Hi there

I have a 2006 A8 sedan 4.2L diesel BVN twin turbo quattro with a faulty starter
can anyone let me know the steps to removing the starter motor, i am stuck with getting the engine mount bracket off, the top bolt is very hard to get at with the turbo in place
have got the airfilter out and managed to get the heat shield off so can see it now as well as the lower crossmember etc
i am assuming i have to remove more than a single turbo one as they seem too easy to get that bracket off ...is it exhaust and turbo off ?
or front of car and alternator and intake pipes off ...or subframe and exhaust etc
seems an odd and rare car with more bits than most
thanks for any advice
Alex

 

I don’t know specifically, but here’s a link to the workshop manual. p.80 onward

https://forum.a8parts.co.uk//attachm...3&d=1420367344

 

thank you very much i will have a look right ow

cheers

 

I am not sure, but it may be the same thing. By sheer happenstance, I have seen a couple of videos regarding A8 starter replacement just last week.

I think this is one of the top 3 PITA nightmare jobs compared to other cars(considering the part being replaced). Similar to the oil cooler union pipe job, you need to remove the engine support.

The common denominator is the difficulty in removing the top bolt. (Why is it always the top bolt?) (For the oil cooler union pipe, it is also the top bolt!)
Sorry I digress...

These vids are all in YouTube.

1. The most popular way - using multiple ext & a swivel socket (keeping the bolt in place, if the bolt falls off it is a nightmare to put it back) As you are loosening the bolt pull the starter away from the housing (this keeps the bolt in place) If you are unlucky enough for the bolt to fall off and you are having difficulty in putting back that top bolt, see the solution of mechanic 1 below

There are 2 other imaginative solutions.

Mechanic 1 - don't quite recall whether he damaged the top bolt while removing the starter or while installing the starter.
He ends up re-threading the housing and he proceeds to install the bolt the other way around. (more than one way to skin a cat)
Mechanic 2 - Not only is this guy imaginative, he has "CAJONES". After removing the bottom bolt, he just pries off the starter and snaps the "ear" that holds the top bolt. He claims he does this all the time and that bolt ear always breaks off. With my luck, I will end up damaging the engine housing.
I have not done the job, if i had to hack away at the starter, I would do it with the assistance of angle grinder.

I just replaced the starter of my wife's gmc suv/truck. The level of difficulty Removal and Reinstall ... I would say the same time and effort to do an oil change of the A8 in the customary way.

 

hi there

all the videos i found are for slightly different models , the problem i had was with the top bolt on the engine mount bracket. by the time i got to the starter top bolt that was hard but a piece of cake
ultimately the process involves undoing the exhaust cat at the turbo and pushing to the side and taking out the exh temp sensor to gain access to the top bolt, then with mostly imagination at your fingertips you can get it out ok ...actually went back in pretty good the same way...the top bolt on the starter you can get with a short spanner and a rope to pull it then ratchet it out
if you can remove all the firewall part by the wipers and hang the engine and remove the whole subframe ...would be a piece of cake
i just removed the crossmember and suspended the front of the motor and i managed to get the heat shield off thats the biggy as its how you get access to everything else
the wiring to test the starter is behind the plastic inner gaurd rh side at the top, the actual fault was a little weird as the solenoid spring had lost its tension i suspect to cranking with low voltage therefore the solenoid wasnt moving enough faint click but both windings ok rest of the starter was good however i put a new one in and a new battery car has istart and does short trips in town mostly
putting the front of the car into service mode is quite extreme for the twin turbo 4wds and doesnt even help gain access
on and off other jobs i spent about 15 hours and bled a fair bit and changed religions a few times
calm moments and less distractions than busy workshops allow are best

 

thanks this was a little different to the car but showed me the exhaust has to come off that was the game changer