i just got an 04 a4 3.0.... just a few quick questions.... maybe someone can help me out..

when starting the car when its cold... i get a very brief grinding/rattling noise from my engine. maybe 1 or 2 seconds long and it immediately goes away.. i did hear that this is normal for these engines...but im just wondering if in fact its soemthing i should worry about? also, in the first few seconds of starting up, the rpms fluctuate on idle, from 600-900 rpms briefly and then stay at 900...also normal?


i am also getting a slight rattling noise coming from the drivers door..coming from up around the a-pillar ... it only happens during high speeds though :S something to do with wind then i guess....any ideas?

thanks!

 

I would say the initial noise is the fuel pump prepping does it come from the back seat area? And also the motors for the lights turn on turn the ignition on for 5-10 seconds without starting the car and you can hear it then and then start the car after. rpms fluctuating on cold starts is normal, it starts at 900 then drops to 600 when the car is warmed up on a cold day.

The noise coming from the top I would check your "Oh $hit bar" that you hold on to and try and hold it up against the roof lining and see if it goes away.

 

I have the same model and year also and I get the same noise on start up. I've also been told it's normal in the 3.0 but the sound scares the hell out of me. If I shut the car off and restart it's smooth as buttah. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

the noise is coming from the drive shaft running from the power head to the prop. When there is no load on the shaft and gears, i.e., when the motor is idling, the shaft is rattling around in the lower unit. Putting the motor in gear "binds" the shaft against the gears and noise goes away.