Finally, an S3!

[Keefy]

Hi all!

After 3 years of fannying around with an A3 TQS, I've sold up and got myself a nice facelift S3 with 45k on the clock. Impressed with it overall but got a couple of things that need sorting.
Firstly, the drivers side interior map light bulb seems to have gone - I assume the bulb is cheap as chips but does anyone have any experience of changing these?
Second, temp gauge is inconsistent - thinking it's the stat and/or sender - any ideas how much this might cost to sort?
Lastly, I get a bizarre low whistling when idling from cold start. It doesn't vary with revs and goes away once the engine is warm. Pretty sure it's not the power steering. Some kind of warm-up cycle perhaps?? I'm stumped.

Anyway, loving the S3 so far, just wanting to iron out these few things and drive it!

 

[finesse]

Excellent buy! Post up some pictures.

Could be a thermostat or coolant temp sender issue. I had the same problem and it was sorted by changing the thermostat. £21 from Audi, don't use non genuine.

Fitting of a thermostat varies, £90-£180 or

DIY

Easier way
http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?p=16925102

Hard way

 

[Keefy]

Excellent buy! Post up some pictures.

Could be a thermostat or coolant temp sender issue. I had the same problem and it was sorted by changing the thermostat. £21 from Audi, don't use non genuine.

Fitting of a thermostat varies, £90-£180 or

DIY

http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?p=16925102http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?p=16925102

:icon_thumright: Cheers! Might attempt it myself, but TBH, I'm not that much of a mechanic. Will post some pics when I've had chance to wash it tonight or tomorrow

 

[Welly]

Lastly, I get a bizarre low whistling when idling from cold start. It doesn't vary with revs and goes away once the engine is warm. Pretty sure it's not the power steering. Some kind of warm-up cycle perhaps?? I'm stumped.

That would be the secondary air injection system...If it sounds like a dyson under your bonnet....

It pumps warm air into the head on cold start to make the cats warm up quicker - cats are inefficient when cold.

It's an emissions thing.

Don't worry about that.

 

[JD09]

Bulb change is easy as well chap, simple flat screwdriver to the rear of the unit to pull/slot it out. The bulbs are (from memory) in twist-able holders and pop out. Think they are 501 w5w bulbs (wedge type like sidelights/side repeaters) but not 100% on that so will await someone to confirm.

Or just do it, have a look, pop to Halfrauds/eBay and order up

 

[JD09]

This is a guide for the ambient lighting mod, but use the first parts as your guide to removing the light module;

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=47404d59d06d662661d4646c62b381cbe04e75f6e8ebb871

 

[Mattjbradbury]

Temp problem could also be water pump. Loads on this forum about faulty temp gauges and the usual suspect is the water pump. Being 45k miles the cam belt probably hasnt' been changed and as the water pump usually is changed with the cam belt this could be your prob.... How much did you pay for 45k S3 out of interest if its not rude to ask!

 

[JD09]

Bets in gents; 10k

 

[Keefy]

That would be the secondary air injection system...If it sounds like a dyson under your bonnet....

It pumps warm air into the head on cold start to make the cats warm up quicker - cats are inefficient when cold.

It's an emissions thing.

Don't worry about that.

Hmm. Sounds a bit like a vacumm cleaner i guess, but more weak and burbly, if you get what I mean?! Thanks for the heads up though.

Bulb change is easy as well chap, simple flat screwdriver to the rear of the unit to pull/slot it out. The bulbs are (from memory) in twist-able holders and pop out. Think they are 501 w5w bulbs (wedge type like sidelights/side repeaters) but not 100% on that so will await someone to confirm.

Or just do it, have a look, pop to Halfrauds/eBay and order up

Nice one, thanks! This forum's great!

 

[mk1chopper]

If the temp gauge is acting erratic then temp sender, if the temperature rises but never gets upto 90 then id say thermostat.

 

[Keefy]

Temp problem could also be water pump. Loads on this forum about faulty temp gauges and the usual suspect is the water pump. Being 45k miles the cam belt probably hasnt' been changed and as the water pump usually is changed with the cam belt this could be your prob.... How much did you pay for 45k S3 out of interest if its not rude to ask!

Hmm. I hope it's not the water pump! Cambelt and tensioner were done at 39k, not sure if the pump was done at the same time - will check the receipts.

As far as how much the car was - I did get a bit of a bargain - quite a bit less than the 10k posited by JD09

 

[JD09]

Good man then!

As said above, post up some piccies chap.

 

[Mattjbradbury]

Yeah, check to see if you can see if the waterpump was done too. They don't generally change the waterpump unless you tell them to and they can cause problems. Might be worth changing the thermostat if your doing it yourself at £21 and you've won't have lost much if it doesn't fix the problem....

Sounds like a good deal. What year is the car? 02?

 

[Keefy]

Thanks for the advice people - most grateful. Will whack some pics up asap.

With regards to the the whine / burble on cold idle, are people in general agreement with Welly that it's the secondary air injection and nothing to worry about? Never had anything like it on my previous A3TQS...

@Mattjbradbury: It's a 2001 210bhp facelift. Was going to hold out for a BAM but it's not often an S3 with 1 owner and 45k comes along.

 

[JD09]

They remap to the same figures, so well in, good buy. Colour?

I get a whine when cold as well. No issues with mine (touches wood).

 

[Keefy]

They remap to the same figures, so well in, good buy. Colour?

I get a whine when cold as well. No issues with mine (touches wood).

It's a 2001 in Black - not the solid colour, more metallic. Not sure about remapping - heard great things about the added punch, but also scary tales of bent rods. Tempted to keep it completely standard, but considering spacers and perhaps some 18"s.

 

[wibble111]

If the temp gauge is acting erratic then temp sender, if the temperature rises but never gets upto 90 then id say thermostat.

but sat in traffic the temp will/may still rise up to a normal 90 ish

 

[wibble111]

I get a whine when cold as well. No issues with mine (touches wood).

I get a whine noise from mine when started from cold but only if the heaters come on straight away but its gone after a few seconds anyway, i just turn off the heaters for the first few miles anyway, mine seems to run ok too (touches the same wood)

 

[s3gav]

good buy sounds like you got a bargain mate
had mine chipped 4 yrs mate not had any probs with mine engine wise, cars done 98k now

 

[JD09]

It's a 2001 in Black - not the solid colour, more metallic. Not sure about remapping - heard great things about the added punch, but also scary tales of bent rods. Tempted to keep it completely standard, but considering spacers and perhaps some 18"s.

All forums and cars will have horror stories. It's sieving through the rubbish to listen and read the real life info.

18s and spacers are on my list, along the same though process of as standard as possible.

 

[finesse]

I'd say 70% of the people on here have "remaps" , scare stories are a rarity!

 

[finesse]

ps

Part number

Thermostat
050 121 113 C

O Ring
038 121 119 B

 

[DJ_Troopa]

Keefy, here are the bulbs for the interior roof lights:

The 2 big lights are 42mm festoon bulbs and the smaller map lights are called 'ba9s' bulbs. Search 'ba9s' in Ebay and you'll find lots on there!

Put a flat head screwdriver on the edge of the plastic of the whole unit and prize it down so it starts to pop off. Don't put the flathead all the way in there, just get the edge of it as its 2 pieces. You just want the outer face to pop off. Just pull from around the edges and when it starts coming off just tug here and there and it comes off. Don't worry you won't break it! I've done it a million times now lol.


Jay

 

[sportstractor]

comon, tell us how much you paid, I reckon about 7800????? am i warm?

get a remap, they are pretty wet without one

 

[JD09]

Cheers for clearing that up Jay.

 

[Keefy]

comon, tell us how much you paid, I reckon about 7800????? am i warm?

get a remap, they are pretty wet without one

Pretty much bang on - £7700, with a private plate that I'll probably sell on.

 

[s3_kev]

That would be the secondary air injection system...If it sounds like a dyson under your bonnet....

It pumps warm air into the head on cold start to make the cats warm up quicker - cats are inefficient when cold.

It's an emissions thing.

Don't worry about that.

have to agree here sounds to me like secondary air pump also especilly with your more in depth description, the pump may have started to creep apart this happened to my freinds leon we just put a longer screw through it to close the gap back up now all good again, otherwise just leave it you wont get any issues from a noisey pump

Temp problem could also be water pump. Loads on this forum about faulty temp gauges and the usual suspect is the water pump. Being 45k miles the cam belt probably hasnt' been changed and as the water pump usually is changed with the cam belt this could be your prob.... How much did you pay for 45k S3 out of interest if its not rude to ask!

water pumps can go on these but its also a much rarer problem then the thermostat fault. definantly do the stat as first port of call cheapest option and 90% the cause of the problem.

 

[s3 Hoggy]

thinking it's the stat and/or sender - any ideas how much this might cost to sort?

I had mine done last week at a local vag specialist and it was just less then £100 mate nothing major,

Matt

 

[Keefy]

I had mine done last week at a local vag specialist and it was just less then £100 mate nothing major,

Matt

Good to know, cheers. Will probably just buy the parts and get a local Bristol VAG garage to fit. I'm no mechanic and would pay a bit for the piece of mind that it's all fitted right.

 

[wibble111]

Good to know, cheers. Will probably just buy the parts and get a local Bristol VAG garage to fit. I'm no mechanic and would pay a bit for the piece of mind that it's all fitted right.

I did mine myself using the guide finesse's linked to, i'm no mechanic and managed to do it ok but with a bit of swearing on the lower bolt, stat and seal about £25 IIRC and the satisfaction/enjoyment of doing it myself.

 

[Keefy]

I did mine myself using the guide finesse's linked to, i'm no mechanic and managed to do it ok but with a bit of swearing on the lower bolt, stat and seal about £25 IIRC and the satisfaction/enjoyment of doing it myself.

Fair point. May give it a go if I'm feeling practical!