New Owner: A4 Avant Quattro 2.0T Special edition

[Bobbytea]

Good morning chaps,

As the title of the thread says I've recently purchased a 2006 2.0T Quattro Avant with 88k on the clock - full Audi service history with 12 stamps. My previous car was a 2010 Renaultsport Clio 200 so it's been quite an adjustment to the big four-ringed beast.

Now I'm looking at a few upgrades - mainly suspension mods and possibly a remap to wake up the midrange on the BUL engine. So some advice on what to check for would be amazing. As soon as I purchased the car I had a full service carried out and had the clutch and DMF changed. I've also changed out the panel filter for an ITG and installed an Eibach 22mm ARB on the rear to improve turn in.

I have a list of jobs to do after I've scanned through the various post on here:
-Cam follower change
-Belt tensioner replacement
-Check four wheel alignment
-Diverter valve replacement
Are there any other things I should look at getting done before heading down the upgrade route?

Many thanks,
Bob

 

[Bobbytea]

And some picture of her - I do love and avant

 

[Charlie Farley]

May I say welcome to the forum Bob, good choice of weapon aswell with the Special ed avant (best one )…..
Looks like you have started on a short list , a short list because with the B7 it may well become a very long list.
BUL engine the best of the tfsi bunch but still has issues , not all are bad and not all need addressing but there's allways something that needs doing.

Don't fall into the trap of comparing your previous car to the B7 , its like chalk and cheese frankly so best just lookforwards with the B7 and treat it accordingly as it is far removed from a clio.
B7 turbo's are fast just they can be very deceptive at the same time , its not a big car but is quite heavy and well insulated so you'll not notice the go kart speed and handling as much as in smaller fast cars, but , it is there.
Anyways, lots for you to do and think about but main thing is too get out and enjoy it, don't become a slave to modding then fixing it all the time, with the right mods you'll end up with a great car, great tool and have the time to drive it , which is the best thing about these cars and engines.....its all about the grin factor.

have a good one chap.

rob

 

[Siondc]

Good morning chaps,

As the title of the thread says I've recently purchased a 2006 2.0T Quattro Avant with 88k on the clock - full Audi service history with 12 stamps. My previous car was a 2010 Renaultsport Clio 200 so it's been quite an adjustment to the big four-ringed beast.

Now I'm looking at a few upgrades - mainly suspension mods and possibly a remap to wake up the midrange on the BUL engine. So some advice on what to check for would be amazing. As soon as I purchased the car I had a full service carried out and had the clutch and DMF changed. I've also changed out the panel filter for an ITG and installed an Eibach 22mm ARB on the rear to improve turn in.

I have a list of jobs to do after I've scanned through the various post on here:
-Cam follower change
-Belt tensioner replacement
-Check four wheel alignment
-Diverter valve replacement
Are there any other things I should look at getting done before heading down the upgrade route?

Many thanks,
Bob

Replace the oil pick up with revised part. Part number 06F115251B
Old part gets clogged and starves engine of oil. Should be changed every major service.

 

[Nozrul Islam]

Hello Bob, nice car mate and as Rob says enjoy it, however what I'm confused with is the comment about Avant being the best!!!

Bob, did you notice any difference when you changed the air filter to ITG?

 

[Charlie Farley]

Hello Bob, nice car mate and as Rob says enjoy it, however what I'm confused with is the comment about Avant being the best!!!

Bob, did you notice any difference when you changed the air filter to ITG?

you should know by now chap how biased I am towards the avant variants .....but saloons are just as nice, well nearly..lol

 

[Bobbytea]

May I say welcome to the forum Bob, good choice of weapon aswell with the Special ed avant (best one )…..
Looks like you have started on a short list , a short list because with the B7 it may well become a very long list.
BUL engine the best of the tfsi bunch but still has issues , not all are bad and not all need addressing but there's allways something that needs doing.

Don't fall into the trap of comparing your previous car to the B7 , its like chalk and cheese frankly so best just lookforwards with the B7 and treat it accordingly as it is far removed from a clio.
B7 turbo's are fast just they can be very deceptive at the same time , its not a big car but is quite heavy and well insulated so you'll not notice the go kart speed and handling as much as in smaller fast cars, but , it is there.
Anyways, lots for you to do and think about but main thing is too get out and enjoy it, don't become a slave to modding then fixing it all the time, with the right mods you'll end up with a great car, great tool and have the time to drive it , which is the best thing about these cars and engines.....its all about the grin factor.

have a good one chap.

rob

Ah yes thats some great advice! Enjoy what ya got, She is deceptivly fast. I want her to be reliable so I think keeping it pretty standard would be a good idea - I'd just like a little more poke as I feel like the Quattro could handle a slug more tourque.

Thanks Rob!

 

[Bobbytea]

Hello Bob, nice car mate and as Rob says enjoy it, however what I'm confused with is the comment about Avant being the best!!!

Bob, did you notice any difference when you changed the air filter to ITG?

Hi Bud, Yes the engine note has changed to a delightful tone (not intrusive or chavvy, but has has made the tractor VAG T FSI engine a little more tuneful) and I'm returning slightly better MPG. The way the car pulls throughout the rev range has a more positive feel, I wouldn't say its night and day different but definately worth it for me.

 

[Bobbytea]

Replace the oil pick up with revised part. Part number 06F115251B
Old part gets clogged and starves engine of oil. Should be changed every major service.

Thanks Siondc, I'll add that to the list

 

[Charlie Farley]

To be fair to audi it's not really a so much a problem with the oil suction pipe , it does actually work ok , its the service intervals that are the root cause for the majority of engine oil pressure failures and problems.
The Long life service schedule just kills these tfsi engines , if they kept services to annual periods with oil changes 10k maximum things would be very different indeed.
regular oil and filter changes are a must , use top quality oil and then oil sludge wont become such an issue and the likelyhood of the mesh becoming blocked will be reduced at lot.
The part guys are using now is not actually a revised part for these engines based on mechanical issues due to a poor designed part to start with.
There have been numerous owners on this forum and others that still had oil pressure issues and failures due to blockages etc even with the newer part fitted.
Good oil pressure is crucial to ensure all the parts that are lubricated , get lubricated and that includes the cam chain tensioner etc, they are all reliant on oil pressure .
having nasty thick oil pumping around the oilways is not ideal full stop, get it all out and start with fresh oil and keep to a regular service schedule.
I'm not saying it will stop your engine going tits up , but it can only help and that's has to be a good thing.

It all too easy to read endless threads on other owners nightmare issues with these engines , they are not that bad an engine, there are more engines out there that are problem free with very high milage and nobody thinks about them or here's about them , mainly because they have very few problems.
So don't make the mistake and become paranoid about things, once you start pre -empting things that may possibly go wrong , or someone said you need to replace it now before your engine falls out , you may aswell just sell up and get something else......just drive it and enjoy it and just keep an eye on things .

 

[Bobbytea]

To be fair to audi it's not really a so much a problem with the oil suction pipe , it does actually work ok , its the service intervals that are the root cause for the majority of engine oil pressure failures and problems.
The Long life service schedule just kills these tfsi engines , if they kept services to annual periods with oil changes 10k maximum things would be very different indeed.
regular oil and filter changes are a must , use top quality oil and then oil sludge wont become such an issue and the likelyhood of the mesh becoming blocked will be reduced at lot.
The part guys are using now is not actually a revised part for these engines based on mechanical issues due to a poor designed part to start with.
There have been numerous owners on this forum and others that still had oil pressure issues and failures due to blockages etc even with the newer part fitted.
Good oil pressure is crucial to ensure all the parts that are lubricated , get lubricated and that includes the cam chain tensioner etc, they are all reliant on oil pressure .
having nasty thick oil pumping around the oilways is not ideal full stop, get it all out and start with fresh oil and keep to a regular service schedule.
I'm not saying it will stop your engine going tits up , but it can only help and that's has to be a good thing.

It all too easy to read endless threads on other owners nightmare issues with these engines , they are not that bad an engine, there are more engines out there that are problem free with very high milage and nobody thinks about them or here's about them , mainly because they have very few problems.
So don't make the mistake and become paranoid about things, once you start pre -empting things that may possibly go wrong , or someone said you need to replace it now before your engine falls out , you may aswell just sell up and get something else......just drive it and enjoy it and just keep an eye on things .

Here here - I totally agree with regard to the "only hearing bad reviews" side of things. I've got a mate whos running a Revo mapped Mk5 GTI with 187,000 on the clock! He does his oli/filter change every six months and it still pulls like a train. So yes, I agree maintainance is the best form of prevention. I'm a worrier by nature and just wanna make sure eveything is top notch on the motor before adding a little more stress with stage 1.

Oil is the life blood of an engine - no point in putting cheap stuff in! I normally use Petronas 5w-30 5000av. Do you stick with OEM filters or is there one you reccommend?

 

[j_mcvic]

Hello fellow Renault Sport Clio owner!

I went from A MK2 Clio 182 to an avant 2.0 TFSI and I’m enjoying it.

Looks like a decent list of things you have on your to do list. Did you notice much difference adding the rear ARB? Thinking about tying to get my hands on an RS4 one as I’ve read they are thicker and better!

My old 182

And my current Avant

 

[Bobbytea]

Hello fellow Renault Sport Clio owner!

I went from A MK2 Clio 182 to an avant 2.0 TFSI and I’m enjoying it.

Looks like a decent list of things you have on your to do list. Did you notice much difference adding the rear ARB? Thinking about tying to get my hands on an RS4 one as I’ve read they are thicker and better!

Nice! That 182 looks mint!! The most fun you can have on three wheels! Here was my 200, what a firecracker! I almost cried when I sold her. Did you do any track days in the 182?


With Regard to the ARB - what a difference! It's turned the Quattro from an understeery mess into a much better-balanced package, not quite RS levels of lift-off oversteer but it'll get mobile at the rear now under provocation. Lifting off mid-corner now tucks the front end in nicely, while not affecting the ride at all. I'm in no way comparing the two - they're different beasts and the Audi won't let you left foot brake to really get her swinging around like a pendulum. The Eibach item I've got has a couple of holes so you can adjust the level of stiffness at the rear, it took a couple of hours to fit one afternoon too... a no-brainer for a much more involved drive.

 

[antwan64og]

To be fair to audi it's not really a so much a problem with the oil suction pipe , it does actually work ok , its the service intervals that are the root cause for the majority of engine oil pressure failures and problems.
The Long life service schedule just kills these tfsi engines , if they kept services to annual periods with oil changes 10k maximum things would be very different indeed.
regular oil and filter changes are a must , use top quality oil and then oil sludge wont become such an issue and the likelyhood of the mesh becoming blocked will be reduced at lot.
The part guys are using now is not actually a revised part for these engines based on mechanical issues due to a poor designed part to start with.
There have been numerous owners on this forum and others that still had oil pressure issues and failures due to blockages etc even with the newer part fitted.
Good oil pressure is crucial to ensure all the parts that are lubricated , get lubricated and that includes the cam chain tensioner etc, they are all reliant on oil pressure .
having nasty thick oil pumping around the oilways is not ideal full stop, get it all out and start with fresh oil and keep to a regular service schedule.
I'm not saying it will stop your engine going tits up , but it can only help and that's has to be a good thing.

It all too easy to read endless threads on other owners nightmare issues with these engines , they are not that bad an engine, there are more engines out there that are problem free with very high milage and nobody thinks about them or here's about them , mainly because they have very few problems.
So don't make the mistake and become paranoid about things, once you start pre -empting things that may possibly go wrong , or someone said you need to replace it now before your engine falls out , you may aswell just sell up and get something else......just drive it and enjoy it and just keep an eye on things .

Interestingly all the refurbished TFSI engines insist in 3500 mike oil change intervals to warranty engines.

I for one will be following a similar oil schedule once the new engine is in

 

[Charlie Farley]

Audi never stated that when they replaced my BUL engine under warranty , but then it was new not refurbed , if they are advising that shorter period then it confirms exactly what we know, long service periods are detrimental to the engine .

 

[antwan64og]

Audi have 100’s of spare engines in stock whereas local engineering firms who refurb engines can’t afford one warranty claim nevermind multiple claims.

I don’t doubt that 3500 mile intervals is over zealous/cautious but it certainly gives food for thought.

10k miles is certainly the upper limit for oil changes on any turbo car, the TFSI runs so hot to aid economy/emissions it is logical that oil life will be reduced further.

Yes, There’s plenty of these motors that go to 200k but there’s also plenty of abused models that die at 100k and its noted that long life oil changes certainly seem to expedite blocked pick ups, oil pump balance shaft failures and top end wear.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Personally I never go over 10k per oil change, but then I do sub 1ok per annum milage aswell. but with good quality oil 10k max per service interval is safe on these engines, wouldn't go any higher though and with audi's oem PCV not helping oil quality in the engine 8k is probably the ideal milage for a daily driver.
If I were using pushing the engine more over a longer period then a much lower , probably 6 - 8k range .
I use fuch's ester based fully synthetic which does seem to hold up better between oil changes than previous flavours, also with my revised pcv arrangement engine oil does appear to be lasting better.
Anway, its all down to the end user really as many are quite happy to run on the oem service schedule for filter/oil changes unaware of the possible long term detrimental effects, I for one don't subscribe to that.
If I looked back at the milages between my oil changes over the last three years it would probably average out at 8k miles per annum so bang on the figures we are talking about really.

When I had oil consumption issues in the first year of my ownership audi offered to just replace the engine with a new one, a repair or refurb unit was not offered at all, but even with a new motor it still uses a fair bit of oil...but hey that's life.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I suppose given the amount oil ones refill's these engines with over a year due to oil consumption they are getting an intermediate oil change anyway.....

 

[Bobbytea]

Thanks for the info guys! I love how in-depth a forum chat can go! Your knowledge is superb.

Awesome so to summarise from what you’ve said:

Oil/filter change every 8k, use good oil and enjoy the superb motor carriage!

Thanks for the recommendation of the Fuchs oil, which filter do you normally use? Is it worth sticking with the bosch or looking at the k&n?

 

[Colin_88]

Now then fellas,
I feel like this thread is a good place to start for me as I have just put a deposit down on one of these.
I've enjoyed reading everyones inputs so cheers for that.
I'm not looking to make the car ridiculously noisy or crazy fast, just want it to be reasonable on fuel (obviously my right foot depending ) and try to avoid any big issues. Any advice would be welcome.
The cam belt was done last year.
Had service and MOT today as part of the purchase deal.
I've also managed to get them to do the Cam follower for the price of the kit, after reading horror stories.
Anything else that would help?
Obviously I've also read about the pcv issues on here.
Cheers Col