Magnet

Hello Brian, Can see you’ve revisited the forum. No further information to give us? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Paul, You don’t tell us whether you have the rear wheels rebalanced (once tyre pressures were correctly set). You don’t tell us anything about tyre brands/patterns across the axle, or any indication of whether tread depths are even. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Brian, Can you let us know where you have searched to avoid us advising where you have already tried. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Roy, but I think I would leave that topic open to further debate with the latest generations of BCM vehicles. Kind regards, Gareth.

I guess we are here trying to help, at anyone’s beck and call, and I think Steve Q’s welcoming responses to new posters - ‘we are a helpful and friendly bunch’ - and I genuinely think we try to uphold that. However, to post and ask for advice, but never even return to read it, let alone leave some acknowledgement, is taking people for granted, and frankly rude - Genuine reasons for not returning, accepted. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Have you tested for a parasitic drain on this battery? Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Glen, but I meant what is the current ‘best-price’ retail price of these tyres-?

Sounds good Joshua. If this were mine I would be asking for an ‘invoice’/detailed statement of exactly what has been done to your engine. I would guess that simply replacing the (skinny) rings is likely to result in similar issues, so it’s likely to require new pistons, and that will be (very?) expensive, so will they do that? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Glen, It would probably aid your sale if you advised what is the best current price per tyre for these - and what their date code is on yours. Kind regards, Gareth.m

Hello, The original poster joined and posted on the same day, and has never returned, so I really don’t think you are going to hear anything from her. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Darrell, Sender unit part of the in-tank pump on your car? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Tyre brands and tread wear compatible across each axle ( and ideally all matching on AWD-? Logic points to rear balancing if felt through the car, and your seat. If the rear imbalance wasn’t there before, then I would be getting the rear balance rechecked. You say you’ve checked the tyre pressures - before or after balancing? Were the tyre pressures checked when cold and set to Audi’s figures? I ask since my experience leads me to believe that most tyre retailers never ask what pressures you use, and it’s not uncommon for them to fit tyres and not even have matching pressures. If the vehicle has been driven for an hour, you will find that the pressures will have increased by 3 to 4 psi, so well worth setting pressures after being parked up overnight. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andrew, So it looks like you’ve never had a reliable pressure test done on the system. This would be an obvious next move in my book. Sorry, I cannot follow your logic re. possibility of the heater matrix causing your system to pressurise. By your logic, every Audi would over pressurise when the heater is turned off! Also, in your case, you say inlet and outlet heater pipes are both hot, so the matrix cannot be clogged. Sounds like you first need to get the system pressure tested, if you are going to avoid unnecessary expense, but as with any advice on here, the person seeking advice is free to do what they want to do. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Thanks for joining and seeking advice. First things first:- a simple battery voltage measurement using a multimeter is of little use in assessing the battery’s efficiency. This needs to be carried out with far more sophisticated equipment which tests the battery under load conditions. For 2.24v I guess that’s a typo for 12.24v. - but still meaningless. Alternator output at 14.5v seems reasonable. OK, so you have decided to treat the car to anew battery - great. I my book, I buy once and wisely and buy batteries with a minimum of 5 year warranties - usually Varta/Bosch, although I also heard good reports about Excide and Yuasa. I always buy on line at best prices, delivered to the door. EBay is usually my first port of call. I’ve used Battery Megastore, Tayna and others - no connection with any of them. Need to code? I would have thought certainly yes on your 2014 car. As I understand it, Halfords can fit and code, so it’s worth getting a quote even though their prices are generally higher. Simple bit of economics - compare on-line price for quality battery of your choice + coding at independent, with Halfords quote. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andrew, When you say there was an abortive attempt to pressure test the system, was that with the old reservoir and cap? If so, have you had a repeat test with the new parts? If not, I would certainly arrange that - with another garage. Heater matrix problem? - why should that be over pressuring the system? Simple test:- turn the heater off and see what happens. Sorry, I don’t have any experience of an Audi independent in S. Wales. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andy, Worth trying an alternative brand, but the tyres our local executive hire company are using and getting high mileage on on their Mercedes and Audis? - Continental! Michelin might ( in caps) give you more mileage. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Michael, Thanks for joining and posting your plea. You should find replacement flexible sections ( possibly a bit longer) for sale from EBay sources. You will simply need to know the OD of the pipe. What’s poor about Wales U.K. and fabricators then ? Where have you looked? Have you tried searching ‘exhaust fabricators’ - you should come up with at least stainless exhaust specialists, who should be able to weld, or even supply-and-weld the section you need? Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andy, With an average annual mileage of only 4K, I would anticipate that the car is used infrequently and on short runs. If so, obviously tyres are going to wear quicker due more frequent changes in direction and more stop stop starts. One of our local ‘executive hire’ companies gets many tens of thousands of miles from their tyres on cars operating on continuous long distance motorway trips. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andrew from the Homeland. My first port of call would have been the coolant cap, but… Have you had the coolant operating pressure monitored? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, Oil associated?? I seriously doubt it. Not sure with your engine, but there is usually a coolant temperature sensor that monitors the coolant temperature, and signals the ECU to provide the correct mixture - obviously, a richer mixture for cold start. If this sensor fails, it usually does so to an ‘average mixture’ and obviously not rich enough for instant cold starts. Ok , no fault code, but I don’t have complete faith in the integrity of these codes. As an aside, and I may be blown out of the water with this, but RAC oil via. B&M and such outlets?? A nice engine deserves nice oil. Treat it to Quantum - VAG approved at not much more, and delivered to your door from a variety of EBay sellers. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Anthony, Ah, different then, so yes, a full system sounds a reasonable way forward, but beware, replacements are generally not that long lived, so might be well worth consulting an exhaust specialist and getting a comparative quote for a stainless system, just Incase it turns out there isn’t a significant difference in price. Kind regards, Gareth.

Apologies Anthony - Klarius telephone no. is 01538 752561. Stoke on Trent). Garage not very informative….:- I think I would try another local MOT station for a second opinion, since ‘opinions vary!’, and you might find you don’t have as much of a problem as you were told you have. Alternative:- could try a local tyre and exhaust retailer - again possibly non-National-chain may be better. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Kevin, Steve has a good point, particularly since you say you recently acquired it because it had ‘so much sentimental value to see it go to someone else…..’ A couple of points here:- If it has so much sentimental value - why sell it? You know what you paid for it, and what you have spent on it, so are probably ideally placed to know ‘it’s value’. Of course, if it was bought with the idea of buy-it-work-on-it-sell-it-at-a-profit, ( and nothing wrong with that) then you might not go far wrong by listing it on EBay with a start price of ‘ what it owes you’, and let ‘the market’ decide its worth on the day. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Anthony, I’ve now had a look at my period Walker (exhaust) catalogue, but they don’t seem to list the cabriolet variant, so I only have the saloon to go with - which quite possibly could be the same. The centre exhaust-with-silencer appears to be either, their Part no. 21190 or 21196, but it would be difficult to be sure which one, without knowing the engine output. ‘Front pipe’ -? even more difficult since we don’t know whether we are talking front-pipe-with- catalytic converter, or the post-cat. front pipe. If (hopefully!) the latter then it could be 02760. A quick scan on EBay for ‘ Walker exhaust 21190’ , and same for 21196 do come up with some, and prices vary up to mid £200, so some caution needed. If this were mine:- I would be returning to your ‘pre-MOT’ station and taking photos of the actual issue with your current exhaust, and it’s layout, so you have more knowledge of what your actually need, or if indeed yours is repairable, rather than hunting for the correct one. Armed with what you actually need, ring Klarius ( another large aftermarket exhaust manufacturer) and speak with their technical section, and they should be able to advise you of their Part nos. Your will need to be armed with your reg. no. , VIN ( chassis no. - as on V5) and engine output details off V5. Your homework should now be relatively complete, and what you will then need to do is to call into a local motor factors ( not Halfords) and ask for exactly what exhaust parts you need, and hopefully they should come up with the same Klarious numbers that you have been given, and quote you a price (if available). Alternative:- Google a local exhaust specialist (ideally not a national chain one) and take the car to them and get an estimate for fabricating whatever is needed - usually in stainless steel. Won’t be cheap, but at least you would then have a comparison. Let us know how you get on Anthony, and of course, if you need further help. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks for joining the forum Ian. OK, what you have to do - now over 3 years on - is to send the poster a PM, and hope he is still using the same e-Mail address linked to the forum, as he did then. Perhaps you could come back to us and let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.