New to me '06 List of items repaired/to repair
02-27-2016, 12:23 PM
#11
AudiWorld Super User
The car was extensively serviced--35 repair orders, and in a total of 74 days. The descriptions though are cursory and no parts listed, so a guess on a bunch what they might be. You should parse them yourself to get into the super granularity--pages could be written and as owner you should invest that time if interested.
A few highlights are brake fluid last done on 4/1/14, so indeed the two years are just about up to do it, regardless of miles.
Car got two 65K services, maybe to skip the pricy 75K belt one. Last one was 4/1/14. Thus obviously oil and filter, but also probably HVAC filter as you said.
Had 55K mile service back at 49,781 actual miles on 7/19/12. That's the "major" one where plugs and engine air filter also changed.
Here is the Audi service schedule specific to 2006's: https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...-Year-2006.pdf Use it as your guide both to what gets done and a checklist. Given its been a couple of years since the last apparent service, I would do all the inspection stuff listed at either 65K or 75K miles. I would not do plugs or air filter unless you have a running issue, assuming you are on a budget. I might remove engine air filter just to inspect it and blow it off with an air hose while at it. I would do fuel filter as suggested before with either dealer one or Mann OES. While back there I would do rear diff fluid (easy). I would also consider dvs dave's suggestion on the tranny fluid change.
Timing belt kit. To be direct, I would probably return it. If you want to look at it, run down the underlying brands of anything you don't recognize. Also look for country of origin on each part or its packaging. I think of FCP Euro as a legit place and have bought occasionally from them, but these kits are often problematic wherever sourced. And BTW, if it isn't China, what it likely is for a variety of the parts in Central Europe, italy, etc.--aftermarket. I can tell you specifically as far as I'm concerned, NTN tensioners (in my case the serp belt one) are junk. I bought one "cheap" for my A6 4.2. Noticed next time I dove into belt that it didn't track right. Threw it in garbage can and bought the dealer one that was correctly aligned. Such a basic thing to do the metal casting straight, and it was screwed up. Never again on NTN anything for me. On pulleys if you want to look at them carefully, assuming aftermarket, if they don't have recognizable tier 1 Euro bearing supplier names like SK, SKF or SKAG, I would assume again they are problematic and pass. Better to go with 75K mile true OE than non tier 1 bearing guys. Water pump--just can't get comfortable anymore on an Audi if it isn't OE. Changed way too many of them that weren't on old Audi's. Ask Mister Bally about the breakdown on the side of the road in nowheresville about his kit experience.
Your question on crank and cam seals. Yeah, I have a set of some of those somewhere still from my first go at it. Bottom line, why fool with what doesn't leak. More specifically, on crank unless you intend to go all the way in there past the cam belt drive gear and all, of course you won't even get to seal. Net, I have never bothered, and also not had a front seal leak on last 3 Audis ever. Cam seals--having taken apart a 4.2 head, I don't see realistically how those will come out unless you pull the cams out of the bearing shells and heads. BTDT by the way on a head rebuild, so I know exactly how (and how precisely) they fit. Again, don't think I have seen them leak ever, back to my first OHC Audi in 1985. Several ran out past 200K miles. Waste of time and money to me. Honestly, far more likely you will find a valve cover gasket leak than a leak in any of those (for a long time!), and I would spend my time and energy on things that do tend to leak or already are. BTW, whenever you do get into plugs, have a look during inspection phase for valve cover leaks; good time to tackle those two together labor wise.
T's your car, time and wallet, but here's what I would do myself instead: replace timing belt, serp. belt, water pump and thermostat, with dealer/OE parts. If you need to for $, other than water pump use the various tier 1/OES's. Thus, a thermostat from a Behr instead of the dealer, sure. A belt set from a Conti or a Gates, fine--though I think dealer ones price fairly similarly these days. Get any dealer parts from one of the discount online dealers to take out easy 20%. audiusaparts.com (the Portland OR one) is running a free shipping deal right now too. Change coolant to Pentosin G12++ or dealer G13. Inspect all other parts--pulleys, tensioner, etc. for smoothness, lack of play and noise, and overall function. Plan to do the other remaining parts at the 150K interval as a default unless you find issues. Again, risk vs. budget, but on a highly maintained, still low miles 2006, I would spend my own similar dollars on a narrower set of most critical parts like OE water pump and thermostat before I would spend it on NTN anything, anything without country of origin markings (or if marked, dubious or even unknown sources), pulleys if not clear they are SK/SKF, SKAG, etc.), brand du jour water pump, etc. Then put some of the labor or parts dollars to other fluids, fuel filter, valve cover type scenarios, etc. And yes, if you want to do the "full job" sure, but then with those top quality known parts. Also to be clear, honestly I would run a 75K factory water pump or pulleys with no apparent current issues before I ran any off brand "new" stuff that does not have critical components from tier 1 players.
A few highlights are brake fluid last done on 4/1/14, so indeed the two years are just about up to do it, regardless of miles.
Car got two 65K services, maybe to skip the pricy 75K belt one. Last one was 4/1/14. Thus obviously oil and filter, but also probably HVAC filter as you said.
Had 55K mile service back at 49,781 actual miles on 7/19/12. That's the "major" one where plugs and engine air filter also changed.
Here is the Audi service schedule specific to 2006's: https://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/...-Year-2006.pdf Use it as your guide both to what gets done and a checklist. Given its been a couple of years since the last apparent service, I would do all the inspection stuff listed at either 65K or 75K miles. I would not do plugs or air filter unless you have a running issue, assuming you are on a budget. I might remove engine air filter just to inspect it and blow it off with an air hose while at it. I would do fuel filter as suggested before with either dealer one or Mann OES. While back there I would do rear diff fluid (easy). I would also consider dvs dave's suggestion on the tranny fluid change.
Timing belt kit. To be direct, I would probably return it. If you want to look at it, run down the underlying brands of anything you don't recognize. Also look for country of origin on each part or its packaging. I think of FCP Euro as a legit place and have bought occasionally from them, but these kits are often problematic wherever sourced. And BTW, if it isn't China, what it likely is for a variety of the parts in Central Europe, italy, etc.--aftermarket. I can tell you specifically as far as I'm concerned, NTN tensioners (in my case the serp belt one) are junk. I bought one "cheap" for my A6 4.2. Noticed next time I dove into belt that it didn't track right. Threw it in garbage can and bought the dealer one that was correctly aligned. Such a basic thing to do the metal casting straight, and it was screwed up. Never again on NTN anything for me. On pulleys if you want to look at them carefully, assuming aftermarket, if they don't have recognizable tier 1 Euro bearing supplier names like SK, SKF or SKAG, I would assume again they are problematic and pass. Better to go with 75K mile true OE than non tier 1 bearing guys. Water pump--just can't get comfortable anymore on an Audi if it isn't OE. Changed way too many of them that weren't on old Audi's. Ask Mister Bally about the breakdown on the side of the road in nowheresville about his kit experience.
Your question on crank and cam seals. Yeah, I have a set of some of those somewhere still from my first go at it. Bottom line, why fool with what doesn't leak. More specifically, on crank unless you intend to go all the way in there past the cam belt drive gear and all, of course you won't even get to seal. Net, I have never bothered, and also not had a front seal leak on last 3 Audis ever. Cam seals--having taken apart a 4.2 head, I don't see realistically how those will come out unless you pull the cams out of the bearing shells and heads. BTDT by the way on a head rebuild, so I know exactly how (and how precisely) they fit. Again, don't think I have seen them leak ever, back to my first OHC Audi in 1985. Several ran out past 200K miles. Waste of time and money to me. Honestly, far more likely you will find a valve cover gasket leak than a leak in any of those (for a long time!), and I would spend my time and energy on things that do tend to leak or already are. BTW, whenever you do get into plugs, have a look during inspection phase for valve cover leaks; good time to tackle those two together labor wise.
T's your car, time and wallet, but here's what I would do myself instead: replace timing belt, serp. belt, water pump and thermostat, with dealer/OE parts. If you need to for $, other than water pump use the various tier 1/OES's. Thus, a thermostat from a Behr instead of the dealer, sure. A belt set from a Conti or a Gates, fine--though I think dealer ones price fairly similarly these days. Get any dealer parts from one of the discount online dealers to take out easy 20%. audiusaparts.com (the Portland OR one) is running a free shipping deal right now too. Change coolant to Pentosin G12++ or dealer G13. Inspect all other parts--pulleys, tensioner, etc. for smoothness, lack of play and noise, and overall function. Plan to do the other remaining parts at the 150K interval as a default unless you find issues. Again, risk vs. budget, but on a highly maintained, still low miles 2006, I would spend my own similar dollars on a narrower set of most critical parts like OE water pump and thermostat before I would spend it on NTN anything, anything without country of origin markings (or if marked, dubious or even unknown sources), pulleys if not clear they are SK/SKF, SKAG, etc.), brand du jour water pump, etc. Then put some of the labor or parts dollars to other fluids, fuel filter, valve cover type scenarios, etc. And yes, if you want to do the "full job" sure, but then with those top quality known parts. Also to be clear, honestly I would run a 75K factory water pump or pulleys with no apparent current issues before I ran any off brand "new" stuff that does not have critical components from tier 1 players.
Last edited by MP4.2+6.0; 02-27-2016 at 08:21 PM.
03-11-2016, 01:21 PM
#12
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
So I changed the front upper control arm with the Lems that I ordered. WOW, huge difference in the ride. The bushings in the arms that I removed were completely rippedall the way around.
Is there an easy way to tell if the lowers need to be changed without having to pull them off to inspect them?
Is there an easy way to tell if the lowers need to be changed without having to pull them off to inspect them?
03-11-2016, 06:11 PM
#13
AudiWorld Super User
So I changed the front upper control arm with the Lems that I ordered. WOW, huge difference in the ride. The bushings in the arms that I removed were completely rippedall the way around.
Is there an easy way to tell if the lowers need to be changed without having to pull them off to inspect them?
Is there an easy way to tell if the lowers need to be changed without having to pull them off to inspect them?
03-12-2016, 05:34 PM
#14
AudiWorld Senior Member
Generally speaking the ring in the compressor wears out since it is a plastic ring. Order a rebuild kit from "bagpiping andy". If the top of the piston is corroded and and valves won't seal, ask Andy for a replacement piston. The piston and valves are all one piece. I rebuilt my original and one that I picked up from the scrap yard. Both work good now. Andy also has new cylinders.
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