B5 A4 1.8T Avant Quattro.

[K Simmonds]

Possibly one of the least exciting updates ever, however I'm seriously impressed with the quality of my new wheel bolts, can't go wrong for £20 delivered. I certainly didn't expect them to come in a nice box, though I'm 100% sure they will have been made in China.

And my workshop as it stands, half a day in here and I'll be set up for the engine swap.



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[K Simmonds]

Thanks to Jase yesterday we pulled the original bottom end out and after a bit of a fight got the complete replacement unit in, on it's mounts and bolted to the gearbox so all the heavy work done.

Spent a couple of hours today sorting out hose and wiring routing and I'm not far off being able to start it properly, it flicks over on the starter and fires on starting fluid fine so I know the ignition system works. Need to sort out a fuel pump, I could cobble something together but it's not worth me wasting me my time on, I'd rather fit the new suspension instead.

[K Simmonds]

Just a quick update to say happy new year to everyone and let folk know I'm okay and slowly getting on with life. This past Christmas was hard work and was not in anyway festive.

To cheer myself up a little I treated myself to a genuine Audi blue weave carbon gear leaver surround to complete the seven piece interior set. Got a really tidy crack and scratch free one which are very hard to find for a sane price. It's from a single DIN car but been modified to fit double DIN perfectly. I couldn't justify spending £300+ on a decent double DIN one, the trimmed one I got cost less than halve that.

My old black plastic one has gone weird and sticky feeling, I think the soft touch coating is breaking down so I needed to do something about it. The carbon option was a little extravagant but a Christmas gift to myself.

I'm now looking for a double DIN heater control facia panel for heated seat switches as my S4 seats are heated. I can get a ready made plug and play loom for £100 with OE connections. I have the switches ready but complete double DIN heater control units are very rare and insanely expensive, £200+

I don't really understand why they're so expensive as only the facia is different. I purchased the cheapest single DIN one available on eBay to pinch the switches out of as well as research fitment. I could carefully cut out the holes required in my existing facia panel at a push.

I'm nearly there with the engine, however a box of bits is alluding me, it has to be at mine or the previous owners house. I could complete it by using parts from one of my other 06A engines but then I'll need them in future for my 80Q.

Though I've considered robbing them to get the car done as sods law dictates as soon as I do that the original parts will appear in my kitchen.


Edit, I've just looked at this post on my laptop and the photos were all terrible so I'll try and take some better one's latter today if it thaw's out. My house is currently surrounded by sheet ice from the freezing rain storm we had last night.

[K Simmonds]

Jase and I pulled the G60 engine and gearbox out of my MK2 a week ago, got to take my time sorting out the wiring loom before I install an original engine and box. Got all the part's required in stock left over from other projects.

Going to have to learn to paint this summer, once the weather starts to warm up a bit. Then I can practice on one of the wings on my 80Q. Once I'm happy enough with the finish on that then I'll tackle the bonnet before moving onto the MK2's door and a couple of other areas where the paint is very thin.

The TQS is just about ready to fire up, I need to borrow the alternator from Dave engine as well as a couple of brackets. Which I've been trying to avoid as I've got the original parts somewhere.

Have also picked up another two complete small port 1.8T heads with manifolds, fuel rails and wiring looms with ECU's as well as a load of other components. These were all free and are being put into stock for future projects along with the cable change five speed.

That Corrado shell my live again, it seems a shame to cut up a rust free example that just needs a sill and I'll have all the parts left over from my G60 Golf and mountain of 1.8T stuff to revive it as stripped out shell.

I take ownership of the TDI B5 Sport very soon. This is going to become my daily driver, it requires a brake service and that's it, should go straight through an MOT. Aside from an EGR delete and fitting my TQS Boleros I'm leaving this car alone.

I'm picking up a complete set of nine OE Walnut dash/door trims for a very good price tomorrow... I was intending to use them in my TDI, however, they'll also look great with black leather in my TQS. More refined than the carbon weave set up

I need to start getting my cars ready for when I'm over 50, so beige and wood are both very important. Plus I could sell the Carbon set for more than I paid for the the TDI.

[K Simmonds]

I now officially own a road worthy 1998 B5 TDI quattro Sport as pictured above, I collect it tomorrow morning and hope to MOT it next week once I've cleaned and serviced the brakes and changed the oil and filter as that's now pretty old despite only having done about 20 miles. It's done exactly 10 miles since the last MOT so shouldn't need much doing at all, it's totally corrsion free everywhere apart from on ding on the offside wing with light surface rust which I'll hammer and dolly out and paint in the summer.

The car has done about 30 miles since the guy I work with acquired it after the first owner managed to hydro lock the original engine in a flood back in 2018, a replacement 80K mile AFN motor was installed and a new cam belt and clutch fitted at the same time as he was going to keep it for himself. He also fitted a new set of genuine Audi Sport springs specifically for that model, these had to be sourced from Germany and are now pretty much unobtainable.

Being a sport it's obviously a nice spec inside, sports seats in amazing condition, super rare Audi option Nardi wood rim steering wheel with airbag, no sunroof which I really like as it gives me loads of head room, the aircon still works which is truly amazing though it will need to be re-gassed ASAP.

The only modifications I'm going to make inside is fit a full nine piece walnut trim set from a 30V V6 which I got for £50 via Faceache Marketplace, I almost prefer it to the carbon trim in my TQS and it'll work very well with the grey/beige interior, perfect for when I hit 50 and join Saga. I'm also going to update the center console to the late double din set up which has the Audi concert stereo, these sound great and have a CD player and cassette deck, both formats I still use.

I got the complete set up in good working order from a 2001 2.5TDI Sport I've just broken, also got a load of great spares from that car for both my B5's, some which I need to properly sort out the damage the previous owner of my TQS did when he hedged it. Stiff like arch liners, bumper brackets, non repaired xenon headlights. The rear bumper which he made quite a mess of and I may as well fit the later Sport front bumper with fog lights as painting both of them at the same time make's sense and I'll tie it with doing the wing.

Though for now I just want to get the car MOT'd by the end of this month at the latest, the MOT run's out on my Honda Jazz early in April and I want to swap car's before then on the insurance. The Jazz is going to need a bit of work to get it through the next MOT, I've just done the front discs and pads and noticed a couple of bushes need doing and some flexi brake pipe's want replacing on the back. Once I'm happy my TDI is fully reliable the Jazz will be sold, I want to get down to three cars from my current six which is too much for me to look after given the state of my left arm and hand.

The TQS will also be running and driving soon at last, I've rounded up all the parts required by finding a couple and pinching the rest from Dave's old engine which I'm now going keep and eventually rebuild with H beam rods. The TQS could see quite a drastic power increase over the next couple of year's, they're so cheap to tune compared to S2's and I've got most stuff required like turbo's and exhaust manifolds in stock. I was going to use them on my 80 but feel the TQS is much safer car to use as a tuning platform, it's got airbags and decent size brakes are simple to source and fit.

Anyway, I've decided I'm going to break my B3 80 unless anyone one wants it whole for close to what I can get for it bit's, which is around £2K

My C4 is now basically finished apart from painting then fitting the pair of rust free OE front wings I've stashed away in my loft and I need to finish the exhaust off, got the worst of it tacked up I just need to get a couple of bends to mate up the twin muffler genuine Audi decat center section I've used to the down pipes. It can then be MOT'd and sold straight away.

I'll be fitting the stock engine and box I've got to my 1992 MK2 8V GTI with the next couple of weeks, the clutch is like new and I'm going to do the rear main seal to be on the safe side prior to installation, It's also going to get a new cam belt. I've basically sussed out the mess of wiring in the engine bay and extracted the G60 loom ready to fit a stock Digifant set up. Once it's running and MOT'd I will invest a fair bit of time correcting the paintwork as it will drastically increase the value. Once I'm happy with everything that is also going to be sold ASAP, I don't want to part with it but I've decided I must make my life easier, three car's tops.

So hopefully by the end of this year I'll have the pair of matching black Sport model B5's and my RS2, that's it no more. The TDI will be my daily driver and live outside and the TQS can be kept in my workshop along with my RS2 which I hope to start on next year once I get my lift installed. I've got a really nice ex police force 1980's lift lined up which is seriously over engineered, it's very narrow so perfect for in the side of my workshop with no loft. It is however very, very heavy and will require a fair amount of work to install.

Right I'm going to leave it there, will update the thread again with some photo's over the weekend, my TDI come's with the complete duff engine and all ancillary's as well as a mountain of spares in the back which are currently a bit of mystery. I know there's another pair of Xenon headlights in there, a down pipe and Cat along with maybe some 1.8T stuff. Basically the guy I work with has passed on all his B5 stuff to me as he wants to run a pair of B4 Avants instead both with PD engine swaps, he's going to use the the six speed drivetrain and sub frames etc from the 2.5 TDI breaker to convert one of his B4 Avants to quattro.

[John.]

CD player and cassette deck, both formats I still use.

[Tractor Dave]

Looks like you are going to be very busy getting the cars done so you can be less busy

[K Simmonds]

Looks like you are going to be very busy getting the cars done so you can be less busy

Yes, that's kinda my idea Dave, though apart from the MK2 it's now all really simple stuff to get right, the 80Q 1.8T conversion was just to much to start on as well...

Just had a very long day helping a close mate and previous owner of my B5 TDI with a raft of problems with his house which his crazy ex wife had vandalised quite badly before sodding off, locks needed changing, we also moved the entire kitchen to a different room for reasons I won't get into.

Just carefully driven my TDI a few miles home on a back road, apart from binding brakes it all seems to be working fine including the air-con and clocks etc, the electrics were a little glitchy to start with but once it got up to operating temp everything resolved itself. However, I don't trust the headlight switch, it feels like it's worn out and I couldn't get low beam to work until I gave it a good wobbling about, it's fine now but as I have two spare sets of stalks that's not a big deal.

Will be emptying out the parts mountain and serving the brakes tomorrow and will post up pic's, I should really start another thread by rights and keep this for my TQS which is now just a fuel pump away from also being a runner.

I want funds and time to devote to my RS2 next year, the paint can wait apart from the front bumper but I want to be able to drive the car again and give my father a spin in it before it's too late.

[K Simmonds]

Yes, as I'm concerned absolute luxury, all the formats I use apart from vinyl in one, besides a turntable in a car would beyond mental even by my standards...

Found out this evening that my TDI has the optional Bose system like my TQS, just an early version so I really want to be able to upgrade the full center console to late double din spec now, though I've got the correct OE head unit for the car which is a nice quality radio cassette player should converting not be viable.

But I can't see it being that complex just some basic wiring to adapt is the worse case scenario and I need to convert it to use all my Walnut trim which I'm partially excited about. However if I have to stick with single din the walnut ash try and center console trim will find home's in my TQS as I can't get genuine Audi carbon items for those two.

I forgot to mention another reason I'm seriously downsizing my collection is I need funds for a pair of CDJ 3000's to go along with my pair of MK2 1200's and recently aquired Pioneer DJM-600 mixer. I've started DJ'ing very seriously again and have to able to use the industry standard hardware wherever I go to a high standard, so need to learn how to use modern equipment properly... I actually have a couple of provisional gigs lined up in Germany playing hard Techno and will be live on Youtube and Soundcloud very soon, the later within the next week or two now I've gotten use to the new mixer.

[John.]

You're a man with a plan

[K Simmonds]

You're a man with a plan

Yes mate, got a three things planned for this year, get both of my B5's back on the road, get shot of three cars and brave live streaming on YouTube. Cars come first!

Here's the TDI in it's current state, the boot is something of a mystery currently but there some nice parts in there plus a full size spare alloy hiding in the correct place which is just visible.

First job is to take everything out and see what's there, then I'm onto cleaning out the scuttle which is full of crap from being stood under trees and far from ideal. Then it's sorting the brakes out and have a look flexi hoses and ball joint boots etc. Next change the stalks for a better set with less ware as I really don't like the headlight switch as I've already mentioned.

I might get as far as pressure washing and machine polishing the paint, I could do it by hand by it comes up better with the buffer and is so much faster. Don't think I'm going to get quite that far today though and getting the car MOT ready is the most important so cosmetics are not a major priority for now aside from getting it basically clean. It does come up very nicely and quickly as well, same colour as my TQS which is one of the reasons I really wanted the car.

It's super high mileage, 270K but as I've mentioned the engine and ancillary's haven't done anything like that that and it's been serviced regardless of cost. It was originally owner by an older gentleman from new so had a very easy life, the drive train and steering still are sound and and feel tight. It's a bit like Triggers broom, just about every suspension component has been replaced at least once. I think its on its third complete set of front arms, it's had four dampers and as I've mentioned the springs were replaced relatively recently.

Should start a new thread by rights but as this car doesn't require much work I don't think it's worth it as the next priority car is my TQS. I know this a diversion but I only had a brief chance to acquir this car and the price and spares package was extremely attractive given I now own two B5's. The spare's from the 2.5TDI breaker alone are worth considerably more than I paid for everything.

As part of the deal I get everything of use from the 2.5 TDI Sport literally jammed on a trailer, that's now been fully stripped of everything I could get at while at mine and I get more parts when we drop the drive train out of it. That isn't part of the deal apart from the front end stuff which is mine as it's destined for a B4 Avant quattro PD conversion which I'm helping with. It's only two miles away now and has got to be unload with a machine, due to the width of the front track pinching both front wheels very tightly indeed. we had to force it on using a winch, ratchet straps and a scaffolding pole which in hindsight was a silly idea it was a major PITA working on it.





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[K Simmonds]

Right, quick text only update on the TDI and TQS...

I spent all of Sunday emptying out the car, which initially didn't take long. Got a near mint set of the late spec Xenons as well as another decent 1.8T head and loads of other really handy stuff like a good MAF with a complete air box and ducting, intercooler, complete set of boost pipes, a couple of good load covers one of which I want for my TQS and all sort of other components to add to my now considerable B5 parts stash.

I also get another two compete AFN engines with all ancillary's which will be dropped off soon.

Then I spent the rest of the day getting all the leaves and crap out of the scuttle using my airline and Hoover, had to remove the battery tray, all plastics and the wiper linkage assembly, the old one was pretty much seized solid so I replaced the entire thing with one from a later car which I rebuilt from scratch with loads of grease, I had to swap the motors over as the connectors are totally different but not a big deal. The wipers are now working perfectly, the car also has ballast resistors for a very bright HID conversion, both dip and main beam are currently like day light, should be even brighter with the later Xenons installed.

Monday was a complete write off, have various appointment's and the weather was poo, so just had a bit of a tidy up in the workshop but it's still a little chaotic in there. Got a B5 parts mountain to get into the loft once I've put both cars back together, currently if I need a spare there's one in the heap,

Jase popped over on Tuesday to help me get stuck into the brakes etc and get the TDI ready for it first MOT since 2021, didn't think it was that long ago, shows I'm getting old.

Whilst there was no advisory's on the last test we discovered a couple of minor problems... First off it needs new discs and pads all round, even if they weren't rust pitted the front disc's are at the end of their sensible life span and making groves in the pads. I could take them into work and reface then but it take's ages to set them up properly in the lathe and once done they'd end up right on the minimum safe thickness and new ones aren't at all expensive, even for quality parts if one shops about on eBay, which I've just spent the last two hours doing bargain can be found.

Can do all four corners for under £100 with Mintex pads on the front and back and Apec or Delphi disc's which will be fine so that'll be that sorted. Unless I can get the parts for nearly the same price at two of the local factors I have accounts with, will find out in today...

Also both outer CV boot's are knackered so I've just purchased a pair off eBay for £20 delivered and they're a doddle to change, I didn't realise but the entire front drive shafts can be removed without having to disturb any of the ball joints. One simply removes them by undoing the hub bolt and the six spline head bolts on the gearbox end and they can be dropped out really easily.

Had a really nice surprise yesterday and found the B5 breaker has got an Eibach & Bistein kit on it in basically new condition so once we lift it of the trailer on Thursday I'll be whipping that off and putting it on the TDI which I'm really quite chuffed about.

As the weather is supposed to lovely this week I'm gong to be outside working on one B5 or the other. I've got the the buffer and super fine polish from work so am going to give both cars a wash with the wheels off to make them nicer to work on then buff and polish them both before experimenting with different wheels. The Compomotive are going on the TQS simple, and I've got a set of five OE 3B S2 rims that polish up really well, I'm hoping they suit my TDI as they've got brand new 215/55/16's fitted so should be comfortable as well as filling the arches nicely, if not it will be my TQS Boleros with two matched pairs of half worn good quality directional tyres.

Will post up so photo's of the end results, am also going to order a couple of Walbro pumps this week, one for my RS2 and one for my TQS as I've now got the funds to do it.

[K Simmonds]

Have been busy all week doing B5 stuff as well as helping a very close mate with some building work, the weather has been fantastic and it's so nice getting out in the sun.

Got all the parts here now to fully recommission the TDI sport as well as lot of thing's for my TQS. Found a seller on eBay supplying CV boot kit's that also contain the joint, decent new clasping ring's as well a generous amount of grease, £20 for a pair posted which I took a gamble on as they have a two year warrenty.

I was so impressed by the quality of the boot alone that I purchased another pair to keep in stock for my TQS, here's a link to the listing, they seem to sell kits for just about any car with next day delivery... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172719361340

Have been having a major spring clean in my workshop today as well as looking for parts and missing tool's, haven't been able to find my deep 3/8's drive 16mm socket for months and found it hiding in the pit.

Have sourced a full leather interior for a bargain price, it's from a breakers I've used a couple of times and been highly impressed with the parts as well that packaging, it's in black and from an S4 so identical to the one in my TQS even down to being heated.

Going to pick the best seats for the TQS then strip both the current grey sports seat's down to rob the base foams from to make up a pair of mint drivers seats as the existing grey drivers seat is still very, very solid for a car that's done so many miles and the outside bolster ends up on the inside so won't continue to deteriorate.

MOT booked for the 30th so all being well I'll be mobile in the TDI after that date, then it's get the the TQS on the road as well so I've got a choice of super economy with decent enough torque, though I am going to get the car mapped to 140-150bhp and 300+NM.

Been very busy sorting out my workshop today as I can't stand working around clutter, have now got two clear benches for the first time in over two years, it makes working on car so much more enjoyable...

Will post up some pic's once I've finished cleaning and buffing the paint as well fit my new interior which arrives on Monday, I know I said I wanted it to say light coloured but it occurred to me that black would a much better choice than beige or grey as I'm a very messy person and covered in oil and general crap almost all of the time and I've got the black plastic's from the breaker I can use. The carpet in that car was ruined anyway so am sticking with a beige rug with high quailty black rubber mats as it's going to be my new daily driver.

Photo's of the car will have to wait until it's done as I can't stop working to take pic's without getting distracted.

[K Simmonds]

Right, it's a week since my last update and I've been bloody busy working on my cars and totally stripping the breaker of everything of use, which is a lot of parts!

The TDI Sport is now MOT ready for Monday apart from discs and pads which I'll do tomorrow, for future reference C4 V6 front brake discs and pads are identical part No's to the B5 288mm front set up so I had perfectly good genuine Audi, nearly new brakes on the shelf to ready to fit the entire time, durrr...

The brakes on the scrap 2.5 TDI Sport are also virtually new parts, I assumed they'd be pitted due to being stood well over two years but they clean up just fine, only light surface rust. I'm going to send the Apec kit I purchased in hast back, the return postage is only a fiver so far from the end of the world and besides I should be looking to upgrade the TQS front's if that's going to be my 1.8T development platform.

The the 2.5 TDI Sport Eibach's fit my 1.9TDI perfectly well and unlike the person who fitted them to that car I managed to get them the right way up which really isn't hard considering they've got it written on them.

The budget CV joints fitted great, even the fitting kit is decent quality apart from the driveshaft snap ring, I didn't like the look of the ones in the kit, just a touch thinner then the originals so I left them in place and avoided stabbing myself in the hand with a pick like I normally manage when replacing these. I really can't workout how they can sell a complete pair of apparently good quality CV joint kit's for £20 delivered, still good feedback and a two year warrenty has to be worth a punt, I'd have happily paid that much for just the boot's and fitting kits.

Had to replace one of the nearside upper arms with one from the breaker due to a split boot and tiny amount of play, thankfully someone had tackled the long pinch bolt's before and covered them in copper grease so that was totally unremarkable.

Now on to major a B5 grip! What on earth were Audi thinking with the rear suspension turrets!???!

They may as well be made of paper compared to B4 ones which are identical apart from being twice the weight, both my sets require work. One just needs the rust treating then painting, the other needs whole new back plates fabricating and welding on then painting, fortunately I had a spare set of B4 ones I simply whacked on.

The ones on the breaker were so bad I gave up trying to fit springs and dampers and wedged blocks of wood between the wishbones and subframe so we can still push it about as a mobile skip at work.

And I had a bonus find, my TQS has forged upper arms which was a nice discovery when I pulled the turret down, the ones on the breaker are dangerously rusty and the ones on my TDI will need paint this year to stop them rotting away.

My leather interior arrived and is very tidy, certainly worth the money complete with door cards and all switches etc. It's a heavier leather than in my TQS which is fine for the TDI, both the old grey cloth front seats are going to raided of their foams.

Photo's to follow once I'm done, if I get distracted before I know it I'm doing something completely unrelated to the task in hand like pondering pull through K-Jet turbo set ups on my B3 which is perfectly plausible, just not now!

[K Simmonds]

I know everyone likes photos so I took some later today before I started packing up. Also slight change of plan regarding the MOT, I have a slot booked for 07.30 on Monday. I was going to take my TDI in but the friend I purchased it from can't find the V5 so I wouldn't be able to tax the car.

I need a car on the road so am going to take the Jazz instead as I think it'll just about scrape through if I clean and waxoil the rear brake hard lines. The front wishbone bushes look rough but don't have any play so should just be an advisory.

A replacement V5 for my TDI has been applied for so I should have it by the end of the week, I'll book another slot for it when I'm there on Monday morning.

Anyway, here's a load of photos of various B5 things like the mountain of parts I need to sort through, put the stuff I want to use on the TQS and TDI in their boots respectively and the rest can be boxed up and go in the attic...

I still have a lot of other parts where the breaker is currently like all the panels as well as the interior plastics to go with the complete black S4 interior I bagged last week. Should look really nice with the walnut trim set.

I'm going to POR 15 my B4 suspension turrets now I've got a little more time, they'll be used on my TQS and I can make up a pair of okay ones to paint for the TDI. The totally rotten ones can be repaired in future for spares.

The dampers are a comparison between B5 RS4, B5 TQS and RS2 units, the B5 RS4 ones are going on the back of my TQS. I mocked up a strut assembly prior to cleaning and painting the turrets and it looks fine. The TDI will be get the best two OE Sport dampers I've got.

The TDI will be wearing a set of tidy 3B wheels I had on my C4 fitted with 215/55/16's as that's an optional size listed in my C4 service pack. They look spot on when the car is on the deck combined with my free Eibach springs. I also have a fifth very tidy 3B rim I'm going to fit a matching tyre to so I've got a spare the correct size, the 215's are nearly 2% larger so should be really comfortable.

I also got three decent complete 1.8T heads and manifolds etc as part of the deal, they can go into stock for now but will end up being used in future.

The rear bumper is undamaged from the breaker, it's got the reversing proximity sensors and undamaged brackets, I'll paint it black once the weather warms up a bit more. That's going on my TQS and the Sport Front will be going on my TDI along with lower fogs and Xenon headlights.

The suspension turrets are B4 on the left and rotten but repairable B5's on the the right. I'm really glad I've got a little extra time to paint the B4 pair as well as the best of the others for my TDI.


The engines on a pallet are spare AFN's, the original one has a bent rod and the other is an unknown quality but did run fine in the VW it came from, regardless the ancillary parts alone with be very useful.

The dirty great big six cylinder engine is for an Austin Healey I'm building up soon for a customer. The manuals for it are on the driver's seat in the shot of my TDI's soon to be gone grey interior. The wooden steering wheel is staying, they're quite a rare feature and should go well with black leather and walnut trim set.









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