Rob's Coupe quattro

I bought an aerosol can of injector cleaner, with the hope that it'd cure the engine running problems. My dad and I spent a good half an hour or so running the engine and spraying the stuff into the air intake (as directed). There didn't seem to be much improvement until I took the car for a run up and down the road a few times. After a few runs along the dual carriageway the car seemed much better. So I went for a drive for 40 miles or so, see how it coped. It was much improved but still not quite right.

In the meantime Steve had been thinking - don't worry, not so much that he hurt himself - and had some ideas.

So I went round to Steve's and he replaced the breather pipe, which we found to be blocked, and then we noticed a jubilee clip that wasn't seated right, and was probably causing an air leak. Those things sorted, I started the engine and it ran lovely! Smooth as a smooth thing! Fantastic! We fitted the air filter and it still ran the same. Oh yes!

Today I've been on a test run - 140 mile round trip to Blackburn, and the car ran fine. Started every time and ran smoothly. Still needs a tune I think, but I love it!

I really don't want to swap it back for my day to day car - an R reg Ford Mondeo.

Update 8th April 2004

I've been putting off swapping back to the Mondeo all week now, running the Audi as my normal car. Initial impressions are good. It's quite loud - which I like, but the exhaust is starting to rattle more and more, and I think it's due for replacement. It also seems to be wobbling about too much, so I need to get under the car and check the hangers.

The car's composed and solid feeling on the motorway - I took it up to 100 (kph again, officer) when I was trying to keep up with a 20 year-old Porsche the other day and it was fine. Handling seems good but the suspension is rather unforgiving of Leeds' potholes!

I don't think there's as much power as there should be, but there is definitely some engine work to be done. Plus if the exhaust is going that could be restricting it.

The original Blaupunkt stereo works! Though the speakers are a bit cheesy - hopefully there's space in the doors for some bigger ones.

As for problems - the only thing that's really annoying is the alarm - which I fitted purely to activate the central locking. I've obviously done something wrong because it keeps locking the doors, and its relay clicks every time I use the indicators because it's trying to sound the siren. I must have misread the amusing Chinese-English manual.

So basically I love it! I love the way it sounds, drives, feels, looks: I would sell the Mondeo tomorrow if I could get away with using the Audi for work.

Update 10th April 2004

I called at National Tyres in Leeds and had three new exhaust hangers put on - it must have been rubbing somewhere because it sounds much better now. I took the opportunity to have a good look around under the car while I was there - mostly it looks in really good shape, but I need to get under there with a wire brush and some Hammerite, stop the surface rust on the front suspension arms getting any worse.

I've sorted the alarm - it was working as it should have been but I didn't connect the wire to the door switches so it was assuming it'd been unlocked and not opened, and therefore re-locking itself.