One Week in CEL comes on...

[TexasRS6]

Picked up my RS6 with 139k a week or so ago and it has been relatively smooth sailing until tonight.
I noticed the cars shifting was a little rough no jerking but the up shifts just did not seem smooth.
It will tend to up shift to soon and sometimes the rpms hang when going from 3rd to 4th especially. I am not sure if the transmission is designed to shift more aggressively than I am use to but it just seems off. I decided to put it in Trip mode and try a 5th gear roll in the throttle making sure it didn't down shift. When I did this the CEL came on. I know these cars have gearbox issues but I was hoping I could avoid them.
The car is going in the shop Monday to get the outer cv boots replaced because they are both leaking. I was going to get the oil changed as well and now I am looking into a transmission flush hoping that it will cure the problem.
Another symptom I am noticing is almost a shutter when the wheel is locked all the way right or left at low speed like turning in a parking lot.
Also the engine coolant light will flash at me randomly on start up but it is random sometimes it will sometimes it won't. That could be an easy top off fix but wanted y'all's opinion on all of the above.
I knew when buying the car it was going to need work to get it running smooth but was hoping it wouldn't be anything crazy like replacing the tranny.
Comments and suggestions welcome!

[ttboost]

Welcome to RS6 ownership. Let us know how you like your new transmission...

[4everRS]

Mike, you're brutal. :)

Tex, sorry to hear. How did you buy the car? I would bet big money that whomever owned it before one there was a problem. As ttboost said, you're definitely getting a new transmission.

[kruat]

Ouch, ive been shopping RS6s for a while now, and that is my biggest fear. Good luck man.

[lswing]

Yep, previous owner knew of the problem. Trans sounds roughed up.

The shudder on full turn parking is center diff, no worry.

My CEL came on the day I bought mine. Dealer had been clearing it, bad torque converter.

[TexasRS6]

I stopped by Autozone and ran the code reader hoping and praying. P0741 is the code! Bad Torque Converter from the research I have done. I am going to have them flush out the ATF tomorrow when they do the oil change and cv boots. They are charging 420.00 for the cv boots. Seemed like an okay deal.
Hoping it will buy me sometime to get some organs sold so I can put in a new tranny. What should I be expecting when it comes to a rebuild or replacement?

[905084]

I know these cars have gearbox issues but I was hoping I could avoid them.

I bought Thing 2 on the transmission hope strategy. She lasted 500 miles. That's why I bought Thing 3 with the trans already done. Dollar cost averaging !!

What was the code for the CEL?? When you replace your trans, have the shop put in the Bufkin oil cooler pipe. I'm guessing that's where your coolant is going.

[TexasRS6]

P0741 was the code I pulled.

[Bigglezworth]

P0741 was the code I pulled.A good number of members on this forum have had that exact code. Torque Convertor issue. Could last 10 miles, could last 10000. One thing that isn't in dispute is that one day it will fail entirely and you could find yourself stranded. Best to evaluate the condition of your tranny fluid when you have it removed. If it's looking really dark, your days are numbered. If it doesn't smell burnt and has a relatively dark green color to it, the internals of the tranny are likely just fine and all you would need to attend to is the TQ. If you just became the owner of this vehicle, it is without question the previous owner knew about this. I would start checking service history and talk with any shop that the vehicle was at prior to confirm if they knew, but the previous owner didn't disclose as part of the sale....

[lswing]

Bummer, do what you can with fluids, but guessing bad TC has hurt the trans. Trans failing/slipping will foam and heat the fluid, also can distribute too much power into trans. This exactly what happened to me. $3,500-5,500 for TC and trans, ~$3,000 labor at an Indy shop, was my experience.

If you do the TC, do the trans without question. I didn't, and a year later paid the $2,500 in labor again.

[TexasRS6]

Okay I will evaluate the fluid tomorrow. It isn't shifting hard or doing anything really rough it just seems like the shift points are off which is making for some weird shifts.
The little Indy dealership I bought it from may have had an idea of it but he did make it a point to show all the things they found with the car and I bought it for 11k so I bought it for a pretty good price for the condition. Dub squared is about to take it in tomorrow and hopefully get some of the kinks worked out.

[Bigglezworth]

I bought it for 11k so I bought it for a pretty good price for the condition.12% residual on a 450hp Autobahn speedboat! CHEAP and then some! You got what you paid for. No ability to complain about anything not working at that price. Be forewarned that you could well be doubling your investment within the first year via scheduled maintenance, unschedules repairs, and various updates/niceties...

[lswing]

Well the price sounds about right....with the proper work you'll have a new driveline that will last another 100k...

[mik15]

sorry to hear about that but it is common with the RS6. If the car still shifts alright just drive it until the gearbox dies completely and then do a full rebuild, don't do only the TC as the gearbox might need to be done as well later on.

[Turbowned]

If it makes you feel any better I paid $24k to have one with a good (so far) transmission. Add $6k and you're still only at $17k. Not bad for a 450hp biturbo AWD super saloon!

[TexasRS6]

Well I got it back from the shop today and it is going to need some work done. We prioritized the work into 4 categories 1. Timing Belt service, valve cover gaskets, radiator (small leak currently) 2. Transmission 3. Suspension 4. Brakes
So now I am deciding if I want to cut my loses and go more practical or continue to invest in this machine. I don't want to be mistaken for complaining I know I am getting what I asked for but tbh didn't think I was getting this much.
Lesson learned today get someone to do a thorough pre buy inspection.

[mik15]

none of the above is cheap, 'most likely will double the money you spent on buying the car(not that this should be a benchmark but we tend to refer to it), so it is time to think about the direction you will take. It is hard when this car punches you so hard form the beginning, you didn't have time to properly enjoy it, that might have been motivating for you to keep it, but the way things happened makes you wanna ditch it, and i completely understand, it is a love-hate relationship with these machines. At the end of the day it might be better to sell it as it is, maybe take in a loss of a couple of grand and call it a bad day and move one.

[ttboost]

You can probably get $13-$15k for it now, doing nothing. You will easily double your investment in the next year....and the car won't be worth double...at least to a buyer.... Unless you are handy, these cars are not for the faint of wallet. Hopefully you enjoyed your week of ownership

[MaxRS6]

^Dang- Before you said that Mike- I was typing I would take it off his hands for $9K- Now I think I would have to be paid about 5K to take it, and I gotta (Arkie) think about who I am going to pay to take Crazy out of driveway.

[ttboost]

Sorry Max...I wasn't trying to be cryptic, but when you buy a car like this for $11k, you have to be ready for the ball to drop. Unfortunately it sounds like the OP isn't handy and can work on this monster himself. That puts him at the mercy of the dealer or an Indy.

To the OP: Look around and find yourself a good independent Audi mechanic, someone who knows this car. You may likely pay HALF of what the dealer will charge you for all your repairs. Not a small chunk of change, but if you plan to keep the car for a few years, might be worth it.

[Bigglezworth]

This is one of those sad to hear posts. It echo's what I've said in the past a couple of times in that the RS6 isn't your garden variety car. Not crazy off the spectrum different from an everyday sedan, but different enough that anyone wanting to 'get into one' should take heed on the requirements to do so prior to purchasing.

WELL documented problems with the gearbox. WELL documented maintenance requirements that are BIG $$ for such a small basic item that your arse puckers at the mere mention.

There was a big reason this car was 90K USD and over 120K CAD when first sold. With it now being 10 years old and plagued by two large design flaws (gearbox and suspension), they scare the majority of people away from ownership and as a result have depreciated drastically. This now places them within reach of the most basic owner. Those owners that have always been attracted to what this type of a ride offers, and could in no way afford it when first offered. Now you have a situation whereupon you have extended yourself to get in to the car of your dreams, but can't afford ownership.

To the OP. A well enjoyed average price for an RS6 in good condition and one that has been well maintained is a nominal 20K. Some run a bit less and some run a lot more due to bolt-ons. They do NOT run 11K.... Sorry to burst your bubble, but you got what you paid for. It's that simple. Had you mentioned the concerns about CEL's and the TQ code that was being thrown along with buying it for 20K, myself along with many would be suggesting you take the vehicle back to the original seller and complain about not disclosing an inherent problem that will be big $$ to repair. Such is not the case here however.

I own three of these rides and have one here that has been very well maintained with more than $50K in receipts that I'm selling for 10K. That is cause irrespective of it being mechanically sound, it has double the mileage of your 'average' RS6. Lots of cosmetic stuff. All the items you note on your list have been repaired and had ongoing maintenance over the years. If you cannot perform even the most basic maintenance like an oil change or brakes yourself, you probably shouldn't own this type of a car IMO. It has shown itself historically to potentially break the bank sometimes.... Most cars hitting this vintage no longer qualify for warranty coverage and you're then at the hands of a qualified mechanic. Many board members have tackled their own work here with the assistance of others input. Wealth of knowledge. That assists with making ownership easier on the pocketbook for many.

[MaxRS6]

Sorry Max...I wasn't trying to be cryptic, but when you buy a car like this for $11k, you have to be ready for the ball to drop. Unfortunately it sounds like the OP isn't handy and can work on this monster himself. That puts him at the mercy of the dealer or an Indy.

To the OP: Look around and find yourself a good independent Audi mechanic, someone who knows this car. You may likely pay HALF of what the dealer will charge you for all your repairs. Not a small chunk of change, but if you plan to keep the car for a few years, might be worth it.

^LOL- I certainly agree on all your comments.

[TexasRS6]

Man it does punch hard. Punches the wallet hard and punches the ground hard with its acceleration. You guys might think I am crazy but I am weighing more to keeping it. I honestly can't imagine driving another car after this one. It is brutally fast, corners well for a sedan and no one knows what it is!
If I sell it and take a loss id rather keep it and invest that loss I would take. So I think I may list see what happens but in the mean time do the timing belt and gaskets. The radiator I have questions about. It is obviously leaking but they said it was 1000 for a new one. I did a google search and found radiators for our cars anywhere between 250-400. Are these crap radiators? I think changing the radiator out couldn't be extremely hard. I enjoy challenges so even if it is a little hard still might be something I am interested in tackling.
Let me know if I am crazy I just love the car problems and all.

[DHall1]

Sell me car and start over looking for the proper low mileage piece.

Loan values are strong and you will be ahead in the long run.

[MaxRS6]

Woo hoo! Welcome aboard the Crazy Train. Put some solid repairs into it and should be good to go. You can obtain real economies of scale at this time with the thing opened up.

[Other_Erik]

Sorry to hear about your horrors with the RS. If you're feeling mechanically inclined/adventurous, turn it into a garage queen for a season and get your wrench on.

Remove front bumper/supports/etc, hoist the engine, full gasket/seal teardown and rebuild (new gasket set, buffkin pipe, timing belt change, etc... take your time and save a bunch of cashola. Wrap your exhaust headers and blanket up the turbos.) (~$1500 in parts from ECS)
Pull TC and Trans, unmate and drain, send TC to ACE for hardened rebuild, send trans to Tozo's shop for hardened rebuild. Not counting freight, you're talking ~$3500, maybe a bit more if the trans is trashed badly. ($3500)
Replace all the trans/diff mounts with Apikol's for ~$600 ($650)

If you want to be real snarky, get the Wagner IC's (~$2k), and have 10secS4 do a chiptune (Under 1K, not sure he wants his prices publicized)

All said and done, you're talking less than 6k plus your own time (total investment ~17k) to have a beast that runs like new, or add another 3k (total investment ~20k) to have a ~555 crank HP monster that eats pavement and shits tires
I'm not saying it'll be easy, or you'll avoid any frustrations, but you'll get that wonderful sense of accomplishment and maybe learn a thing or two about high-hp luxury sedan ownership :)

Good luck! I know my build thread will be full of me cursing the day I decided to go through the pain, but when it's done, man will it be a whole new experience!

O_E

[Bigglezworth]

What Dave says, except just look for one in good condition that irrespective of mileage has been well maintained (including basics like brakes and timing belt), and had the two large items (tranny/TQ & DRC recall/aftermarket suspension) all attended to.

[ben916]

What Bigglezworth (Tim) said...

1. Timing Belt service, valve cover gaskets, radiator (small leak currently) = $2k ish, rad = $500, VCG =???
2. Transmission - $3k-$4k with TozoM8
3. Suspension - $3k for KWv3 and Hotchkis = done and eliminates dealing with DRC
4. Brakes - OEM fronts @ $350/each and Hawk Pads @ $200 and Frozen $150 = done for a couple of years
5. PSS - $1300 -> make RS6 happy!

[bethridg]

I did a google search and found radiators for our cars anywhere between 250-400. Are these crap radiators?

Be careful when sourcing an aftermarket radiator. All the places I looked at claimed they will be drop in replacements for OEM. But the RS6 has an additional coolant port on the driver side (next to the in-tank trans fluid cooler) that from what I can tell is unique to our cars. I got mine (used) from Shokan for $495+ shipping.

SteveKen posted a diagram of the plumbing for the hot weather packaged (US spec) cars showing the third outlet.

http://www.rs6.com/showthread.php/25661-S6-conversion-to-RS6?p=259812&viewfull=1#post259812

[TexasRS6]

I knew I was buying it on a chance. As the saying goes though "you buy a cheap audi, it quickly becomes expensive." I knew that it would be expensive to get it up and running like it should I thought though I could get it done for cheaper than buying a 20k one in great condition.
I have had a stage 2 saab and did most of the work on that. I have had a B7 S4 and did a lot of work on that myself. I am not afraid to turn wrenches on a car at all. I know my way around a car I think decently well. But why I hesitate to do this work myself is a place like dub squared knows what they are doing and knows what to look for and they also will do it right with hopefully no errors. They quoted me roughly 3k for the timing belt, radiator, and gaskets. I thought that was a pretty fair price and I would have the piece of mind that it is good to go. The brakes suspension I would do myself. I have done that before and I can do it again.
I don't want people to think I just thought hey all buy an rs6 I researched them for 4 months before I bought it. I was very aware that they are expensive. The reason I would consider selling is because I could go buy one for 20k and be saving ultimately.

[lswing]

Sounds about right. At this point too think about this; is the color, leather, interior, features, just what you want?

A good thing about doing the work yourself and with the shop, you know it's done right. Your new trans and TC will be broken in by you, not possibly hammered on by the previous owner.

Koni Yellow struts go great with stock springs, $700.

I've felt better putting $10-15k into my car the last few years as it's Mugello Blue, Carbon, clean and good leather, I'd say an 7-8 out of 10 overall.

[TexasRS6]

I am keeping it. Ordered the timing belt kit and new seals yesterday. Planning on having the shop do that install. And will do the rest of the work outside the trans myself. Quick question I noticed my voltage was holding steady right about 14v instead of straight up at 12v. That's not normal is it? Whoever owned the car before had a really impressive sound system I was wondering if they modified it for that. Nothing wrong electrically but was curious if that is standard.

[905084]

13.8 ?? if the alt is working....12 if it's not.....

What's the book value vs. what you paid vs. what's your insurance deductible?......maybe you could find a deer.....I'm sure you'd come out a few $$ ahead. Just sayin'

[Bigglezworth]

I noticed my voltage was holding steady right about 14v instead of straight up at 12v. That's not normal is it?Alternators MUST charge at a higher voltage in order to keep all the electronics operational while the car is running and ensure the batter remains full. 14.4V is pretty standard rate for charging.

[TexasRS6]

Well I ordered the timing belt enhanced+ kit from blauparts. I wasnt sure if it was the best when it comes to quality but it seemed to have pretty good reviews. The car is really running quite well even though the tc is still shifting when it wants. I love the car and really do not regret buying it as weird as that sounds. Spent all weekend detailing and getting all the interior rattles and shakes taken care of, along with a new center arm rest. The radiator is leaking and eventually needs to be replaced, but it isnt terribly bad leak, very small. I may, for a very tempory fix, patch the leak with some jb weld.
Hopefully by the end of summer I will really be able to put some money into this car and get it running as it should.
But still debatng after doing the timing belt and all the gaskets if I should part ways with it.
My dad thought the car was a terrible idea to begin with when I mentioned buying it knowing it was going to need some work, he is not much of a car nut but he enjoys his tl type-s and punches it quite often. But I changed his mind after stopping by today, showing him the car and taking him for a sporty ride he goes "I dont think you should sale it, its pretty sweet."

[mik15]

the car is addictive :)

[Dmb408]

I feel your pain, after I do suction jet pump this week, I think I'll be like $8K into mine over the last year (no trans). The first $3K or so was complete preventative/proactive on my part and then the actual issues started (strut, suction jet pump, etc.) and rounded out the rest of the spending.

[DHall1]

I have a 100 bucks into my daily the last 14 months for repairs.

1800 in mods and maint

[lswing]

Fixing parts that are 10 years old adds up sometimes, but once you get it all sorted you're good for many more! Unless you have to replace EGT's the next year, or a transmission or....

After about a year of sorting through leaks, bad hoses, bad sensors, power steering rack, trans/tc, suspension; the car has been fairly stable. Most of those parts were 10 years old, some worse than others to fix.

Part restoration, part upkeep, all fun when running well!

[TexasRS6]

Didn't feel like starting a new thread for one question and I can't seem to find the answer to it anywhere. Does anyone know what the rear seat belt anchor bolt size is? I think it's a M12. The son of gun that tried to ruin this car before I bought it, I guess when they had the leather re stained or painted they decided that he didn't need the rear seat belts bolted back in. I rarely have people in the backseat but it would be nice to have them bolted in. Slowly making progress on the car. It is about to go in for the a complete timing belt kit and valve cover gaskets along with a new radiator. I get a low coolant flash and beep but the car is not running hot at all. I don't want to push my luck anymore then I have though. Keep a gallon of distiller water in the trunk but it burns through it quick.

[kvicen]

Is this your car on craigslist for sale? http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/4560381880.html

[lswing]

Ok, so y'all on Texas forum or what...

And why not just find a good mechanic and get your car fixed, you'll be much happier!

Edit; I see you've got that lined up, hope the repairs go well and you have a fully performing car soon...

[lswing]

Is this your car on craigslist for sale? http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/cto/4560381880.html

What the hell, seats and headliner redone? Flood?

[kvicen]

Ok, so y'all on Texas forum or what...

And why not just find a good mechanic and get your car fixed, you'll be much happier!

Edit; I see you've got that lined up, hope the repairs go well and you have a fully performing car soon...

I'm not on a Texas forum. I am signed up with Lone Star Audi Club. I have been to a few of their meet and greets and track days. I wonder if he fixed his transmission because he didn't mention anything about it in his craigslist ad.

[TexasRS6]

What the hell, seats and headliner redone? Flood?

Yep that is my car. Whoever ownned it before me replaced the headliner with a blue suede headliner and had the seats re stained. Did a pretty good job. Just decided I want to get something newer. Love the car but not really in a season to have a toy this expensive. I havent touched the transmission but it has been very trouble free. No check engine no rough shifts. Posted it on craigslist just to get some feelers out there. Been working on it for sometime now. Hard to sell it but I have a business opportunity I would like to pursue. I took the ad down just because it looks sketchy with my only photo being an edited one and not a lot of information. Ill wait till I can get it detailed then post it with all of the information.