The freebie coupe 16v

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 892

Well, I got van through work the other day, so the coupe is now a "project".

I had it given 2 years ago when my old 80 blew the head gasket. The coupe had been stood for the best part of 5 years on a driveway in Bury (apparently it was the victim of an acrimonious divorce- I don't think she would let him have his toy...) before my girlfriends father took it in part payment for some work he did on the previous owners other car. At this point it was on 60k with documentation and history to prove. I've run it since with no real issues up to the 90k its now on. Heres is a very picky list of things to do and what I've done:

Complex work to do:
1.Possible trailing arm bushes + shocks and springs.
2.Front springs.
3.Engine Tappets and inter cam timing chain.
4.Thermostat and coolant change.
5.Exhaust stainless centre section.
6.Replace bonnet and o/s front wing with better items.

Simple work to do:
1.Two rear tyres.
2.Align sunken n/s door.
3.Re- seal rear light cluster.
4.Spray front bumper scrape.
5.Machine polish.
6.Replace door bottom rubbers.
7.Replace front wiper motor with working used part.
8.Upgrade front wipers to Lupo items.

Completed work:
1.New front subframe bushes, wishbones, ball joints, suspension inserts, drop links, tie rod ends, adjusters and top mounts.
2.New engine mounts.
3.New gearbox mounts.
4.Renewed coolant, brake and hydraulic fluid.
5.Disks and pads all round.
6. Stainless rear box and new center section.
7.Replacement central locking pump.
8.Work done at 82000 miles. Current mileage 90500.
9.Full service every 6000 miles since 60000.

All the completed work would not have been possible without this site
Thumbs Up

Looking for info or people around West Yorks who could do a paint correction as its trying to go pink...

http://www.audifans.net/modules.php?set_albumName=Lbos&id=Audi_Coupe_001&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

Will try and get some more recent shots.

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 892

Had a go at the rocker cover gasket yesterday as a recce for doing the the Tappets. Took an hour and a half to get to the cams...

cam box

Trouble was, the gasket supplied yonks ago didn't fit Rolling Eyes

it looked like it had ridges to key into channels in the casting, but the original was a flat, plastic type affair. Waste of time.

I did get to look at the timing chain and had a feel of the tension. Does this look correct in terms of displacement?

chain

I think I'll give Audi a call and try to get them to get 027198025 for me before putting it back together.

Is a gasket paste necessary in this application?

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 10:30 am

Sounds like you have done it proud so far thumbleft

Have you tried detailing world for a paint correction dude?

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 892

Cheers man Very Happy

I've looked on detailing world several times, but I can't commit £200 to a UDM while my exhaust is blowing Laughing

Got a gasket ordered, turning up Monday. I think I'll stick some paste on it regardless.

Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:28 pm

The UDM seems expensive. Dunno what the pro detailers think of the autosmart polishing machines but I have spoke to a couple of car/van traders who use them and say the are great.

http://www.autosmart.co.uk/Smartool.html

I am sure my mate got quoted about 80 quid for the blue one on his trade account.

Just had a look on ebay and there is one for 15quid or best offers. Not recommending personally but maybe worth investigating more.

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 892

Valve cover gasket done today. Used a gasket sealant. Managed to get hold of a flat section gasket as opposed to the T section one I had. There is a change of casting from a certain eng. no onwards FA states which. Same on the golf ABF.

Did pas and alternator belts at the same time. Timing belt was done at the 80k mark.

Put a new Varta battery in it as the one that was in was wrong. More convincing starter now.

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 892

Hmmm.

Been out to test the gasket... its leaking in the corner near the cam pulley Sad

Anyone know the correct torque for the valve cover bolts? I did mine to 10NM.

Site Moderator Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 9144

10 Nm is correct, usually in a diagonally opposite rotation. Similar to headbolt sequence

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 892

Yeah, figured so. Looking at what the Golf guys do, you need no sealant, apart from on the humps where the distributor and camshaft pulley are.

Ah, well. Rolling Eyes

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 892

Yeah, figured so. Looking at what the Golf guys do, you need no sealant, apart from on the humps where the distributor and camshaft pulley are.

Ah, well. Rolling Eyes

Bandwidth Buster Joined: Jun 08, 2006 Posts: 892

Right.

It's been stood since I last updated this a year ago...

1.Sealed the rear lights.
2.Replaced the rear shocks with Boge Turbo Gas- Springs are all good.
3.Rear tyres.

Last week, insured and taxed it, fired it up and went for a drive. Had noticed over the last year I was driving it, some condensation on the windscreen. As I arrived back from my test run, "POP", and then there was a lot more condensation. The matrix had split across the top of its core sending boiling coolant onto my feet. Sad

I thought about torching it for a bit, then settled on selling as is. Got absolutely F.A. interest (what's wrong with the kids these days?! No desire for a challenge. Tsk, tsk.)

So, I replaced the matrix.

Job done and it all works fine! Cool

This week will be:

1.Coolant and thermostat
2.Oil and filters
3.Rear discs and pads (pitted from being stood)

What strikes me about these cars is there complete lack of residual value. I'm on the market for an '07 Honda Accord tourer cdti, and willing to part with £7-8k for it, while the Audi just gathers tree mold. I wonder how many tanks of fuel and how miles I could do in it for that money...

Things still to do:

1.Engine Tappets and inter cam timing chain.
2.Thermostat and coolant change.
3.Exhaust stainless centre section.
4.Replace bonnet and o/s front wing with better items.
5.Align sunken n/s door.
6.Spray front bumper scrape. (Paint bought)
7.Machine polish. (Machine bought and just waiting to go)
8.Replace door bottom rubbers.
9.Replace front wiper motor with working used part.
10.Upgrade front wipers to Lupo items.

Sounds like £500 to make it mint. Compare that with the £500 I'd want for selling it! Jesus. It's not like it would be worth £1500 (that's £500 for the effort) when it was done!

The monkey on my back is screaming "1.8 Turbo transplant!".

All good fun Smile

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:21 pm

I was on a similar quandry with project ocean magic and long since realised that the money I was spending wouldn't be realised if I sold it any time soon.

But why sell the value is in keeping it and enjoying it. I thought of buying a newer car but there was no good reason to do so and will be keeping mine till it drops.

The money to be lost on a newer car pales into insignificance the costs of maintaining and bringing up to speed on an older car that has bags more charcter.

I did decide however to keep the car within reason so as not to create a problem if something should happen to it...

Smile