Oh dear, there's a flood...

[Fencemaster]

I've had my 1996 4.2 A8 for around five years, and aside from the slightly overdue 80,000 mile service, annoying dent in the bonnet it received in a car park last year, and the disappointing Bridgestones I put on, it remains an aluminium masterpiece.

However, there's a small flood behind the front passenger seat. There's no way the water is coming in from around the door/sunroof, and removing the rear seat and lifting the carpet edge a little reveals about half an inch of water. It won't go away and appears regardless of the weather.

Has anyone else had this? Is it likely to be a leaking part of the air-conditioning? I am loathed to mention it to Audi when the car goes in for its 80,000 mile service, as that one is going to be expensive enough (I'm under the impression it's a cam belt replacement - is this correct? If it is, can I have them put the cam belt off for a few months?)

And that dent in the bonnet, the bodyshop Audi in St Albans use gave me a £1200 quote that just involved replacing the bonnet. I am sure a panel beater good tap away at it and get somewhere for a considerably smaller sum. Has anyone had any A8 bodywork done not by Audi?

Thanks in advance, I hope you can help. The A8 isn't the ideal car to run on a budget!

FM

 

[GeorgieMcC]

Sorry to hear about the flood. Never heard of that one before.

Ours had a pool under the ventilation stuff under the bonnet (lift the bonnet and have a look infront of the wipers, behind the engine baulkhead). It too is a '96. There are cork gaskets to stop the ingress of water through to the cabin. Is poss these have failed. The pool we had was prob 9"+ deep in the centre getting shallower to the edges. Always got filled at the carwash, could hear it sloshing about. The drain plugs were blocked with leafs and sh*t.

We had a deal with our cambelt with the stealer. The wanted over £700 for the job, we agreed £550-£600 (cant remember). Make sure they change the pullies and tentioners too. I often ask for a deal on things like wheel alignment and lumpy service/repair items.

Put a post on www.tyresmoke.net , there are more posters over there.

Good luck,

Sneaky

 

[Fencemaster]

good tips - especially the cam related ones - hopefully asking about the pullies and tenioners will give the boys in the service dept the impression i know what I'm talng about (I don't) and keep them on their toes.

 

[GeorgieMcC]

Initially changing the tentioners and pullies pushes up the cost, but whilst its apart makes sense to do plus it is said by the stealers that these sieze and cause the bets to fail (not t'other way round). There are plenty of specialist that would do the job cheaper if you'd prefer...

 

[Matthewbaldry]

The americans advise to change the water pump at the same time as the cambelt, just in case. It might be worth considering.

 

[GeorgieMcC]

[ QUOTE ]
Matthewbaldry said:
The americans advise to change the water pump at the same time as the cambelt, just in case. It might be worth considering.

[/ QUOTE ]

Mmm... Thats a good'um Matthew. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/idea.gif I think the stealer called to say mine was leaking now you mention it. Had it changed, obviously no labour charged /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

 

[Mutley]

Hi Fencemaster,

Have you also checked the footwell in front of the passenger seat? I had a similar problem on an earlier S8 and it turned out to be the climate control condensate drain tube which had become disconnected to the drain which leads out under the floor.
The drain tubes run downwards under the carpet on either side of the centre console. Lift the carpet in the footwells, then root about on the vertical part of the carpeted section of the console. It used to be a common fault. They are just a push fit to reconnect.

If this has happened, also check the multiplug which lives under the footwell carpet lower liner. This leads to the rear left or right cataytic converter. If the contacts corrode from the water you will get an engine warning light and the nuggets at the Audi centre will try to charge you for a new converter... Just desolder the connectors and either solder the wires direct or put bullet connectors on them.

All the best

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif