Few Worrying faults>help & advice please

[skywalker482]

Hello all, I've been reading the threads on here and you all seem to know a great deal so I am hoping for some help.
My wife has just bought a 1999 A4 2.8 V6 Quattro avant. Couple of problems I am panicking about as it was a private sale and we stuck with it (We do love it so want to sort this out). It is currently showing 102000k on the odo.

1. There is white smoke coming from the driver side of the engine bay from close to the firewall, it looks like oil hitting the exhaust?? and can be smelt inside the car, is this gaskets blown? Have been told it could a CAM PLUG is this an easy fix?

2. The oil temp guage hardly moves even if the car is up to temp? and the coolant temp sits really low (about a fifth of the dial) unless car is static and running where is slowly heats up to middle of guage, is this normal. Have been told to change thermostat.

3. Most concerning it is tricky to start when warm and you have to give it throttle or it just spins over. It runs fine and doesn't overheat although the idle can flutter a little which is felt throughout the car, there is no bubbling in the coolant tank although this is rusty looking (but not oily sludge) not a nice coolant blue either! and finally there is white smoke from exhaust even when at running temperature......Help


I know there is a lot above and I have tried to describe as best I can, I guess some things are linked and others are individual faults. Could the exhaust smoke and hot start issue be linked to the temp malfunction and thermostat not working? running rich etc

I await your knowledge

Regards Jamie and Emma
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[kite]

Sort the issue's one at a time.
I would fix the oil leak in the engine bay, it could be simple as a cam cover gasket.
Change the thermostat, once the engine is reaching the right temp you might find it will improve the running. Change the coolant for G12+ while your at it.

[iwaters]

Problem 1:

The smoke will be oil hitting the exaust as you suspect. These engines love to leak oil from the back of the head. It is either the cam cover gasket (ast to fix), the cam tensioner seals (quite a pig of a job), or the camshaft seals (not overly difficult but need a special tool for removal/insertion).

If you a re good with a spanner replacing the cam cover gasket is easy enough, otherwise the gaskets are about £40 for a complete set and I wouls suspect a agrage would charge maybe 2 hours labour so looking at about £140 + VAT.

Not sure how much the camshaft seals will be, the seals them selves only cost a few quid.

You will be looking at about £300 is if it is the tensioner gasket.

Problem 2:

Sounds like the thermostat is stuck open. The stat isn't expensive but the front of the car has to come off to get to it so a bit of labour involved there. It is worth getting the oil leak and stat done at the same time because if it is the cam seals or tensioner gasket then the timing belt has to come off for them as well.

Problem 3:

The coolant should be pink in colour. If it is brown this means someone has mixed the wrong anti freeze. These engines need G12+ coolant, available from Audi. The coolant will be replaced whent the thermostat is done.

Is it deffintely white smoke or could it be moisture in the exhaust? My V6 produces quite a bit of moisture even once up to running temp. Some cars just do that. Look at some of the modern Jags, they seem to endlessly spit condensation from the exhaust.

As Kite says tackle the first two issues first. You might find it solves the last.

Also find a reputable independant VAG specialist to do the work, save some money over main dealer prices.

[murray26775]

my a4 has the same engine, oil never heats above 75 ish and the water tends to heat up to 90, (centre of the gauge). changing the coolant is an easy job there is a red release plug at the bottom right hand side of the rad as you stand in front facing the car. (long screwdriver through the bumper vents ). mine also lets out white steam, (alot) i too was worried but ive had mine three years now and its still going strong. well, saying that, the starter has packed in, three years to the day i bought it, lol. all said they are a pretty bullit proof enging, good old audi. oh, and the oil leaks, my rocker gaskets had a leak, 75 quid from audi, gsf said there a main dealer part, i just lifted the rocker, cleaned the old gasket and applied gasket seal, job done, no more probnlems. hope this helps