Carbon Build Up - Is It Really Time to Say Goodbye?!

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AtticusBill

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Hi all,

So I've had an audi a3 for five years and like you all, I absolutely love it.

It's a 57 plate 1.4 tfsi and recently went in for mot and service and went straight through. After this I started noticing a rumbling when idling or low revs. Took it back and they say its coil packs, did that, it didn't work, so today I've paid 1k for four new Injectors and have been told there's carbon in the pistons, only a small amount but that I need to give it some beans for 500-1k miles, and if it doesn't go then I should think about selling it...

Really?! I mean, it's 12 years old granted. But it has 99k on the clock and has been immaculately serviced, and still drives amazing. Its solid. And I'm just really shocked that its gone from flying through the mot and now I am being told it might be worth getting rid before it's on its way.

Does anyone have any experience of this? Is it really the case? I always assumed these were built to last and I'm just a bit surprised to get that advice so any from you all would be appreciated as I have very minimal knowledge of what's going on under that bonnet
 
Never try and fix a problem by just throwing money at it
If its not throwing up a fault code for injectors or coil packs then its unlikely to be that.
All pistons have coke on them, it actually helps the seal on older engines.

Really i can't diagnose from your description of "rumbling" but it could be anything from a pulley bearing which are pence to a clutch bearing to a big end.

Take it to a proper old school garage and get someone to put a stethoscope on it who knows what they are listening for ....
 
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Get your engine walnut cleaned as probably over the 12yrs it has never been done and you will notice a difference
 
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Tfsi engines are direct injection, so fuel doesnt get sprayed over the valves. Carbon builds up on the valves and can cause the symptoms you describe.
Walnut clean as above would sort that.

The carbon on the pistons though? Doesn't make sense. The Italian tune up, or giving it some beans, make sense on a regular engine but not with direct injection. Sounds like they're guessing here and you're paying for it. Id find a new garage personally
 
£1k for injectors worth £85 each. You need to go and have a chat...

You need to get it scanned to see what the fault codes are.
 
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I cant see why a walnut clean is going to stop a rumble. As i said in the first post you can throw money at it in the hope or get someone who knows what they are doing to listen to it and tell you whats wrong.
as for small amount of carbon on the piston ? all engines have that.
Here is one i am building at this very moment......no carbon build up on the piston but then, not a lot of piston...
 

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Yeah I know, thing is they have looked after it since I bought it and you just trust what they are saying when you can't be sure yourself.

Anyone know where I can take it in South West England to get someone who knows what they are looking at?

Seems every single garage that can't find a direct fault seem to always be able to just lie their way out of it by making a sap like me pay for it and hoping for the best.

Yeah the worst part is feeling like all of this didn't need doing.
 
Drag it over to Bill at Badger 5. @badger5 He will tell you what's wrong with it and get it mapped whilst you are there :) . There isn't a lot he doesn't know about these engines and he is a forum sponsor.
1K for injectors ???.
https://badger5.co.uk/pages/contact
 
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Thanks everyone. I think badger5 is a good shout. Yeah 1150 for injectors... Absolute joke. Supposed to be an audi specialist too and yet it's still doing the same fkin thing! I want to submit a formal complaint about them but I need someone to inspect what's actually been done. Will get in touch with some relevant people ASAP. Thanks all. I knew I was getting ripped off..
 
It's all a learning curve bud you won't have been the first or the last soo don't best yourself up too much a couple off slaps is enough LOL:sob::sob::sob:
 
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If you do short journeys most of the time then you have to expect some carbon build up. Easily rectified by a bit of fast driving and lots of revs, commonly called ‘Italian Tune Up’.
The Site Sponsors of ASN are all recommended auto engineers who are most familiar with VAG cars and their little foibles. The main dealers will say there no common faults on our engines, its us drivers that break them:sadlike:.
Hopefully your rumbling noise will be a simple bearing that needs changing.
Good luck
 
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