NOT AGAIN!! my S3 eats through its 3rd PROPSHAFT front dougnut bush... help needed -

[Denty]

As above - its happened twice before but was replaced under warranty - my car is now out of warranty and i need to replace the front doughnut prop bush. After contacting Audi they have stated that you cant buy the front bush seperate and you have to purchase the whole propshaft (£1190.00...>!!!) how effing stupid is that! you can buy them seperate for all other cars, even mk1 s3's (8L) but not for the 8P.

What i need is some advice... source a second hand prop? try and track down a doughnut of another car that might fit? i dont know, what a nighmare. The worst thing is i use my car for work so im losing ££ everyday my car is off the road...

gonna put a pic up 0of the mangled bush in a bit...its shocking!

Any advice would be greatley recieved.


Cheers

 

[Denty]

 

[Ste_Nova]

why are you loosing ££ surely the train/bus/taxi is cheaper than fuel in an S3?

 

[Denty]

not when u have to drive to around 10 different houses per day, public transport is impossible.

 

[Ste_Nova]

time for a sensible diesel for work

 

[Denty]

constructive, helpfull comments is what im after mate. Not nonsense.

 

[Ste_Nova]

constructive, helpfull comments is what im after mate. Not nonsense.

while typing nonsence i've been busy googleing and looking on etka, and looks like your paying £1000 or stumping for 2nd hand on ebay

i wonder if the shaft off the 3.2 quattro is the same?

Audi A3 8P 3.2 Manual BMJ Prop Shaft Cardan Shaft | eBay

 

[Mpathe]

could you not get an uprated poly bush made for it.

 

[Ste_Nova]

could you not get an uprated poly bush made for it.

Flo-Flex Polyurethane Limited can do that but they would need an orignal new one to copy

 

[Denty]

while typing nonsence i've been busy googleing and looking on etka, and looks like your paying £1000 or stumping for 2nd hand on ebay

i wonder if the shaft off the 3.2 quattro is the same?

Audi A3 8P 3.2 Manual BMJ Prop Shaft Cardan Shaft | eBay

yea sorry im just effed off with it going for the 3rd time u know....

cheers for the info, will look in to it

 

[Denty]

OK OK OK! just had a call from Audi. There going to fit the part for me as a goodwill gesture! i pay for labour (£230) and they foot the bill for a brand new propshaft....!! Audi Coulsdon, I salute you!! my shoulders feel lighter already! phew, that was close.

i still thinks its really bad that you cant buy the bush seperate fromn the whole prop tho...how strange when u can get it fo the mk1 s3' and other vags's..... oh yea, its a £££ thing...:icon_thumright:

 

[mjr901]

any particular reason you've been "shafted" so many times with this?!

 

[Denty]

Ahhhh, i like what uve done there, shafted....hahah....

I think its just the weakest point on the prop / haldex system so its the first to go pop on the drivetrain if something needs to go pop. Im gonna get an uprated one made eventually...

Its good that the dealers helped me out again tho dont ya think fair play, considering car is over 1 year outa warranty...

 

[RYes3]

Great news and kudos to Audi!

They are doing this despite your modding?

 

[Brodster]

My old 08 plate S3 chewed 2 of them........one I knew about and was under warranty and the 2nd was when I traded it in for my new S3. My mate told me about it as they were baffled as it had only been changed 4-5 months previous......I wonder if this is down to them being remapped and the propshaft cant handle the increase in torque.....would seem like it to me.

 

[Denty]

Great news and kudos to Audi!

Exactly!

They are doing this despite your modding?

Yes they are!
They asked me a the begining if it was chipped and i just said yes, the 'master technician' who was stood beside the service girl drew a sharp intake of breath and said 'we wont touch it'! when i explained to him that when the prop went wrong the last two times it wasnt modded he seemed to chill a bit so i think that helped....

 

[Denty]

My old 08 plate S3 chewed 2 of them........one I knew about and was under warranty and the 2nd was when I traded it in for my new S3. My mate told me about it as they were baffled as it had only been changed 4-5 months previous......I wonder if this is down to them being remapped and the propshaft cant handle the increase in torque.....would seem like it to me.

I kind of agree but mine chewed 2 of them un-modded! I think 'spirited' driving, which of course, is what the S3 is supposed to be able to do causes it... u know, stuff like launches, drop down a gear flat on the floor gas overtaking, sliding the back out around roundabouts etc etc... that sort of thing. Im not talking about abusing the car at all, i love her, just having a bit of fun every now and again thats all. Every launch, overtake and drift prob weakens the bush and then one day they they just go BANG!, CLONK & scrape scrape scrape as u drive home at 10mph with mental things going on underneath the car, just praying that a propshaft section isnt going to pierce through the floorwell and kebabish you through your very own onion ring!


Will be getting the car back late 2mora / first thing monday. sweet.

 

[Brodster]

Mine didnt go bang.........there was just a real loud droning noise when you lifted off the accelerator and went through the 60-50 mph mark. The 2nd time I didnt even know about it until I had traded it in and my mate asked if I heard anything untowards........which the reply was 'Certainly not!!!'

 

[audicruiser]

As an upgrade, can the part fitted to the RS3 or TT RS fit? They are obviously designed to cope with the power your running as standard?

 

[Denty]

As an upgrade, can the part fitted to the RS3 or TT RS fit? They are obviously designed to cope with the power your running as standard?

possibly but i know the rs3 /ttrs uses the next gen haldex system - when i looked at a ttrs from underneath (car was on 2 post lift at aps) it defo looks different (beefier) all the components and shaft of the haldex system look a lot stronger, espec the rear diff.

Can the complete ttrs / rs3 gen haldex system be swapped over on to our 8p's? or can we just change the front doughnut bush so its stronger? any ideas welcome

 

[chris.vincent3]

dont you think you should repair the problem that making the driveshafts go? As it wont be long till this one goes by the sound of it unless its a quincidence, but highly unlikley.

You could be forever replacing driveshafts by not repairing the reason why they are going.

 

[audicruiser]

dont you think you should repair the problem that making the driveshafts go? As it wont be long till this one goes by the sound of it unless its a quincidence, but highly unlikley.

You could be forever replacing driveshafts by not repairing the reason why they are going.

I think the problem is running 330bhp through something designed for around 270bhp!! Simple as!

 

[Denty]

But it went twice when standard.......

 

[S3Alex]

I think the problem is running 330bhp through something designed for around 270bhp!! Simple as!

I don't think that's the whole answer or maybe even part of it.

Mine is running nearly twice what it was intended to have and so far hasn't chewed any of the drivetrain.

It does get hoofed as a few people from the last AMDEssex RR day can tell so that's not a part of it either.

 

[essIII]

I don't think that's the whole answer or maybe even part of it.

Mine is running nearly twice what it was intended to have and so far hasn't chewed any of the drivetrain.

It does get hoofed as a few people from the last AMDEssex RR day can tell so that's not a part of it either.

Agreed, plenty of modded S3's on here running 330hp sort of power (including mine) and I don't recall seeing a chewed propshaft donut before.

 

[S3Alex]

Agreed, plenty of modded S3's on here running 330hp sort of power (including mine) and I don't recall seeing a chewed propshaft donut before.

Mine has around 500bhp and has been in bits several times for various mods so the propshafts,gearbox and rear driveshaft have all been out and the doughnuts have always been in good condition.

I think if they can stick that sort of torque and power then they're probably ok.

 

[jungleman]

alright mate, glad to hear coulsden were able to help you out, shame they went so helpful with me when i had issues lol

odd that that went as mine was running 315 for a year and 360 for a year... lots of other things went tits up but not that, you must have just been serious unlucky!

 

[chris.vincent3]

well if it went as standard then it cant be the power, however might not be helping, but putting that aside i think you may have other issues to address to as soon as possible, before the new driveshaft goes in would be best.

Only time ive heard of cars destroying driveshafts is the engine mounts not sitting correct weather it be bent, bushes worn or engine not on correct but this is off another car baring in mind, im new to Audi so could be a different problem, but id definatly get it looked into.

 

[SiT]

That’s a good result. I kept mine standard but could write 2 full A4 worth of issues with the S3 Haldex system i had. It culminated in the car being out of warranty with another issue but i contacted Audi UK who thankfully saw that i never took the car out of their system and again being out of warranty replaced all parts including the second prop shaft..!!

I’d love another S3 as a second car (8P3) but I’ve totally lost confidence in the drive train. Just my own experience and will look to the new one in a year or two's times to hope it’s more reliable.

 

[S3Alex]

That’s a good result. I kept mine standard but could write 2 full A4 worth of issues with the S3 Haldex system i had. It culminated in the car being out of warranty with another issue but i contacted Audi UK who thankfully saw that i never took the car out of their system and again being out of warranty replaced all parts including the second prop shaft..!!I’d love another S3 as a second car (8P3) but I’ve totally lost confidence in the drive train. Just my own experience and will look to the new one in a year or two's times to hope it’s more reliable.

Most of us,(including some very high powered cars) have no problems with it,but it does seem that those that do have no end of trouble.
There were a load of haldex equipped cars being hoofed at the Inters,some of which were running a lot of power and torque,but at least Audi have looked after you.

 

[donna]

sorry to bring this back up mine is a 3.2 v6 dsg mine does not look that bad but how would i know if the bush on bearing is on its way out what to look for . i have a rummbling whitch sounds like it coming from the front of the car and its defenatly more constant with speed ,but the sound does change on different surfaces as in quiter or louder , since i have had my bearings checked and new tyres all round , goodyear asy 2 on standard wheels i had these changed becouse i througt that was the issue , the car has done 60.000 miles .

thanks