Audi A4 B7 Avant - preventive medicine?

[993kimbo]

Morning all,

I've recently bought a 2006 Audi A4 B7 Avant 2.0tdi Auto - Mauritius Blue metallic / cream leather interior.

It's covered 70,000 miles, has a full history and had quite a few bob spent on it over the years.

I'm very pleased with the car - although price-wise it wasn't a bargain - but it's a good one and low mileage has always appealed to me.

Reading other threads I've noticed some new owners flush gearboxes, add fuel additives, clean drain holes, change the battery etc as soon as they buy a new car and I was wondering if there are any checks/maintenance I could do myself or get my garage to do to get it tip top?

The last service was in June 2020 by a Kwik-Fit type place and it looks like they just did oil and filters as the bill was £120.

Before that in 2018, Halfords Autocentres did Brake fluid, Coolant, Filters and Cambelt change but I don't know how thorough they were or if they use Audio recommended oil for example.

After I bought it, I took it to my local garage and asked them to thoroughly check it over, and they gave it a clean bill of health. But they have an 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' policy which helps keep the cost down for their customers but I'd rather prevent stuff now rather than having things go wrong later.

In 2010 the chain that drives the balance shaft and oil pump was changed to a gear driven version by Audi so I'm hoping the engine won't suffer from oil pump failure for a good 50,000 miles.

Which brings me round to my question, anything you can think of that I can do or get my garage to do to keep on top of the mechanicals?

Many thanks for any replies.

Edited by 993kimbo on Sunday 18th October 16:15

[RammyMP]

Check in the service book, that’ll say what intervals things need doing (or the recommended durations). The brake fluid for instance needs changing every 2 years.

[RammyMP]

Looks in decent nick by the way. What engine is it? Some of the petrol engines of that era got through a fair bit of oil, it may need checking regularly.

[993kimbo]

Thanks very much. It's the 2.0 turbo diesel CVT auto with 140 bhp. Doesn't seem to use any oil (at the moment), I'm impressed with the power of this little lump, had an E Class 320cdi Merc estate before this and there's not an awful in it although of course the Merc was heavier.
Service book doesn't seem to detail that much on individual services.

Edited by 993kimbo on Sunday 18th October 10:52

[Jimmy No Hands]

I think some of the early CVT's had a habit of lunching themselves. I had a later MY10 A6 and the box was supposed to be much more robust, but even then I think the recommended gearbox oil change intervals are 45k. It has to be preheated and injected into the box, I got a local garage to do it for about £200.

Looks a nice example!

[NGRhodes]

Lovely colour, I have a B7 Avant 2.5 v6 TDi in grey, yours looks nicer.
Not many standard ones about, most people change the wheels at a bare minimum, I think they are a classy station wagon as standard.
Notice yours is the SE like mine, but you have the excellent optional leather.

The 2.0TDi is known to have a weakness with the oil pump drive, which is a hex bar driven from the slave balancer shaft. You can get uprated bars or convert the oil pump to a chain drive, probably worth checking/doing if you plan on keeping the car as if they go, you get no warning until the engine fails.

EGRs are known to clog on these models and throw engine codes, running on decent derv (not supermarket) can help as well as Italian tune ups, otherwise be prepared to remove/clean.

Rear wiper motors are prone to leaking and filling with water, they are a very standard part, often as low as £30 new on ebay.

Apart from that they just need good general maintenance, if you are handy with a spanner, there are lots of niggles that can arise that are easy DIY fixes on the drive.

Well worth investing in a VAG specific code reader IMHO.

[pidsy]

Can you recommend a reader?

I’ve got a b6 avant with some issues.

[993kimbo]

NGRhodes said:

The 2.0TDi is known to have a weakness with the oil pump drive, which is a hex bar driven from the slave balancer shaft. You can get uprated bars or convert the oil pump to a chain drive, probably worth checking/doing if you plan on keeping the car as if they go, you get no warning until the engine fails.

EGRs are known to clog on these models and throw engine codes, running on decent derv (not supermarket) can help as well as Italian tune ups, otherwise be prepared to remove/clean.

Thanks for this, as mentioned mine was fitted with the gear driven system in 2010 and hopefully the bar was uprated to the 100mm version at the same time. No way of knowing of course unless removing the sump.

Is there a Super diesel? And worth using? I've never heard of that. But I have heard of the Italian tune-up...

[LFB531]

And I know you've read about it but DO sort those scuttle bungs out if you've not looked already, that can cause all kinds of heartache.

I swapped my original Concert radio/CD out this weekend, even using the dedicated loom, that caused a bit of head scratching (BOSE equipped) but all sorted now. I went single DIN DAB with a pocket beneath using a replacement fascia kit.

(2006 B7/170 Q Avant)

[Jimmy No Hands]

pidsy said:

Can you recommend a reader?

I’ve got a b6 avant with some issues.

Get a VCDS cable from the Bay. Will work with VCDS Lite (it's free) Few quid, I use mine regularly. Recently to turn down the interior alarm sensitivity because it was tripping due to window blinds.

[RammyMP]

993kimbo said:

Thanks for this, as mentioned mine was fitted with the gear driven system in 2010 and hopefully the bar was uprated to the 100mm version at the same time. No way of knowing of course unless removing the sump.

Is there a Super diesel? And worth using? I've never heard of that. But I have heard of the Italian tune-up...

I had a 2005 A3 with the same engine, it may be coincidence but after the only time I used Super Diesel the car through a warning light, it was the EGR valve. My mate had the same car as me at the time and his did the same. From memory it was a fairly cheap fix.

[NGRhodes]

993kimbo said:

NGRhodes said:

The 2.0TDi is known to have a weakness with the oil pump drive, which is a hex bar driven from the slave balancer shaft. You can get uprated bars or convert the oil pump to a chain drive, probably worth checking/doing if you plan on keeping the car as if they go, you get no warning until the engine fails.

EGRs are known to clog on these models and throw engine codes, running on decent derv (not supermarket) can help as well as Italian tune ups, otherwise be prepared to remove/clean.

Thanks for this, as mentioned mine was fitted with the gear driven system in 2010 and hopefully the bar was uprated to the 100mm version at the same time. No way of knowing of course unless removing the sump.

Is there a Super diesel? And worth using? I've never heard of that. But I have heard of the Italian tune-up...

There's Vpower Derv from Shell that has a good reputation in terms of super-diesel, this does not boost power, but has a powerful additive pack.
Main thing I was advised by 2 different guys who clean injectors for a living was to avoid supermarket fuel as it does not have enough additives to keep the injectors clean over the life of an engine.

If your after a power boost what does work (and plenty of research to prove) is cetane booster - 2EHN is cracking stuff and gives a power gain on any derv engine (unlike octane boosters which have limited effect on many petrol engines), I use the Maximus from https://www.hydra-fueladditives.com/ (also available via eBay/Amazon) - works out less than half the price of paying extra for V power. Millers do decent stuff also Eco Max, but not as good value at shelf price (but good when on offer).

[pidsy]

Jimmy No Hands said:

pidsy said:

Can you recommend a reader?

I’ve got a b6 avant with some issues.

Get a VCDS cable from the Bay. Will work with VCDS Lite (it's free) Few quid, I use mine regularly. Recently to turn down the interior alarm sensitivity because it was tripping due to window blinds.

Thanks.

[SebringMan]

993kimbo said:

Thanks for this, as mentioned mine was fitted with the gear driven system in 2010 and hopefully the bar was uprated to the 100mm version at the same time. No way of knowing of course unless removing the sump.

Is there a Super diesel? And worth using? I've never heard of that. But I have heard of the Italian tune-up...

I'd be tempted to pull it off.

It bit my friend months after buying the car.

The worst part? He had just fitted a turbo which now of course is scrap.

Nice cars these .

[993kimbo]

Any idea what year and spec your friend’s car was? Do you know if his pump was chain or gear driven? It’s such a grey area all this. I’m learning stuff every day. Most not good.