[s-cars] Choosing a mechanic

Tue Dec 11 16:38:15 PST 2007

Hi Floyd,

Any compression tester will come with basic instructions. In short:
- Buy a compression tester.
- Remove the plug on all injectors.
- Remove the coils
- Remove all the spark plugs
- Plug the compression starter on the first cylinder
- Swith the starter on until the compression doesn't increase.
- Take note of the reading
- Move to the next cylinder

IME, it sounds like head gasket or cylinder ring failure. Valve guides are
another source of burnt oil but it usually smoke for 1-2 minutes only on a
cold start. Once you've tested the compression on all cylinders once, add a
spoon of oil in each cylinder and test again. If the compression rise on the
low reading cylinder, there's a good chance it's the cylinder rings. If you
get the same reading, there's a good chance it's the head gasket. Note that
I said "there's a good chance" since I had once false diagnosis from this
way to segregate lower end leaks from head leaks.

The list will certainly enrich the diagnosis procedure but that's a start.

Vincent

-----Message d'origine-----
De : s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
[mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] De la part de Floyd Noel
Envoyé : 11 décembre 2007 14:24
À : Tom Green
Cc : s-car-list
Objet : Re: [s-cars] Choosing a mechanic

Yes, I'm still trying to learn everything I can right now. Of course,  
all the resources are scattered. I've been searching for a couple of  
weeks on how to do a compression or leakdown test, to no avail. But  
I've got the day off today so hopefully I can figure it out. I just  
took the hose off of the turbo and tried to wiggle the shaft (I think)  
and it wouldn't move, although when I took the hose off there was a  
little bit of oil in there, but barely any so I think it's a normal  
amount. I want to replace the spark plugs and see what they look like,  
but I still need to buy new plugs. Plus I read that I should do a  
compression test while I'm changing them, and I still need to find  
instructions for that. As far as the smoking goes, it mostly happens  
when it's cold, so I wasn't sure if it was related to that, but it  
pours out huge clouds of smoke when I'm stopped at lights, etc. After  
the car warms up a bit it's not so bad, but I can still see it coming  
out of the exhaust. Also it reeks of fuel near the tailpipe. And the  
engine bay smells weird, I get a waft of it when I step out of the  
car, like burning rubber or plastic or something (maybe coolant?)  but  
I'm never low anything, except maybe going through oil quickly. It  
never seems to leak much, though. So of course any tips or things I  
can check out myself are appreciated.

R/S
Floyd Noel
Sgt/USMC

On Dec 11, 2007, at 8:17, Tom Green <trgreen at comcast.net> wrote:

> Floyd,
>
> Sorry, I don't have a personal recommendation for someone in the  
> immediate
> area to do maintenance.  You are in the enviable position to have  
> 2Bennett in
> the area in Davis and Dad's salvage for parts in the Sacramento  
> area.  You
> won't find a more competent and honest outfit than 2Bennett for  
> routine stuff
> or performance work.
>
> There are many parts that are still best obtained from the dealer,  
> so a good
> relationship with one can be handy.  Several offer discounts and do  
> a brisk
> internet or phone order service that may meet your needs. You are  
> probably
> already finding that a ready supply of parts down the street  
> probably doesn't
> exist so you will need to order parts before the repair is performed  
> if it is to
> be done in a timely manner, even at the dealer.
>
> You are the most trusted mechanic for your car, and even if you  
> aren't doing
> the work yourself, the better informed you are about the problems  
> the better
> any service will be performed.  Much of the diagnosis is just basic  
> auto
> repair to start with then some of the FAQ advice for specific areas  
> before you
> ever need the repair manual.
>
> All that said, are there any suspects for your smoking problem?  Any  
> problems
> with performance?  Smoking on start?  Continuous?  On hard  
> acceleration?
> Oil use?  Type?  Embarrassingly large cloud?  In danger of failing   
> CA smog?
>
> After answering all those questions and a thorough troubleshooting  
> with a
> compression and leak down check, you may be no closer to pinning down
> the actual cause between the usual suspects of turbo or internal  
> engine
> valves or rings without a look (disassembly) because at higher  
> mileage, all
> these will contribute some oil use that is unnoticeable  
> individually, but shows
> up in the aggregate.
>
> You may be lucky enough to find the turbo shaft wobbles so much that  
> oil would
> surely get by the seal and a replacement would eliminate most of the  
> smoke.
> Hopefully you will find a straightforward solution to your problem  
> and a trusted
> tech to do the work.
>
> Tom
>
>> Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:39:49 -0800
>> From: Floyd Noel <floyd.noel at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [s-cars] Choosing a mechanic
>> To: s-car-list <s-car-list at audifans.com>
>> Message-ID: <79916A66-B010-4838-9E08-46B7D2F6328C at gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset=US-ASCII;    format=flowed;     
>> delsp=yes
>>
>> I'm in Santa Rosa, CA, which is in the North Bay of SF. And I'll make
>> sure to stay away from the dealers, I've run into a few people that
>> tried to tell me that my car doesn't exist, or think that it must be
>> small (since it's an S4). Thanks
>>
>> R/S
>> Floyd Noel
>> Sgt/USMC
>>
>> On Dec 10, 2007, at 12:25, chris chambers
>> <fastscirocco_2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Floyd,
>>>
>>> Stay away from the dealer, odds are they won't have a mechanic
>>> that is familiar with your car. In fact they might claim no such
>>> car ever existed!
>>>
>>> Where are you at, it'll make it easier for informed listers to
>>> provide a recommended mechanic if they know where you are.
>>>
>>> Regards
>>> Chris
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --- Floyd Noel <floyd.noel at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hello Listers,
>>>> I am in need of a mechanic for my urS4, and was wondering if anyone
>>>> that's BTDT had some advice on choosing one for these cars, or if I
>>>> should just take it to a dealer. There's a lot of smoke coming  
>>>> out of
>>>>
>>>> the tail end these days.... TIA
>>>>
>>>> R/S
>>>> Floyd Noel
>>>> Sgt/USMC
>
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