Stuck at first hurdle

[audinary]

Right.

Removing front bumper, taken out all bolts...

Removed o/s quarter grille (pressed little tab and yanked it out)

How the flippin' 'eck does the other one (n/s) come out? Theres no tab! Worried if I pull too hard i'll coe off the axle stands......

 

[Lee Goodall]

From memory you need to remove both small sections of grill to get the two bolts out? No other bolts required though?

The grill should just pull out if you pull it in the right place and in the right direction.

 

[audinary]

Okay, I'll just try pulling harder... Ta.

 

[audinary]

Done it! I was being a pu$$y

 

[Lee Goodall]

Okay, I'll just try pulling harder... Ta.

No problem mate.

 

[aragorn]

You should be able to shake the car with all your might and it should not move on the axle stands! If it does move they're not in a suitable place!

 

[audinary]

2nd hurdle:

I've got the two bumper mounting bots out, taken out the three hex-drive bolts in the wheelarch. Am trying to follow the Haynes manual instruction to;

"pull the bumper assembly out squarely. If the bumper sticks in position, grasp the lower bumper just forward of the wheelarch and pivot it up and away from the wing to release it from its mounting bracket"

Me and Dad are both on it and can't move the gitting thing...

 

[aragorn]

you need to pull the bumper clear of the support brackets on the wings by pulling the sides outwards before trying to pull it forward.

 

[Lee Goodall]

To release it from the side brackets you need to kind of lift the bottom corners of the bumper (wheel arch) up and forwards towards the bonnet.. can be a tw@t to shift though.

 

[audinary]

Christ, that was a job....
Couldn't get the ****** off it's side mountings with any end of pushing and shoving, finally resorted to using a hydraulic ram to release the clips!

Got it off, though... Condensor, Rad unbolted, coolant drained, I think I'm about 15 mins from having the lock panel off, but it's too effin cold outside. Remember, I'm a pu$$y.

Work tomorrow, pick up new belt and water pump. Back under car on thursday.

Car has been named Morris, by the way.

 

[ALPINE]

Christ, that was a job....
Couldn't get the ****** off it's side mountings with any end of pushing and shoving, finally resorted to using a hydraulic ram to release the clips!

Got it off, though... Condensor, Rad unbolted, coolant drained, I think I'm about 15 mins from having the lock panel off, but it's too effin cold outside. Remember, I'm a pu$$y.

Work tomorrow, pick up new belt and water pump. Back under car on thursday.

Car has been named Morris, by the way.

welcome to the world of Audi!!!!

my car was called keith until i changed the engine as it was a complete ****!! ( like keith chegwin)

Its just called Pitt now... not after brad pitt either...

Coz its a money pit!!

 

[audinary]

I didn't get to choose the name myself, also it couldn't have a girls name, as my gf would get jealous

 

[andybnwc]

Everyone else is doing it so i might have a go my self at changing aux belt tensioner , can the car be moved a very short distance with lock panel off? ie to get it back in garage if i have to push it out?

 

[audinary]

I see no reason why not... Someone will have to hold the AC condenser up for you, also it may be best to push the car rather than running it with no coolant

 

[aragorn]

if your just changing the tensioner you dont need to drain the coolant

 

[andybnwc]

do you mean i could just pull it to one side?

 

[ALPINE]

I been reading these "service mode" and such like threads. if you wanna get to the front of your engines to change the belts etc simply do the following.

remove the bumper,
remove bumper brackets,
take the top hose off for rad off the engine,
disconnect the wiring off your head lights,
take the boost hoses off the bottom pipe work, (leave attached to turbo and intercooler)
unclip the air con rad form main rad.

lean the air con rad up against the off side wheel.
now remove the 4 hex bolts holding front panel on,
you and a mate carfully pull the front of the car off, making an opening wider the off side of the car as the bottom rad pipes are stopping you pulling near side out any ferther.

vwalla... lots of room to service ya belts!! no need to drain coolent (altho you mite loose a tiny bit from top hose) just bung it up!

Reverse the above to refit!

will look like this

hope this helps!

 

[aragorn]

The whole point of the service mode is you DO NOT need to remove the rad etc

You simply replace two of the bolts holding the rad frame on with some threaded rod, and slide it forward, the pipes etc will all stretch enough to get into the engine, so you dont need to drain the coolant, or touch any of the boost hoses or cabling.

 

[audinary]

If I'm honest it's all a bit of an education to me. I've had company cars for the last three years, and had a Rover 800 before (why, god, why?) so never got a chance to get my hands dirty.

This lil' old A4 though, bought it cheap 'cos I knew it needed a few things done, with the intention of selling it on (low mileage so could make a bit o' cash in good shape) but to be honest I'm rather taken with it.

I'm now doing all it needs to be my permanent car. Taking it all apart gives me a chance to become familiar with it. Good idea for when I start tinkering. Which I will (all donations greatfully recieved).

I have a target eventually of 215hp. I rather like the idea of 215hp on a new cambelt and water pump, just in case!

 

[ALPINE]

The whole point of the service mode is you DO NOT need to remove the rad etc

You simply replace two of the bolts holding the rad frame on with some threaded rod, and slide it forward, the pipes etc will all stretch enough to get into the engine, so you dont need to drain the coolant, or touch any of the boost hoses or cabling.

Excuse my mis understanding. im sure this will help people as removing a couple of hoses is hardly a mission.

 

[audinary]

Well, the new pump is in place. And yes, the old one seems to have been fcuked. Certainly the impeller was freewheeling on the shaft. It seemed fine after a shove with a screwdriver, but it'll only fail again if not replaced.

Interestingly, the Audi part which came off had a plastic impeller, but the nice new one has a cast metal one.

Was intending to do the cambelt yesterday, but I was busy in the bedroom (!) Saturday morning and my friendly parts supplier closed before I had a chance to visit him.

So, job for tomorrow then, and reassembly, and shakedown.
No more borrowing a Ford Ka for me for a while!!