85 UR quattro

12 minute(s) of a 211 minute read

Sorry about the lack of updates. Got distracted by some work related events not the least of which was attending LSPR with our 911 and other assorted old rally cars.

Since I got back I haven't worked on the car but taken every opportunity I could to drive it. This included a funeral, a couple of cars and coffee events, an open house and running to Autozone for parts for our ailing Allroad.

I'd forgotten how much I enjoy driving this car and how much attention it gets. I'm going to try to enjoy it as much as possible before it goes away for the winter. It drives very well, is smooth and quiet but does have a slight hesitation under load though it pulls strong. I can figure that out and put the remaining few parts back on this winter. For now LET"S DRIVE!

11-3-2016

Been looking for opportunities to show of the car and have some fun with it before we run out of season.

The demise of our A3 left us with some 17" BRAID Fullrace A wheels and 225 tires lying around and with the help of the spacers that our ALLROAD doesn't need with it's winter wheels it soon became obvious what we must do. Throw them on the quattro!








This is only for fun mind you. They are a little contemporary and the 225/45-17 tires are about an inch to tall but it was well received in this state at our local meet Saturday.




You can feel the extra weight and diameter when driving and there is s slight rub somewhere on full lock but they are about the same diameter as the package we are planning to use on our 83 build so worth the trouble. 15" BRAIDs go back on soon.

The car is starting to srtuggle to start again now. Runs great once warmed up exept for a slight hesitation around 4000 rpm. Maybe the cold start valve? It is also pissing out hydraulic fluid still. We replaced everything around the bomb except the pressure switches so we suspect those. New ones are on the way.




We have also been tidying up the mess we gad left over from the project. This consists of mostly parts that need to go into boxes and parts that still need to go on the car.Tok care of inventorying and boxing parts and installed the plastic underbody stuff.




So just the cruise control actuator and injector blower to reinstall when we get chance. Holding off for now until we diagnose the starting issue though.

2-15-2017

It's been winter for too long already so no driving the 85. No working on it either as our 83 rally build and wheel sales have been keeping us busy. We have been picking away at the hydraulic system leaks however. We easily sourced some new pressure switches for the hydraulic bomb and quickly replaced the one on the side. However we did manage to disconnect a wire in the process.

The one underneath was a different prospect requiring us to access it from below. This, of course, took many, many weeks to get round to until recently when we finally drove it onto some ramps in the showroom.

where it sat for another couple of weeks till we had time to crawl under it. It soon became anther classic Audi "unscrew the simplest thing, if you can" project until we found just the right 24mm deep socket to get the switch off. At first we tried loosening the bomb from it's moorings but you cant undue these two nuts even though you can see them:

Finally found a thin wall socket that fit.

This still left the wiring issue to fix.

Think this is where it came from.

This puppy cost $35! Well, it was free, but we had to buy $35 worth of zip ties to liberate it from the box of 100 we were supposed to buy.

Soon had it on and back on the switch.

Of course we can't tell if it's solved the leaks till we drive it and it's still too salty outside. Never mind, now we can fix the leaky rear diff. However, this involves putting it on the lift and you now how long it took to get it off there last time! Wish us luck.

3-17-2017

Uh oh! Car is on the lift again! Hopefully not for two years this time.

The plan is to drop the diff and reseal it. Three main seals to replace and I think they are all leaking to some extent.

My first plan was to undo the axle and drive shaft bolts, undo the diff mounts and then, hopefully wrangle the diff out. All the axle and drive shaft bolts came out easily but, however, it looks like the axles don't have enough axial free play to release and the subframe bushings have seen better days so new plan is to remove the diff with the subframe. Still have to separate the axles and drive shaft first though. Probably going to remove the track rods and lower control arms at the subframe and leave the struts hanging.

Must remember to disconnect the diff actuator though.

So, how hard could it be?

3-23-2017

How hard could it be? Very

Well the axles and drive shaft needed some persuasion to let go of their respective couplings. A few wacks with a hammer did the job. I made some room by disconecting the lower control arms and the tie rods from the subframe.




Then moved on to the subframe bolts. Two came out easily. the rear right was seized in the sleeve but that tore out of the bushing so it did unscrew at least. The rear left just broke it's head off as soon as it saw the socket approaching.




We still managed to free the subframe from it with a bit of brute force but that left a siezed bolt taunting us in place.






So my friend Carlos welded a nut to it but as soon as we offered up the big socket to attempt to unscrew it we realised it was already hand tight! The power of heat. It's magical.





So next is inspection and tear down of the diff and subframe. Oh, and finding lots of parts.

3-29-2017

We started to dismantle the diff and subframe. Dismantle might be too strong a word and we are just replacing bushings and seals, but it is an old Audi.

Drive shaft and both axle flanges are out.

This is the big seal on the left. No longer available but 034 Motorsport had some made. Phew!

Will need to replace this as it broke off the diff lock actuator shaft.

Will be replacing the diff lock actuator too of course. Already have a new one of those. The rear mount has seen better days. It will have to go. Have a couple of these in the parts bin though

and the left tie rod boot is split so this will have to be replaced too. Fortunately still available as a complete unit.

And, of course, new subframe bushings from Germany! So here we are, waiting for parts, again.

4-2-2017

Got the right axle seal in but not started on the right one yet, the BIG one. Had to order the drive shaft seal as I had the wrong one but I did try fixing the groove in the saft with a Speedi Sleeve.

These press on the shaft using the tool provided with the sleeve but it didn't go too well and we were very disappointed with the tool as it seemed too big.

Will try again perhaps with one from a different supplier. We received some yokes for the diff actuator from a generous member of the community.

and for fun tried our new BRAID wheels for the 83 rally build on for size.

16x9, et12 so they are way too wide for the stock fenders of this car but will work well on or wide body rally car.