Magnet

Hello Adam, My first port of call would to establish what diameter wheels were standard on your model. 21 inch seem extremely large, but I’m not familiar with what was standard fitment. If indeed they are oversize then you will find that fitting smaller wheels should allow you to fit tyres of a deeper profile. Kind regards, Gareth.

Lion?? Good luck Jamie. Just my opinion, but if asked which brand not to buy..... Kind regards, Gareth.

Blinking heck Conal - that’s cheap. Guestimafe:- VAG timing belt kit - c£140 ish. Waterpump £70 ish. So labour about £140. Wondered if they actually subsequently did it for you for that price ,or just give you that as a quote. Kind regards, Gareth.

Oh Jamie! Another one stricken with the apparent benefits of the ECP ‘weekend discount codes’. 3 year warranty batteries are about the base line for quality, so I avoid them and buy 4 or 5 year ones at competitive prices. What make did ECP sell you at their fantastic discount off so called retail price? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jack, You thread title says the car won’t start. Do you mean it did when you took the video, but it doesn’t now? Who fitted the water pump, and was the belt and tensioner renewed at the same time? What was the history regarding the need to change the water pump, and what make pump was fitted. If this were mine, I would be following Cliff’s advice to the T, and treating that advice as if it was written in all capitals - but if indeed it now won’t start - as your thread title says- is it already too late? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Daryl, Valeo as opposed to LUK - why?. Price? Spend once, spend wisely, particularly since you enjoy ‘spirited’ driving. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Daryl, Perhaps a word of warning to those who may be tempted to follow your advice- specialist breathing mask equipment should be worn when using normal 2K products. It is designed for professional and not DIY use. Unlike DIY acrylic/cellulose products which dry with exposure to air, 2K dries by a hardening chemical reaction ( a la body fillers), so if you don’t want to have fine hardening mist in your lungs, then don’t use it without the appropriate equipment. And that’s before you consider the effects of the chemicals used in the hardening process. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jamie, Thanks for coming back. Well, it may be worth getting the battery efficiency checked. Halfords used to do it. Buying a Halfords battery?? I always buy quality batteries from Varta/Bosch - buying on line with free delivery from on line sellers such as Battery Megastore, Tanya etc. Personally I would go for the above , but ensure it’s their grade which has a minimum of 4 years warranty. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jamie, As a matter of interest/possible connection - Do you know when the battery was last changed and what make it is? Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Take it your model has electric power steering?

Hello Daryl, Of course Cliff is right - you must claim against the seller. If they don’t respond, say by the end of the week, then I’d be tempted to issue them with a Small Claims court claim. Clutches and costs? Main dealer clutch components are expensive/uneconomical, so resorting to an aftermarket one makes sense in this case. Personally, I would only go for a LUK make. You could then ask for a labour cost from a trusted local garage. ‘Just switched from a Scooby’. Would you describe your driving style as being ‘enthusiastic’ by any chance? Kind regards, Gareth.

That’s Steve, It is there somewhere - complete with a photo as I recall. Silicates and lifespan of the engine? So we have gone from glycol, the whole OAT coolant spectrum and now into ‘coolant for life?? OK it was initially recommended that AOT coolant was replaced every 5 years, but in reality it seldom was, and still did service up to 10 years later. Now we are into silicate additives eh? My simple brain points me to ask:- is this little bag (or canister) of tricks adds silicate over time, why not simply increase the silicate level from day one to accommodate the so called loss over time? Hopefully someone will explain the technicalities! OK, apparently plus side to this. Downside - the ‘container’ breaks up and deposits crystals throughout the system. Bit of a bummer?? Its supposedly called progress. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sam, Well worth peeling back the fluted rubber covering off the harness section which links main body to tailgate. Fairly common point for issue of broken/ part fractured wires due to flexing every time tailgate is opened/closed. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Steve, but even my ageing memory points me to recall someone else on here found a bag/bags of granules suspended in the coolant reservoir and was assured that it was then the norm. Why? I really can’t recall that answer - so over to your younger brain Steve! Canister as opposed to ‘bag’?? Kind regards, Gareth.

Why would you expect them to Fabian? As I said, the clutch assembly is a wear item and unlike the cambelt assembly, does not have a scheduled mileage/ time change. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Fabian, As with brakes, tyres etc., clutches are classed as wear items and their longevity will depend on driving style, car’s age and mileage, so there isn’t any schedule to recommend when the components should be renewed. Any particular reason for asking? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Si, Colin could be right, but as with all of us responding on this forum, it can only be a guess, since we never have access to examining the vehicle. When you say ‘the garage”, (who did the work) do you mean a main dealer, Audi specialist independent, or a local garage. If either of the latter, do you know what make parts were used, if not genuine Audi? If as Colin suggests, it’s a mechanical failure of one of the components in the cambelt assembly (and that does sound feasible), then that should be visible, without resorting to employing diagnostic testing, but I believe - but not certain with your model- that the front of the car has to be removed to gain access to the cambelt assembly. Can we take it the service and cambelt charges were considerable - perhaps you could share that information with us. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Kurt, I think the full answer rests with Audi UK, rather than an individual employee’s interpretation of the fact. Worth trying an e-mail to Audi Customer Services regarding its purpose an an ‘additive’ to the coolant fluid, and equally important, the resultant problems when the ‘container’ fractures, and who pays for the resultant issues. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello A?, Can we take it’s diesel? Smoke on start up can point to injector issues, but it would only be a guess. You will need to give us more information - which element of the emissions has it failed on? Dennis makes a very valid point. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, I too wonder about Steve’s suggestion, since some of these solutions can be harsh when used in the wrong concentrations. What is your normal car cleaning regime Richard? Kind regards Gareth.

Hello Kurt, As with Steve,I had never heard of this before - before some one mentioned this on a forum post (last year?). I’m sure Steve with his much younger brain will locate it for you! Why a bag of granules?? Would it be possible to get a ‘why statement’ from Audi? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Michael, Isn’t it just simpler to wander into your dealer and order what you want? Or if cheaper is important - as suggested, and neither of will require a part number. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Michael, Don’t want to pay Audi price and the likes of ECP are telling you there is more than one listed for your car? Fair enough. Have you tried TPS or Audi Parts Direct at Cardiff - both tend to give discounts on genuine parts. Alternative- think there was mention on here that someone had a Parts look up against VIN. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Neil, Sounds like it’s the type of car which would be worth advertising in the specialist press - such as Modern Classics, and even Classic Car Weekly and Classic Car Buyer - there are more. Kind regards, Gareth.

Turkey blaster? Superb Jack. Checking fluid levels between services? It’s a good insurance to set a routine of checking oil, coolant, brake fluid and washer fluid once a month, and before embarking on a reasonable long journey. All levels should be checked when cold - say first thing in the morning. Yes, I would be talking with another recommended garage and getting an independent opinion on the severity of this, and a costing for getting it sorted - if necessary. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jack, What we know:- the coolant level pre-service was near to the min. mark when it shouldn’t be, so there had been some coolant leak over a period of time - when did you last check it? Powdered deposits ( normally pinkish) are indicative of coolant seepage. Full blown leaks would show up as that, so by your description, it sounds as if you have a minor weep/leak. Consequence? Leave it and it’s likely to get worse. Get this garage ( main dealer?) to fix it at the quoted price? I wouldn’t, without seeking a second opinion from another trusted local garage. Coolant tank filled to the top? Not desirable. If I were mine, I would be reducing the level to the max. mark when cold - this can be done with an old battery electrolyte tester where you squeeze a rubber bulb and it sucks up fluid. Once it’s back to the max. mark, you can monitor the amount of coolant loss. Hope this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.