New s3 owner, Temp gauge all over the place

[ADs3]

Hi I'm new to Audi's after ending my love affair with Subaru's I thought I'd go for something a bit more under the radar & not a money pit!......already wanting to tune my s3 after a weeks ownership thoug

First thing I noticed about the car is the fuel consumption isn't good at all & worse than my Impreza was! even driving like miss daisy it still drinks. I'm thinking this could be related to the erratic in the temp gauge?

Car takes ages to get up to 90 on temp gauge, once there settles back to 80 ish but then creeps back down to about 70 then up slowly to 80 after a while & maybe 90 if I'm lucky.
This doesn't seem right to me as surely it shouldn't be up & down the temp range that much & I'm wondering if it's a faulty thermostat or the temp sender that is causing the poor fuel consumption?

Any help much appreciated

 

[tcg]

I thought I'd go for something a bit more under the radar & not a money pit!

Welcome to the 'money pit club' mate as I'm sure you'll find out as you dig deeper I came from a Celica GT4 so similar mpg/performance to your Subaru(18-20 mpg)

My 2003 BAM S3 does around 28-30 mpg general/spirited driving.

Does sound like temp is related to thermostat,might be worth changing both stat and sensor.I'm sure there'll be someone with much more experience/intelligence along soon to help you.

Enjoy the rollercoaster!

 

[ADs3]

Lol thanks! I'm hoping to not get in too deep, keep it reasonable & not go to stupid but It's too tempting. Gt4 is a rare car now, haven't seen one on the rd for a very long time.

28-30 mpg sounds more like it, is your car modded at all?.

 

[Tj 0785]

something a bit more under the radar & not a money pit!.....

One out of two ain’t bad

 

[hydro s3]

Hi and welcome to the forum. If u scam it with vcds you might find a fault code to help you. Or it could be just a easy fix like a faulty thermostat. There is also a vcds map where you can find people who live near you that have it if you don't.
O and these cars are definitely money pits when you get on the slippery slop of modifying.

 

[AGB-S3]

If its cold , then , at a guess , the thing will be rich anyway, hopefully , something as simple as the thermostat ..good time to get the radiator and system flushed out , should hit mid scale 90 or be well on the way in 5 mins reasonable driving ..

I had strange coolant issues , turned out to be some donkey had used silicone to seal the bulkhead pipes to the heater , flushing the system was one of the jobs the local engine shop did as part of a round the houses , as we though there was a head water leak at first ... year or so later and all's well , or as well as can be with a reduced $ flow ,)

Orrid though , how old is the water pump and cam-belts / cam-wheels ?

G.

 

[tcg]

Lol thanks! I'm hoping to not get in too deep, keep it reasonable & not go to stupid but It's too tempting. Gt4 is a rare car now, haven't seen one on the rd for a very long time.

Had a few 'plays' alongside WRX's in my GT4,seemed similar power/handling,great fun

28-30 mpg sounds more like it, is your car modded at all?.

Just a stage 1 remap,coming up to 2 years ownership.I've spent more on the S3 in that time than the purchase price,if you want a laugh,have a skip through this...

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/stop-the-clock-start-the-thread-my-baby-is-home.261997/

Good luck mate.

 

[AGB-S3]

spent more on the S3 in that time than the purchase price,

Yes , just look on it as purchasing a box of spare parts, the additional spend is then 'only' to assemble them into a recognizable car
,)

NB- Check the rubber VAC hoses for splits etc or it might not want to stop

G,

 

[ADs3]

Hi and welcome to the forum. If u scam it with vcds you might find a fault code to help you. Or it could be just a easy fix like a faulty thermostat. There is also a vcds map where you can find people who live near you that have it if you don't.
O and these cars are definitely money pits when you get on the slippery slop of modifying.

Thanks hydro........I'm hoping it's a easy fix too. That vcds map sounds like a good idea if it doesn't turn out to be the thermostat how do I go about finding the map?.
Haha i plan to not go to crazy with the modding........we'll see how long that last eh

 

[ADs3]

Orrid though , how old is the water pump and cam-belts / cam-wheels ?

Hi AGB, cam belt & water pump was changed back in August when the previous owner had it. It's all documented with a fsh so it should've had a coolant change then too.

 

[ADs3]

Yes , just look on it as purchasing a box of spare parts, the additional spend is then 'only' to assemble them into a recognizable car

Laughed hard at this

 

[Stuart B]

welcome to the forum - my temp sender does the same, and I don't get "hot air" out for more than a couple of minutes - I have bought a thermostat and will let you know if it fixes mine.
you have bought a bit of a money pit though - these S3's are famous for it, I have only done a few things and spent quite a bit over 2 and a bit years and most of that is just running repair costs.

 

[ADs3]

if you want a laugh,have a skip through this...

I got 4 pages in and thoughts I was reading about my Impreza

How's the car now though?

 

[nobbybonez]

I thought I'd go for something a bit more under the radar & not a money pit!

hahahahahahahahah not a money pit

 

[ADs3]

welcome to the forum - my temp sender does the same, and I don't get "hot air" out for more than a couple of minutes - I have bought a thermostat and will let you know if it fixes mine.
you have bought a bit of a money pit though - these S3's are famous for it, I have only done a few things and spent quite a bit over 2 and a bit years and most of that is just running repair costs.

Thanks Stuart, after doing a bit of research it sounds like the thermostat is bit of a weak link on these. I've picked up a new stat & temp sensor today & will be swapping them out tomorrow to see if it cures the problem......fingers crossed!

I've come from Impreza ownership so I'm all to familiar with money pits lol. Impreza is being broken & all funds from that will be put back into tuning my s3........out of the pan & straight into the fire

 

[tcg]

I got 4 pages in and thoughts I was reading about my Impreza

How's the car now though?

The car's fine now mate,just doesn't thrill me like the GT4 did and that was so reliable for an old 'jap cr@p' as they're known,compared to my S3.

Practicality brought me to the S3 but handling in standard form is pants in comparison,I think my GF's '13 Fiesta has less body roll in the corners and I miss a real 4wd.

I fell out of love with it,don't get me wrong the S3 is a good 'hot hatch',in my opinion,but I don't look back at it when I park it and walk away,that says all you need to know.

I'm sure once you've tuned and uprated a few bits you'll enjoy yours much more.

Need to see some pictures of your pride and joy,I just hope you haven't bought the wrong colour,like @Stuart B

 

[Stuart B]

there's only one real S3 colour, all the other colours have excuses for them "it's a sleeper" "it doesn't look dirty when it's dirty" "that's the only colour you can get replacement wings for"

and I do look back at mine well the rear anyway the front is wrecked, although sometimes I look back to make sure it's not rolling down the hill after a handbrake failure.

 

[ADs3]

Need to see some pictures of your pride and joy,I just hope you haven't bought the wrong colour,like @Stuart B

The car's fine now mate

Excellent, let's hope it stays that way over winter......Struggling to find the enthusiasm to get out in the cold & change my stat & temp sensor this morn, also start breaking my Impreza today to free up some funds, which it sounds like I'm going to need! lol

I'll get some pics up in the week. Haha what's the wrong colour? I've gone for silver, car looks standard apart from a miltek cat back system, creations motorsport tip & filter which I think is a copy of badger5's & a forge dv. All these were already on the car when I brought it so hopefully that's saved me a few pennies but still allot more to go to get to stage 2

 

[Tj 0785]

Silver is the right colour

 

[ADs3]

Silver is the right colour

Biased by any chance

 

[Silva bullet]

Had a few 'plays' alongside WRX's in my GT4,seemed similar power/handling,great fun



Just a stage 1 remap,coming up to 2 years ownership.I've spent more on the S3 in that time than the purchase price,if you want a laugh,have a skip through this...

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/stop-the-clock-start-the-thread-my-baby-is-home.261997/

Good luck mate.

Most probably tpreture sesor I had similar issues afew years back but make sure it's the newer green version

Cost ya about 10-15 pounds from dealers

 

[Tj 0785]

Maybe a little and the blue alcantara is best interior ha

 

[ADs3]

Well I've changed the stat & coolant sensor & the temp gauge now stays at a steady 90 The stat was stuck slightly open.
Mpg hasn't really changed so I'm looking at getting a vcds lead of Ebay to see if this will show up any codes. Am I looking at the right lead here?https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282070963414 Looks like it & sounds like it to me but I'm new to Audi so want to double check before I purchase or can someone point me in the right direction of a worthwhile buy?

 

[Stuart B]

what do you call "bad fuel consumption" mine is average on the trip computer as about 22.8 mpg and it is only mapped with a couple of regular modifications.

do you manage the stat without removing the alternator?

 

[ADs3]

I'm getting 23.1 mpg currently, tcg commented he was seeing 28-30 with a mix of driving & is stage one tuned, that's the kind of mpg I was expecting to see. I'm not driving the car hard so thought I'd see better mpg if 22-23 is what's the norm then so be it that's the nature of the beast, I can only compare it to my previous Impreza which was more powerful & returned better mpg than what is a pretty standard s3.

I didn't have to touch the alternates, was tight but not too bad, glad I got a new dip stick tube after reading other people's experiences because true to form it snapped & looked like it's had a crack at the bottom for a while judging by the oily crap that's accumulated

 

[Stuart B]

Thanks I already have had that lot off around the inlet manifold, the only example video I watched had no front on at all and comments like "just imagine this is the space you have"
If I am cruising on a motorway at 55 it will say 30mpg, but invariably you are in traffic or overtaking and drinking fuel. Someone recently reckoned their EGT sensor was shot causing high mpg by putting the ECU in protection mode. But I think they had an EML on the dash.

 

[tcg]

With regards to a cable,I can't tell you which one will work but the one I bought was this one...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAG-GROUP...hash=item4d026febe4:m:mbhiBHFI7cegWdPN4t6xCOA

My laptop is old,was running Windows 7 when I got the lead but now upgraded to Windows 10 and it still works.I think (bear in mind I'm no techy) that it runs in compatibility mode.I also had to download the VCDS Lite software and it is limited to what it can tell you but does the basics.

Whereabouts in the country are you mate?...Have a look on this map,there may be a member near you who could give it a full scan...

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...25635&spn=8.941335,43.505859&z=6&source=embed

I would check all your breather/inlet hoses for leaks...The experienced people on here always say 'get a smoke test'.I haven't,but common place is under the inlet manifold the hoses perish.The PCV system hoses also get blocked up with 'cream' and the oem TIP (turbo to inlet) hose tends to perish and collapse after time.

hth

 

[ADs3]

the only example video I watched had no front on at all and comments like "just imagine this is the space you have

You didn't take it all off did you?
Most of my driving has been around town & pretty short journeys lately so I guess I wouldn't see the best mpg in that respect.

I'm going to get a vcds lead with the lite version & see if there's any faults that have been stored or if anything comes up just to be sure plus it'll come in handy no doubt!

 

[ADs3]

I would check all your breather/inlet hoses for leaks...The experienced people on here always say 'get a smoke test

This is my plan at some point I'll get round to seeing if there's someone around my way (maidstone, Kent) who does smoke tests, it's easy to miss leaks if you can't get good access.
I'll get the lite version & see how it goes, have read you can download the full version for $99 which is a small price to pay considering how useful it could be.

When I was changing the stat I had the engine cover off & found this which I think is the n112? from what I've read here so far.
So someone has been playing with the car. I do plan to lose the pcv system, n249 & sai at some point but all the guides don't have pics available anymore & reading it all with no pics when your not familiar with these cars doesn't fill me with confidence

 

[AGB-S3]

Stuck thermostat , well at least it was something simple ,

I do a 20 miles run to work, about 50/50 m-way and A roads , in 30 mins some times less, each way , that's giving me 32 mpg average , followed the bus from Douglas to the Sound and returned 50 mpg , [30 on the way back , no bus to follow]

If its been running cold for a while , may need a trip over the nearest hill to re-settle thing's , not before the ritual tugging of the VAC hoses and molded hoses, they do crack and perish, and as by some devilish magic , the brake vac is supplied by a system, that is under positive pressure for most of the time ... every little helps ..

G,

 

[Stuart B]

I think that is your N249 deleted already unless you have a jungle of pipes and a plastic container on top of your cam cover.

 

[ADs3]

Stuck thermostat , well at least it was something simple ,

I do a 20 miles run to work, about 50/50 m-way and A roads , in 30 mins some times less, each way , that's giving me 32 mpg average , followed the bus from Douglas to the Sound and returned 50 mpg , [30 on the way back , no bus to follow]

If its been running cold for a while , may need a trip over the nearest hill to re-settle thing's , not before the ritual tugging of the VAC hoses and molded hoses, they do crack and perish, and as by some devilish magic , the brake vac is supplied by a system, that is under positive pressure for most of the time ... every little helps ..

G,[/QUOTE
I'll be taking the car on a decent run this wkd 80 mile round trip so maybe this will help it re learn.......hopefully get a smoke test done at some point but I'm going to check hoses at the wkd if I get time.
So if there's a leaking hose somewhere in the pcv system is that going to effect the brakes!?

 

[ADs3]

I think that is your N249 deleted already unless you have a jungle of pipes and a plastic container on top of your cam cover.

I wouldn't know without going out & checking under the bonnet if there's a container on top of the cam cover, I'll have a look tomorrow to be sure........this is where I find it frustrating not knowing what is what on these cars......need to search & trawl the posts more to identify what is what

 

[ADs3]

I think that is your N249 deleted already unless you have a jungle of pipes and a plastic container on top of your cam cover.

Just done a quick search on you tube & that is the n249 Stuart

 

[Stuart B]

there are a lot of missing photos now after photobucket or whatever it was required payment for use.

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/thread...ith-a-bam-engine-if-it-makes-any-odds.136745/

its a bit clear to see if the jungle has been removed

I see you have already replied

 

[ADs3]

Thanks for the link, yes all those hoses on top of cam cover are definitely gone I would've remembered that mess!

Also just found a pcv delete to catch can video as well that makes it so much easier to understand......happy days

 

[AGB-S3]

Depends what its connected to , but , air leaks on the vac side , will reduce the braking efficiency and cause idle problems , mine was quite lumpy with the air-con 'on' , after the split items where replaces , a improvement , idle is still bad with the ari-con on , but apparently , thats normal ...have though of fitting a vac boost pump at times .. my xr4x4i had a pumped braking system and was 10 years older than this .

 

[hydro s3]

If i have my air-con on my car idles fine. Don't know who told you that its normal but id look into that more if i was you.

 

[AGB-S3]

That was the work from the local vag / audi guy and others , could be also linked to more vac leaks , injector seals but , not an issue , better than it was at first , can still catch the brakes out , or should that be the brakes can catch you out if your having fun ..

 

[ADs3]

So I managed to get round to having a proper poke around the engine bay today. Noticed the tip had a bit of movement on it at the turbo end. Who ever fitted the tip originally hadn't used any thread lock on the two locating grub screws as it'd come lose & once the tip was taken of the alloy bell mouth could be spun freely, no signs of mastic either. So after all re fitted properly the mpg has gone up to just over 26 so far. Guessing the bad mpg was down to the air not being metered properly as it getting in after the afm!
Also couldn't work out what make the induction cone was either as it didn't seem right.........after reading through a thread here I realised it was off a Honda S2000. This will be changed for a proper induction cone as it can't be tightened onto the afm to create a good seal.

Is there's any difference between the blue jetex filter & the bmc twin cone filter sold by badger5 apart from price & style or do they both deliver the same results?