[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

(WTB: 3a from Audi 80) - Now ABA vs. 3A



David, we're talking about problems COMPARING an ABA vs a 3A.  I don't
doubt that there's problems that come up from time to time with ANY
engine.  I don't dispute the fact that you've seen problems with the
ABA.  This is your experience.  But what's your experience with the 3A?
What we're talking about here is a direct comparison between two engines
- one of which is relatively rare.  You may consider the ABA "soft", but
against what?  What I'm trying to prevent here is someone deciding to go
with the 3A because they heard that the ABA's have ring problems.  ANY
engine will have "X" number of failures due to the odd defective part.
That is expected with any manufactured item.  The "misinformation" I'm
referring to is that you're recommending the 3A over the ABA because
you've seen ring failures on the ABA.  That's all fine and good, but you
probably haven't seen the same thing with 3As simply because very few
actually come into the shop for service!!!

I believe your opinion is based on simply the higher number of ABA's
that come in your shop rather than the actual percentage of ring
failures on both of these engines...

That's all I'm trying to say here.  And as for the "misinformation"
comment - that's exactly what I believe WAS contained in your post.  The
question remains - does the ABA have a higher ring failure rate than the
3A on a per engine basis...  I don't know - that's the challenge to your
comment that I brought up.  Recommending a 3A over an ABA with "skewed"
statistics IS misinformed.  No?

David, please don't take this disagreement personally.  You provide a
great service to this list and provide many answers that only a parts
guy at a VW dealer can help with.  My only beef is with statements like
you made in that post.  The world is full of "misinformation", and this
list is no exception.  Don't forget a lot of people take what they read
on the list and take it as fact.  I just didn't want someone coming away
from your post thinking that he should go out of his way to source a
(probably) high mileage 3A and dump a bunch of cash into it to rebuild
it rather than swap in a plentiful and cheap low mileage ABA.  That's
it, that's all...

Mark.
75
80 S
81 S  2.0 ABA/JH/4K





> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Utley [mailto:mr.utility@highstream.net]
> Sent: April 7, 2004 3:44 PM
> To: Mark
> Cc: 'Dumitru Hociung'; 'Scirocco list'
> Subject: RE: (WTB: 3a from Audi 80) - Now ABA vs. 3A
> 
> Comments within...
> 
> Quoting Mark <mardak@cogeco.ca>:
> 
> > Don't forget there are a zillion times more ABAs running around out
> > there than 3As.  Does the ABA's rings have more problems per "X"
number
> > of units than the 3A, or is it just that you're seeing more problems
> > with ABAs because there's a lot more out there...
> >
> Perhaps...  This would be interesting to see...
> 
> > I wouldn't doubt that the same manufacturer makes rings for all
VW/Audi
> > engines (mass produced ones anyways)...  Are the ABA rings
manufactured
> > in Mexico?
> >
> I doubt that...  They are more than likely sourced locally, but I do
not
> know
> how to go about finding that out...
> 
> > The reason I ask is because I've NEVER heard that the ABA bottom end
is
> > anything less than bulletproof.  I just don't want to see someone go
> > through considerable expense rebuilding a 3A rather than simply
swapping
> > in a low mileage ABA on that piece of unsubstantiated advice...
> 
> What?  What is 'unsubstantiated advice'?  Let me break it down
further...
> What is advice?  It is the best way to proceed with X, 'according to
the
> respondents' experience...  This is my experience, I have found the
ABAs
> to
> be 'soft'.  So, how can -that- be unsubstantiated?  For clarification,
> this is
> my experience here at the dealership, and with tuning 'dubs around
here...
> 
> I also
> > just got off the phone with a friend who's the service manager at my
> > local Volkswagen dealership, and he said there's ABSOLUTELY no
"issue"
> > with ring problems on the ABA...  Take that for what it's worth I
guess,
> > but before you start spreading misinformation you should back up
your
> > advice with some numbers...  As an "insider" could you get some info
on
> > how many ring failures these two engines have per 1000 units?
> >
> 
> As I said, this has been my experience...  Just because I work here at
a
> dealership, I don't think you should automatically take my word for
gold.
> I
> can only communicate what I have learned/experienced, and so far, I
stand
> by
> both.
> 
> As for spreading mis-information, that really hurts me Mark...  Why in
the
> f*ck would I spread mis-info?  Because I work at a dealership, do I
> therefore
> have to offer a failure-rate from the facroty before my advice is
pertient?
> I
> don't get it...  Please tell me where I mis-understood your intent, as
I
> hope
> that is the case...
> 
> David
> 
> > Mark.
> > 75
> > 80 S
> > 81 S  2.0 ABA/JH/4K
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ---
> > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> > Version: 6.0.639 / Virus Database: 408 - Release Date: 22/03/2004
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
> 
> David Utley
> -----------
> Cable Volkswagen
> 405-470-3129
> 1-800-522-6793
> 
> ---
> Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.639 / Virus Database: 408 - Release Date: 22/03/2004
> 

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.639 / Virus Database: 408 - Release Date: 22/03/2004