Hey guys. New to the form. Micah from Utah!

I am just about to change my timing belt, water pump and just about everything we can while its down. I wanted to see if you guys knew what the noise was. I just sold my turbo mustang and am a little lost when it comes to Audis totally different world, but I am loving this car.

Car details.
2001
A6 4.2
120k miles.

Here is the link to the short little video of the engine.

Audi A6 4.2 - YouTube

Thanks in advance, if anyone is in Utah let me know. Love to get to know people with Audis as this is new to me.

 

I'm not sure if is bad or not but my 2002 4.2 does the exact same sound. I had the car for the past 45.000 miles and it never sounded differently. Maybe lifters? Not sure but as you said when you rev it it sounds just fine.

On a side note I would like to know what your idling rpm is since I feel that mine are sometimes a little low. It idles at around 500 and I was wondering if it is only mine or a general 4.2 thing.

 

Yeah I have been wondered the same thing with the noise. As for the idle sounds about right where mine is at. I will check today and get back to you so you know for sure.

Question for you. I have also been looking into rotors and not sure what ones to go with. I can start to feel the breaks in the floor (vibrations) when you hit the breaks. Took a look at the pads and they are good. So i am guessing its the rotors.

 

Yeah rotors can get warped and the stock ones should not be re-used (so I have been told). Anyhow I didn't buy OEM ones when I had to do a break job and replaced them with cross drilled/slotted from ECS tuning and bought EBC red stuff break pads. Spent about 400-500 $ on all that with shipping. I have no vibration like you describe when breaking but you feel the grinding from the cross drilled and slotted rotors - which I actually enjoy

 

I will have to see what I can find with the rotors. As for the Noise, I wish someone would tell us if that is just the way that they sound or what we need to change. I think I am still going to change the Timing belt and water pump just for peace of mind. As for the car, I love the way the 4.2 looks and handels!

Have you done anything else to your car?

 

I haven't really done any performance tuning since our car just can't handle more HP without frying the tranny.
What I did so far is replace the struts with Koni FSD's (much better ride quality), replaced every single front control arm with Billstein reinforced arms (also improved ride quality and control), replaced all coil packs with the new rev. (day a night performance difference) and replaced the air filter box with a K&N filter - which is more of a convenience/money savings factor since I don't have to replace the filter twice a year, instead I clean it with the recharge kit (air filter was 40 bucks, recharge kit 10 and it has lasted for over 3 years). The brakes and rotors I already mentioned.

The rest on this car was basically maintenance: TB, spark plugs, cooling fluid lines and reservoir, LED interior light upgrade, secondary air pump hose replaced, MAF replaced, vacuum lines, fluids flush, front axle's, tranny and differential flush, driver's side window clips (didn't really help, see future maintenance list); ashtray replacement, radio replaced (needed a code and some buttons didn't work)

Future stuff will be also just maintenance:
-door lock assembly, driver side (car doesn't recognize when the door is opened;
-center console cup holder (won't fold in anymore)
-windshield and headlight pumps (headlight jet's don't come out anymore and fluid is leaking due to bad pumps)
-window regulators, both front sides (windows have a hard time going up and sometimes get stuck)
-O2s (I think performance and MPG could be better)
-window switch, drivers side (the button that locks the rear window switches is stuck in the up position)


That's all I can think of right now :P

 

500 rpm is really low. My 2.7 and 2.8 idle at around 650-750. Do you guys have any codes stored in the ecu?

Also I have read plenty of times that the k&n cleaner causes issues with the maf sensor over time. It simulates some sort of weird shiftings and tranny problems. Just my .02 cents.

As far as rotors I bought mine from autozone. Just male sure the size of the rotor matches with your size.

Oem rotors are around 600 I got mine for 200

 

No codes in the ECU, I check monthly
and I heard about the K&N problems with the MAF as well but the car never showed any symptoms it didn't have before. I had to replace the MAF 2k after I bought the car and I bought the K&N about 5k after I had the new MAF .. so it has been running for over 30k without any signs of trouble.
However I do clean the MAF every time I clean the air filter so any residue get's cleaned off

 

Thanks for the tip on the Rotors. Any idea on the sound? hate to do something that does not need to be done.

 

Thanks for the tip on the Rotors. Any idea on the sound? hate to do something that does not need to be done.