Electrical Problems (long)

[avdh]

Since day one I had noticed that the starter motor never felt as strong as the S6. By the second or third turn the starter motor seemed to loose strenght.

Also, at the beginning of March I did not drive the car for a week, and I only just managed to get the car started.

Every time that either the VAZ computer or a laptop with the VAG.com program was connected to the car's port, the same fault would always come up:

Terminal 30: battery disconnected
or/and
Low voltage.

At times the car would give excellent performance, whereas other time it was quite dissapointing.

Lately, at times, the RS6 would not rev past 6200 rpm in first, Tip or sport, or 6000 rpm in D.

Also lately I could not go over 230 km/h (143 mph) in either 4th or 5th.

Not being entirely confident that my Audi dealer would find the fault quickly, I went to our local Audi tuner, Chip-Logic.

They went out of their way to help me out and eventually found the fault in matter of hours.

One of the main power cables in the main positive power distribution box was loose......(If I remember properly it's near the DME/ECU box)
They also fully recharged the battery.

Since then, about a week ago, the starter motor feels much stronger, the RS6 performs well all the time, there is no speed limitation and the engine revs into the red without any struggle.

This does not seem to be a limited case, as a friend with an RS6 has a similar problem, with the same symptoms, except that his car goes past 230 km/h, and the fault report is of a low battery voltage.....

The intereting thing is that after the fault was found and fixed, the original software was loaded and the car performs just as well as it did with the re-mapped ECU, in fact even a bit better, 4.74 sec 0-100 k and 12.80 for the quarter mile.

With the (first) original software, back in January my best quater mile was 13.5 sec. only.

It seems that loose cable was causing a loss of performance, as well as causing the chip that learns my driving habits to reset itself to zero from time to time.

If you feel your RS6 is not doing what it should, have your dealer or anyone else with a VAZ computer or VAG.com program, check your car out.
Once the fault is cleared from the computer, it will come back, unless the faullt is attended to, starting with showing a fault in the "alarm" section. With time it will show the same fault in just about all electrical sections.

Another thing; have your DV's checked on a regular basis...., specially aftera few months of hot weather.

[Finnus]

The intereting thing is that after the fault was found and fixed, the original software was loaded and the car performs just as well as it did with the re-mapped ECU, in fact even a bit better, 4.74 sec 0-100 k and 12.80 for the quarter mile.

Good time. The 4.74 time was stock? Was that with a speed breaking start?

Finnus

[avdh]

Right now the car is back to stock, thus 4.74 sec is stock. With the electrical problem and not stock the best I could get was 4.77.

When "testing" I always use my left foot on the brake, accelerator pedal to the metal, let the revs climb to 2400 + rpm (at sea level you might get more rpm's) until I hear a soft "clonck" and then let go the brakes.... easy

That's what I call "Audi's secret launch control"

[Finnus]

The 4.74 time is pretty impressive & comparable to the best time I've seen in any publication (other than one 4.3 second time, which I discount and don't buy).

Finnus

[gregoryindiana]

Originally posted by avdh
Another thing; have your DV's checked on a regular basis...., specially aftera few months of hot weather.

Can you clarify DV?

I'm guessing Dump valves, correct? What is the failure mode, and is there an upgrade you recommend? I have seen some aftermarket adverts. Any on the road reports?

[nyrs6]

Originally posted by avdh
Since day one I had noticed that the starter motor never felt as strong as the S6. By the second or third turn the starter motor seemed to loose strenght.

Also, at the beginning of March I did not drive the car for a week, and I only just managed to get the car started.

Every time that either the VAZ computer or a laptop with the VAG.com program was connected to the car's port, the same fault would always come up:

Terminal 30: battery disconnected
or/and
Low voltage.

At times the car would give excellent performance, whereas other time it was quite dissapointing.

Lately, at times, the RS6 would not rev past 6200 rpm in first, Tip or sport, or 6000 rpm in D.

Also lately I could not go over 230 km/h (143 mph) in either 4th or 5th.

Not being entirely confident that my Audi dealer would find the fault quickly, I went to our local Audi tuner, Chip-Logic.

They went out of their way to help me out and eventually found the fault in matter of hours.

One of the main power cables in the main positive power distribution box was loose......(If I remember properly it's near the DME/ECU box)
They also fully recharged the battery.

Since then, about a week ago, the starter motor feels much stronger, the RS6 performs well all the time, there is no speed limitation and the engine revs into the red without any struggle.

This does not seem to be a limited case, as a friend with an RS6 has a similar problem, with the same symptoms, except that his car goes past 230 km/h, and the fault report is of a low battery voltage.....

The intereting thing is that after the fault was found and fixed, the original software was loaded and the car performs just as well as it did with the re-mapped ECU, in fact even a bit better, 4.74 sec 0-100 k and 12.80 for the quarter mile.

With the (first) original software, back in January my best quater mile was 13.5 sec. only.

It seems that loose cable was causing a loss of performance, as well as causing the chip that learns my driving habits to reset itself to zero from time to time.

If you feel your RS6 is not doing what it should, have your dealer or anyone else with a VAZ computer or VAG.com program, check your car out.
Once the fault is cleared from the computer, it will come back, unless the faullt is attended to, starting with showing a fault in the "alarm" section. With time it will show the same fault in just about all electrical sections.

Another thing; have your DV's checked on a regular basis...., specially aftera few months of hot weather.

was the times g-tech or at the track.

we got 4.1 to 60mph (100km) with 3 extrat people in the car this was with the chip and exhaust.

[avdh]

Originally posted by gregoryindiana
Can you clarify DV?

I'm guessing Dump valves, correct? What is the failure mode, and is there an upgrade you recommend? I have seen some aftermarket adverts. Any on the road reports?

Yep, DV means dump valve.

We have had endless failure of the DV on our S3. This is due more to the position of the DV than bad workmanship, as the DV sits right on top of the turbo. How un-cleaver of whoever designed the 1.8T S3/TT engine, as that's were there is the most heat.

With the RS6, both DV's failed at 3700 km. Here although the DV's are not above the turbo, there are still in a place that when you park your car get very hot. Also the carbon fibre cover block heat dissipation. I have removed the latter.

I am using now 2 Forge DV-R, with a softer spring than the softest of the three springs Forge supplies.

I understand that some people on this board also use the Hyperboost DV's.

[avdh]

Originally posted by nyrs6
was the times g-tech or at the track.

we got 4.1 to 60mph (100km) with 3 extrat people in the car this was with the chip and exhaust.

Yes the times were done with a Race Technology AP22 G-tech box. This G-box allows you to calibrate it, using your car's weight, Cda (aerodynamics) and the rolling resistance.
I did ckeck the G-box last time I did a measured quarter mile and a kilometre and the G-box was very accurate.

[Sohoboy]

well, my RS6 that was delivered on 1 Feb has now been in the shop for a total of 9 days while the techs try to determine the source a my radio cutting in/out. 3 radio headunits, 2 amps, a trip to Bose and Panasonic reps, the regional tech reps all working on it... the only answer I received to 'how's it going?' was 'it's still sort of in pieces in the shop.'

After spending $80k+ on this car, i'm ready for a Yugo. Low tech yes, but at least you can drive it. Fortunately, the dealer has very generously loaned me a Toyota Corolla to dirve in the meantime. grrrrrrrr.

[Sohoboy]

well, my RS6 that was delivered on 1 Feb has now been in the shop for a total of 9 days while the techs try to determine the source a my radio cutting in/out. 3 radio headunits, 2 amps, a trip to Bose and Panasonic reps, the regional tech reps all working on it... the only answer I received to 'how's it going?' was 'it's still sort of in pieces in the shop.'

After spending $80k+ on this car, i'm ready for a Yugo. Low tech yes, but at least you can drive it. Fortunately, the dealer has very generously loaned me a Toyota Corolla to dirve in the meantime. grrrrrrrr.

[Sohoboy]

well, my RS6 that was delivered on 1 Feb has now been in the shop for a total of 9 days while the techs try to determine the source a my radio cutting in/out. 3 radio headunits, 2 amps, a trip to Bose and Panasonic reps, the regional tech reps all working on it... the only answer I received to 'how's it going?' was 'it's still sort of in pieces in the shop.'

After spending $80k+ on this car, i'm ready for a Yugo. Low tech yes, but at least you can drive it. Fortunately, the dealer has very generously loaned me a Toyota Corolla to dirve in the meantime. grrrrrrrr.