Magnet

Hello Aaron, Sorry to hear of your continued issue with the car. The most important thing here is that you inform the selling garage, in writing, (e-mail will do) that the car is still faulty and request they rectify the problem quickly, and at their expense, since the car is unfit for purpose, and indeed potentially unroadworthy. It is not your responsibility to fault-find the issue, or to advise on how it is sorted. Just as a matter of interest, I’m not sure whether your car has electric assisted power steering or hydraulic. If electric, then the switching on and off and the temporary sorting of the problem can be as simply as a poor battery, but.... Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Well all of this boils down to the car being worth spending on - when funds are available, and when the job becomes essential. Again apologies for appearing to pry, but it’s the detail which you now give us allows forum members to come up with constructive advice - based on your (in caps) circumstances. Good luck for the future. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Many thanks for coming back and sharing your experiences. This will no doubt be of help to others. It would seem your coolant system may not have had a flush out and new coolant in the last 10 years? - and possibly from new? Anyway, it’s had a good bit of attention now, and things are relatively OK. I say relatively, since the operating temperature should be an indicated 90, and you say it’s still below ( by how much?). Two possibilities:- an incorrect gauge reading - possibly as a result of the sender giving an incorrect resistance signal, or the new thermostat (make?) is opening too early. It would be good to have some live readings to assess the actual temperature. Once again, many thanks for the feedback Mark- unfortunately it’s only too rare, so very welcome. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, I apologise if you feel the thread has gone off topic. If you quite simply want a price for replacing the clutch (which to be fair was your original question) then the answer lies in your locality via. actual quotations from local garages, and unlikely from the forum, since rates will differ from area to area, in addition to the ‘quality’ of the parts used. The decision of whether to spend the money you will be quoted, as an add on to the ‘around scrap value’ purchase price, must rest with you, and I would anticipate that you would take into account the fact that this will at least provide you with transport, and the total price may then become irrelevant in comparison with its market value. Of course, only you know the overall condition and serviceability of the car, and this would be my overriding consideration, rather than it’s current market value. i.e. Is the car worth spending the money on - when you have to spend it? Going back to your original post, it seems the clutch is slightly slipping, so would suggest that the car is useable in the short term, so things aren’t that urgent in terms of being forced to repair it now - with respect to your circumstances. Incase it helps, my guess at the labour cost would be around £250/£300 probably plus VAT, but meanwhile, why not use the car respectfully and don’t worry about it for the time being? Hopefully someone on here will have recently had to have their clutch replaced and can give you an idea of what it cost them in their area. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, ‘........more than the car is worth..... ? It’s commercial value - yes - but I would think that is obvious, and I wonder why you would have ‘acquired’ it with a known slipping clutch without knowledge that renewing the clutch was likely to cost more than its ‘worth’. Alternative? Scrap it? But I’m still confused as to why you would bother with acquiring it if that was the case. Your anticipated labour rates are realistic, and without looking into it, I would anticipate that the scheduled time would not be much under 6 hrs. Perhaps you were given it, and just wondering whether there was a potential profit in it, having spent out for a new clutch.

Hello Steve, Thanks for being in touch. Renewing clutches should not be considered only in terms of cost, since the major portion of the bill will be due to labour. Saving money on a new clutch between quotes may be as a result of using the cheapest possible replacement clutch parts, and this can be false economy. I think you will find that Audi clutch parts are very expensive, and likely to force you down the aftermarket parts route. If this is the case, the only aftermarket brand I would use would be LUK. ‘....more than that..’. You are likely to have to factor in changing the dual mass flywheel (expensive part-wise) and I think you will find that most garages will not replace the normal three part clutch without also replacing the flywheel. Total cost? You will need to obtain at least a couple of quotes from garages you know and trust, and ask the relevant questions with regard to the make of parts to be used, then decide what you think is the overall most favourable. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Mileage?

Hello Glenn, Dependent on model - starter isolator, signalling ECU between gear changes. Kind regards, Gareth.

OK then Stephen. Disconnecting the battery was suggested as an additional test, to assess whether you have a battery or a significant discharge issue here. Surely, you will understand this was not suggested as a long term solution to the problem. Once you have carried out this test, and armed yourself with the result, you will need to find yourself an alternative more competent auto electrician who can examine the car and diagnose the cause. I am sure you will appreciate that trying to diagnose the cause without assessing the car i.e. via. the forum will be an impossibility, although we can suggest the procedure of how you go about investigating it yourself, if you are armed with the correct meters and a knowledge of what you are looking for. Perhaps you can update the forum following the battery disconnect. You still haven’t told us the make of the battery/batteries. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Roy, Apologies for suggesting routes you have already been down, but I have also included are a couple of additional ideas. If this were mine, I would be looking up commercial vehicle factors and paying them a visit armed with your defective pipe. They are likely to point you in the direction of hydraulic specialists who can probably remake the pipework for you. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Glen, Just change the two. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Thanks for coming back. It’s probably me, but I’m beginning to lose the plot a bit here, and need to know if it is only the tensioner part of the kit which is wrong - you can obviously check if the belt is right or wrong by comparing it with the original. If it’s only the tensioner, then surely Audi can supply you with this, so I’m not sure why you want a part number - unless you are trying to buy an aftermarket one cheaper. I guess there comes a point at which the extra money to be spent on buying a tensioner or kit from Audi is warranted by the inconvenience of the car being off the road and blocking someone’s garage. As a matter of interest:- I only use genuine dealer cambelt kits where available, and certainly (without exception) only main dealer water pumps. If I have to use an aftermarket kit then the only brand I have/would use is Gates, but I would still only use a dealer water pump. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Roy. Did your local Audi dealer say the part was obsolete? If so, did they suggest that there is a system whereby they can search/alert all dealers (UK and foreign?) to see if it might be available anywhere as unused stock. TPS ? - the VAG specialist suppliers. Partsfinder? - similar to 1st Choice. Specialist publications such as Modern Classics (there are more). Is there a TT Owner’s Club? If all of this fails, then try local hydraulic hose suppliers ( commercial vehicle) who may/should be able to make something up for you. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Many thanks for letting us know. Unfortunately, the link doesn’t work for me, and if that’s the case with others, it may not encourage an interest. Wondered if you are able to rectify this. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Sorry to hear of your issue. Of course, the answer lies with your local Audi dealer, who should be able to provide you with the correct tensioner from your VIN. As I understood it, you are not blessed with the same degree of aftermarket (motor factor) supply as we are in the U.K. so supply and information may not be as comprehensive as we enjoy. It would be great if you could let us know if that is still the case. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. I think there was someone on here who provided a link to getting part numbers from the VIN. Might be worth a search - or I will try later for you,

Hello Anthony, It sounds like the answer to your problem lies around the turbo. If this were mine, I would be getting the car inspected at a trusted local diesel specialist, since obviously it will be impossible to fully diagnose the problem without inspecting the car. I would not be doing this via. a non-diesel-specialist garage. Recommendations for diesel specialists can often be obtained from local taxi drivers who’s living depends on a quick repair turnover at reasonable prices. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Mark, ‘Dropped slightly on the gauge’.... Can you be more specific, and let us have a temperature gauge needle position when the car has reached its current operating temperature? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Roy, Can we take it you cannot obtain this part from your Audi dealer? And TPS? Kind regards, Gareth.

OK, sounds like my suggestions were unfortunately of no use. I’m sure you will appreciate Stephen that providing full details of what has been done so far, saves making suggestions which have already been investigated. Still... I’m not sure what your/your auto electrician’s view is on the (lower than normal?) alternator output, and obviously there is a major discharge issue, although your AE could not find where. Of course, that assumes your battery is not at fault. Oh, you didn’t tell is the make of the battery Stephen. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. I take it you have tried disconnecting the battery while standing (say overnight) and checking whether the car starts under this test.

Hello Mark, Thanks for being in touch. Can we assume that the normal operating temperature is being achieved and maintained as it was during the summer months? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Thanks for being in touch. A couple of points:- Alternator delivering 13.6 volts seems a little low to me - I would have thought almost 1 volt higher would be better. Battery discharges in 24 hours to a state of being too low to start the car, points to a (very) significant drain. You say ‘no leakage detected...’ How are you assessing whether there is a ‘leakage’ or not? Make of nearly new battery? It would only be a guess that there might be a discharge through the alternator, but obviously a guess it would be. Subject to your answers to the above, it would seem your best bet would be to use the services of a trusted local auto electrician, unless you have the equipment and knowledge to investigate this yourself. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dave, Thanks for being in touch, and you raise a good question since some types of antifreeze should not be mixed with other types. The correct answer to your question lies with the whoever renewed your heater matrix. Obviously, only they know what they used, and I would be driving back to them and asking them to fill your header tank to the correct level. If very little needs to be added, you could just use water, but if the level is fairly low then it will need to be topped up with a 50/50 mix of the correct coolant. My feeling is it should be red OAT, but as said, we are not sure what they actually used, so a return visit to them would be the best answer. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jack, I would start by registering your ‘want’ with on line car breaker link systems such as Partsfinder ( there are more). Breakers contact you directly if they have what you want. You could also place wanted ads. in specialist magazines such as Modern Classics - there are more. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Robert, I guess anything is possible. In the older systems it worked via. a sort of vacuum cylinder which controlled the throttle in a selected fixed position. Modern system? Probably not as simple, but no doubt worth a good Googling, to determine exactly what is needed. Sorry I can’t help further Robert, but let’s hope someone on here will offer some advice. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Frank, Looks great. Glad your are keeping the Jaguar, and likely to be joining the Jaguar/Audi owners club! Mine’s an X350 - best Jaguar saloon I’ve owned. Magnet? Something to do with a one- off 1930 special bodied Austin I renovated! Perhaps worth boring yourself for 5 minutes with Googling ‘Winterbourne’s Austin 16/6’. Take care, Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, The stop/start function is understandably one of the first systems to shut down as the battery efficiency decreases. Kind regards, Gareth.