Magnet

Hello Raymond, Worth inspecting the wiring in the flexible harness twixt the A post and where it enters the forward edge of the driver’s door - favourite place for wires to fracture particularly in cold weather. Hot summer’s day and things came back to life-? Fractured wires may have then been flexible enough to make some temporary contact across the fractures. Also worth checking the flexible section twixt tailgate/boot and the body. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Raymond. Kind regards, Gareth.

OK Neal, Well at least you have confirmed that it’s not a faulty gauge - which would have been rather surprising. Before removing the head, are you able to gain visual access to the camshaft and valve tops? This would tell you if the valves are stuck open or not. If they are, then it could be a case of the belt having been correctly reset/ renewed - after the damage has already been done. Are you saying you have broken a torx bit/s attempting to remove the head bolts? If so, what quality bits are these? Do you know the tightening sequence, so that you are able to slacken these in the reverse order? Kind regards, Gareth.

OK Lance, I realised you weren’t using a main dealer to actually do the job, but I believe, whoever is doing it, can only obtain a flywheel from (in caps) a main dealer - that’s the point I was making. Other parts should be available via. aftermarket. If it were mine, I would be asking what brand of parts they intend using. Need to replace the flywheel at the now known 65k miles as opposed to cleaning the existing one:- see my comments in my first post. Some may quite rightly say it’s worth replacing the flywheel when the car is dismantled, but I guess the two things to consider are:- Cost of the flywheel. The fact that it’s the not-uncommon-to-fail release bearing which is the source of the problem, and not the flywheel. Just let us know if there is anything you need to clear up, and please keep us up to date of what happens from here. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Lance, You may find that the flywheel is a main dealer part only, and as such is going to be a daft price. The 3 other clutch components will also be non-competitively price at a dealer, but these should be available as aftermarket parts - manufactured by LUK -who are likely to have been the OE supplier. What mileage has the car covered Lance? I ask since the flywheel may still be serviceable - and easily cleanable. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andrew, Simple and low/no-cost options first - get the battery efficiency check at a Halfords store. Let us know if it tests below par, and we should be able to suggest alternative suppliers. If it tests as serviceable then at least you will have eliminated the battery as being a potential culprit. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Tony, Thanks for coming back, and it’s pleasing to hear that some of the advice given is going to be helpful to you - it’s very good of you to say so, since we seldom get any praise. Anyway, to the job in hand :- just a personal view, but I always visit places where I might entrust work to, rather than ring them up, so that I get a feel for the folks who are going to do the job. If I’m not too impressed with them, then they don’t get my custom. You just cannot get the same feel over the phone. Tyre pressures - not checked the tyre pressures since October! Blinking heck Tony, that might be a record, and of course, you are basing your judgement on the dealer actually checking the pressures when it was serviced. Yes, we all take it they should, but do they actually?? Would you mind me repeating my advice and suggesting you invest in the pressure gauge at Halfords, and using it once a fortnight, adjusting the pressures accordingly, and only after confirming they remain relatively static, reduce the check to once a month. It will reap benefits for you in terms of longevity, handling and ride quality. Audi contact:- If you are going to discuss tyre tread measurements, and pressures, I cannot really see what you are going to achieve, since the differences are ‘historic’, and can no longer be confirmed/refuted. But worth a call, I guess. Sorry Tony, but I don’t know who would be best to talk with. Please come back to us if you feel there is anything else we can help with. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alan, Could you let us know when the oil was last changed? In terms of getting this done away from the main dealer:- You can, if the garage is VAT registered, genuine, or acceptable parts are used, and ideally, the garage is capable of recording this service information onto the VAG computerised service system. It is unlikely that an ‘ordinary’ garage would have access to this system, but a VAG independent probably would - so that maybe an alternative. Most garages should be able to reset the ‘Service due’ alert. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Tony, Many thanks for joining, and I hope the forum may be able to be of assistance. Personally, I wouldn’t get too concerned about the apparent differences in measurements - two different people measuring, and probably two different gauges. Any uneven wear will be visible, so you can easily check for yourself with that aspect. If the wear is indeed variable across the tread width, then I would recommend a 4 wheel alignment check, and subsequent adjustment back to within the manufacturers specified limits. I’m not sure whether this is going to be of help, but I have used my local ATS for such checks with family member’s cars, and found them to be friendly, explanatory and efficient. Obviously, I’m not sure what your local depot is like. Audi, and recommending they fit a new tyre to the front right ( are you sure it was the front right and not left?). Whatever, I wouldn’t fit just one new tyre on a 4 wheel drive vehicle - all tyres should be reasonably even, tread wise. I would leave well alone, but just get the wheel alignment checked. Re. tyre pressures:- Do you check your tyre pressures on a fortnightly basis, or do you leave that until the car is serviced? If it were mine, I would buy a c£10 digital gauge from Halfords, and use that whenever the pressures are checked. If as you say, you are losing faith in Audi, I would be tempted to search out a trusted localish independent, and entrust your servicing to them. Perhaps someone on here can offer some recommendation. Perhaps you can let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Crag, ‘…don’t think I’ve ever had the temperature up to 90 during the colder days..’ - something is wrong then. It could be the gauge if the heater is fully efficient, but whatever, you will need to investigate this, by the methods suggested. ‘Not any distance I can check hoses’. You will have to extend your journey then Crag. Kind regards, Gareth.

Welcome Craig, and thanks for joining. I believe ( but hopefully others will be more specific) but every 75k is often taken as the ideal change point. If so, you could wait until 200k. ‘Manual side’ and ‘auto side’ - ?? Never come across this but… Cost? I would agree that £240 seems (very) reasonable, but if this were mine, I would be referring to a copy of the 2022, 127k invoice and see what that shows you. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Michael, I hadn’t realised that the arches were covered - not good news. Most MOT testers cover their bums with an advisory similar to ‘Undertrays fitted’. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks again Neal, Indeed - I think the broth is in grave danger of being spoilt here, and despite the fact that the car came to you cost free, these things have a funny habit of eating money, even if you adopt a logical approach to their repair. You will of course be able to gain as many opinions as the number of people you ask, but you have to question your own logic, by buying-into the possibility that the car has ECU issues, because someone notices some HT leads in the boot! Daft. Internal combustion engines need compression, ignition at the right time, and fuel. In an attempt to try to save you money Neal, please promise us you will only deal with eliminating each of those in their correct order. It’s not out of the question that your compression gauge is totally inaccurate ( or indeed you are using it incorrectly), but couple that with your suspicion that the engine is turning over too freely, logic would suggest that the the compression may indeed be low. Anyway Neal, keep trying, and please let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Cragh, I think it’s one thing at a time, and I’m not sure why you want to plug it into diagnostics. If the coolant temperature shows near enough to cold after a reasonable run, then the chances are it’s a classic case of a failed-open thermostat - pretty simple. Of course it maybe a case of a faulty gauge sender, but…. From the book of simple logic - take the car on an at least 10mile run, switch off and open bonnet and have a feel of the radiator hoses - if the gauge reads low, the hoses should feel warm rather than hot. If they only feel warm, and the gauge reads low, then you have carried out your own diagnostics! If you want to go down the diagnostic route, then the garage should be able to give you an operating temperature during a road test. Just forget about any potential noise/performance issues until you have a vehicle which operates at a correct temperature. One thing at a time! Let us know how you get on Cragh. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Grant, Not absolutely certain on this, but I believe the windscreen washers, and headlamp washers share the same fuse. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Bob, but the objective here is to see if they work when the interior has warmed up - but without moving the car, and without trying the indicators before the interior has warmed up. Might be worth having the post to hand before you start the test. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. If my suggested procedure doesn’t give you the result you need, actually disconnect ( in caps) the hard wire you connected in, and test again.

Welcome Cragh, and thanks for joining. If the temperature doesn’t reach normal, leave alone hardly moving, the you can put your money on a failed (open) thermostat. I would take note of Stephen’s comments, and probably entrust the job to an independent -unless you are very good with the spanners. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Christian, Have you removed the parcel shelf to test if the noise goes away? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Neal, Although I can understand you now doubt the compression gauge, I think I recall you mentioning that the engine spins over on the starter as if there isn’t any compression. Anyway, I’m sure you will sort it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Neal, I can now see that your earlier post about a performance back box - which Steve indicated would cost you £500/£600 - was relating to this same non-running car. Without wishing to be over critical, but you are talking about ‘toys’ on a 19 year old non-running vehicle, when to get it running is likely to cost you in excess of its worth. Personally, I find all of this to be worrying, yet we will aim to offer advice as best we can, as you attempt to progress with this. To me, it smacks of money no object, but….. Please bear in mind that this is my personal view and may/may not be shared with with all on here. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Bob, In your Thursday post, you say you tried my test and they still didn’t work. Can I confirm that you you opened the car, didn’t (in caps) attempt to try the indicators, you let the car tick over for about 15 mins until the interior temperature was up to normal, and only then did you try the indicators-? You say the only change has been to hard wire in a dashcam, and it’s from that point that your issue has occurred. Suggestion:- disconnect the dashcam as a trial. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Neal, Is this for the same vehicle that is a non runner? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Darren, I always find a telephone chat is the best. Personally, I wouldn’t use anything other than LUK/ Sachs. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Darren, Did you speak with LUK Technical -as advised. They should give you a definitive answer on what is available and what isn’t. It wouldn’t surprise me if they are the OE supplier to VAG. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Harry, Well it’s always cheapest option first in my book. Although it would be expected that any 4 year old battery would be completely serviceable, but if our daughter’s just out of new warranty, non-Audi, is anything to go by, then you never know. If it were mine Harry, I would be nipping along to a Halfords store and getting the battery’s efficiency tested. This test would give you a meaningful serviceable/ non serviceable point to progress from. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Neal, Sorry to say it as I (in bold) see it, but I really can’t see any point in concerning yourself with potential ECU issues at this stage - as has been pointed out. The ECU controls the engine, but the engine appears to be unserviceable, so until you repair/replace it, the ECU doesn’t matter. All I can suggest is that if you still consider the ECU to be at fault, then you will need to send it off for specialist assessment - and repair, if found to be faulty. Kind regards, Gareth.