Hi all...

Been in the VW scene for a while (over on the 'tex) and I finally picked up my first Audi today!

2001 A6 4.2 V8 105k miles
Almost every option, including Nav, Sport Package, and Premium Package.

Lovin' it so far. Tomorrow she goes to make sure the compression is good and see about a slight noise in the front right, which gets louder as I go faster (sounds like a wheel bearing).

Other little fixes I'll be looking into are: The info screen in the gauge cluster has some display lines burnt out (Can the whole cluster just be replaced and the mileage adjusted?); Driver's seat lumbar not working (Replace just bladder??); Homelink not working (Maybe wiring or internal battery??); Rear Parking sensors not working (Not sure); Nav DVD's missing (Can these be copied from another car??)

Also, the car was prewired for the built-in phone, can anything else be used in there, like some kind of bluetooth integration??

Cosmetically, the headlights are somewhat hazy, has anyone used the LED DRL style ones like they sell over at TMTuning.com??

One of the tail-lights has a slight crack, so I'd also like to get the LED versions, which I think look more up to date...

Finally, the front bumper has quite a few rock chips, so I'd eventually like to get the RS6-style version... Any other thoughts??

 

Welcome and enjoy the very nice ride.

Dont worry much about compression, 4.2s are tough critters.

But when was the Timing Belt last done. Every 75k or less. Adn its a BIG job, just to warn you.

car phone wiring for 3-gen obsolete phones. No deal.

The info display can be re-manufactured by module master. Google them. Else dealer is like $1000

I would nto spend much money on all that cosmetic stuff on a car that will never be worth much. To each his own.

G

 

There is a thread started recently about the lumbar support and a fix, could be the same issue you're having. It should have pics and comments soon, I think it was audijims thread.

The homelink has to be programmed using the specifc audi method in the manual but if thats not working start with the power source.

I believe you'll have to buy a new nav dvd, but you can certainly try using someone elses, couldn't hurt.

www.modulemaster.com is a great place to send the cluster and have it repaired. They also do ABS, cruise, etc. modules.

Many useful links can be found at Stoneys Links http://sonolithics.com/files/a6_links.html as well as in the AudiWorld tech section.

I would recommend you spend some time reading through the titles to see if anything looks interesting to you. Many many mods & maintenance items have been discussed many times and you'll find the most pertinent information in the aformentioned links.

As for the LED head & tail lights I'm not familiar with anyone who has done those modifications but you could search previous threads to double check. The haziness on the headlights is easily repairable and is recommended first before embarking on a potentially expensive project with questionable results but as JustMe, to each his own. In fact, there was a thread very recently about reconditioning the headlights, in the last 30 days IIRC.

Best of luck to you!

 

Cheers! Thanks for the input.

I took it to the mechanic and he said the same thing about the compression: No need to check it, since it sounded fine and hasn't thrown any CEL's for a misfire.

The noise on the passenger side turned out to be some loud, choppy winter tires which came on the vehicle... Guess I've gotta convince my wife that buying new Wheels AND Tires will be almost as expensive as just buying new tires alone...

Looks like Module Master has the units backordered... My mechanic recommended a guy here in Florida: http://www.dnaspeedometers.com/

The rest of the cosmetic stuff I'll probably hold off on for a while, and do it slowly, bit by bit. Although, there is a new-in-box spoiler already painted silver on Criagslist for $75. I may jump on that, and then get it tinted by the end of the week and call it a day until I can get a nice set of rims and tires...

 

Also, I was told the timing belt was done on time or a little early around 60k-70k miles. We pulled the cover and it looked pretty good. I'm not going to worry about it for at least another 25k-30k or so.

 

UPDATE on some little fixes:

The rear parking sensors started working by themselves randomly, but they still don't come on everytime.

The alarm horn isn't working, and I had the motion sensor set the alarm off several times, so I've been disabling it manually. I think I'm going to try to disable the motion sensor permanently through VAG-Com. This could also be why the alarm horn isn't working: it may have been purposely disabled because of the motion sensor issue.

I pulled the sun visor to investigate the HomeLink. I knew that the courtesy light works so I tested the voltage going to each wire and I was getting 12V to the courtesy light but only 1.6V to the Homelink, even with the ignition on. I bench tested the HomeLink with a 12V source and the light flashed when a button was pressed. So, I just spliced the HomeLink connection into the light connection, replaced the visor, and now it works perfectly.

Finally, on my way home last night I got a CEL. Scanned it this morning and it was code P0173: Fuel Trim,Bank2 Malfunction. Suspect this will be the MAF sensor. But I just cleared it for now, so we'll see how quickly it comes back.

 

Nice car, nice ride.
Chances are the TB wasn't done if car was kept on scheduled maintenance or owner neglected it.
When you do the TB, that would be a good time to change out the plastic coolant pipe in the alternator bracket..it WILL fail. Also consider changing out the voltage regulator; when you pull the alternator to get at the alternator bracket you can easily check the brushes for 5mm minimum length. New VR is $100 or less online.

Otherwise, typical maintenance, new serp belt, upper control arms and tie rod ends, etc.

I had a bad rf wheel bearing the shop didn't recognize until I put the car up on four jackstands and ran it in gear. The wheel bearing noise was then obvious to anyone standing near the RF wheel or within 20 feet of the car!

You don't need four jackstands, a couple of floor jacks will do but don't gun it or it might walk the jacks.

 

Thanks for the response!

I will try to get the service history showing the timing belt from the seller. Otherwise, I'll consider doing it sooner.

I got rid of the old winter tires and put on a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sports. Very nice ride now. Handles great with little noise.

 

Now about 3 weeks into ownership... Everything going nicely: new tires, got rid of motion sensors, hooked up horn alarm, enabled right rear fog light, refinished headlights, conditioned leather... and then today I went to my old mechanic who sells APR chips, but he wasn't there at 9AM like he said he would have been, so I decided to address the exhaust leak from the driver's side flex pipe at a local exhaust shop that his assistant recommended...


They did a great job with the driver's side flex pipe, replaced it for about $120 in 20-30 mins. Then they noticed that the passenger side was leaking as well... So, I had them do that too. Then I was browsing their selection of performance exhaust and asked how much it would be to put on some cat-back pipes and mufflers...

About an hour or so later, I rolled out with two new flex pipes before the cats, and then new piping past the factory x-pipe all the way back, cut out the factory resonator, and added 2 new Magnaflow mufflers, which sound sweet and I think give it a little more throttle response. The exhaust guy said it should be good for about 10-15hp gain. However they are a little drone-y at cruising speed under partial throttle between 1k-2k rpm, so I will probably go back and have magnaflow resonators put on for another $60 each to quiet it down a bit...

The engine was fine for a cylce while I ran an errand, but then on the way home it threw a CEL. I scanned it and came up with these codes:

P0441 - Evaporative Emission System Incorrect Purge Flow
P0160 - O2 Sensor Circuit No Activity Detected Bank 2 Sensor 2

I cleared them and they didn't come back the next cycle.

Any idea what these might be??

Also, previously, since I've owned it I've also seen:
P0173 - Fuel Trim Bank 2
P1177 - O2S (Lambda) Correction Behind Catalyst: Control Limit Reached

However, I have cleared those 2 codes and not seen them since...

 

2 more codes again today:
P0160
P0156 - O2 Sensor Bank 2 Circuit Malfunction

I think it looks like I'm going to have to replace my O2 sensor