Picked this up last week- 129k 94 A4 Formula. Gave the guy $600.00 and hauled it away on a flatbed. Gave him $200.00 more this week. I have to drag this car into the garage with a 9:1 haul system with a climbing rope so I can start taking it apart. LR tire is flat. Wasn't room to drop it in the garage because of the fenceline next to it. I'd rather rebuild a trans than an engine at this point. Engine is bone stock- not even a TB bypass.

The story (maybe):

Guy thinks it's locked up. "Just went 'clunk' and quit running." He thinks the oil pump went bad and the engine locked. Not so fast... he installed a Monster transmission in it less than 2k mi. before something bad happened. No cover on the torque converter- I didn't know the 4L60E (having only owned 2 MN6 cars) had a removable cover like the TH350s and 400s.

I'm hoping to find a flex plate bolt backed out and wedged or something like that. It still shifts into neutral and the back half of the trans does what it's supposed to do with the drive shaft. As it is, the crank won't turn. You A4 experts- can one of these lock in the front and keep the crank from turning?

 

Well, while I'm waiting here's some pics of the interior. Thing was filthy. Pulled and cleaned everything. Got most of the carpet gunk off with brush and sponge. Painted shifter trim panel (oxidized bad).

 

Second car I've owned from 94 that had a car phone installed. Number label on it indicated West VA.

 

Cleaned and got the interior back in. Now just to haul this thing inside so I can tear into it properly...

First 2 pics are after vacuuming, before the sponge...

 

good luck on your project.. hopefully its something easy..

 

Engine bay: Why try to replace the Opti if you think it's locked up? Car included new Opti in the box with shipping label dated April 28th. I put my prototype cap/rotor/isolator on it.

Worst case- rebuild shortblock with 355 pistons, wait to do heads & cam later, have Performabuilt do up the trans.

 

That's the hope- still a good deal for under a grand!

 

hmm time will tell! sometimes its the little things like that that could stop everything! GL and report back

 

It's not uncommon to run w/out a cover.

 

Cover isnt needed on the trans. Good luck finding the problem

 

even if you do end up rebuilding the whole motor and transmission, it will still be worth the money if the car is in decent shape, thats a deal of a price...good luck

 

Take the cap of the Opti and see if the rotor bolts are laying at the bottom of the cap !

 

Out of curiosity, where did you buy this car from?

 

Got it just north of Durham, NC off hwy 85. Possibly one that you may have worked on long ago? I know you've had hands on a lot of these cars over the last few years...

 

So I spent a few hours today prepping the workspace. My buddy has a 3 car outbuilding where I've done some work to the green car. Instead of the usual narrow side spot he offered to let me take the center spot if I'd organize his garage. He and his wife moved in there in March and it's gotten out of hand since then. I didn't mind a bit- been kinda wanting to do it for him. Chalk it up to my OCD.

Here's pics of the exterior. RR quarter, LF fender are losing (lost) clearcoat, both mirrors too. No big deal. I can do the paint work and it'll look really good. Tires are shot, so looking to replace the wheels at the same time rather than refinish the swirlies...

 

lol... if only... I have yet to pull a few plugs and see if it'll turn, myself. Down to the nitty gritty and finding the problem. Probably have a definitive answer Wednesday when I get back over there. I'm hoping the input shaft is locked inside the trans. I want to rebuild the engine, but would like to have a chance to plan the build, save for it and do it right. But not yet. I want to DD it a little before that as it is (if possible with a trans fix). If it's motor, plan B...

 

wow for what it is that car isnt that bad! the only suggestion ill make is on the tires. General UHP's Awesome tires!

 

Wow, you should've just parted out that POS!
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Seriously, nice find; I obviously am kind of partial to MPRM cars.

 

Going back in the morning to see if I can coax it into turning before I drop the trans.

Anybody foresee a problem dropping it while leaving the torque converter attached to the flexplate? I think I should be able to get enough angle to move the bellhousing further back than you'd normally have to but I'd love to hear if someone had done it successfully before the cursing and sweating starts.

 

Man, great find and fun project indeed. I really wish I had a bigger garage so I could pick myself up a fun project to work on, jealous!!!