What have you done to your Audi A4 B7 today?

[Charlie Farley]

They are really nice alloys; but if you'll forgive me Rob, I just don't see the Allroads best with low profiles; maybe best getting the strength out of this version while-u-wait for the next B7? It's susprisingly capable mild all terrain/excellent weather capabilities are very useful; and maybe get the next B7 for shere performance? Just me I know, and each to their own

That dealer for the B7 is really taking the michael, even though compared to a 'newer' Audi it's objectively worth it to us, and a very nice example. He would have taken that in part x for a lot less; very greedy, It's makes the yellow Jap import S4, you linked to a while back seem a very honest bargain.

The allroad has 245/45 18 at the moment which was a factory option, 19" and 20" were also an option.
if i go 19" then they will just go to 255/40 19 which is only a small reduction in side wall.

 

[B7Tourer]

The allroad has 245/45 18 at the moment which was a factory option, 19" and 20" were also an option.
if i go 19" then they will just go to 255/40 19 which is only a small reduction in side wall.

Gotcha.

 

[Matt275]

Agreed, that B7 is probably £5-6k over book maybe? Sure, nice example and low mileage, but man....getting on £10k??!!... even with a 6 month gatepost warranty.

 

[Matt275]

Here's the new gearknob and surround fitted. If you ever replace yours buy one complete with the gaitor is all I can say. Getting the leather turned around single pleat and then fed into the aluminimum shaft was something to behold. I had to actually cut the stitches slightly to get it through... no matter, no real harm and you can't notice The surround at 20 quid was a bargain though; almost perfect, I've been looking for one as good almost since I got the car. I was contemplating, even and crazily, dropping, £90 + tax and postage for a brand new one from Audi Tradition, via oemVWshop; but this is more than good enough for the old gal.

View attachment 282430

Love this Steve, really nice, the troubles you had fitting it don't show.
I'd have a go but the import tax puts me off.

 

[B7Tourer]

Love this Steve, really nice, the troubles you had fitting it don't show.
I'd have a go but the import tax puts me off.

You can buy from oemVWshop, Matt; 8E0863278DEVDE. No customs and complete with the leather gaitor too. It's 155.84 (just checked) euros + Vat. Still very expensive but a lot less considering and less hassle too lol; and they are excellent to deal with. It's a direct replacement for the standard S-line, i.e non-perforated, just so you know.

 

[Matt275]

Not sure I could pull the trigger at that price, that's a lot for what it is...but at the same time it's a nice piece.

I've just interrupted a passive DPF regen. Driving back from McWoke I had a slight feeling I could feel it on the pedal, and sure enough when I switched off I got the Darth vader breathing sound! lol.

I wish the car would tell me, and especially being a Sunday I'd take it down the A331 for 15 mins and let it finish...ahh well...it'll carry on the next drive once up to temp again. Annoying though.

 

[northpole]

Mweh i would've gone straight for that motorway run if i was in your shoes... it's one of the reasons why I went petrol no regen rubbish and no dealing with that much soot etc since I don't do long journeys often anymore. I went from 14k a year to less than 5 k a year and most of that is just doing the weekly shop. I actually do around 2.5k a year now. If I had a car with a dpf it would regen so often I would sell it off asap. I hate driving for no reason.

 

[Matt275]

It'll carry on where it left off next drive, it just wasn't convenient at the time really. Just a flashing DPF symbol or even just PR in the display would be enough...anything!

One thing I've never done is boot it straight after it's finished a passive regen...I might do that this time once it's finished...see what happens.
Why doesn't ash come out of a DPF? I've never understood it....surely a good blast would blow out loose ash?

 

[PDLH]

as you say all of the secondhand ones were worse than what I've got already - this was cheaper than many of them BTW. So I'll unlikely retrofit foldbacks now.

I bought a tatty door handle trim panel, and the measured the additional required hole position, and for the folding mirror switch, then I hand drilled the additional hole in my good condition trim panel, I don’t think I you can tell it’s not factory.

 

[PDLH]

Just a flashing DPF symbol or even just PR in the display would be enough...anything!

I agree, that would be so helpful, having had the orange DPF warning against second time in my ownership on the way to getting the airbag done the other week, I’ve now decided safe way forward when I know I’m doing a long journey, as I did on the way to Southampton the other week, 4th gear, 50mph, keep it above 2000rpm for 7-8 minutes straight and it forces the regen to complete.

Last time it the warning came on, i’d driven back from Gatwick just the day before and the warning came on the next day, on that journey it cannot have got hot enough to force the regen to start, I wish there was simply a button to push to force it when it gets to a certain level and you know you are on a long journey

 

[B7Tourer]

Not sure I could pull the trigger at that price, that's a lot for what it is...but at the same time it's a nice piece.

TB absolutely honest Matt, if I'd known how much it would cost in the end, and the hassle neither would I have either. The existing one wasn't that bad, just a bit worn and the silver going on the cap; no one will ever notice hardly and it only bugged me, lol.

One thing I've never done is boot it straight after it's finished a passive regen...I might do that this time once it's finished...see what happens.
Why doesn't ash come out of a DPF? I've never understood it....surely a good blast would blow out loose ash?

When these cars were introduced around Euro IV, DPFs weren't mandatory, some of the 3.0 TDis and the 170 2.0TDI, couldn't quite meet the emissions target, so they were introduced to meet that - I think Audi called them 'FAPs' at first, even. The tech then wasn't up to what it is now. I don't think it's possible to burn off ash with these and eventually the only solution for ash is really replacement or professional cleaning off body (or gutting I believe).

Diesel DPFs became mandatory from EURO V onwards (late 2008 and all B8's for example). I think modern diesels often have more problems with EURO VI Adblue these days, and there is a wealth of deletes going on there too, so I believe.

it's one of the reasons why I went petrol no regen rubbish and no dealing with that much soot etc since I don't do long journeys often anymore. I went from 14k a year to less than 5 k a year and most of that is just doing the weekly shop. I actually do around 2.5k a year now. If I had a car with a dpf it would regen so often I would sell it off asap. I hate driving for no reason.

Being my first and only owned diesel, I was ingnorant of such things before; fortunately with the non DPF 140, short journeys aren't an issue; other than carbon build up which happens on every direct injection engine, petrol or diesel, compounded by the added nuisance of EGRs and other such wonderful things.

 

[Matt275]

I agree, that would be so helpful, having had the orange DPF warning against second time in my ownership on the way to getting the airbag done the other week, I’ve now decided safe way forward when I know I’m doing a long journey, as I did on the way to Southampton the other week, 4th gear, 50mph, keep it above 2000rpm for 7-8 minutes straight and it forces the regen to complete.

Last time it the warning came on, i’d driven back from Gatwick just the day before and the warning came on the next day, on that journey it cannot have got hot enough to force the regen to start, I wish there was simply a button to push to force it when it gets to a certain level and you know you are on a long journey

I stay in 4th gear now every morning across the whole of the Hogs Back. I join at Shepherd & Flock RAB and now I keep in 4th gear all the way across...I think I've had less regens recently, but maybe because of the warmer weather, now the cooler weather is here, I reckon I'll notice it more often. Bit shorter on the way home as I come off at Seale / Runfold.

60mph limit, so 4th is fine all the way in the mornings.

I need to start giving the engine more of a stretch more often...been saying it for two years mind you!

 

[northpole]

TB absolutely honest Matt, if I'd known how much it would cost in the end, and the hassle neither would I have either. The existing one wasn't that bad, just a bit worn and the silver going on the cap; no one will ever notice hardly and it only bugged me, lol.


When these cars were introduced around Euro IV, DPFs weren't mandatory, some of the 3.0 TDis and the 170 2.0TDI, couldn't quite meet the emissions target, so they were introduced to meet that - I think Audi called them 'FAPs' at first, even. The tech then wasn't up to what it is now. I don't think it's possible to burn off ash with these and eventually the only solution for ash is really replacement or professional cleaning off body (or gutting I believe).

Diesel DPFs became mandatory from EURO V onwards (late 2008 and all B8's for example). I think modern diesels often have more problems with EURO VI Adblue these days, and there is a wealth of deletes going on there too, so I believe.


Being my first and only owned diesel, I was ingnorant of such things before; fortunately with the non DPF 140, short journeys aren't an issue; other than carbon build up which happens on every direct injection engine, petrol or diesel, compounded by the added nuisance of EGRs and other such wonderful things.

It does but the petrol creates less soot than a diesel so the need for taking the intake head and other parts of to clean them out isn't needed if you keep ontop of maintenance and run cleaners every so often.

Actually, when i dropped the old oil 3 days ago, it came out cleaner than I expected it to be(i left it in for 1.5 years). It was dark but still golden brown. Unlike the oil that came out of my diesel after 6 months, that was completely black.

Egr is still active on my car and I don't see a reason to turn it off.

 

[B7Tourer]

Actually, when i dropped the old oil 3 days ago, it came out cleaner than I expected it to be(i left it in for 1.5 years). It was dark but still golden brown. Unlike the oil that came out of my diesel after 6 months, that was completely black.

The oil in diesel engines goes almost instantly black, unlike petrol engines - it is not an indicator of bad spent oil. That's why it's so blinking hard to read the dipstick on the B7 oil burners. All direct injection engines will build up carbon; in the case of direct injection petrol engines like the TFSI/FSIs, there is no petrol to act as a detergent going into the intake; I've never taken my intake off. The EGR valve wasn't too gummy considering neither when I replaced it; mine's intact too

 

[northpole]

The oil in diesel engines goes almost instantly black, unlike petrol engines - it is not an indicator of bad spent oil. That's why it's so blinking hard to read the dipstick on the B7 oil burners. All direct injection engines will build up carbon; in the case of direct injection petrol engines like the TFSI/FSIs, there is no petrol to act as a detergent going into the intake; I've never taken my intake off. The EGR valve wasn't too gummy considering neither when I replaced it; mine's intact too

Oww I know that but unlike the old diesel oil, running it through a 0.05 micron filter it didn't have any dirt in it, where as the soot was in the 6 month old oil from my diesel... yeah I used to recycle the oil and make black diesel. I still got the filters and etc to do it, so I ran the oil through it to compare it... save to say the petrol oil was a lot cleaner running for 3 times the amount of time( less mileage though compared to the diesel, it's done about 1/3rd of that) but yeah loads cleaner.

No egr and that oil would have been golden brown.

I did pull the head of my engine last year to replace the headgasket, soot wasn't that bad at all, actually so clean most of what was there could simply be sprayed off with brakecleaner.

I do think my maintenance regime and use of additional additives keeps the lot clean.

You didn't want to see me doing maintenance on my diesels, as i would literally take the intake, boostpipes, intercooler, exhaust manifold and turbo off once a year to clean off the soot myself. The intakevand exhaust ports would get a good clean out too. And the valve stems would get a clean out.put it all back together and run a diesel purge, followed by an oil flush. Yes I did this every year religiously. Did the engines good as my mk4 golf hit 470k when I finally got tired of keeping it running, and the vectra made it to just shy of 300k when the turbo seals gave up ending with a seized engine as the final nail in it's coffin.

But yeah I got tired of that extra maintenance plus i stopped doing big mileage so a diesel would be just asking for more maintenance to keep it running doing short trips, hell the engines wouldn't even hit working temperatures most of the time.

 

[Matt275]

You were brave taking the turbo off the Golf once a year...I wish I had the bottle to do mine!
How well did it run on black diesel?

 

[PDLH]

That's why it's so blinking hard to read the dipstick on the B7 oil burners.

I think the genius Audi engineer who decided to make the dip stick black instead of silver has a lot to answer for as well….i think he/she is still laughing at us all now!

 

[Matt275]

I think the genius Audi engineer who decided to make the dip stick black instead of silver has a lot to answer for as well….i think he/she is still laughing at us all now!

When bean counters design dipsticks

 

[B7Tourer]

Oww I know that but unlike the old diesel oil, running it through a 0.05 micron filter it didn't have any dirt in it, where as the soot was in the 6 month old oil from my diesel... yeah I used to recycle the oil and make black diesel. I still got the filters and etc to do it, so I ran the oil through it to compare it... save to say the petrol oil was a lot cleaner running for 3 times the amount of time( less mileage though compared to the diesel, it's done about 1/3rd of that) but yeah loads cleaner.

No egr and that oil would have been golden brown.

Maybe... but as I say, diesels now literally turn their new oil black within a few miles of driving, after a service; it's just the nature of burning 'oil' rather than petrol. It really is absolutely no indication of poor oil. Changing your oil, with modern synthetics at 6-8,000 ensures a long life more than any other thing, with any car. Despite this instant black oil a diesel will outlast a petrol, with similar diligent maintenance, by some significant margin, however golden the petrol's oil remains. I bear living witness to that lol. And the mileage on mine is nothing really amazing for this type of engine - a typical 2.0l DOHC 16V Euro IV.

I remember seeing a Youtube video where they took an Audi diesel - the 1.9 I think apart after something like over 600,000 miles. Never been cleaned out in it's life. The mechanic reckoned that partly helped with seals etc. I've only ever 'cleaned', if you will, my EGR and ASV, as in renew them. I do intend to take the intake off at some point soon, but that's really to double check the condition of the swirl flaps more than concern over how clean it is. I have very smooth idle and power delivery, no hesitation and no real smoke as it stands. I put that down to 6K oil changes - no additives just premium diesel too. The turbo too is original on this car and shows no sign of problems. I just blip it sharply through the gears to keep those vanes working. This car too has never really been often over 3,000 rpm; mostly sits between 1-2k rpm; except when the MOT place rags the nuts off it each year, lol. No harm there really neither.

 

[alps26]

I think the genius Audi engineer who decided to make the dip stick black instead of silver has a lot to answer for as well….i think he/she is still laughing at us all now!

Be thankful you get a dipstick, the B8 and B9 doesn't have one at all!

 

[B7Tourer]

Be thankful you get a dipstick, the B8 and B9 doesn't have one at all!

It's next to ****** useless though, lol. I use some white tissue; wipe it; dip it and then roll it on the tissue to see the oil. But mostly the yellow min light is what I go off, always been pretty accurate. Unless the microswitch goes blink on the slam panel, then it doesn't 'reset'. There was a revision too for the dipstick, they weren't accurate and often got chewed off at the end. I always got the min warning soon after an oil service (presumably because most mechanics do go off the dipstick when filling) and mine was chewed. I was informed of this and fitted one at the time, when I had the KMB hex/shaft mod fitted by the Audi specialists, who carried out the work. Never had a problem since. The min usually just appears before the next service and a quart always sorts it, until then.

 

[northpole]

Cost cutting just think how much money they ate saving by not providing a dipstick.... we are talking millions here... and the funny part... the funnel is right there which just makes it ridiculous they don't come woth a dipstick. I rather don't use a sensor check to be honest, manual dipstick check is the best way to check the oil level.

And they know it! If I was to get a newer model and it doesn't have a dipstick it'll be the first thing I'll get. And a massive complaint letter will be send to Audi gmbh UK. F- that they'll provide it for free or re-emburst me for it. The fact that the funnel is there and closed off with a lid, just goes to show how stupidly and nasty this move actually is... if it wasn't needed at all they would simply remove the funnel from the engine design. They didn't so why sell the cars without it, other than saving money, for something that is way more accurate than a sensor? It's not as if they cut that price of the cars they didn't!

 

[alps26]

Cost cutting just think how much money they ate saving by not providing a dipstick.... we are talking millions here... and the funny part... the funnel is right there which just makes it ridiculous they don't come woth a dipstick. I rather don't use a sensor check to be honest, manual dipstick check is the best way to check the oil level.

And they know it! If I was to get a newer model and it doesn't have a dipstick it'll be the first thing I'll get. And a massive complaint letter will be send to Audi gmbh UK. F- that they'll provide it for free or re-emburst me for it. The fact that the funnel is there and closed off with a lid, just goes to show how stupidly and nasty this move actually is... if it wasn't needed at all they would simply remove the funnel from the engine design. They didn't so why sell the cars without it, other than saving money, for something that is way more accurate than a sensor? It's not as if they cut that price of the cars they didn't!

The tube is used to suck the engine oil out when it goes for service...but they still charge you for a sump plug...make of that what you will!

The dealer service department use an adjustable dipstick as a fixed one doesn't exist for the B9 (at least not the RS4 engine). I bought one because I kept getting an excess oil warning after the dealer serviced it. Look for "T40178", it's silver so you can actually read it lol but you cant keep it in the dipstick tube. I got one from AliExpress, surprisingly good quality for the £4ish I paid

 

[northpole]

Even if it's only 1p... I would still write a complaint letter and if they refuse I'd sue them as it's ridiculous... how do we make sure people wndup with engine problems? Yeah remove the dipstick... it also removes a simple check of headgasket problems too (mayo on dipstick)

We shall see what happens when I upgrade to a younger model...

 

[Matt275]

Even if it's only 1p... I would still write a complaint letter and if they refuse I'd sue them as it's ridiculous... how do we make sure people wndup with engine problems? Yeah remove the dipstick... it also removes a simple check of headgasket problems too (mayo on dipstick)

We shall see what happens when I upgrade to a younger model...

Planned extinction....a short shelf life....a con.
Chocolate hex shafts were only the beginning.

 

[B7Tourer]

it also removes a simple check of headgasket problems too (mayo on dipstick)

That's a very good point, mate

Chocolate hex shafts were only the beginning.

I think the hex key debacle was probably bean counters saving cents on the metal together with German hubris in thinking they were super smart in design. The reality is a combination of crazy 20K LL schedules and second and third owners ragging them like a petrol and chipping them, did for most; but mine up to 172K had only LL schedules and there was still a few slight thousand miles left on it at the 220/30K when I ugraded it. I came across some one on YT who had a BLB engined (you know? plus the damn chain) one the other day, on over 300,000; and many taxis with this engine in it's various VAG guises made 450-500,000, non the wiser too. I reckon if they were cared for and serviced much more frequently, from new, they all would have had a good chance - Audi only cares about the first 3 years/150K tops and 12 years outside life on any of these cars.

 

[ttelracs]

Replaced two of the three vacuum hoses on the wastegate and and N75 valve as the blue silicone ones I fitted last year I think were two small an internal diameter.
This time I bought 6ft with a larger internal diameter of 4mm and 6mm external which are much more robust and will not collapse under vacuum which I suspect the thinner ones were doing under hard boost and on hot days and/or long runs.

I'll do the one from the bottom of the turbo to the other side of the N75 valve tomorrow morning, but even with those two swapped out it pulls without the slight hesitation I was getting. For the sake of £6 plus 40 mins fiddling, time well spent.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Thinking these on the allroad, well its down to three choice of alloys now.

View attachment 282438

Did a deal on these today , just need a runout out to west sussex to collect them.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Not a problem I had with the b7 but seems to be a common problem with the A6
Faded rear inner lamps.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Had a new pair arrive this morning from autodoc, so much better.

 

[B7Tourer]

Anybody got this intact on their front subrame? https://www.oemvwshop.com/4b3863843-bracket-p383984/

I'm just about to do a service, and I noticed last time the car was up on a ramp, under the engine, where gearbox plastic covers meet was hanging down a bit. It's cable tied up OK (got the proper fastners but they never stay put). I can't remember seeing this part on mine, but it's designed precisely to secure these covers at that point. Do all the subrames even have the mounting points for it I wonder too? I've seen a lot of subrames with and without.

 

[Charlie Farley]

My tfsi manual b7 had it and so did my auto b7 s4.

 

[northpole]

All B7's have it and most of them are hanging down in the corners...but as soon as you put the cover on it stays up.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Such a small change make so much difference .

 

[Matt275]

Anybody got this intact on their front subrame? https://www.oemvwshop.com/4b3863843-bracket-p383984/

I'm just about to do a service, and I noticed last time the car was up on a ramp, under the engine, where gearbox plastic covers meet was hanging down a bit. It's cable tied up OK (got the proper fastners but they never stay put). I can't remember seeing this part on mine, but it's designed precisely to secure these covers at that point. Do all the subrames even have the mounting points for it I wonder too? I've seen a lot of subrames with and without.

I had a feeling this was going to be the part you meant, yes ,mine has it. When I take off the undertray, the part in the link stays attached to the subframe etc.

 

[Matt275]

Such a small change make so much difference .
View attachment 282478

Very nice Rob....was going to offer to polish your old ones for you
Rear lights respond really well to a good machine polish, I keep mine looking nice by polishing them just once a year.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Very nice Rob....was going to offer to polish your old ones for you
Rear lights respond really well to a good machine polish, I keep mine looking nice by polishing them just once a year.

Thanks for the offer Matt but they were beyond saving.
I did give them a good going over when I did the headlamps, but the improvement wasnt worth while, too much cracking and dryed out material.
just opted to get new ones as the old ones were well past saving.
From my research , A6 inner tailgate lights are well lnown for it for somereason.

 

[B7Tourer]

I had a feeling this was going to be the part you meant, yes ,mine has it. When I take off the undertray, the part in the link stays attached to the subframe etc.

Yes Matt, I'm sure mine has it too, only I can't remember; I just wondered if I find it isn't there is this part bolted or welded on? As I say, a lot of subrames show without.

All B7's have it and most of them are hanging down in the corners...but as soon as you put the cover on it stays up.

This is what it looks like happened.

Anyway trying to do this service later this week or early next, if it's not there I'll order the part for next time. I'm looking for another ramp to hire though. I want to Lanoguard the underneath at the same time.

 

[B7Tourer]

Just fitted the new sill strips. Cheap but stainless at least; and I searched high and low for these as the most accurate in size for the B7. I've just got to paint out the slight lower edges of the originals underneath now. I have some matte plastic paint for that. This is where I got them: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/197556436059.

A mate in the trade has come up trumps with a free car ramp for Tues/Wed next week too, so Lanoguard kit ordered. I've already got everything for the service.

 

[northpole]

yeah, they aren't covering it properly... i did check the fitment, and nah, they just don't look right... if only they cut it straight, it would simply cover the old one