A8 V8- VERY tappety on cold mornings.

[carrotchomper]

Any ideas? There is always a momentary slightly more rattly engine sound when I start up, presumably before the oil has circulated. However at the moment, and particularly today, the engine was noticeably louder for c.5secs.

Any ideas- Right/wrong oil etc? Or should I be checking the oil pump? There are no warning lights coming up and AFAIK the oil level is fine, although I'll check it in the morning (Was fine a couple of weeks ago and didn't seem to have used any for months up to then)


It sounds like a bag of spanners. Not for long. But I'm worried.

[B@fink]

I Hope it's nothing serious! without a pressure gauge i don't know how you'd check oil pump operation but if you don't know what grade oil is in it, swap it out for the correct grade, better safe than sorry! Make sure you also use a quality filter, some cheap pattern filters don't have anti return valves in them and oil can drain back meaning you get a moment of chatter until the oil gets back where it's needed. It's really cold and if the oil is too thick it will only get thicker in cold weather and take longer to get about.

[Conan_the_Librarian]

It is normal for a short spell of tappet sound as the oil pressure builds up and this will be made worse on very cold mornings. It would also be made worse if you were running the wrong oil. The owners handbook gives oil grades based on average tempretures.

[carrotchomper]

Thanks for that. It's a nasty sound when it's really cold The Barge is due an oil change fairly soon anyway so I will make sure the proper grade goes in this time- If in fact it was wrong last time

[Oli18]

i had this on my FL 3.7 QS when i still had it...i wouldn't worry about it...it's just the oil getting around. Like Mike says, make sure to check the oil type just to be sure though

[Architex_mA8tey]

the following threads might help reassure - especially the first - read the service bulliten attachment posted by mike

http://www.tyresmoke.net/forum/audi-...-start-up.html

http://www.tyresmoke.net/forum/audi-...y-running.html

http://www.tyresmoke.net/forum/audi-...old-start.html

[carrotchomper]

Originally Posted by Architex_mA8tey

Useful stuff

Thanks for that . It's difficult to explain but it's a horrible noise- Not even tapping as such, just a bit of a screech which goes away very quickly. The above threads do somewhat make me feel better though.

I have started to think that it's actually not engine related, the engine sounds fine "Underneath"- Could this be anything to do with the gearbox- Low oil or something? Coincidentally it is starting to play up a little- Nothing major, just a few slightly rough changes and a bit of hesitation...

You'll need to put a new "spotted" up soon though- I'm taking the OH's yellow Mini One to and from work for the time being. I don't think the A8 likes the twice-daily run from cold, it's only 2-3 miles to work through heavy traffic. Last tank of fuel did 165 miles on £70...

Having said that, I was due to take it to work on the snowy morning. Glad I took the A8- Only me and a few 4x4s braving it, lesser cars stuck everywhere- I love quattro!

[PsYcHe]

Screech on startup and dodgy shifts sounds like you need a fluid and filter change on the gearbox...

I assume it's a 5-speed?

[Conan_the_Librarian]

Wot he said. If you head said screech at start up the Transmission followed by AC compressor bearings would have been my suggestions. You can bowl out the AC compressor by switching to Econ while the noise is happening. If the noise stops it the AC Compressor.

With the transmission the noise goes away as the box warms up.

[carrotchomper]

Thanks- The noise is very transient- Stops within literally a couple of seconds. I will try the A/C switch if I can within the time it happens. In that case, still likely to be gearbox? If so, how much is a fluid/filter change?

PS. Yes- It's a five speed