RIP the Blue Bruiser

Audi Nut Joined: Oct 06, 2003 Posts: 77 Location: UK

Hey Hey Folks .....

This could be the last ever pic of the UNiCOM S4. After tens years of faithful service, and now with just over 200k on the clock, the 'Blue Bruiser' today failed her MOT 'engine emissions' test.

Though the family is totally devastated, we've decided to have her put down.

R.I.P old gal!

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:35 pm

It is a sad day indeed... Crying or Very sad

We shall pray for the soul and condolences to the family

glasses5

Site Moderator Joined: Aug 11, 2008 Posts: 1652

Camped on the site Joined: Sep 06, 2008 Posts: 368

nooooo dont do it! Emissions isnt that big a deal unless you can see them, its prob just lambda sensor or something...

if you do break it, please can I have first shout on the eibachs and konis?

Audi Nut Joined: Oct 06, 2003 Posts: 77 Location: UK

Wish it was that simple! ... though you'd never know it in terms of performance or oil pressure etc, the engine is visibly burning oil when driven hard.

Have been quoted £1200 [mostly labour!] for a full strip and rebuild but just can't get around being without the car during the x2 weeks it would take to complete.

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 9:02 am

although 200k for a performance car with no rebuilds is admirable.

Do you suspect the valve stems? or just suspect it to be expensive! shame but near on a decade of motoring is fantastic.

Are you breaking it as well, seems to be no end of S4's being broken just now. About to pass 195k this week in mine recently purchased new wings and bumper to bring the bodywork back from the brink after a brutal scottish winter destroyed them.

I salute you blue bruiser..
mine is known as the battle bus by the kids!
Question is, what replaces it? I do fancy a C5 S6 avant.. nice efficent V8, relatively cheap at the moment too.

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:06 pm

is it not worth selling to an enthusiast for "resurrection"?

Needs to get out more Joined: Feb 18, 2010 Posts: 130

get a top-end overhaul. I will now keep mine to the grave.

Audi Nut Joined: Oct 06, 2003 Posts: 77 Location: UK

audidoc - Yes I'm slowly coming around to that way of thinking. Indeed, with so much life left in the rest of her it seems kinda crazy to anything else really. Just couldn't bear to 'break' it!

Despite the fact that the registration, running gear, suspension, ECU and exhaust are probably worth £2k+ alone, am gonna put it on the market at £1500 with the plate [671 CHT] or £1000 without.

Spread the word! Wink

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 12:05 pm

If you really want to sell it put an ad up on all the forums, S2forum most likely to get the most interest. Although there are 3 ads there I have seen for urs4/S6's neing broken in the last week.

No doubt its paid for itself with a decade of motoring, just owning it that long is a fair testiment.

punt me a pm there are a few of us urS4/6 guys about hunting for bits endlessly!

Audi Nut Joined: Dec 01, 2009 Posts: 90

Email sent

Cheers

Gez

Audi Nut Joined: Oct 06, 2003 Posts: 77 Location: UK

Hey Hey All ...

I've posted an archive of previously published pics here ...

http://www.unicomsystems.co.uk/UNiCOMS4_Archive01/index.html

Note - Taken this afternoon, the last x15 were shot specifically to show the car off at its very worst.

The general consensus now seems to be that the problem lays with the valve stem oil seals alone as to this day, the oil pressure, temp and cylinder compressions are all well within manufactures spec'.

Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:34 am

great set of photos unicom, but i wouldnt expect any less followed your user name, guess you are a photographer anyway.

the engine bay looks frankly amazing, good looking car. and a nice catalogue of pictures for us to reference. its generated a lot of interest already on here and other sites as many of us frequent abougt half a dozen or so key sites. i say it on pistonheads as well.

Assume that you are going to let her go in that case. Valve stems are a big job, ultimately why i sold my A6 as they were on the way oiut on that car also.

Tiny question. What springs are you using? I was on H&R which are FAR too lopw but went back to standard springs last month which sits a LOt higher but means i can get in and out of mountain car parks now.

Audi Nut Joined: Oct 06, 2003 Posts: 77 Location: UK

istoo : After a good deal of research I ended up with a Koni & Eibach setup. A tad softer than a Koni & H&R combo .... but a tad taller too!

Even so, newly installed speed humps need a cautious approach. Wink

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:00 pm

Thanks. Taller I prefer now TBH, H&R is just too low for my needs, looks great but practically hopeless.

Any conclusion on what your doing with it, its generated a lot of intereste don here and other forums and designated as a must save.. although that hinges on someone actually forking up the cash. We also both know how much all the wee bits cost to put right. That said its an enthusiasts car through and through moreso now as bits are a PITA to get a hold of. That all said, when they are sorted they are a really really great car.

Whats replacing it? cough, V8 S6, cough.

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Aug 12, 2006 Posts: 803

stem seals on these engines can be done fairly easily,dont have to take the head off to do them.Just a couple of special tools needed,if you can borrow the tools this car could be sorted for less than £15 in parts

Sadly i dont have access to them at present or you could have borrowed them

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:12 am

noted, thats good to hear.

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 9:44 am

amazing pic's of the car in its prime. would be a real shame to see it broken.

mark

Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 1:23 pm

how bad are the emissions? worth a £45 punt to another mot station etc? anything to avoid head off

(my 100 avant had same problem at 205k)

Audi Nut Joined: Dec 01, 2009 Posts: 90

I'm hoping to buy this, what special tools are required? I'll try Bladerunner, see if he has the necessary tools/skills

Audi Nut Joined: Oct 06, 2003 Posts: 77 Location: UK

By way of email, PM, postings and phone I've had a awesome response to the Bruisers plight ... both words of wisdom and offers of new homes. Cheers guys!

The cards are very much in the air right now but will keep you posted as to eventual outcome. Blue Bruiser II? ... watch this space!

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:45 am

on petrol engines the rope trick (usually used for crank pulley bolt on automatics), will work well, and you don't need an Indian snake charmer either Laughing

On the tdi I made a simple airline attachment to hold the valves closed with compressed air, and compressed the springs to remove the collets with an aluminium bar some steel brackets on the cam cap bolts and the end of a standard spring compressor..

see below link for images

http://www.audifans.net/ftopict-30441-.html

The Rope Trick

This is only possible on spark ignition engines not diesel..

Engine at top dead centre no 1 piston, if unsure remove cam cover and check both valves on no 1 position are fully closed, cam lobes pointing upwards

All spark plugs removed.

Source a length of flexible rope, of about mains cord thickness, couple of meters should suffice, ensure it contains no metals.

Assuming crank sprocket / pulley bolt is normal right hand thread, (the majority are), turn engine about a 1/4 of a turn past TDC (90°) so piston 1 is now about 1/2 way down it's bore past TDC.

Feed in as much rope as you can via the spark plug hole remembering to leave a least 6 inches hanging out.

Now use your breaker bar to turn engine back (anticlockwise) towards TDC again, and you will soon get to a point where the rope is compressed as much as it can be and the engine will be locked, all "undoing" effort will be focused on the sprocket / pulley bolt

If you managed to go past TDC repeat process with more rope, and no.1 piston a bit further down it's bore before feeding in the rope.

There you have "The Rope Trick"......... never failed me, and not an Indian in sight Cool

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:29 am

i would love to see it saved so to speak.
I bought a type 89 90 quattro which was destined for the scrapyard, was it economically worth it.. not by a long shot. Was it worth it for what i now have... bloody right!

Ropetrick, hats off squire. I can see this man saving a lot of cars.

on a TOTAL tangent. Speaking on indians... i watched "the worlds fastest indian" last night, what a great film and oddly related to the mad home brew ingenuity going on here.

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:13 pm

i hear its gone to another S4/6 owner?

Site Moderator Joined: Aug 11, 2008 Posts: 1652

hope so!!

off topic and back onto indians, i watched comanche on the telly today lol a proper olde cowboy film Very Happy

Audi Nut Joined: Oct 06, 2003 Posts: 77 Location: UK

Yep, the Blue Bruiser is off to a new home ... and a good one too by the sound of things.

A happy outcome for all concerned .... Wink

Audi Nut Joined: Dec 01, 2009 Posts: 90

Great news, gutted its not me Sad

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:00 pm

SO.... whats next! Similar vain or something completely different?

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:34 pm

Glad she is being saved Very Happy

.. and I've just consumed a rather nice Lamb Madras continuing the indian theme Wink

Posted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:05 pm

Dehli Belly? Wink