The Project Pad

WOMBAT wrote:That rear suspension work looks awesome! Friendly warning about spring bind though, if you have the coils set to that same height as in the picture, your spring will collapse on itself before the shock does which would fold up your threaded collars. Watch out for that! Otherwise, very envious of your rear suspension bushing work. I need to do that.

Thanks!
Also, shown in the picture was my first sit down before I wanted to drop it. I have about .625" left on the sleeve at the bottom now.

Oh good, you should be fine then

A little bit of an update:

All the parts for front coilovers have been sitting around for a month, I just can't find a day to get it done. Mostly don't have the time to get the alignment done afterwards.

The 200 is running very oddly at the moment. It will run very well one start, next start it runs rather sluggish. It holds 18PSI almost every time though. The thing I have noticed is the oil pressure. On start it will be all the way to the right, as it warms it will sometimes drop to the line with the 2 and sometimes either a little bit under or over. What would cause inconsistency in oil pressure?

Oil is thick when it's cold and thin when it' warm. 2 bar is normal for a warm, idling 3b. The delta T and the reduced idle speed when warm will make that difference.

loxxrider wrote:Oil is thick when it's cold and thin when it' warm. 2 bar is normal for a warm, idling 3b. The delta T and the reduced idle speed when warm will make that difference.

Chris, my concern is that after the oil is warm and I am cruising on the expressway, some days the oil pressure will max out the gauge at >5Bar, other days it runs just under 5Bar, all with the oil temp being at the same location, same RPM, same speed.

I still don't think you have anything to worry about. Just under 5 bar is fine. Now, if you are getting a swing from 2-5 on the highway, then I'd be concerned. Mine would do that big swing sometimes and it would get pretty erratic, but I chalked it up to a crap oil pressure sender or gauge (or wire).

I'd say monitor it and see if you can find any correlation... the car will tell you if it drops dangerously low. Mine would do it in the summer when the car would roll to a very hot stop in traffic if the oil wasn't topped up just right (or the oil was too thin).

loxxrider wrote:I still don't think you have anything to worry about. Just under 5 bar is fine. Now, if you are getting a swing from 2-5 on the highway, then I'd be concerned. Mine would do that big swing sometimes and it would get pretty erratic, but I chalked it up to a crap oil pressure sender or gauge (or wire).

I'd say monitor it and see if you can find any correlation... the car will tell you if it drops dangerously low. Mine would do it in the summer when the car would roll to a very hot stop in traffic if the oil wasn't topped up just right (or the oil was too thin).

Sounds good, I've been keeping an eye on it and no dramatic swings like that yet. I check the oil level like it's my job now. I worry myself over every little hiccup the car has.

Audi has been running better the last few weeks, still a little coolant loss, oil pressure has been better-I think a sensor is acting up.

That being said, the 200 is up on jack stand in the garage with the front suspension pulled out. I'm working on cutting off perches, welding new ones on, and cleaning and painting the components for reassembly with Bilstein coilover set-up. I am waiting on new bearings, hubs, control arms, and steering ball joints to freshen up some rumble.

Will update with pictures upon assembly.

Next subject area is exhaust. I have a gut feeling that stock exhaust is going to scrape everywhere, I've already scraped a few driveways(shitty ones) with the front being stock height already. Is it time to buy a Holset H1C and get a downpipe and full exhaust made? Everywhere locally wont put on exhaust if there is no catalytic converter present, so I don't want to waste money on having to chop it up after. Exhaust recommendations?

Also, headgasket recommendations? ARP studs are 100% for sure, but I don't want a shitty gasket.

20VAvant wrote:Audi has been running better the last few weeks, still a little coolant loss, oil pressure has been better-I think a sensor is acting up.

That being said, the 200 is up on jack stand in the garage with the front suspension pulled out. I'm working on cutting off perches, welding new ones on, and cleaning and painting the components for reassembly with Bilstein coilover set-up. I am waiting on new bearings, hubs, control arms, and steering ball joints to freshen up some rumble.

Will update with pictures upon assembly.

Next subject area is exhaust. I have a gut feeling that stock exhaust is going to scrape everywhere, I've already scraped a few driveways(shitty ones) with the front being stock height already. Is it time to buy a Holset H1C and get a downpipe and full exhaust made? Everywhere locally wont put on exhaust if there is no catalytic converter present, so I don't want to waste money on having to chop it up after. Exhaust recommendations?

Also, headgasket recommendations? ARP studs are 100% for sure, but I don't want a shitty gasket.

For the hg, go with a stock MLS. Better than anything else out there as long as you headstuds are holding on tight. Don't forget to re-torque those by the way.

If the stock exhaust is scraping, a 3" will scrape even more. Is yours messed up somehow? I remember the stock dual pipes to be a really nice way to route the exhaust that kept it sucked up against the body pretty well. The big thing to pay attention to when building the exhaust is to suck the downpipe as close to the bottom of the car as you can. Thats the worst place for clearance... right where it makes the turn to go parallel with the ground.

Chris,
I have cut off both catalytic converters and the mid muffler and had replacement tubes welded in as I planned on doing a full length 3" exhaust at a point down the road. The biggest problem I have are the two connectors half way, I'm sure it is sagging considerably more than it would if it was completely stock. I feel like the stock downpipe right now gives away an inch or two and the two flanges worry me about them catching on something.

It's finally time for an update.

After a few weeks of messing around, I finally got some free time to put on the front shocks and lower it for good!

Also received my HPR engine mounts and have those installed as well.
Pictures!

Stock front uprights

Cut off the front perch

Cleaned up the top area

Turning front spring perch rings


Welded ring on

Assembled

On the car, added new lower control arms, new swaybar bushings, full new tie rod arms.


New engine mounts

Looks great!




On the rack!




Lowered!

Update: While driving home last night I noticed a rotational vibration. Almost feels like a flat tire, checked all tires with no problems. Any advice? Sounds worse at 45mph than at 60-70. I was on the expressway when I noticed, didn't realize how bad it sounded till I was at lower speeds. I also noticed that it wanted to pull to the left when driving straight.

Check the alignment, then look into control arms, switch wheels/tires just to make sure, etc

loxxrider wrote:Check the alignment, then look into control arms, switch wheels/tires just to make sure, etc

Thanks Chris. When I posted I hadn't had time to check anything yet due to work. I just went out and had one of those thankful/scary as hell moments. Turns out a few lug studs were loose, 3 of them to be exact. I checked all other components while I was at it and took for a drive and that was the issue. I usually always double check lug studs since I have the wheels on and off all the time and want to be sure. I guess I missed a few, or they came loose. Scary.

Dude, that's freaky! Either way, the car is looking pretty shnazzy man!

Don't feel too bad... I've done it three times now. Once on someone's VW after helping install coils, once on my 200, and once on the M5. Luckily I always caught it before anything bad happened. Sometimes you just have a foggy day.

Drove the car to school the other morning. After parking I go to check if i'm within the lines and notice a steady stream of coolant coming from the front left corner of the car. Pop the hood and check all the hoses, etc. No signs of leaking. After looking for a few minutes I look down at the back of the radiator and the fan to find a steady spewing of coolant about 5 rows up on the fins. This explains my steady, but slow loss of coolant as it would only leak after the car was off and the coolant had stopped flowing.

I've never had the radiator off before... and tips on draining the coolant system? It seems a lot more work than it should be. Also noticed the clip with the threads on the bottom of the fan has broken in place and rotates with the bolt, pure luck as it is hard to get to with the radiator still in the car...

Any advice on getting the radiator out of the car is appreciated.

Once you have the front end off it isn't so bad. I forget the exact procedure, but it is self explanatory when you have better access. Disconnect all hoses, a mount or two up top, and the two at the bottom, and I think you're good to go. It is pretty wedged in the fender though. Not so easy to get out of there, but it'll come out with a little effort.

I have the radiator pulled and just received the replacement. It has plastic ends and doesn't have outputs leading to the second radiator.
Do i need to use the second radiator?

20VAvant wrote:Do i need to use the second radiator?

Nope.

yodasfro wrote:

20VAvant wrote:Do i need to use the second radiator?

Nope.

Thanks! I will get that old one out of there then, nothing like some more weight savings!

My car always stayed mysteriously cool on the temp gauge, even in the Florida summer it'd never even creep past the middle. In the winter on the highway I'd have trouble keeping it up!

loxxrider wrote: In the winter... I'd have trouble keeping it up!

Sorry to hear, the cold can do that...

chaloux wrote:

loxxrider wrote: In the winter... I'd have trouble keeping it up!

Sorry to hear, the cold can do that...

^^ I felt that the comment would be inappropriate and decided not to say it. Thank you for that

Just read his entire thread. Car looks great. I want to lower mine eventually... But never will... Just a fast high riding winter cah.