Bought a duff 'n'... :o/ Long post warning!

[hiltoa]

Hi there - just bought a 2000 A4 Avant 1.8T quattro sport, with a FASH (10k oil changes though - seems too long to me), 1 doctor owner from new and 80,000 miles on the clock. Seemed a good buy at the time - no problems obvious on the test drive.
However...

The car was a fair distance from where I live, so bringing it home involved a fair motorway run, at the end of which I was slightly disappointed to be presented with the low oil pressure warning once i was off the motorway.

I parked up at home after nursing it home the last mile or so, checked the oil which if anything seemed overfull, and went inside to look closely at the history. All looked well apart from the 10k service interval, in fact it had been serviced only 700miles since.

I went back out after an hour or so, and started the car up. No warnings, no tappet rattle - all seemed ok. Took it for a run (not on motorway) and did a good 12 miles, enough for everything to warm up again, and got no sign of the warning light.

Returned feeling slightly better, presuming the pickup is starting to accumulate carbon deposits from unsympathetic turbo use. Unfortunately the next day I had to go on the motorway again, and lo and behold, after driving at town speeds for 10 mins, then stopping in traffic, on comes the oil light, bizarrely just by the local Audi dealership.

I parked up pronto, and had a chat with the very helpful service manager (Huddersfield Audi - good impression made!) and was advised to call the dealership that serviced the car. (He tried for me but couldn't get through).

Got through to them later after getting home with the obligatory warning a few hundred yards from my house and found out that the car has had lots of money spent on it over the last 6 months, but they weren't aware of an oil pressure issue. It is however due its cambelt doing, and the clutch has not long for this world.

Guess I'm going to be busy learning my way around an A4, as my 'new' car sits in my garage awaiting much TLC, and my 'old' Audi 80 stands in for the young upstart!

So, after subjecting you good people to my novella, my first queries are:

Is it worth changing the oil feed to the turbo? - I've heard that there is an updated design to alleviate clogging, or is that just for the US?

Has anyone btdt with changing the oil pickup (or does it just need a good clean?)

Will an engine flush be enough to remove any cack floating around in there, or is there more I need to do?

Any recommendations on the clutch front, while I'm in there? I'm intending to modify the output (when the engine's fit ), to the maximum without touching internals, what's that figure likely to be (250ish?), and what's the best clutch to get in there now?

Also there seems to be a bit of transmission noise - is this normal with quattro, and made more obvious by the quietness of the car, or am I best having it looked at? The Bose stereo drowns it out easily enough, but it concerns me none the less...

The Bentley manual is on it's way from the US, and I think VAG-COM is impending. I'm feeling a bit like: just now...

 

[Broken Byzan]

I believe there to be an "issue " with oil pumps failing on some 1.8ts, could be that, especially if the car was serviced regularily

 

[icenutter]

Not sure about your specific questions, but the oil sludge issues on the 1.8T engine are caused by not using the correct oils and not changing regularly, mostly in the states where they are a little behind the times. If the oil has been changed correctly then this by itself isnt a problem. I suppose a flush with flushing oil and re-fill wouldn't do any harm though.

I have read about oil pumps failing, so that could be causing the oil pressure issues.

Clutchwise i'm sure a google will turn up some possibilites. I know that in the 1.9 tdi engine a golf VR6 clutch fits straight in.

 

[PaulJC84]

Just wanted to say welcome.

Sorry to hear about the car causing you these troubles!!

Hope its all sorted soon. Maybe you could find someone who has a VAG.com in your area to help you out a little.

Greig or Tim may be able to aid you with the clutch as they have BT.

 

[lewiswlawrence]

A friend had the same issue with a 1.8T A4, checked oil and all was well. He ignored the warning lights and drove it regardless assuming a duff pressure switch. He ended up with a knackered crankshaft and massive cost to repair. Best to take a looked at things, it could be as simple as an oil supply problem/sludge issue.

 

[lewiswlawrence]

Reading your other threads on this issue it seems that sludge build up is a common problem with these engines. I am pretty sure that was the issue with my friends one, he did lots of short journeys. A possible solution would be to run some engine flush and change the oil, certainly a cheap thing to try.

 

[hiltoa]

Thanks for the replies, guys!

I'm intending upping the power eventually, and want a strong base engine, so I'll get in there and put in a fresh oil pump and pickup, after a reyt good flushing!

I assume the previous owner did indeed make short trips, being a Dr, maybe house to house calls? I'll be putting fresh Synta in every 5k from now on.

A Vag.com connector is on it's way, as is the Bentley manual.

Soupie69, excuse me being thick, but what is BT (big torque?)

 

[docurley]

Soupie69, excuse me being thick, but what is BT (big torque?)

BT = Big Turbo.

You wanted to know what power the 1.8T will handle before you need internals, well the engine can take up to 350bhp but most would say around 330bhp would be the safest bet.

A chip in your car should see around 210-220bhp no probs and then after that your need a BT to gain any real power from her after that.

 

[madvw]

From reading around, to get a safe 330, you'd need to change the rods and pins, only the shells are good for that. Max otherwise would be about 280-290 at a push, and thats only really if you have an earlier 1.8T with the stronger but heavier rods.

 

[hiltoa]

So if I bung a K04 on it, FMIC and get a remap by MRC, I should see a reliable 250bhp?
I bought the A4 instead of a late S2 (230bhp), so I'm after the 50bhp I sacrificed for a newer car...
I guess that would put me on while I save up for internals, so I can go S4 chasing...

 

[docurley]

All the 1.8T's as I understand will handel the 300bhp mark quite well from all the forums I have read.

If your going K04 then follow the TT setup to take fulll advantage of the K04.

 

[ZeroK66]

Hiya mate,

So sorry to hear of your troubles. Nothing worse... Get a GENUINE Audi oil pump but get it fitted by a specialist. Get them to give the car a once over. Dont rush to do the clutch... have a look at it when it starts giving you trouble.

I looked at getting a 1.8T for ages, eventually went with an S4, but there is a lot of talk about of some good upgrades, and for 4-5k you should get a reliable 300BHP - enough for some good fun - sadly not S4 chasing, well maybe a standard one . You may be able to challenge a few v8 S4's as they are quite heavy!

Hope all comes right and the car gives you many hours of driving pleasure once all is sorted!

Keep us posted

L

 

[hiltoa]

Thanks for all the replies, looking like a good forum!
ZeroK66 - I'm intending doing all work on the car myself, would you not recommend this? (I'm a pretty competent spannerman, with a fair amount of experience with VAG stuff under my belt, from servicing humble 1050cc polos, to completely re-wiring a VR6...)
Oil pump will be ordered from Martyn at VAGparts along with any other gubbins required...

 

[Donald_MacIver]

I had the same problem on my old A4 1.8T, with the oil pressure light coming on. Have you tried accellerating the car away when the light comes on, and it should go off. It maybe a faulty oil pressure switch. I had to have the oil pump and pickup replaced in my car, but my car had done 147,000 miles, but had the full service history, and regular oil changes. Changing the oil pump made a huge difference though, but make sure you flush out the engine and use a high quality sinthetic oil from now on. Hope you get it sorted.

 

[hiltoa]

Cheers, Donald. It's a periodical warning on the computer rather than a flashing warning light, and i kept the revs between 2k and 3k to maintain pressure until I could stop. This appeared to stop the computer from reminding me my engine was toast. At some point I intend replacing my ashtray with an oil pressure gauge, boost gauge, and a lambda monitor. Got used to having a quick reference to oil pressure in my old porsche 924s and my current 80 avant. Feel blind without one in the A4.
To all, is Quantum Synta good enough quality to trust to last 5000 hard miles?

 

[ZeroK66]

I wouldnt suggest accelerating when the oil pressure warning comes on

If you are able to do work yourself - great!! The 1.8t gives you stacks of room in the engine bay... so if you just look at the cost of parts you will be onto a winner!

Anyone got a link to the GT28RS thread that was on here a while back - it could help our new friend out with figuring out what he needs for his turbo upgrade at a later date.

 

[Daveiow]

theres quite a few if u stick it the search!

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=20623&highlight=GT28RS