[A Story of...] The S8 Project

[M-A8]

It has been pointed out to me that I ‘’forgot’ to tell everyone about new member of my family and I jumped straight away to a decoke and manifold flaps threads, so here it is:
A story of a 2006 D3 S8

Let’s start from full spec:
- Black interior with extended leather, Alacantra headlining, Carbon trim and aluminium pack 2
- Sport heated seats
- Wide dis cluster with Digital Speedo
- Bang & Olufsen
- Digital TV
- DAB Radio
- Rear View Camera
- Fingerprint Start button
- Bluetooth
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring
- Soft Close doors
- Auto Boot
- Ceramic brakes !!!
- Glass sunroof
- 4 Zone AC
- Rear screen and door’s electric blinds
- Home Link (works great with automatic gates)
- Twin mirror sun visors
- AMI
- Ski hatch

Just before the summer I was gasping for a project over summer holidays just to stay away from working like crazy like I always do and one day Del sent me a link to this interesting S8 up for sale on auction. It has been advertised as nonrunner due to timing chain. I thought OK, let’s see how the auction evolves over the next week or so, but very quickly realised that auction ends on my birthday, well we know how this is going to end.
Earlier on this year due to new business idea I had to postpone a purchase of a 3 year old D4 S8, I had 3 lovely examples lined up, but future and my family is more important to me than latest ish car…but just about more important by a tiny bit. So with a little grumpy face since then I was just hungry for something to do.
On my birthday I stayed at home while little one was at school and missus at work, I took a shower hour before auction's end to get ready for some serious sweating and I sat in my pants on the sofa ready for some fireworks. I’ve had million different ideas running thru my head about what to do with the car if I get it. Most of them made no sense such as taking the best bits for my A8 as I’ve been after all S8 stuff, and then sell it on. Repair and sell it, keep it and all sorts, I did not had a plan, but I was after some gamble/project so I set my budget to £7,111 for a S8 with some serious engine issues. WTF ?? some mates said, but I was sticking to it, it was my birthday on the end of the day and I was having it.
BOOM, bid of £6,600 got the job done and two things happened to my body straight away, a smile appeared on my face and sweat on the back of my neck.
I’ve been kindly asked to pay £100 deposit which I did, but also I have notified the other party that next day I am going to F1 Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone for the whole weekend and straight after that I am taking family with friends on holidays for 10days so I won’t be able to come for over 2 weeks what I've been told wasn’t a problem. My initial reaction was crap, I do kind of want this deal to fail as there was a bit of regret the next day, but then considering the money it went for, I said OK and I went off to Silverstone with my mate. Watching GP3, GP2, Porsche and F1 cars all weekend suddenly got me excited again, it is a V10 we talking about here on the end of the day.
So after holidays I asked my mate if he fancy a 500miles trip there and back to Preston to pick up a car with me (he is S/RS maniac driving RS4 by the way) ? He asked what car? I said S8. He was like hell yeah!!! I said sweet and told him to give me two days to organise things.
I booked a truck to meet us at the destination for 1pm and considering I haven’t driven the new A3 much I though what the heck, lets take the little one for a road trip. Surprisingly the S-Line seats along with the sport suspension on the little car has been fantastic, we both came back kind of rested with no back pains whatsoever. Anyway...

So, here it is, the first shot of her late evening that day on the back of the trailer and later on the driveway.





And the filthy engine bay which got me a bit emotional.



So, the feedback I got was that timing chains need doing along with the manifold and both were clearly audible, but... I wasn’t aware of the full spec when I was bidding on it so with some mental support from Del and Scott the idea of taking the engine out and sorting the chains was on the table very quickly, mainly because of everyone telling me to keep her after not getting D4 S8 earlier on in the year. So a list of all the specialist tools has been made along with the decision of taking the V10 out - some said two gambles on one car, you are crazy! The only one guy who had his pants dry throughout was Del
.
First item on the list was to take the T piece and have a look inside the manifold to see what’s cooking there and oh well, this is what I found...



...a broken inlet manifold flap with others, one row only tho, in a poor state as well and on the edge of breaking off.



So very quickly this evolved to a full rebuild of the manifold and deleting the flaps.
Full info in this thread

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12128











I’ve also noticed a missing secure clip on the end of variable inlet flaps arm so I got all 3 replaced after quick call to Audi day earlier.





But, because the manifold was out exposing all inlets in a bot of the coked up state, it only made sense to do the full decoke especially that manifold was already fully cleaned in and out, I mean every corner every gap.
So a decoke process took place with a great result.
Full info in this thread

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=12123

So this...









…turned into this.







And this is where it got very interesting.
After putting everything back together came the moment to 100% confirm that chains need doing and oh boy, what a surprise – the noise has completely gone. I even asked my mate to come over and listen to it and we both could not not hear a thing!!! Engine was just ticking over nicely in idle and mid range rpms with no odd sounds !!!
So we took a step back, had a cuppa and a smoke, started the engine again this time playing a bit with the throttle just to get the chains to rattle a bit, at least once, but they were not having it so we looked at each other and just couldn’t believe it.
And this was a game changer, now this car wasn’t going anywhere or be a donor or whatever, she was staying !!!
So on that note time came to service the engine and clean the bloody thing as it was driving me mad.
Off I went to Audi to get her a new oil separator and new coil packs.



I have also ordered 10x NGK Platinum spark plugs and new air filters and started cleaning every bit of the engine bay inc. air boxes, hoses, harnesses, plugs, you name it.



Spark plug holes were a bit filthy so I got them cleaned as well and fitted new spark plugs.





But before I did that I thought it won’t harm sticking camera down the cylinders just to have a peak.











Now it was time for the compression test on each of the cylinders to check for any invisible on the camera wear and to prove that mileage on these engines and any other V8s is a bit of a myth if car is cared for and well maintained.
Mileage is 160k.
In the meantime I found out the story of the car from multiple sources and car has been purchased on the 24th of December 2006 by a country man who paid just over £100k for it and straight away had some paint protecting coating applied (not that it lasted 10 years) and also had a very good tracker fitted. I've got receipts for everything, every visit at Audi and every purchase inc. two new S8 wheels after he scuffed them. My mate from Audi look thru the history and found no serious repairs done on the car apart that guy been to the dealer throughout the years 40 times with every single issue he though he had. Audi did tho replaced a complete steering rack for him what looked like result of him moaning, fair play to the guy. Don’t know what kind of business he was involved in, but miles were down to constant journeys London-Manchester-London, plus he had no wife and no kids so interior is in very very good condition inc. driver’s seat due to the fact he wasn’t a big man so wear is minimum as well.

So, to the compression test.
Both full pumps disconnected, engine position sensor located between the gearbox and engine underneath disconnected. Spark plugs and coil packs removed. Mate with the gauge by the engine..3 2 1 go !!!
As per manual when engines is new, the compression on each cylinder is anywhere between 10-14bar and the wear limit is about 9bar.
So I was well chuffed with the following result, which as it happens are almost identical (0.25bar off) to Del’s results on almost identical S8 with nearly 100k miles difference.
Cylinder 1 – 12.25 bar
Cylinder 2 – 12.5 bar
Cylinder 3 – 12.75 bar
Cylinder 4 – 12.5 bar
Cylinder 5 – 12.5 bar
Cylinder 6 – 12.5 bar
Cylinder 7 – 12.75 bar
Cylinder 8 – 12.5 bar
Cylinder 9 – 12.75 bar
Cylinder 10 – 12.75 bar

With these results it was time to put it all back together again, wipe the engine - again !!! (I know, I can’t stand myself sometimes as well).
Next on the list was suspension light on the instrument cluster.



Thankfully it was only a faulty level sensor on the rear wheel which explained why @ss was siting so low.



After sorting that it was time to do the suspension calibration while cheating on the values a little so the car can sit a bit lower by entering slightly higher readings, something I’m not 100% happy yet and it’s on my list to do – lower it slightly more.

That’s car going up to lift mode before calibrating suspension for the 4th or 5th time just go get the values within less than 5mm between the wheels for each axle.



So after sorting that and instrument cluster showing no faults I’ve realised there is something missing here….ah yeah, chrome steering wheel buttons and my beloved custom paddles from US. Not everyone likes them, but I do, plus I use paddles a lot and they are sooooooooooo much better and sooooooooo much more comfortable than standard paddles it’s just unreal. It just feels so much better and more solid not like the standard A8/S8 plastic clicking almost identical to some budget gaming steering wheel.



Next on the list were of course the tail pipes, another thing I can’t stand being filthy.
Here they are before...



...and after



Next were the FL tail lights, in my opinion a must on any PF A8 or S8, they just change the look of the car so much is unreal.



After that she went straight to MOT station on the back of the truck for her first MOT which was expired before I even went to pick her up.
She passed with only advisory note regarding the rear pads being very low.
Ruining ceramic discs is last thing you want so I called Audi to get me a set - £275 with a good discount just for the rear pads, OUCH !

And here she is on her first test drive with the rear end looking sweet and clean.



This is where I was able (it was hard not to) to add the rear wheel bearings to the list before taking here to my Audi guys for a proper service, they were loud and giving a bit of vibrations.
Before the trip across London she obviously deserved a good clean that included leather deep clean and yes, the famous two coats of balm/conditioner inc. buffing between the coats and one on the end.
She only has been clayed and washed in and out for now and a just a coat of Maquiers ultimate detailer (she is still due a good wax).
Ah, and the wheels of course, I love my wheels !!!




And obviously the engine bay which looked like that all over...



…to look like that after.






So the next was the service (over 3 days) where she had:
- Every door boot bonnet hinged lubricated
- Checked entire underbody and every component inc. any software updates
- Oil change and filter
- Gearbox service
- Dif oil change
- Rear pads
- Rear wheel bearings
- Alternator belt change
- Air Con service
- Brake fluid change
- Coolant change
- One of the radiator fans wiring repaired
- Suspension’s compressor piston ring changed

Then following weekend she has been visited by her two sister, one almost identical look and spec wise, and a slightly younger one...



...where after some beers and this...



…we went for a little test drive in Ollies S8 to check out his new little exhaust mod and what a difference it makes just be removing two small resonators !!!
So following week I took her to Fast Lane Styling where Ollie had his done for rear resonators delete (not back boxes).
When driving around the city without getting pumped up there is only a slight difference, but when you floor it OH MY GOOOOOD !!! She sounds gorgeous!

Soon after that she needed also new brake light switch and been treated to brand new Varta battery.

To my surprise everything works, every Kessy door handle, every fibre optic mood light strip, all the electronics, mechanically she is good as gold.

It was a great great project overall, but I have to say a lot of it is down to fantastic mental support from Del and Scott, they both kept me going and shared their knowledge which made all this hard work not so hard on the end.