Allroad 2.7 t with LPG long list of probs

[Coops1]

Hi all, This is my first post and wanted any advise please. This is my first Audi and I must say WOW. But I did buy the car cheap as has a few probs which I am working my way through. The intercooler inlet Y pipe was split and causing the car to drive like a kangaroo but now replaced this with a £27 Audi part. Just ordered new discs and pads all round and some NGK PFR6Q plugs. Now for your help... The air suspention goes down very quickly and the pump is very noisy so ordered up a pump refresh kit from the chap on here. The front seems to go down first so going to get under it with some soapy water, will this work? Next The car seams to misfire every now and then (more noticeable at 70+) could this be the plugs? Oil change will follow and was going to go with a 5W40 as the car has 140K on a 51 plate? I also only have the one key, any ideas where to get another cut and programed without paying the premium Audi prices? I am in Hatfield, just north of London. Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

[kid-jensen]

Welcome to the Forum.

You can't really do anything to these cars without VCDS on a Laptop and a diiagnostic lead. This would be your first move before throwing parts at it.

In my experience, plugs only cause subtle misfires, not big ones, but I'mm happy to accept that they can. Without a diagnostic scan, you're in the dark.

A good splash-round with the soapy water should reveal the leaks on the suspension bags. It normally is worse on the lowest setting (which is most difficult to get to of course). The pump is noisy because ut's been working too hard compensating for the leak(s). You'll be pleased to know that your dampers will be way past the end of their life and are "reassuringly expensive".

Oil viscosity is not that important in this country but you must have the proper VW/Audi 501.XXX (or whatever) spec for your rngine, you're asking for trouble otherwise.

The cheapest option for a replacement key is to get a used key fob from ebay (just make sure the frequency, printed inside, is the same). Then buy a blank key from Ebay and get it cut in the high street. Get the key programmed to the immobiliser. This may be possible in the high street, but more likely an Auto electrician will need to do it.. The only one I know is in Redhill, which doesn't really help you. Finally, programme the fob to the car as per the procedure in the Handbook.

Apart from all the above, they are great cars compared to the diesels, quiet, civilised, comfortable, chuckable and a lot of fun to drive (if they are perfoming 100%).

Just be carefull at that mileage, you're right on the figure where a cambelt change is required...

[Coops1]

Thanks for the head up. I have been looking at the cambelt and how to do it. My plans are to get it all stripped down my self then call a friend who is a mobile mechanic and get him to do the belt for me (save loads on cost hopefully. Got under the car today and fount a leak in the back of the nearside front bag. Just found a new one on ebay for £158, are they easy to change and do I need any special tools? been chatting to the pump kit guy over ebay as well, what a bloody nice helpful guy! Also when under the car found an oil leak on the same side as the damaged bag (N/S) so another problem to add to the list but not investigated that one yet, any ideas or common issues over there? Thanks again Ricky

[Coops1]

I am having a friend come over at the weekend to plug the car in and see if there are any errors. Just a thought on the misfire, two people have said to me plugs and coil packs. I have the plugs on order but the coil packs come in lots of different KWs, what size MIGHT I need if it turns out to be these?

[kid-jensen]

Oil leaks seem to be a fact of life for these engines. If it's coming from the back of the heads, it's most likely the cam half-round seals and/or the com cover gaskets or possibly the plastic plugs in the same area that have got slack due to temperature cycling.

If the leak does come from this area, and it's not too serious, I'd think about living with it, It's a regular occurrence and will almost certainly come back..

One of the posts on the American forum put it best "congratulations, you have just purchased the most maintenance-hungry engine ever made!".

They have obviously never experienced an Alfa!

Good find on the ebay suspension bag though, that's the cheapest I've seen. Probably worth checking that they are made by Arnott, (it will say "made in USA" somewhere.....there's some suspect copies around.

When doing the cam-belt, check if the thermostat is in the same area.. If it is and easily accessible, replace it whilst it's in bits, it's good insurance.

[Coops1]

Thanks for the info Kid-Jenson, The bag had been changed in the past and was not the std Arnott one and the bag I put on it was Arnott and managed to get it for £145 cash in the end so very happy with that. Changed it today and all went ok ish but managed to snap off the top strut bold grrrr. Car is all back together now though and suspension is great and will get the car to a garage to have this fixed. Can anyone tell me if this bolt goes all the way through and has the nut on the other side, holding on both the alloy top braces? Also is this ball joint set up a clamp setup or a half moon in the ball-joint and the bold feeds through it?

[kid-jensen]

It's a long bolt that goes right through.

Managed to snap the head off my bolt, so I then undid the nut on the other end and loaded up the bolt with a few greasy washers. re-tightened the nut and it pulled the remains of the bolt out...

Guess I was just lucky.

For the future, you can grind half the diameter of the bolt away with a thin grinding disk in a Dremmel (the suspension arms will receive some "collateral damage", but nothing serious) and the bolt will then snap at the Dremmel cut, meaning you only have half a bolt to extract from each arm....much easier.

[Coops1]

Thanks Kid-Jenson, that's great news. I will do this my self then and save a few ££ on the garage bill. Every bloody bolt under there has been done up with a scaffold par and imposable to undo. It didn't undo at all and just snapped off about 4mm inside so there will still be flat part without thread in there I would imagine? If it goes all the way through I will just drill it out a bit and then unwind it with two nuts on the other end. Thanks again for your help. Ricky

[bagpipingandy]

give the 2 pinch gaps a wire brush and soak WD40 or similar and try the nut to pull it out the wrong way 1st, mine came out this way as Kid-jenson's, the bolt eventually needs cut as it will not come out due to the limited room but if it moves just a little it will come out ok, DO NOT SEPERATE THE GAP, you could break the casting lugs off doing this, heat or drilling the bolt will be your only way if its stuck, heat is the answer but then it can damage the top arms .

regards

Andy

[Coops1]

Well finally managed to get it out. I drilled it with a 4mm then worked my way up to a 7mm, lots of heat and used the nut and several washers to pull it through the other end. I did cook one of the top arms which then didn't want to come out but I got there in the end with a very big hammer ;-) Many thanks for all your help. Next job was the refurb on the suspension pump lol well after fiddling around for about an hr I worked out what needed unplugging ext got it out and the back plate fell off (rivets had rotten through). So cleaned that up ready to re rivet then got to work on the torch nuts. Again these were stuck fast so lost we40 and even more heat. Got one out and then yes the other one snapped. Tomorrow i will be drilling that one out and either tapping it or putting a nut and bolt through it. Is anything east on these bloody cars? After this then I will be moving onto plugs and brakes all round, any pitfalls I should be prepared for there?