Xreg Imola Yellow S3 - Project post

Squirrelofdoom

Squirrelofdoom

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Hello everyone,

Have just purchased an Imola Yellow S3. The car needs a bit of work doing to it to sure up all the little niggles which always come with a used car purchase. I have diagnosed what I believe is everything wrong with the car, and the next step is to slowly do all the work and fix her up!

As such, I will be posting progress by updating this thread with pictures, comments etc as I go along. Hopefully I can get advice from everyone here as I work along too, as I know you guys have more experience with this car than me (my first Audi!). Things done are in green, not done are in red, and my initial questions are in blue.

Below I will list what is currently wrong with the car, please feel free to lend advice if you have come across similar problems etc, your help is much appreciated! I will update this post as I go to show what has been completed.

---------------Maintenance List----------------


Tyres: Illegal thread levels (one tyre down to the cords) when bought
Fixed - 4 new tyres bought and fitted
Wheels: Severe kurbing by previous owner
Unresolved - 4 wheels to be refurbed
Front & rear bumpers: Awaiting respray due to color fade / peeling on front bumper
Unresolved - awaiting respray
Exhaust: De-cat'ed exhaust from previous owner (actual cat section removed from pipework and re-welded with straight piece....yikes), will need to be changed prior to MOT changes this summer
Unresvoled - am not looking to spend a lot on a new exhaust system, so am currently looking for standard S3 exhaust to replace with. Anyone know of / have a standard S3 exhaust going spare?
Ignition switch: "Power supply terminal 30, voltage too low"
Unresolved - looking to clean terminals / replace switch
Brake light switch: "Implausible signal"
Unresolved - looking to replace switch
Air Mass Sensor: "Air mass sensor signal too low"
Unresolved - will clean and/or replace sensor
Control valve: "Control valve boost pressure, open signal"
Unresolved - not sure, replace sensor?
Charge pressure sensor: "Charge pressure maximum limit exceeded"
Unresolved - not sure, replace sensor?
Engine torque sensor: "Engine torque monitor 2, control limit exceeded" (intermittent)
Unresolved - not sure, replace sensor?
Coolant temp sensor: "Implausible signal"
Unresolved - replace all coolant temp sensors
Engine operating temperature: Car takes a long time to warm up / does not reach 70 degrees in most cases. Suspect faulty thermostat
Unresolved - replace thermostat. Unless anyone has another idea? Faulty thermostat could also explain why the car is running rich at the moment as it tries frantically to warm the engine up by over fuelling?
Traction control: Warning light present on dashboard & G200 sensor is bust
Unresolved - will retrack the car after changing sensor, then will investigate further if necessary
Cam cover: Oil leak from gasket
Unresolved - awaiting new gasket
Front prop coupling & nearside front inner/outer CV boots: Worn/cracked
Unresolved - awaiting new boots and grease
Power steering pump: Oil leak around pressure sensor o-ring
Unresolved - tighten pressure sensor or replace o-ring
Bushes: Front suspension worn bushes
Unresolved - will replace with PU bushes all round. Any suggestions?
Rear washer jet: Water leak from bulkhead area when rear washer jet pulled
Unresolved - Not sure about this, will have to follow the pipework and see where the leak is
Driver side washer jet: Low pressure
Unresolved - Not sure; depends if it is a leak problem or failing pump
Headlight washers: non-functional
Unresolved - I think failed pump
Front passenger seat: Rattle/worn rollers
Unresolved - Don't think i'll bother fixing this


Well, that's the list so far! I will update when things start moving. Thanks for the help in advance. For now, here's a picture of the car in it's current state

325070_744622720165_222400285_7035530_902619028_o.jpg


-Aran
 
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Reactions: Paullie
Good Idea for a thread mate! looks like you have plenty to do, should keep you busy for a bit!
 
Aran

Good post and congrats on your nice new car. Great colour and interesting reading.

Couldn't see the blue bits but imagine that the question marks give the game away.

Ask away though...this lot will have the answer.

James
 
For parts that you 'want' I would have a look in the classifieds section....

Welcome to ASN (and to S3 ownership... ) ;P

<tuffty/>
 
Yeah there's an exhaust going on the classifieds! Also with the temperature problem try the temp sender first, may be easier and a cheaper fix! I forgot what else I was gonna say as your list was longer then my mrs "I want" list! Lol.
 
Hi guys,

Nice to meet you all. I know the list is long, but hey, I've gotta have something to keep me occupied right? :p

Thanks for the heads-up re. the classified section and temp sender; will have a look. Getting the car back on tomorrow (had left it with a mate while I was on holiday) and then the fun can begin!!

-Aran
 
I had the same error for ages..."Charge pressure sensor: "Charge pressure maximum limit exceeded"
Not that I noticed anything different in the car. I had the problem for ages (about a year) on and off (resetting it all the time). In the end we decided to take the n75 off give it a clean and back on. Problem gone for about a year and then back again every so often a while back.
The next step is probably to replace the unit, but I just cant see any obvious issues anywhere and justification to get it done.
 
Hi Goal,
Thanks for the heads-up, i'll give the n75 a clean while I'm cleaning the MAF too - my mates got a VAGcom around, so i'll check and see if it clears the errors.

Cheers,
Aran
 
Hi and welcome to ASN have a good read through the Stickys at the top of the main, page there's loads of help and information you can find there. As for the leaky rear jet have a look under the bonnet top right, at the back of the Air filter you will see a black cover which runs from the scuttle panel down under the filter to the back of the battery. Inside there will be a joint for the washer hose check that its not split apart as its a well known problem with 8Ls it seems to be the first place it leaks.

Good luck with the other bits it looks a smashing car.


Chris.
 
Hi,

Good luck with it mate. I recently got an S3 and have been making my way through an ever growing list of things to fix.

First thing I'd do is sort *all* the bushes then get the car properly 4 wheel aligned. Will save you chewing up a decent set of tyres.

Bushes: I replaced *all* front-wishbone bushes and rear-front bush with power flex. I also had new top mounts put in the front - they were just bog standard.

Rear Washer: Remove the tailgate trim. Check the water pipe connector isn't split. You'll probably find you need to replace the whole motor or get a repair kit for the wiper motor as an internal pipe breaks and means water goes inside the pump when you squirt. Search on the forum - there are a lot of posts.

Front Washer: Make sure the jets aren't blocked. Make sure the tubes are clear - I use a MityVac pump for doing this.

Headlight Washers: Make sure there's enough water in the system. Then try doing 5-6 squirts of 2-3 seconds IIRC. I thought mine were broken but saw advice similar to this on the forum and found mine jets in fact do work.

Cam Cover Gasket: Could be the Tensioner Gasket too. Might as well replace both while you're at it. I did mine and it was a pretty simple job - albeit time consuming as it was the first time I'd attempted anything like it.

Thermostat: Get an OEM stat + seal. It's a b***h to get to the bolts for the housing. You have to remove the mounting plate that's bolted to the inlet manifold that supports to dipstick. You'll want to buy a new dipstick guide and maybe a new dipstick BEFORE you attempt this as it WILL break. I also D/C the battery and move the big alternator wire. I then used a 1/4 inch socket with some extension bars and a universal joint to do undo and redo the nuts. Perhaps replace the coolant with a fresh load of G12++ while you're at it.

FWIW things I'd also check - your clutch switch (can be done with VCDS), ignition coil loom (insulation fails due to heat), your front rad fans (do they both come on when you switch the aircon on?), the green 30A fuses on top of the battery.

Have fun.

Liam
 
No, yellow ones are proper *****y. They don't even like being talked about behind their backs!
 
Nice motor mate and welcome we all have long lists of things to do and wether to do them I suffer from being very lazy so after seeing ur lost I was shivering lol
 
Hahaha, wish you'd told me the yellows were more hassle before I'd bought it :p

Forgot to mention that the battery is also dead (or being pulled by a large dark current) enough that it dies after like 2 days of sitting there :S Will need to diagnose that too!! Either way, went to the autofactors today and got Carb cleaner and the necessary jump leads to drive home :(

Tomorrow lunch I plan to clean the MAF and N75 and then plug in VAGcom to see if any changes. Will post pictures

Cheers,
Aran
 
Sounds like you're going to be busy. Hope you found these problems before handing over the cash and got it for a good price! Re engine temp - definitely time to replace the thermostat. I had exactly the same (only ever reached 80degC) and is now sorted following a 'stat replacement.
 
Hi guys,

Unsuccesful day today :S Had planned to clean the MAF and N75 today at work - but it was raining heavily and there was nowhere indoors to do it. Had a go at home but annoyingly don't have the 5 pointed safety Torq tool for the MAF; and one of the clips on the N75 wasn't a spring clip but was simply a permanently crushed ring of metal, so I couldn't get that off either!

However, while rooting around I did notice a split in the air intake hose. I don't think it goes all the way through, but there could be a tiny hole I can't see - worth investigating.

On a seperate note, I'm looking to order the PU bushes for the car now. On the front wishbones there are options of the 30mm or 45mm bushes. Apparently the 45mm are for the "later" S3s - which I think includes my Xreg car. Is there any way to be sure what my car is using without removing the existing ones first? I imagine measuring them in situ could prove rather inaccurate...

Will endeavour to do the MAF and N75 work tomorrow at work and plug a VAGcom in to see if any changes. Also plan to test the 12V system for drains as I'm now having the jump the car everyday!! (Have ordered new battery though :) )

Cheers guys,
Aran
 
Hello all,

Progress today. No, not the MAF yet, although I have acquired the correct Torq tools, so can do that soon. I fixed the battery drain issues I was having! Tested the drain and saw around 370mA!! No wonder the battery was dying at a rapid rate. The problem was blatantly the head unit the previous owner put into the car, so I removed that and saw the mess which you see below :S

468873_777513416945_222400285_7221905_1807286986_o.jpg


Problems amounted to:
1) The head unit was on permanent live rather than switched on ignition
2) Aerial cable cut - explains why no radio stations
3) Nokia bluetooth headset which is installed in car wasn't wired into the car audio - explains why no volume on the headset
4) mute connection also not connected to Nokia headset
5) Bose amp in the boot was connected to permanent live rather than being switched by the head unit (this was the cause of the drain)

Fixed items 1 & 5, the others will wait until I buy a new head unit. So, the current was 370mA before, with that done it is now 20mA!

536458_777513421935_222400285_7221906_930180198_n.jpg


Glad to have that sorted! BTW, firing the locks on the car put between 9A and 11A through the multimeter, so make sure if you're doing this to have a good strong multimeter otherwise you'll break it!!

For Lizard; yes the rear bumper trim is black, you can just about see it in this picture.

341424_744622315975_222400285_7035526_207477638_o.jpg


Cheers everyone,
Aran
 
Hello!

So, finally got the stupid 5 point Torx tool to get the MAF sensor off to clean it! See offending tool below :)

577971_787404155825_222400285_7260170_1600720907_n.jpg


Took the MAF off, anti-roll bar was a bit annoying, didn't quite realize it would get in the way, but no big deal.

connector removed:
525562_787404085965_222400285_7260168_446306679_n.jpg


MAF removed:
575238_787404185765_222400285_7260171_924030591_n.jpg

385640_787404220695_222400285_7260172_1559102896_n.jpg


Carb cleaner used to clean the MAF. You can see the metal to be cleaned on the left hand side of the MAF. Mine didn't look too bad, but may as well give it a clean.
577933_787404036065_222400285_7260166_107331181_n.jpg

546176_787404250635_222400285_7260173_1295918778_n.jpg


Cleaned and left to dry for half an hour:
563027_787404280575_222400285_7260174_2027696506_n.jpg


Reassembled and ready to go:
522863_787404310515_222400285_7260175_161580151_n.jpg


Hopefully this will fix the VAGcom error I had saying the signal from the MAF was dodgy. Will find out tomorrow with a mates reader. Will post the results. I know this is all very simple for most of you, but hopefully useful info for any beginners out there!!

Also, new thermostat arrived; CTS to follow. Will replace both in due time (not looking forward to thermostat - need to buy a longer extension for my 3/8" ratchet)
485815_787404125885_222400285_7260169_1588278392_n.jpg


Cheers,
Aran
 
nice thread and loving the yellow S3, looks good with the black detail.

Interested in how you found out that it was your Headunit causing the drain. i have a problem at the moment that the battery drains in about 2 days if i dont run it. im keen to find the issue - at first i thought it was the heated door locks as they are perm live, but after removing the fuse im still having the same issue.
 
Hi Pete. To be honest I kinda figured it was the head unit first because it wasn't pushed flush with the dash trim like it should have been, making it fairly obvious that whoever installed it didn't do a very good job!! So, looking at the connections at the back of the unit, me and a mate figured out that the permanent and switched live were the wrong way round, so it was powering the headunit off the switched live (meaning it lost it's memory every time), also it was powering the BOSE amp in the back through the headunit permanently, thus the drain. Fised this a hey presto drain gone.

In your case sir, I would grab the diagram of fuses from your manual then get a mate to help you. Open the front door so you can get to the fuses, open the bonnet so you can get to the battery. Lock the bonnet lock manually by pushing in the latch (mimicing the bonnet being shut) and then disconnect the negative terminal off the battery. Put your multimeter across the chassis and negative terminal in current mode, make sure you have a good connection to each, and then fire the door locks. Keep holding the multimeter in place (this is where having a mate helps :) ) and wait around 5 mintues for the car to enter sleep mode. Now you can see the actual drain on your battery. Around 20mA is normal, mine was 370mA before which is not normal lol. Then go through disconnecting the suspect fuses and see which one drops the current. After you figure out which loom is doing it, you'll have to investigate further.

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Aran
 
Mate if you were struggling to get at that screw on the maf because of the strut brace being in the way, the easiest thing to do I found was just undo the jubilee clip on the tip, undo the clip on the maf and take the whole air box out. Takes two minutes
 
Hi Aran
I have got my standard 2001 exhaust at my mates garage as I fitted a Milltek late last year. Where about's in Surrey are you?
PM me and we can sort something out
Ian
 
Do you have part numbers for the stat, sensor and o ring please mate?
 
Hi guys,

Another update. My Powerflex bushes came last week, but haven't had the chance to start fitting them yet. Wanted to do so today but couldn't get on the lift at work. So, replaced the Coolant Temp sensor and the Thermostat tonight. Coolant Temp sensor, 2 mins, Thermostat, 2 hours (lol).

Tip to getting the thermo on and off is a 1/4" ratchet drive, U/V joint and about 1.5 ft of extension bars. Was trying with a 3/8" drive first but just couldn't get the UV joint around the back of the alternator and desperately didn't want to have to start taking that off. So, changed to the 1/4" and it worked fine! (ish)

Removed the front cowling of the engine, didn't have to remove oil dipstick or guide as some people say. I went to AUDI earlier and bought a new dipstick guide just in case mine broke, but in the end didn't need it. Then took off coolant hose to drain the necessary coolant.
403564_794054403675_222400285_7292249_1493317022_n.jpg


Managed to find a drip tray at work the same color as my car too :) Bought 5L of G12 coolant (if your car has red coolant in it, only put red coolant back in, otherwise you will get a horrible mess!). When doing the thermostat removal I drained around 4L of coolant - total for the car is around 7L.
574976_794054438605_222400285_7292250_977492696_n.jpg


Old thermostat in place and then removed. I gave the housing on both ends a clean before putting everything back together.
534874_794054503475_222400285_7292251_1930373355_n.jpg

582111_794054573335_222400285_7292252_1476170547_n.jpg


Then thermostat back in (remember the new o-ring!) and the housing back on. Make sure to put the top bolt on the thermo back on tight enough to keep the o-ring in place while messing about with the bottom bolt; last thing you want is for the o-ring to move and you have to take everything apart again! Both bolts on the housing are actually reachable just by jamming two hands down the right hand side of the alternator - the ratchet drives are just necessary to crack them off and tighten them up at the end. They are, however, a pain in the a** to get to!
581208_794054643195_222400285_7292254_730927925_n.jpg

523903_794054688105_222400285_7292255_428059791_n.jpg


All good, checked for drips etc and then gave the car a quick drive. Nothing yet, and after topping the coolant back up (again, around 4L) it's staying level - will check again tomorrow to be sure. Whereas before my car would never even reach 90degC and would usually sit on 60 for most of the journey, now new results are below - bang on 90 the whole way, so that's good!
318283_794054288905_222400285_7292247_1609914337_n.jpg


Next job is cam cover gaskets, possibly Thursday for that one. Sorry about the terrible picture quality, was a bit dark and my phone isn't great at pictures :S

Cheers!
Aran
 
Good work so far mate, car looks good too, really liking the black and yellow contrast, works really well.
 
My top tip for the thermostat is to use a ball ended 5mm hex drive... but the really long one that I used to do my sump bolts.

works a treat! 5 minute job with that!
 
hmmm, yeah, ball nose probably would've helped; because you never quite get the allen key or socket all the way on the bolt - the extra play in the ball nose would've helped. Ah well, will know if I ever need to do it again!
 
Hello all,

Quick update - no need for pictures this time really. Changed my N75 and G200 sensors. After N75 sensor, car does seem to boost better, fingers crossed it stays that way. G200 changed and still the ESP warning light on the dash - but a few more things I can try before I panit (whole car needs tracking, and I need VAGcom to clear the error)

Cheers,
Aran
 
Interestingly, the ESP warning light has now turned itself off on it's own accord; will see if it stays that way. Also, I'm still unconvinced that my boost is functioning properly.

Sometimes I will get a nice boost in earch gear from about 3,000 - 4,000 rpm. However, most of the time the car simply accelerates linearly through the revs, feeling entirely like a NA engine...no boost at all :S Any suggestions as to what I can check for this? I changed the N75 but it doesn't seem to have helped the problem.

Cheers,
Aran
 
Squirrelofdoom said:
Interestingly, the ESP warning light has now turned itself off on it's own accord; will see if it stays that way. Also, I'm still unconvinced that my boost is functioning properly.

Sometimes I will get a nice boost in earch gear from about 3,000 - 4,000 rpm. However, most of the time the car simply accelerates linearly through the revs, feeling entirely like a NA engine...no boost at all :S Any suggestions as to what I can check for this? I changed the N75 but it doesn't seem to have helped the problem.

Cheers,
Aran
Click to expand...

Sounds like soft limp mode and you're running on actuator pressure which is 6psi. You could do with a boost gauge so you can keep an eye on what's happening. You'll need to get the car scanned to see what faults you might have. Typically a dodgy N75 valve will give spikey boost which will give you a code about the boost limit being exceeded.
 
audi upgrades
Hi Westy,

I did have a "Boost maximum pressure exceeded" error; hence why I changed the N75 over to a new one. Sadly the problem still appears to be here :S Got any advice on a cheap for diagnostic only boost gauge or anything else I should be checking first?

Cheers mate,
Aran
 
Squirrelofdoom said:
Hi Westy,

I did have a "Boost maximum pressure exceeded" error; hence why I changed the N75 over to a new one. Sadly the problem still appears to be here :S Got any advice on a cheap for diagnostic only boost gauge or anything else I should be checking first?

Cheers mate,
Aran
Click to expand...

What map have you got? I used to get that error even with a new N75 and it turned out to be my gypo remap, which then went on to ruin my turbo, manifold, and cylinder head, but that's another story! Not saying it is your map but just throwing some stuff out there.

Boost gauge wise, there don't seem to be any mechanical ones for under £30 so you might as well buy one with the intention of using it in the long run.
 
Westy said:
What map have you got? I used to get that error even with a new N75 and it turned out to be my gypo remap, which then went on to ruin my turbo, manifold, and cylinder head, but that's another story! Not saying it is your map but just throwing some stuff out there.

Boost gauge wise, there don't seem to be any mechanical ones for under £30 so you might as well buy one with the intention of using it in the long run.
Click to expand...

Hi Westy. You're not gonna like this, and neither do I, but I don't actually know what map I have :S I was told by the previous owner that the owner before him had a stage 1 Revo done - however there were no receipts for it etc. I have wanted to find out exactly what is on there and probably return it to stock before I continue doing anything with it. Is there a way to diagnose what is actually on there?

As far as boost gauges go, any suggestions that people here on the forum prefer? Do I need different piping to fit it etc? I know enough about the mechanical end of the car, but my knowledge of the turbo system and mucking about with that end of the car isn't too great :S So any help would be appreciated :)

Cheers,
Aran
 
The only way to find out what map you have is to go to a tuner and get them to take a look.

As for boost gauges, most come in a kit with everything you need. You just need to T it into the small vac hose that comes from the top of the DV.
 
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