Just bought 1999 B5 2.4 V6 - Some Questions!

[Hofmiester]

Firstly Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum but hoping to be spending some quality time here as I've just bought a V plate 2.4 V6 SE in Jasper Green.

In the past I've been a big part of the Corrado forum and the Briskoda forum but I recently sold by 56 plate 260bhp Octavia to raise cash for a new business :icon_thumright:

The A4 has done 76K and the first owner had it for 9 years from new but then it was sold to the second owner last year who basically didnt look after it much and so it needs a good clay bar session some new door trims and a few other odds and sods but its a nice clean car overall.

I'll get some pics up when I get chance.

Questions are:

• When changing gear in the morning (cold in Newcastle) the box is notchy but eases up after 5 mins. Anyone recomend changing the gearbox oil or adjusting the linkage?

• When releasing the clutch in first to change to second I often get a jerk from the drivetrain (clutch bite is high) like I'm learning to drive again. is this normal? feels like a knackered engine mount?

• I'm going to do a service myself this week, oil, oil filter, plugs, air filter. Is there any other recomeded part I should change (fuel filter for example)

• Any members out here in the North East? meets etc?

Cheers

Ron

 

[heymynameismark]

Hey, Ron

I'd be very tempted to change the g'box oil first before anything mechanical. Good practice too if you're unsure of the last time it was done.

I'd change the pollen filter whilst you're doing a service too

 

[aragorn]

I changed the oil in our box. Oil that came out (after 180k) wasnt really any different to the new stuff, and the box remained a bit notchey and a bit whiney afterwards! Might be worth a shot though.

The clutch problem could be the dual mass flywheel, or it could be engine/transmission mounts. The mounts are cheaper and easy to DIY, so i'd defo start there. The OE snub mount is rubbish, so i'd defo look at uprating that to a polyurethane item.

 

[Hofmiester]

Thanks guys.

I did think about DMF when checking over the car and it doesn't judder or have any real issues other than a high biting point (I'm told is normal for B5s) but the engine seems to move about, you can actually see the gearstick move when raising the clutch so I suspect an engine mount.

Need to get a Haynes manual as I dont know where the pollen filter is

 

[aragorn]

aye, does sound like the mounts.

I replaced all 5, not OEM, just from the motorfactors bar the snub which is an APR poly item, but it made a big difference.

Before, if you lifted off the throttle on the motorway for instance, you would feel the engine moving around, there would be a secondary jolt thru the car, almost like someone had nudged you from behind, it behaves properly now though.

 

[Hofmiester]

Yeah thats the kind of thing, like there is some heavy mass moving about when it shouldnt be. I read up on the symptoms of DMF failure on here and I dont think its that based on the descriptions.

Feels a lot like my old MK2 golf when the front engine mount was split.

Thanks for your advice.

How much did a set of mounts sting you? and the best place to buy?

Plus I've been reading about the snub mount and one website said you need to remove the whole front of the car but another just showed removing a handfull of bolts working under the car and it was easy?

 

[aragorn]

"Some heavy mass moving about" was exactly how ours felt.

I got the two transmission mounts from the local motorfactors, and the engine mounts were a chance ebay purchase. Think i paid ~£20ea for the tranny mounts, and £30 for both engine mounts delivered.

Snub mount was from Awesome GTI and came to around £30 iirc.

 

[Hofmiester]

I did a few tests this morning and when I accelerate from 2K rpm in 2nd the gear stick moves back about an inch backwards which must mean something is loose, these cars are just so big and solid that you cant really feet it that strongly.

If the gearbox moved an inch in an escort there would be all kinds of clanging going on