gsmdo

Hi Steve, Julie, This video came into my YouTube feed the other day - I don't know if it might be useful to you? Cheers, Mike 😎

Hi Jack, I can recommend a powder coater in Norwich to you - BA Wheels Unit 12, Marriott Close Norwich Norfolk NR2 4UX ‭01603 610007‬ They will let you 'drive in and drive out'. They'll take your wheels off, remove the tyres, strip the wheels chemically, powder coat them in a finish of your choice, remount the tyres and balance them, then refit them to your car. Obviously this isn't a 'while you wait' service, 😆 but they are excellent at what they do. They did my Convertible's wheels for me six years ago, and they're still like new... I have no affiliation with them, other than being a satisfied customer. A friend of mine had his Alfa wheels done last year with similar results. https://ba-wheels.co.uk/

Hi SunshineSnoopy, Have you had any luck fixing the problem with your soft top? This appeared in my YouTube feed, so I thought I’d forward it to you… Mike 😎

Blimey - I think I'll be putting air filters down as a six-month replacement on both my cars...

Some more parts arrived today, including the final hose—what on earth makes this over £300 from Audi? 🤨 …the snubber bush… …and finally the new under-trays and fixings, which came in a vast cardboard box—the size of a chest of drawers—and are really substantially built. In fact, probably better than the OEM stuff. I'm still waiting for everything to arrive before going into battle—probably Thursday, I think… Mike 😎

Mine arrived in Norfolk from Cornwall(!) - no problem at all. What colour etc are you looking for? What year/model of car? Are your current seats electric (see what I did there)?😄 I think convertibles probably have a higher proportion of owners optioning full leather - weather protection etc, which may be why you're seeing more convertible sets offered than saloons and Avants...🤔 Mike😎

Fitted a set of leather seats in my convertible, that previously had half leather. I find it much more comfortable - no sticking to the seat so far - but of course the hood is usually down, and if it's not, the AC is generally on. I paid about £250 inc delivery from a vendor on eBay - didn't bother changing door cards. Sorry - haven't a decent pic of the seats fitted. It was a straightforward job - except where I made it difficult by fitting my own aftermarket seat heaters (you can see the controls by the gearstick). Don't ever be tempted to do this - the nightmares haunt me to this day...🤦‍♂️ Mike 😎

Parts have started to arrive (I was out, but was alerted by a text saying that parcels have been left in my "Safe Space" between my buns, which was a little worrying...). This one is the hose from the bottom of the intercooler to the gallery (the original is still in good condition, but I'm replacing it anyway)... ...and this one - Pipe Five above - which is the replacement for the hose with the split in it, running from the turbo to the gallery... Since I would have to lift the car onto axle stands to fit these, and it'll be getting warmish later (It's 22C now), I won't be refitting anything until I have all the parts here (including oil and filter, and fuel filter) - probably on Wednesday or Thursday next week, when it is due to cool down (temporarily)... Mike 😎

Yep- I went back through the paperwork and couldn’t find a fuel filter change recorded. I felt it was about time, after 105k miles and 16yrs… 😆

Thanks, Gareth 👍—I've just ordered five litres of Quantum Longlife Three, for £28; and a new oil filter, fuel filter and sump plug (I change these most oil changes, as the VAG ones don't allow you to replace the crush washer), for £30. There doesn't seem to be a YouTube guide to doing the oil filter on the BPW engine. I'll go into the garage tomorrow and measure the top of the container it sits in to see if I need to get a socket to fit. I'll also do a search for how to swap the fuel filter (which is a full cartridge type, so should be fairly simple). Updates on fitting these bits will be in the “Flashing Glow Plug light etc” thread. This car is going to be serviced to within an inch of its life by the time this work is finished… 😆 Mike 😎

Apologies if this has been beaten to death a hundred times before. I'm going to do an oil & filter change on the convertible next week, and thought that this from Halfords looked like the oil to use, being 5W-30 fully synthetic. Their website says it isn't - and they don't sell anything that is? I am assuming that this is an error on their website (mostly because they say they don't sell an alternative), but I may be missing something here. Also, I believe I need to order this filter: . ...rather than the shorter version with the tube sticking out of the top, for the BPW engine - is that correct? I've watched Gavin's excellent YouTube guide, but - although it's a 2.0TDi he's working on, I'm pretty sure it isn't a BPW... All help appreciated, Mike 😎

So - solutions to a couple of the side issues I've found. The under-tray is, frankly, a write-off. I have bought a new one, complete with a new rear (gearbox) under-tray for £65 delivered from eBay, including a fitting kit with all new fixings. I'm going to use copper-slip on everything when I reassemble. Let's face it, the fasteners there are exposed to all the weather the car goes through... I've found a new Bilstein front snubber rubber for £7 from Amazon. Replacement looks straightforward - excellent YouTube video here. The battery cover, which has been a niggle since I have had the car, has clearly got some lugs broken off the bottom of it (ringed) ...which explains why it doesn't sit in place. Once again, eBay is my friend at £18.50 delivered. More news as parts arrive...😆 Mike 😎

OK - a nice warm day with a cool breeze. I finished work early and popped to Halfords to pick up a pair of axle stands, a pair of wheel chocks, and a crawler pad. It's clear to me that this job needs doing from underneath. They're rated to two tons, which will be ample. Before jacking the front of the car up, I attack hose 5 - exhibit B above - as it's easily accessible from above. It's held in place by one of Beelzebub's spring clips at one end… . ...which is undone with a pair of water pump grips... ...and at the other end by a clip (ringed). To release it, you simply pull it towards you then push it down - this then releases the metal connector. It looks OK, but is very spongy and soft, so I am happy to replace it. This is the part that will cost you £305 from Audi - but £38.49 from eBay 😃. OK - easy bit done - time to get the trolley jack out... I carefully set the jack beneath the jacking point and pump it up until I judge I can comfortably (always a relative term) get underneath the car. I set the axle stand on its middle setting and then do the same on the other side of the car... I undo the QD fasteners on the under tray (a couple surprisingly hard to undo, bearing in mind it had recently been off to change the clutch) and remove it... It is filthy - all because of the lack of a clip on the bottom end of the breather hose. I'm going to put half a bottle of Fairy Liquid on it overnight, then power wash the gunk off tomorrow morning, I think... The hose from the bottom of the intercooler to the gallery (Hose 7 above) is dry and appears to be in good condition. It also appears to be the original fitment for the car, and likely hasn't been disturbed in 16 years. I take it off anyway, as I have a replacement coming... So - to the main event - Pipe 5 - Exhibit A above. The jubilee clip clamping it to the gallery had been downward facing, which is one of the reasons I'm lying on my back doing this job. Despite numerous dousings with brake cleaner, the whole area is caked in oily filth, and it soon looks like I am wearing elbow length black gloves... The top fixing (where it joins the turbo) is the same clip type as on Hose 5 (Exhibit B above). Once again, I disengage the wire clip, but the hose is less enthusiastic to part company with the turbo. Eventually, having disconnected the other end from the gallery, I manage to wiggle and rotate it sufficiently to remove it... Winner, winner, chicken dinner... There's a large split in the end, up near the turbo. This may well account for the loud intake roar I've been hearing and the other symptoms... 🤞 So - I just have to wait for the replacement hoses to arrive. Unfortunately, this will coincide with another period of very hot weather (31C forecast for Sunday), so it may be mid-week before I refit things. I noticed a couple of things when underneath the car. There is a second under tray, covering the gearbox area, and there's a huge chunk of it missing (presumably dragged off on a speed bump or something). I'll get a part number and see if I can find a used replacement. Also, the front bumper of the car has a series of rivets set into it. It looks like it used to have a front air dam or something - can anyone confirm if this was standard fit? I presume it was a casualty of whatever pulled off part of the rear under tray. The snubber rubber is quite perished. This doesn't look to be a difficult job to replace - is it worth doing - will I notice the difference? That's about all I can remember -- I'm going to have a long shower and then open a bottle of wine... Mike 😎

So, my parts guru came up with the information first thing today: Hose 5 8E0145834AR £305 😱 Hose 6 3B0145838A £99 Hose 7 8E0145837G £56 These are clearly made from refined unobtainium... I put the numbers into eBay and ordered: Hose 5 £38.49 Hose 6 £14.99 Hose 7 £19.99 Which means, using 'girlfriend logic', that I have already saved £386 😆 Incidentally, the metal gallery across the front of the car is £677 🤦‍♂️ The parts should start arriving on Saturday, so I'll likely pull the other ones out in preparation this evening. Mike 😎

Thanks, Steve - I'll have a squint at it tomorrow...👍 Mike 😎

So, here's the strange thing. He hasn't had to order a hex drive in as long as he can remember. This chap has been a mate of mine for 30yrs and isn't spinning me a line. He was tongue in cheek about the cost of a replacement engine (to make me look at it pragmatically). Replacing the hex drive will be an expensive job. I understand that one has to make a value judgement on these things - the hex drive certainly has a lot of anecdotal evidence of failures, but I'm not convinced that the extra work (especially) and outlay on the chain and sprocket set is worthwhile given my low mileage use and the age of the car... Sell me on the idea, Steve 😃 - I'm minded at the moment to just get the hex drive done... Thanks, Mike 😎

OK—cool enough this evening to get the convertible out of the garage and see if I can make some sense of where this air leak is. My prime suspect—Exhibit A: …is this guy which is a tight S shape (number five in this diagram). It has been drenched in oil and dirt for ages, since the breather hose lower connection was not held on with a spring clip. The oil and dirt you can see is after a good dose of brake cleaner. It feels spongy, although I'm unable to detect any splits or leaks from it in place. It's pretty easy to access, so I'll pop it off in the next day or so with a view to replacing it, whether it turns out to be the culprit or not… Next up—Exhibit B: On the face of it, this looks to be in good condition and I don't think it is causing the leak, but feeling underneath it, there is a really soft spongy feel to it. I think it's going to have to be replaced as well… Then there's Exhibit C : …which appears to be in good condition… …all the way to the intercooler. I can't get good access to the bottom of the intercooler to have a look at... ...pipe seven yet, as I ran out of time. Having said that, I can see a lot of oil and detritus down there, so it'll likely be worth replacing it as a precaution. I'll search for parts and prices this evening. Before I go, though—can anyone explain how the battery cover is meant to work? I can see it has a spring thing on one of the terminals... …which common-sense would say was to put some pressure onto the lid as it slots into place… Except mine doesn't slot into place. It just floats about. Has mine been broken or something? Not a big thing, but it bugs me a little… Cheers, Mike😎

Just been having an interesting text exchange with my mate at Norwich Audi. He makes a good point - that I can get a replacement engine for £1000 or so - he questions doing any of it. I think I'm still going to have hex-drive done, but that's all...😎

I'm unfamiliar with the A1, but my first action would be to open the trim (as if you were going to change the bulb) and see if you can see what's rattling...

OK, I’ve done some searching and found this kit. I assume this is the parts you mean Steve? Is there much more disassembly needed to fit it, do you know? Is it something that’s prone to failure?🤔 Mike 😎

OMG - there’s MORE? 😱😆

Hard to believe, with the thermometer currently showing 36°C, but one day it will get cooler and wetter. And when that day comes, I won't be so keen to drive the Convertible (which currently resides in my garage with new bling, but an intake fault meaning it's not driveable)... As a relative noob to the site, I have gradually been reading all the posts relating to my car (BPW engined 2.0TDi 140) - and was rather alarmed to read the 'stickied' post about the tendency of the hexagonal oil pump drive to fail - typically at around 130k miles. Since my car has around 107k miles, it is clearly in need of having this done, if only as a precaution. What I wish I had done, was watched Gavin's excellent YouTube video before I had the car in to do the flywheel and clutch, as I am sure it wouldn't have been too many hours more while the old girl had her undercarriage down, to add this to the list. We are where we are. I've been quoted eight hours (at a very favourable rate) to do the job, as Norwich Audi says it involves removing the subframe and subsequently doing a four-wheel alignment to complete the job. To replace a part that costs under £10 dammit! So - does eight hours sound about right? Regarding the hexagonal drive - I understand there are two versions (my buddy will get both parts in for me) - has anyone produced an aftermarket one that has better longevity (not that I expect to another 130k in the car - I'll be dead long before then... 😆)? But if there's a tungsten-carbide ceramic coated titanium version, made by blind Swiss nuns in a secret European mountainside factory, I might give it a look... 🤔 Comments welcome - the job will likely get done in October or November this year. Cheers, Mike 😎

Thanks, Steve - are they on the hot or cold side of the intercooler?🤔 Mike 😎

Thanks, Steve - I reached out to my parts buddy at Norwich Audi, and he sent me these pics: I would imagine, with the amount of noise from the intake, the split hose shouldn't be too hard to find. It'll just be a case of how difficult it is to change, I suppose... Mike 😎

Hi Steve, I think we'll all agree, it's a tad warm for getting under the bonnet and working today...🥵 Has anyone got a decent diagram of where the hoses go, between the turbo and the intercooler, please? I understand (as you face the engine under the bonnet) that the intercooler radiator is at the front right - and that it'll have an 'in' pipe from the turbo (hot side) and an 'out' pipe to the throttle body/inlet manifold (cool side). How much disassembly is required to remove/replace these hoses to check if they are split? Does the turbo have to come off? 😱 Any help (or a diagram or annotated pic) really appreciated - I don't know what temperature it will have to drop to in order to venture into the garage, but I doubt it'll be anytime today or tomorrow... Thanks, Mike 😎