A4 2.4 not starting

[Harris]

Hi guys I need your help

my 2002 A4 2.4 convertible won’t start

it cut out at the petrol station round the corner (still fuel in the tank) the other morning. I did think it had flooded being so cold and only running for a few minutes but I left it a few hours and still no joy

the battery is good although I manage to flatten it trying to start it but it’s charged up again fine

ive not checked spark as need a spark plug socket but instinctively think it’s fuel delivery

Do you guys have any idea or have you come across this before?

 

 

 

 

[Steve Q]

Welcome to the forum, you'll find the members on here are a friendly and helpful bunch 🙂 

My first question is what petrol station was it? 

I ask as in last two weeks we've had problems with shell fuel with works vehicles in our case both diesel. One was a Vauxhall astra and when checked it showed the diesel was dirty. We then also filled a works minibus up at a different shell station and afterwards the vehicle warned us of a clogged fuel filter. 

Even if you've left it to sit it could still be flooded. My advice would be to remove spark plugs squirt oil into the cylinders and fit new sparkplugs to see if that works. 

Or it could be a coolant temperature sensor that's failed causing the issue. 

Cheers

Steve

 

[Harris]

Hi Steve

it was the Morrison’s petrol station near my house. I didn’t actually get to put any fuel in it. It cut out when I pulled up to the pump. Normally I use Shell and BP petrol and they’ve been fine. I only pulled into Morrison’s as I had just 20 miles on the range and needed to travel 28 miles to my nearest shell garage. 
 

how could it be coolant temp sensor?

the car was just started after being sat all night. But I do have a leaking water pump so you could be onto something if I understood more about how it affects it

[Magnet]

Hello Harris,

The coolant temperature sensor senses the coolant temperature and signals the ECU which then selects the optimum fuel mixture, based on the actual temperature - cold, signals the need for a rich mixture, hot, a lean mixture. 

Whereas this might be at fault, they normally fail to an arbitrary signal level rather than a total fail, so the car may struggle to start, whether cold or hot, but usually does start. 

Simple things first - worth checking and wiggling the fuel pump fuse, and if found to be OK, listen for the pump priming when you switch on the ignition.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Steve Q]

Yep Gareth has answered the sensor question. Please keep us posted on how you get on. 

Cheers

Steve

[Harris]

Cheers guys much appreciated 

battery is on charge- been on charge since 5pm yesterday so either it was really flat or I’ve killed it

going to check the fuses and relays and will test the fuel pump once I have power again  
 

it’s still sat in Morrison’s car park so really need to get it back here  AA won’t do it as it’s only 300m  from my front door and any recovery firm still operating want £160 

I did get the wife to try and tow me but she’s heavy footed and managed to rip out the towing eye

i need to change the water pump so will probably swap out the temp sensor although will try and put that off as lock down is depleting my funds (actually the kids are)

My other obstacle is everything I need is only available via mail order so I get so far and then have to stop and wait for the postman

thanks for your input and if you have any other ideas let me know- now would be a good time to attend to anything that may cause a problem in the future 

[Steve Q]

You're welcome, glad we could help 🙂

Please keep us posted on how you get on.

Cheers

Steve

[Harris]

Hi guys

thought I’d update you all on progress with my issues

As you all know from my battery charging paranoia post I bought a new battery ( for the record the old battery did charge up and starts the car as it always has done- but only holds 80% charge)

Ive checked all fuses and relays and done system checks on both old and new batteries- all fine and no fault codes. 
 

So the only reason I can deduce from cutting out was due to flooded pistons 

I’m going to service it this week - new plugs and filters- and will swap over the coolant temp sensor too 

I need to replace the rocker cover gaskets so if anyone knows the torque settings for the 2.4 V6 I’d be grateful

next job- wishbone bushes: anyone done them? Is it straight forward?

Opened the roof for the first time this year- didn’t go very smoothly so have noticed a link to another forum post that looks useful

 

thanks again guys

[Steve Q]

You're welcome, glad we could help 🙂 

7ft/lbs is the torque setting for the rocker cover. I'd do it in a alternating pattern too. And I'd start off finger tightening before using a torque wrench.

cheers

Steve

[Harris]

Thanks steve

the guy I bought it from claimed they’d both been replaced but 123 bank leaks into the V and 456 bank leaks into the spark plug holes. I was going to just try and refit them but the price for Audi gaskets was actually lower than my local motor factors. 
 

I did ask Audi if they had a torque setting manual or something that listed what the settings were but the guy didn’t have a clue what I was on about- think I was just unlucky to get the wrong person on the phone that day

[Steve Q]

Can't go wrong if Audi are cheaper. Definitely sounds like it. 

Cheers

Steve