Recently purchased a 99 A4 2.8 Quattro....

[dadams312]

May have been ripped off, but gotta deal with the problems now either way.

Got a good price on a seemingly nice 1999 Audi A4 2.8 Quattro, 150,000 miles, brand new tires less than a month ago, timing belt, water pump, associated gaskets changed ~20,000 miles ago....came with all service records. Outside is in ok shape, interior is nearly perfect still....though it had a couple quirks, one with the turn signals, one with the radio. Came with a carfax which was clean, no accidents, no reports, I am 3rd owner, serviced regularly.

Travelled ~40 miles to pick the car up, all was well aside from the aforementioned quirks on the interior, no radio kind of sucked but whatever. Drove it to work 2 days with no issues at all.

3 days since then, burning oil smell in the cabin, especially when the heat is on. leaving a little oil on the ground, the smell seems to generate from the oil finding it's way onto the catalytic converter/exhaust.

Yesterday, driving it and made a left turn and suddenly a grinding and creaking from what sounds like the front drivers side area, it's continuing to do this during most left turns.

Bad luck or ripped off, looks like i'll be dumping some money into this thing for stuff that seemed to be done already.

Gonna list problems I have noticed, more as a check list for myself....but maybe some of you seasoned audi owners will come across the list and offer up some suggestions or tips on fixing the problems I have.

• Turn signals not working, stay solid when attempting to use them - FIXED - NO CHARGE
• Radio not working - lock code request aftermarket Kenwood HU - FIXED - $25 Local authorized kenwood service center
• No reception in radio - antenna wire too small for back of HU - TEMPORARILY FIXED - wrapped tape around wire until snug - need to replace with correct antenna wire
• Clunking/Popping intermittently while turning left - FIXED - ~$400 - Replaced both front CV Axles
• Oil leaking onto exhaust - causes burning smell in cabin. - FIXED - ~$120 - Valve Cover Gasket, Cam Chain Tensioner Gasket, camshaft seals/plugs
  
• VDO? Mostly not working - Garbled up screen, can sometimes make out gear selection, can somewhat see info in top of lcd - needs fixed/replaced
• Drivers side headlight assembly loose - bolted in at top of assembly, loose on bottom.
• Side mirrors scratched beyond safe use - drivers side first
• Car will not hold washer fluid.

[dadams312]

Home the first day I cleaned it up, was a horrible mess inside, and fixed the turn signal issue thanks to this forum.
Was able to fix the radio reception issue the next day, which solved both quirks I was having inside. VDO? is all garbled and hard to make out anything it says....haven't looked too much into that yet though as the oil leaking and noisy front end just popped up.

[dadams312]

At least tell me it's drivable under these conditions still with the oil leaking on the exhaust and clunking grinding left hand turns.

[awdjunkies]

congrats on the purchase, look at it this way, ANY used car you purchase, private party or even at a dealership will have hidden problems. In an enthusiasts world that is best because that means they can get their hands dirty while learning about their newest acquisition.. As for oil leaks, usually VCG/CCTs/VPs .. Sounds like you may need to replace an axle or two in the near future. Other than that there are a couple of members here which will help you get your info screen back to new


WELCOME to and a cool chassis, the b5 looks good with the B6 sport wheels

[oldskoolaudi]

like the previous guy said. Mine was pretty similar when I bought it. My body was in awesome shape aside from some dings that I had Paintless dent removal repair. But when I bought the car I opened the hood and noticed a bunch of oil out of the valve cover gaskets. Called my buddy, he said this was commom and knocked down the price $400 and took it. Paid a buddy to do the gaskets and has been pretty good since.

[dadams312]

Thanks for the welcome guys. I dont mind fixing things, guess it's a bit disappointing to hear of an oil leak likely from a spot that was replaced not too long ago.

[Lornnn]

Doing the valve cover gaskets yourself will take you an hour.

Cam plugs leak on these as well and are even easier to replace. They're small puck-like caps that get wedged in.

Your cam chain tensioner gasket or gaskets could be leaking as well which is a bit more involved.

[dadams312]

Doing the valve cover gaskets yourself will take you an hour.

Cam plugs leak on these as well and are even easier to replace. They're small puck-like caps that get wedged in.

Your cam chain tensioner gasket or gaskets could be leaking as well which is a bit more involved.

I know nothing about cars, and told myself with this car I am going to learn....so I'll look at it as jumping into the deep end right away. Might invest in a couple service manuals since i'm pretty much all noob at fixing cars.

[GreenFields1]

Welcome to Audizine and the world of Audi. Any car that is 12 years old is going to have issues and any high end luxury car is going to need more maintenance than usual. Hope you now realize this before you start to open the can of worms. As mentioned above check your gaskets, check your vac lines n pcv tubing and make sure everything is in spec. I can say that the creaking you are hearing is one of 2 things either a bad wheel bearing or like awdjunkies said a bad axel/torn cv boot which you can check and rule out pretty easily. As for the valvetrain noise...either live with it or prepare to spend some big bucks. Good Luck and let us know how things go!

[dadams312]

Welcome to Audizine and the world of Audi. Any car that is 12 years old is going to have issues and any high end luxury car is going to need more maintenance than usual. Hope you now realize this before you start to open the can of worms. As mentioned above check your gaskets, check your vac lines n pcv tubing and make sure everything is in spec. I can say that the creaking you are hearing is one of 2 things either a bad wheel bearing or like awdjunkies said a bad axel/torn cv boot which you can check and rule out pretty easily. As for the valvetrain noise...either live with it or prepare to spend some big bucks. Good Luck and let us know how things go!

Thanks, I do know there will be maintenance involved...I'm just a little disappointed that something that was done not too long ago might be the culprit. And, I'm not sure about valvetrain noise, unless something i'm hearing resembles that, i'd have no clue what that noise is regardless.

I really like the car, with a little tlc i think i can get it in pretty good shape. Will try and post some better pictures when it's cleaned up a bit.

[GreenFields1]

Been there done that.....Just know since you are NA your engine isn't prone to the problems us 1.8t guys have such as sludge coil pack issues and serious vacuum leaks. I would just make sure to check your seals and gaskets as well as the pcv tubing since those are usually the first things to go. N defintely replace those spark plugs if u havnt already. Btw pictures and videos speak a thousand words so don't hesitate to post up

[dadams312]

Been there done that.....Just know since you are NA your engine isn't prone to the problems us 1.8t guys have such as sludge coil pack issues and serious vacuum leaks. I would just make sure to check your seals and gaskets as well as the pcv tubing since those are usually the first things to go. N defintely replace those spark plugs if u havnt already. Btw pictures and videos speak a thousand words so don't hesitate to post up

Thanks for that suggestion, should I replace the wires while I'm at it?

I also noticed that there is a jug of gas station 50/50 coolant in the trunk, would a coolant flush be recommended along with a better/correct coolant?

Are both of these things a novice could do without much worry?

[1999blacka4]

I heard that you have to take the top end of the engine off in order to replace the valve cover gaskets and was like a 2-3 thousand job for a mechanic. Can anyone with a 2.8 tell me more about this. Hopefully, I am wrong... Which there is a 90 percent chance I am.

[Mad Cow]

I heard that you have to take the top end of the engine off in order to replace the valve cover gaskets and was like a 2-3 thousand job for a mechanic. Can anyone with a 2.8 tell me more about this. Hopefully, I am wrong... Which there is a 90 percent chance I am.

Luckily you're wrong, valve cover gaskets on the 2.8 aren't anything complicated. You're probably thinking about head gaskets, but even then that's a steep price.

[Lornnn]

I know nothing about cars, and told myself with this car I am going to learn....so I'll look at it as jumping into the deep end right away. Might invest in a couple service manuals since i'm pretty much all noob at fixing cars.

Good call. My 98 2.8 was my first car and I didn't have a goddamned clue about anything until I started digging around these forums, watching videos, reading the repair manuals. A good set of tools (instead of buying them piece-meal like I have over the years) and a bentley repair manual will take you a long way as long as you use caution and common sense.

[dadams312]

Gonna list problems I have noticed, more as a check list for myself....but maybe some of you seasoned audi owners will come across the list and offer up some suggestions or tips on fixing the problems I have.

• Turn signals not working, stay solid when attempting to use them - FIXED - NO CHARGE

• Radio not working - lock code request aftermarket Kenwood HU - FIXED - $25 Local authorized kenwood service center

• No reception in radio - antenna wire too small for back of HU - TEMPORARILY FIXED - wrapped tape around wire until snug - need to replace with correct antenna wire

• VDO? Mostly not working - Garbled up screen, can sometimes make out gear selection, can somewhat see info in top of lcd - needs fixed/replaced

• Drivers side headlight assembly loose - bolted in at top of assembly, loose on bottom.
• Side mirrors scratched beyond safe use - drivers side first
• Oil leaking onto exhaust - causes burning smell in cabin. - FIXED - ~$120 - Valve Cover Gasket, Cam Chain Tensioner Gasket, camshaft seals/plugs
• Clunking/Popping intermittently while turning left - FIXED - ~$400 - Replaced both front CV Axles
• Car will not hold washer fluid.

[fR3ZNO]

Gonna list problems I have noticed, more as a check list for myself....but maybe some of you seasoned audi owners will come across the list and offer up some suggestions or tips on fixing the problems I have.

• Turn signals not working, stay solid when attempting to use them - FIXED - NO CHARGE

• Radio not working - lock code request aftermarket Kenwood HU - FIXED - $25 Local authorized kenwood service center

• No reception in radio - antenna wire too small for back of HU - TEMPORARILY FIXED - wrapped tape around wire until snug - need to replace with correct antenna wire

• VDO? Mostly not working - Garbled up screen, can sometimes make out gear selection, can somewhat see info in top of lcd - needs fixed/replaced

• Drivers side headlight assembly loose - bolted in at top of assembly, loose on bottom.
• Side mirrors scratched beyond safe use - drivers side first
• Oil leaking onto exhaust - causes burning smell in cabin.
• Clunking/Popping intermittently while turning left

For the VDO, there's a few forum members who can probably help you solder in a new screen. I took out my instrument cluster and sent it to http://www.modulemaster.com/en/servi...build_info.php It was ~$160 after shipping it to them and getting it fixed.

On the headlight, there's three bolts that attach it to the body. The third one is hidden, you can see it through a hole in the fender. You'll need a torx bit with a long extension to tighten it(assuming it's still there)

For the side mirrors, I would go to ECS tuning and buy their european blind spot mirrors http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_A4-...irrors/ES3605/, only about ~$125 after shipping

As for the oil leakage, it may be the cam plugs like a few people already mentioned. Cam plugs are cheap and easy to do. It all depends on which gaskets were replaced by the PO. With the car warmed up, try to take a peek at the back of the engine to see where the leaks are coming from and try to take a picture so we can tell you the proper name for the gasket(s)

Not sure about the clunking, but I would take the wheel off and inspect the CV axle/boot to see if that is what's causing your problem

Hope that answers your questions!

[fR3ZNO]

Here's where that third headlight bolt would be

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/pix/screw1.jpg

[dadams312]

Awesome, thanks for the suggestions. Can you replace just the actual mirror glass or does the whole assembly need replaced?

[dadams312]

OK, got it inspected by our local Audi dealership....

as some of you suspected the oil leak is from the valve cover gasket and what they called the camshaft seal - they quoted me at $544 to replace those. Is this doable for a complete novice?

they also said that the serpentine belt needs replaced - $240 to replace.

both rear axle seals - $347

$1219 for the Audi dealership to fix the above listed items.

[nynoah]

dear lord, don't go to the Audi dealership. That is wallet suicide.

[Mad Cow]

All those are an easy diy except for the axle seals (I'm assuming you mean output shaft seals), those you should take to a good indy shop. Unless it's the front cam seal that's leaking, that would require taking the timing belt off.

[dadams312]

All those are an easy diy except for the axle seals (I'm assuming you mean output shaft seals), those you should take to a good indy shop. Unless it's the front cam seal that's leaking, that would require taking the timing belt off.

The write up says "Needs valve cover gasket, cam adjuster seals, drive belt, rear axle seals and output shaft seal"

under cause for oil leak it says "valve cover cam adj. and rear cam plugs leaking oil onto exhaust manifold"

[awdjunkies]

Let me tell you, those prices sound awesome compared to the dealership here in town.. but yeah, if you can do them yourself, you will save a LOT of money and gain experience in the process.

[dadams312]

Let me tell you, those prices sound awesome compared to the dealership here in town.. but yeah, if you can do them yourself, you will save a LOT of money and gain experience in the process.

I don't know if I can change those problems myself, as I said I'm as novice as it comes... Ashamed to say I've never so much as changed the oil in a car, let alone mess with the internals and seals of an engine.

[Lornnn]

I don't know if I can change those problems myself, as I said I'm as novice as it comes... Ashamed to say I've never so much as changed the oil in a car, let alone mess with the internals and seals of an engine.

If you plan on keeping your B5 around for longer than a few months then you'll either need 1) a lot of money to blow often at the stealership or 2) the initiative to start wrenching around on it.

[fR3ZNO]

I think even though you're a complete novice, you could at least start with doing the camshaft plug seals, just pry them out with a pick and then pop in he new ones. (helps if you put the new ones in the freezer before hand)

the cam chain tensioner gaskets require a little more know how, but definitely doable

[ianwpb]

The write up says "Needs valve cover gasket, cam adjuster seals, drive belt, rear axle seals and output shaft seal"

under cause for oil leak it says "valve cover cam adj. and rear cam plugs leaking oil onto exhaust manifold"

Do you want to do the work yourself? If you're at all mechanically inclined and know how to follow directions you'll be fine.

When I got my 99.5 2.8 I was in a similar position as you, kind of a novice when it came to working on cars. However, I didn't have money to bring my car to the dealership and basically pay them what I paid for the car so I dove in to the work myself. This forum and google will help you a ton.

Keep reading if you plan on doing the work yourself.

Someone said something about getting a good tool set. Yeah, that's not a bad idea, but honestly I've been able to get away with a pretty simple set up. The only tool set I have is a 3/8ths inch rachet with metric 10-19mm sockets. You'll also need an 8mm 1/4" socket. All of my other tools have been pieced together. You will need a 1/2 breaker bar, and a good Torque Wrench ( that's debatable I guess, but I like to use it for peace of mind - knowing I did it right). There are 3 Torx bits that I've actually used on my car - T20, T30 and T45. I picked those up separately. I did pick up a set of 4-10mm hex sockets and allen keys (metric).

As for the issues you need to take care of now, the good news is that they are pretty simple issues, not too in depth, you aren't screwing with the timing or electrical.

The Valve cover gaskets are not hard at all. The hardest part is making sure the gaskets seat properly. I believe there are 8 bolts that need to be removed. The valve cover might not come off very easily. It may take some convincing. Clean the valve cover and head mating surfaces and install the new gaskets. Use some RTV on any corners or sharp angles. Carefully place the valve cover back on making sure the gasket is seated fully. The torque spec is only 7 ft/lbs, so hand tight should be more than fine. Just don't over-tighten the bolts.

The Cam plugs as stated are very simple to install. They seem to be aluminum covered in some sort of rubber. I took a large flat head screw driver and a hammer and hammered the side of the plug until I was able to pry it out. There isn't a ton of room so you have to try to hit the side of it. From there, press the new caps in. I was only able to push it in so much with my hands so I used a hammer pushing against the cap on one end and against the firewall on the other. It's kind of hard to explain, but you'll understand.

These two things stopped the oil from leaking on the exhaust manifold. I haven't replaced my cam seals yet. I'm not leaking from them though so there's no need. To be honest I'm a little hesitant about doing them myself.

Please, please, please do not pay $240 for the dealer to change the serpentine belt. The belt itself is about $25 at the auto parts store. Look up how to put the car in "Service Position". Basically it involves removing the front bumper and loosening the radiator support bolts (7-8 T45 bolts on the front and 4 T30 bolts on the top by the headlights). It allows you to slide the radiator support forward about 4-5". Plenty of room to release the serpentine belt tensioner using a 17mm socket. From there just slip off the old belt and install the new belt. Pay attention to the routing of the belt. I've also read that you should mark an arrow indicating the direction of the belt so if you have to remove it for some reason you can re-install it correctly. This should take about 2 hours the first time you do it. It takes me about 30 minutes now at a reasonable pace.

As for the front end noise, this is a little harder to diagnose via the internet. A video would be wonderful. Here's some examples of noises and the typical culprits.
-Groaning/grinding noise - Wheel bearings. Should be able to isolate it to one wheel. Sometimes the sound gets progressively louder as speed increases.
-Clicking on turns - Outer CV joint. Note about CV joints and axles. DO NOT BUY AFTERMARKET AXLES. Either have your OEM ones rebuilt or go to Raxles.com.
-Clunking when going over bumps/instability at highway speeds - Control Arms and/or tie-rod ends.

The axle seals can be a bit involved but definitely doable. You have to remove the axle, drain diff fluid, remove stub axle/axle flange, replace seal, re-install everything. There are a few DIYs around covering the axle seals. They should be relatively similar from the front to rear.

Anyways, sorry for rambling but I hope this instills some confidence in you. These cars aren't as scary as the dealer would like you to think.

Oh and get yourself a service manual. If you don't want to spend the $100 on a Bentley manual, at least get the Haynes manual from the auto parts store. I think it was like $27. It's got a lot of good info.

[dadams312]

Wow, thanks for that awesome write up....i really appreciate it! I would like to think that I am mechanically inclined enough to pull off most of this work. I know I could learn how to do it, jumping in and actually doing it with hardly being familiar with the parts let alone how they work is a bit scary however.

I think I will invest in the Bentley manual, and tackle it all head on. I will try and get a video of the noise.

Any preference on where you get parts?

[ianwpb]

Wow, thanks for that awesome write up....i really appreciate it! I would like to think that I am mechanically inclined enough to pull off most of this work. I know I could learn how to do it, jumping in and actually doing it with hardly being familiar with the parts let alone how they work is a bit scary however.

I think I will invest in the Bentley manual, and tackle it all head on. I will try and get a video of the noise.

Any preference on where you get parts?

ECStuning.com is my go-to for maintenance parts. The good thing about them is they list the VW/Audi part number. From there I usually google search it to find other online companies that sell that part and I search for the cheapest one with free or cheap shipping. A lot of the time they are the best option. Usually they carry at least 2 brands of the part you need. OEM Genuine Audi/VW and then a different German company, Meyle, Bosche, etc. which tend to be a bit cheaper than oem. Some items are available in a no-name type brand MTC etc. It's up to you whether or not you want to buy those parts. If they're cheap enough I'll try them out but for more expensive parts go with OEM Audi/VW.

Other good websites I use for parts are Pelicanparts.com, Rockauto.com, Blauparts.com, FCPgroton.com, MJMautohaus.com and of course Ebay. I've had good experiences with the last few parts I've bought from ebay sellers. Lot's of German junk yards post their parts up - TomsForeign.com for instance. Got my OEM GKN axles (With Audi/vw part number stickers) for 55/shipped (used, but in near perfect condition). Napa has a lot of Pentosin fluids either in their stores or at their warehouse so if you need Power steering fluid, coolant, Brake fluid etc. quickly don't forget to check them out.

I've also ordered from JHMotorsports.com and 034motorsports.com. Both excellent aftermarket performance companies.

[dadams312]

Bit of an update to my thread here. Bit the bullet, called a more knowledgeable friend of mine and we tackled the valve cover gasket, cam seal/plugs, and cam tensioner and successfully stopped the leaking oil and burning oil smell.

Tomorrow we will be doing the serpentine belt, and then replacing both front cv axles...which is the source of my clicking and clunking when turning. drivers side is pretty tore up, passenger side boot is ripped and starting to fling grease so we're just going to replace them both in one shot.

That should wrap up the current mechanical problems.

In other news, my turn signals quit working again....twice i've fixed them but they've only worked about a week before quitting again....time to order a new hazard switch.

Some better pics of my experiment

[Rabbitjetta]

I heard that you have to take the top end of the engine off in order to replace the valve cover gaskets and was like a 2-3 thousand job for a mechanic. Can anyone with a 2.8 tell me more about this. Hopefully, I am wrong... Which there is a 90 percent chance I am.

I had my gaskets done by a friend who owns a local shop and total replacing all gaskets was 325 with an oil change. Timing belt was 855.

[WtA4WtQ5]

Great advice on here. I didn't see the answer to the windshield washer bottle leak. That almost always is the headlight washer pump. I plugged mine with a piece of ski repair ptex rod an rtv. The pump was $50 then, probably $70 now. I would do without.

[dadams312]

Great advice on here. I didn't see the answer to the windshield washer bottle leak. That almost always is the headlight washer pump. I plugged mine with a piece of ski repair ptex rod an rtv. The pump was $50 then, probably $70 now. I would do without.

I took the drivers side headlight out to get a better look at it and ran some water down the reservoir, still couldn't get a good idea of where it is leaking from. just watched as water poured out the backside somewhere and ran down the inside of the bumper.

[GreenFields1]

The wiper fluid tank is quite large. It runs all the way to the bottom of the front bumper by the tire and the only way to get that sucker out is to remove the front bumper...If its cracked jack the car up remove the belly pan and you might get lucky with being able to see the crack/cracks. Use some jb weld or some glue made for plastic and it'll be good as new.

[dadams312]

The wiper fluid tank is quite large. It runs all the way to the bottom of the front bumper by the tire and the only way to get that sucker out is to remove the front bumper...If its cracked jack the car up remove the belly pan and you might get lucky with being able to see the crack/cracks. Use some jb weld or some glue made for plastic and it'll be good as new.

I seen how large it was, looks complicated to replace. I will have to jack it up and remove the drivers side wheel to see if that gives me a better view of where the leak may be coming from.

[MooseWhip]

I had a problem with my wiper fluid leaking out, it was a hose going to the headlight washer popping off. You can see the hose I'm talking about if you look straight down right behind the drivers headlight.

[GreenFields1]

I seen how large it was, looks complicated to replace. I will have to jack it up and remove the drivers side wheel to see if that gives me a better view of where the leak may be coming from.

Taking off the wheel won't do anything, the tank is located in the engine bay. Look for a frnt bumper removal DIY, you may be able to get away with just disconnecting the bumper from the plastic clip by the tire and will have access. Btw those wiper headlight hoses are crap and the headlight wipers usually stop working after a while. I plugged those hoses up so I can fill the container more than half way

[dadams312]

Got both CV Axles replaced, all control arms appear to be in good shape...no wiggling, or movement. With the cv axles replaced it is now a quiet ride around turns.

[Nollywood]

I would check your transmission output seals for fluid leaks (especially the driver's side one). Common for the seal to weep, and drop oil onto the nearside CAT.