Help buying 2009 3.0 TDI Quattro

[LookingForAudi]

Considering buying a 2009 Audi A4 3.0 TDI (240hk) Manual with Quattro.

It has around 276,000km (171,500 miles). For about €6800. Should I be worried about the high miles? Seen a lot of them at around 350,000km (220,000 miles) and some going as high as 450,000km (280,000 miles).

Found a company that claims they can do stage 3 and the numbers are:
350hk
720nm
Another company does stage 2 with numbers:
340hk
690nm


Overall I love how it looks I’m just worried it will fail on me.

 

[ninjag]

My first thought would be what was it towing? I would also try my best to make sure a car of that age with that mileage is in tip top condition before considering a stage 2 or 3 (is stage 3 even worth it for such small gains over stage 2?)

 

[LookingForAudi]

My first thought would be what was it towing? I would also try my best to make sure a car of that age with that mileage is in tip top condition before considering a stage 2 or 3 (is stage 3 even worth it for such small gains over stage 2?)

No idea what or if it has towed anything special.
The first company I found and that does stage 3 does stage 2 with smaller numbers than the other company. 320hk and 630nm but compared to the other company that does stage 2 with 340hk and 690nm stage 3 can’t be worth the money I guess. I’m not that knowledgeable about tuning. For stage 3 I would need a new turbo right?

 

[ninjag]

No idea what or if it has towed anything special.
The first company I found and that does stage 3 does stage 2 with smaller numbers than the other company. 320hk and 630nm but compared to the other company that does stage 2 with 340hk and 690nm stage 3 can’t be worth the money I guess. I’m not that knowledgeable about tuning. For stage 3 I would need a new turbo right?

I would be looking a the max specs for various component first such as the injectors, fuel pump etc. A simple Stage 1 should get you 300bhp and just shy of 600Nm of torque, maybe it's worth starting there before delving into new external parts (for Stage 2) and engine internals (Stage 3)?

I'm not familiar with this engine but I would have thought closer to 400bhp for Stage 3?

 

[LookingForAudi]

I would be looking a the max specs for various component first such as the injectors, fuel pump etc. A simple Stage 1 should get you 300bhp and just shy of 600Nm of torque, maybe it's worth starting there before delving into new external parts (for Stage 2) and engine internals (Stage 3)?

I'm not familiar with this engine but I would have thought closer to 400bhp for Stage 3?

I will probably do a stage 1 first and wait until I know what I want for stage 2/3. I saw one of these with stage 2 around 320bhp and fuel consumption of about 39,2mpg(0,6L/10km)

Stage 1:
Company A offers 300bhp 600nm for $490
Company B offers 295bhp 595nm for $640
So you’re right there.

This car stock about: 42mpg(0,67L/10km)

I have not yet found a company to get more than 350bhp stage 3. There is a video of this engine claiming it has 400bhp and 600lb/ft(813nm). And a fuel consumption of 50mpg(0,47L/10km).

Video mentioned above:

 

[ninjag]

I'm sure I read somewhere that 350bhp is the limit for stock injectors? Don't know for sure though. But if you are looking for 400bhp+ then I'd be thinking that the cost of achieving this could make it better to just look for an S4 and do a Stage 1 remap. Economy won't be quite so good but it will sound a lot better lol

 

[desertstorm]

Big limit on power is the DPF. With 170K miles on it I bet it's pretty full up depending on the state of the engine and the oil used for servicing. Are DPF's required for emissions where you live?. Being a 2009 car possibly have the CAWA , CAWB engine which is the CP4 pump so not as good as the earlier CAPA CP1 pump like on my car.
If the car has a DPF you can check the state of it with VCDS . My car has been running 380bhp and 750Nm on a hybrid turbo for a few years now.
It's a manual so I asked for the 750Nm limit to help the clutch out. You can tune for more but I use mine for towing and this can put a lot more stress on the clutch.
You need to make sure the chains on the back of the engine are OK. Parts are expensive to do the job and it's an engine out job.
Mines on nearly 140K miles and still going strong.

 

[LookingForAudi]

Big limit on power is the DPF. With 170K miles on it I bet it's pretty full up depending on the state of the engine and the oil used for servicing. Are DPF's required for emissions where you live?. Being a 2009 car possibly have the CAWA , CAWB engine which is the CP4 pump so not as good as the earlier CAPA CP1 pump like on my car.
If the car has a DPF you can check the state of it with VCDS . My car has been running 380bhp and 750Nm on a hybrid turbo for a few years now.
It's a manual so I asked for the 750Nm limit to help the clutch out. You can tune for more but I use mine for towing and this can put a lot more stress on the clutch.
You need to make sure the chains on the back of the engine are OK. Parts are expensive to do the job and it's an engine out job.
Mines on nearly 140K miles and still going strong.

View attachment 247486

Sorry for late answer I feel you can really help me out. Engine code is CCWA if that says something. It has DPF.
What’s your mileage?

I live in Sweden not sure about DPF law but I would guess it is needed. We had a DPF law pass in September 2009 that required cars to have a DPF. But this car is made before May 2009 so no idea how that works.

You can download “car.info” on AppStore, not sure if it’s on play store and search for registration number: JSX653
It gives a huge amount of information. You can choose English language. I really appreciate all the help I can get.

 

[LookingForAudi]

Should I be worried about it having 171.5k miles? I’m not buying it to tune it a lot, probably won’t do more than stage 1. Just don’t want it to fail on me

 

[LookingForAudi]

When I look the car up on car.info app the namn is:
”Audi A4 Sedan 3.0 TDI V6 DPF quattro Manuell, 239hk, 2009”

For clearity
Manuell = Stick, not automatic

 

[pelhamsdetailing]

As desert says, you'd need to check the requirements set by your country. Here in the UK, for example, if the car was fitted with a DPF from factory, it needs one fitted to pass our mandatory per year inspection at an authorised garage (called an 'MOT'). They do both an exhaust emissions test and a visual inspection, the latter to check if the DPF is fitted. I have read of people passing both these tests due to a good, not smokey remap, as well as gutting the internals of their DPF and leaving it fitted. A popular tuner of the engines has said that 320BHP is the absolute limit with the DPF fitted, if memory is serving me correctly. With it gutted or removed entirely, you can go beyond this.

Any car with high mileage should be approached with caution. If you're not looking to do more than a stage 2, then realistically, the fuel pump in this engine wont be a problem. They're not as good of a fuel pump as desert mentioned, but they work. If there's little to almost no timing chain rattle, ultimately it is up to you to make the call. After owning a CAPA-based 3.0TDI A5 and getting to know it, when I do buy another one, I am willing to change the timing chains or fuel pump knowing they could need doing sooner than later.

 

[LookingForAudi]

As desert says, you'd need to check the requirements set by your country. Here in the UK, for example, if the car was fitted with a DPF from factory, it needs one fitted to pass our mandatory per year inspection at an authorised garage (called an 'MOT'). They do both an exhaust emissions test and a visual inspection, the latter to check if the DPF is fitted. I have read of people passing both these tests due to a good, not smokey remap, as well as gutting the internals of their DPF and leaving it fitted.

Any car with high mileage should be approached with caution. If you're not looking to do more than a stage 2, then realistically, the fuel pump in this engine wont be a problem. They're not as good of a fuel pump as desert mentioned, but they work. If there's little to almost no timing chain rattle, ultimately it is up to you to make the call. After owning a CAPA-based 3.0TDI A5 and getting to know it, when I do buy another one, I am willing to change the timing chains or fuel pump knowing they could need doing sooner than later.

I am not very familiar with Diesel engines in general so I’m not sure how the 3.0 TDI should sound. My friend has a 2018 Audi A4 2.0 TDI and I thought that sounded weird, due to the sound of a diesel I believe.

 

[pelhamsdetailing]

Here is an example of timing chain rattle on a cold start up:

 

[LookingForAudi]

Here is an example of timing chain rattle on a cold start up:

Thanks, I see comments about it being okay for it to rattle a second before oils heats up for tensioners and what not. Is that true? Worst part is I don’t really hear it to be that different than my friends 2.0 TDI

 

[pelhamsdetailing]

That is correct. As for sound, do you mean engine sound in general? These have more of a grumble to them, but it'll still sound like a diesel with both the DPF and muffler in place and intact.

With them removed it's a lot more lively.

 

[LookingForAudi]

That is correct. As for sound, do you mean engine sound in general? These have more of a grumble to them, but it'll still sound like a diesel with both the DPF and muffler in place and intact.

With them removed it's a lot more lively.

I think I hear the rattle on the video now, it rattles for like 1-2 seconds at the first start? Then it sounds normal?

Yeah I would bet, 99% sure I can’t legally remove the DPF tho, no idea about the muffler

 

[pelhamsdetailing]

Yep, a rattle for 1 -2 seconds at most, and then the tensioners gain pressure and the rattle disappears. If the rattle persisted for much longer or was constant, it would be in need of changing sooner than later.

Removing the muffler on these engines does nothing as the DPF is the main sound reducer. You could get away with the DPF being gutted but not physically removed so that it visually appears to be in place, and then weld a straight pipe through the two rear back boxes so that they also appear to be fitted and standard. Of course it won't sound standard, and ultimately, you'd need to speak with someone on here from your country or with the tuning companies regarding what will and wont legally pass.

 

[LookingForAudi]

Yep, a rattle for 1 -2 seconds at most, and then the tensioners gain pressure and the rattle disappears. If the rattle persisted for much longer or was constant, it would be in need of changing sooner than later.

Removing the muffler on these engines does nothing as the DPF is the main sound reducer. You could get away with the DPF being gutted but not physically removed so that it visually appears to be in place, and then weld a straight pipe through the two rear back boxes so that they also appear to be fitted and standard. Of course it won't sound standard, and ultimately, you'd need to speak with someone on here from your country or with the tuning companies regarding what will and wont legally pass.

I feel like I’m better prepared now this was my only concern not being able to know what the rattle sounds like. Thanks a lot

 

[R0cket]

Mine has 220k on it currently and drives lovely. It’s just the bodywork and alloys that need love. Interior is damage free and freaky hides it’s age.
I just had a clutch and dmf done that wasn’t cheap but hey ho. I guess I’ll keep it now