DRC leak

[RS]

I have problem with my 2003 RS6.
DRC LEAK :w:

[gjg]

where are you in Europe?

[Aronis]

Sorry to hear that....

Advice....

Don't settle for ANYTHING but a complete system replacement...4 shocks, 2 control valves...and an EXPERIENCED tech who has successfully fixed at least one system.

Consider Aftermarket change over if you have the money to eat the cost yourself.

Mike

My RS6 now rides like an old A6......it was 'fixed'.

[chutia]

apparently a LOT of problems with the DRC, eh???

[RS]

Sweden

I have read about the DRC difficultys and I was worried that I was going to get that problem.Last week the car was bouncing like mad and I noticed oil leak. I am now not able to drive the car because of that and it´s now at the AUDI repair shop. They found the problem; the aluminium selas they use are not a verry good combination whit road salt!! Here´s the funny part they don´t have the rigth tool to fix it!! The guy at AUDI told me that it´s a verry unusual tool. it´s gone take time to get it.
:mech:

[chutia]

NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING involving this car gets fixed in a timely manner. Anything and everything takes at least a week; no parts available, no specialized tools (I understand that just the specialized tools for the dealership cost >$75,000-$100,00; so most dealerships cannot justify this kind of expenditure for the few cars they have sold and will have to service), lack of adequate training, etc. Combine this with how many issues this car has had that perhaps Audi did not expect, and the results are painfully obvious to owners/sufferers of this car. Again, I think the dealerships are probably well intentioned and want to satifsy their customers and keep them "happy," but the combination of the above are formidable issues to deal with wherever this car was sold.....Europe, Asia, US, wherever.

[Aronis]

The seals on my rear shocks were also corroded by road salt, but apparently the FRONT SEALS are MAGIC SEALS and did not have to be replaced! NOT, as soon as the pressure was restored to the system and the car driven the FRONT SHOCKS LEAKED ALSO.

The special tool is the device used to pressurize the system as well as apply a -5 bar vacuum to evaculate the shocks before refilling them from below.

The central control valves are supposed to be replaced with any DRC repair due to the loss of the preset factory pressure within them. They contain both a reservour of AIR and fluid. The Air chamber allows for movement of fluid from both shocks if both are being compressed at the same time while allowing fluid to flow to the expanding shock when only one is being compressed.

Good luck with that repair. As more RS6's fall to this problem a real repair solution will be determined, but so far those who have had theirs repaired have not had a return to full normal RS6 suspension stiffness and function, keep us posted.

Mike

[RS]

Tool cost is 1100$ and yes they have to replace reservour! Pressure is 16 bar.
The reservour cost is 900$ and the seal cost allmost nothing.
The new seals are made of copper not aluminium so they changed
material in the new seals!! I think that -5 bar don´t exist becouse the vacuum is vacuum ?:confused:

[RS]

I told them that I whant all seals to be changed.

[steve]

Originally posted by RS
I think that -5 bar don´t exist

probably a 5 bar underpressure

[Aronis]

There is no such thing as a true Vacuum, even in space there are particles (atoms).

The - 5 bar number is the measure used as a minimum, the service rep here uses -8 bar. Thus a vacuum is not a vacuum, but the negative pressure drawing on the closed space is the only way to 'measure' how close you get to a vacuum, although not really possible to obtain.

The point is in order to 'remove' the air in the shock without inverting it, they apply a negative 5 bar pressure differential between inside the shock and the outside atmospheric pressure. The More You Suck the less likely there will be any left over air stuck in there when you let the DRC fluid flow in.

The Plus 16 bar pressure is set in the Control Valves on the benchtop at the factory and cannot aparently be done at the dealership.

Mike

[Aronis]

my dealer was unaware of any materials change, nor were they going to ask!

I just hope the new seals gives me two more winters.

Mike