I feel sorry for audi techs.....

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

I began installing my iraggi alternator this afternoon, and i have to groan about the layout of this stupid car.

It's a 99 A6 avant quattro, with a 2.8 v6.

Anyways, the accessory rack is mounted on the front of the engine, because it has the 4-wheel transmission, and the accessories are mounted sooo close to the back of the radiator fan cowl, that i can't even take out the bolts holding my alternator to the bracket before i run out of clearance.

The way it's looking now, is that the front bumper, headlights, radiator, a/c condensor, radiator supports and fans, as well as any electrical connections, and all my coolant, will need to be removed to access the alternator............

Not only that, it doesn't appear that the car has a self-adjusting tensioner, so i will most likely be trial-and-erroring tomorrow with belt sizes to make my alternator work.

So my hat's off to you, mr. audi technician. I'm sure this isn't even the worst task on these cars, and i'm in way way way over my head.........

If i don't break or lose something getting to this alternator, i'll be suprised.

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[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

I had one, never again.

 

[mikeyboc 10+ year member]

Why not just pay someone a couple bucks to knock it out for you?

 

[bimma85 5,000+ posts]

LAWL, GL //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif. You should feel sorry for the folks that have to pay for all that labor //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif. If it didnt take the techs long, they would just start doing something else anyway //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif.

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

Why not just pay someone a couple bucks to knock it out for you?

It doesnt cost a couple of bucks to work on one of these cars:furious: , I wish It did.

 

[mikeyboc 10+ year member]

I had a 2000 A4 and hated having to do anything on it.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

they **** running wires. etc. but are freekin sexy

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

Audis are like hot chicks: They cost a fortune to buy, cost a fortune to maintain, and it's difficult to get anything in or out of them, but you still drool every time you see one ...

Very good point

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

Ya, patience is really the key, but it's just so frustrating when i've already got the radiator drained, got the a/c condensor removed from the radiator, ready to push to the side, and have the bolts as far as i can get them out of the alternator, but i can't figure out how the hell to get the headlights out! to remove the front bumper!

The headlights!!! There's like 5 torx-head screws, and only 2 are visible. It's nuts.

And the service manuals are $100+, and are special order direct from bentley publishing only.

 

[nferra2 10+ year member]

Post over at VWvortex, most guys are willing to post pages out of the CD manual.

I had a 2001 jetta, on of the first turbos off the line, and I had nothing but problems with it. I traded it in the day my waranty was up.

 

[Worlddre 5,000+ posts]

i still love my audi no matter how difficult it is

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

Wow, wanted to report back.

Took the day off work to wrench. I did myself a huge favor and got a 3-day subscription to the bentley manual online. It's helping IMMENSELY.

My jetta bentley was my bible when i was working on my 2001 TDI, but no book stores carry the manual for the audi, unfortunately. But this online deal is GREAT. Detailed exploded drawings of EVERY step, and rather than having to flip between pages for repeated procedures, it simply has links, brilliant.

Turns out the entire "lock carrier" (audi code-name for the radiator support) and all connected goodies (headlights, a/c condensor, radiator, transmission oil cooler, etc. etc.) are all ONE PIECE!!!! And it turns out i already had all the proper bolts off on the front side, but the actual wheel wells themselves simply needed to be removed to access a few hidden bolts.

Anyways, my car's back at work, with the radiator assembly on a jackstand, i just dropped by to pick up my wallet, and am heading to autozone to get the wrench i need to loosen my belt.

So, things are looking great, feeling good about this now. Audi techs -1 respect point //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif Bentley is god //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Peace.

Footnote: Bentley's the publishing company that does german service manuals, in case anyone didn't know. Haynes wont touch these things with a 10 foot cheater bar. But these things are ~1000 pages, and $100+, but are INCREDIBLY detailed. Pick one up if you have an audi/vw/bmw/mercedes, i think even jeep now? If you ever want to save some money, they make everything simple.

 

[Ruffy 10+ year member]

you think thats hard? on my 300m you have to take off the front bumper and facsia to get the headlights out. Another route is to loosen parts of the front, take out the front crossmember, possibly remove the cooling fan.

To get the battery out you have to take off the airbox, turn the wheel or remove the passenger wheel/tire, Take off a panel, unbolt the battery clamps from above, slide it out the side. You have very little room to actually hold that heavy battery.

Rear deck speakers involve removing the lower seat(yank out), upper seat(Many bolts all over the place), like 90 peices of trim, carpet, padding, shelf itself.

I broke a v-belt a few months ago, so now i have no AC(V belt only runs AC, Serp runs the rest. Water pump is not belt driven)

Have yet to change it because it's a PITA.

 

[BassAce 10+ year member]

Audis are like hot chicks: They cost a fortune to buy, cost a fortune to maintain, and it's difficult to get anything in or out of them, but you still drool every time you see one ...

That's sig worthy

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

Well, just got home.

Got that sucker in there, got a new factory length belt, and everything works like a champ.

When i first started the car up, saw some smoke and smelled coolant!!!!! But i figured out it was the 1.5 gallons or so i spilled all down the front of the engine taking the radiator out, whew.

Idle voltage stabilizes at 14.4, my dash is brighter, my lights are brighet when i lock the doors with the remote, thanks to the second batt. No leaks, no squeaks, no problems. Only strange new addition is a quiet 'whiz' groundloop sound coming from the dash, but i 1/2 expected that after running the 0 gauge through the dash, it was a tight squeeze.

Haven't driven the car yet, need to do the throttle position sensor calibration and the auto-transmission kickdown calibration with my roomate's laptop tomorrow, and then i'll take to the streets after work.

More details tomorrow, for now i've gotta sleep, i'm beat.

Audi: 0 Me: 1 + $200-300 in saved labor //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Later