ddillas

So I'm a middle aged man with an old Audi that I've had for almost 20 years. The last many years this has been nothing but a toy. But I fear my time with my friend is coming to an end due to lack of parts and unavailability.

First a quick lowdown on the car. A nice straight 1990 Audi 80 w/ 5 speed MT. Paint was done in 2011. Wheels are 17" ASA EM9's (that could use a refinish) and relatively new Continental Conti Extremes. Bilstein sport shock and Vogtland 40mm Red-Violet springs. Front lighting has been upgraded to the Euro fixtures and a Kamei mesh grill. Brakes are drilled rotors with Hawk HPS pads. Exhaust is a pair of Magnaflows in the strock positions. Good 35% (Oregon legal limit) tint all around. Inside has a German sourced Audi Sport 3 spoke steering wheel (no airbag). Audio is Kenwood with Boston Acoustic speakers in the factory openings and a 8" / 100 watt powered tube subwoofer in the trunk. Engine is strong, equipped with a Techtonics Tuning adjustable cam gear and 268 degree hydro cam. Brake booster and clutch slave cylinder are new. All the injectors were pulled and seals replaced recently. Transmission is low mileage replaced in 2014.

Here is where I stand today....

Failing emission testing, the catalytic converter need to be replaced and the entire exhaust system dismantled and reassembled.

Now the really bad...

The breather hose is cracked/split and needs to be replaced. Engine throttle switch needs to be replaced. Battery ground cable corroded and needs to be replaced. None of the parts are available or easy to come by anymore.

So do I thrown in the towel and part the car out? Sell it at a substantial loss to someone who is willing to give it some love? Continue dumping money into it?

Thoughts and ideas as to where to source parts or offers to buy are all welcome.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/771017/1990-audi-80/

Rusty Spokes

I would not throw in the towel. Most of the parts you list would be available somewhere. The problem with older Audis is you really must become a DIY for most repairs. If you go to a shop the mechanic working on the car may be younger than the automobile. And even if you find a seasoned Audi tech..the costs for repairs will be high.

The ground cable you need is at NAPA..not a big deal as a generic will work just fine. 034 probably has the notorious breather hose for $35. The catalytic converter can be had from RockAuto for $100. The throttle switch is about $60 from RockAuto.

https://store.034motorsport.com/sili...ct_tabs_review

More Information for EASTERN CATALYTIC 40171

https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/mor...nid=404&jpid=0

bradwilcox

Search all Audis 1988-95 within a radius of your two local pick-n-pulls on row52.com; do this often ... too often.

bradwilcox

fcpeuro

ecstuning

force5auto

ddillas

Thanks for the ideas and support. I picked up a new direct fit cat and my mechanic substituted a Porsche ground cable. The car passed emissions this past Saturday. I still need to address the other problems but for now Black Bart lives on.

CRAZY_RUSSIAN

keep it going man, there are plenty of parts available. btw, those are awesome rims, i got my powdercoated over the summer

ddillas

Crazy Russian, glad to see you still around this forum. I remember 10+ years ago when you and Miktip were the go to guys on this forum!

It's been two weeks out of cold storage and things are looking good. Ran a bottle of techron through a tank of gas and the engine seems happier. The cabin is drying out and the electronics are coming back to life. Removed the delaminated tint with little problem. Looks like this will be my 2016 spring / summer project as my daughter turn 16 this fall and has her heart set on driving Black Bart to school next year.

CRAZY_RUSSIAN

Hey i'm still kicking and still the same b4, just a ton of mods now Mike is mostly on Motorgeek now and the last i've chatted with him, he is doing a 1.8t swap into a cab

for the tint, i would recommend a heat gun, helps it come off. There is also a chemical that helps you with removal of the residual glue crap, just be carefull with the back windows, not to damage the heating element on the glass.

Your daughter has a good taste in cars) keep it maintained and it will serve her well. BTW, if you are ever in Reno NV, let me know, i'm always glad to meet another audi enthusiast.