Hi all, I purchased a 1997 A4 yesterday. I have wanted one ever since I drove one on a ski trip in Vermont years ago, very impressive car.
So, this one has a mint body and interior, but typical engine sludge problems with 111k on car, and 48k on factory engine and turbo. I spent a few quality hours searching the sight, great information.
The Facts:
The kid that I purchased from drove it around with oil light on, until turbo blew up. Engine never stopped running, and no bad noises (slight tapped like sound, but that went away), and yes I did trailer it home. I installed calibrated oil pressure gauge and started engine, 20psi at idle went up to ~25psi at 1500 rpm and started to drop with more rpm’s. Back to idle and 20psi, engine was quiet and smooth. I then removed the valve cover and confirmed that the valve train was well lubricated and looked good a nice gold patina on the head, but no big buildup.
The Plan:
I am thinking that I need to replace the oil pump due to plugged pickup, replace turbo because the shaft is sheared off and it is blowed up and replace the timing belt because I am there.
The Questions:
>What do you all think about de-sludging, I am thinking no, just clean out the pan and replace any plugged lines, if any.
>The factory engine was installed in Aug, 2001 and it looks like it has the updated timing belt kit. Do I just replace the belt, or replace everything again (48k on them now)?
>The local shop said the oil pump is probably fine, and it is just a plugged screen. Any opinions of inspecting, cleaning screen and not replacing?
>Is there such a thing as an updated oil pump pickup with a larger screen, or has anybody done a mod?
>What else should I do while I am in the engine and what other advice and opinions do you have.
>Any body have a serviceable K03 they are willing to sell me?

Sorry for the book, just wanted you all to have the facts.
Thank you all for you great help,
Joe Vancouver, WA

 

You've got ***** buying a car that you knew was run with the oil light on and with a rebuilt engine and turbo, but it sounds like you know your stuff and know how to fix it. I would have stayed far away from a car like that. If he was that bad about simply maintaining the oil, I don't want to know what other things he neglected to maintain.

Desludging - I have read about using seafoam, do a search on that stuff. That is supposed to clean it out fairly well. Then of course run a full synthetic oil and change it around every 5k to keep sludge from coming back.

If you are doing the timing belt, I would replace everything even if it has the updated kit. Better safe than sorry and its not that much more money to replace.

The rest I don't know. The other common problems for A4s around that year are tie rod ends, control arms, and fuel filter. Take a look at those.

 

do your self a favor, pull the motor and just go through it man..... if it had sludge problems I wouldnt waste money on seafoam anf that **** just do it right the first time and you will have a damn good motor. or at least pull the pan and make sure every last bit of slugde is out of the bottom, but if it were me id spend the time going through everything

 

while you're in there...forged internals upgrade cams t3 turbo bigass injectors standalone efi 3" exhaust huge fmic....

sorry daydreaming again

 

Auto-RX is the only way to go to get rid of sludge and varnish. Do a treatment with that (using only dino oil, no synth/blend) and feed the car a nice synthetic oil after with the large OEM filter and you'll be fine

Might as well clean the screen and see how it goes too. Do a compression check on the car to make sure thats all in spec.