cliffcoggin

I am not surprised the garage is confused. I am too as I have never heard of a cap bolt snapping. I see little signs of wear on the bearing shell. What is the condition of the other main bearings and big end bearings? The rubbing you mentioned against the oil pump is also strange. Something must have shifted out of alignment to cause that rubbing. Had any work been done on the lower part of the engine in the past? Was the earlier oil leak truly a leak that dripped down the outside of the engine, or was it just a reduction in oil level as the oil was burned inside the engine? How many miles had the engine done?

I see lots of pipes in the pictures but none of them appear to be broken. Which one do you mean? Is it rigid or flexible? Where does it run to and from?

Jordan. That is not normal behaviour for a cold engine. In other words you need to get it diagnosed and repaired. The possible causes are too numerous to list here.

I am glad you are making progress. Do please let us know the final outcome.

Deborah. Firstly thanks for starting a new topic. I have hidden our contributions to the other one. It sound as if your dealer has no clue about engines or fault diagnosis. There is no way a new oil filter can affect how smoothly an engine runs, though a new fuel filter may well do. As for the idea of a magnet to extract metal shavings and a new fuel system, that is sheer nonsense. He is either ignorant or is deceiving you. If you are reliant on a mechanic for the work rather than doing it yourself I strongly suggest you get a diagnosis from somebody who knows what he is doing. Main Audi dealers will be expensive, and it can be a lottery whether they can resolve the problem. A better choice would be an independent VAG garage or an independent diesel specialist if you find one nearby. I would not know of any in Hampshire so you will need to make your own search.

Good morning Dan. Plenty of people have had that problem. Here is one example and there are others if you search the forum.

Sebastian. Phil has not looked at this forum for more than two years so you are unlikely to get a reply from him. I suggest you work through the diagnostic steps shown in the thread.

Good to read that you have solved the clutch problem. Translators don't always get the right phrase, so I guess "upper clutch pump" is what we would call a "master cylinder". As a first step to diagnosing the gearbox noise I suggest you drain all the oil out. Examine the oil closely and feel it between fingers. If you detect any solid particles, no matter how small, it indicates something is damaged inside. If you are lucky new oil may make the car usable for a little longer; if you are unlucky the gearbox needs an expensive overhaul. I expect there is some type of filter in the gearbox which should be changed, but having never done it myself I can not be specific.

The problem is obvious: there is water in one or more parts of the electrical system. Water and electricity do not mix. The solution is altogether less easy. Every single electrical connection in and around every single light needs to be opened, cleaned, and dried. That includes any plug connections on the wiring loom. If should go without saying that any water inside the light fittings also needs to be drained to ensure the problem does not reoccur.

It depends how steep the hill is.

To be sure I understand the question, are you saying that: - ignition is off, - first gear is engaged, - handbrake is off, - car rolls downhill in jerks. Is that correct? If so, that is exactly what I would expect. The jerkiness is caused when each piston arrives at TDC (top dead centre) where compression is at a maximum, hence resistance to motion is at a maximum. If I have misunderstood please give more detail.

The only problematic standard engines I know of in regard to oil/rings were 1.4 litre petrol. I have no idea about modified engines such as yours.

Congratulations, and thanks for posting the solution.

Broken wires in the driver's door, usually in the rubber bellows between door and frame, are a common problem, so Gordon's suggestion is worth pursueing. It most often affects the door locks and windows.

It's never a good idea to mix tyre brands on the same axle. The differing tread patterns will grip differently as the load changes as you turn corners. I don't recall the precise pressures I had on my A3, (I no longer have the car,) but I am fairly certain the rears were a few psi higher than the fronts. My Haynes manual merely refers to the sticker on the fuel filler flap, so that is no help I regret.

Steve. Road holding of an A3 is usually as good as any other medium size car of that era. I never had the rear end of my 2007 A3 break away even when I inadvertantly took a bend too fast. Therefore I believe something is wrong with either your car or your driving. You don't sound like a boy racer so lets assume the car is at fault. I would look first at the quality and pressure of the rear tyres. I know you said the pressures were correct, but the correct pressure depends on wheel size and vehicle loading. Please tell us more details. Then there is the matter of tyre quality and type. Are the tyres ultra cheap from an unknown manufaturer? Is the tread depth reasonable, or on the limit? If tyres prove to be OK, then as Gareth suggests the rear suspension should be examined, including tracking. Rear tracking normally never changes unless the car has been crashed, but your description of drunken rear end behaviour sure sounds like a tracking error. I too found the centre console uncomfortable when the seam down my jeans rested against it. I resorted to some foam rubber pipe insulation wrapped around the bar. It looked ugly but helped a lot.

Oops. Sorry I missed that.

It would have helped if you had mentioned that earlier.

I find it hard to believe that a certifed MOT tester is legally allowed to pass a car that he has not fully inspected.

I am no nearer to understanding the noise you mentioned so I suggest you get a professional diagnosis. What I can say is that fitting an unnecesary new clutch and a gearbox additive is not only wasting your money, it could be making the problem worse and you will be broke even sooner than expected.

I have not heard of this problem until now, however chassis rust is a part of the MOT test and should have been discovered long before it became serious. Has the car been used off road which might lead to a lot of mud or salt being thrown into the trays?

Please let us know the outcome.

Congratulations. Can the source be published so others can find it the future?

Gabor. There are so many possible causes I recommend you get the engine diagnosed professionally in the first instance. That should eliminate several wild goose chases.

Pande. It would help if you could describe the noise. Is it a rattle, a whistle, a rumble, a grinding noise, or something else? I realise it may be difficult if you are using a translator from Bulgarian. but we need a few more clues.