A8 / S8 (D2 Platform) Discussion Discussion forum for the D2 Audi A8 and S8 produced from 1994-2002

sticky lifter? Valve problems? Need some help please

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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 10:57 AM
  #1  
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Default sticky lifter? Valve problems? Need some help please

when I start my A8 up, the engine makes this horrific sound like I've got a few stick lifters, oncet the oil is circulated through, it quiets down and does fine. I've done everthing I can think of, change the oil religiously, use only synth, I want to avoid snake oil aditives.

Also, when I start the car up I notice a bit of blue smoke lingering. It's also burning about a 1/8 quart of oil between changes. Not enought to get me real worried, but I'm starting to wonder if I've got a leaky valve, thus the blue smoke problem.

Any ideas, suggestions? Thanks in advance.
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 12:01 PM
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Default Re: sticky lifter? Valve problems? Need some help please

I am no expert but let me share a couple of things with you.
Lifter noise at startup is commom with the 4.2 and my mech at the Dealer who seems very good says it is normal. (You may have something worse, mine is just "ticking"). Exhaust smoke at startup is also pretty common because the first few seconds the fuel mixture is very rich. If it goes away quickly, I would not worry about it.
I have a 2001 with 50,000 and experience both of these.
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 12:02 PM
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From: Wilbur by the Sea
Default Horrific sound? Doesn't sound like lifters

Can you be more specific what the noise is? Is it metallic?
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 12:29 PM
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Default well, this is no ticking sound

this sounds bad, like a rattle or a knocking. Lucky for me, it only lasts a couple of seconds, if that. It seems that when the oil begins to circulate, the problem either goes away or is silenced.

Thanks for the info on the blue smoke. That makes sense. My father is the one that got me worried on that one, he was raised by auto mechanics, and went into mec engineering, he's the smart guy who suggested I might have a bad problem. But the smoke problem isn't that bad, I think your right about the fuel mixture.
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 12:31 PM
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From: Wilbur by the Sea
Default Sounds like it's your tranny hydraulic pump cavitating

I see from your sig that you flushed the tranny, did you change the fluid also?

Does it sound like rocks in a tumbler and metallic? If so, it's the tranny hydraulic pump.
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 01:02 PM
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Default LOL, yea the fluid was changed, that is not the problem

the noise is not coming from the trany, that much I can tell you. I've owned enough cars to know it sounds like a sticky lifter, I've had a few in the past had similar problems, but never this loud. It is definitely coming from the engine compartment.
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 01:25 PM
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From: Wilbur by the Sea
Default I had the noise before from my tranny

And I sure thought it was coming from the engine compartment, but in the end it was the tranny, many others have reported the same thing.

I hope it's not your tranny, good luck!
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 01:43 PM
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Default Re: the color of smoke

Usually ...

- Black means rich fuel mixture.

- Blue means burning oil.

- White means water condensation.

Blue smoke that quickly goes away, especially when combined with overall low oil consumption, is an indication of worn valve stem seals. When you shut off the car, oil in the valve train area can leak by the valve stem seals and puddle in the cylinder. When you start the car, you get a puff of blue smoke, and that's it. This is a common annoyance with many older or high milesage cars, the rubber of the valve stem seal just gets old and hard; but it's not a serious problem at all.
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 01:46 PM
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Default

I had a mettalic noise for awhile. it was the tranny
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Old Oct 13, 2005 | 02:23 PM
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Default Same experience, mettalic noise, only on start up, from back of the engine compartment...

...it was a tranny pump, just changed oil and filter. If you can hear it best from under the fenders, this is it. If not, I dont know.
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