Reviving the Cheapest RS4 from Bring a Trailer

[RS4_Dad]

I recently Bought and Mugello Blue RS4 off of Bring a Trailer https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2007-audi-rs4-228/

My first Order of business is sorting out the list of issues...... and there's a lot.

Mechanically:
1. There is an oil leak from the front end, I thought it was the oil cooler, but the lines and cooler are bone dry. ( still trying to figure it out)
2. Oil Consumption (1 quart between each oil change) with the amount of oil dripping I feel once i find the leak, this will be a none issue. But I'm also starting with Liqui Moli Additive kit Step 1.
3. Clutch Pedal sticking when hot Hasn't happened to me but, I'm Ordering USP motorsport Metal Slave Cylinder and braided Line kit.
4. 5 second wait from Acc on to engine start, ordered Fuel Pump Relay
5. Car Shuts down after hard driving. not sure what caused this but the last owner said it happened a few years ago twice and not again. I want to see if this happens after driving it more.
6. Adaptive head lights not working. I bought a Lightly used set and they work fine.
7. Ambient temp Not working. Ordered a new one.
8. Rear passenger airbag sensor. I can't replicate this issue. and there are no Codes being shown.

Now Cosmetics : The more I dig the more issues I find and harder the parts are to get.
1. Front bumper is broken in two places
2. Passenger Fender was poorly touched up. (the amount of touch up paint used they could have just sent it to a paint shop)
3. The Front oil cooler splitter is missing (no stock, I ordered a carbon fiber one from JK Carbon Designs)
4. The front grill is from an A4 and held on with epoxy. (ordered a new grill from a guy on eBay from Europe)
5. The undertray given to me from the seller was from an A4 and doesn't fit ( Another Part you cant buy any more looking for anyone who has one)
6. Missing the Brake ducts (found a set from UK Ebay)
7. Every Rim is curbed (getting Powdered Coated)
8. Brake Calipers are faded (getting Powdered Coated and adding stainless lines)
9. Rear driver door was once painted. (wet sanded the door down and polished it up)

Interior:
1. Rip in seat (looking for Recaro CS to get recovered to match the Platinum interior
2. Headliner sag. (not to bad im just ignore it for now)
3. Rear window are locked (ordered a new driver door switch)
2. Worn out headlight switch ( ordered a new one)

Picture from Listing


Picture when it arrived to my house


Current State

[Audibot]

Nice pickup

When I had looked, it was a couple days after it sold. Glad it's going to a good home! Sounds like you're giving it its due!

[RS4_Dad]

Tracking down the Oil Leak.

[87vr6]

3. Clutch Pedal sticking when hot Hasn't happened to me but, I'm Ordering USP motorsport Metal Slave Cylinder and braided Line kit.

I'm guessing clutch.


When you get it back on the road, get the car to operating temp, do a full throttle pull through 1st, 2nd, 3rd if possible (on a race track of course), and then see how the clutch pedal feels, if it's sticky, it's a common issue with higher mileage OEM pressure plates, so, new clutch time. I made it to about 95k on mine when it started exhibiting that behavior.


Sounds like you're in tune with these cars though, so maybe you know something I don't


Welcome though, fellow Muggy brother.

[RS4_Dad]

I'm guessing clutch.


When you get it back on the road, get the car to operating temp, do a full throttle pull through 1st, 2nd, 3rd if possible (on a race track of course), and then see how the clutch pedal feels, if it's sticky, it's a common issue with higher mileage OEM pressure plates, so, new clutch time. I made it to about 95k on mine when it started exhibiting that behavior.


Sounds like you're in tune with these cars though, so maybe you know something I don't


Welcome though, fellow Muggy brother.

Clutch feels fine, I ripped trough it and tried my hardest to recreate the issues the last owner encountered, I didn't. But the metal slave cylinder and line is a cheap enough item to replace its doesn't hurt.

On another note: The shop Powder Coating my wheels and Brakes called. I have two bend rims and one with a Crack. The gift that keeps on giving. I'm just glad I found it now. And not driving on the highway.

[Kenny147]

Tracking down the Oil Leak.

I’d be willing to bet the oil leak is the signature and very common secondary oil cooler, o-rings. If you didn’t already know, there’s another oil cooler between the alternator and the block, just behind the pulley tensioner. There are 2, $40 o-rings (if you get them from Audi) that like to get brittle and leak, which drips down the pulley and onto the coolant hard line below. Just like your pic.

[RS4_Dad]

I’d be willing to bet the oil leak is the signature and very common secondary oil cooler, o-rings. If you didn’t already know, there’s another oil cooler between the alternator and the block, just behind the pulley tensioner. There are 2, $40 o-rings (if you get them from Audi) that like to get brittle and leak, which drips down the pulley and onto the coolant hard line below. Just like your pic.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll start with those and the level sensor o ring and see where that gets me.

[longlivenacars]

That leak on the right side near the water pump could also be the oil filter housing gasket.

The oil passes down the valley through under the intake manifold and drips in invisible areas from the front of the engine down to that area. In my case a new number 8 oil filter housing gasket fixed that leak. peek through the I/m with a flashlight on the drivers side and you will see if there is oil on that side of the valley. I/m has lots of flashlight openings to check to see if yours is coming from there. I've changed lots of seals though, so yours might be another one. The oil leaks never end... lol

[RS4_Dad]

That leak on the right side near the water pump could also be the oil filter housing gasket.

The oil passes down the valley through under the intake manifold and drips in invisible areas from the front of the engine down to that area. In my case a new number 8 oil filter housing gasket fixed that leak. peek through the I/m with a flashlight on the drivers side and you will see if there is oil on that side of the valley. I/m has lots of flashlight openings to check to see if yours is coming from there. I've changed lots of seals though, so yours might be another one. The oil leaks never end... lol

What is I/M

[sti2relaxxin]

What is I/M

Intake manifold.

[RS4_Dad]

Intake manifold.

Gotcha.
I spend the weekend under the car with degreaser and a brushes to remove everything. Hopefully this will aid the search.

[blubusdrvr]

I saw this car and was very tempted to swap some parts around between mine (Avus) and this one but didn't have the balls (or time). It looked like it was in pretty rough shape. Soooo glad someone is going to revive it and love it instead of turning it into some Fast and Furious look a like, I've seen a few of those now that these are cheaper and it hurts my soul. (996 Porsche's too) uggh. Anyway, good luck. As you already know this page is a great source for knowledge, reach out.

[sQ5inSD]

looks like you have a project on your hands - what is the suspension condition, stock or not - if stock are there any leaks from the fluid lines?

[RS4_Dad]

looks like you have a project on your hands - what is the suspension condition, stock or not - if stock are there any leaks from the fluid lines?

Honestly, its not that bad... its also not that great. I'm currently at 23k (I was trying to budget 25K) and still need to get the front painted. I'm super close to thinking could have bought something in a lot better condition for the same money spend and not had to do all the work.

The suspension is H&R Coilovers with 034 motorsport full rebuild kit. its only 5k miles old. so that is in great shape. The cost of the front grill ($1100.00), missing front lip ($425.00), belly pan ($684.00) and brake ducts ($200) are what really spun me around, let alone the wait time since none of these are states side. When I took the wheels off to send them out to get powder coating I saw that the calipers where really beat up, so throw those on the list to get completely rebuilt ($1300), the rotors and pads are not old and look fine. The powder coater found two wheels bend and one cracked ($450) to fix. I did order a few extras that really wasn't needed but new brake lines, and spacers at this point finished off the wheel and brake redo.

[sQ5inSD]

I paid $24,300 for mine and other than doing a complete fluid/filter service so far so good...

[RS4_Dad]

I paid $24,300 for mine and other than doing a complete fluid/filter service so far so good...

I wish that was all I had to do. I drove it 3 times to see if I noticed anything else before I started ripping into it. Hopefully I'll get the wheels and brakes back this week so I can drop it off to get painted while I'm away on Vacation next.

[docurley]

5 second wait from Acc on to engine start, ordered Fuel Pump Relay

If your saying it wont start straightaway sometimes then I would look at the starter motor, went through this for a while and changed relays and all that, turned out to be the starter motor.

Oil comsumption could be the PVC valve located at the back of the motor at the top just below the oilfilter and a pain to change but they tend to fail at this age but worth swapping out along with a carbon clean.

[RS4_Dad]

Looking for a Front Passenger lower Door blade.... I know.

[GT211]

Front Passenger blade is a unicorn of unicorn… last one went for 2k


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[CrickiKaze]

I bought a full set of blades off someone and I am going to see if this place that I can't remember right now can do a reproduction but in CF, came in when I was gone but left again less than 12hrs of being home.

[RS4_Dad]

I bought a full set of blades off someone and I am going to see if this place that I can't remember right now can do a reproduction but in CF, came in when I was gone but left again less than 12hrs of being home.

Let me know me once you get more info. I ordered a full set of A4 ones. I'm going to talk to a local shop and see what they can do out making reps out of my stock ones. (maybe someone local to me will donate their front passanger for a mold.)

[b6bydesign04]

Looking forward to following along with this, props for taking on all those projects!

[Jdenkins]

I live in Atlanta looked it over and drove it. The seller was extremely honest but not very knowledgeable on the B7.
Still on the hunt.

[Old_skool]

Front Passenger blade is a unicorn of unicorn… last one went for 2k


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

If you are ok with used (ie not brand-new but off a car being parted out etc) then
go to a wrecker and pull the blades off a standard non-sline b6 (not b7... they are different) a4...

They are the exact same parts... b7 rs4 door blades = b6 (non sline, non s4) a4 door blades

[Nate_Conner]

Got a favor to ask, since you RS4 is on jack stands and has the adaptive headlights. Im trying to retrofit my A4 to have working adaptive xenons, and im trying to track down some info on the supposedly needed front and rear ride height sensors.

could you possibly take photos of your ride height sensors, where their mounted to the car, and maybe what Part# they are? the few photos ive seen show their somehow clipped to the lower suspension arms, but i cant find any info on how their mounted, and what parts can be used.

Kufatec does sell a retrofit kit, but its 750 Euros for them and they refuse to give me the install instructions before buying their kit. I know the retrofit is a LOT of work, and ive seen exatly 1 write up on maybe how to do part of it, which is repinning the control module thats above the glove box. I want to know as much info as i can get before really investing in parts that im likely to waste if i cant figure out how to get it working.

[RS4_Dad]

Pictures from the Powder coater.






Also I thought I Ordered A4 Door blades... but I'm not sure.

[Old_skool]

Also I thought I Ordered A4 Door blades... but I'm not sure.

The door blades are not the correct ones.
Your silver ones in the pic look like either b7 a4 door blades, or s-line a4 blades.

The ones you need are B6 A4.. non-sline, non-s4, and non-b7. They are the exact same part as the original rs4 blades (ie flat)... I own both cars and have verified this, and also pulled a backup set from a b6 a4 being wrecked.

They are not available brand-new from anywhere.

But also, if you are ok with how the ones in the pic will look, then that's fine too... cars are personal.

[Old_skool]

Refurbed wheels and brakes look amazing btw!

[RS4_Dad]

Back on All 4's!!!!





What a pain it was rebleeding these Calipers. But finely got all the air out!

Took it for a drive to 2 body shops to get quotes to get the bumper fixed and the front end resprayed. So hopefully I'll have that squared away this week. But on the way home I noticed Steam and found a pin hole in the upper Coolant hose elbow. I spend Sunday, replacing the elbow, and replacing the window switches since only the rear ones worked. Then jumped to the fuel relay, an figured out why the windshield was cracked. . My goal to have the car done for Fathers Day Cars and Coffee is not going to happen, I doubt any of the body shops will have it done before Sunday.

I'm looking for a black headliner and its pcs to replace the white, its the only issue I have with the interior. I have a few maintenance items left to do (spark plugs and the step 1 liqui-moly kit).

[RS4_Dad]

OCT Undertray came in! FYI if you place the order just know they don't answer emails so you are just waiting until it shows up.

Gave the inside a coat of black paint. and Mounted up the new brake ducts. Still looking for a painter in the Hudson valley that will fix the front bumper and paint it. The few I went to wont touch the bumper and will only get a new to paint... I never painted before but I may be giving it a shot.

[longlivenacars]

What's the current consensus on the OCT undercover fitment for all who have? been risk driving with no undercover for too long

[RS4_Dad]

What's the current consensus on the OCT undercover fitment for all who have? been risk driving with no undercover for too long

I can say the mold is taken directly from an oem one. I'll take a picture tonight but the oem labels and part number can still be seen. I have a feeling I'll be opening some holes, but I picked up different hardware.