Latest Problem - Oil Leak

[AL_B]

Late last week, noticed a small patch of oil on the floor of the garage. Passenger side of the car.

So had a look around underneath the car, and oil was dripping of the bottom of the control arm etc. Not p#ssing out, but about a drip a second, type of thing.

So I immediately contacted the dealer and booked the car in. Its been with them today.

You will not believe this. But what they think has happened is a metal power steering pipe (think there are two) has rubbed on the gearbox casing causing a small hole. So the car is leaking gearbox oil!!

So a new gearbox casing has to be ordered and then fitted. I've no idea of how much yet, but luckily I bought the Mondial warranty last year. Dealer thinks it should be covered, fingers crossed.

To drive, the gear box has felt fine. No more notchy than normal.

So it may be worth you checking that your power steering pipes are well clear of your gearbox.

Also, if they have to remove the gearbox, do you think its worth getting the flywheel & clutch done? Not that I have money to just burn away.

AL

 

[madvw]

tough choice on the fly wheel and clutch.

I guess you could ask them to see what they're like when its been seperated...

if you do, your going to save £700 labour...

 

[Khufu]

would imply that the power steering pipe is made of a tougher material than the gearbox???

You not having a lot of luck at the moment AL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[AL_B]

Yeah I know.

Strange. I said they must be made of pretty strong rubber, thats when he said no, they are metal. Need to check the parts CD to see what he's on about.

AL

 

[imported_monkeytrousers]

[ QUOTE ]
Also, if they have to remove the gearbox, do you think its worth getting the flywheel & clutch done? Not that I have money to just burn away.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi mate,

If you're planning a remap (I think you are) then might be worth getting an uprated clutch now. Remember mine went 3 months after the remap and cost nearly a grand, mainly labour costs.

 

[god_thats_quick]

They are sure it's not leaking power steering oil arn't they? (sorry just I have serious issues with garages)

The lines for the power steering fluid are mostly metal but they shouldn't have been able to rub on the gearbox IMO (unless something else is wrong).

Good luck getting it sorted whatever it is and let us know how you get on. PS... when I had the new engine I got a new clutch as the parts are only a few hundred quid so depending on bill it's kind of not worth not getting done if that makes sense.

 

[imported_fingermouse]

i had a leak on my S3 gearbox when I got it, dealer sorted it and when I picked it up they said unfortunatly they couldn`t get a gearbox housing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif so they had fitted a whole new gearbox for free /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Mo-S3]

Hi Al, to be honest that seems way too strange, the PAS pipes are made of aluminium where as the gearbox casing is cast hence i believe should be much stronger. If the pipes have been rubbing against the casing then the pipes would have more than likely given way first !
Have they shown you the hole in the gearbox?

Seeing as the gearbox is already off then you are right in thinking of getting the clutch and maybe flywheel changed too.

I can get you a good price on a Fidanza flywheel.
Let me know.
good luck

 

[DuncS3]

Al, I had my slave cylinder changed under warranty last year so I got the dealer to fit a new clutch (car had done 35k miles I think) - It cost me £200 - I'm sure my clutch was fine as I never ever drop the clutch on getaways etc but figured while they were there...so I would defo recommend getting the clutch done as Mo says

Dunc

 

[DuncS3]

oh and it was defo oil? - not the PAS pipe leaking as that isn't completely unheard of

Dunc

 

[AL_B]

Thanks for the advice lads.

I will get them to double check it isn't the power steering pipes leaking. It does sound weird how pipes can wear through a gear-box housing. They have to send pics to the warranty company any how, so I have asked for copies.

I will also ask for a quote on the clutch and maybe flywheel. Still not sure what to do. But understand it would be cheaper to do now, than later.

Thanks for the offer MO, but I think I'll keep standard, just for future re-sale reasons.

Cheers

AL

 

[Mo-S3]

Clutch Kit 1.8T S3 APY,AMK,BAM 3000.951.216 £75.55

Dual Mass Flywheel 1.8T Quattro inc S3 415.0111.10.£POA
from HERE
keep us informed mate

 

[AL_B]

I got these prices from JBS Auto Designs a while ago...

OEM:
£463.89 for flywheel (OEM) (545.07 inc VAT)
£77.85 clutch
£77.07 presure plate
£32.00 release bearing

= 650.81
+ VAT
= 764.70 inc VAT


So flywheels are quite expensive. So may just do the clutch.

AL

 

[nervus]

Thans bad news AL. My S3 comes out of warranty in may and these stories just make me Nervous. I just checked and its £875 for an additional Audi warranty. Do the flywheels need replacing anyway? I cant remember any failures posted here but im usually incorrect. Most people have swapped the flywheel for performance gains i think.

 

[AL_B]

Hi nervous,

Its for this reason I took a big gulp of air and paid the dosh (£875) for the warranty.

There have been a couple of flywheel problems that people have reported over the last 4 years I have had my S3. But only two I know about.

My car, clutch, flywheel and gearbox all feel fine. Flywheels are ****** expensive, even OEM ones. So there is no way I am replacing it, unless absolutely necessary. They are going to inspect the clutch and see if its worth replacing.

How many miles has yours done nervous?

AL

 

[nervus]

Mine has done 28,000 now but I don't think i can keep it and sleep tight without a warranty and im not paying that so it will be chopped in come may.

The cost of the Audi warranty speaks volumes about their confidence in the product. Things I expect to wrong in the next 2 years:

1. Headlights will fall the floor
2. Waterpump impellor will break
3. Window cables will snap
4. Clutch will fail.

Etc etc

 

[god_thats_quick]

Well Nervous my cars early 2000 done 76,000 miles and I've not had any of those problems! and none of those are that expensive to sort either!

 

[AL_B]

With regards to this gearbox problem. I don't think it would be a regular problem with other cars anyway.

What you may not know is my gearbox has been taken out before, to have the very common "2nd-3rd gear crunch" problem sorted. So they may not have secured the power steering pipes properly, hence they may have been rubbing for the best part of 3 years or more.

But MAF problems, DV problems, hesitation, cold running problems (Golf 1.8T) all makes me very cautious of ever buying another turbo charged Audi.

Yet, some folk, don't have any problems at all. Maybe a few of us are unlucky.

AL

 

[Mo-S3]

Your right, some people are very unlucky.

Have you got any pics of the damage?

The OEM flywheel is expensive whereas a Fidanza one i mentioned earlier is only £328+vat.

 

[AL_B]

Pics...they supposedly sent me them, but none received as yet.

I'll give the flywheel a miss I think. But thanks MO. Still a lot of money.

AL

 

[Mo-S3]

Yeah i agree not worth doing it at all unless your really a hard core driver.
Still seems weird how a pas pipe can wear into a gearbox.

 

[AL_B]

I do like my standing starts. But standard clutch has been fine.

Dealer has checked the clutch and in their judgement is it is fine and doesn't need replacing. They said clutches come with about 10mm of friction material on them, and mine isn't far off that 8-9mm. So plenty of life in it yet.

Price for the gearbox work so far....£1043+VAT. Not sure if thats labour and parts or just parts. Glad the warranty company is paying.

AL

 

[davidhodgkinson]

which dealer is this with? if it's hadwins, it took me about 6 months to get photos of my engine internals :-(

 

[AL_B]

Links Audi Macclesfield

 

[Mo-S3]

Al, has Link gone downhill since Hue left or is it still the same good service?? Ive not really been there in a long time.

 

[AL_B]

MO, Rich, Anyone,

Do you know who might supply ATE Super Blue brake fluid in the North West and whether they could get some to Links Audi Macclesfield pronto?

They have to bleed my clutch when putting the box back in, and the clutch uses the same fluid as my brakes....which means the nice ATE Super Blue that was put in not long ago is going to be replaced with the sh## Audi stuff.

Can anyone help?

MO,

Service. Not as good no, but not as bad as some dealers.

AL

 

[Mo-S3]

Sorry Al, not sure where to get ATE stuff from, but i think GSF and Euro car parts stock it. Have you tried Unipart as well?

Why not let them renew the brake fluid with Castrol 5.1? Easily available.

Any pics?? (no not of you the gearbox)

 

[AL_B]

Thanks MO.

They have had to put in their own fluid. Mainly because they use that big, pressurised brake/clutch fluid machine, which has a big canister of fluid on the side.

The good thing about the ATE Super Blue is its Dot 4, and so mixes fine with other stuff. If I understand correctly 5.1 wouldn't? Is that right?

Pics, I have asked them again, but none as yet.

The car is actually back together now, but Links have started to show their underlying excellent customer service is still there. There is a noise in 1st gear. The service manager was willing to let it out (not good), but the service chap I have been dealing with (Mark) insisted it should be right - as they know I'm tuned into this car and would spot the noise immediately.

So the box will have to come out again. Ah well.

AL

 

[AL_B]

Well, just thought I would close this one off - well kind of.

Car went in to Links Audi Macclesfield on the 5th April 2006 and I only got it back on 6th May 2006. It was a big job and a long story.

Summary...

They got the new casing, fitted it, but there was a rattle within the gearbox. Service manager wanted to release the car back to me, but service front-desk guy said I would not be happy, so gearbox came back out again.

Apparently went rebuilding the gearbox new shims (?) are needed. These were ordered and fitted. But due to the shims being new, and other gearbox parts being 4 years old, there was a mis-match in tolerances - causing the rattle. Also this job was done by someone who, lets say, wasn't the dealership expert in gearbox rebuilds. So some shims were pushed in too far as well.

Deep breath.

So had to wait for dealership gearbox expert to come in. He worked on the car. He also fell ill. There was Easter too. There was the matter of me ringing and running round the North West trying to get ATE Super Blue fluid.

So a long job. But the right guy did it in the end, and gearbox feels spot on. Brakes also feel good. Full alignment was done also, as subframe was removed etc. Hardly any adjustment needed. Whilst in there MoT was done, which the car breezed through.

But there were problems:-

1) There is now a metallic rasping / vibrating / resonating sound on over-run, 3400rpm as the revs fall. Been to dealers today, but car was not playing ball when they test drove the car. I think its exhaust / heat shield related.

2) All 3 engine covers had been scratched whilst the car was in their posession. Which I was not happy about. They are reluctantly replacing all covers. In fact very reluctantly, but I stood my ground. They were like new when the car went in, why should I receive them back damaged!

3) Underseal / Sill paint minor damage due to car being on car-lift thing for so long.

All-in-all, not the best experience I have had with Links I'm afraid. But on the main gearbox job, they do seem to have done a good one, finally.

AL

 

[Mo-S3]

What a nightmare Al. At least you have it back now and hopefully wont have to take it back for any serious work.
How much you out of pocket over this?

 

[AL_B]

Hi Mo,

No cost to me, as I extended the warranty last year (£875). The last time I asked, about the cost of the gearbox job, it was £1045. Not sure if that was inc or ex VAT. But because they had to remove the box again, order some more shims, also grind down some shims at a local engineering firm, re-fit, 4-wheel alignment etc. It must have ended up being much more than a grand.

But I tell you what, having driven a new A3 TDI Sport Sportback for 4 weeks, although a very nice car (and more solid chassis than my car), it was good to get back in the S3. For a 4 year old car, its still tight and feels solid. Oh, and quick and quiet in comparison to that 2.0TDI!!!

Cheers

AL