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Audi A3 2.0 TDI reliable ?

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I have just taken in px a Audi A3 2.0 TDi 2006 /55 reg. As soon as it came in the old boy in the cottage over the road from my site fell in love with it. He hasn't got a lot of money and is one of life's good guys. I just want rid for what it owes me. 

I am  happy for him to buy this but wouldn't want him to have a problem car with big Bill's. Not dealing with many   Audis I would like to sell him something I can trust. It's full history and very clean ,just worries me about dpf and turbos. 

He is 80 and been buying off me for 25 years. Normally fiestas, escorts, and easy repaired Astras.

Your thoughts please as I would normally send this to the block.

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Flywheel would be probably a big one to look for too..  I wouldn’t make up a story about the accident, but rather advise him about the type engine it has, big diesel - good for long journeys rather than Bingo and GP trips.. 

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Its a bit of an odd question because its a 14 year old diesel and we don't know the miles or its history.

I think it would have the PD140 BKD engine. No dpf. The base engine is pretty solid but the turbos are a bit weak on those and of course you can get the usual EGR and DMF issues - none of which are cheap to sort out.

I think you'd better to sort the old boy out with a Yaris CVT. Easy to drive and bombproof mechanicals If serviced.

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57 minutes ago, Halfpenny said:

Its a bit of an odd question because its a 14 year old diesel and we don't know the miles or its history.

I think it would have the PD140 BKD engine. No dpf. The base engine is pretty solid but the turbos are a bit weak on those and of course you can get the usual EGR and DMF issues - none of which are cheap to sort out.

I think you'd better to sort the old boy out with a Yaris CVT. Easy to drive and bombproof mechanicals If serviced.

 

25 minutes ago, Grantlfc81 said:

Bullet proof engines to be fair. 

On that year the injectors will be shot... 

If it’s the 170, it needs thrown in the bin. 
 

As above a micra or Yaris would’ve more suitable for the next 6 months until he has to give up his licence. 

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I run one of these to ferry the dogs around on the weekend it’s one of the best dog horse I have ever run 2006 140bhp version 

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I would say they are bombproof I love them mine has 165k I kick the shit out of it most days and it had only ever cost me general servicing and a starter motor, mine is mapped aswell so about 180bhp. Proved to be more reliable than my r8 when I had it.

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Drove them with over 200k miles and they still drove really well guess it depends what's been done to it service wise and mechanically in the past as to how reliable it will be In the future just like everything else really 

 

Edited by Casper

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The early 2 litres has a reputation & although I’ve not had many I’ve never had a problem with them - my guess is any with chain / pump problems have all by now either been dealt with or been thrown in the bin.

Is it me or am I wrong in seeing nothing wrong with moving on a p/x to a nice old guy at cost but making it absolutely clear what the score is?

Personally I’d also rag it for an 80 mile round trip to the block to make sure but what on earth is all this talk of Yarises? What sort of wanked-out old Yaris are you going to buy for 14yr old A3 TRADE MONEY? Answer; An end-of-lifer with whining bearings & an underside looking like it was dragged up from a seabed - they’re rotboxes.

Edited by BHM

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2 hours ago, BHM said:

The early 2 litres has a reputation & although I’ve not had many I’ve never had a problem with them - my guess is any with chain / pump problems have all by now either been dealt with or been thrown in the bin.

Is it me or am I wrong in seeing nothing wrong with moving on a p/x to a nice old guy at cost but making it absolutely clear what the score is?

Personally I’d also rag it for an 80 mile round trip to the block to make sure but what on earth is all this talk of Yarises? What sort of wanked-out old Yaris are you going to buy for 14yr old A3 TRADE MONEY? Answer; An end-of-lifer with whining bearings & an underside looking like it was dragged up from a seabed - they’re rotboxes.

IIRC the unit in the A3 (BKD) didn't have chain/pump problems. As I said earlier the base engine is a solid unit - worked on loads of them. Its the bits that bolt on that give problems. The PD140 turbos are a bit soft (police siren bearings) we usually replace with Turbo Technics at c.£850 retail inclusive.

EGRs are not too bad on these. Obviously DMF replacement at some time.

One thing to watch on these 16V engines is that the timing belt tensioner sits on a thin stud (thinner than on the 8V engines). When you change the belt you must also change the stud. Put a spot of threadlock on stud and nut and use a torque wrench.  We have had customers where another repairer has used the original stud and overtightened. It then later snapped! We have also see them with the thread pulled out of the head. And avoid Dayco tensioners - the latest type are a crap (cheaper) design.

Don't know what sort of money we are talking about but Yaris is solid. The 1.33 are almost unbreakable if serviced. They are not too bad for rot in my experience.

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4 hours ago, Halfpenny said:

IIRC the unit in the A3 (BKD) didn't have chain/pump problems. As I said earlier the base engine is a solid unit - worked on loads of them. Its the bits that bolt on that give problems. The PD140 turbos are a bit soft (police siren bearings) we usually replace with Turbo Technics at c.£850 retail inclusive.

EGRs are not too bad on these. Obviously DMF replacement at some time.

One thing to watch on these 16V engines is that the timing belt tensioner sits on a thin stud (thinner than on the 8V engines). When you change the belt you must also change the stud. Put a spot of threadlock on stud and nut and use a torque wrench.  We have had customers where another repairer has used the original stud and overtightened. It then later snapped! We have also see them with the thread pulled out of the head. And avoid Dayco tensioners - the latest type are a crap (cheaper) design.

Don't know what sort of money we are talking about but Yaris is solid. The 1.33 are almost unbreakable if serviced. They are not too bad for rot in my experience.

Your right, this engine is not affected by the oil pump problems. 
 

I was of the opinion that the Tensioner stud should not be removed. Most of the horror stories I’ve heard relate to the tensioner stud pulling the threads out with it. 

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1 hour ago, Stalker said:

Your right, this engine is not affected by the oil pump problems. 
 

I was of the opinion that the Tensioner stud should not be removed. Most of the horror stories I’ve heard relate to the tensioner stud pulling the threads out with it. 

I have probably done at least 30 of these. The OE cambelt kits from TPS come with a new stud. I always replace the stud. Part of the problem is the torque setting which iIRC is 40nm+45deg, which is a lot on 8mm. You don't what it was tightened to in the past so you don't know the metallurgical condition of the stud. Any sign of sideways movement with the threads in the head and I tap out to 10mm and fit the M10xM8x73 stepped stud - IIRC its N 909 055 02 from TPS at £3. Make sure the 10mm step is just below the surface of the head - if its not then the tensioner can foul.  I have not yet had an engine come back. On the other hand we have had breakdowns come in with snapped and damaged studs after belt changes done at other repairers. I also take the time to set the torsion to as near to 0.0 as possible - a lot of repairers are in too much of a rush to finish the job properly.

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2 hours ago, Halfpenny said:

I have probably done at least 30 of these. The OE cambelt kits from TPS come with a new stud. I always replace the stud. Part of the problem is the torque setting which iIRC is 40nm+45deg, which is a lot on 8mm. You don't what it was tightened to in the past so you don't know the metallurgical condition of the stud. Any sign of sideways movement with the threads in the head and I tap out to 10mm and fit the M10xM8x73 stepped stud - IIRC its N 909 055 02 from TPS at £3. Make sure the 10mm step is just below the surface of the head - if its not then the tensioner can foul.  I have not yet had an engine come back. On the other hand we have had breakdowns come in with snapped and damaged studs after belt changes done at other repairers. I also take the time to set the torsion to as near to 0.0 as possible - a lot of repairers are in too much of a rush to finish the job properly.

You are the sort of mechanic I like to deal with.

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7 hours ago, Halfpenny said:

I have probably done at least 30 of these. The OE cambelt kits from TPS come with a new stud. I always replace the stud. Part of the problem is the torque setting which iIRC is 40nm+45deg, which is a lot on 8mm. You don't what it was tightened to in the past so you don't know the metallurgical condition of the stud. Any sign of sideways movement with the threads in the head and I tap out to 10mm and fit the M10xM8x73 stepped stud - IIRC its N 909 055 02 from TPS at £3. Make sure the 10mm step is just below the surface of the head - if its not then the tensioner can foul.  I have not yet had an engine come back. On the other hand we have had breakdowns come in with snapped and damaged studs after belt changes done at other repairers. I also take the time to set the torsion to as near to 0.0 as possible - a lot of repairers are in too much of a rush to finish the job properly.

Quite informative thanks for that. All of the Dayco and Ina kits We have had have the extra two studs in. Never touched them and have just torqued the tensioner nut down fine it’s only 20nm plus 45deg from memory. 
 

Yes it’s amazing how many people use tippex and don’t use the tools and loosen the cam pulley bolts to set the timing. 
 

 

Edited by Stalker

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