-Paul
2003 "M5" - Full M5 conversion, AMG C63S 6 piston front calipers, Porsche Panamera 4 piston rear calipers, GC Coilovers, Eibach ARBs, UUC Evo3/DSSR, Borla Exhaust w/Muffler Delete, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto, Bi-Xenons, e38 Style 37 M-Pars, e60 Hubs 530i 6-speed swap build thread2005 Range Rover 4.6is (M62TU Powered) - 4.6is Engine Swap from X5, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto
2006 Porsche Cayman S - Soul Performance Competition Headers and Exhaust, H&R Coilovers, 718 Boxster Spyder wheels, Rennline 35mm rear spacers
I was actually thinking that maybe something must have gone wrong between the transfer case and the front diff and axles. Glad it was just an axle that decided to quit playing games. Sounds like an easy and a cheap fix ... I hope.
Re RWD... Maybe there's some early X cars where it will work but usually at best there's complications, at worst it doesn't work. On Audis they used to weld the center diff's up to make it work, but that sometimes leads to blowing up other stuff that wasn't meant to carry all the torque, like rear diffs.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
You're thinking of the facelift (2004+) E53 X5's with the electronic transfer cases. Those have a variable front-rear split and can be tricked into being RWD only. The older X5's like mine have a fixed transfer case that's 60/40 rear/front full time without any switching. That's probably why my little trick didn't work.
It was a driveshaft, not an axle haha. It is a relatively cheap fix with new driveshafts being generally under $300. It's a much simpler driveshaft than the rear one— it's just one piece. The splines go into the transfer case and it connects to the front differential with a flex disc. Super simple. I'm just happy about how little labor went into removing the driveshaft, I only needed to remove the lower reinforcement plate. Normally when replacing a driveshaft there are heat shields and exhausts to drop (like on the E39).
It's actually the other way around— the newer (2004+) X5's have a variable transfer case that can electronically distribute power to whichever wheels need it, so there are people who have tricked it into being RWD-only. The older X5's have a mechanical transfer case with a fixed ratio that is full time AWD without any switching or whatnot.
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
Thats great news Danny! Would be sad to see a 4.6is parted. Those things are becoming unicorn blood...
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Yeah, the 4.6is isn't very common anymore, thanks to all the vultures that parted them out for their valuable 4.6 engines. Mine has 214k miles and I'd love to see it go further, so hopefully a new driveshaft fixes everything
Wait a second. Audis are FWD-biased, so those whackos are actually trying to make their cars FWD? What a bunch of misguided fools. Might as well buy a Honda at that point. Or are they trying to do RWD?
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
Totes completely wrong Danny. The true Quattro's are true AWD. Yes some of the later low-end VW golf / polo based cars (I.e. A3 or lower) are more of a "FWD" based system using Haldex center diffs like a Volvo or VW, but the real Quattro cars have been and continue to be legit all heavy metal parts AWD systems. In old days it was a (fairly bulletproof) Audi proprietary tranny including (usually a Torsen) center diff, sending power back to a rear diff by a conventional driveshaft. The tranny sits longitudinally behind the motor after a clutch just like any conventional RWD setup.
Here's what it would look like.
You can open up the center diff and weld it solid.
Some guys do it for RWD conversion but others do it for ice or rally type builds where car stays AWD.
Later cars use ZF AWD trannies w front axles, so for instance a 5HP24A was used often in early aughts. Since the 5HP24 is a RWD tranny obv - using the AWD modified version of that demonstrates it's nothing like a "FWD based" setup, its like that Audi tranny above....
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Audi only recently committed suicide with their new Allroad. 40\60 (to the rear) split became the norm a while back, but before it was proper 50\50.
When the angle gear (Haldex) on my S60R breaks, I'm pulling the driveshaft out completely. There's nothing wrong with a FWD European car, plenty of Audis (most of which happen to be better with Quattro) the early GTI, and even the Corrado comes to mind.
Last edited by XAlt; 01-30-2017 at 01:24 PM.
Interesting, I was not aware of that. Then again, my knowledge of Audi is pretty minimal, all I know is that the newer ones are terrible to work on and require removing the whole front clip for most engine work. I just assumed that VW = FWD biased, since pretty much all of VW's cars at this point are FWD.
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
Yeah you need an insiders guide to keep track of which cars are what kind of tech w/ VW/Audi.
Old VW Quantums were really Audi Quattro drivetrains, but most VW 4Motion cars are FWD/Haldex setups as are the Audi A3 and TT Quattros, etc. But then most of the core models retain "true" Audi-engineered AWD systems. Etc.
When it dumps snow I miss having one, they are truly a blast to drive when the roads are slippyslidey. Bit front heavy and understeering on real dry conditions because that tranny setup as you can imagine requires sticking the longitudinal engine out the front, but you kind of make up for that with 4-wheel oversteer. The good turbo motors are excellent too and a load of fun and have loads of tuning potential. And like iron block BMW's are hella bulletproof internally until you get really insane about boosting them.
Re: the front clip off stuff - there's a few misunderstandings about that too.
First on many of those cars for anything normal you don't actually have to take it all the way off. It's designed to unbolt and pull out a bit without everything being removed and give you front end access. Second, it's not the big deal it sounds like. It's actually quite easy, at least on the models I've done it on... used to take me no time at all and made working on the front of motor stuff 1000x better. I WISH the E39 had something that was that easy to open up extra space! Third, that's not at all the real hassle factor to trash Audi for. The real things to take shots at them for are:
...The complex V8's w/ elaborate timing chain systems on the back of the motor and a complex accessory drive that goes through the motor, and require thousands of dollars just in parts to service. Makes doing an M62TU guide job look like getting free beejayz from supermodels while sitting on the beach sipping margaritas. That setup and motor is a disaster, sadly so since it's a great driver when it runs well.
...To a lesser degree the earlier twin-turbo cars where the motor has to come out to service the turbos. That's where the front-clip coming off entirely does come in, but again that's not the 'bad' part about it, even taking the front off ("Service Position") entirely is pretty easy because again its designed to be so... The bad part on those is the full motor pull just to rebuild turbos. And honestly even that's not that bad, I know B5 / C5 guys who think about that like YOU would think about doing a guide job... "Sure a bit of work but no big deal and really an easy weekend job, I've done 5 this year..."
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Oh yeah, the V8's with the insane timing chains are a nightmare. It's like the engineers who designed that engine were huge fans of Rube Goldberg.
I just don't like Audi's approach to engines, they've generally had smaller engines with boost (aside from the handful of V8's they've done). I prefer bigger naturally aspirated engines in general (I know BMW isn't N/A anymore, but I don't mess with newer BMWs).
I also don't like that Audis are just glorified VWs for the most part nowadays. Tons of shared parts and a lot of them look really similar too. If I bought one new for like $40k I'd be mad that some peasant with a $20k VW has a car that looks nearly the same. That's why I prefer BMW and Mercedes, because they don't have crappy lower tier brands to dilute their image. It's a pretty dumb reason but it matters to me— that's also why I'd never buy a Lexus or a Lamborghini, because a Lexus is a Toyota and a Lamborghini is a glorified Audi which is a glorified VW (for the last 10 years at least).
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
E90 335i
On3 Performance top mount single turbo kit, Precision 6466 Turbo, ECS Tuning charge pipe, 7in FMIC, JB4 w/ MHD backend flash, Stage 3 fuel pump, Port injection, E85, some wheels that came w the car but are thick
E39 540i (SOLD)
6 spd swap, "Almost Nardo" Vinyl Wrap, JB Racing LTW flywheel, M5 clutch & control, BC Racingcoilovers, cat back straight pipe, E60 SSK, ZHP shift knob, hard wired aux, Style 32 17", BFG G-force Sport Comp-2 tires, shadow-line trim, reenforced differential bushing, ATE Type 200, Hawk HP Plus pads, intake res delete, 10W40 M1, trans fill 50/50 Redline MT-90 & 75w90NS, solid shifter carrier bushing, pixel fix, red needles
M62 is an uncontrolled substance, and when abused can cause severe side effects. Do your drugs in moderation kids.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini
Almighty wiki says VW/Audi owned. I'm pretty sure the R8 and some Lambo shared an engine at one point. Plus, didn't VW make a prototype Golf with the Lambo power plant just to say they can?
Edit:
Quick Google search has me corrected.
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...h+lambo+engine
It wasn't VW that made the Lambo-powered Golf, it was some performance shop. Still pretty cool either way.
Last edited by augustballer; 01-30-2017 at 07:09 PM.
BMW own mini. A 7 series isn't exactly a "glorified mini." I wouldn't call that sound logic
Sharing an engine is isn't the same as it being the same car
BMW 850CSI
Powered by BMW S70. FR layout. Sports car.
McLaren F1
Powered by BMW S70. Mid engined. Supercar. Held the record for fastest production car for a very good chunk of time
Last edited by ColtonBH; 01-30-2017 at 07:46 PM.
-Paul
2003 "M5" - Full M5 conversion, AMG C63S 6 piston front calipers, Porsche Panamera 4 piston rear calipers, GC Coilovers, Eibach ARBs, UUC Evo3/DSSR, Borla Exhaust w/Muffler Delete, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto, Bi-Xenons, e38 Style 37 M-Pars, e60 Hubs 530i 6-speed swap build thread2005 Range Rover 4.6is (M62TU Powered) - 4.6is Engine Swap from X5, BMW NBT with Carplay/Android Auto
2006 Porsche Cayman S - Soul Performance Competition Headers and Exhaust, H&R Coilovers, 718 Boxster Spyder wheels, Rennline 35mm rear spacers
^^^ gold.
Yeah. There is some truth to what Danny says. The 1.8T and 2.0T engines they just started slamming in everything. The cheap Audis are very close to VWs although that said there's a lot that changes still (trust me i just can't buy cheap golf parts for the wifes car even though it's Golf based...) Def some brand/tech dilution.
But poo pooing their turbo motors is pure ignorance and kinda elitist purist douchery. It's like Porsche guys Pooping on anything non-boxer, or Murican guys Pooping on anything not SBC/SBF, etc. of course you also poop on BMW I6's so at least you're consistent! Some of their V8's are great too, they aren't all like that. And you're impression that they don't "do" V8's is wrong too. The predecessor to the A8 was the "V8" then the A8 was defined by a torquey V8 drivetrain for several gens. Danny ironically I think you'd LOVE an Audi D2 A8 (or better S8). Those cars are extremely sweet.
Read up on the original Quattro coupe car and it's racing history and then their TransAm and IMSA cars. Sick cool race cars built on factory based turbo engine designs.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Bookmarks