All comes at once - DIY: SAI, DRC, Oil cooler, Carbon clean, Fan, Tyres, Paint Corrosion, Injector Service

[lugars4]

After 13 years of very happy ownership and limited use, now on 65k miles, purchased 2010 with 24k miles, its time for the B7 to get some TLC and become my daily driver again.

I've always had it serviced by Audi, but i think at 17 years old, its time it had some more specialist/detailed care and attention, i just dont feel i get value for money getting those stamps any more.
I always supplied my own oil to them to keep costs down and to be fair at ~£400 every 18 months, servicing has been fair value.
I service my own cars other than this one, so maybe i will DIY as i plan to keep the car for the long term.

But, things have come at once.....

Engine light 2 weeks ago, secondary air injection, testing suggests pump isnt working, will remove and test.

Radiator fan became noisy a while back, turns out the blade became loose on the shaft.... new fan ready to fit.

Recently had to have front inner CV boot replaced.

Removing the bumper to get to the radiator fan i inspected the oil cooler lines and they are weeping, so that will be addressed now.

For good measure fitting new aux belt, old one came off and is in great condition.... do i replace the idler / tensioner?...... not cheap parts.

Recently had to replace the solenoid for the air box flap, the flap was also stiff, so freed it up.

New plugs just fitted.

New tyres last week, £770, Pilot Sport 4s, very nice, last set of PSS lasted maybe 8 years !

Will inspec brakes, on second set of front discs from new, skimmed once @44k. Rears are original! skimmed once @44k, looking good but must be close.

DRC, i had new front shocks around 32k under warranty, slight knocking at front now, will inspect and have system pressure tested.

With front bumper off and access to the crank pully, makes sense to do its first carbon clean. Had a dyno recently and pulled 360bhp. WIth air box flap stuck and plugs due. So interested to see carbon buildup.

Oh and got a fault code on engine mount, tested with VCDS / Vagcom and one isnt clicking so that will get replaced.

Then its the paint corrosion, front wings have started and roof rails, had a price on roof, need a new qutoe on the lot.

New car mats ordered from https://www.autostyle.co.uk/designer_car_mats.asp, great quality and anthracite is a great colour match. £67 for set!

Love the car, total estimate for above, first major works in 13 years, DIY of course:

Lower arm, lemforder part £80
Inner CV boot: £42
Labour for above: £189
Plugs: PFR7W-TG: £96.16
Air Flap Solenoid: 037906283C: £97.95
SAI pump, looking at £301
Rad Fan: £158
Aux Belt: £29.68
Rolling Road: £108
Brokent arm rest: £159.87
Carbon Clean: Valve under manifold 046905291A + gaskets and cleaning materials £150
Engine Mount: £157 with discount code on Ebay
Oil Cooler Lines: If rad threads are ok £250, or with new radtec cooler £650
Service, oil and filters, DIY: £150
4-Wheel alignment: £120 (needs re-doing, wheel wasnt centred properly, looking for alternative garage)

Total: £2488.66 (£2088.66 if oil cooler is servicable)
Tyres: £770
DRC pressure test / parts: TBC, will DIY.
Paint corrosion re-spray: TBC

Going in:

[Adymars]

You sound like a man that knows his way around a motor ! Good luck with it all.

Sent from my SM-S918B using Tapatalk

[lugars4]

Cheers.

Just pulled the SAI pump and its ceratinly failed.

Engine mount doesnt look so fun to get at.....

[JRC1]

£770 for PS4S's :O
You could have got them on Camskill for £570. Hopefully your price included fitting and the full works!

I've also reached a point where I'm in two minds about keeping the FASH. I too supply my own oil, but Audi still charge something stupid like £150 to do the change. So basically paying £150 for a stamp in the book. Seems a shame to lose the FASH when it has had it from new, but do people even care about that so much these days?

FWIW I have a Radtec cooler and they are great. Haven't heard of the supplier you posted in your other thread but they look like great quality.

[lugars4]

Camskill werent that cheap when i just looked. Maybe £670, then i need to pay for fitting, so was happy with £770...

If i wasnt keeping the car long term i would consider a few more audi stamps, but tbh they stripped two threads and mis-diagnosed caliper bleed screws being seized quoting new calipers, which annoyed me when i took it home and bled them myself saving 1000's.

Thanks, will order the Radtec, its a good price, with new hoses and bits total is £670. Took old cooler out today and its not in great shape, i got the fittings off by splitting them, threads would clean up with a die, but cooler is showing age and will need strip and re-paint at best.

[12th]

PS4Ss were cheaper last time I had them fitted than 5 years ago - to the tune of £60 each.

I doubt you'll get the lines for the oil cooler sorted - the standard fix is the Forge item. As I understand it, the lines and cooler are different metals so will corrode over time. If the cooler fails it can be terminal, so if the car's a keeper I'd suggest a proper fix.

Does sound like you are a man who knows what he's doing - wish the same was true of me!

I found a decent local independent after Audi started getting to £250 p/h labour, as well as the fact that they told me some lies and have always had the habit of trying to empty your wallet prematurely anyway. No regrets about having kicked them into touch.

[QuRace]

...
DRC, i had new front shocks around 32k under warranty, slight knocking at front now, will inspect and have system pressure tested.

...
DRC pressure test / parts: TBC, will DIY.

Sorry, I don't quite get what exactly it is you are DIYing WRT the DRC system.

IF you are pressure testing/emptying/refilling it yourself, would you care to elaborate on procedures and devices used?


[The reason I'm asking is b/c when I got my RS4, I investigated how to DIY the DRC system, and in principle it is not brain surgery, but you need the very expensive DRC device from Audi] - or build one yourself, like i was planning to do, but that project faltered at the point where I tried to source the high pressure connectors from the device to the shocks, which seemed to be non-standard/Audi-special. But, I haven't forgotten about the project yet...]


.

[JRC1]

I doubt you'll get the lines for the oil cooler sorted - the standard fix is the Forge item. As I understand it, the lines and cooler are different metals so will corrode over time. If the cooler fails it can be terminal, so if the car's a keeper I'd suggest a proper fix.

Many recommend Radtec over the Forge unit. Among other things, the Forge unit is mounted upside down and makes a constant humming noise, it's also positioned completely differently to the OE unit. Radtec is a like for like OEM replacement so uses OE fittings, yet is better made and considerably cheaper than both the Audi and Forge units. Regarding the lines, options are either OE Audi replacements or there are now some companies making these with different material fittings which are compatible.

[r8wut]

Interesting thread. in that, I'm going through similar type of overhaul on our B7 RS4 Avant.

the only difference being I just started the major service works on "Day 2" of ownership.

Happy to post up pictures of progress etc possibly going even more in depth with some works.. / start up a New thread

but have been wondering if anyone on here has started - or knows of a Technical thread which covers most the necessary "Torque Settings" for the various bolts / fasteners throughout the Engine etc?

For example: Rocker / Valve Cover torx bolts, Inlet Manifold, Throttle Body, PCV Oil SEPARATOR valve, Spark plugs, Fuel rails, Bracket for Belt Tensioning Damper, Oil Sump, Aux Rads etc etc.

then. i could probably write it all up to include the above info to help others out..

[lugars4]

I have access to the workshop manuals.

Good luck with the work.

Spark Plug Torque.pdf

(48.41 KiB) Downloaded 70 times

Aux Belt Tensioner Torques.pdf

(624.88 KiB) Downloaded 85 times

Sump Torques.pdf

(68.58 KiB) Downloaded 63 times

Head Cover Torques.pdf

(93.08 KiB) Downloaded 62 times

Fuel Rail Torques.pdf

(59.25 KiB) Downloaded 67 times

Intake Manifold Torques.pdf

(64.37 KiB) Downloaded 71 times

[lugars4]

I doubt you'll get the lines for the oil cooler sorted - the standard fix is the Forge item. As I understand it, the lines and cooler are different metals so will corrode over time. If the cooler fails it can be terminal, so if the car's a keeper I'd suggest a proper fix.

Many recommend Radtec over the Forge unit. Among other things, the Forge unit is mounted upside down and makes a constant humming noise, it's also positioned completely differently to the OE unit. Radtec is a like for like OEM replacement so uses OE fittings, yet is better made and considerably cheaper than both the Audi and Forge units. Regarding the lines, options are either OE Audi replacements or there are now some companies making these with different material fittings which are compatible.

Thanks, have gone with the Radtec.

Caught just in time it seems!.....

Lines will make up using Forge adaptor to engine and AN12 braided hoses.

[lugars4]

New AN lines ready to make up. I went for stainless braided over nylon braided per originals and for a stonger hose.
Will spray black.
Waiting on delivery of Radtec cooler.

Fitted the new engine mount.
Old one tested as open circuit with multi meter.
Procedure: With car on the all 4 wheels, remove the two anti roll bar brakets, can be done with car on the ground (tray removed).
Jack up the side to work on, remove wheel, support engine with second jack.
Remove bolts holding the bracket to the engine mount and sub frame etc. Remove bracket.
Cut down a 13mm spanner, approx 70mm total length required.
Put cut spanner onto top mount nut, working from below, put a double ended ring spanner over the cut end and using another tool to twist the ring spanner with the other hand pushing on the cut spanner to assist, it came undone reasoanbly easily.

Engine mount torques.pdf

(65.02 KiB) Downloaded 58 times

Engine mount 01 instruction.pdf

(411.86 KiB) Downloaded 64 times

[r8wut]

I have access to the workshop manuals.

Good luck with the work.

Spark Plug Torque.pdf
Aux Belt Tensioner Torques.pdf
Sump Torques.pdf
Head Cover Torques.pdf
Fuel Rail Torques.pdf
Intake Manifold Torques.pdf

SUPERB!! guess I owe you a cold one

Thank-you - if it's ok with you.. i'll update this thread with my progress too..

Access to and removing the sump (which is quite rusty) is a bit of a ball ache..

Firstly, as you have to remove the Coolant supply hardline pipe [079121481R] from the water pump to the engine block.. and I managed to strip one of the torx bolts in the process

Don't worry. Managed to partially drill out and remove the bolt .. thankfully without damaging the threads on the block..

-Would you know the torque valves for these Torx Bolts please?

[r8wut]

Secondly, have to remove the Bracket for Belt Tensioning Damper along with the tensioner damper itself.

Straight forward enough. until the the head one of the Torx bolts snapped - (I am not using power tools btw):

Torx Bolt is properly bonded / rusted to the block

[r8wut]

New AN lines ready to make up. I went for stainless braided over nylon braided per originals and for a stonger hose.
Will spray black.
Waiting on delivery of Radtec cooler.

2023-11-05 17.13.13.jpg

Fitted the new engine mount.
Old one tested as open circuit with multi meter.
Procedure: With car on the all 4 wheels, remove the two anti roll bar brakets, can be done with car on the ground (tray removed).
Jack up the side to work on, remove wheel, support engine with second jack.
Remove bolts holding the bracket to the engine mount and sub frame etc. Remove bracket.
Cut down a 13mm spanner, approx 70mm total length required.
Put cut spanner onto top mount nut, working from below, put a double ended ring spanner over the cut end and using another tool to twist the ring spanner with the other hand pushing on the cut spanner to assist, it came undone reasoanbly easily.

Engine mount torques.pdf
Engine mount 01 instruction.pdf

Looks great! I would have gone for the Radtec setup too.. ended up with the Forge Cooler unit which I'm also installing at the mo - as got for decent price (otherwise I think they're quite pricey)