Aluminum Silver B5 build/maintenance

[wangerang]

Morning guys--

My name is Ethan, I'm 18 and a senior in high school.
Last May I was gifted my '97 A4 sedan from an old family friend and VWVortex member OstTrefttWest. It's FWD, but it's a 5-speed. I know you guys give Matt a bunch of **** for having a fwd a4 too but i love her. She's in pretty good condition, minor scratches from a couple hit and runs.

Came lowered on B&G springs with Bilstein shocks, Unitronic Stage 1+ tune (93 octane, 201hp, 220ft/lb) and an ICM delete with TSI coils.

There's a couple pea sized dents near the passenger side tail lights and some scratches on the driver side A pillar, passenger side front bumper, scratches on the driver side front fender, some on the hood that aren't very noticeable and a scratch on the driver side rear bumper. Nothing that can't be fixed (as far as I know) but I can live with them for now. Rear bumper has been patched with bondo but I never got around to painting it because Fall in the midwest was windy and I don't have access to a paint booth.

There's also a gap between the bumper and headlight on the driver side but I read on audiforum that I could use a 9mm hex drive to adjust the height. No idea how valid this is but it's worth a shot. Going by autozone either tonight or this weekend when i'm not working to grab the hex drive since my set went from 8mm to 10mm and will hopefully fix the gap. I feel like my fenders are off a tad on both sides, might just need new clips.

Shortly after owning the car, it began misfiring. Generic OBD2 picked up a cyl 1 misfire. Cleared the code but then the car wouldn't start.

PO comes by with vagcom and some needle nose pliers to poke around at the ICM harness. No issues were found and it ran perfectly when we tried starting it up again.

Cleaned the interior a ton before first date with my girlfriend

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No issues until Christmas rolled around. Apparently it had been slowly leaking oil from the oil filter gasket. Got the oil death light and had her towed to a shop. :(

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Hose snapped off the DV last month. Been busy with a new job and haven't been able to address it yet. No code. Intake manifold is plugged with a piece of vacuum hose and screwdriver bit. I have a stock Ralliart DV and was curious to see if I could make that fit.

Misfire this morning (4/11) that went away after clearing the code. Tried to recreate symptoms by revving and taking into low boost, but didn't get anything. Curious to find out what the issue is.

Goal wise for the car I'd like to lower it more, get new wheels, exhaust, and maybe one day a ko4 or f21. My main concern is keeping reliability since this is my only running car right now.

[kaydubmenace]

Car looks good. Lmk when you’re in the market for the turbo and exhaust. I have a ko4-015, 3” year pipe, 3” dp and a borla catback I’ll be looking to sell soon.


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[Mattr567]

Thanks for the mention lol.

I have a set of clear cornered OEM FL headlights I can sell you. It was one of my first ever mods. PFL headlights are so horrible.

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[PringlesInVic]

. PFL headlights are so horrible.

[/URL]

Yes...yes they are

Glad to see another Silver car thread. Looks like you've got some good plans for your build. I'm looking forward to following your progress.

[Mattr567]

Yes...yes they are

Glad to see another Silver car thread. Looks like you've got some good plans for your build. I'm looking forward to following your progress.

Want them? Lol. I'm buying e codes.

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[wangerang]

Want them? Lol. I'm buying e codes.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Audizine mobile app

I’d be willing to take them off your hands. Pm me

[wangerang]

Key fob died this morning. Hunted down the right batteries for it during my lunch hour.

[wangerang]

I picked a good week to start a thread. The hunt begins... :banghead:

[Mattr567]

I picked a good week to start a thread. The hunt begins... :banghead:

Sounds like a vac leak.

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[wangerang]

Sounds like a vac leak.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Audizine mobile app

Yeah, I found the source right before I went to work. It was the nipple I plugged on the intake manifold.

I need to figure out how to get the Ralliart DV in place of the stock one. Anyone know any vacuum line adapters to make a 1” inlet/outlet fit a 1.25”?

[wangerang]

I noticed a dent in my rear passenger door panel today, most likely courtesy of a careless classmate.

Why can’t people be careful around other people’s shit :/

[rockbeau25]

I had a girl intentionally back into my car in high school because I “took her spot.” As long as there are people there will be assholes.

[wangerang]

I had a girl intentionally back into my car in high school because I “took her spot.” As long as there are people there will be assholes.

What the hell. At this point there’s so much bs damage that people have done to it I keep asking myself why even bother put money into it. I’d rather look for another aeb (perhaps quattro?) and just swap what I have over

[rockbeau25]

What the hell. At this point there’s so much bs damage that people have done to it I keep asking myself why even bother put money into it. I’d rather look for another aeb (perhaps quattro?) and just swap what I have over

I mean on the one hand little stuff is fixable but a lot of it adds up. If you’re going to pick up a quattro may as well do it before you’re in too deep

[wangerang]

I mean on the one hand little stuff is fixable but a lot of it adds up. If you’re going to pick up a quattro may as well do it before you’re in too deep

Yeah, probably a good idea. I’ll think about it.

[Mattr567]

I mean on the one hand little stuff is fixable but a lot of it adds up. If you’re going to pick up a quattro may as well do it before you’re in too deep

me_irl.

Yeah, probably a good idea. I’ll think about it.

Nahh fwd is for winrars.

[wangerang]

[wangerang]

Some goodies came in the mail today ;)
There’s more coming within the next four hours too.

Thanks Matt!

[Mattr567]

Some goodies came in the mail today ;)
There’s more coming within the next four hours too.

Thanks Matt!

Glad they got there in one piece!

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Audizine mobile app

[wangerang]

I also got new tail lights from maximusx360. I put them on at work, switched the bottom trim pieces, and messed with the harness to make sure the reverse and brake lights were set up correctly. I wasn’t able to take a pic of the finished product because it started raining, but you guys already know what they look like :p

Hoping to do the headlights in the next couple weeks but I have my work cut out for me. I’m working long weeks and have finals Monday and Tuesday. I graduate next Saturday, then I have shoulder surgery on June 15.

I won’t be able to drive for six weeks and won’t be able to lift anything relatively heavy for eight months, so I’m going to try to knock everything out before then.

[Mattr567]

Following in my footsteps

[PringlesInVic]

Looks like you’ve got some work to do. The FL update will totally change the look of the car. Looking forward to seeing some glamour shots.

And good luck with the surgery

[wangerang]

Looks like you’ve got some work to do. The FL update will totally change the look of the car. Looking forward to seeing some glamour shots.

And good luck with the surgery

The rear end already looks fantastic compared to before. I can’t wait to put the headlights in and wire them up.

Thank you, it’s gonna be a rough recovery from what the surgeon told me.

[wangerang]

quick glamour shot for y’all

[ktsimp721]

Where’d you buy those taillights??? I can’t find em anywhere ?!?


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[wangerang]

Where’d you buy those taillights??? I can’t find em anywhere ?!?


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I can’t tell if you’re serious..?

I got them from a forum member for $55 after shipping. Just look for facelift part outs. They’re snagged pretty quick from my experience. Same with headlights

[wangerang]

My plugs came in the mail

[wangerang]

-FL headlight conversion
-Radiator swap
-Oil pan gasket
-Front wheel bearings
-Replace DV
-Diagnose LDP



Popped off the inlet off the DV by accident on reinstall. I guess I didn't give it enough ugga duggas.

First gear was good, second gear was good, then during a larger third gear pull suddenly it sounded like my car had a BOV and it bucked violently. to the I furiously pushed the car an eighth of a mile home and left it for this morning.



Took it out for a test drive. Needed discs for the grinder.

I had a spare fender (matching color too) so I swapped it out. It's a bit cleaner than the one that was on originally.

Grinding the fenders went well actually— it was my first time using an angle grinder and towards the end of trimming the passenger fender I felt much more confident in my abilities. I did take some pictures of my work and even test fit them, but they were all on Snapchat. I will upload them later. I sealed the fenders with my friend’s clear coat nail polish, put the front wheels back on again, and put it on the ground.

I need to finish bolting down the fenders, put on the fender liners, put on the front bumper, and wire up the new headlights. I also might take a peek at the LDP.

Honestly though, I don’t even want to touch the oil pan gasket or the wheel bearings. I might just pay someone else to do it. I feel burnt out working on my A4. I spent a lot of time working on it (my fault) and need a break!

[wangerang]

Also I’ve had my eye on a mk2 jetta in my area but if I decide to go for it, the A4 will have to go. If I don’t I’d like to go stage 2 on the A4.

What to do......

[Mattr567]

Good to see you're back!

I'm planning a rather large resurrection myself

[PringlesInVic]

We all know how you feel. It’s easy to get burnt out and discouraged working on your B5. But for me it all goes away when I drove it again lol.

The wheel bearings really aren’t that bad, I picked up a tool set off amazon when I did mine. I decided to invest the money I would have spent on somebody doing it for me, on a tool that I could do it myself a bunch of times. I now have to do that same bearing again, thankfully I got it from FCP so it’s covered under lifetime warranty and I have the tools.

And stay tuned for Matt’s thread resurrection, it’s going to be a good one.

[wangerang]

Good to see you're back!

I'm planning a rather large resurrection myself

Oh man... I was going through the classifieds and saw you in MetalMan’s thread. Still trying to figure out if you’re going F21 or nabbing his stage 3 setup. Either way it’ll feel like a beast with fwd

[wangerang]

We all know how you feel. It’s easy to get burnt out and discouraged working on your B5. But for me it all goes away when I drove it again lol.

They're not always nice to me, but they're good cars.

[wangerang]

On a side note— I’ve been looking for clips of Billy Boat exhausts and haven’t really been able to find any for the b5 at least. Any other fwd compatible exhausts that are worth a try?

[Blazius]

RIGHT? Even with all the cursing, cut up arms/hands, and oil/coolant soiled clothes the second the engine roars to life and I throw the shifter into first I immediately forgive it for all the trouble it’s given me.

Except when it fires up and something is not right again :)))

[wangerang]

Except when it fires up and something is not right again :)))

Ain’t that the truth

[wangerang]

Matt, could you show me how to wire these? I’ve tried following this (sorta) with no results. Heading to ace rn to see if connecting the old plug with male connectors will work

[Mattr567]

Matt, could you show me how to wire these? I’ve tried following this (sorta) with no results. Heading to ace rn to see if connecting the old plug with male connectors will work

Honestly back when the conversion was originally done, I was still getting into B5's and I had a tech friend do the conversion for me. HID's and all. Little DDM kit mounted in the oem ballast location with a custom metal plate mount.

I bet there's some great DIYs though.

[wangerang]

fuuuuuuuuck. I got some bullet connectors as advised by prizmatik but can’t find any smaller ones for the white and green wire. You should have your friend lmk lol

[PringlesInVic]

I did mine with bullet connectors as well. I just made jumper wires with a Male bullet end and a female spade end. It's a bit ghetto, but it works well. I'll see if I can snap a pic when I get home. I didn't have Facelift pigtails to work with.