If you want any help or advise on looking for an S4 (brilliant car by the way) I'd be happy to send you any info you want. I do alot of these. Great car but a few common faults to keep ya eye on.
The heat shields were a problem on early models, usually the ones that still had single hole injectors (which were an issue too). The heat shields needed replacing with modified units and req'd engine removal to fit properly!
Under bonnet temperature were the biggest plague for designers with the S4 engine so be sure no one's just hackem em off!!
A few faults are:
-Poor injectors cause carbon balls to build up under the exhaust valves and valve burn out.
-Throttle body boots split
-Charge control system non return valves fail
-Boost leaks on intercooler pipework
-Non pressurised air leak on feed pipes to turbo
-Oil pump pick up gauze blocking - Causes blockage to cams and variators
-Ingress of air on inlet manifold causing poor fuelling at trailing throttle and boost leak under load
-Poor quality fuel and crap remaps - AVOID!!!!
-Cylinder heads can crack
-N245 (ReCirc valve charge regulation valve) fails
-Split reCirc Valves (MUST not have atmospheric dump valves fitted!!!)
-Obvious things like air mass meters
-Dash pods fail on DIS (like most B5's)
Rear Diff' leaks
-Top, front suspension arms ball joints fail
-Lower front bearing arm ball joints go (£130 an arm!!)
There's a fair bit to check for but a good one is a BRILLIANT and very underrated car. I would (and did) have one of these over an RS4. With a GOOD remap they have almost no lag and huge torque. Althought they have less grip than an RS4 ultimately, they handle better in my opinion and respond more quickly to inputs (on the road atleast...)
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