Another fresh new owner

Rosstbeef

Rosstbeef

Member
Hi All,

This looks like a well run club forum and well worth the £2. Well done all! :) I know how much time it takes up having helped moderate the Mk1 Golf Owners Club forum long ago.

I picked up an A2 1.4 SE 2002 AUA with 80k miles on Saturday. First Audi for me.

I've fancied an A2 for a while now. I like the quirkyness and the fact it's all alu. I already have plenty of rust to tackle on my '96 T4 (new outer and inner rear arch, sill, loads of other holes too).

For £600 I knew it would have a few issues to sort the main one being a nasty oil leak. Looks to be coming from the front crankshaft oil seal (timing belt side). Not sure how much oil is in it as the dipstick is snapped short (new one on order from Audi for about £28)! Maybe too much oil is creating pressure in the engine which is in turn causing a leak? I've ordered a new seal from GSF anyway.

So thats the main job before I can use it. Plus give it a good service with the other £150+ worth of bits I've ordered from GSF.

Even though the car has pretty much got a FSH it's been through a few naff garages, a fair few lose bolts in the engine bay and cables/hoses not clipped back in after a clutch change,

Over all the car should come up quite good. It hasn't been used for a couple of months and hasn't had many miles put on it between MOTs recently.

Here's a list of things I've got planned/noticed need doing so far:

Engine:
  • Crankshaft Oil Seal (and timing belt kit plus water pump in the process)
  • Replace all filters, spark plugs.
  • Assess oil in spark plug recesses. I'm unsure if it's from sloshed oil during a top up or if cam cover is not sealing. I've cleaned it all out and will see if it reoccurrs.
  • EML light is on with P1178 and P1180 codes. Looks like a lamda sensor issue but oil is all over its connector so will clean it and clear codes.
Service brakes
Inner CV boot split - possibly caused during the clutch change
Change cracked and damaged tyres

Externally:
  • Give it a good clean and polish (get rid of the green algae!)
  • Maybe refurb alloys
Interior
  • Finish giving it a good valet
  • Sort out the bits with the peeling rubbery finish somehow
  • Drivers door check strap - Have already repaired it and works ok. Two rivets had sheered off so just replaced with bolts.
Electrics
  • Passenger rear window needs help to close. Yet to investigate...
  • One of the remote keys doesn't work. Can these be synchronised or it could have a fault?

One thing I do need desperately is a workshop manual. Can anyone help here? I've had a quick look on here and a lot of the posts are old and links are broken.

So yeah, I have a bit to keep me busy :eek:

Looking forward to help out some other forum users once I've learned about the car more in return for any help I need.

Cheers,

Ross
 
Welcome Ross, you've come to the right place for assistance with anything related to A2s. We're a friendly bunch generally, and you will always find somebody who is willing to help.

From the list of jobs it's fair to say that most of them have been covered somewhere else on here, but I'm not a technical expert so I won't even try to start giving out advise, although I will say it's a shame you didn't join earlier before starting the jobs as you would undoubtedly saved yourself some money (Dipstick and door check-straps certainly).

For the keys try the following:

Put the key in the ignition and start the car
Switch off
REMOVE the key and IMMEDIATELY press the UNLOCK button on the remote

that should resync the key with the CCCU and you should be good to go. I'm sure you know it could be battery if the above fails.
 
Hi Ross
Welcome!

You'll find a wealth of information about your car on here. Enjoy your A2 ownership.

Regards

Hilary
 
Hi Ross,

Welcome. I will answer some of your questions one at a time if no one does before me.

Manual. No Haynes type manual. The only real option is the VW/Audi official computer based Worksop manual in legal or illegal form. The legal way is to buy a licence for a time period. Not cheap, for example the last time I looked it was €1100 for an annual licence, obviously aimed at bona fide independent garages. Better is a short one day/weekend licence and legally print the lot, sorry no details. Cheap, under £10 CD/download versions (ElsaWin) are available on EBay which have to be illegal, but of course the club cannot recommend. Depends on your ethics.

There are also many 'How To' guides on here for minor tasks and fixes as well threads on just about anything, the problem is finding them with search.

Andy
 
Welcome. We've only had our 1.4 BBY since August, it had similar issues but now its sorted its a great car for my son to learn to drive in.
 
Hi Ross,

Some more points you raise.

£28 for a dipstick, ouch. Too late I know but for future reference you had three choices on here:
1. Purchase new with possibly a small discount from Crew Audi.
https://www.a2oc.net/community/index.php?threads/hi-from-crewe-audi.31825/
2. Purchase used from one of our mass recyclers in Marketplace>Selling. I will not name as that might infer favour but you will soon work it out for yourself.
3. As mentioned above a repair kit from Paul. A link well worth reading for other items as well.
https://www.a2oc.net/community/inde...3d-printed-obsolete-hard-to-find-parts.33057/

Lastly if you a have any more problems with check straps Paul also has a service.

https://www.a2oc.net/community/inde...e-manufactured-front-door-check-straps.33058/

Andy
 
Hi Ross,

If Jeremy's(Sciroccorrado) sound avice gives no joy the go-to man for keys is Steve (Birchall). Steve is a mainstay of the forum with vast experience of keys (and most things A2) and usually happy to sort out your key if you make contact.

Changing track, you mention broken links. After 10 years on ageing software, only a few weeks ago, the club upgraded to another software vendor and the broken links are a consequence. Reinstatement of broken links is in hand.

Welcome again.

Andy
 
Thanks for the warm welcome and tips for using the club benefits and contacts :cool:

I have a feeling the dipstik has not just lost the tip but is snapped a fair bit shorter. Will see when I pick up the new one tomorrow. I saw 2nd hand ones on ebay for the same price as a new one so took the hit.


IMG_20180224_143934.jpg


I do love rescuing cars from the brink, this one is getting a bit near it as it needs so much doing to it, but if you have the know how and time then the cost comes down to repair them and it's very rewarding.

In the past since driving I've rescued:
1981 Mini City
1987 Renault 5
1983 Golf GTI Hatchback
1989 Golf GTI Cabrio
1991 Golf GTI Cabrio
1991 Golf GTI Cabrio Sportline
1988 Golf Mk2 1.3CL
1996 T4 1.9TD
2001 Saab 93 Convertible

Plus owned and improved a couple of Mk4 Golf GTTDI
Fiat panda o_O (stop gap while doing up the T4)
Mk3 Golf TDI - amazingly reliable car owned for over 100k miles in 10 years

There are probably a few I've missed too!
 
Hi Ross. I’ve got access to the Elsa win manual and can post pictures of any specific sections if you have any urgent ones you need. Welcome. Tony.
 
Thanks very much for the kind offer, I've bought a elsawin download now and will be trying to get it working later!

The dipstick didn't arrive today at my local VW dealer so still dunno how much oil I have in there yet. Will update when I know!

The GSF parts arrived though but too dark n freezing to do that much in the evenings.

Tried the key fix suggested by sciroccocorrado this evening but nothing happened. I've previously tried the resynchronization suggested in the owners handbook also but that failed to fix it either. Maybe it's duff. Its got a fresh battery and I tried that in the other working key and it worked fine. Can't pry the circuit board out of the key easily to check the other side, very tight and feels like it'll break if I pry too hard.
 
I take it the peeling rubber in your interior is on the soft touch switches? Headlight, climate control and radio?

There are a few options which you can peruse.

Replace - there are usually used ones available in various states of nick. Temporarily not due to software changes but soon I’m sure.
You can replace with alternatives. There is a fun automatic light switch you can adapt to fit and add a chrome ring. It looks good. You can get hard touch buttons from other models and put them into the existing units. Fun and looks pretty smart
I went down the route of humbrol acrylic Matt black model paint and a steady hand. Looks pretty good in the dark

Welcome to the fun!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yep, pretty much wherever the rubber finish has been used it's peeling. So pants of the VAG group to use this across its range in this era of cars. I've seen golfs n tourans have it, but to a lesser degree.
Thanks for the tips. I've seen you can buy transfers to stick on the switches. Anyone tried these?

Just changed the pollen filter, last one manufactured in 2007 so you can guess the state it's in.
Air filter 2013... Just goes to show a FSH is to be taken with a pinch of salt.
 
particularly if the FSH is from a main dealer :)

the stickers look more naff than the worn switches in my opinion
Hard touch is the way to go
 
Welcome Ross. You will find a wealth of knowledge, parts and experience with the club. I notice in your picture that you have the top cam guard off, is that missing or have you taken it off? The problem with oil in the spark plug recess is that if it is leaking then the cambelt and everything ahs to come off to be able to remove the cam cover and re-seal it.

I also cant see the rain catcher which is usually on the right-hand side of the engine bay as you are looking at it.

Read through the "How To" section as there are loads of useful tips with things that go wrong with the A2.
 
Those bits must be missing. Thought it looked like something else should be bolted onto the cam cover!
Thanks for the tip on the leaking cam cover. As I'm doing the belts I will do this also as I found oil in the plug recesses.
 
Still no dipstick meh meh meh! Probably all snowed in somewhere...

Got Elsawin sorted last night. What a tool! Guess I could sneakily send the download details by PM to those that need it :eek:. It's a massive download about 25GB in total. It's going to be it it covers all VAG vehicles from day one to present.

I think I had better start a project thread off rather than keep posting on this thread now.

Thanks again for the excellent welcome to the club. Humbled by the number of replies and help, really I am :D
 
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