3.0 V6 - Anything to watch out for?

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EddyP

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Hi Guys,
I'm looking at 3.0l V6 savants as I've found out the fuel consumption isn't quite as scary as you'd think.
There was a nice one on ebay but it had a white smoke on idle issue, and after doing some googling that apparently means the injectors are on their way out at £1500 to sort it. Also the diesel bob that I spoke to said you can't refurb the injectors and they only last around 80k!
Does that seem right?

Is there anything else with the 3.0Ls that I should be looking out for?
Was the 3.0 in the B6 the same as the B7?


Thanks
 
Google it from what I can work out its basically manifold flaps and the injectors that play up, nothing to terminal
I spent hours searching after wife said she wanted an audi, only 2 things seemed to matter 1, get an auto/quattro as its proper fluid flywheel auto and not a multitronic, I could be wrong but I think thats the only combo the 3.0 comes in?
And number number 2, most important of all dont buy any 2.0tdi!
I did find some posts where a guy was complaining of camchain rattle on a high mileage example was 135k iirc, but if thats been on the silly extended service intervals thats to be expected.
Look on youtube and someone has even put one in a boat! hes got 6 videos 5 related to this engine, worth a look
VW/AUDI 3.0 TDI MARINE PROJECT INSTALED AND RUNING IN SEA - YouTube
 
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I agree pretty much with Lynallbel. The three main possible areas of concern with the 3.0TDi are inlet manifold flaps (should be quite cheap to fix these days), injectors, and rattly cam chains. Ther latter two will be expensive if they do happen, but generally speaking, this is one of Audi's strongest, most durable engines. It's also an absolute beauty to drive.

On the quattro point, I have a vague recollection that it's possible to buy a cabriolet with front-wheel drive (someone please correct me if I'm imagining this) but certainly all saloon and Avants are four-wheel-drive, and all the better for it.
 
jdp1962 said:
On the quattro point, I have a vague recollection that it's possible to buy a cabriolet with front-wheel drive (someone please correct me if I'm imagining this) but certainly all saloon and Avants are four-wheel-drive, and all the better for it.
Click to expand...

I thought (I could be wrong mind...) that the 3.0tdi didn't come in FWD? The 2.7tdi was either quattro/FWD, but the additional torque of the 3.0tdi meant they only released it in quattro...

Happy to be proven wrong but I've never seen/heard of one!
 
On the A6 range the 3.0TDi was quattro only and I'm sure the A4 was the same.
 
I'm quite happy for it to be a Quattro.

Has anyone on here any experience with the cam chains or injectors, are they likely to go at any particular mileage? Pretty much all of the cars in my price range are between 100-120k does this can they're closer to an expensive repair bill?

Thanks
 
If your looking at higher mileage motors, then I would add the injectors to the cost of the car (They don't last forever, regardless of make model etc). Another option is to get yourself a genuine VCDS cable then you can scan the car yourself and check the injectors and everything else, for the cost of around £300, you could save yourself £1000's
 
EddyP said:
I'm quite happy for it to be a Quattro.

Has anyone on here any experience with the cam chains or injectors, are they likely to go at any particular mileage? Pretty much all of the cars in my price range are between 100-120k does this can they're closer to an expensive repair bill?

Thanks
Click to expand...
My injectors went at 90k December 2013. I had it diagnosed & fixed at a local diesel engineers genuine Bosch service exchange piezoelectric injectors £1950.
The symptoms are clouds of smoke (embarrassing amounts) from the exhausts after standing at tick over or slow moving traffic.
In my case I also had an issue with fuel getting into the sump the level on the dipstick was off the scale.

However in my opinion the 3.0 tdi quattro is still a dream to drive & own.
Although granted a biased opinion.
 
I have a 3.0 tdi on 116,000 miles. I've replaced 1 injector so far (with a 2nd hand one). Cheap fix, reliable car. Bluefin remap too, absolutely love driving it! :)
 
Thats good to hear Jas, how are you finding the remap? Much change to MPG?

I've picked mine up now and it is lovely, just need to decide if it's worth doing the oil change on the tip gearbox, sounds like a bit of a PITA to do especially as mine is between the dates they changed the oil type so it could have either and I don't know what oil the gearbox ECU wants to see.
 
The remap is awesome. Transforms the car. To be honest, it's quick anyway, but with the remap, it's super quick. I asked superchips for a more aggressive map and they obliged. The first map was weak, the second much better!

As for mpg no real difference, I drive it harder now so if anything i'm slightly down. I average about 32 mpg real world (based on actual fuel used, not the DIS), but then I do lots of cold town driving.

Whatever you do, DO NOT change the oil on the tip gearbox. No need and highly likely to cause problems if you do, especially if it's done wrong.
 
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.Jas. said:
Whatever you do, DO NOT change the oil on the tip gearbox. No need and highly likely to cause problems if you do, especially if it's done wrong.
Click to expand...
That's not the advice of ZF, the gearbox manufacturer. It now recommends a change of gearbox oil at 100,000km (62,000 miles).
 
Im going to do the gearbox oil next service, google it, doesnt seem to hard so long as you have a 17mm allen key and an oil pump
 
Jdp if you can, any chance you can get me spec or part number of the correct gearbox oil?
 
EddyP said:
Is that by a specialist or main dealer?

Any ideas what they're charging to do it?

Thanks :)
Click to expand...

It's at my regular independent servicing garage. It's going to cost about £530. The biggest component of that is the new auto transmission fliud, nine litres at around £28 a litre. Add in a filter, gasket and two hours labour at £66 per hour and hey presto!
 
If theres no drain screw on the torque converter you wont get nine litres out, 4 maybe 5 at best
Early merc cars had the t/c drain screw so you could do a proper job, 2001 on ish no t/c screw and only 3 maybe 4 litres came out.
 
lynallbel said:
If theres no drain screw on the torque converter you wont get nine litres out, 4 maybe 5 at best
Early merc cars had the t/c drain screw so you could do a proper job, 2001 on ish no t/c screw and only 3 maybe 4 litres came out.
Click to expand...

I've no idea of the technicalities, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that it should be "double flushed", so maybe some of the new fluid is used and then discarded.
 
I know some places have a machine that they couple up to the trans oil cooler hoses that flushes the box out
But being a sceptical ******* I will tell you they wont use 9 litres at all, you will pay for 9 litres though!
At 28 pounds per litre and the link posted above saying 6 litres that nearly 100 quid of the bill!
 
OK, Lynallbel, have just dropped the car off at my indie garage for the service and ATF change, and I asked them about the spec of the ATF. The service manager showed me one of the bottles of ATF; it's OEM VAG stuff, and it has absolutely no markings on it to say what the spec is. It says "ATF" and that is it.

The service manager told me that Audi are notorious for not revealing any info about the specs. His advice for me to pass on to you is simply to buy OEM fluid, and to give your Audi dealer (or TPS presumably) the details of your car, and ask them to supply the correct ATF for that model/model year etc.

You might end up paying a lot for it, but his advice is better to be safe than sorry. If you get the wrong ATF, you could end up with a huge bill for a new box.

Sorry that's not much help, but it's the best I could do.

When I pick it up later, I'll report on how much fluid was used.
 
jdp1962 said:
When I pick it up later, I'll report on how much fluid was used.
Click to expand...

Make that, when I pick the car up tomorrow. It's not going to be ready today. In addition to the long list of work already scheduled, they're fitting manifold flap repair links to both banks. I was going to get the snub mount changed as well, but on V6 engines, the space is so limited that the front end has to come off. No point paying the labour for that just to change the snub mount. I'll save it for when there is other work needing the front to
come off, and get it all done together.
 
Got it back. I've been charged for all nine litres of fluid as per the original quote. The part number is G060162A2.
 
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