help with 2003 A4 engine replacement

Sorry to welcome you to the club.

See the TSB as to whether engine replacement is necessary.
http://www.pookrat.com/uploads/pics/TSB.pdf
Because the engine has valve tappets the oil light comes on at a higher
pressure than on other engines. Mine came on when the pressure dropped below
20 psi on the highway (other cars might light up as low as 6 psi). However,
if it is sludged but not yet damaged it will still require significant cost
to desludge and then it still may not be perfect.

How bad did it get. Did you just notice the oil light or did the pressure
get so low that the tappets started making noise? Regardless, put the
pressure on them.

I've tired of writing about sludge (some rants below). My vehicle (still
within the 4 yr 50k mi warranty period) is now considered neglected due to
an oil change after driving 12400 miles (previous owner), so now THEY WON'T
COVER ANYTHING even if it's as unrelated as the radio going bad. If you have
questions about it let me know.

--Art

http://www.audifans.com/pipermail/qu...st/104952.html
http://www.audifans.com/pipermail/qu...t/subject.html

http://audifans.com/pipermail/quattr...er/106376.html

http://audifans.com/pipermail/quattr...er/106386.html

http://audifans.com/pipermail/quattr...ry/108082.html

http://audifans.com/pipermail/quattr...ry/108104.html




"gcoz" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Thanks Pete. My wife was driving at the time and I was sleeping - we
> were in the midst of an arguement as well. Just chalking it up to live
> and learn. :-)
> Anyhow, on the oil sludge thing - they are denying coverage based on a
> missed service interval. I purchased the car as a demo - certified
> pre-owned and it was supposed to have had been serviced at that point
> but the Audi dealer claims not to have records of it - that is the
> appeal I am making to Audi Corporate. Audi is not easy to deal with -
> I love the car but am not happy with Audi response. I am planning to
> fix the car and tweak the performance anyway but not sure if I will
> purchase another Audi.
>
> Greg
>

Yep. Serious.:
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...fsect=2006NADA
(you might need to do some cutting & pasting)
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"Pete" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Steve Sears" wrote
>> Maybe that will be remedied with the free service interval.....
>> .....what? They cancelled that ?????
>
> Are you serious? When did that happen? I must have dozed off...
>
> Pete
>
>

Art, Steve, Pete,

Thanks a lot for the information you've provided. I'm wrung-out over
haggling with Audi and want to get the car fixed to get past the
headache.

I found a performance shop specializing in Audi/VW and feel comfortable
doing business with them. Initially they recommended replacment with a
used low mileage engine but at the moment a reasonably priced,
low-mileage engine is not available. He thinks the engine rebuild
would be more cost effective. So I am arranging to transport the
vehicle to their facility and may wait a while to see if an engine
becomes available. In either case, I am thinking to add a performance
exhaust and coil-over shocks while I am at it. Add the ECU upgrade and
18" wheels later.

I'm rationalizing the upgrades to sooth the emotional trauma caused by
Audi's poor service, Just have to be careful to have a straight face
when I tell the wife that they were worn out and need
replacing......:-)

The exhaust and ECU upgrade seem to be the base set of upgrades - do
you guys agree or should I upgrade any engine components while the
engine is getting rebuilt?

Greg

Pete,

Yeah - on a long road trip and argueing also - pretty stressful - like
I said: live and learn. Fortunately, the holidays went pretty well
after that.

The point about the mineral oil is very interesting. I recall asking
the service manager when I first brought the car in for maintenance
about the synthetic oil and he said that Audi now specifies synthetic
oil - didn't think to ask if the car originally had synthetic.

Greg

Greg,
A4 "upgrades" - hmm...you might check with the postings at Audiworld or even
Motorgeek to see what people are doing there. I may be wrong, but if it's
the same engine as is installed in a similar vintage TT, one of the
differences between the 180 hp and 225 hp engines is a cast vs forged crank.
If you can get your hands on a 225 TT crank, or bottom end, you'll be better
off for chipping/bigger turbo/..../JATO unit strapped to roofracks....
As for selling tactics to the better half....I'm not one to ask. Mine has
already decreed that the next car I get I have to live in. (Maybe I could
get a DKW camper...)
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"gcoz" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Art, Steve, Pete,
>
> Thanks a lot for the information you've provided. I'm wrung-out over
> haggling with Audi and want to get the car fixed to get past the
> headache.
>
> I found a performance shop specializing in Audi/VW and feel comfortable
> doing business with them. Initially they recommended replacment with a
> used low mileage engine but at the moment a reasonably priced,
> low-mileage engine is not available. He thinks the engine rebuild
> would be more cost effective. So I am arranging to transport the
> vehicle to their facility and may wait a while to see if an engine
> becomes available. In either case, I am thinking to add a performance
> exhaust and coil-over shocks while I am at it. Add the ECU upgrade and
> 18" wheels later.
>
> I'm rationalizing the upgrades to sooth the emotional trauma caused by
> Audi's poor service, Just have to be careful to have a straight face
> when I tell the wife that they were worn out and need
> replacing......:-)
>
> The exhaust and ECU upgrade seem to be the base set of upgrades - do
> you guys agree or should I upgrade any engine components while the
> engine is getting rebuilt?
>
> Greg
>

"gcoz"
> The exhaust and ECU upgrade seem to be the base set of upgrades - do
> you guys agree or should I upgrade any engine components while the
> engine is getting rebuilt?

Not engine-related per se, but you might also want to get a beefier
aftermarket bypass valve (BPV). The stock one is not up to task to handle
higher boost levels. I had a Forge DVR on my A4, but there are plenty
others that work well also. Even the stock one from a TT might do the job
apparently.

Cheers,

Pete

"gcoz" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Art, Steve, Pete,
>
> Thanks a lot for the information you've provided. I'm wrung-out over
> haggling with Audi and want to get the car fixed to get past the
> headache.
>
> I found a performance shop specializing in Audi/VW and feel comfortable
> doing business with them. Initially they recommended replacment with a
> used low mileage engine but at the moment a reasonably priced,
> low-mileage engine is not available. He thinks the engine rebuild
> would be more cost effective. So I am arranging to transport the
> vehicle to their facility and may wait a while to see if an engine
> becomes available. In either case, I am thinking to add a performance
> exhaust and coil-over shocks while I am at it. Add the ECU upgrade and
> 18" wheels later.
>
> I'm rationalizing the upgrades to sooth the emotional trauma caused by
> Audi's poor service, Just have to be careful to have a straight face
> when I tell the wife that they were worn out and need
> replacing......:-)
>
> The exhaust and ECU upgrade seem to be the base set of upgrades - do
> you guys agree or should I upgrade any engine components while the
> engine is getting rebuilt?
>
> Greg


If you are rebuilding make sure you at least have the ventilation tubes
around the engine that are marked in the TSB inspected and replaced if
necessary. The problem with that is that as far as I know these parts are
available only through the dealer and are expensive. For instance, in
picture 17-A056 (I'm assuming you misheard your mechanic... your engine
should be AMB?) the plastic pressure valve labeled #20 goes for more than
$100 at my dealer. Definitely replace the bleeder valve (#6; 035103245G?;
$17).

Even though the TSB says to scrape the sludge off the head in place, I'm
guessing it would be a whole lot better to have it removed and soaked in
some solvent, carb cleaner?

Can't help with upgrades. Mine's stock.

--Art

http://www.pookrat.com/uploads/pics/TSB.pdf

The TT diverter valve is a good choice at about $50. the part number is 710N

Pete wrote:
> "gcoz"
>
>>The exhaust and ECU upgrade seem to be the base set of upgrades - do
>>you guys agree or should I upgrade any engine components while the
>>engine is getting rebuilt?
>
>
> Not engine-related per se, but you might also want to get a beefier
> aftermarket bypass valve (BPV). The stock one is not up to task to handle
> higher boost levels. I had a Forge DVR on my A4, but there are plenty
> others that work well also. Even the stock one from a TT might do the job
> apparently.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Pete
>
>