Audi A6 3.0 tdi problems....

[karl922]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 30 March 2013 at 17:46

[karl922]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 30 March 2013 at 17:46

[karl922]

any excuse for photos

[HannsG]

Le Man's edition?

I am looking to buy one this month....very nice looking car!

[Dr G]

There's a flap in the heater system that can fail on A6s causing the hot/cold symptoms you describe.

When did the car last have a fuel filter? Glow plugs a possibility at that age (will log a fault code) but equally it's the right age for injector problems. If you leave it hot idling for a while then accelarate away does it smoke? Does the exhaust smell strongly?

Looks like an S-Line with 20s to me

[Silverbullet767]

Your blue smoke.

That'll be the injectors. I have a similar vintage A6 3.0TDi.

Audi wanted £2500 to replace them, I managed to negotiate for £1200

I now have the other common fault. Inlet manifolds. That'll be £1300 from Audi, or £700 off the 'bay with a few other bits and bobs.

I also have the hot and cold thing. more common faults include ceasing wiper linkage.

Mine is now at 135000 miles (I've done 80000 in it since I bought it) so I'd like to think I have now had most of the common faults.

[shtu]

Depending on the specific problem with the manifolds, these may be an option.

(Available from dealer for less than this)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-VW-2-7TDI-or-3-0TDI...

[Silverbullet767]

shtu said:

Depending on the specific problem with the manifolds, these may be an option.

(Available from dealer for less than this)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-VW-2-7TDI-or-3-0TDI...

Thanks for that link! That is exactly the problem I'm having. The little ball joint has popped off and it's whirring about when the ignition is switched on.

Have you used one of these kits before? And if so, how easy was it? The standard haynes manual difficulty scale will do, I think I'm about a 3 spanner.

[blueg33]

Looks much like mine which is def a Le Mans



Daytona Grey

[karl922]

hi guys,

cheers for your replies, no im afraid its not the lemans version, its the S Line with 20" RS alloys, its got bose and sat nav, not sure what the lemans has over mine apart from the badge if im honest.

i guess i had better get it plugged into the vag thing to check, fingers crossed its the glow plugs as the injectors sound a killer...

To be honest wish i had never bought an Audi, last 2 japanese cars have been ultra reliable and this constantly has problems.

Not sure on the smoke from pull off, ill have to check.

Cheers guys

[chris1972]

karl922 said:

Hi guys,

On a cold start up it takes slightly longer to start, ie. 3 secs instead of 2 secs, once fired up it slightly wobbles the car and the revs are slightly bouncing around idle. It sounds as if it is missfiring possibly. After a couple of seconds it seems fine and back to normal. While doing this a puff of blue/white smelly smoke appears out of the exhaust and after about 5 seconds dissapears.

If i switch off and leave a couple of hours it starts fine, its just when its stood over night it happens. Im thinking glow plugs but ive heard dreaded stories of expensive injectors. Any help with these problems will result in a free virtual beer :-)

If its on start-up then it is glow plugs. The diesel works on heat and compression, no spark. The glow plugs are instrumental for cold starting. Get them changed soonish as there have been stories of badly deteriorated glow plugs breaking-up and finding their way into the engine, which will be expensive. If this doesn't resolve matters, speak to a local Bosch specialist and ask him to perform a leak-off test on the injectors. You may find that he will replace single injectors as opposed to all six. I had this done on my old E39 diesel. I wouldn't trust a main dealer for the diagnosis. As to where you want to get the work done (main dealer/ specialist), that's your call.

You can prevent a lot of fuelling issues by avoiding supermarket fuels and regularly using Redex.

[karl922]

Hi Chris, thanks for that mate really helpful. Ill get it into the garage at the end of the month (if it lasts)
I have a tendancy to get mugged by garages so will be chosing wisely.

it seems 100% fine when its warmed up then restarted, even if the engine doesnt get upto normal operating temperature and you switch off and restart it is fine.

[Gunner Bill]

Slow start and smoke seems very likely to be the glow plugs. It won't take much temp in the engine to cure the problem once it's been running a few minutes.

[chris1972]

karl922 said:

Hi Chris, thanks for that mate really helpful. Ill get it into the garage at the end of the month (if it lasts)
I have a tendancy to get mugged by garages so will be chosing wisely.

it seems 100% fine when its warmed up then restarted, even if the engine doesnt get upto normal operating temperature and you switch off and restart it is fine.

No problem. Certainly sounds like glow plugs. The local BMW dealer tried to charge me £1750 for an injector and the overhaul of the high pressure pump on my old E39 a couple of years back. I took it to a local Bosch specialist and he did the whole lot for £550. Each main dealership is different though and they are necessary to diagnose some more complexed issues. Glow plugs aren't to expensive.

[karl922]

happy days, fingers crossed this will be the issue and not the injectors.
Put my mind at ease a little, cheers guys :-)

[shtu]

Silverbullet767 said:

Thanks for that link! That is exactly the problem I'm having. The little ball joint has popped off and it's whirring about when the ignition is switched on.

Have you used one of these kits before? And if so, how easy was it? The standard haynes manual difficulty scale will do, I think I'm about a 3 spanner.

Not myself but I'm about to so I've had a look. Bit fiddly for access but nothing too painful. Bear in mind that this is only a fix for wear in the arm ot pivot shown, if there are motor or internal manifold problems this wont fix them.

I'll say it again, these bits are a LOT cheaper (50% ish) at an Audi dealer.

[Silverbullet767]

chris1972 said:

If its on start-up then it is glow plugs.

Ahh so that's what that is, I have that problem too

Common faults, gotta catch 'em all. I'll do all 6 just to be sure, they're not that expensive anyway. £65 from eurocarparts.

[chris1972]

Silverbullet767 said:

Ahh so that's what that is, I have that problem too

Common faults, gotta catch 'em all. I'll do all 6 just to be sure, they're not that expensive anyway. £65 from eurocarparts.

I had mine done at the local specialist. I only had one faulty on diagnostics, but replaced all six. Cost me around £100 fitted. Has been fine since.

I'm not too keen on fettling with the Audi and leave it to the specialists. The TVR on the other hand, now that was made for tinkering!

[Silverbullet767]

shtu said:

Silverbullet767 said:

Thanks for that link! That is exactly the problem I'm having. The little ball joint has popped off and it's whirring about when the ignition is switched on.

Have you used one of these kits before? And if so, how easy was it? The standard haynes manual difficulty scale will do, I think I'm about a 3 spanner.

Not myself but I'm about to so I've had a look. Bit fiddly for access but nothing too painful. Bear in mind that this is only a fix for wear in the arm ot pivot shown, if there are motor or internal manifold problems this wont fix them.

I'll say it again, these bits are a LOT cheaper (50% ish) at an Audi dealer.

Now that's weird, Audi told me that they don't do these parts separately, and I would have to buy the whole manifold. If you know of the Audi part no. then I would love to know! I ordered 2 sets last night from the ebay link, but I'll send them back unopened if I can get them direct from Audi.

[shtu]

Try 059 198 212, "Repair set for intake manifold"

Apparently these appeared on EPC in late 2012.