FIRST TIMER AUDI OWNER

[lynds]

hi everyone   i'm a virgin audi owner and actually very suprised by my little motor.  i could do with some info on my motor other than what i can find on dvla lol!  it's a a4 2.0 sport 2001 apart from knowing what engine size etc it is i'd actually like to know the other stuff like are they a good one?  are they a diamond in the rough?  as i've not seen many 2.0 sports is that because they are mostly at the scrap yard or are they a hot biscuit to find?  typical problems for this model   you get what im bugging you all for LOL.

  it does have an issue that i need to ask you all about to but i need to put my code reader on to remeber what it was as the engine management light is saying hello, i did turn it off put some fuel in it and give it a good kick in the guts to clear it out as the code was something to do with cat running too low i think, but its not smelling eggy. it stayed off for about 100 miles but has come back, and on cold start up the engine sounds dry as a bone and like a diesel tractor  for the first few seconds; it could well be the lifters but it just sounds too rough to be that if you know what i mean and it doesnt sound tappy after its running; and it's still got some grunt.  i can normally sort most problems from the sound and signs but i'm not in a position to go buying parts if it's not the problem and with never having an audi before im not used to what it should sound like or run like etc.  audi's are unlike fords where you know as soon as you sit in theres something that needs fixing ;)  

[Trevor]

Hi....and welcome to the Forum

I think overall the A4 sport is a great car with no too many issues apart from maintenance tasks, it also helps that replacement parts are cheap and plentiful to buy.

You running issue sounds like it may have been used as a round-town smoker with early shifting up of the gears. More than likely just needs some cleaning solutions put through the intake and the fuel systems.

Keep us posted on how you're getting on with it

Cheers   Trevor

[lynds]

now thats the news i like to hear :)  i must admit for a little car shes got a good bit of poke and actually drives nice and smooth really responsive on the pedal. compared to my mondeo thats the same age and sat outside my house for sale it's a far more advanced car and built quality is superb.  i agree i think shes been a town smoker, theres mild car seats marks in the leather from child seats and it smells like it was a girls car (perfume).  i may be another girlie driver but  drive  errmmmm different lol!   after owning and driving a mustang when life was good i'm a full on petrol head ;)  

  i will keep you posted on my lil diamond find and see if i can fix these niggles,,  just a quick question   if i run and clean the engine up and internally the problem is fixed will the engine management like go out on its own or will i have to remove it with my reader and wait to see if it comes back on to see if it's fixed?

 

thankyou :D

[Trevor]

The light should go out from the dash panel after a clean out and several start-ups, but a code should still remain in the ECU memory for read out later.

p.s. what Mustang did you have?  Over the years, I had a 67 notchback with a six-pot and four-speed manual and a 71 convertible with 351 Cleveland and autobox (had that one for 26 years and never finished restoring it, lol)

 

[lynds]

i had a beautiful beast the s197  2005  mustang one of the first remakes of the original that the man himself designed :))  4.0 v6  (  its actually is much better than the v8 believe it or not) i had so much work done it she looked the nuts!!  and i had to take her for the opening of fast and furious 7 as a show piece, she did the nationals modified at peterborough, photo shoots charity events you name it that car was my life! i do anything to have it back.

   p.s show us your yanks if you have some pics ;)  they sound lush!  do you still have your project 

 

but enough of my heartbreak lol,   just run the audi on my code reader and it came up with p0420 catalyst efficiency below threshold (bank one) please can some light be shed on this, and earlier today i put £15 of fuel in the take which was nicely received by the ol girl it registered fine, i then drove and had to sit on a big hill (about 20% gradient) with the engine running and the petrol light came on, i thought it was just the tank draining from one side as i was sat on the hill but as i drove away on a flat road and got home still no fuel??? i did the normal let it sit turned off and turn it on magic trick but nope still no fuel.  i wouldnt mind much but it was the whole £15 worths of fuel all gone!! is there possibly a fuel leak? ...................only on a hill lol i didnt smell petrol and there was nothing running down the road in front of me, (was on the hill for about 3 mins stationary)

[Trevor]

I imagine it's a dodgy fuel sensor, kinda used to it myself on various cars I own so I always drive off the odometer (e.g. 100 miles for £15) and usually bang-on!

I still maintain that cleaning solutions and a damn good blast should return the sensors to where they should be...worth trying and at very little cost.

I'll try to find some piccies of the 'Stangs but I sold the 71 about 5 years ago as a project as was not ever gonna finish it (after 26 years if you haven't done it in that time, you ain't ever gonna).

Do you have any piccies of your 'Stang to post up?

[lynds]

this was my baby fresh out the paint shop, :D  proud mummy moment, and one of the pro photo shoots. i had so much work done on the car and one of my fav bits was having the custom bespoke exhaust system twin pipe with 5" slash cut rolled in tails. even had the burble from the engine tuned through the exhaust to perfection. this car was my life and i dont care how sad that sounds i put my heart and soul into in and it got taken by a prick!! who lied to me and sold her behind my back.  im still heartbroken tbh .

 

on the audi aspect what cleaners do you recommend, i had the mustang for  long time so always used yank stuff on it, and as you can imagine any car after that ive just dumped cheap eBay crap though it because i hate them and have no care for them, where as ive been lucky with this audi i actually like it so i'd like to do things properly. ive been in 2 minds as to whether i should engine flush it ?? according to the service book its been maintained and serviced by audi right from its birthday up until 5 years ago and looking at the engine oil that really was the last service it saw as its like glue! the oil is so think and sticky its just disgusting!  so i was thinking of flushing it run some cheap crap oil in run it for 200 miles then dump that out too in hope in takes any remaining engine flush then putting a 3rd and final lot of proper oil in; but i still concerned that a big lump of crud will dislodge and bang goes my engine.  and not sure about which of the other cleaners to use.

on a good note i put another £10 of fuel in today and very very slowly over about 10 miles the gauge crept up giving me back almost all of the "mssing" £15 i put in yesterday :))

[Trevor]

Wow!  that certainly is a beauty!

It does look amazing and as you say you put your heart and soul into it...gutting!

The Audi, I would flush the engine with an additive which you may still be able to get from a motor factors (can't remember the make) but you essentially drain down all the old oil, keep the filter on and then refill with half of the 5 litre container (so approx 2.5 to 3.0 litres of the flush) and run at high idle (approx 1500 rpm) for about 5-10 minutes. After that you drain it out but watch out for extremely hot and thin fluid gushing out of the sump when you take the plug out. This stuff was amazing, cleared out the whole of the engine oil ways, much better than Forte or similar which you just add to the oil.

Fuel additives, I tend to favour STP, Wynns or even funnily enough Halfords own brand...which really does the job.

Thanks for posting the Mustang piccies up, has brightened my day up. Will have to find some pics of my old 'Stangs but probably have to scan them from old photographs.