Carbon Build up at 35K

[davyboi]

Had some misfire issues. Getting carbon deposits removed. I will post more Before and After pics of the valves later tonight


http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5...1002251529.jpg

[gd10]

what are they charging you for the clean up?

[Alkivar]

A5 or S5?

[davyboi]

A5 or S5?

its an S5

[davyboi]

what are they charging you for the clean up?

I think im going to get charged for 5 hours of labor

[yellowc4s]

I think im going to get charged for 5 hours of labor

Somehow this just doesn't seem right...

[davyboi]

Somehow this just doesn't seem right...

Too high or too low?

[bryzf1]

It doesn't seem right b/c why in the world should you have to pay for labor when it's covered under warranty? I'm scared that this will be happening to me soon :(

[gd10]

I may have my dealer check mine out just for the hell of it when i take it in for service in 2 weeks. I have almost 19k miles.

[bryzf1]

^ my understanding is that they won't check it w/o any CEL's other other warning lights popping up

[davyboi]

dealer wouldn't do anything about it....they gave me an additive to put in my gas and reset my check engine light...... When I went back and asked them for the fault code....the service guy said he cleared it and didn't know. Check engine light came back...took it to a local shop..and I had misfires in cylinder 2 and 6....slight rough idle in the morning....
I got sick of wasting my time at the dealer

[bryzf1]

gotcha... I just assumed the dealer was addressing the issue. Some guys in the rs4 forum rode the dealer hard about the issue and finally got them to cover it under warranty. I talked to my dealer about it and they stated that they don't know anything about such a problem with these engines.

[yellowc4s]

hmmmm...should I be re-thinking this whole S5 purchase thing? Some people had this same problem with the 993 Porsche. My mechanic advised me to put in a bottle of Chevron Techron at every oil change and I never had the problem.

[switchface]

I am shocked that this continues to be a 'thing we're following online' rather than a major issue Audi is addressing. With all the bad press Toyota is getting right now, you'd think Audi would have a fix for this. I don't see how I can order a new Audi with this potential problem.

[gd10]

When I mentioned it a few months back the dealer said "there is no such problem with these engines, they are proven and have been in use for a long time", but obviously us, the consumers, know the problem is out there, so I am going to have them check mine(ill will gladly pay) and will look into the details of it being covered by the warranty, because it SHOULD be.

[HobbesA5]

I am shocked that this continues to be a 'thing we're following online' rather than a major issue Audi is addressing. With all the bad press Toyota is getting right now, you'd think Audi would have a fix for this. I don't see how I can order a new Audi with this potential problem.

Except this is different, as the issue is not a safety concern. All the deposits do is rob power and throw codes. It doesn't make the car less safe, which is what virtually every recall is intended to address.

Of course the dealer (and Audi) know about this issue, but they play dumb to avoid it becoming a big widespread issue that costs tons of money to address. Look how long it took BMW to acknowledge the HPFP issues, and they were much more widespread than the carbon deposit problem for Audi.

[rs4-380]

Look how long it took BMW to acknowledge the HPFP issues, and they were much more widespread than the carbon deposit problem for Audi.

hell it took vw/audi close to 10 years to actually do something about the coil-on-plug (coilpack) issue.

[quattro16]

Check over at the RS4 forum. Seems that some are building a class action suit!!! Keep all records, pictures, and receipt's. You never know. From what I see its getting really bad!

[switchface]

Except this is different, as the issue is not a safety concern. All the deposits do is rob power and throw codes. It doesn't make the car less safe, which is what virtually every recall is intended to address.

Of course the dealer (and Audi) know about this issue, but they play dumb to avoid it becoming a big widespread issue that costs tons of money to address. Look how long it took BMW to acknowledge the HPFP issues, and they were much more widespread than the carbon deposit problem for Audi.

Fair enough, you're right, its not a danger to safety. I can see the headache it might cause to recall and fix all FSI engines, but to continue releasing them when they are cognizant a problem exists?? That just doesn't seem right. How hard can it be to engineer a fix?

[yellowc4s]

Do I really want an S5?...Better question, do I really want a $90,000 headache?

[Alkivar]

Do I really want an S5?...Better question, do I really want a $90,000 headache?

$90,000???? where the fuck are you getting your numbers from?

[yellowc4s]

the car, the audi exclusive suff, the stasis stuff, the wheels, tires, the carbon fiber stuff. yep...up to bout $90k now

[gd10]

the car, the audi exclusive suff, the stasis stuff, the wheels, tires, the carbon fiber stuff. yep...up to bout $90k now

last week it was 80k, now your up to 90k. Talk about a waste of money, if your going to spend 90k on a car you might want to get something thats worth 90k or your going to be real sad when its worth $50k with 5k miles on it.

[davyboi]

Got some pictures

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/1...1002251529.jpg

http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/8...1002261241.jpg

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/5...1002261241.jpg

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/7...1002261242.jpg

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/9...1002261242.jpg

[davyboi]

I would like to give big thanks to Matt at Raven Motorsports in Long Beach, CA who did one helluva job cleaning out the intake valves for me!!

[gd10]

looks alot better, do you notice any difference in the car?

[davyboi]

looks alot better, do you notice any difference in the car?

Yes.. Engine Purrrrrs in the morning. No more slight rough idle. As far as the car feeling faster??? its always felt fast. Just gives me piece of mind now.

[Alkivar]

jesus the before and after is a hell of a difference

[ddun]

I would like to give big thanks to Matt at Raven Motorsports in Long Beach, CA who did one helluva job cleaning out the intake valves for me!!

so youre the one taking all the time slots!!! jk i wanted to get some coil overs installed but they had no openings till next week. good to know that he can do this, if it gets bad in my car i know where to go!

[davyboi]

so youre the one taking all the time slots!!! jk i wanted to get some coil overs installed but they had no openings till next week. good to know that he can do this, if it gets bad in my car i know where to go!

That would be me.. I got lucky and got in right before the big rush.

[HobbesA5]

I would like to give big thanks to Matt at Raven Motorsports in Long Beach, CA who did one helluva job cleaning out the intake valves for me!!

What did this service end up costing?

[geoff2005]

just wondering what dealership did u go to at first?

[davyboi]

just wondering what dealership did u go to at first?

Car was bought from McKenna in Norwalk. So all the servicing was done there also.

[ddun]

Car was bought from McKenna in Norwalk. So all the servicing was done there also.

ew thats where i bought my B8 A4 as well, only been in for service. are they mod friendly? are they shady with warranty work?

[davyboi]

ew thats where i bought my B8 A4 as well, only been in for service. are they mod friendly? are they shady with warranty work?

They have been pretty cool with everything except the Carbon buildup on the valves.. If you get carbon buildup they will give you some bullcrap thing to put in your gas that won't do shit.

[davyboi]

What did this service end up costing?

I paid for 6 hrs of labor for the cleaning of the carbon. But I also got the front rotors and pads replaced for a really good deal. I also went ahead and did the 35K service with Matt @ Raven. I didn't want to waste leaving my car at the dealer all day for an oil chance and pollen filter change. Overall I am very very happy with everything. I do feel I have gained some top end power.

[DoolBozorg]

About a month ago, my CEL came on and I took it in to the dealership, and they said that one of the cylinders was misfiring but everything looked okay, and they reset the CEL (car was in and out within hours). Last week, CEL came on again, and so I made an appointment for Saturday.

This morning the service advisor called and said it's the same issue that it was before--misfires. Said that they looked into a bit more and there is some carbon buildup and they need to open everything up and do a heavy cleaning job. Said that the procedure is that they will do the cleaning, drive the car about 60 miles (???), let it sit overnight and then do a cold start the next morning and see if the CEL comes back on or not.

While I'm not enthused about the miles going on the car, at least I'm happy that they are doing this work under warranty and are being proactive about it.

Just thought I'd share my experience with those of you having some trouble out there...

(Oh BTW - it's an 08 S5 with about 17.5k miles on it)

[ItsDubC]

(Oh BTW - it's an 08 S5 with about 17.5k miles on it)

Wow, only 17.5k miles?!

[DoolBozorg]

Well soon to be 17,560 after their extended test drive :-P

[davyboi]

I really doubt that they will take your manifold off and do a serious cleaning of the valves. The funny thing is they say you have to drive your car hard and believe me I do. I have the gas pump receipts to prove it. Damn car is a gas guzzler. Dealers seem to take short cuts when it comes to carbon cleanup of the valves