JBDs B3 CQ

**jbrentd** · 05-06-2013 09:42 AM

I thought I'd start a thread over here on my 1991 Coupe Quattro. It seems I've been spending a little more time on the forum than I have in the past. And this section could use a little more traffic.

Anyway, I bought the car back in February 2010 with 199,xxx miles on it. The PO was from Wisconsin and I talked my wife in to a trip to Chicago for Valentine's Day, but with one stipulation...we had to drive this new car back. To be honest, I was a little nervous about it, but it went pretty well. Only problem was a busted exhaust that had our ears ringing by the time the 10 hours drive was over.

Here are some shots from when I first got it.

Someone failed at putting the car on a lift properly at some point in the past.

While on the drive back home, she hit a milestone.

Fast forward a ways and the car has euro front and rear bumpers and all of the dents taken out.

A 3-spoke steering wheel I scored at a local junk yard for $50.

New Spec clutch.

I also did the timing belt and have started working on a set of DIY coilovers.

And it got some new wheels. 17x8 TSK Hokenheims. She looks like a stuck pig with that red donor piece.

Next on the agenda was to get her ready for paint.

This is how she sits today.

Plans for this summer are to finish the coilovers, remove the dash so I can re-seal the airbox and install new headliner. My pace has been really slow, so not sure I'll get it all done.

**jbrentd** · 05-06-2013 09:50 AM

Forgot to mention some work on the interior.

Thought I'd try my hand at the carbon fiber overlay on some of the belt line trim while the interior panels are out.

Have also been refreshing the stereo. Won't be winning any audio contests, but should sound better than what I had.

Original speakers were falling apart.

So far I like the HU. Came with Bluetooth (phone and audio), hd radio, rear USB, pandora. And was very easy to set up. Choices are sometimes limited when you want something that allows the colors to be customized.

Also installed an Infinity Basslink.

And swapped over my grey shift boot & knob from my A4. It matched pretty well.

***Stubek*** · 05-06-2013 09:54 AM

looks great!

**JoshDub** · 05-06-2013 12:15 PM

Nice! It has come together really well. Does the B5 A4's shift knob just screw on like the B3s?

**jbrentd** · 05-06-2013 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by JoshDub

Nice! It has come together really well. Does the B5 A4's shift knob just screw on like the B3s?

Yes, same thread pattern.

That reminds me, I also have a JHM short shifter sitting in bax in the garage. Hopefully, I can get it installed soon.

**JoshDub** · 05-06-2013 05:18 PM

Let me know what you think of that. I have been contemplating one. I had a JHM shifter in my B6 and absolutely loved it.

**PRY4SNO** · 05-06-2013 06:01 PM

Love the wheels!

Maybe it's just me but the pics for the jack-dent and the euro bumpers didn't show up... nor the second trim pic.

Love the work so far, keep up the updates!

**jbrentd** · 05-07-2013 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by JoshDub

Let me know what you think of that. I have been contemplating one. I had a JHM shifter in my B6 and absolutely loved it.

I have their short shifter on my B5 and love it too. I've heard good things about these.

**jbrentd** · 05-07-2013 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by PRY4SNO

Love the wheels!

Maybe it's just me but the pics for the jack-dent and the euro bumpers didn't show up... nor the second trim pic.

Love the work so far, keep up the updates!

They appear to be working on my machine.

Thanks for the comments.

**PRY4SNO** · 05-07-2013 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by JoshDub

Let me know what you think of that. I have been contemplating one. I had a JHM shifter in my B6 and absolutely loved it.

Lots of people have reported issues with the carbon driveshaft being too big a diameter to fit the JHM shifter without modification... something to consider.

**jbrentd** · 05-07-2013 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by PRY4SNO

Lots of people have reported issues with the carbon driveshaft being too big a diameter to fit the JHM shifter without modification... something to consider.

hmm... good to know. Thanks for the heads up.

**JoshDub** · 05-08-2013 11:42 AM

PRY4SNO
Do you happen to have any info on the modifications needed?

**PRY4SNO** · 05-08-2013 10:59 PM

Hey guys.

http://www.motorgeek.com/viewtopic.p...it=jhm+shifter

I reread the thread and found a glimmer of hope. Of critical importance, the minimum reduction setting will clear the driveshaft on an 01E trans, and should be fine on the 01A but won't have the reverse lockout feature (if I read correctly).

Originally Posted by Mcstiff

... it did hit the driveshaft in the highest reduction setting. I'm not sure the owner cares since the lowest reduction is still a bunch shorter than stock and feel is hugely improved.

Originally Posted by Mcstiff

I don't think it is an issue with the 5 speed, you'd really need to be way off on your 3-4/5-4 shifts to hit R.

FWIW, I've bought one and just haven't installed it along with my 6sp CGR, as I'm waiting on the last couple parts. It's really well built though. Worth the cost just to heft and look at.

**jbrentd** · 05-17-2013 08:17 AM

Thanks for the link. Hopefully, I'll have some time to work on the coupe later this summer once my kid's baseball slows down a bit.

**jbrentd** · 07-18-2013 07:13 AM

Doing some work last night. Pulled the dash to fix/replace this list of things. My main goal is to get the air box and A/C working.

* Heater core
* re-foam the air box
* install JHM short shifter
* firewall gromet around the steering column (tired of all the heat pointed right at my crotch)
* numerous dash switches that either don't work or bulbs are out

Already got the short shifter in...

JoshDub & Pry4sno - With all of the dash and center console out of the way, it literally took me more time to find the short shifter than to put it in. It doesn't appear to be hanging up on anything. My shifter only has one setting, btw. It feels very good when just running through the gears...very similar to the JHM shifter in my old B5.

**jbrentd** · 07-30-2013 11:18 AM

Some updates on the heater box rebuild...

Here it is prior to dis-assembly. The foam on the flaps was not as bad as I expected, but still needing replaced.

Here are the flaps after I recovered them.

Now, I have a bit of a problem. This vacuum servo operates the footwell/defrost flap and ithas a small crack in it. I checked around and the cheapest one for sale costs $210. WTF? So, I attempted to fix it myself with a little silicone RTV and some electrical tape. It now will operate the flap when I apply a vacuum to the servo. But it won't hold a vacuum. Does anyone know if a constant vacuum is applied to the parts or just a single burst of vacuum?

Next up:
* clean the face of the evaporator
* hook everything up and check functionality before re-installing the dash
* fix the steering column firewall gromet

**PRY4SNO** · 07-30-2013 11:33 PM

Nice work so far... sorry no answer about holding vs. burst of vacuum. Been avoiding the heater refurb myself, lol

**JoshDub** · 08-02-2013 01:56 PM

Thats good about the Shifter. Did you happen to notice if you had the CF driveshaft?

Also, how hard was it to fix the flaps? I need to do that as well. I am familiar with pulling dashes and all sorts of interior work, so I am not worried, it just looks like more work than I can convince my lazy ass to do.

**jbrentd** · 08-02-2013 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by JoshDub

Thats good about the Shifter. Did you happen to notice if you had the CF driveshaft?

Also, how hard was it to fix the flaps? I need to do that as well. I am familiar with pulling dashes and all sorts of interior work, so I am not worried, it just looks like more work than I can convince my lazy ass to do.

I do have the carbon fiber drive shaft. Honestly, I do not see how the shifter could have interferred with anything. It was a direct swap. My shifter didn't have multiple attachment point to choose from as was mentioned previously. I have the JHM shifter, not the 034 shifter.

Repairing the flaps is simple, it's getting the dash and heater box out that was a pain. I have not re-assembled yet because of that broken vacuum actuator. I'm trying to source a replacement or fix the old one. I followed this write-up.

Does anyone know if this part is accessible through the opening in the dash with all of the switched, cc unit and radio removed? Or does the vent duct get in the way? I didn;t pay close enough attention as I was taking it apart.

**JoshDub** · 08-02-2013 02:23 PM

Thanks. Ill plan on ordering the JHM one and hopefully it turns out like yours.

Does the heater core have to come out to repair the flaps? If so, I might as well replace all that but Id rather now spend the money on that right now. Ill check out the link. Thanks.

**jbrentd** · 08-02-2013 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by JoshDub

Thanks. Ill plan on ordering the JHM one and hopefully it turns out like yours.

Does the heater core have to come out to repair the flaps? If so, I might as well replace all that but Id rather now spend the money on that right now. Ill check out the link. Thanks.

The heater core is mounted to the heater box. So, yes. I replaced my heater core since it was easy to change.

**JoshDub** · 08-02-2013 02:37 PM

Oh Okay i see now looking through the link. Which brand core did you go with? I found a febi-bilstein unit on amazon for 32 shipped.

**PRY4SNO** · 08-02-2013 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by jbrentd

I do have the carbon fiber drive shaft. Honestly, I do not see how the shifter could have interferred with anything. It was a direct swap. My shifter didn't have multiple attachment point to choose from as was mentioned previously. I have the JHM shifter, not the 034 shifter.

That's encouraging news, good to hear it all worked out!

Originally Posted by JoshDub

Oh Okay i see now looking through the link. Which brand core did you go with? I found a febi-bilstein unit on amazon for 32 shipped.

Wow! Link please...

**JoshDub** · 08-02-2013 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by PRY4SNO

Wow! Link please...

Is this right?
http://www.amazon.com/Audi-Heater-Co...rds=8D1819030B

**PRY4SNO** · 08-03-2013 11:30 PM

Looks legit... nice find!

**jbrentd** · 08-06-2013 01:12 PM

I went with the one AutohausAZ had on their site. About the same price but not the same brand.

**Mcstiff** · 08-06-2013 11:48 PM

Just some shifter info for the future, the adjustment is done by changing the stack of sleeves on the stalk. You just remove the spring clip, slide everything off, reorder, and reassemble. I can see from your picture that there is a sleeve above the spherical joint, this is why you did not have clearance issues.

**jbrentd** · 08-09-2013 08:52 AM

Thanks for the clarification Ed

**jbrentd** · 09-23-2013 02:13 PM

Good news...the car is mobile again.

Bad news...a few things don't work. Will require some troubleshooting.

* Keep blowing a fuse #4 (radio, interior lights, cig lighter, and other stuff)
* No foglights

Here's a shot of the completed carbon fiber wrap project...

**JoshDub** · 09-23-2013 04:22 PM

It is coming together nicely!

My fog lights didn't work. It turned out to be that the switches were nasty inside. It took a little cleaning of the contacts and now they work great.

**jbrentd** · 10-01-2013 07:03 PM

Fuse problem solved...

Took me a while to put two an two together, but each time the fuse did not blow was when the knee bolster was removed. Strange occurrence, but I swapped in a cubby from an early coupe and one of the screws I used went too far into the dash and must have gone into the bundle of wires on this circuit, causing a short.

**PRY4SNO** · 10-01-2013 11:54 PM

Nice catch!

Not surprising at all though... that's a veritable rat's nest back there.

**jbrentd** · 10-03-2013 01:27 PM

Here's a picture of the early coupe cubby installed. Fit could be a little better if I removed an additional bracket behind the dash, but it has three ground wires attached to it and I didn't want to mess with them at the time.

**PRY4SNO** · 10-03-2013 02:11 PM

They're super handy, love mine :)

Diggin' on the wheel too!

**jbrentd** · 10-10-2013 05:49 PM

Looks like I get to pull the steering wheel and instrument cluster again. My odometer stopped working. Research points to a bad odometer gear. Good times!

**JoshDub** · 10-10-2013 06:16 PM

That cubby looks nice! Yours is an airbag car right?

Also, fwiw, I can pull the cluster without pulling the wheel in my 90. There is just enough room.

**jbrentd** · 10-11-2013 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by JoshDub

That cubby looks nice! Yours is an airbag car right?

Also, fwiw, I can pull the cluster without pulling the wheel in my 90. There is just enough room.

Yes on the airbag. Now that you mention it, I think I remember being able to tilt the cluster forward to remove it with the steering wheel still in there.