Mister Bally

So my '04's starter is beginning to fail. No, this is not to be confused with the software glitch once every 10-20 starts where you get the "clunk" then silence. This is just a "click" of the starter solenoid and then nothing. Retry and sometimes it starts right up but sometimes you just have to be disciplined to wait one to four seconds and then it cranks like a champ and starts right up. Using the Ross Tech diagnostics I get fault P3054-"Starter will not turn, Jammed or electrical problem".

I had to change the oil and was going to remove the starter to disassemble the solenoid or look for corrosion from the solenoid to the starter motor wire as I had the copper braid disintegrate on the starter on my '87 5000CS and was able to replace it and reassemble with no problem. Not so easy on this car. You need to support the engine and remove the subframe and one motor mount as the starter is buried. The Bentley manual says you need support bar VAG 10-222 (which I have as I've used it to support the engines on my old 4000 5+5 and 5000CSq for transmission removal to replace three clutches) but you also need two additional supports VAG 10-222-A21 and two shackles VAG 10-222-A12. These will run about $200 from Zelendaand the job does not look like fun. This one seems like a better use of my time will be to have a dealer or independent shop like <choke> S4Master's do it as I've been quoted just south of $800.00 for parts and labor at a dealer and an independent. Even an aftermarket parts place is quoting only $5 less for the starter than a dealer ($364 vs $369). Three co-workers use this independent shop for their Porsche's and Audi's

Also, you cannot access the wiring at the back of the starter without removing the subframe and motor mount. There is no access.

I'm just wondering if anyone here tackled the starter R&R themselves and if so how long did it take, was the support really needed since one motor mount will still be back there ( I know, have motor) and did you find a problem and repair the starter or just install a new or rebuilt one? Older VW & Audi manuals always encouraged you to repair the starter yourself as brushes, solenoid, Armature and gear with moveable shaft were all available as service parts. Not so anymore but I know a couple of good Auto Electric rebuild shops that have Bosch parts and will rebuild my starter If it's not an easy fix. That does not save much money as the big issue is time since I'm doing some road trips for the holidays and don't have much free time. S4Master <choke> mentions how much do we value our time at and this will be the third time I've had a somewhat major issue near Christmas when my time is at a premium. I also do some CONsulting and make some extra scratch so I'm not whining about the 3.5-4.5 hours of labor which depends on which SRT (Standard Repair Time) list you believe.

My savings would be if it was a broken/corroded wire and I didn't need a new starter. However, if I need a new starter, there goes another two days as no one in the area has one. Taking to a rebuilder requires 2-3 days. Plus, I need the extra tools from Zelenda. Looks like I answered my own question. The other thing is that the car is not dead as it has actually "healed" itself. However, we all know it is a ticking bomb so I will get it replaced within a week or so as I can't be without the car for a few days. Part of me wanting to do the repair is to teach my son about starter R&R and starters themselves as it has been at least a dozen years since I've dealt with one.

Vicl

Hello, Mister Bally!
I haven’t done it on A8, but I did it on Audi V8 1991 once. Based on the factory instructions you have to pull the engine on V8 to have access to the starter. I managed to have access to it with engine mounted, but I had to create my own tool to take off 1 bolt (top one) as it is almost impossible to get there.
I never seen yet how much space Audi A8 has and what is different there, but essentially everything should be the same as original V8 engine has not changed a lot between 1991 and 2004 body wise.
Anyway, here are the steps I did:
1. Took off the passenger wheel and engine protection so I can see the starter when I’m under the car
2. It was relatively easy to pull one mounting starter bolt if you do it under the car.
3. The other bolt is on top of the starter and to get there I had to disassemble few things on the top of the engine from passenger side
4. Only then I managed to get to that bolt. And first time I pulled the wrong one
5. Once it is done I remember it took maybe 5-10 min to get starter off from that position as it was very limited room, but eventually I found the way to pull it off.
6. It was much easier to install it.
As a replacement I bought the re-built one from Bosch and I was happy with it.

I hope that would help. If I’ll find the pictures – I’ll post it, but it was a while ago.

s4master1

fun memories with the old V8 engine.
nowhere near as difficult as the old V8 compared to the D3 A8.
Mr Bally if you have a friend with a hoist it'll take you 2 hours to complete that job as you can support the engine from the bottom without needing any special tools, NEVER assume the front mount can hold the weight of the engine.
make sure you have a good set of Allen sockets, the bolts for the engine mount bracket have a very shallow head.
good idea to replace the mounts at the same time.

4RINGkingA8L

I'm getting the " it takes sometimes 8 to 10 trys " to turn on and it would sound as if the starter was fine like a short in the ignition maybe I'm not sure anyways. .sound it makes when it cranks is a click multiple times in each attempt then u have to assume that its jammed...

flyingkilt

I was lead to this thread by Mister Bally after posting THIS symptom of starter silence yesterday, at -- https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2839820 -- headed: "Starter no longer engages in cold weather (20 degrees)" meaning 20 degrees F.:

"Help! I have a 2005 A8L with 4.2 that I bought used this summer with 92,000 miles. Even when the weather was warm, I noticed a couple seconds or so delay from turning the key and then waiting for the starter to finally do its thing and engage. Once the starter FINALLY engages, the engine fires right up. But, lately, as the weather has been turning colder and colder, that starter delay has been getting longer and longer -- and took several tries the last couple of days before engaging and turning over the engine . . . until, today, with a temp of around 20 degrees, THE STARTER DOES NOT ENGAGE AT ALL! AAARRRGH! All I hear is an electronic-type ticking sound for 8 seconds after turning the key to start position, and then silence I'm dead in the water. Has anyone else encountered this problem?" and then added: "BTW: system battery check indicates 100 percent, but still no starter engagement."

After the car has run for just a VERY little while -- like driving 3 blocks to the post office -- the starter engages just fine for the rest of the day. It's just when it's been sitting cold all night in below-freezing temperatures (in a carport) that the starter won't engage for several tries -- OR, in this case now: not at all. I don't have any way to heat it up (without catching it afire, lol) to test if it now ONLY happens in the cold, anymore, as the car is un-movable and would be have to be towed to a heated shop.