Newbie has issues!

[martin_r_smith]

Hi all,

Well i have finally got myself my first Audi, A 1995 A4 1.8 20v se. First impressions are great, i'm well impressed with the car. However, the chap i bought it off appears to have been less than honest and the service history is somewhat dubious to say the least! The car is not idling very well when the clutch is depressed, the revs bounce between 900 and 400 a few times before it settles at 900 rpm. The temp gauge is pretty useless i.e. it doesn't work unless the car is sat still ticking over when it gets to the normal 90 degrees, when driven it just goes to the left. I guess this is the thermostat stuck open maybe? I have searched the forum for the idling issue and it seems that the temp sensor could be at fault so i changed it and it's still the same. Due to the dubious nature of the service history i am getting the cambelt done (full kit including water pump replacement), and a full service. Should i also get the maf cleaned and throttle body cleaned at the same time, will this solve my idling problem?

Would really appreciate some advice

Thanks

[Crasher]

A fault code read is a good place to start and I suspect a temperature sender fault code (16500 Coolant temperature plausibility) will be stored. A new temperature sensor will cure the start up and removing, cleaning, refitting and resting the throttle body should deal with the idle instability.

Cleaning the Air Mass Meter (MAF) is not a good idea, if you touch it at all you should replace it with a genuine VW dealer supplied exchange replacement unit, avoid anything else at all, even genuine Bosch.

[martin_r_smith]

Thanks for the help crasher, the car is now running perfectly! The idle problem has been sorted by replacing a broken vacuum hose and cleaning out the throttle body. The fuel economy is now pretty good too on a motorway run i was getting over 40mpg. I was quite surprised at how easy it was to do the cambelt on these, although some hamfisted monkey had done the allen key bolts on the bottom pully up way to tight and i broke 2 bits trying to get them off! The thermostat was stuck open so a replacement has sorted that out and now she sits at 90 all day long. You were right about the fault code, amongst all the other ones! All seemed to be about excess air so guessing it really didn't like the broken vacuum hose.

I know could do with help locating a part number for the little piece of trim that clips on to the side of the car with 3 clips at end of the side skirt at the back. Think it is some kind of small mudflap thing, any ideas?

Thanks a lot

Martin

[Crasher]

If you mean item 4 it is 8D0 854 857 A 01C left and 8D0 854 858 A 01C right.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd20/Crasher1964/A48Dsilltrim.jpg

[martin_r_smith]

Thats the one, thanks very much.