Project Giant :: urS4 avant

Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:02 am

havering i need one with air con, and newish, found heaps dont know which to go for!

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:29 am

bought one from gav20v, its nearly new so that helps, waiting for it to arrive and get rid of the noise!!!

Latest issue, handbrake sticking on. The handbrake is lose no tension at all and the rear right calliper is locked on. How do I tell if its handbrake cable or calliper?

Cable is cheap, is it worth trying to clean/rebuild the rear caliper

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 12:00 pm

i've just had this with my t4 van mate, the n/s/r caliper locked on monday morning. i thought it was just frozen, took it to my mates garage for investigation.
the caliper is on its way out on mine, checked all the cables they're fine. plus my mate is an mot tester so he did a brake test on it, n/s/r would fail if it was being tested.
Leaving the van in gear at the mo until i have some cash to get a new caliper. From GSF through my mates garage its £57 plus the dreaded which isnt too bad. i rang them seperately and asked for club discount and it came out at £68 plus VAT. Both prices included sending the old caliper back to GSF
Conclusion, useful that my best mate runs his own garage!

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 12:40 pm

identical to me, pal owns a garage abut 50 miles away, and I got a quote for the clutch for my 90, he was miles cheaper from the same supplier. Volume i guess i know he spends £50k+ / anum with GSF.

My only problem is i WANT to learn the art of spanner, but its easier with Nogins and Boyc (mate) of the world about.

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:19 pm

Yeah i know that to be the case. I do get hands on with some things, plus it is a hell of a lot easier in my mates workshop using the ramp and his extensive toolbox! Wink

Whether its the caliper or cable, using a ramp makes it easier! Laughing

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:20 pm

update:

Went to see KnightRider on Saturday with SmithS2 for a hello and fit an alternator i bought the other week. Not an easy job as the pulley bolts were rounded, however biggest bummer of the lot is the alternator bought is squealling as well.

Steve reckons the clutch is OK and its the slave cylinder thats at fault, so there is a potentially big saving.

Having hated the boost gauge i got the reason for it as well, it gives a live reading of the actual boost. although the digital gauge read up to 2.4 at the weekend the actually reading was 15psi, just over 1 bar of boost. So i have a leak or something somewhere.

Headlights are APPAULING, only noticed the inside was fogged up so dried them out with a hair dryer and improved matters, but still bad.

I have done some damage to the suspension hitting a pothole fairly hard, lower arms might be out of line but the offside CV joint is certainly buggered and the Drivers side ball joint is also in need of replacement. After that i will get the car aligned. The tramlining is hellish from time to time.

On the whole the urS4 is good, big, comfy, and invaluable the past 8 weeks as we have had only a few days without snow where the BMW comes out of hibernation, a glimpse of white stuff and its static again.

Under rated cars these barges. I am stock piling for a big overhaul on the old dear. the front wings were slightly blistered and have got worse with the cold weather so I will have to tend to those soon as well before it gets expensive.

UltraUser Joined: Jan 30, 2003 Posts: 1743

hmm...thats very odd. The alternator i sent was 100% definitely not squeeling when i took if off. It was quiet as a mouse and was perfect

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:40 pm

looking into it gav, it was quiet on the first crank for 10 seconds or so, then stopped it and we put the covers on, then started a squeal getting progressively louder/ more frequent, took covers off, still squealling. Steve dosed it (altenator pulley) with WD40 and it did shut up for about 30 minutes then returned to a mouse on speed mode... On Steves recommendation I tried the belts bypassing the alternator on Sunday and all was quiet and then tried it on the alternator and it was squealling, albeit not as loud as it was on Saturday. Trying to identify that the noise is 100% from the alternator, which at the moment its looking very like it, more importantly see if i can fix it without outlay.

HOWEVER, I used some finish line lithium grease (use it on headsets and bottom brackets, last for years) on the shaft of the alternator applied with a piece of card to get in the space between the pulley and the body, cleaned it up then popped the belt back on. It sqealled for about 5 seconds and has been quiet since, took it for a 30 minute drive on sunday and an extended run to work today, 2 hours of drive time and its still quiet. I will see how it goes throughout the week.

and a new problem...
digital boost guage reads 1.0, the live analogue gauge is reading 0. Even driving and revving the readings dont move, so i guess the line from the engine to the ecu has come off/ burst or otherwise... any suggestions?

Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:43 am

easy fix, obvious when opening the bonnet. Moisture trap hose was clean off.

I would have looked last night but it was snowing and dark! Alternator still quiet.

Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 2:08 pm

update: 9 hours of running and no squeaks at all. the lithium grease seems to have done the trick. Maybe just that few days of being exposed to the air dried it enough? Pass i am not 100% sure to be honest.

I dont know if you get it for car stuff, but the bike stuff looks like this. Its usually RED/ GREEN. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=5959

Thats one more thing off the list of things to do. next most irritating thing is going to be the clifford alarm. Oh I hate it with a passion, makes a horrid noise when you walk near it as well, plus seems to operate and random opening sequence, usually never opens when you want it to. I would rather go back to the simple, press button to open, press button to close. Job done!!!

The pillar boost gauge much as i hate it, gives a live reading and thus useful, digital gauge hits 2.2-2.3 bar easily but the live shows 15psi with a shaky needle. which equates to 1.0-1.1 bar at most. So i certainly have a least somewhere...

The tracking is still very wobbly, but new CV joint and track rod end should cure that. more to the list. but gettgn the need to get this car back in order too... but i am not forgetting about the 90... both cars are such great sleepers, i love the understated-ness of each of these cars. if they ran o fresh air it would be an ideal garage!

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 4:55 pm

hey dude, whats up with the 90? took a strole the other day and saw it outside erics, not ben round for a while so a little rusty as to the goings on lol, (purpously been keeping low key and as a result i saved 900 to spend on the avant)
hope all is well

Trigger

Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:48 pm

oh dont worry its gettign some Nogsport treatment, I am not in a huge hurry for the car so my slot is for April. Hopefully aquiring a full longlife system for it as well. Suspension rebuild and engine running sorted.

http://www.audifans.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=24930

I havent forgotten about it, like you just building up cash to get it done, Nogin need holiday money so he wil need to get it done Wink

The urS4 is a great beastie, does everything very well, but i really want the 90 as my toy. Odd choice for a toy but thats my sort of weird.

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 6:39 pm

update 23rd Feb 2010::

Lost a lot of fluid on Friday night, and eventually concluded it was PAS fluid after it went all heavy and the (!) came on. Sure enough once i had some light its was spraying PAS fluid from the serp belt area. I asked (thanks Rev-Head) on what might be the problem and the X plug on top was a main culprit so with fresh hope i cleaned up the pump, refilled with G002000 and it kept leaking but there was a film around the main bearing behind the pullet with it dripping onto the pulley itself. To top it off the pump it rattling bad as well so i have assumed its goosed.

Reconditioned pump looks like the way forward, I began the removal process in my drive last night, my hands were freezing, i checked the temp... -11°C.. not funny. So went to try again in the morning, same story with yet more snow forecast on top of the snow we already have i opted to put it to the garage and at least get a lone car as the only remaining car is a BMW... thus useless in snow.

Will be another week i would say, but estimating £100-200 for the pump reconditioning. Also get the exhaust clamp tightened, took a knock on a speed hump at the hospital last week. And replace the offside CV joint. *censored*.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:06 am

update 10th March 2010::

I put the car to firstdrive in stonehaven who once again pulled a blinder. Dropped the car off on a Tuesday afternoon, collected the 180k golf 1Z estate discourtest car, i love it refuses to break and does 60mpg everywhere. They use a place dowwn south to recondition rebuild the PAS pumps. I called on Friday to see if they had word back on the pump.. the car was ready! So the PAS pump was off, been to englandshire, new internals, couriered back up and fitted on Friday morning. Impressive. Biull was £150+ labour. Quite happy given i was being quoted £350 for a new PAS pump from the usual sources.

They also replaced the offside CV boot as it was hanging off, was slightly split last time i saw it but explains the noise i have from the front suspect the joint is shot.

So whats new?
The SCREETCH is back. Depressing it arrived a week after i got the car back. I did the same trick with the lithium grease and, it has not worked. One for you all to give me some answers on. It i use a tin of WD40 with the straw and point it directly at the shaft of the alternator it shuts up instantly. So I took tension of the tensioners put the serp belt on the other side of the alternator. start it up, noise still there. What the f**k! Short of taking the front of the car off anyone have any ideas? It sounds horrific and is driving me nuts.

I have had a nearly new Alternator fitted and a reconditioned PAS pump in the past two months and she is still SCREETCHING its one of those noises that turns every head in a street. cant hear it inside but its bad/loud outside.

Powerwise i have the opposite to Yodaboy. feels slow off the mark and up to cruising speed but in 4/5/6th plant the foot and away she goes. Boost is odd some days 4th at 30 and watch the boost, digital and live read 1-1.1 at maximum then try the same again a few milkes later it will hit 1.4-1.5. Doesnt seem as ferocious at 3000rpm as it used to but it does pull well from 4500rpm. Perhaps i am just used to it now but it does feel down on power.

Biggest surprise yesterday was behind a new Jag XKR. He blasted off a roundabout i joined, so i decided to persue. Car in front of him pulled in at 50, his car squatted smoke fro the exhaust so i engaged 4th and did the same. i expected to see him disappear into the horizon. But nope, mathced it which shocked me as much as it shocked him! And then pass at the next junction going screetch, screetch, screetch!

other niggles:
Headlights are dire... I am going for an HID upgrade when money permits.

On the other projects i nearly bought a SS system for the 90 then the PAS pump failed, great.

188300 miles on the clock now.

Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:21 am

oh and clifford alarms... are they all that bad? I really want it OUT

Site Moderator Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 9144

Clifford alarms can be hit or miss. the one in the 90q died a horrible death before I tried to start it for the first time 4 years ago.

Did me a favour because while it worked, it used to throw a wobbler all the time that Elliot had it.

Sure the screeching noise isn't the water pump

Posted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 1:35 pm

The clifford is a miss for me, if i am working late (usual my neighbour is on nights then sods law the alarm decides it needs to make itself hear and adds loud pips to the setting sequence. too many irritations to list but its pish...

the noise... i really need the front off to diagnose this. could it be the belt itself

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 3:09 pm

update :: March 15th

Spent a day in Crieff with RevHead (Steve) just going through a list of stuff i will need! Thanks Steve.

lower hose below turbo had splatters of oil and gunk so took it off to check for leaks etc, it wasnt ideal but reseated and new U vclamp fitted.

I took the MAF and airbox off, no screens either side of the MAF. Then revealed the air filter which was sodden with water/oil. Totally un-usable.

Cleaned out the airbox, put on a spare filter from Steve then reassembled. Got a spare screen from Steve and shoved the old MAF back in, i carefully cleaned it as much as i could but it was dirty.

Found a breather which had been spitting oil between the bulkhead and block. So replaced the small short section of rubber jointing pipe.

Plugs and coils./ Opening that up looked like a vintage piece of footage. number 3 bank coil boot is shagged and oily. number 3 plug also loose. so tightened back up. 2 other boots stuck solid in situ and plugs not in too great a state.

Screetching. yes it still sounds horrid. Removed the tensioner quick start no noise! So it is from the serp belt somewhere for sure. Took tensioner off, cleaned pulley, regreased and reinstalled. no squeak! Horray!!!

Handbrake barely works, will tighten that up on mates ramp but also rear callipers are sticking mroe often than not with the hand brake on.

The more i think about it, the performance has never been quite as good since i hit standing water way back in late November. The MAF perhaps got zapped then, the economy has dropped off significantly in the past few months. I was getting 26-27 now down to 22-23. So i am pinning a lot on the this being a majot fault.

Shopping list:
coil boots - £100+ from Audi!!! sourced a set from a group buy on s2forum for £25 delivered which is great.

Belt Tensioner sourced a new spare for £10 from raymor the chap who built the engine Bez has, awaiting delivery.

New Serp Belt sourced from GSF £9

tail gate struts feels like the glass will exlode it just drops, so bought a new set from GSF, £15/ea is dear but cheaper than a new window.

MAF will try out a spare first before I buy one on a whim.

brake fluid looks ancient. So will change over for some good stuff, i read 5.1 is what to go for any more on that anyone?

rear calipers they stick on endlessly, i need a new set I have the S6 upgrade and recommendations, hoping beerbelly has an answer to this Smile

cough...

wings looks like i may have found a set from an L reg avant for breaking. I am being picky and want a clean OEM set. If i can a front & rear bumper may need replaced in time.

All in a good day, like going to Nogin's I learnt a lot, good to be around such knowledgable folk.

I have been invited on a track day at the end of April and i am now commited to going. Looks quite like the S4 will be there, i have a spare set of wheels and tyres for the day. but suspect i will need pads as well... going to get a bit of instruction as well. And for cq20v, sepctators allowed, I can pick you up enroute if you like.

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:25 pm

I'll make sure I have batteries for my camera Very Happy

I always used Lucas DOT 5.1 fluid as it was great - did a couple of track days with the CQ20V and never had any fade. Used it in the S2 and it's also in Titan. However, LSUK now bust so stuck for a source but I have always found 5.1 good.

Wings - are S4 wings not flared slightly? Will std Avant wings be the same? Just a thought Confused

Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:36 pm

Correct S4 wings are flared thus 100/A6 wont do sadly. Hadrian do S4 replica wings in non galv. The 90 front wings are non OEM and lasted what 4 years before crumbling away like cheese!

LOL i am with you on the batteries front. Can sort out before hand but your enroute anyway Smile

Thanks for the Brake Fluid tip, bugger on LSUK going bust!!! Any other recommendations for 5.1 fluid?

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 11:54 am

update: 5th April
Having busted the front bumper on icebergs in the drive with last weeks mad spurt of snow I sourced a new bumper for the car, problem its 150 miles away. So On saturday morngin brimming with confidence i set about trying to fix it. And subsequently did, with many self tapping screws using a few sheets of 1.2mm steel behind. this is a short term fix until the new bumper goes on.

I also changed the serpentine belt, the old one was very exlastic band linke and flexible then new one very rigid. I also changed the tensioner over as well and fire it up... no more squeak! Phew...

Next i changed over the coil boots, one was utterly shot, cleaned and put it all back together.

Then set about changing the offside headlights, both are shot. the metal housing behind the dipped bead has detached/melted through the body. they were like that when i bought it and the car came with a speare set of lights. So I changed these over to discover fairly quickly a lot of tabs were missing. So i bodged using again some 1.2mm steel and made some same sized brackets with opped these into place.

Waited till night fall, these are miles better and adjust about right, will take to MOT garage tonight and set them up on the light machine. The other light needs changed as well but its also got buggered tabs. So i need to source a new set of headlights to finally nail this.

Last buit not least, i removed and fitted new tail gate struts, how something so minor makes sucha difference. Drove the car to work late to get a goot test drive. it feels much better, my imagination? Maybe but happy all the same, perhaps the coil boot was costing me somewhere?

Next before the 21st i need to get the rear callipers and handbrake sorted, brake fluid changed over and if i can the tracking corrected.

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 12:24 pm

you going for projector lamps and HID's when you finally change for "new" ?

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 12:27 pm

they are all projectors (i beleive) but i will go down the HID route eventually, dilema is do i try the cheap ebay jobs at £30 (mate has them in his RS2 no problem. I know Jas swears by the UK firm but they are clost to £200 which if I do that will bemuch further down the list at that price! Although the "new" old light is 2/3x better than what i currently have...

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 5:29 pm

You def. won't regret getting HID's, best thing I ever got for mine, 6000k kit.

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:04 pm

my car has just been in the garage and i need a fair few things. So my trackday is now off...

front track rod ends are on the way out, i expected that, i didnt expect the wheel bearing to be screwed. All these are readily available from GSF/Euro so no problem there.

problem bits;

Rear track rod end adjusters, 4 total two inboard two outboard. both siezed solid. what are these called?! - hopefully sourced SH from knightriderS2. If new where from!!!

Rear callipers, both f**ked, options here, customcraft pointed out by beerbelly look good. But have a fair old wait. Also some porsche ones FS here but this will be a big bill so i am looking less likely for those at this point in time, however prices seem favourable. I can get SH from knightriderS2, if his are decent. Eurocarparts do exhchange pagid units which i am not massively keen on esp at near £200 EACH!

Rear brake hoses, can source OEM replacement. But at 190k i Do think some braided hoses might be more suitable and give a bit more braking power. I have found these from the S6 2.2T http://www.brake-lines.co.uk/audi-a6...ake-lines.html. Do you think these would fit, i am guessing yes as i have an S6 2.2T brake setup.

Rear Wishbone bushes, are shot as well but not urgent but will need done for MOT. Contemplated Polybushes but cant find anywhere for love not money. Any suggestions?

cq20v, sorry track day is now off, unless i take wifes car?!

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 5:06 pm

No worries Istoo - there will be others Wink

Hope you get your car sorted mate. Smile

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:38 pm

You said this price before. Not sure where you are getting £200 from??
Half it, then add a tenner postage.

I'll be popping an H1 kit in the A6 tomorrow after work.
Can't be doing with candle power.

Jase..
Wink

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:44 pm

Kinda given up on finding a set of Projectors for the 80 at a sensible price so thinking of getting a H4 kit. Do miss the HID's

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 10:08 pm

it came up with £200 last time, unless i got it wrong, quite possible. although i have sourced a set of these exact same units SH from an ex urs4 owner Smile

Its the bloody healight cluster which i cant seem to get fixed... put a spare set in and the tabs are shagged near impossible to get them right.

Owen, a bit depressed by it all was really loking forward to this, catch you some other time soon i hope.

Concur on the projectors i looked for months fo rhte 90 and the same conclusion was hundreds of pounds.

Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2010 10:14 pm

How about buying a set of slimline ballasts from eBay for £50 or whatever, and then getting a pair of 6000k or 4300k bulbs in the correct fitment for £20 ish.

You'd have a good set of reliable HIDs frm a UK supplier for sensible money then.