How Audi checks the quality of every A8
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Jul
24
A8 D4 Quality Control
Category: Audi Videos | Posted by: ltooz | 1 Comment | Viewed: 3637 times |
Jul
21
Audi 3.0 TDI Engine
Category: Audi Videos | Posted by: ltooz | 1 Comment | Viewed: 3790 times |
Our Q7 lease is up in 2011 and we may switch to the 3.0 TDI engine. Here is how it's made.
Jul
14
2000 A8 40V Oil Cooler Plastic Pipe Replacement
Category: Audi-98 A8 | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 4328 times |
All A8 owners complain about the oil cooler plastic pipe that breaks and leaks after 130k miles. It doesn't matter if it's 32V or 40V engine. The layout and mounting of both of the coolers are a little different, to me, the 40V (2000+ A 
is a little harder to do. If we plan to do it ourselves, we should buy the plastic pipe, rubber rings (2), rubber ring for the metal pipe (1), "8" shape ring. If there's is oil/coolant mixed in the system, we may need the whole set of rings in the cooler. We did both 32V & 40V without needing the set of rings in the cooler because even with the coolant leak from the broken pipe, coolant doesn't mix with oil in any of our cars.
The reason we should prepare because some stealers like Steven Creek Audi in San Jose would force someone to buy the whole set of rings and refuse to sell the "8" shape ring alone, Carlson Audi in Palo Alto would sell it individually. We ended up with $86 for the use of a few rings. Audi of America should advice the dealers to sell parts according to customers wants and...
Jul
12
2000 A8 40V Thermostat Replacement Without Removing T-Belt
Category: Audi-98 A8 | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 4473 times |
My brother in-law's A8 has an overheating problem after the "quick fix" of the oil cooler pipe leaks- He poured the radiator leaks sealer into the coolant in the attempt to seal the leaks-The thermostat stops opening, stuck close. We don't know if the thermorstat ceased to open on its own or with the help from the sealer-The bottom line is the temperature will operate normally @ 1 mark before the red... Too hot. We decided to check the thermostat and replace the oil cooler plastic pipe at the same time. The oil cooler will be another write-up.
The timing belt is like new, so we don't want to change it at the moment, but if the timing belt is out, it will be a lot easier to do. The 40V thermostat is behind an aluminum cover (manifold?) and behind the timing belt which makes it extremely hard to replace, unlike the 32V which placed by itself and very easy to replace. Many people did this without removing the front bumper and pull the radiator assembly out to have more room which I think it's not efficient. It only took less than 30 minutes to remove the bumper and the radiator...
Jun
21
USB VAG-COM FOR AUDI CARS
Category: VAG-COM | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 5727 times |
I've been using the 6 year old serial OBDII for our 98 & 96 Audis reliably to reset all lights for our cars, it's time to look for a newer OBDII which supports our 08 Q7, which is CAN bus system (at least that's what they say). After searching for a while, I found an USB on the internet for $33 with free shipping, I took a chance and ordered it. I bought a serial to usb converter and it didn't work at all due to the software and the baud rate don't match. This one works wonderfully with the old VDS805.1 version (included in the cd they sent)
So, now I can load the program onto my laptop, my little netbook, with windowsxp, windows 7, windows vista, they all work very nicely. For windows XP, by default, the software would install straight forward without any special setting, with windows 7, we need to execute the installation in xp compatibility mode. Click the image below for windows 7 installation.
Windows 7 installation
Windows XP installation, vds805.1. Click the image to see the sequence of installation.
When the software installation is done, it will install the usb driver, let it finish installing the usb driver...
Jun
07
Washing Our A8
Category: Audi-98 A8 | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 6790 times |
It's been a long time since we've washed our A8, although it's always been garaged, it still had some dirt on it due to parking and driving. The car is still shiny and look at my daughter helping me washing it, I remembered the day we went to get the car, she was just born. It's been an amazing car we've ever had. I wanted to replace it with a newer model one, but the wife likes it so much and it's still driving so well... hmm, we may have to drive it forever... 
Jun
07
Vag-Com For Check Engine Light On A6
Category: VAG-COM | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 6704 times |
The check engine light is on and I have the OBDII Serial Connector with free software from Vag-Com
Open the OBDII cover and the purple connector on the shifter console exposed.
Hook it up and connect to the serial port on the computer, turn on the ignition to ac and access the system using Vag-Com
With the comport setup correctly, the main menu for Vag-Com will come up, select engine since it's engine light
Remove cable and turn off the computer, switch off the ignition, start the engine and the check engine light should be gone.
Cheers,
Louis
Jun
07
Oil Change On 96-A6 Avant
Category: Audi-96 A6 Avant | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 6785 times |
Sometimes the most obvious thing is overlooked. Oil change is supposed to be the easiest and the most normal thing to do to maintain our cars, but not many people actually know how to. Since it's time to change the oil on my A6, I took sometime to document it for me to use in the future if I ever forget.
Oil change on any car according to me includes oil & oil filter. To drain the old oil and remove the oil filter I need 19mm wrench and an oil filter wrench or a rubber wrench would do. First I need to locate the oil filter and the oil pan drain nut. On the A6, it was nice to see it from the top and on the bottom. All Audi cars have the engine undercover sheet which many people have lost them due to missing screws or removed by some unreliable shops while having their maintenance done on their cars. That's why I do mine at home. Yes, I do have some screws missing, but the main ones I still have and my undercover.
Undercover
Jack up the car, I make sure I have blocks under the rear wheels and the hand...
May
26
Using The Vag-Com To Reset Check Engine Light & Airbag
Category: VAG-COM | Posted by: ltooz | 1 Comment | Viewed: 7634 times |
I bought a OBDII when I got my A8 in 2004 to work with all audis up to 2003. This is the serial version and not USB. The only problem is not many new laptop has serial port any more except some Dell models or IBM. Anyhow, the software is free from Rosstech website . We can't do a lot with this free version, but for reseting and setting some options, it's extremely handy. We use an old-old laptop from Dell which has a serial port with windows2000.
The serial OBDII online for about $35 back then that works wonder.
Where to hook it up to in A8
Check Engine Light & Airbag are on
Hook up to serial port on laptop, TURN ON THE IGNITION TO AC with all lights are ON.
Execute the VAG-COM Release 311-2.exe file, we will have some port configuration problems.
Select engine for "Check Engine Light" and it shows Fault Codes - 02
Click Fault Codes -02 to see codes and click clear codes -05 to clear the codes.
Now go back to select control module to select airbag to clear airbag codes and follow the same procedure.
Clear codes and check start the engine to see if all lights are gone.
Please read...
May
25
A8 D2 Valve Cover Gasket Replacement
Category: Audi-98 A8 | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 7703 times |
Well, my A8 was bleeding terribly since it has 162k miles. I decided to change some gaskets where I see possible leaks. Valve cover gasket and the camshaft rear cover seal.
There are references on the internet and especially @ audipages.com where I used the information for this. This is for me to remember how to do it next time or next car.
Order parts from autohausaz.com, free shipping and order on Monday, sure will have them on Friday for the weekend chores.
Take off all the audi engine covers, air duct for fuel injection system, I even remove the air cleaner to have more room to work on. When everything is done, we will have the valve cover with spark plug wires. One good thing about A8 is I only need 1 size 10mm socket for bolts. There are 2 6 or 8 mm hex bolt in the middle that are every easy to forget, SO DON'T FORGET and hammer the the cover away to break it. Remember a little tap in the top left corner would break it loose.
There are things in the way of removing the valve cover, sparkplugs wires, breather hose, two gas return hoses, 2 wires (1 from...
Apr
08
Sparkplug Popped Out Of The A6
Category: Audi-96 A6 Avant | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 10828 times |
The car was running smoothly until one day, it just sounded so badly and the wife thought the engine was blown. It's still drivable, shaking at idle and losing power because sparkplug #1 physically popped out of the head with all threads still good... Amazing. I started to look for a new car until I opened the engine cover to see what's actually going on. Again, if we got panic and towed the car to any shop/dealer... money will be spent for nothing. Thanks to Quattroworld.com Audi enthusiasts, sparkplugs popping was suggested and they're correct... Got to love the internet.
Apr
06
Bicycle Rear Wheel Doesn't Catch Fixed...
Category: General | Posted by: ltooz | 1 Comment | Viewed: 10814 times |
It was a sunny day a few weeks ago, I took out the old bicycle for a ride and the pedal is pressed but the wheel is slipping and not catching at all. After searching the cause and the cure on the internet, someone said it might just need to be cleaned. I took the wheel to a bike shop and they said I needed a new wheel which cost about $80 including labor to transfer the 10 speed gear over. Well, I don't think my bike even worth $50.00.At the shop, they have a tool to remove the wheel sprocket for $7.95 and I bought it to fix it myself by cleaning the freewheel. I don't know much about fixing bicycle, but there's always a first time of everything.
So, freewheel gear and cassette gear are different and I have cassette free hub
Use crescent wrench to take the spline out. Removed all the balls bearing inside the hub and make sure none was missing. Using the cassette sprocket remove tool to remove the sprocket.
Instead of buying the sprocket holder wrench for $22, I used a rubber strap wrench (to open jar lids) to hold the sprocket while turning the removal...
Feb
21
Q7 vs XC90
Category: Audi Videos | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 13066 times |
Before my wife decided on the Q7, we went to see the Volvo XC90, I liked it alot because it was 10k less than the Q7, it's nice looking, but a little smaller.
Feb
21
Audi Allroad Snow Showdown
Category: Audi Videos | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 12627 times |
Feb
21
Audi A7
Category: Audi Videos | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 11457 times |
Feb
16
Q7 on a nice drive @8500 feet
Category: Audi-08 Q7 | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 10852 times |
Feb
06
Why Audis?
Category: General | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 11380 times |
Ask my wife, she's used to be a Honda Accord owner likes most people who want reliable cars for safety reasons, now she will not drive anything but Audis, after we got married and I got her first 7 year old A6 Avant. She loved the car for the comfort, the safety (which she can feel by driving) of quattro handling and all the luxurious features that Japanese gadgets don't even come close. She will not drive any other makes as long as we still can afford these cars. As for me, I've been owning Audi since Audi 5000s. I loved the comfort, the stability of driving the car and all the detail features of Audi cars. I normally leased a new body model of the A6 (about every 6-7 years) since 1990 until we tried a used 96 A6 Wagon and it's been so reliable and we got a used 98 A8 and they've both been great. I think A8s are the best kept secret of cars. It's inexpensive to buy used, reliable and extremely cheap to maintain. The comfort, safety, luxury and quattro features are second to NONE.
Here's my take on owning Audi.
If you can afford the payments,...
Feb
05
A8 D2 Water Pump Replacement
Category: Audi-98 A8 | Posted by: ltooz | 1 Comment | Viewed: 10752 times |
The coolant leaks caused us to believe it was from the water pump, our bad, and we replaced it.
**** The bumper should come out for the radiator to move out to have room to access the front of the engine. It took me less than 1 hour to remove the bumper and the radiator support. Follow the procedure from Audipages.com, it's very clear. Also read the timing belt procedure. Read carefully because it took me half of a day to remove the passenger side timing belt cover because of a hidden bolt and stripped a water pump bolt due to over tightened the bolt (the procedure was 89lb-in ~7-8lb-ft which my torque wrench was in, I try to torque it to 20lb-ft and after 17ft-lb ~ 204lb-in, the bolt was gone and leave me with headless bolt stuck in the block) and this set me back another 4 hours.Here is the video for the whole replacement which including the removal of the oil cooler to replace the $23 part plastic coolant pipe (which was the cause of the coolant leak).
Front End Removal
Remove 2 10mm Hex bolt securing the bumper to the frame shock absorbers
After the bolts (2) are out,...
Feb
01
A8 D2 32V Oil Cooler Replacement
Category: Audi-98 A8 | Posted by: ltooz | Add comment | Viewed: 11004 times |
When the car is over 100k miles, running hot or low oil for a while, the oil cooler plastic coolant pipe would break and leaks slowly under pressure (when the car turned of after reaching operating temperature). The leaks appear to be from the water pump but it's not, it's dripping from behind the alternator which is directly below the oil cooler pipe and water pump. Before we assumed that the water pump is leaking, remove the driver side fan (disconnect the electrical wiring), remove the timing belt cover and run the engine to see if the water pump squirting out coolant.
The leaks could be from this black plastic pipe here.
If we're doing this job without the waterpump or timing belt, we only need to remove the front end, air filter housing, alternator, drain the coolant. Alternator must come out.
Remove front end of 32V A8
We can check the leaks to see if it's from the water pump by removing the timing belt cover and run the engine to see. On the D2, it may be necessary to remove the fan out of the housing and make sure the electrical cable is DISCONNECTED.
The part is less than $13.00 at the...
Jan
27
Frankfurt Auto Show
Category: Audi-08 Q7 | Posted by: ltooz | 1 Comment | Viewed: 8317 times |
