Dimensions of Audi B8 and Sleep B7. Audi A4 B7 headlights. Technical characteristics of Audi A4 B7
The third generation Audi A4 (B7) was produced from 2004 to 2007. It is worth saying that this model is very different from its predecessor. The B7 was produced in three body styles - sedan (Sedan), station wagon (Avant) and convertible (Cabriolet).
The B7 was equipped with both gasoline and diesel engines. Gasoline without turbine: in-line four 1.6 (ALZ engine mod.) - 102 hp, 2.0 (ALT) - 130 hp, six-cylinder V-shaped: 3.0 (BBJ) - 218 hp. , 3.2 (AUK or BKH) - 255 hp. and a 4.2-liter 344-horsepower V8. Two gasoline internal combustion engines with a turbine: 1.8 MPI (BFB) - 163 hp. And 2.0 TFSI (BGB, BPG, BWE, BWT and BUL) depending on the engine modification, it has 200 or 220 horsepower under the hood. There are seven diesel engines ranging from 1.9 to 3.0 liters in volume, but the most common is the 140-horsepower two-liter TDI (BPW).
Modifications and characteristics of popular Audi A4 B7 engines
Of the gasoline engines, the most widely used are naturally-aspirated two-liter and turbocharged 1.8 and 2.0 engines. The timing belt of all units is driven by a belt, and the valves do not require adjustment, since these engines are equipped with hydraulic compensators.
While the 1.8 engine with a turbine is quite reliable, the 2.0 TFSI has a number of problems. The most common is wear on the pushers of the high-pressure pump and camshaft at a mileage of 100-120 thousand km. In 2007, the manufacturer modified the pushers, which made it possible to increase their service life.
Also on turbocharged engines after the first hundred thousand km. mileage, the valve cover gasket often leaks. The culprit for its failure is a malfunction of the EGR valve. Moreover, oil can flow not only from under the gasket, but also through the spark plug wells, which will be visible from the lubricant accumulated in them. The service life of ignition coils is just over 100 thousand. The engine mounts last almost 200 thousand km. Closer to 150 thousand km. Audi B7 engines are starting to “eat” oil. Reaches up to 1.0 liters per thousand km. Some internal combustion engines were helped by the ring decarbonization procedure. By the same mileage, the turbine begins to consume oil. Its service life often reaches 250 thousand km.
The most reliable is the 2.0-liter naturally aspirated ALT, which does not cause major problems for the owner. True, this does not apply to the “oil guzzler” - closer to 150 thousand km, oil will begin to be consumed by him too. “Zhor” can easily amount to almost 4 liters per 10 thousand kilometers.
The turbocharged two-liter diesel engine is also considered a very reliable engine. Its injectors last almost 200 thousand km before replacement.
The thermostat may leak closer to 150 thousand km. The “three piece” connecting the cooling system pipes often leaks, but it is located behind the engine and is difficult to get to. The pump operates 170-190 thousand km.
This Audi model was equipped with 5 and 6 manual transmissions, a Multitronic variator and a 6-automatic Tiptronic transmission.
The manual transmission in the Audi A4 is considered “indestructible”. Occasionally there are complaints about unclear shifting of 1-2 gears on runs of more than 100 thousand km. Sometimes, at mileages close to 200 thousand, it was necessary to replace the manual transmission synchronizers and the gear lever mechanism.
Multitronic can begin to cause problems closer to 150 thousand, which are usually caused by a faulty transmission control unit, which is manifested by its transition to emergency mode and the appearance of “PRNDS” on the display panel. But, fortunately, unit repair is relatively inexpensive.
The automatic transmission from ZF has a design flaw, expressed in the incompatibility of the transmission fluid with the algorithm of its operation. Because of this, the gearbox torque converter (donut) quickly wore out. The manufacturer tried to eliminate the defect: changed the firmware of the gearbox ECU, changed the type of fluid. The problem usually appeared closer to 120 thousand kilometers; it was expressed by “kicks” that appeared when changing gears during acceleration. The torque converter, which will significantly impact your wallet, can be repaired “in Uncle Vasya’s garage” for pennies, but in practice this did not help the “automatic machine” for long. To prevent the failure of the donut, it is recommended to frequently change the automatic transmission oil - at least once every 45 thousand km.
All-wheel drive Quattro versions are distinguished by a very reliable transmission, provided that leaking oil seals are replaced in a timely manner. Closer to 200 thousand km, the driveshaft support may become loose. The bearing is usually replaced as an assembly with the shaft. The CV joints will also last almost 200 thousand km.
The front suspension of the Audi B7 is represented by four wishbones, the rear by trapezoidal arms. It is worth noting the reliability of this suspension - in domestic conditions its service life is often 150 thousand km. Moreover, it is not necessary to change the levers - now there are a bunch of services that will restore them quite reliably with a guarantee, and you will only need to buy an inexpensive silent block for each lever. Stabilizer rods and bushings last about 100 thousand km. Shock absorbers run 150-180 thousand km.
A cheap “frog” of brake lights often fails at a mileage of 130-150 thousand km. If the ESP and ABS indicators light up on the panel for no reason at the same time, and after restarting the car they disappear, then it’s time to change it. Moreover, failure of the “frog” on cars with automatic transmission greatly reduces engine traction.
The steering rack may leak closer to 200 thousand km.
Due to oxidized contacts of the central locking control unit on the driver's door, problems may arise in the operation of the central locking. They can also appear due to a broken wire in the casing between the body and the door. The electronic “comfort unit” may become malfunctioning over time, and then the car begins to present “surprises” in the form of a malfunction of the central locking system, electric mirrors, interior lighting, electric windows and heated exterior mirrors. Closer to 150 thousand km, parking sensors will begin to fail.
The lamps in xenon headlights last a little over 100 thousand.
The glove box opening lock and the rear seat backrest lock begin to jam over time.
The servos of the air flow control flaps in the cabin wear out closer to 150 thousand km. Also during this mileage, the air conditioning compressor pressure sensor may fail, which will disable the air conditioning system. It can be treated by replacing it relatively inexpensively.
In frosty weather, the Audi A4 may display airbag errors on the instrument panel. This frost-averse Motorola processor in the airbag ECU is so “buggy.”
In general, you should not have any fear before buying a used Audi A4 B7, the car does not have any serious shortcomings, and the little things listed above are never found all together on one copy. Recommended for purchase with a 1.8 turbo or naturally aspirated 2.0 engine and a manual transmission, as the most reliable options, and of course quattro all-wheel drive.
A selection of reviews, video reviews and test drives of the Audi A4 B7:
A car for this life
The car was purchased at an Audi showroom, or rather in the trade-in department, with a mileage of just under 50 thousand km. The car stayed in my garage for 4 years, during which time the mileage was just under 100 thousand km. The Audi served my wife faithfully and was regularly used by me as a traveling car for work purposes, often with a decent load. It happened to transport large cargo in the cabin, unnecessarily load it with various household utensils, etc., i.e. its share fell to the role of a traveling vehicle.
I won’t list all the good things that can be said about the car, because... There are many times more overall positives than controversial issues, I’ll just note that the “four” were our faithful friend, devoted until the last minute, never once demanding the attention of a tow truck or something like that. You quickly get used to the car, sometimes it seems that the excellent ergonomics of the interior, in the traditional Audi design and the real German “suit” of the car, as well as the superlative quality of every detail from the interior to the locking nut, are already the norm for the modern automobile industry and other cars are simply not assembled on assembly lines anymore! Anyone who thinks this way, having driven their A4 for a long time, will be disappointed when choosing similar-class new models from other manufacturers as a replacement for Audi.
Strengths:
- Corrosion resistance
- Excellent sound insulation of the cabin, as well as its ergonomics
- Excellent smoothness of the automatic transmission
- Use of light alloy body parts
Weak sides:
- Increased oil consumption (2.0 ALT engine)
- Increased attention to spark plugs and ignition coils is required
- Relative unreliability of multi-link suspension
- Possible problems with electronics
- Expensive repairs of light alloy body parts
Review of Audi A4 2.0 T FSI quattro (Audi A4) 2006
Audi A4 was new. The car is excellent, holds the road and runs very quickly. The appearance is excellent. The salon is excellent. The noise is good. There was a maximum set. Interior - leather, mug, climate control, sunroof. Xenon with cornering headlights and a bunch of electronics, all on buttons. The car had all-wheel drive, a very cool thing, I didn’t change the wheels even in winter, it goes in any ice without problems and takes turns easily. The only thing is that all-wheel drive has always been affordable with fuel consumption in the city of 12-14. 12 is if you are coasting as a pensioner; in normal mode, 14 was stable.
The first popodos was when a gazelle tore off the rear view mirror, except for the mirror element, nothing was damaged and the mirror itself was normal, the gazelleist gave 3 on the spot, thought that the mirror element was normal, but then regretted it. The mirror was auto-dimming and was not original, it cost 15 thousand. I didn’t take it, I took the usual one for 2 without auto-dimming.
Before the mileage reached 110 thousand, I changed one belt. Somewhere at 115 thousand mileage the power disappeared, from 200 somewhere to 140 hp. Went in for diagnostics, loss of turbine pressure due to failure of the valve from which excess pressure is released and was in the open position. After the replacement, the car flew again, the price was 5 thousand. Around 120 km, the fuel pump failed, costing 15 thousand.
Strengths:
Weak sides:
Review of Audi A4 2.0 T FSI (Audi A4) 2008 Part 2
So a year of owning this car and 15,000 km have passed.
I want to warn you right away that this review is boring. Nothing broke in a year (tfu-tfu).
I only changed the oil and filters (oil and air). I bought Mobil 1 0w40 oil because... No suitable Castrol was found. And surprisingly, the car stopped eating oil. If Castrol needed to add 300-400 grams every 3000 km, then there is a slight decrease (over 5000 km) and that’s all.
Strengths:
- Nice, comfortable car
Weak sides:
Review of Audi A4 1.8 T quattro (Audi A4) 2006
So I sold my first German for now (or, as the neighbor boy says, a Mentz).
I won’t write about the agony of choice, I’ll only say that the choice was between the Mercedes C class 2004-2005, BMW 3 2005-2006, AUDI A3 2006-2008. and A4 2006-2007.
So, the choice fell on the A4, there were the following nuances in choosing this car:
Strengths:
- Appearance
- Four-wheel drive
- Dynamics
- Excellent control
Weak sides:
- A bit noisy on bad roads
So, I have owned an Audi A4 2.0T quattro 200 horses not so long ago, but I already have first impressions, I’ll briefly describe that before that I had a Ford Mondeo 1.8 2005, black (ship), my father-in-law had a 2008 Toyota Corolla, mileage 4000 km (of which I drove 1000 km at sea) - yes, few people will believe about such a mileage when selling, but what can you do if there is a domestic auto industry 2107, which was exchanged for recycling + my wife has a 2007 Nissan Almera, mileage 180,000 km.
I’ll start the review with the chassis: when I bought it in a neighboring region and drove it to my place, immediately after the Ford I felt mixed feelings from the chassis, to say that it was hard is wrong, but in comparison with the Ford it’s moderately harsh. The suspension absorbs bumps well, it goes along the highway like it was on rails, when the Ford was there, I thought it was going on rails, it turned out that the Ford is like a long-distance ship - it rocks moderately on bumps, but the Audi is exactly the same in comparison on rails - neither wind nor unevenness disturbs the body. You drive, you can let go of the steering wheel - nothing will shake it (relatively).
Strengths:
- Dynamics
- Four-wheel drive
- High ground clearance
Weak sides:
- I wanted to make a separate point to describe the operation of the power steering. Maybe they wanted the best, made a changing force on the steering wheel, i.e. at a speed of 120 km the steering wheel is very hard, when the speed decreases it becomes lighter, but I noticed that if you drive in active mode, accelerate quickly and brake sharply, then it does not have time to make adjustments to the force. At low speeds you have to enter a turn with significant hand effort on the steering wheel.
- Consumption in the city is 14-15 (but what can you expect from 200 horses, you need to feed)
Good afternoon everyone.
The car was purchased in America at the Manheim auction. Delivery was to Moscow in a container.
A very beautiful, dynamic car. I really liked the car, and still like it now. The body is galvanized, the gaps are even everywhere, the build quality is excellent. Many are far from this level. Full set. The interior is simply super, leather (black), wood, a beautiful instrument panel, everything is illuminated (even the sunroof buttons). When you open the door, your feet and the place on the road where you are about to step are illuminated. Dimmable mirrors, all three. In the cabin there is an electronic compass. I turned the knob and the outer ones folded. I turned on the reverse gear - the right one lowers and shows the rear right wheel (to make it easier to park against the curb). You can disable this option.
Strengths:
- Design
- Comfort
- Dynamics
- Four-wheel drive
Weak sides:
- Candles
- Reels
Review of Audi A4 2.0 T FSI (Audi A4) 2008
Good day to you.
To begin with, the question is, what kind of car would you choose for yourself if you already have one and you choose it for your loved one to drive to work? And the work is 7 km away, 16 traffic lights and a fairly active railway line.
I was tired of choosing and, finally, six months ago I became the owner of a white Audi A 4 2 T, S-line , 200 horses, triptronic gearbox, beige leather interior, only bells and whistles Bluetooth , connect the phone.
Strengths:
- Handsome
- Great suspension
- Motor
Weak sides:
- Noise insulation
- Price of spare parts (theoretically)
Review of Audi A4 1.8 T quattro (Audi A4) 2005
I bought this car by chance for 650 thousand, before that I had a 1996 Audi A4. and A6 2001, on which, by the way, the multitronic died. In general, I have a good attitude towards Audi cars. Before that, I was the owner of two BMWs (tired of minor constant breakdowns), two Audis, a Mitsubishi Galant, a Mazda Three (it’s hard to call it a car - an inadequate cart), a Ford Cougar (an expensive car, but excellent handling - for those who like to drive), a Grand Cherokee (still I’ve been delighted with this car for a while now, I’ve owned it for about a year, it hasn’t let me down at all, given its venerable age - 12 years), Nissan Almera (the lack of lateral stability and sound insulation spoiled my opinion) and Murano (now it’s also in the family - very happy with the car) , VAZ! I can say that there are no better cars than the Germans, maybe they are not very reliable, but comfort, handling, noise insulation and safety are at the highest level.
A little about my “quack”
At first, all-wheel drive was a little scary - there were rumors about expensive maintenance. In fact, there’s nothing special to break there... everything is like all four-wheel drive. I just bought it and immediately went to the service, changed all the fluids, filters and condemned the right lower control arm (I don’t remember how much was spent, I think it wasn’t much). One morning I felt a vibration at the start... the engine was shaking at idle, as if some spark plug had failed. I connected Vag-com, counted the errors, and went online. It turned out that the crankcase gas valve was broken. The asking price is 500 rubles, it seems to be original.
Strengths:
- Good sound insulation - certainly in its class
- Excellent handling
Weak sides:
- Don't like the look
Review of Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDI (Audi A4) 2007
Review of Audi A4 1.8 T (Audi A4) 2007 Part 3
Hi all!
I was thinking whether or not to write a review - after all, in principle, you can’t write anything new, but it might be useful for someone in terms of buying a used unit, incl. strengths and weaknesses. So, in order. This car, 8E/B7, is already considered obsolete; next year the B8 body will be restyled, but, as it turned out in life, this is one of the best representatives of the D-class. And one of the best in terms of consumer characteristics from the Audi line. The B8 body that is now on sale is NOT THE SAME (see Lurkmor :)), and I have no idea what to expect from engineers from Ingolstadt in 2012. Because of the general desire to improve the environment and the manic passion for reducing costs, we, consumers, get for a lot of money “paper” bodies, glitchy Chinese electrics and “watercolor” paint, which wears out very quickly during normal use of the car. Of course, this concerns European cars, in particular Germans, less than Japanese and Koreans :), however, there are facts of jambs, which does not add optimism.
Okay, this is all a lyrical introduction... I’ll go through a little about operation, costs (for potential owners of information) and other interesting and not so interesting facts:
Strengths:
- Reliability
- Comfort
- Design
- Quality
- Liquidity
Weak sides:
- Outdated
Review of Audi A4 3.2 FSI quattro (Audi A4) 2006
Good day to all!
It’s been a while since I wrote a review on this portal, and in general I haven’t been here for a long time. We will correct the situation))
Actually, I bought this car a year ago, since I had to part with the Volva XC90. The Volva was a good, reliable, comfortable and roomy car, but it was a little old, the mileage was under 200,000 and there were possible problems with the automatic. The Volvo was quickly placed with a friend. He just had a new addition to his family and the Swedish barn suited him well. In the end, nothing major broke in the Volvo.
Strengths:
- A dynamic and comfortable car, a solid and well-thought-out interior, all-wheel drive - everything you need for happiness!
Weak sides:
- Original spare parts are very expensive, and service from officials is also very expensive.
Review of Audi A4 1.8 T (Audi A4) 2006
We bought a car for my wife, new, in April 2007, the car itself was produced in 2006. — as usual, we managed to get a powerful discount and some gifts. At the time of purchase - the ultimate dream of a young lady, now she’s dreaming about Q5 - you’ll have to think many times until the budget allows you to change %)))
About the car:
- design - bright, stylish, expressive... you can come up with many more epithets %))) In short, everything is in perfect order here, one might even say that everyone likes it with rare exceptions %)))
Strengths:
- Reliability
- Stylish design and prestige for very reasonable money
- Economical and powerful (turbine!) jerker
- Excellent, energy-intensive suspension with very good geometry
- Invincibility
- Huge trunk (among classmates-sedans)
Weak sides:
- The seats are a bit harsh and the leatherette is so-so (not even Alcantara%)))
- Inconvenient algorithm for turning on the headlight washers, due to which the consumption of anti-freeze is simply brutal
- The second row of seats is cramped and puts pressure on the top of the head
Review of Audi A4 2.0 (Audi A4) 2006 Part 2
24.03.2010
Well, it’s already 4 years and 102,000 miles. The car becomes dearer and more beloved))) Seriously, as I use this car I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who made it. The car is 100,000 years old, and the chassis is like new. No exaggeration. There are no crickets in the cabin, they only appear occasionally when you drive onto a curb. For those spreading rumors about the glass suspension, I would like to say that apart from the upper right arm (3524r), nothing was replaced. Moreover, AUDI admitted that during such and such a period they had problems with their aluminum supplier. But that is in the past.
In a previous review I wrote about the strut... knocking when turning, etc. As it later turned out, the cause of the knock was the right lever. I regretted that I did not ask to record this request in the car’s history (which the dealer keeps on his computer). I found out about the lever after the warranty, but I contacted the knocking noise before the warranty. I tried to explain this - it was useless. The master printed out the entire story, where this appeal was not registered. Damn, everything was written there, every little thing, except this. Well, okay, we replaced the lever - 3524 rubles + labor 270 rubles. The knocking noise has disappeared, everything is ok)))
Strengths:
Weak sides:
Review of Audi A4 2.0 T FSI quattro (Audi A4) 2007
Good day everyone.
I decided to post a short review about my machine, you’ll see who finds it useful. This is the 3rd Audi I drive. Of course, this is due to the fact that I am one hundred percent satisfied with the brand and model. I think it makes no sense to talk about the quality of materials and ergonomics - everything is good here and even more.
Currently the mileage is 49 tkm. Of the failures, which was only one, some turbine bypass valve flew at 35 thousand km. It cost 2500 rubles. and replacement of about 600 steering wheels (prices of an authorized service, not official). There is a problem with the membrane, which wears out. As I understand it, it’s practically a consumable for 2.0T engines.
Strengths:
- Noise insulation
- Ergonomics
- Reliability
- Controllability
- Four-wheel drive
- Inexpensive (relatively) maintenance
Weak sides:
- Vibration at idle
- Small, but still oil consumption
Review of Audi A4 1.8 T (Audi A4) 2007 Part 2
2 years have passed since the date of purchase. What can I say – the choice was right. The car continues to be a pleasure to drive. Impeccable ergonomics and German quality play a significant role in this. Even if the mileage is very small, but in the cabin, in any weather and on any roads, nothing creaks or rattles, everything is in its place, everything turns on/off by itself, all you have to do is turn the steering wheel and press two pedals. The car is used 350 days a year, the work distance is 5 km, the regime is tougher than tens of thousands of sawing along the highway, and especially on our “good” roads.
In the cabin there is only a pleasant overtone of a turbo engine. I’ll mention the multitronic again - zer gut, this is the best transmission of all that have been invented for civilian cars (PDK does not count - this is a sport). The climate control is super - I set it to 22 degrees Auto at first, and haven’t touched it anymore. The paintwork is durable, with my practical black color and frequent washes it looks like new. Apparently, the paint is not water-based :) In cold weather (the maximum we had was -30) it starts with just a click. In the summer it was +42 in the shade, the dynamics are of course dull - minus the turbo, although aspirated engines are dying.
I didn’t reach the maximum speed, it was just a matter of 215 (the speedometer showed 220), the road ended. It gets up to 190 briskly, then it’s heavy, as if there’s a trailer behind it. Throw some wood on the fire, or what? :) It easily goes around the button accordion on an automatic machine, and pliers with a 1.8T, too, on the body. Normal dynamics, enough for the city, according to measurements 9.2-9.4 to one hundred square meters. The warmer it is, the slower the acceleration. Don’t believe the paper performance characteristics, in life everything is much different :) The main thing I like about the four is the elasticity of the turbo engine, from 80 km/h you stick in “S” and cheerfully shoot for almost any overtaking.
Strengths:
- Reliability
- Ergonomics
- Paintwork quality
- Climate control
Weak sides:
- With the cartoon there is no resource for chipping (you need a manual transmission)
Review of Audi A4 2.0 T FSI quattro (Audi A4) 2005
Like any story, a review needs to start somewhere... I'll start with my attitude towards the Audi brand. Previously, at the end of the last century, the cars of this company were for me nothing more than ordinary family sedans. That is, ordinary, boring, but reliable and unpretentious. There were other Europeans who occupied much higher places in the table of ranks. But everything is changing, just as my view of “avdotya” has changed. I won’t say exactly what this is connected with, but a little of everything, most likely with bright heads directing the company’s policy in the right direction. Here you have the design of the car, which is becoming more and more interesting, and victories at Le Mans, and a price tag that is on par with the generally recognized leaders of the luxury class (it became interesting what they charge money for). One way or another, when the time came to change my wife’s car (Volvo S80), after sifting through a mountain of information, assessing our finances, we settled on an A4 from the states in the usual configuration for them (the Americans): 2 liters with a turbine, 200 hp, quattro , leather and other small things.
Acquisition. This is if anyone is interested in what nuances arise with the import. Occurred June-August 2008, location: St. Petersburg.
I have a friend who has contacts in the USA who are involved in selecting, purchasing and shipping cars to Russia. If it weren’t for my friend, I wouldn’t have decided to take the car from there, because it’s scary. I've heard a lot of negative stories. But they fit in. And so far I don’t regret it. To begin with, we made a list of our requirements for the car - exterior color, interior color, max. mileage, etc. and so on. They threw in some money and began to wait. The wait was not long; it turned out that a similar car was already sailing to Russia. The only shortcomings are a few scratches on the body. Not strong - mostly abrasions. But we were warned about them in advance in the form of a detailed photo report. Oddly enough, the customs clearance process (customs clearance in our opinion) also passed without incident. He came, paid a deposit, brought the car, paid a little more :) and that’s it. One day! And without extortion and queues! Everything is decorous and noble. Are you lucky? Don't know.
At the Paris Motor Show in the fall of 2004, the world premiere of the third generation Audi A4 with the factory designation “B7” took place. The car was built on the platform of its predecessor, but the modernization turned out to be so serious that Ingolstadt gave it a new index. This model remained on the assembly line until 2008, after which it received a follower.
According to the European classification, the third generation Audi A4 is a premium representative of the D-class, which was offered in sedan, station wagon and convertible versions with a soft roof.
The length of the car, depending on the body type, is 4573-4586 mm, width – 1772-1777 mm, height – 1427-1518 mm. The wheelbase and ground clearance are identical for all modifications - 2648 mm and 130 mm, respectively.
The “third” Audi A4 was equipped with a wide variety of gasoline and diesel units, which were combined with 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions, as well as a continuously variable transmission that directed power to the front wheels (permanent four-wheel drive was optionally offered).
The gasoline part of the “German” consists mainly of four-cylinder naturally aspirated and turbocharged units with a volume of 1.6 to 2.0 liters and a power of 102 to 220 “horses” of power, developing from 148 to 300 Nm of maximum torque. However, there were also naturally aspirated V6 engines: with a volume of 3.0-3.1 liters, they produce 218-255 horsepower and 290-330 Nm of torque. Turbodiesel options were also installed on the car: “four” with a volume of 1.9-2.0 liters, pulsating 115-170 horsepower and 285-350 Nm, and “six” with a volume of 2.5-3.0 liters, the output of which is 163-233 “mares” and 310-450 Nm.
Like its predecessor, the 3rd generation A4 is built on the PL46 platform with independent suspension on both axles: a four-link design at the front and a double-link design at the rear. The steering device is distinguished by the presence of a hydraulic booster. The front wheels sport ventilated brake discs, while the rear wheels sport non-ventilated discs.
Owners of the “third A4” note that the car has an attractive appearance and a premium interior, handles well and drives quickly (especially with turbocharged engines), has rich equipment and thoughtful sound insulation.
But not everything is as “colorful” as it seems at first glance: the car is expensive to maintain, it often has problems with electronics, and the ground clearance is low for Russian roads.
One of the many standard projects for tuning a 1.8T engine. Here I will show you the example of a longitudinal section on an Audi A4. Stage2+ in my terminology is a power threshold of 270-300 horsepower, i.e. when we go beyond the limits of the standard flow meter based on the air consumed by the engine.
What needs to be done if we want to decently cross the threshold of 250 horsepower. This is an entirely straight-through exhaust. If up to 250 horsepower is enough for us, by and large, only a downpipe, and the remaining stock exhaust system will not yet noticeably choke the engine, then when the threshold of air consumed by the engine of 200 g/s is exceeded, a free exhaust is already necessary. Next, if you have a motor without a fuel return, as in this example, then you will need one. As soon as we consistently exceed the boost pressure above a bar of excess, the injectors will have to operate at a differential pressure of less than 3 bar, at which their basic performance is actually normalized. In this case, not only the performance of the injectors suffers, which is especially critical at high speeds (associated with DC injectors, when the maximum injection time is greatly limited), but the atomization suffers. Even if you set 630 boost and give a differential. If the pressure is less than 3 bar, the spray pattern will suffer. This is why a fuel system with a return line and a fuel regulator on the rail is necessary. In addition, you will need a larger flow meter to measure the air above the limit when the stock starts to go off scale, which is just over 220 g/s. The flow meter is either from an Audi TT 225hp VAM engine or from cars with a 2.7T engine. Actually the turbine, which is capable of stably supplying the engine with air at a pressure of 1.4 bar excess per 6000 with a margin. Everything else is also what is needed up to 250 forces.
In this example, what was done:
Turbine hybrid k04-22
A 70mm direct-flow exhaust from the turbine was made with a split of 2 to 57mm. Magnaflow cans. Other options that I do are a 76 mm output from the turbine, then a transition to 63 mm and in the case of a split of 2 by 50 mm - this allows you to get a fairly quiet and productive exhaust with a pleasant bass note and the potential for up to 300+ forces.
The inlet pipe to the turbine, instead of the standard caterpillar, which begins to flatten when consuming 180 g/s of air.
Flow meter TT 225
Fuel return and injectors Bosch 550cc
Fuel pump with increased performance Walbro 255, although here, for example, the original one from cars with a 2.7T engine is suitable
Front intercooler with bypass transferred to the throttle
All environmental systems such as cata and the second probe and the secondary air supply system have been removed.
Actually, after manufacturing and assembling the entire kit, I set up the engine control program. I programmatically turned off the diagnostics of the catalyst and the second probe, diagnostics of the secondary air system, diagnostics of the gas tank purge system (Americans have one) and then the electric tensioner of the intershaft chain would be replaced with a mechanical one, and the diagnostics and operation of the electric one would be turned off. The car is tuned to 280-290 horsepower. With such standard settings, a trip to the stand is not necessary and always remains at the discretion of the owner, because the resulting power can be determined by the air consumed, the ignition angle and the dynamics of the acceleration. Such projects should be limited in torque due to the weakness of the original connecting rods - this is why there is no boost peak when entering boost.
No one argues that the body and component base of the A4 in the 8E body were very progressive and had a good margin for modernization. But, unfortunately, electronics at the turn of the century did not age quickly, but very quickly. Engine control systems, stabilization systems, steering, cruise control, lighting and passive safety systems have progressed. And progress in various service functions of climate control, multimedia and navigation, visibility improvement systems and others generally rushed headlong - in this area, built-in systems became obsolete within a year or two after the release of the new car. In this situation, Audi engineers decided on a global redesign of the design, hardly less labor-intensive than designing the car from scratch, but left the basic structure intact. The motors were modernized in connection with the introduction of Euro-4 environmental standards, but at the same time, they basically remained the same in design.
Pictured: Audi A4 3.0 TDI quattro Sedan (B7)
The body frame, transmission and suspension are also the same as their predecessor. They didn’t change the manual transmissions - they don’t look for good. They brought to life the variator, which in the previous model caused widespread criticism, installed new ZF automatic transmissions on all-wheel drive vehicles, and switched to a more progressive six-speed automatic transmission ZF 6HP19. Almost everything else in the drivetrain has changed very little, as has the suspension. Cars from the first years of production and with the same engines generally have the same components as the previous “four”, except for some that are responsible for adjusting the handling. And this approach turned out to be very good: the time-tested and modified components on the new machine are among the most reliable and problem-free. And, by the way, don’t look at the relatively short production period of the model - after the end of production under the Audi brand in 2008, the car was sold as Seat Exeo until 2013, albeit in simplified configurations. Production was completely transferred to Spain, while the car was deprived of automatic transmissions and engines more powerful than 2.0T. By the way, many Seat spare parts are suitable for Audi, and their price is often slightly lower.
Pictured: Audi A4 3.2 TDI quattro Avant (B7)
General layout problems were carried over from its predecessor without changes. But in general the car can be considered very successful. Complex and expensive suspensions for output B7 no longer had any problems with mileage and were not a problem. Electronic hardware has become more complex and expensive, but the total number of problems with it has hardly increased. Even the CVT was already debugged before the release of this generation A4 and by the end of the model’s release it could be considered one of the most problem-free automatic transmissions of this brand, especially against the backdrop of beginning problems with DSG gearboxes in Passat and other cars of the concern with a transversely mounted engine. Well, now let's talk about the features of the car in more detail.
Engines
The 1.6, 1.8T and 2.0 MPI engines here are the same as on the predecessor. But the 2.0 TFSI engine that appeared, with a power of 170-220 hp, is new here. It could be found on cars in the old body of the last year of production, but their number is extremely small. On the B7, this is already one of the most common engines. The transition to direct injection with turbocharging made it possible to slightly increase power and torque compared to the 1.8T, but the car received the whole set of problems of 2.0 FSI engines in the form of capricious and expensive injection equipment, a very unreliable piston with constantly coked piston rings, clogged crankcase ventilation and firmware problems. The firmware was dealt with quickly enough, but no one was in a particular hurry to solve the other problems. After several replacements, the piston engines became less hungry for oil, the crankcase ventilation was also changed, and by the end of the model’s release the engine already seemed to be a standard of reliability compared to newcomers. But the engines turned out to have the highest potential for boosting; it was not for nothing that this engine was installed on the Golf R even after this line of engines had already been discontinued. New 3.2 FSI with 255 hp no better than turbocharged ones in terms of reliability; in this generation we had no luck with the brand’s engines at all. Here there is “oil burner”, and overheating, and power system failures. But the most unpleasant thing was the surprise with the piston group of this alusil engine and problems with the timing chain. The cylinders here are made of aluminium, which means they are easy to damage. And due to a miscalculation in the design of the piston group and the abundance of carbon deposits, such engines regularly “tear up”. About methods for repairing such equipment, and believe me, there are no inexpensive methods, just as there is no chance for a long life for such a problematic motor.
Towards the end of the model’s existence, a recall campaign was carried out on the market: in an attempt to reduce the “dump” of the motors, the thermostat was changed to a less hot one. The effectiveness of this measure turned out to be small, but it can still help engines operating mainly in urban environments. Otherwise, we can advise changing the oil more often, using ester and PAO compositions, and changing air filters more often. And the 4.2 engine is new here - unlike the engines of the ASG/AQJ/ANK series, completely new BBK/BNS were installed here. Their timing chain mechanism looks like a work of art, weighs less than 200 kg, has the highest power, but... But you shouldn’t take an Audi S4 or RS4: all the problems of the 3.2 FSI are there, and besides, the cylinder block turned out to be frankly weak.
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Fortunately, RS buyers are usually prepared for the short lifespan and high cost of servicing such a “lighter,” which cannot be said about the owners of the huge top-end Q7 crossover, on which these engines were also installed. Perhaps this is one of the shortest-lived engine series of the German concern - there was simply nothing to modernize there, and after three years of the announcement, the production of cars with these engines was simply stopped.
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If you need high power, then your choice is tuning 2.0 TFSI or even 1.8T, and if you want “out of the box” - then the previous S4, produced before 2004 or the next one, after 2008. Pay attention to the service intervals operated the car. If the owner sincerely believed that LongLife makes it possible not to change the oil for 15-20 thousand kilometers, then the condition of even 1.8T and atmospheric 2.0 will be very poor, and subsequent repairs will be expensive. Diesel engines have changed little: here are exactly the same 1.9 TDI and 2.0 that were on, and others. 2.7 and 3.0 diesel are also considered successful engines. The main problems include expensive piezo injectors with a limited resource and a tendency to leak fuel, which can lead to melting of the piston, for example. The engine also has a complex timing mechanism with several tensioners; it can unexpectedly fail at the most inopportune moment and is extremely expensive to repair. In addition to the “traditional” diesel problems with fuel equipment and EGR, it is worth remembering poor camshaft lubrication on the 2.0 TDI with pump injectors. 2.5 TDI engines do not have problems with injectors, but this does not make them any less troublesome. Older designs often cause problems with lubricant pressure and even problems with the piston group.
Transmissions
As on the previous A4, manual gearboxes do not cause any trouble, as does the transmission itself as a whole. Even all-wheel drive Quattros are no less reliable, because there are no clutches or other transmission electronics. CVTs are also very resistant, although they have a limited chain life (about 100-150 thousand kilometers) and will require expensive repairs if they are not replaced on time or the drive cones are damaged by towing the car. CVTs also do not like harsh driving style and dirty oil and can be very expensive if used incorrectly. But with careful use and replacement of the chain on time, they can cover the entire 300 thousand kilometers or more without being bothered by minor problems. The all-wheel drive Quattro versions were equipped with a new six-speed automatic transmission ZF 6HP19. “New” here is not at all a synonym for “best”. Experts note a shorter service life of gearbox bushings, torque converter, clutches, solenoids and valve body. This is due to an attempt to get closer to DSG gearboxes in terms of efficiency and clarity of operation and much more stringent settings of the electronic part. This means much greater shock loads, clutch slippage even in standard operating modes, and a greater thermal load. The hydraulics and electronics unit here has finally taken shape as a “mechatronics” unit with a very dense layout, but still repairable. For owners, all this means that the gearbox on a car used with a trailer or just a “racer” will already be in a pre-infarction state and may require expensive repairs even with mileages of “slightly over 100.” However, even for cars that are used quietly, with mileages closer to 150-200 thousand kilometers, repairs will be cheaper, but also serious - at least with the repair of the gas turbine engine and the overhaul of the box itself to replace worn bushings and VFS solenoids.
Unfortunately, in this generation of cars the variator turned out to be stronger than the “classic automatic”. In many ways, this was also facilitated by Audi's service policy - after all, the oil in automatic transmissions was not officially changed, and instead of regular ATP, the manufacturer allowed only extremely expensive branded oil to be poured, the cost of which discouraged any service procedures. Of course, in fact, you can pour the same oil into it as into other ZF machines, and you don’t need to buy “branded” oil at 3 thousand rubles per liter. By the way, these automatic transmissions on BMWs performed somewhat better - including, perhaps, due to the mandatory replacement of fluids.
