really rough idle?

driving home tonight my 2003 A4 quattro 3.0 v6 started a REALLY rough idle
and didn't have much power... like it wasn't firing on all 6 cylinders... I
got it home and smelled something like plastic melting.. I popped the hood
and could see something that looked like a fitting on the end of a metal
tubing GLOWING RED HOT. It's on the right side, towards the
firewall, and down lower than the spark plugs..

of course I just got it back from the 80k miles servicing yesterday where
the dealer tried to tell me I really should have the timing belt changed...
I refused it..

ugh, I think they jinxed me.


any ideas?
Troy

Shagster wrote:
> driving home tonight my 2003 A4 quattro 3.0 v6 started a REALLY rough idle
> and didn't have much power... like it wasn't firing on all 6 cylinders... I
> got it home and smelled something like plastic melting.. I popped the hood
> and could see something that looked like a fitting on the end of a metal
> tubing GLOWING RED HOT. It's on the right side, towards the
> firewall, and down lower than the spark plugs..
>
> of course I just got it back from the 80k miles servicing yesterday where
> the dealer tried to tell me I really should have the timing belt changed...
> I refused it..
>
> ugh, I think they jinxed me.
>
>
> any ideas?
> Troy
>
>
>
You would be dreaming about a minor problem like you just described if
your timing belt snapped. You are driving on borrowed time.

Shagster wrote:
> driving home tonight my 2003 A4 quattro 3.0 v6 started a REALLY rough idle
> and didn't have much power... like it wasn't firing on all 6 cylinders... I
> got it home and smelled something like plastic melting.. I popped the hood
> and could see something that looked like a fitting on the end of a metal
> tubing GLOWING RED HOT. It's on the right side, towards the
> firewall, and down lower than the spark plugs..
>
> of course I just got it back from the 80k miles servicing yesterday where
> the dealer tried to tell me I really should have the timing belt changed...
> I refused it..

Why did you refuse it? Seems like the dealer was giving you good advice.

because I didn't have $1500 to spend on it and the "certified maintenance
book" doesn't call for it until about 110,000k miles..


"G-man uk" > wrote in message
...
> Shagster wrote:
>> driving home tonight my 2003 A4 quattro 3.0 v6 started a REALLY rough
>> idle and didn't have much power... like it wasn't firing on all 6
>> cylinders... I got it home and smelled something like plastic melting..
>> I popped the hood and could see something that looked like a fitting on
>> the end of a metal tubing GLOWING RED HOT. It's on the right side,
>> towards the
>> firewall, and down lower than the spark plugs..
>>
>> of course I just got it back from the 80k miles servicing yesterday where
>> the dealer tried to tell me I really should have the timing belt
>> changed... I refused it..
>
> Why did you refuse it? Seems like the dealer was giving you good advice.
>

Sounds like a coil pack failing. Idle and smell were that same on my 2003 A4
2.0l.

Dealer replaced the full set under warranty which was then about 2.5 yrs
old.

--
Mike Mitchell

failed ignition coil pack it was! $36.


"Billie" > wrote in message
...
> Sounds like a coil pack failing. Idle and smell were that same on my 2003
> A4 2.0l.
>
> Dealer replaced the full set under warranty which was then about 2.5 yrs
> old.
>
> --
> Mike Mitchell
>
>