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Hi Folk's,

So i've jumped into S4 ownership just recently with the purchase of a 53 plate B6 Avant with (allegedly) 88k on the clock. The few MOTS i have do tally with the mileage.......

My question........the infamous diesel impression on start up i.e the rattle. Now the reason i bought this car was it came with a receipt for 2k worth of work done by a garage changing the chains, tensioners and guides with original Audi parts just 6 months ago......... and it still sounds like a bag of nails on just about every start up, albeit for only a max of 2 seconds. I phoned the garage the other day who carried out the work, who said the car was a runner when it came in for repair, only a broken guide to blame so there was no other serious issues, and that this noise is perfectly normal and acceptable. Well let me tell you, if i went into an Audi dealership 10 years ago to buy one of these machines at whatever Galactic price, and it sounded like a gardner 180 on start up, id tell the salesman who insisted this is normal, to poke his car take my word for it!!??.

I changed the oil today with a genuine filter, and used Shell Helix 5w 40 in a vein hope the oil would be a bit thicker so not to drain from the tensioners........no change. Should i keep the Impreza??!!!

Your thoughts.....?

Cheers.

First thing to do is hook up Vagcom as it will confirm whether or not the ecu mileage tallies with the instrument binacle....

If the rattle is just as bad with fresh oil that doesn't sound great

Gus, where did you get it from?

From a well known internet website, private deal. Taking the chance on the merit of work carried out as I'd known about these issues before!. It was quiet when I picked it up, travelled home near 500 miles and it's started being slightly more noticeable since.

Cheers.

i've heard lots of owners say this is normal and not to worry.. altho, touch wood, mine doesnt do it - bit worrying tho

hope you get it sorted - as they're great cars

goose

mnine does it from cold (B7 S$) - have read that it is normal - mine is a 61k 05 plate , mileage verified.

Mine rattles for a couple of seconds.. Not too worried - YET!! 06 plate with 52k. As above, I've read/heard It's meant to be normal. My mate's car does it too. It doesn't sound like a bag of spanners though, hard to describe. You should post up a sound clip.

ASC wrote:Mine rattles for a couple of seconds.. Not too worried - YET!! 06 plate with 52k. As above, I've read/heard It's meant to be normal. My mate's car does it too. It doesn't sound like a bag of spanners though, hard to describe. You should post up a sound clip.

Mine is opurely on inital turn over, no longer.

Yup same

Thanks guys for the quick responses. When I say a bag if spanners I'm probably exaggerating, and it is very brief on start up, but should this still happen with chains etc just done?. That's why I'm baffled as to various experts including Audi techs claiming it is normal, when it's such an off putting sound, and surprises me any were sold doing this from new?!.

Runs as normal and is a great car, just hard to believe it can be such a weak point.

Cheers.

I have heard of cars still rattling once the service is done yes. BUT I would make sure that's definitely the noise you're hearing and get a second opinion from Specialist before making a decision. There's loads of info on other forums about chain rattle, allot of folk saying 'don't worry it's normal", also allot of folk saying "oh my god it's a time bomb, quick pull the engine!"
I was concerned a while back, I even put it into Audi, they came back saying it sounded normal when they started it, nothing untoward so that kind of satisfied me. There will always be a small niggle at the back of my head though!

We have an '04 S4 Cab and when we first got it, it had the chain rattle but it was on the original long-life servicing and skinny 0/30w? oil. I changed the oil (and servicing intervals) to 5/30 and the rattle is completely gone if the car is used every day and only lasts 1 second or so if the car is left over the weekend.