Should I fit 2nd hand servo?
 

Longstanding engine problem finally traced to air leak in brake servo - looked at online VAG catalog which suggested new servo was 314euros ! :yikes: So went looking for breakers & got 2nd hand servo at a v good price, but am confused as to whether it will fit/work since part numbers all different ! Anyone come across this before - should I be worried or just fit it & hope ?

Broken servo on car has part number 894 612 103A (Girling)
VAG catalog says part no should be 893 612 107A (Girling)
Replacement from breakers has no 893 612 105E (Girling)

Car is 1988/89 B3 80 quattro with ABS, but is my only daily driver, so am nervy of taking it all apart & then finding the replacement servo won't fit, leaving me off the road. Am bit confused since I thought all B3 used the same servo ?? :confused: Or is it just that audi played with their part no.s quite a lot & I'm worrying too much ?

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Hey matey!

I'd call Pete Reeve at Quattro Corner,he may well know.
0121 476 0034

If he doesnt he may have in stock what you need.

Best to be safe ........

Steve:tup:

Thanks Groomus, problem is that whatever he's got in stock, I can't afford it! Hence the servo I got from the breakers. It's really the part number thing that has got me confused, but I don't have access to ETKA etc so really was hoping that someone may have come across a similar problem, or even have a list of part numbers that might say whether the replacement servo part number is the correct part for the car & audi just updated the number at some point

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Sure,just a thought though mate,and a contact wich might be useful in the future.He is shit hot and not pricey.

OK,so try www.vagcat.com
Register as a business using any old name and you wil have access to the older version of ETKA.

I use it all the time.

I'll take a look for you now actually,seeing as I'm sitting here waiting for calls while scratching my balls:p

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OK,it is listed for an 88 car on vagcat.com as a 893612107A

It also lists an 89 car as also needing the same 893612107A

I also checked if the 87 and 90 cars were different and they are also the same.

I would take it back and tell them it is the wrong part.

I cannot find any cross reference on the internet telling us that your new servo is correct.

:shake:

Many thanks again, Groomus - yes, it was vagcat that I checked & came to same conclusion as you as to what the right part number should be, at least when the vagcat was current.

I googled the part number on the servo I took off the car (I've had it 12+ years now & I've never changed the servo) & only got one hit, for a 2nd hand servo being sold for a B3 by a breakers yard in Germany. That part number was not found anywhere in the vagcat, even though it obviously fitted & worked for years. So looks like the broken part was either the wrong one, or had an updated Audi part no.

So then googled the part number on the 2nd hand servo I got from breakers, and got loads of hits for a B3 - all over the world, russia, poland, czech, germany, austria etc, (none in English) which suggests it might be more common/correct for the car than the bit that needs replacing! Just not in the UK

Am wondering now if audi had different part numbers for different countries & both my knackered servo & my 'new' 2nd hand servo were from non-uk cars, since neither numbers match what vagcat reckons it should be. Vagcat even gives the same part no. for a LHD or RHD car, so that shouldn't be why all the numbers are different. Have tried a couple of UK online parts catalogs (Motaquip etc) & they don't recognise any of the numbers. Had a problem finding the 2nd hand bit I’ve got, so might be a right nightmare finding one with the Vagcat number on, esp if there were lots of numbers used for the same bit. Maybe I should try posting somewhere asking if anyone has got access to an up to date audi parts list or database . . ? :confused:

I really recommend you fit new brake parts for your own safety and insurance :razz: I know new parts are expensive but for piece of mind you should fit them:hand:

true amanda, but simply not possible if you can't pay for them . . .

Ok got my disclaimer out of the way :devil:but also scrap dealers may have parts which dont fit or work and charge almost as much as new :shake:

true again, but in my case I paid less than 10% of audi price & got it from a breakers on the other side of the country, who were confident it would fit. I've not found it easy to get non-ur quattro parts without going to audi, which I just can't afford to do. which is why I'm trying to be absolutely sure that the part will fit & work before trying to replace - it's the audi part numbering system that I'm struggling to understand

ok fair comment ..........Others may have suggestions for those numbers I don't

I'd fit it.

The servo is common to almost all 4 and 5 cyl (except 20v) models from 1984 onwards.

thanks, Mikes2 - I'm leaning that way, since I thought the servos were common fitment across most of the range back then - the online VAG catalog seems to back this up, as does the odd/rare/weird part number on the broken servo, which fit/worked even with the wrong part number. I was looking for confirmation thru the part numbers, but they are all so different that I've started thinking I've got the wrong replacement part & taking off the broken one with no working replacement would leave the car off the road, which I can't do because of where I live

Part numbers are not always to be relied on.

Audi frequently change part numbers and consolidate multiple part numbers into a single part number.

I've just gone through a similar issue with servos, and fitted a series 3 80 servo to a series 2 Coupe quattro.

cheers mikes2 - I've been finding that, too. just finished fitting & testing the servo - bitch of a job to bolt to the bulkhead behind pedals, otherwise pretty straightforward. works fantastically well! brakes are much better than they've been in years, even though the fluid & pads were already brand new - I guess the servo must have been on the way out for a long time.

with new servo, no airleak anymore, so the engine runs better than it has done for months too and having to bleed all the hydraulics has also had the by product of making the clutch pedal much lighter too. a right result all round. total cost of £35 including servo & 2litres of fluid = better engine, clutch & brakes!

over the last few months I've had to fit new fuel pump, new rollbar bushes, new rear balljoint, complete set of new injector seals, new HT leads & new front downpipe freshly made in ingolstadt, so car feels almost like new, despite being 21 years old now & all for less than £300 in total. have only had to get one new set of tyres & spend £50 a year in servicing bits for it over the last 12 years, so guess it was time I had to give it some tlc, but unfortunate it needed it when I have no £. just need to tackle pass central locking pump, dodgy mileometer & find appropriate quattro gear box oil. & hope that nowt else goes wrong :smilewinkgrin:

thanks to all on the forum for their help with the servo & the above bits, since no manual I sometimes woulda been lost without you :D