Limited progress over the past couple of evenings as the cam chain tensioners needed changing which took a while.

Flywheel on - this is a custom lightweight unit from TTV Racing. Its a little over half the weight of the stock one, and a little over half the price! It also takes a nice cheap B5 RS4 clutch.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

Gearbox going on.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

This is from a C5 A6 2.5TDI quattro. The ratios look 'plausible' and they're relatively easy to come by.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531949423

Always the little details :rolleyes:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

Engine and gearbox bolted together :)

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

The manual ECU files which I've obtained from Vera and Goran (thanks both!) have the secondary air injection coded out, which is handy because its pointless and just adds weight and plumbing.

Pulled all this rubbish from the engine, and I'll remove the pump from the airbox before it goes back in.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

Made up some blanking plates for the ports on the back of the heads

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

I pre-modified a spare engine harness, removing all the automatic gearbox and ecu wiring and also the SAI stuff. Still some work to do for the sensors on the manual gearbox - I couldn't do the reverse switch and speed sensor until I had the gearbox attached so I could check the wire lengths so I'll sort that tomorrow.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

Where I finished tonight:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531948791

20 hours.

Another "What's in the workshop?" :D

I already learned something. The rear bumper bolt that was seized +++

Proof indeed that higher-intellect aliens have infiltrated our humble human society!

I'm the monster's mother ;)

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1531992053

Someone photoshop that with red hair...…… :ROFL:

TDI rear diff:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

Original diff in the background

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

Cleaned up the CV joints and replaced the gaskets

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

Installed

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

Sorted the wiring for the reverse switch. New connector and wires to extend the original N75 wires over to the other side of the gearbox

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

Re-used some sleeving from the autobox harness

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

Wrapped up with tape and complete. Ideally I would have liked to sleeve all of this, but that would have meant cutting off the original connectors for the engine mount and speed sender so tape has to do in this case. I may use some split corrugated sleeve on the next swaps.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

On to the gearbox oil cooler lines. The originals (of which I have a reference set) are no longer available so I cut the autobox cooler lines apart after the engine mount

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

I couldn't get the phone to focus to get a decent pic, but I welded a couple of little pips on the end of each pipe to function as a barb to stop the hoses pushing off. There's no pressure in these, but best to be safe. You can just see the bumps in the hoses. I'll crimp these in place once I'm happy with lengths and routing.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035839

Mounted on the engine. They cross under the bellhousing...

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532035856

...and attach to the gearbox here

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532036457

I'll need to work out some brackets to support the hoses since the originals are hard lines after the engine mount. I'll be able to produce these in advance for the next conversions using spare autobox lines.

I've been waiting for this!

Was expecting the Grey FE to be the prototype though - that will have to be the 'pre-production' model!

What are you doing about the gearbox mounts for the production models? The ones you're using for Bert's look like those "last ones" you got from Audi...


Lastly, when are you coming to Australia with one of those kits in your carry-on? :D

I started off prototyping on the Avus FE, but then Bert's gearbox went pop and he didn't want to spend £3K having it rebuilt only to take it out again once I figured out the swap so we agreed to prototype on his instead. Unfortunately it has taken considerably longer than we expected but hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

Bert's is using the genuine gearbox mounts for simplicity, although I did have to modify the left hand one to clear the shifter. They are pretty simple to copy though so I will redesign them using laser-cut flat plate and make an assembly jig for the pieces so they can be tig welded together. Its likely that's going to come out considerably cheaper than the genuine ones in the end anyway, just like all of the other custom parts.

Not sure I'd get away with a propshaft in a ski-bag on a trip to Australia :ROFL: I'm sure we can figure something out if you want a conversion though +++

Hi MJ nice to see you've started shouldn't take you long now! i expect you be 99% finished before the end of the month. keep up the good work
Dave

Sadly that is unlikely since I've only got tomorrow left on it, then Mike's Murple is in on Monday for a fortnight. I can't believe its Friday already :rolleyes: I've only spent maybe 2 days of 5 doing actual conversion stuff. The rest has been engine maintenance or cleaning conversion parts, and obviously wasting a few hours taking the engine out the wrong way!

I finished off the oil cooler lines tonight. This is where they join the original hard lines, now crimped in place.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532121562

They curve under the bellhousing in roughly the same way as the original hardlines

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532121562

Pump output

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532121562

Return at the back (apologies for the focus :rolleyes:). I need to make another support halfway along this when I build the exhaust support bracket. On the next ones I might actually use the C5 return hardline at this point and join the hose where the pump union is.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532121562

I covered the hoses in adhesive-lined heatshrink to hold them in place and to give them some protection. This should hold its shape even when the lines are hot. If not, I'll consider some more support.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532121562

New lines top, originals bottom

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532121562

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532121562

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1532121562

All I managed after this was to put the other engine mount and starter back on and then fill the gearbox with oil. Lots to do tomorrow to get it rolling again so I can push it out of the way to work on Mike's.