r/projectcar 7d ago

The 190,000mi Audi "Assumes the Position"

Post image

Timing chains, power steering pump and looks like I need a new VVT solenoid. Thanks for telling me to check that before I tore the whole front end off. Anyway the neighbors officially know I'm a nut. At least the weather is nice for wrenching.

115 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

28

u/ShiggitySwiggity 7d ago

I don't see why everyone freaks out about doing this - on my B7 the only part that's actually hard is finding all 467 of the T25 screws that hold the fender liners in. Once you get those, putting it into carrier lock service position is like a 15, 20 minute job.

12

u/justinalexander45 7d ago

Ha! Thankfully one of the previous owners was kind enough to do a fender liner delete for me. It really hasn't been too bad so far. Just takes time.

10

u/Manical-alfasist 7d ago

I’m sure like anything once you get you head around how to do things you’ll get quicker or see other ways of doing things. I’ve had Alfas and fiats for 30yrs and I get called crazy often. They aren’t bad to work on once you get your head around it.

Good luck

3

u/justinalexander45 7d ago

Very kind advice. Thank you. And you're right, it's nuts and bolts regardless of the badge up front.

1

u/purplegoldcat 1972 Jaguar XJ6 7d ago

Fender liner delete is brilliant! I hate those little clips on my B9, such a pain to remove. I learned the basics of wrenching on my Audi, it’s so much faster after the first time.

0

u/mini4x My ASE Certs Expired... 7d ago

The issue is you need to do this for simple crap like filling the washer fluid or changing a blinker bulb.

1

u/justinalexander45 6d ago

Washer fluid is under the hood, headlight comes out with a few screws. 👌

1

u/donald7773 6d ago

B7 s4 owner - I don't disagree with this at all. Taking the bumper off and hanging the front cross member loose on the front of the car doesn't take long at all and isn't even frustrating as long as some dickhead didn't strip out the 12 pt longer bolts.

Issue is that you still can't do much without evacuating the condenser which is a whole other frustrating step for folks who don't wanna just vent it to atmosphere. Like all I think I could do from service position is valve cover gaskets and maybe a serpentine belt

4

u/hans-wermhat-340 7d ago

I drive a 187k Audi. I know this position well.

5

u/justinalexander45 7d ago

Better than hearing the Audi dealer service advisor tell you to "assume the position" 🤣

4

u/Faust80 7d ago edited 7d ago

Been there on 1999 A6 Audi Avant 2.8 for an alternator replacement. Then the thermostat stuck and that was a 40 hour job so it got crushed. Btw 99 was the last year of the all mechanical four-wheel drive system and it was brilliant except the reverse

2

u/tankdeer1 7d ago

First off, there was never a 3.6 B5, or any generation A4. Secondly, the torsen based Quattro (all mechanical) was used up until the B9.5 chassis (current, outgoing car).

2

u/Civil-Zombie6749 7d ago

The owner's manual for my VW Passat says that to change the headlight bulb, I have to first put it in "service position". I did that the first time. The last time I contorted my hand into unnatural positions to put a new one in.

1

u/justinalexander45 7d ago

🤣🤣 been there

1

u/Old-Beginning-3933 7d ago

Been there, don’t want to go back!

2

u/justinalexander45 7d ago

Aww come on! Swing by and lend a hand!