Introduction & questions....
 

Although I've posted 1 thread before (no replies at all, must have been a sign...:) ), I consider this to be my formal introduction to the forum.

I have owned a '87 S4 for over 12 years now. She's been sitting idle in the garage for over 8 years and I've just lifted her of the ground to start bringing her back to life.

Here's a few pictures:

My empty garage waiting for the shark to enter...:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...n/Garagegr.jpg

First time on the lift:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...on/Frontgr.jpg

http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/Reargr.jpg

A very 'oily and greasy' underside...
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...nderkantgr.jpg

...and after I removed the bellypan this piece of tubing fell on the floor:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/tubegr.jpg

Does anyone have any idea where this may have come from? After checking PET I noticed this socket on the exhaust manifold where a tube should be, but there is none.
Strange thing is that this tube doesn't look anything like the tube that is drawn in PET:
http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/...n/Socketgr.jpg


Anyway, my plan for the project is as follows:

1. Remove the gas tank and give it a good clean-up: the rubber grommet behind the fuel intake was completely dried up and fell in small pieces into the gas tank....
2. Remove the rear axle and overhaul most of it (including the brake callipers and installing new shocks)
3. Take out the Gearbox & Torque Converter for revision (there was a persistent oil leak near the Torque Converter before I put her 'to rest' 8 years ago...).
4. Take out the Torque Tube and replace the bearings with Constantine's bearings plus the Superclamp...!
5. Replace the Motor Mounts, Steering Rack and front shocks
6. Replace (the rubbers on) the front A-Arms and lower Swing Arms.
7. Do the Engine Intake as described by Dwayne (soooooo impressive...!)

I am NOT a mechanic but very enthousiastic and luckily my dad is willing to help me out. Nonetheless, any advice from you all on these steps would be appreciated a lot...!!!!
Is it wise to start at the back and move forwards? Is this the correct order? Any 'pitfalls' I should consider?

I will do my best to post pictures while I go along.....

Picture 2..

Theres a hard line that goes from there to the top of the engine, for CO2 testing.

You can pull off that large nut, put line nut over it..seal it.

That's a great looking set up. Well done.

Sounds like you have a plan and Rennlist has all the help you could want.

Welcome.

Thanks for that; does this piece of tubing look anything like a part of that hard line?

You have a lift, I think I am jealous :) Belated welcome!

Very nice, notable that WYAIT for the Motor mounts, definitely take care of the oil pan gasket which is causing most of that oily mess you see. The aftermarket Sillicone gasket is pretty well sworn by for most people here.

I dont have an S4 so im probably wrong, but I'm going to take a stab at that hose that fell through as your smog pump hose or an oil return line to the intake?

Welcome!


Jonathan.

Cant tell to be 100% sure, but that hard line im taling about is metal.

If your dropped line us rubber, then it is not..if it is metal..this IS it.

The lift is 'Chinese Built', supplied with 'Chinese Built' floor bolts. After installing the lift and on lifting the car for the first time, one of the columns came loose at the back and tilted forwards.....:mad:
So removed the lot, installed 'chemical anchors' in the floor and welded some metal strips at the top. No more movement now.....:evilgrin:

Welcome....

May I ask why the car was "parked" 8 years ago? I would suggest a timing belt change as well before running the car.

Great looking garage. I would love to have a lift...I guess we all would.

Hi Dean,

This is a wonderful experience for me: I've followed your thread in awe for a long time, and now you are replying to mine...:burnout:

The main reason was electrical: in heavy rain or in the car wash she would run on 4 cylinders only. And then my daughter was born, and then I got very busy and...........

Oh it definetively is metal, and no smell of oil or gas. So I guess that must be it. Where will the other end lead to? when I do the Engine intake, will I be able to replace and reconnect it?

Hi Jonathan,

I will do the gasket, thanks for the tip. The timing belt is on the list too, together with a new water pump that I bought the other day....

It goes nowhere..just to the top, with a plug on it for CO testing..that nobody does anymore. It -had- a grey plastic cap on it...at one time too.

In the pic, near top, either side, between air box and the end of intake, is a small blue rubber cap on a metal tube. Does what you have resemble this? They run to the exhaust manifold pipe. On most cars they have broken off and the bung where it enters the exhaust has been capped by screwing a screw into the hole with some furnace cement or high temp sealer. Maybe some flashing held in place with a hose clamp. [edit, referring to your pics, the last one, shows where the blue-capped hose attach. So the hose you pictured cannot attach to the exhaust and is not one of the sample tubes. There is a "U" shaped hose to the throttle body or the idle control valve, but that is in the "valley" very hard for that to get to where you found this. Must be from the valve covers/breather system.

Okay, thanks; will check for that.
Maybe a silly question: the mechanic that serviced my car up to 8 years ago told me there was no 'lambdasonde' (that's the Dutch name, I couldn't find any proper translation...) in my car, whereas the S4 is supposed to have one. Is this metal line in any way related to a 'lambdasonde'?