20V CQ Tidy Up

[Error404]

Yes mate, I'm binning the hydro brakes and switching to vac. Going to use a single stage PAS pump out of a 944 (same as the Audi unit but lower pressure rating)

[irishs2]

Nice , if my standard 80 pump doesn't work out I might follow you on that one

[Monkeymagic]

Alex im sure you've been told this a few times now but i think you may suffer with obsessive impulsive disorder.
On a serious note i admire your tenacity to build such a car.
I guess it keeps you off the streets! Ha ha

[Monkeymagic]

Compulsive even.

[Pat D]

The block is off at the machine shop at the moment, getting bored & decked. The called today to tell me that the mains need some attention. As I suspected they were 0.030mm out of round due to the extra clamping load from the ARP studs. They need to plane the main caps and then align bore and hone the mains to get them back to being round, so I'm expecting a chunky bill for that. I know a lot of people just chuck ARP main studs straight in, and I'm sure that is fine but I'm not taking any chances as I want this engine to be bullet proof - perfect bearing bores is a good way to start.

In the mean time I have started stripping the car down, as I realised I have a lot of work to do! Engine and gearbox is out:



Engine, fan, lighting and alternator looms are out as I will be using ABY harnesses for these.



Its been a good opportunity to tidy up the wiring for all the extras I have added over the years, and also to repair all the old dry and flaky loom tape which was a complete mess. I found it easiest to pull the fuse board down into the cabin and unscrew the aux relay panel so it was all there to get at.
Damb the wiring is a mess on these cars! The dash harness is about a foot too long which doesn't help space down there!

Once this is done I can install the cabin side of the ABY harnesses and then patch in the digital climate control harness I already have made - I really want to make it "plug & play" using connectors already available, but time will tell if this is feasible or not since digital climate was not an option at all when my car was made in 1989.

I'm also hoping to start work on fitting the 0A3 gearbox soon - custom mounts and getting the linkage to work.

The empty engine bay is when it all starts...

[Fat Audi 80]

Compulsive even.

I thought you meant "impulsive"! It seemed quite appropriate.

[Error404]

Sounds about right

[re2500]

Nice work!

[Error404]

Done some more work on the old coupe.

Opened up the bulkhead for aircon - I thought I would have to cut this but oddly there was a remove-able panel behind the seam sealer:






A gentle tap and out it fell:




Cut out the turret brace I welded in last time the engine bay was empty
This was to make room for the vacuum servo:




Fitted the B6 shifter box - pretty easy actually. It needed a minor bit of trimming to fit into the top of the tunnel. Then the rear weld nuts removing and two new holes drilling at the front. Will see if the linkage needs shortening when I trial fit the gearbox and fabricate the mounts for it. There is about 30mm of length adjustment to play with. If that isn't enough I'll cut & weld it - simples



Still got a bit of wiring to do



Engine bay pretty much stripped - just need to remove the fuel lines and the clutch MC.
Contemplating respraying it again, but in 2k this time. The old rattle can paint has not aged well

[newsh]

Dude, can I have the removable bit please? I'm taking the rest of my aircon out soon. In fact if there's anything you need from mine you're welcome to it.

[andy10v]

Pretty cool about the panel and shifter box.

Lol at you and newsh swapping.

I think with your OCD you could do a nice job of painting, just practice on an old wing or bonnet.

[newsh]

Talking of which I've decided I have CDO, it's like OCD but with the 3 letters in the correct alphabetical order as they should be

[Acidburn]

whilst its that far stripped alex just sort it and spray it

[Error404]

at John - yes mate PM me your address I'll pop it in the post mate
Thanks for the offer of the AC bits, I think the R134 stuff is different? Anyway, I think I have everything I need for it

[Error404]

The machine shop called today to say my block is ready
So I will pick that up tomorrow and then I can check it over, give it a final clean and then paint it - been looking forward to doing that for ages

Meanwhile I went down to sunny Hertfordshire to drop my bottom end off with JP to be balanced. Just as I put the 3B flywheel into the box to transport it I heard the distinctive "clink" of a clumsy c**t snapping off the timing pin. So I made a replica of the AAN timing pin and TIG'd it into place on the flywheel - should be bullet proof now at least.




JP very kindly vapour blasted my oil pump and rear crank seal housings while I waited, so I could get on with building them up. I'd already cleaned all the components so it was ready to build up



I noticed in this AAN oil pump when I stripped it down there was a shim washer that I'd not seen before in the 7A or 3B pumps I'd stripped. It's not in ETKA either so wondered if anyone else had come across it? Net effect will be to raise the peak oil pressure. Looks OEM as it is black zinc plated and thicker than an off-the-shelf washer.






Packed the internals with Vaseline to help it prime:




Crank nose seal fitted:




Finished




More shiney bits - I also dug out my AAN throttle body and gave it a quick clean




More to come tomorrow if I get time