, but I don't think I can stop him.
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May 13, 2010 07:46
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kimbo305 posted:My friend is looking for a quattro A4 in the 4-6k range. This puts him in the very early 2000s. I told him to avoid the 1.8Ts because of sludging. Is that correct? Are there other things to be concerned about? ok so if it's a quattro A4 in the USA it'll be an automatic transmission, which are terrible in that era. the quattro unit itself is a wear item. expect the typical mk4 niggles (window regulators / coolant migration / etc etc etc)
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May 13, 2010 10:14
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my1999gsr posted:First off I'll say that I have little experience with any engine/trans combo that wasn't offered in North America so your 2.4 Avant is an oddball to me. Having said that, Here's my advice for troubleshooting: Anyway, a friend of mine noticed that my third brake light (the brake-light at the roofline on the wagon) is constantly on, although dimmed. When I press the brake it lights up fully, but otherwise it's on just like the rear running light. Is this normal? I've never seen other cars do this, and I was wondering if there was some connection to the brake warning.
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May 13, 2010 10:26
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Mathturbator posted:Brake fluid is fine. I have some trouble following the brakelines, as I'm not used to taking the car apart. Sounds like a faulty brake light switch. Check all brake light bulbs too.
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May 13, 2010 14:09
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primitive posted:ok so Is it really true that the US didn't get manual quattro A4s for that generation? Here's a pricey 1.8T with AWD and manual: http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ctd/1738314503.html
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May 13, 2010 19:07
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kimbo305 posted:Is it really true that the US didn't get manual quattro A4s for that generation? Here's a pricey 1.8T with AWD and manual: I had a 1997 2.8 Quattro A4 with a manual years ago.
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May 13, 2010 22:37
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kimbo305 posted:My friend is looking for a quattro A4 in the 4-6k range. This puts him in the very early 2000s. I told him to avoid the 1.8Ts because of sludging. Is that correct? Are there other things to be concerned about? Oil sludge is the main problem with the 1.8T engines so it's an obvious concern, also cam adjuster seals seep oil. The differential side seals (front and rear in the Quattro) and propshaft seals usually develop leaks over time as well. Have a look at the brake flex lines too - the cars in the range you're looking may be cracking as well. Front suspension links are a weak point in those A4s as well as the Passats of that generation. The flex pipe just after the cat may also be getting weak or developing a leak too. Both Passats and A4s in this range can also develop problems with the ABS control module but it's fairly rare. That's all I can think of off hand but those are the more common concerns.
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May 14, 2010 01:04
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primitive posted:ok so I'm not sure about the Quattro being a wear item - I've only replaced one unit ever and that was due to a seal failing and the diff fluid escaping. It's a shame the US didn't have a manually shifted Quattro - I just take it for granted that most of our A4s are both Quattro and manual. Any Audi that comes into my shop that isn't AWD is considered a "welfare" Audi, aside from the A3.
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May 14, 2010 01:09
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Mathturbator posted:Brake fluid is fine. I have some trouble following the brakelines, as I'm not used to taking the car apart. I've seen this lighting issue on other VW product before - it's usually because the other 2 brake lights are out. It could be related to your brake issue though - it's hard to say for sure since your vehicle's options aren't familiar to me. I wouldn't worry about your brake lines - if your fluid level if ok then they're not leaking. Wait a second... Your car is a diesel isn't it? Does your gauge cluster have a glow plug light?
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May 14, 2010 01:17
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my1999gsr posted:I'm not sure about the Quattro being a wear item - I've only replaced one unit ever and that was due to a seal failing and the diff fluid escaping. It's a shame the US didn't have a manually shifted Quattro - I just take it for granted that most of our A4s are both Quattro and manual. Any Audi that comes into my shop that isn't AWD is considered a "welfare" Audi, aside from the A3. My A4 quattro was a manual. I've seen plenty A4 quattros that are manual here in the US.
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May 14, 2010 01:18
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my1999gsr posted:I've seen this lighting issue on other VW product before - it's usually because the other 2 brake lights are out. It could be related to your brake issue though - it's hard to say for sure since your vehicle's options aren't familiar to me. The brake warning light was on before I replaced the bulbs though.
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May 14, 2010 20:21
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Mathturbator posted:No, not a diesel, 2.4 litre V6. You may have a point - when one of the brake bulbs failed, I replaced both bulbs with LED bulbs, thinking they will last longer. Could that cause the third light to come on, through magic? I was speaking with some co-workers about your brake light problems. In light of your changing the bulbs to LEDs I'd recommend you replace them with the original style bulbs and see if the problem is solved. For the cost of a couple of bulbs it's a pretty painless way to check. Also, your car's lighting system is very capable of using the center brake light in this way - it's one of the benefits of having a control module involved in exterior lighting instead of simple relays.
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May 15, 2010 14:43
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I'll try replacing them and return. Thank you for your time so far, I really appreciate it!
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May 15, 2010 21:31
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I'm trying to recharge the A/C on my 2007 Volkswagen Passat. I've read up on the procedure and I know what I need to do, but after 45 minutes of searching I am completely unable to find the low-side service port. Everything I've found online says it should be a black or blue cap with an L on it, attached to a pipe running up to the dash. I've found two such pipes on the passenger side, both with small black caps on them, but nothing on either cap seems to indicate which is the high-side and which is the low-side. Can anyone direct me to a diagram that specifically points out "hey dumbass, this is the cap you want" or show me a picture of what it is I'm looking for? Edit: nm, found it! G.I. Jaw fucked around with this message at 00:36 on May 17, 2010 |
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May 16, 2010 18:43
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Today on my way to work my '98 Golf was running kinda funky, and when I got stuck in traffic I was pretty much watching the temp gauge creep up until I decided it wasn't going to stop and started trying to move over. It was around then that it started smoking hard from the exhaust and I think a bit from the engine somewhere as well but I'm not 100% sure on that. The smoke absolutely stank of burnt oil. When I check everything over most of the coolant was gone and what was left looked kinda swampy and not good and a fair amount of oil had gone too with what was left smelling burnt. Once I got it towed home I topped everything up and let her idle for a few minutes but within that amount of time she was smoking again so I gave up on that idea. That I can see there aren't any major oil leaks although a tiny bit is seeping down the back of the engine block - that said it's a petrol engine with 140k on it so it isn't surprising. I'm thinking my head gasket made a bid for freedom. What do you reckon? I wouldn't mind so much if my 1965 Type 3 hadn't done the same thing last week 
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May 17, 2010 14:14
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Is this common with 02 Jettas? I was going to just drive it up on ramps and jack the engine up and try to put the bolts back on. Unless of course the bolts broke or something. I left it at a shop this morning, hopefully they can fix it quickly. I heard something fall out of the engine bay...Then leaving from a stop light THUD THUD THUD THUD Not my car if it matters.
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May 17, 2010 15:14
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Looks like your engine mount broke. Never seen it on a MK IV before. MK V/VIs are known for breaking gearbox mounts in crashes and going over serious bumps.
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May 17, 2010 17:04
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I've been interested in Audi V8s lately - anyone have an opinion about them? What's the cost of upkeep on older Audis like?
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May 17, 2010 17:47
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Bob Morales posted:Is this common with 02 Jettas? Did he just have the timing belt done about 12k miles ago? I don't know for sure on the gassers but on the TDIs the engine mount bolts are torque-to-yield and are one time use only. A lot of techs overlook that fact for some reason and put the old bolts back only to have them break. On the TDIs it sometimes takes out the timing belt and the top end of the engine.
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May 18, 2010 00:15
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Blacknose posted:Today on my way to work my '98 Golf was running kinda funky, and when I got stuck in traffic I was pretty much watching the temp gauge creep up until I decided it wasn't going to stop and started trying to move over. It was around then that it started smoking hard from the exhaust and I think a bit from the engine somewhere as well but I'm not 100% sure on that. The smoke absolutely stank of burnt oil. I hate to say it but it sounds like you're right about the head gasket. Is there any milky gunk on the dipstick or in the coolant jug? If there is, then I think your head gasket's goose is cooked.
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May 18, 2010 00:59
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Bob Morales posted:Is this common with 02 Jettas? Pretty easy to call this one. Either the 3 bolts from the block to the mount have broken or the two 18mm bolts that hold the 2-piece mount together have broken. Odds are the 18mm bolts have broken or stripped and the passenger side of the engine is flopping around on that side. And no, it's not common unless someone has screwed up after doing a timing belt and forgot to tighten or overtightened those 2 bolts.
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May 18, 2010 01:04
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Pipkin posted:Did he just have the timing belt done about 12k miles ago? I don't know for sure on the gassers but on the TDIs the engine mount bolts are torque-to-yield and are one time use only. A lot of techs overlook that fact for some reason and put the old bolts back only to have them break. On the TDIs it sometimes takes out the timing belt and the top end of the engine. Only the two 16 mm engine mount bolts on that side are torque to yield - the other two 18mm bolts aren't and do not require replacement.
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May 18, 2010 01:05
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my1999gsr posted:I hate to say it but it sounds like you're right about the head gasket. Is there any milky gunk on the dipstick or in the coolant jug? If there is, then I think your head gasket's goose is cooked. There isn't but when I first took the oil cap off after the engine had cooled a bit oil smoke came out and the remaining oil is pretty blackened and burnt. Same goes for the dipstick. The coolant expansion tank definietely has a slightly oily sheen to it.
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May 18, 2010 10:10
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MK2 GLIs: are they good cars? would buying one be a bad idea for someone with sort-of-below-average car-working-on skills?
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May 18, 2010 21:41
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The Wife has an 06 GTI with 88k miles on it, automatic, no mods. Lately, when the AC is on and the car is idling, the RPM will drop really low and the car almost stalls. What can cause this? A bad AC compressor?
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May 19, 2010 01:32
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get out posted:The Wife has an 06 GTI with 88k miles on it, automatic, no mods. Lately, when the AC is on and the car is idling, the RPM will drop really low and the car almost stalls. What can cause this? A bad AC compressor? the compressors on mk5 cars are a common point of failure. the old part numbers have since been superceded by a more reliable part
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May 19, 2010 10:04
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I have a question about an A6 my wife might buy. It's a 2003 3.0 Quattro and it runs great, but it needs a new catalytic converter. The owner claims that the car runs fine without one and that she just doesn't want to pay the 1,400 to have it replaced. Could any long term consequences come from driving a car missing a functional catalytic converter?
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May 19, 2010 23:16
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Jimmy Thief posted:I have a question about an A6 my wife might buy. Nothing mechanically will go wrong. You might burn through O2 sensors faster. On the chance that the car has under 80k miles on it, there's a federal warranty program on bad cats. A dealer will replace it for free.
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May 20, 2010 00:27
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primitive posted:the compressors on mk5 cars are a common point of failure. the old part numbers have since been superceded by a more reliable part No every compressor is covered by the supercession - the serial number and climate control options in the vehicle determine that. It's certainly possible your compressor is having some kind of internal problem that prevents it from spinning/compressing smoothly thus causing a parasitic drag on the engine. If that's the case, usually you can smell rubber burning - the accessory drive belt that runs the compressor slips on the pulley because the compressor can't spin freely. Are you getting cold air in the cabin with the A/C on?
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May 20, 2010 01:27
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insta posted:Nothing mechanically will go wrong. You might burn through O2 sensors faster. On the chance that the car has under 80k miles on it, there's a federal warranty program on bad cats. A dealer will replace it for free. Pretty much this. I assume your state has no emissions testing requirements?
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May 20, 2010 01:28
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my1999gsr posted:Pretty much this. I assume your state has no emissions testing requirements? Not any more in Minnesota. Thanks, Jesse Ventura. insta posted:Nothing mechanically will go wrong. You might burn through O2 sensors faster. On the chance that the car has under 80k miles on it, there's a federal warranty program on bad cats. A dealer will replace it for free. That's good to know, but the car is at 107k so I'd have to pay out of pocket. I assume it's the environmentally responsible thing to do.
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May 20, 2010 19:17
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The other option is to see if an exhaust shop will put an aftermarket converter on. They run about $100 or so. Hell, it might be cheaper to upgrade the entire exhaust to an aftermarket stainless steel setup than pay the dealer price for the converter.
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May 20, 2010 19:55
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insta posted:The other option is to see if an exhaust shop will put an aftermarket converter on. They run about $100 or so. Hell, it might be cheaper to upgrade the entire exhaust to an aftermarket stainless steel setup than pay the dealer price for the converter. What are the advantages of that? An exclusive Audi/VW repair shop in NE Minneapolis said they'd replace it for 1100 or so. The only thing I have to compare that to is the dealer, who would charge 1500 
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May 20, 2010 20:03
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Jimmy Thief posted:What are the advantages of that? Mostly exhaust sound, but you will get improved horsepower and fuel economy. You will not save enough gas to offset the cost. You can buy stainless steel exhausts which won't rust, even in the Minnesota salted roads. Your setup becomes a trade ... do you want your hard-earned $800, or would you rather have an exhaust with a million-mile warranty that improves horsepower and mileage? I'll look around, you might have to order the kit online and have a shop install it for you. *any* shop that does exhaust will be able to install it for you.
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May 20, 2010 20:13
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