RS6 Thermostat - is VAG dealer p*ssing up my back?

[ClaphamGT3]

One for the PH massif.

Mrs Clapham's MkI RS6 Avant overheated on Saturday. Recovered to a VAG dealer who have diagnosed a faulty thermostat - with which I would agree from the symptoms. Now, the issue is that the VAG dealer reckons that it is a 10-hour job to replace the thermostat on a Mk1 RS6!!

This seems an awful lot of time to me so my question to other owners or any VAG bods on here is whether this is reasonable or whether I'm having the back of my shirt dampened?

[Tame Technician]

I would have said 6-7 hours + diagnosis.

Its on the front of the cylinder head, but behind the cambelt you see. The cambelt time is 6.3hrs so add say 0.75 to change the stat and that's bang on the money with no piss taking and no time for diagnosis.

If it wasnt done recently would strongly recommend cambelt change at the same time, saves 6.3hrs of labour when its actually due.

[ClaphamGT3]

Tame Technician said:

I would have said 6-7 hours + diagnosis.

Its on the front of the cylinder head, but behind the cambelt you see. The cambelt time is 6.3hrs so add say 0.75 to change the stat and that's bang on the money with no piss taking and no time for diagnosis.

If it wasnt done recently would strongly recommend cambelt change at the same time, saves 6.3hrs of labour when its actually due.

Hi

Thanks - good to know that I'm not having my leg lifted. The dealership also made the point about the cam-belt which seems like a no-brainer to me.

[grizz]

They are talking st .......Why can i do a full belt change inc water pump + stat in a morning .....

[grizz]

It's not on the head ....It's just to the left of the water pump. The cam belt must be removed to change it.


Make sure they replace ALL the idlers ect ...Full job with genuine parts is £950 inc vat..

[ClaphamGT3]

grizz said:

They are talking st .......Why can i do a full belt change inc water pump + stat in a morning .....

Interesting.....

Also, out of interest, car ran marginally hot (just over the 90 mark, fans running) at 15 - 20mph but, when I accelerated to 45 - 50mph it heated up to the point the red warning light came on. Hasn't lost any coolant. Your view on the problem?

[Tame Technician]

grizz said:

It's not on the head ....It's just to the left of the water pump. The cam belt must be removed to change it.

Yep of course I was thinking of the V6, but its the same sort of operation.

I been at the Audi main dealer for 3 years have done 4 or 5 RS6 cam belt and Can only just do them in the time allowed 6.3hrs. I have to ask if you can do it in a morning, do you put the peg in that holds the crankshaft, how much do you remove to get the front forward. Most of our tech's dont bother with the peg, I always do, adds a good 40mins.

[Tame Technician]

ClaphamGT3 said:

Also, out of interest, car ran marginally hot (just over the 90 mark, fans running) at 15 - 20mph but, when I accelerated to 45 - 50mph it heated up to the point the red warning light came on. Hasn't lost any coolant. Your view on the problem?

From that you can only conclude the car is overheating. With the car actually there you can see if the rad gets hot, this shows if the cooling system is circulating or not. If the rad inst hot (even thought the engine is in the red) then no circulation, water pump or thermostat failure. Further investigation + experiences should make it possible to say which, depends on the car.

If the rad is hot, then its more serious.

[skid-mark]

Tame Technician said:

ClaphamGT3 said:

Also, out of interest, car ran marginally hot (just over the 90 mark, fans running) at 15 - 20mph but, when I accelerated to 45 - 50mph it heated up to the point the red warning light came on. Hasn't lost any coolant. Your view on the problem?

From that you can only conclude the car is overheating. With the car actually there you can see if the rad gets hot, this shows if the cooling system is circulating or not. If the rad inst hot (even thought the engine is in the red) then no circulation, water pump or thermostat failure. Further investigation + experiences should make it possible to say which, depends on the car.

If the rad is hot, then its more serious.

hi i used to work for vw/audi quick way of telling if the water pump has failed is to take the small hose of the top of the expansion bottle while engine's running(do this when cold), or look and see if water is pumping through with it still on (should be pumping through at a fast rate), most vag cars have crap water pump veins which are made of plastic and break up and pump less coolant around, rad can be bit hard to gain access on rs6 and prob will be hot anyway due to convection and heat transfer.

Edited by skid-mark on Wednesday 11th February 00:14

[tombs]

And if it is the water pump maybe worth looking at your documents to see when the cambelt was last replaced (if done at all) and if the water pump was replaced. Beacuse if it was replaced in the last 2 years by an Audi centre it will be covered by a 2 year parts warranty! Could save you a packet. Personally I would get this car up to Unit 20....they will sort the car with out sorting your wallet!

[john_r]

ClaphamGT3 said:

One for the PH massif.

I only get the service or warranty work done at Audi dealers - call Grizz, MRC or one of the other decent Indy's.

Dealer labour rates will be £110'ish per hour and Indy's about £60'ish usually.

Although recently I've found that some Audi dealers will match or better an Indy quote... Had a main dealer knock £350 off his original quote to upgrade my discs to RS6+ and replace the pads all round!

Audi UK are trying very hard to get 'older' Audi's back into the dealers, i.e. free MOT, price matching, etc.

BUT, here's a word of warning... if the Audi main dealer is not an expert on RS6's don't let them near it! I had a dealer completely feck up a turbo replacement which led to a new gearbox and all sorts of complications - didn't re-align the engine properly and one of the mounts came lose a short while later!

I can highly recommend Camberley Audi and MRC Tuning from direct experience; and have only ever heard lots of positive stuff about Grizz too.

[tombs]

John..r not the same John r from RS246.com?

Anyway, I agree with what he said above.

[grizz]

Tame Technician said:

grizz said:

It's not on the head ....It's just to the left of the water pump. The cam belt must be removed to change it.

Yep of course I was thinking of the V6, but its the same sort of operation.

I been at the Audi main dealer for 3 years have done 4 or 5 RS6 cam belt and Can only just do them in the time allowed 6.3hrs. I have to ask if you can do it in a morning, do you put the peg in that holds the crankshaft, how much do you remove to get the front forward. Most of our tech's dont bother with the peg, I always do, adds a good 40mins.

I always use the bar & pin on the v6 & v8 engine's . I've done at least 1 a week for the last year !!

I've 2 rs6's in for DRC replacement + hotchkis arb's & 1 for a full belt change + front & rear discs .I should have them done by 2pm .....
Not bad going on a Saturday...

[Tame Technician]

1 a week for a year, yep that gives you a just a bit more practise than me. Nice to know I'm not the only one who does it propperly.

Dont get be started on DRC - What a load of ****. We just started getting loads of the B7 RS4's failing now, front shocks go first and if you dont notice them leaking in time then it wipes out the accumulator valves. Its amazing on a 56-07 plate cars that long pinch bolt in the front wheel bearing housing is already seized solid.