Jack's '90 coupe quattro

[Sparkyjack]

I blame my daughter for me being here, Christmas Day 2013 she was cruising Craigslist and found a CQ for sale locally, I missed out on that one but I was committed to buy one.

I bought mine from an employee of a local Subie tuner shop, he found it on Craigslist.
The previous owner took care of the big stuff such as rotors, calipers, struts and timing belt, he also had the speedlines refinished.

During the test drive i noticed the odometer was not working and was told the ABS was disconnected.

I've had VWs or Audis of one form or another since the early 80s. Tbh I can't say that ever saw a CQ when they where new.

My car is red with black leather and the cold weather package, overspray on a few things around the grill and bumper suggests it's spent some time in the body shop.

My plans are to keep it close to stock.

Jack

[Sparkyjack]

From the moment I test drove the car the thought the brake boast was working.

The test procedures suggested I had a bad bomb, David Kase at audibombs provided me with a recharged one solved that problem.

Fixing the ABS was surprisingly easy, I checked and replaced the warning lamps in instrument cluster, plugged in the ABS controller with the expectation that I'd be troubleshooting bad sensors and/or dirty tone rings. I started the car hopping expecting that I'd be cleaning tone rings or troubleshooting a bad sensor.
Reality turned out to be much different, no warming lights and no strange brake behavior.

I've not had a chance to confirm that the ABS actually works. Maybe this winter I'll find an icy patch of pavement. I do have some concern about the rumor that the ABS kicks in about 100 feet after the wheels lock up.

Jack

[DE80q]

Good to see you over here jack! I love your CQ. As for the ABS, mine never kicked in, even with hitting a couple icey patches. So I believe the rumors to be true about it taking forever to kick in.

[Sparkyjack]

Took the coupe out for a ride and got a big surprise it's popping out of gear, every gear.
I ignored the suggestions that I had a bad transmission that made by several more knowledgable people.
I replaced the shift coupling at the transmission and installed an 034 short shift kit thinking the popping out of gear problem was caused by a linkage problem.

While the connection between shift knob was solid it still popped out of gear.

Clearly at this point it's time for a new transmission.

Jack

[varia]

whats your location?

[Sparkyjack]

Good to see you over here jack! I love your CQ. As for the ABS, mine never kicked in, even with hitting a couple icey patches. So I believe the rumors to be true about it taking forever to kick in.

Thanks for the welcome and kind words about my CQ, it seems you are not alone in liking the CQ.
Several weeks ago I was followed by a nice looking modded white A4 avant, driver was taking pictures or video.

Jack

[Sparkyjack]

whats your location?

I live near Westminster MD.

[Sparkyjack]

Replacement transmission - check
Bently - check
Tools - check
HF transmission jack - check
Dremel tool - check
Patient wife cause her car is now on the driveway - check

Go

Cut the three bolts between the bag of snakes and pipe to the cat - 3 hours
Fight with cv joint bolts
Cut the bolts that connect the right transmission mount to the subframe - 3 hours
Use a hamburger bun to drive out the pilot bearing - it's cool how that works
Wrestle the replacemnet onto the transmission jack while under the car - 3 hours
Fight with the slave cylindar - 3 hours (next time I'll install it with the transmission on the floor
i took my time and spent about 30 hours, the only left over part was the procon bracket.

Jack

[Sparkyjack]

My CQ is an early one.
Stamped control arms, bag of snakes header, parcel shelf , no air bag, early ECU and no rear sway bar.

I'm okay with everything but the rear sway bar.
After reading several threads on how to add a sway bar I started looking for one off a FWD CGT.
I got lucky and found one at a good price just 90 minutes away.

A rear sub frame with swaybar mounts was equally easy, I met Up with Jack Dean and exchanged some cash for a subframe with sway bar mounts.

Now I need the rest of the stuff.

Jack

[Sparkyjack]

I'm seeking some recomendations on sourcing rear subframe bushings, mounts and hardware for my '90 CQ.

This is a street car, i want to keep it comfortable and quiet, adding noise vibration etc will ruin it for my wife.

For the control arms I'm probably going with energy suspensions shackle inserts (thanks Dave) is there any difference between red and black?

Poking around I see that 034, HPR and power flex all offer subframe and front differential mount solutions. Any expierence or recomendations with any of these products?

For the rear differential mount I'm leaning towardsi street density power flex solution.

Is the dealer the best source of hardware? I'm thinking I need to or should replace most if not all of the hardware I touch.

Thanks!

[DE80q]

There is no difference between the colors from ES. I normally find the red easier, so that's what I normally buy.

For the subframes, you can still buy new OEM bushings. That may be the way to go for you, because using aluminum or polyurethane will cause a vibration that your wife may not take too kindly too.

The rear diff is not a huge deal. Even with stiffer mounts, you really shouldn't notice much vibration. I personally will have the HPR motor and trans mounts, but my rear diff will be using the 034 track density mounts(all 3).

As for the hardware, you can go through multiple sources. ECSTuning is one I have used with good results.

[ringbearer]

Question: What is the difference between the Energy Suspension® red and black polyurethane components?
Answer: Both are our Energy's HYPER-FLEX™ performance polyurethane formulations. Energy has impregnated selected black polyurethane components with graphite to add a lubrication property. Additionally, both Energy Suspension® red and black polyurethane components are engineered differently than OEM rubber components to be free a floating and non-binding design. This allows for the additional durometer (firmness) of the components, which adds to the performance improvement of the vehicle overall. Through its 25 years of design and formulation of polyurethane, Energy's polyurethane components are the best on the market today.


I am happy with the fit and quality of the Powerflex bushings I have purchased.

[Sparkyjack]

As for the ABS, mine never kicked in, even with hitting a couple icey patches. So I believe the rumors to be true about it taking forever to kick in.

It has snowed around Baltimore, so I finally got to play in the snow covered parking lot at work.
The guy plowing the lot was not amused and asked if I was 5 years old.
I'll probably go out to find that he has plowed me in.
I'm sure I'll be able to quattro over his lame attempt to show me who's boss.

On another note the ABS does make that crunchy sound fairly quickly after you stand on the brakes.
Yeah I'm a little more confident in Audi's ABS on my more modern cars.

[PRY4SNO]

I was pleasantly surprised to find the ABS in my parts coupe works perfectly. Feels like it "ought" to, no spring/boing at the bottom of the travel. Just a light pulse when it kicks in.

[vt10vt]

Vids or it didn't happen!

Hey Jack, hope all is well and despite the snow Westminster is nicer right now than this tundra I decided to move back to

[vt10vt]

It has snowed around Baltimore, so I finally got to play in the snow covered parking lot at work.
The guy plowing the lot was not amused and asked if I was 5 years old.
I'll probably go out to find that he has plowed me in.
I'm sure I'll be able to quattro over his lame attempt to show me who's boss.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2N0DjEI4-A[/youtube]

[Sparkyjack]

Vids or it didn't happen!

Hey Jack, hope all is well and despite the snow Westminster is nicer right now than this tundra I decided to move back to

No vids

Things in westminster are good. There are moments that I feel like I'm the only Carrol County resident that appreciates older Audis. The heater box needs to come out of the coupe and doing it solo is not appealing.

Jack

[Sparkyjack]

The heater box needs to come out of the coupe and doing it solo is not appealing.

Jack

The wife went out with friends ( she gets a little nauseous when I take a car apart) so I put on my big boy pants pulled the dash and heater box, it only took four hours.
Tomorrow I'll refoam the doors clean up the AC fittings, attempt to find o-rings and maybe start to put it back together.

Jack

[Sparkyjack]

I also took advantage of the opportunity to replace The O rings in the cruise control switches, now I just need a new vacuum pump.
I still need to replace the parcel shelf in drivers footwheel.

I don't see the subframe and swaybar happening before Carlisle, but the 034 injectors yeah that's doable.
I also hope I have the cash to fix the door cards.

Looking forward to Carlisle and what everybody else has done in the past year.

Jack

[DE80q]

I should have the cruise pump for you.

[Sparkyjack]

the 034 injectors yeah that's doable.

Done!
The injectors have smoothed out the idle a little, the kick in the tail at 4200 is gone.
I guess that a good thing, kind of wonder why it is.

Maybe the rear subframe and swaybar is doable.

Jack

[Sparkyjack]

Sunday after Carlisle the coupe died on the road.
Codes say 2114 - distributor basic, all the flywheel teeth are present as well as the timing pin.

The cam sprocket timing mark and the TDC mark don't line up.
It does not make rude or offensive noises when I spin it by hand or with the starter.
I ran a compression test this evening, numbers where a low of 180 and highs of 195.
Hopefully tomorrow I will have time to pull the intake and the valve cover to check timing from there.

De90q and I have been exchanging texts about this we are kind of thinking I lost the cam sprocket key.
I realize I need to dig into it to figure out exactly what happened.

Jack