2007 A8L Maintenance Questions
#1
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2007 A8L Maintenance Questions
Hello all,
New to the A8 and have some questions regarding the care and upkeep of this car.
1. The car has 88k on the odometer. Should I change all the drivetrain fluids? Trans, diffs, etc.
2. Thoughts on a K&N air filter?
3. Any stuff that you all see/know cause issues on the car?
I am moving over from a 14 year old A6 2.7MT that has 250K on the clock and am a little unfamiliar with this series of car. I have done all my own work on the other car and am comfortable performing the work for the most part. On the A6 automatics I was told that if you didn't change the trans fluid by a certain mileage that you were better leaving it alone.
I bought this car from an Audi dealer, and there has been a lot of work done already, plus they gave me a one year factory warranty.
Thanks to all for any help!
New to the A8 and have some questions regarding the care and upkeep of this car.
1. The car has 88k on the odometer. Should I change all the drivetrain fluids? Trans, diffs, etc.
2. Thoughts on a K&N air filter?
3. Any stuff that you all see/know cause issues on the car?
I am moving over from a 14 year old A6 2.7MT that has 250K on the clock and am a little unfamiliar with this series of car. I have done all my own work on the other car and am comfortable performing the work for the most part. On the A6 automatics I was told that if you didn't change the trans fluid by a certain mileage that you were better leaving it alone.
I bought this car from an Audi dealer, and there has been a lot of work done already, plus they gave me a one year factory warranty.
Thanks to all for any help!
#2
AudiWorld Super User
Congratulations and welcome to the A8/S8 D3 board.
1. Yes, it is good to change ATF, differential oil, power steering fluid and brake fluid.
2. No, it is not adequate protection and there is always risk of oil to the MAF. On top of that instead of cold air it aspirates hot air from the engine bay loosing some power.
3. Air suspension is nice but not indestructible. Be nice to it over speed bumps. If you don't already have buy Ross-Tech VCDS . It is only DIY way to find out what's wrong in most of cases.
1. Yes, it is good to change ATF, differential oil, power steering fluid and brake fluid.
2. No, it is not adequate protection and there is always risk of oil to the MAF. On top of that instead of cold air it aspirates hot air from the engine bay loosing some power.
3. Air suspension is nice but not indestructible. Be nice to it over speed bumps. If you don't already have buy Ross-Tech VCDS . It is only DIY way to find out what's wrong in most of cases.
#4
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Excellent, thanks for the help. I will be starting a detailed maintenance program shortly.
I have to pick up the vcds, I just need a computer that will run it. I have just the simple scanner now.
Thanks!
I have to pick up the vcds, I just need a computer that will run it. I have just the simple scanner now.
Thanks!
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Ask around for any obsolete more or less working Windows laptop--
from family, friends, work, school, what ever. I use a 10+ year very small Sony laptop w/ XP that was abandoned as a general machine by a kid 6 or 8 years ago. Doesn't hold a charge past a day, but good enough. They are a dime a dozen in people's drawers, closets, shelves and on ebay.
W/ basic wireless you can get to a web mail account to move scan results files to what ever is your normal unit, like for me a Mac. Plus if you get an obsolete XP one, you can also directly load and run Bentley for the D3 shop manual, which they never really migrated to more modern platforms. Bentley, VCDS and Explorer are basically my only applications on my old XP throwaway now, plus Notepad to copy out the scans I want to save on its (40G) drive. I wiped the drive and reloaded the original OS disks when I recommissioned it, so it performs fine for the limited functions. Half the time now I don't even save a scan for something that comes up; I just snap a literal screen shot picture with my phone and look at it later to recheck an old code or some such.
W/ basic wireless you can get to a web mail account to move scan results files to what ever is your normal unit, like for me a Mac. Plus if you get an obsolete XP one, you can also directly load and run Bentley for the D3 shop manual, which they never really migrated to more modern platforms. Bentley, VCDS and Explorer are basically my only applications on my old XP throwaway now, plus Notepad to copy out the scans I want to save on its (40G) drive. I wiped the drive and reloaded the original OS disks when I recommissioned it, so it performs fine for the limited functions. Half the time now I don't even save a scan for something that comes up; I just snap a literal screen shot picture with my phone and look at it later to recheck an old code or some such.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 08-12-2014 at 09:21 PM.
#6
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from family, friends, work, school, what ever. I use a 10+ year very small Sony laptop w/ XP that was abandoned as a general machine by a kid 6 or 8 years ago. Doesn't hold a charge past a day, but good enough. They are a dime a dozen in people's drawers, closets, shelves and on ebay.
W/ basic wireless you can get to a web mail account to move scan results files to what ever is your normal unit, like for me a Mac. Plus if you get an obsolete XP one, you can also directly load and run Bentley for the D3 shop manual, which they never really migrated to more modern platforms. Bentley, VCDS and Explorer are basically my only applications on my old XP throwaway now, plus Notepad to copy out the scans I want to save on its (40G) drive. I wiped the drive and reloaded the original OS disks when I recommissioned it, so it performs fine for the limited functions. Half the time now I don't even save a scan for something that comes up; I just snap a literal screen shot picture with my phone and look at it later to recheck an old code or some such.
W/ basic wireless you can get to a web mail account to move scan results files to what ever is your normal unit, like for me a Mac. Plus if you get an obsolete XP one, you can also directly load and run Bentley for the D3 shop manual, which they never really migrated to more modern platforms. Bentley, VCDS and Explorer are basically my only applications on my old XP throwaway now, plus Notepad to copy out the scans I want to save on its (40G) drive. I wiped the drive and reloaded the original OS disks when I recommissioned it, so it performs fine for the limited functions. Half the time now I don't even save a scan for something that comes up; I just snap a literal screen shot picture with my phone and look at it later to recheck an old code or some such.
Mishar, do the drop in K&N units suffer from the hot air issues? I have used them on other vehicles with no ill effect.
Thanks again!
Last edited by GIAudi; 08-13-2014 at 01:38 AM. Reason: Added content
#7
AudiWorld Super User
K&N = performance subtract
Net to me K&N is an old 70's relic that goes with carbs and loping cams and such. Worked fine on my 1973 100LS with the Weber 32/36 I put on it, or the pre MAF C3. After that, nope. Similar finds by the way with oil way up the intake on factory oiled (only) on another vehicle too. Thus, performance subtract now, backed up by first person observed data.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 08-13-2014 at 08:13 AM.
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#8
AudiWorld Senior Member
I will find one, worst case I'll ebay one or something. I have a lot of little issues with the car, not that most would notice and nothing that is a danger, mostly cosmetic and a couple mechanical.
Mishar, do the drop in K&N units suffer from the hot air issues? I have used them on other vehicles with no ill effect.
Thanks again!
Mishar, do the drop in K&N units suffer from the hot air issues? I have used them on other vehicles with no ill effect.
Thanks again!
The hot air issues are more of a problem with K&N "high performance" air intakes with a filter shaped like the Audi filter and the intake inserted in the bottom. Those are supposed to get another 12 - 20 hp in a pickup or SUV.
Like Mishar mentioned, they are not in a ducted air box. In South Texas, or DFW the under hood air can easily be 100 degrees higher than ambient.
#9
AudiWorld Super User
I've run K&N filter on my 1999 D2 for ten years with no issues. I have two in my W12 now with two years on the clock with no issues. I don't feel any power deference but I use them for fuel economy. With my D2 I got about 15 more miles on a tank of gas. Not a big deal. I got about 20 miles on my 1994 Q45 back in the day. I don't know about the W12 mileage improvement if any since I put them in since I've owned the car.
#10
AudiWorld Super User
I ran a K&N on my 2005 A8 for the past few years. Until my last oil change. This oil change I did myself and I know that I never over oil the filter, and generally let it dry several hours if not overnight. The air hose that you disconnect underneath the filter housing had oil residue inside of it. So that was the last time I used the K&N filter. I didn't want to ever use it on the W12; given how expensive the MAF sensors are are the quality of the standard OEM filters outweighed the almost 0 performance gain and slight financial savings that the K&N offered.