Hi guys, I'm a new member to this site but after having a quick look around the knowledge is considerable! It is for this reason that I'm hoping someone out there can help me with a potential problem with my new (well, new to me) A4 2.8 quattro. It is a 97 running on a 'P' plate and has the 30 valve 2.8 V6 under the bonnet. It's just done 100,000 miles with a full Audi service history. Love the car, but after topping up the oil the other day (it was pretty low when checked) it now sometimes coughs dark smoke on start up. Occasionally it will stall (only when starting from cold), and seems reluctant to fire up again - but it does after some persuading! When warm there is no smoke at idle or under load, and seems to run sweet as a nut. When it stalls on starting from cold it feels almost as though the life is being strangled out of it - like a flame denied oxygen! Once or twice when starting and while it is clearing the smoke it seems to miss slightly if revved. Once it has cleared its throat though, everything is fine. I've checked the oil level numerous times and it is not over full - in fact the level is bang in the middle of the min and max marks. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! ....and apologies for the rambling but wanted to give as much detail as possible!
Jim

 

try cleaning the throttle body out also a good injection system cleaner works wonders ( not redX ) the first time but ok later it takes too long to get round the full system, STP make some good products you need a fuel system cleaner first time round

http://images.google.co.uk/images?sv...system+cleaner

 

Hmmmm.... You might have a cylinder leaking oil. As the car sits all night the oil accumulates in cylinder. When you start the engine the accumulated oil burns off which produces your black smoke. Just an idea.

 

......not a bad idea in my book! Is there any diagnostics that can be run to find this out or is it a case of ripping the beasts heart apart?
Cheers.

 

Sure, go get a compression test done.