G'day from down under!

[New Zealand Audi Loner]

Hi. Just bought a 1997 A4 Avant with the V6 2.6 engine for $150 ( about 250 quid) to restore for my teenage son! Man this car has some interesting issues and I look forward to pestering you old hands as I work through them!

Seems the car was taken off the road because of a failed water pump. So...... looking at possible full engine rebuild, or hopefully just water pump and cam belt. Any thoughts on how this engine copes with overheating?

Thanks in anticipation

John

Edited April 13, 2017 by New Zealand Audi Loner
spelling mistake

[Trevor]

Hi John...welcome to the Forum

Being as temperatures are a lot hotter where you are compared to the UK then I imagine a water pump failure would be quite catastrophic to the engine.

Maybe worth running it up with a new pump and belt fitted to see if you can determine wear and any resulting issues.

Also, maybe worth putting a Boroscope down into the cylinder bores to look for scoring or similar marks from seizure of excessive heat transfer into the cylinders.

If all else fails then another engine but at least you've got new belt and pump to swap over to it

Keep us update on how you get on with this project

Cheers  Trevor

[Brad-B5]

Hi John

Welcome to the forum!

Well keep us updated with what happens and any issues that may arise just ask away! :D

Regards

Bradley

[New Zealand Audi Loner]

Thanks guys. Probably gonna bore you with some pretty mundane questions now;-

1. Is the light flashing on the left centre dash the immobiliser armed light?
2. Is there an infra red motion sensor with the immobiliser?
3. Is the immoboliser armed and disarmed with the key in the drivers door?

The car won't start (ignition key turns and various lights flash, but there is no solenoid click) and every time I get in, or move in the car, the hazard lights flash for a minute. The car won't unlock or lock with the key in the drivers door. So I'm guessing that this must be the immobiliser arming point.

1. Does the car have an OBDII socket?
2. Is the water pump on the cam belt drive or on a secondary vee belt? It is the ABC engine 2.6L V6.

Geez, I haven't had this much fun since I tried to start a dead Range Rover once! :-)

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate the welcome. On other forums I would have been met with a barrage of sarcasm and withering deprecation.

[New Zealand Audi Loner]

Oh forgot, is there an idiots guide or decent online workshop manual for this beauty?

Thanks

[Trevor]

I would imagine there are some electronic Workshop Manuals for sale online which may help you with the rebuild....try eBay, they always have stacks of them on there.

Answers to your questions are:

The immobiliser would be linked in with the remote key fob (if you have one) and this should disable the immobiliser.

There may be a way of switching off the immobiliser with the key but not too sure. If it is a chunky type of key then there is usually a very small cylindrical chip inside which is the immobiliser chip and this is read by a reader which is a plastic assembly around the ignition barrel. If it matches up, the engine runs. 

So, firstly I would check the type of key (or post up a piccy of it here) and if you have the remote fob type then you may need to programme it up...(guides in the Technical Section of this Forum)

Cheers  Trevor

[New Zealand Audi Loner]

Thanks Trevor.

The car doesn't have remote locking. The only key I have just has a small light which is activated by pushing the only large button on the key itself.

I'm getting mighty confused by reading in other forums that this model doesn't have an immobiliser! The immobiliser light in the rev counter lights up when I turn the key on (I also get an audible alarm), turn to position 2 and I get lots of relay clicks, the immobiliser light goes out and nothing else happens. I've checked the relays and neutral/park switch but am not getting far.

The only thing that keeps happening though is when ever I get into the car, the hazard warning lights flash for around 30 secs........... which takes us back full circle to an immobiliser. How do I disarm it if the key has no transponder or anything?

Regards

[Trevor]

It sounds like the alarm/locking system which is not being deactivated and causing the engine to not start. 

You need to code the key to the car by pressing the button with the ignition on I believe or even pressing it several times until the door locks or some process similar to these suggestions.....will have a look to see what I can find on this type of key.

Other possible causes may be battery / power supply related issues so worth starting checks with the battery connections and leads and go from there.

[New Zealand Audi Loner]

Hi guys.

'Easy as' when I found it...............

3rd party after market alarm system!

Reaching far and deep into the wiring harness like an Alien. (Several nights and meters of heat shrink later..............................................................)

Engine running, quite tappety but not too obnoxious, however, heater matrix leaking!!!!!!

This is making my $150 car look expensive now,. How much of a job is taking this beauty out?

Kind regards

 

[Trevor]

Thanks for the update, always nice to know the outcome.

If it's warm enough all year over there (not sure if it is) then you could by-pass the matrix by connecting together the hoses leading to the matrix.