Magnet

Hello Douglas, Thanks for joining and enquiring on the forum. Hopefully you may have some positive response. Meanwhile, it would be worthwhile advertising your want in classic car publications, such as Classic Car Weekly, Classic Car Buyer, Practical Classics - and many more. You could also try the on line car breakers link website such as Parts Finder ( I think it’s called). There are more. These websites pass your requirements to all linked breakers, and if they have the parts then they contact you directly. Hope some of this helps, Kind regards, Gareth.m

Hello Darren, Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear you are having issues so soon after owning the car, and that the diagnosis appears variable. I take it you purchased the car directly off the registered keeper (how long had he owned it?) rather than a used car dealer. I think it would be useful for you to take advice on how the car matches the advertisement description, since even with a private sale the vehicle has to be a described - hence seller’s backside-covering descriptions such as ...’ Starts, drives, stops..’ . Of course, common sense normal wear and tear has to be considered in respect of the fact that it is now c13 years old, but you would expect it to at least be drivable, unless the issued receipt - and therefore conditions of sale - stated something along the lines of ...Sold as seen, tried and accepted’. This is likely to influence the importance of the advertised description, but should not negate it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Tristan, There was a similar question posted no more than a couple of weeks ago ? Worth having a look at that. Effectively, to do it properly, the answer is no, unless you increase the wheel diameter. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stuart, To me, the next obvious must-do move would be to get the actual pressure reading assessed on a gauge. You don’t tell us the make of the replacement sensor. If it was anything other than a genuine VAG or Bosch, I would not be jumping to conclusions that it cannot be that because it is new! But the actual oil pressure reading will guide you on this. If indeed the actual pressure is indeed measured as being low then obvious culprits would be the oil pump, and possibly aggravated by bearing wear if the pressure has been low for some time. Let’s look at this with a positive result which shows the oil pressure to be acceptable. Culprits:- sensor (as mentioned), bad connection/wire break which can manifest itself by the engine torque movement aggravating the bad connection/ partial break. Coolant loss:- worth having the system pressure tested incase excess pressure is being generated, and obviously looking for leaks. It seems there is a dye which can be added to your (red?) coolant which assists with leak detection. Haven’t used it myself. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, I think you have answered your own question here. ‘....Bit expensive...’ and that would just be for the parts. Work involved and practicality if you were prepared to absorb the parts cost?? Kind regards, Gareth.

Good luck. Keep everything recorded in writing Dawn. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ryan, If this were mine, my next move would be to get the coolant system pressure tested to see if it’s over pressurising. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks for the extra information Stuart. Sorry to bore, but make of oil sensor and oil filter? No smoke when hot and revs. held at a steady 2000rpm for 2 mins. then. Good idea to change the coolant reservoir cap - always a cheap eliminator. Kind regards, Gareth.

Good point Cliff, but I must admit that it’s location would be a bit of a mystery to me on this engine. The old vehicles - of which I have a couple even older than me! - now that’s easy. Oil filters and release valves? As I understand it oil filters were - still are? - fitted with a sort of one way valve to prevent the oil housed in them leaking back when the engine is not running, and this was really essential when some filters were fitted ‘upside down’ on the engine. Stuart has told us he changed the oil. Filter?? but guess so. Quality of oil filter ?? Yes, I know I have a ‘thing’ about only using good quality parts, bred from a distrust of some brands (once very reputable brand names) coming in from well east of the Thames estuary! Many thanks Cliff, Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stuart, Very strange. Could you tell us the make of the replacement oil pressure sensors. I now appears your problem has escalated to also loosing coolant. Could you run the smoke test suggested under a recent post ‘Losing Coolant’ and let us know how you get on. As a priority, I would advise getting the actual oil pressure checked on an independent gauge by your trusted local garage. If indeed the oil pressure is low, you run the risk of wrecking the engine by continuing to use it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sound and helpful advice David, but unfortunately the original poster hasn’t revisited the forum since Saturday - the same day as he joined! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dawn, ’.....to get my deposit back help! ‘ The best advice I can give you Dawn is to take advice -without delay - from your local Citizen’s Advice. They should be able to advise you on how to reject the vehicle on the basis of it being unsuitable for purpose. Make sure you take a documented copy all the dealings you have had regarding your discontents and their failure to resolve the issues. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stuart, Welcome to the forum. Are you saying the warning only comes on when the revs exceed 1600rpm? Normally such issues are more likely to occur at low revs. Also, can we take it the warning only comes on some time after the coolant has reached normal temperature? kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Conrad. Is it really worth a 200 mile round trip to view the car, or indeed to commit to an interest to buy it? The trade seller has to offer a basic guarantee, but would it be of any use to you if you have to return it on a 200 mile trip to get any warranty work done? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Ryan.

Ask for the contact details of the last registered keeper and talk with them to get the full story. This request is likely to be met with ‘ can’t - Data Protection Act .. and all that’ . You then have to make your decision. You don’t tell us (with image evidence ) of keeper ...... ‘acquired vehicle on date ....’ EML on? OK, but there are many many other aspects to check before deciding to go ahead, and without this full inspection, it’s going to be very difficult (impossible?) for anyone to offer meaningful advice without actually having the car to view. If Its considered to be cheap, then why not invest some of the ‘savings’ on an inspection by say a local -to -the-seller independent specialist? If the seller is reluctant to allow this? ....... Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Natalie, Since the car is under warranty, I would simply book this in to the (supplying?) Audi dealer to get this corrected. The car is under warranty, so personally, I would not be allowing anyone to work on it, otherwise Audi might - quite rightly - maintain that whatever work has been carried out has indeed resulted in the problem! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Conrad, Trade sale or private? How long has the last recorded keeper owned it? Whatever is stated in the advert in terms of history ...e.g. ‘previous work been done by Audi’ etc. - ask the seller to provide you with an image of that evidence. This is your important starting point. Unable or unwilling to do so?? Think twice, or 3 times! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ryan, Petrol or diesel? Mileage? How much coolant is it using in say 100 miles? Possible head gasket? Often generally considered as being the offender, but..... No emulsion in oil does not exclude that possibility, since the gasket can go between the cylinder and a waterway and the majority of coolant is expelled out through the exhaust. Simple check:- Take the car for at least a 5 mile run to ensure coolant, oil and exhaust are all hot, then rev. to 2000rpm and hold steady at that rev. for at least 2 minutes, while observing whether there is any excessive (white) smoke from the exhaust. Dependent on all above, it should be possible to move on with other tests. Kind regards, Gareth.

A late edit:- Could be called Audi Parts Direct (Cardiff).

Hello Jonny, Apologies - can’t help you with specific knowledge of whether these seals are similar. What might be of help is a possible source of genuine Audi parts at discounts and mail order. I have recently used Discount Audi Parts Cardiff (I think they are called) and seem to be Mon Motors of Cardiff. They list some parts on EBay, but I have also bought parts directly from them at discount. Do they offer discounts on all parts?? I do not have any connection with this company, other than having recently bought from them. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Laurence, Welcome to the forum. I (think!) I recall something similar towards the tail end of last year. Being a cynical old so and so, are we into similar territory to that of manufacturer’s quoted mpg figures - which might (in caps) be achievable under ‘laboratory’ conditions? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sean, Welcome to the forum. I notice you have booked the car in for service and obviously have accepted their estimated cost, so I just wonder if it’s a little late to be seeking comments/advice on whether that costing is reasonable - or not. Of course, you could cancel or postpone the arrangement, while you consider alternative avenues. Personally, I tend to seek alternative quotations before committing, and would consider trusted independent specialists as another option. The car is now 5 years old, and it could be some ‘servicing’ parts may require changing. Also, to me, I would need to know exactly what has been quoted for - e.g. will the air filter, and particularly the pollen filter be changed within this price? - since without this knowledge, you are likely to be exposing your wallet to the inclement elements. Hopefully, someone else will respond and offer you a better judgement on the estimate you have, but it should be appreciated that rates are likely to vary from region to region. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hi Todd, No apologies needed. A 17 inch tyre means it fits on a 17 inch diameter wheel (in caps) - not that the tyre is 17 inch (outside) diameter. The all important consideration is the outside diameter - rolling diameter as Trevor refers to it - of wheel + tyre. This what ‘controls’ the correct indicated road speed etc. Now hopefully the logic follows that if you keep the tyre width the same yet reduce the profile (a % of the tyre width) then the outcome is you have reduced the outside dia (Trevor’s rolling diameter) of wheel + tyre, because the ‘height’ of the tyre wall has reduced. In effect, you will find that low profile tyres are fitted to larger diameter wheels, thereby maintaining a constant outside diameter. To do it properly you should consider 18 inch wheels if you want to move to 45 profile tyres - or as I say increase the width of the tyre - which is seldom practical. Question remains:- Why reduce the profile? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Michael, You haven’t told us how the current pads compare with the ones that were originally in there. I could be me, but personally nothing seems to be showing as absolutely wrong to me. Kind regards, Gareth.