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Saving an Audi 80. Saved und Sold.


BorniteIdentity

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When you having a BYO T-Cut and Colour Magic party?

Alf decided to do AN BLOB on the bonnet and it came up like new - I could see my hideous face in it and everything!

 

It’ll need someone with more patience and equipment than me to do it properly, so will probably go to the bodyman in the next village.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Huge thanks again to Alf892 who’s been plugging away at this in my absence. It was tested yesterday and failed on 2x cv gaiters and two tyres. TBH they’re all 12 year old linglong death circles so would be disappearing anyway.

 

Alf, the machine, has already done the gaiters so it’s just rubber. Does anyone have any 15” 4x108 steelies and or Audi trims? If I could get the car on steels with some period correct trimz I’d be happier. Just personal preference really.

 

Apparently the underside of the car is spotless, not even any surface rust. This isn’t the news I wanted to hear as it probably means I have to keep it now!!

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Everyone loves a happy ending :)

 

The 80 was the last good Audi, in my opinion.

That and the first A6, a revamped 100, were both superb cars - that little nook of time when a manufacturer is moving rapidly to the higher end of the market based on a rising public image based on simplicity, high quality and a USP (quattro, for Audi).

 

So top quality build and material quality with some expensive refinements to old and straightforwards designs. It all started to go wrong with the new A6 and as the A4 evolved.

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Second attempt at posting this.......and I'm a lazt typist at the best of times. Add in the fact I frequently forget to take photos its probably going to be a bit of a slog for any reader.................

 

Having got this running over Christmas for Mr Bourne it was time to try for a test and we decided to just submit it and see what happened. So last Saturday off I went to collect the car from my sister’s place and take it in.

 

The pre MoT check just consisted of checking the lights, cleaning the screen inside and out and fitting some new wiper blades.

It wasn’t running quite right as I just fitted the distributor with it time up approximately – it is quite hard to judge when the trigger point is exactly (forgot meter!)! Bring back points……..

 

I did put a strobe on it but when I tried to move the dizzy I found I had fitted it with the wiring plug up against the bellhousing…………so I had to take it out again and move it round a tooth. Still couldn’t get a decent setting so decided to leave till after the test as time was running out.

It drove well enough to the garage – part of the way with my foot on the brake to clean the discs up. First part of the test was brakes………….all good. I think half cleaned rust pitted discs grip well.

 

Up on the ramp and we stopped for coffee which gave me a good chance to get a good look under it. Verdict is that it is spotless – not even surface corrosion. Similarly the factory brake lines are clean and fresh. Even the fastenings are in good nick.

 

Test items all good apart from both outer CV boots were perished and split. Mr Bourne already knew it would need tyres as 3 of them are very perished……..

Overall a good result……..and it ran loads better after I put some fresh fuel in it too.

 

I didn’t really fancy doing the CV boots as it has been stood for so long………..but in for a penny in for a pound so while I had the enthusiasm I decided to drive it home and get on with it.

First get everything ready……….big air gun is bloody good for hub nuts!

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Stretchy rubber boot and cone saves having to split the joint – bought from local factors but seem decent quality……..British made too.

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Rubber lube eases things. Picture seems to show domestic uses………

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One side done.

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Stop for cuppa and snack. New cup after Mrs Alf got pissed off with best cups coming back chipped or covered in grinding/weld spatter.

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Other side done…..just as well as its getting dark.

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On Sunday morning I tried to find what the timing should be set to. Couldn’t find anything so decided to go for 8 degrees and refine on road test. Put the strobe on……….only to find that turning the dizzy has no effect………further investigation reveal this in controlled by ECU although I have no idea why it doesn’t need a base setting?? Or do you need to access the ECU?

That’s it…………just need tyres and go and fetch the ticket now. It does have a few glitches such as a non functioning temp gauge but certainly OK for daily use

 

 

 

 

 

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On Sunday morning I tried to no effect………further investigation reveal this in controlled by ECU although I have no idea why it doesn’t need a base setting?? Or do you need to access the ECU?

 

 

Again, if it's like the golfs of the era the ECU controls the timing but you have to have the dizzy in roughly the right place otherwise it'll limit the RPM to 5000 and reduce timing advance.

You need VAG-COM or VCDS to set it up if this is the case. It's pretty easy though and you can use the knockoff VCDS software.

 

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=291908

 

 

BTW 1st dibs plz!!

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Again, if it's like the golfs of the era the ECU controls the timing but you have to have the dizzy in roughly the right place otherwise it'll limit the RPM to 5000 and reduce timing advance.

You need VAG-COM or VCDS to set it up if this is the case. It's pretty easy though and you can use the knockoff VCDS software.

 

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=291908

 

 

BTW 1st dibs plz!!

Ensure the synchro angle is set as close to 0.0 as possible.Vagcom will give the readout. Full version of Vagcom from Rosstech is approx £2-250 from memory....go for a genuine cable/lead too as replicas dont connect well or can spike the ecu - I speak from experience
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Order of Service

 

Two new tyres being fitted this evening.  Knock Kwik-Fit™ all you like - nobody could get close to them on price.  Mobile fitting too for added legality.

New temperature sender ordered and arriving imminently.  

MOT Retest on Saturday.

 

Then I'm going to approach my bodywork man to see how much for a full machine polish.  He is a man who recognises the convenience of being paid in cash, and I'm not one to be burdened with receipts and administration.

 

I'll insure it tomorrow once my little w202 is safely on its way to Scotland - and then park it up until Feb 1st.  Then it'll get taxed, driven a bit to iron out any further issues before being sold as close to perfect as possible.  I'd like to get a parcel shelf/load cover sorted from ebay for about £40.  After that, show the previous owner - and then move it on giving both her and Alf some money.

 

If anyone is genuinely interested, please drop me a message.  I've no idea what a really good one of these is likely to sell for.  Probably not much more than a shit one, but it deserves a bit of love.

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Yes, these really are very solid, great cars and simple to look after, generally unless you have an early TDI with pump troubles like me!

 

They really are well protected from rust... my 93 TDI even has the original exhaust..

 

Other issues common to these cars are leaking heater matrixes that need dash removal to change / trackrod ends that collect lots of crap and often become impossible to remove / drooppy headlining, the foam degrades under the fabric / odometer fails - think it's a little plastic gear that splits, same as a volvo one IIRC and can be bought still online / probably 3d printed.. 

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Oh man.  Stop offering cars that I really want and can't justify please :D

 

My advise is do some proper job photo's post its makeover and advertise it as a recently recomissioned modern classic, sure to appreciate, last of the proper Audi's build quality wise etc etc.. on cars and classic.

 

I once made £600 on some Pirelli tyres on there (proper pattern 1970's Jaguar ones), it really is a much better audience for selling a percieved quality product.

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I really like the way they go as well as the simplicity and high quality. I suppose they feel dated on smooth roads where speeds are lowish, but driven briskly on typically lumpy, broken B and C roads they're ace - more (and less stiff) suspension travel than an A4 and a sweet chassis through faster corners.

 

They lack snow grip though - the engine's light and a long way back, I once hung a couple of cubies of veg forwards of the front bumper to see me up a hill (worn summer tyres, freak snowstorm).

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Leaking heater matrix is what killed mine! Real shame - was a 93’ 80 Avant Tdi 90bhp. At that time though I knew nobody who could fix it.... :(

Don't think it's difficult just time consuming - need a nice warm space and lots of it - probably a power screwdriver too!  

Mine was semi blocked for years and after I layed it up to change the leaking fuel pump and cambelt I thought I'd use the internet's hive mind advice of 'gently' blasting the matrix through with a warm solution of citric acid and get excited by big lumps of crud and a nice warm matrix....

Very little came out and now it properly leaks into the passenger footwell...

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Order of Service

 

 

If anyone is genuinely interested, please drop me a message.  I've no idea what a really good one of these is likely to sell for.  Probably not much more than a shit one, but it deserves a bit of love.

 

It's Mercs people want on here matey........they are what people want.

 

Well known for resale yer Merc is........

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Huge and heartfelt thanks to eminent mechanic Alf892 for his work on this. Today the MOT was achieved, the tyres were sorted, cambelt, plugs and oil changed and the car driven back to mine.

 

Plan is to give it a shakedown over 1000 miles, address any issues that arise and then put it up for sale as I just don’t need it.

 

I drove the 30 miles home to mine and it drives fantastically. It’s definitely better for new plugs, Vpower fuel and a hearty hoon along my favourite road, the B645.

 

Progress.

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I really like the way they go as well as the simplicity and high quality. I suppose they feel dated on smooth roads where speeds are lowish, but driven briskly on typically lumpy, broken B and C roads they're ace - more (and less stiff) suspension travel than an A4 and a sweet chassis through faster corners.

 

They lack snow grip though - the engine's light and a long way back, I once hung a couple of cubies of veg forwards of the front bumper to see me up a hill (worn summer tyres, freak snowstorm).

 

Isn't the Audi 80 engine hung out in front of the front axle ?

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When you polish it, can we have a time lapse please?

Really, it needs doing with some 3m fast cut and a machine. However, I’m in the process of giving HMRC a lot of hard earned - so will probably have to do it myself. By hand.

 

I will endeavour to make a start soon though as it really looks a bit down at heel atm.

 

The one thing nobody warned me of, is the sexual red illumination of the dash at night. It is sensational.

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Isn't the Audi 80 engine hung out in front of the front axle ?

 

Aren't almost all fwd inline engined cars?

 

Just trying to convey the fact that the mass centre is further back than you'd think (with the 4-cyl ones), it's something you get to know about living in a hilly, snowy part of the country and when you drive a variety of different cars.

 

It surprised me, perhaps they moved the gearbox as far back as possible given the length of the 5?

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