Broken Down!

[Duffelcoat]

Hi

I really appreciate everyone's input, spoke to mechanic this morning and he is looking this week, he has tested fuel pump and that was okay...

I won't speculate more at the mo as I do have confidence in him and he has been very good to me in the past.

Re the Haynes manual, it isn't an AAN specific manual, and is just the normal one, but I don't let little details like that put me off!!!

TBH I only have it for the common bits rather than engine stuff etc.

Will update when I know some more! I do have another car to drive in the meantime and I don't need a car day to day mostly, so can survive without a vehicle, so no major hurry with it!

[Thecrispynoodle]

It is possible to achieve a reasonable compromise. I use a garage for 'heavy' jobs e.g. Suspension because I don't have sufficient tooling or space to complete the work in a reasonable time frame. All general running and fault finding issues i now investigate myself, as I basically came to the conclusion that I was better at it than garages who dont have the time to trawl forums and faq's tracing common faults on 'obsolete' older models no matter how much you are prepared to pay them. Also I found perversely that they were giving the oldest cars (and which theoretically needed the most experienced mechanics) to the youngest staff to 'learn on', which meant I might as well be doing it myself.

[UrS4boy]

Hi.I really appreciate everyone's input, spoke to mechanic this morning and he is looking this week, he has tested fuel pump and that was okay...!

If the fuel pump is prepared to work, i.e. tests out fine when bypassing the fuel pump relay, then you have to think two things:

1. Missing crank position sensor: http://forums.quattroworld.com/s4s6/msgs/51259.phtml

Here is how you check (remove the G4 and G28 sensors from the intake side of the engine (near the flywheel/trans)



2. Failed Cam position sensor - can be tested by connecting a 2 GBP LED between Pins 2/3 and 3/3 (should blink during cranking with the starter) http://forums.quattroworld.com/s4s6/msgs/22580.phtml

[macspring]

It is possible to achieve a reasonable compromise. I use a garage for 'heavy' jobs e.g. Suspension because I don't have sufficient tooling or space to complete the work in a reasonable time frame. All general running and fault finding issues i now investigate myself, as I basically came to the conclusion that I was better at it than garages who dont have the time to trawl forums and faq's tracing common faults on 'obsolete' older models no matter how much you are prepared to pay them. Also I found perversely that they were giving the oldest cars (and which theoretically needed the most experienced mechanics) to the youngest staff to 'learn on', which meant I might as well be doing it myself.

I wouldn't disagree with your logic.

[macspring]

Duffel, is there anyone on here who is near you and knows more than you?

Might be worth a chat over a beer, for now and for pleasure in the future.

Your mechanical confidence will grow once you have more knowledge gleaned from this forum, doesn't mean you have to do the work yourself, but at least you'll understand what the mechanic is saying !

And as Dave says, it'll be on the Christmas exam.

Hey Dave, what about a fault diagnosis / part identification from photos quiz for Christmas for the know it alls on here ?

waits for final diagnosis of Duffel's fault.

[Duffelcoat]

Being a clueless numpty, I am here also with the

[Duffelcoat]

Not really an update, I know no more...

But I am going to see the mechanic to discuss the car on Saturday, hopefully I find out what's wrong with it then and what I need to do to fix it and what else it needs to restore it and then go from there...

[Thecrispynoodle]

Self help

Not really an update, I know no more...

But I am going to see the mechanic to discuss the car on Saturday, hopefully I find out what's wrong with it then and what I need to do to fix it and what else it needs to restore it and then go from there...

In my experience it's a dangerous game leaving a non-running car at a garage for extended periods. You'll lose interest, the garage will lose interest, eventually they will want the space back and the car will suffer in the long run. There are very few proffessional specialist mechanics who know these cars inside out, so expect to travel to find them. The collective knowledge of the people on this forum (and Quattroworld UrS forum) vastly outweighs what you will get from even an audi specialist, simply because they don't see these cars very often, whereas we have being dealing with them day in day out for years. Whatever is stopping your car from running has 99% likely happened to someone else on the forum(s). Someone on this forum, has had the same probłem and knows how to fix it. You've got to be prepared to get your hands dirty from time to time if you are serious about keeping this car, man you've even got a donor vehicle to cannibalise!!! Having £9k to spend on the car won't go very far if you have to pay labour rates on every job. Save it for the mechanically complex things that a garage can do in a 10th of the time it would take you because they have better tools, like pressing bushings out etc. Suggest you start a fresh 'non-start' post with just the facts, what you were doing when it stopped, what happened next, what you have done so far that hasn't worked etc, and let people walk through the troubleshooting steps. Also be very aware you are not going to end up with a £12k car after you have thrown £9k at it. This is not a financial investment, it's a passion. Sure if you compare it to depreciation on an equivalent spec new car then it might look better value, but what you get back is an old vehicle which you can have a great feeling about because you stopped it from being stripped and sold for parts, which sadly is the most financially attractive thing to do with these cars now and many are going that way. Rant over.

[macspring]

In my experience it's a dangerous game leaving a non-running car at a garage for extended periods. You'll lose interest, the garage will lose interest, eventually they will want the space back and the car will suffer in the long run. There are very few proffessional specialist mechanics who know these cars inside out, so expect to travel to find them. The collective knowledge of the people on this forum (and Quattroworld UrS forum) vastly outweighs what you will get from even an audi specialist, simply because they don't see these cars very often, whereas we have being dealing with them day in day out for years. Whatever is stopping your car from running has 99% likely happened to someone else on the forum(s). Someone on this forum, has had the same probłem and knows how to fix it. You've got to be prepared to get your hands dirty from time to time if you are serious about keeping this car, man you've even got a donor vehicle to cannibalise!!! Having £9k to spend on the car won't go very far if you have to pay labour rates on every job. Save it for the mechanically complex things that a garage can do in a 10th of the time it would take you because they have better tools, like pressing bushings out etc. Suggest you start a fresh 'non-start' post with just the facts, what you were doing when it stopped, what happened next, what you have done so far that hasn't worked etc, and let people walk through the troubleshooting steps. Also be very aware you are not going to end up with a £12k car after you have thrown £9k at it. This is not a financial investment, it's a passion. Sure if you compare it to depreciation on an equivalent spec new car then it might look better value, but what you get back is an old vehicle which you can have a great feeling about because you stopped it from being stripped and sold for parts, which sadly is the most financially attractive thing to do with these cars now and many are going that way. Rant over.

No disrespect to Mr. Duffel, but Mr. Crispy has encapsulated what I was also thinking pretty accurately.

These cars now require an addicted owner, anything less and it'll be a short term relationship without a happy ending.

[rynaqui]

No disrespect to Mr. Duffel, but Mr. Crispy has encapsulated what I was also thinking pretty accurately.

These cars now require an addicted owner, anything less and it'll be a short term relationship without a happy ending.

In the words of my mechanics and my father.."You could have bought a new car with what you're spending". But I don't want a new car

[Duffelcoat]

In my experience it's a dangerous game leaving a non-running car at a garage for extended periods. You'll lose interest, the garage will lose interest, eventually they will want the space back and the car will suffer in the long run. There are very few proffessional specialist mechanics who know these cars inside out, so expect to travel to find them. The collective knowledge of the people on this forum (and Quattroworld UrS forum) vastly outweighs what you will get from even an audi specialist, simply because they don't see these cars very often, whereas we have being dealing with them day in day out for years. Whatever is stopping your car from running has 99% likely happened to someone else on the forum(s). Someone on this forum, has had the same probłem and knows how to fix it. You've got to be prepared to get your hands dirty from time to time if you are serious about keeping this car, man you've even got a donor vehicle to cannibalise!!! Having £9k to spend on the car won't go very far if you have to pay labour rates on every job. Save it for the mechanically complex things that a garage can do in a 10th of the time it would take you because they have better tools, like pressing bushings out etc. Suggest you start a fresh 'non-start' post with just the facts, what you were doing when it stopped, what happened next, what you have done so far that hasn't worked etc, and let people walk through the troubleshooting steps. Also be very aware you are not going to end up with a £12k car after you have thrown £9k at it. This is not a financial investment, it's a passion. Sure if you compare it to depreciation on an equivalent spec new car then it might look better value, but what you get back is an old vehicle which you can have a great feeling about because you stopped it from being stripped and sold for parts, which sadly is the most financially attractive thing to do with these cars now and many are going that way. Rant over.

Its a good post and made with good points.

I think I have made my decision re the car, but am waiting until after Saturday before deciding 100%

I know which paths I need to take now and will be choosing shortly

[macspring]

Its a good post and made with good points.

I think I have made my decision re the car, but am waiting until after Saturday before deciding 100%

I know which paths I need to take now and will be choosing shortly

Any update.

No pressure.

[newsh]

Try to get the car to White Cottage Quattros in Slinfold near Horsham Sussex, Pete Berry will fix it for you.

[macspring]

Try to get the car to White Cottage Quattros in Slinfold near Horsham Sussex, Pete Berry will fix it for you.

Agreed, shouldn't be too hard for him, it's worth more running, either way.

Your mood will change once it is running again.

Wanted to burn mine a number of times.

Turned out my limp mode problem, which was cracking me up was a loose vacuum hose at boost gauge T piece at the ECU. Pushed it on tight, and fitted a small zip tie and it's perfect ever since.

Changed the brake servo and the starter, and that cured the brakes and the non starting issue. All three issues were overlapping, which tests one's mettle.

Am working my way through my silver urS6 Avant. The car never saw copper grease. Hit myself in the nose with a slipped breaker bar, and then the front arb hit it again, both times dislodging my septem again. With kids and cars, my nose is having a rough time.

HTH one way or the other.

[Duffelcoat]

Try to get the car to White Cottage Quattros in Slinfold near Horsham Sussex, Pete Berry will fix it for you.

Could do with someone closer, but I don't know anyone down this way, would rather it go to a specialist, but it is a fair hassle and expense getting non running car(s) a long way...

Re the doing it myself, I would really want to do this, I think this is the answer, but I am very nervous about it. If I **** it up it isn't bad in that I don't need a car day to day, but the time and lack of experience and tools is not in my favour...

I have some space, not a lot, but this is a not complete show stopper. I have a garage also, but it is not big enough to have a car in and work on the car.