Marm's Motors: MOT day

[SiC]

On 25/11/2023 at 00:11, Marm Toastsmith said:

Then there’s the heater flaps to troubleshoot, they won’t provide any warm air on the drivers side windscreen, actually quite a pain in the arse, albeit classic VAG that I have to use an old tea towel to demist the windscreen.

Have you tried a reset and recalibration with VCDS on the climate control module? Won't do anything (apart give a code) if it's broken but if sat up for a while, it might have got a bit confused and need a reset on its end stops. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

Have you tried a reset and recalibration with VCDS on the climate control module? Won't do anything (apart give a code) if it's broken but if sat up for a while, it might have got a bit confused and need a reset on its end stops. 

Not yet, but an internet search has led me to the same conclusion (i.e. that it's worth a try before taking the dash apart).

 

 

I have at least managed to run a head cleaner through the cassette player - annoyingly the deck didn't like it much, constantly reversing direction while it ran, but it seems to have done the trick. Farty speaker aside, tapes sound great. It's so nice to have CD and tape in the same car - I've actually bought a bluetooth adapter for the stereo too that I'm yet to fit...

[AnnoyingPentium]

17 minutes ago, Marm Toastsmith said:

Farty speaker aside

Has the outer bit of the cone disintegrated on the speaker at all then? Seems to be what mine did. I've got a set of 17cm Pioneer speakers somewhere you could have if you fancy an upgrade.

[Marm Toastsmith]

1 hour ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

Has the outer bit of the cone disintegrated on the speaker at all then? Seems to be what mine did. I've got a set of 17cm Pioneer speakers somewhere you could have if you fancy an upgrade.

I expect so, haven’t investigated yet. That’s very kind of you, thank you. I’ll check it out and get in touch.

[AnnoyingPentium]

25 minutes ago, Marm Toastsmith said:

I expect so, haven’t investigated yet. That’s very kind of you, thank you. I’ll check it out and get in touch.

Good, that buys me time to figure out where I put the fuckers 😂

[Marm Toastsmith]

On 27/11/2023 at 19:44, AnnoyingPentium said:

Good, that buys me time to figure out where I put the fuckers 😂

Looks as if it's 13cm I need so you can leave them where they lie.

Clock picture for the numerologist shiters out there.

[AnnoyingPentium]

24 minutes ago, Marm Toastsmith said:

Looks as if it's 13cm I need so you can leave them where they lie.

Ideal as I haven't looked for them... 🤣

[Marm Toastsmith]

Washed it.

[Marm Toastsmith]

After miles of pleasant uneventful motoring (dodgy window demister and crap heater notwithstanding) averaging an impressive (for a 2.4 litre V6) 29 mpg.

Last Wednesday I paid a local garage to replace the CV joint mentioned on the MOT advisory. "Adolf" has repaid me by:

1. Continuing to make a clicking noise while turning right, or hard left.

2. Springing a leak from the exhaust flexi coupling leak.

3. Today, failing to start at all, having only fired up 5 minutes before.

Repeated attempts have resulted in the occasional splutter but it won't run. After cranking it over for an extended period the oil light came on to add insult to injury.

Best (uneducated) guess is one of the two coil packs has failed as it's firing a tiny bit but not enough to run. I'm thinking  that 3 cylinders are firing and 3 not. Smells a bit petrolly after cranking for a while so I'm assuming it's a lack of ignition rather than fuel. 

No (new) lights apart from the oil one (which came with an "!") but then the engine light is on anyway.

Tomorrow I'll charge the battery (drained it using the starter motor to move it back from where it was blocking the driveway), put the code reader on it, and see if I can work out how to check for a spark.

I think it must have heard me talking about @plasticvandan's Yaris Verso, which was already appealing as a less needy and even more practical replacement.

[SiC]

VAG coil packs are a known consumable item ...

I think this age will be the ones that failed often enough to make a watchdog episode. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

Battery is on charge. It had enough juice to turn the engine over this morning, again, a few coughs and splutters but it wouldn’t run.

Put the code reader on it. Only thing that’s come up is the O2 sensor, which has been showing for a while. Not sure whether “resistance too high” is new. Wouldn’t have thought it would stop the car starting, or would it?

What next? I guess check for a spark the old fashioned way?

[Dave_Q]

Coil packs are dumb and wouldn't show up via diagnostics unless through misfire detection while running, so yeah a spark check or a look at the plugs to see if one lot are soaked in fuel would be a good next step.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Ok, this doesn’t look brilliant. 

[Dave_Q]

The oil will be from the valve cover gasket. I think it's possible for there to be enough oil to interfere with the spark so you could start by trying to clean up the leads and plugs as much as possible 

[Dave_Q]

I used Febi valve cover gaskets on my S3 and previous A4, they seem to be pretty good quality. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/febi-bilstein-29619-gasket-cylinder/dp/B006DHYY2Y

I'm assuming that is a kit for both heads, but it's not very clear from the description or pictures. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

Hard to get a picture, but you can’t actually see the plugs there’s so much oil in there. It’s started raining so I’m going to have a cuppa and put some proper overalls on. I guess try and get a socket on the plug and pull it.

Explains the oil warning light I was getting… 

2 minutes ago, Dave_Q said:

I used Febi valve cover gaskets on my S3 and previous A4, they seem to be pretty good quality. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/febi-bilstein-29619-gasket-cylinder/dp/B006DHYY2Y

I'm assuming that is a kit for both heads, but it's not very clear from the description or pictures. 

Was it an ok job? Annoyingly there’s no HBOL for this engine…

[Dave_Q]

Yeah not too bad, the worst bit was getting the old bits of gasket off without it all going in the top end of the engine, they go very crusty. Oh and detaching elderly breather hoses without destroying them.

For the 1.8t the process was to add a thin bead of sealant too in these corners, so I would do that on yours too. 

I checked the ETKA and it lists the valve cover gasket part number twice, so I think you would need to buy 2 if you need to replace them both. 

https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a4+avant/a4/2001-223/1/103-103065/

[Marm Toastsmith]

Cool, I’ll have a go, but will probably tax the Micra too temporarily to take the pressure off!

I’m assuming it’s just the one side for now but I’ll pull a lead off the other side in a bit. 

Tea’s brewing, be nice if it stops raining! 

[Marm Toastsmith]

Good old "the internet"

https://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/306861/

[SiC]

Explains why a whole bank will have lost spark if all the coils on that side are sodden with oil. 

Presumably this is coil with lead rather than coil on plug looking at the photos. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

3 minutes ago, SiC said:

Explains why a whole bank will have lost spark if all the coils on that side are sodden with oil. 

Presumably this is coil with lead rather than coil on plug looking at the photos. 

Ah yes i think you're right. I'm more used to old fashioned coil/distributor/leads setup.

[Marm Toastsmith]

The leads on both sides are drenched in oil.

For some reason this has slightly taken the wind out of my sails, I'm now wondering whether I've done something silly or whether there's another problem. Seems odd that both sides would be so bad all of a sudden.

Maybe it's just that I've been driving the car more, and working it harder than my Dad did? Obviously it's partly neglect, an unspecified oil leak has been evident for some time and the plugs haven't been changed in years.

Before I get too far stuck in any thoughts on something I'm missing or something else underlying?

Edit: note oil warning light coming on while I was cranking it.

[SiC]

I can't help but think it might just be tired gaskets that have failed from heat/cool cycles. Has the oil level noticeably dropped?

VAG don't give warning on oil pressure unless the engine has been running for long enough. Turning over should be the same case where it thinks it's running. However I'd thought it would build enough pressure when cranking. 

Also don't discount an electrical glitch from extending cranking and low voltage. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

On 29/01/2024 at 12:28, SiC said:

I can't help but think it might just be tired gaskets that have failed from heat/cool cycles. Has the oil level noticeably dropped?

VAG don't give warning on oil pressure unless the engine has been running for long enough. Turning over should be the same case where it thinks it's running. However I'd thought it would build enough pressure when cranking. 

Also don't discount an electrical glitch from extending cranking and low voltage. 

Makes sense. Oil has needed regular top ups since I got it. I hadn’t noticed anything sudden but to tell the truth I haven’t been that on it. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

Decided to press the Micra back into service as I haven’t had time to do anything with the Audi. With an ill mother I’ve had lots of local running about to do and it’s the ideal car for that really.

Got it MOT’d today… clean pass… the tester says it’s one of the cleanest ones about.

Such a good little car, it’s the best £200 I’ve ever spent and really I mustn’t ever think about selling it again.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Had a go at the Audi today. As per @SiC's suggestion I decided just to clean up first before getting carried away with replacing valve cover gaskets. Used my new pela-style oil pump to clean out the old oil then cleaned up with some wd40. Some potato cam pics attached - before and after. Would have been a horrible job without the pump.

Unfortunately it still won't start - I think the oily leads were likely a red herring - they've probably been soaked for months/years. It's raining now and I CBA but if and when the sun comes out I'll start pulling plugs out and checking for a spark. At least now removing the plug won't fill the bore with dirty oil.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Having got the pump out I decided to drain the petrol tank on the Varadero. Tricky to get the pump  hose to the bottom of the tank but I removed a gallon and a half of dark, weak smelling fuel. The hoses that come with the Silverline pump are ridiculously short, so you have to lift it up off the ground to use it. Stupid. They’re also kinked from storage/transit so they don’t go where you want them to. Still, overall it’s a boon and fingers crossed the bike will run with some fresh fuel in it. The tank could probably do with a good clean out but that’s unlikely to happen soon.

While having a play I ran the pc50 up the street and back. True to form it started first kick, ran nice and then proceeded to leak fuel all over the place.

Tried the Audi again, it nearly went this time. 🤔

Am supposed to be gardening today. I want to tinker with bicycles now…

🤣

[SiC]

Does the Audi make any effort to fire with easy start?

[Marm Toastsmith]

It started this morning! Big cloud of smoke, I reckon it was probably flooded from repeated cranking without ignition.

Took it for a drive, running fine.

I had forgotten about the blowing exhaust flexi, it’s pretty bad. Also after I stopped noticed some warmish water dripping from the bulkhead area but fingers crossed it’s probably just accumulated rain water. Too clean to be coolant.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Audi cat has been replaced, and I've just ordered a set of rocker cover gaskets. I've not been using it much because I'm still a bit cross with it. Might take the old cat to a scrap metal place later, maybe that will be enough of a road trip to help me bond with it again...