The V8 Owners Forum -

Right here is one that I need some advice on that should get some brain cells working.
A friend af mine has asked me to rebuild a head for his '87 ur quatro, after a few months of hunting we found a head for rebuild. To say bits are scarce is an understatment to say the least. We can get valves, springs and tappets at a possable price, so far so good but the quote for the cam was £1700 plus vat (no I did say £1700 plus vat!) we have a used cam which may be possable to get reground (it appears to have had a blow up on it but the lobes look good) what we need is to find someone who can asses it and do a regrind. We also someone who could supply undersize cam bearings. Can anyone suggest someone who can help?, are we just waisting time on trying to refurb this cam and will we be better off looking for a new cam at a lower price (I don't hold out much hope) this cam looks like a solid tappet cam, is this normal for an OHC audi engine.
I look forward to your comments (yes I already surgested sticking a chevy LS engine in it but he wants to try and keep is with the original engine).
Mike

I used Newman Cams to remake my GrpA cam, they have been doing cams since I was a nipper, so, its a LONG time.
http://www.newman-cams.com/history.html

Ian

Thanks Ian I shall call them in the morning.
Mike

Mike,

Exactly what Audi engine is it and also petrol or diesel, at those sort of prices it might be a lot cheaper to source an engine out of a wreck.

I know that parts for audi/vw diesels are incredibly expensive even the 4 cyl engines.

Is the cam damaged or just worn, it may be possible to have the lobes built up and reground to spec. some of the classic car restorers do this for irreplacable parts.

I may also be able to help with a source of more competitively priced parts.

Kevin.

It's a numbers matching (block and chassis) 87 UR Quattro (5 cylinder petrol) he has already spent £14,000 on two rebuilds, the car originated as a group N car, it has a funny size crank and he had to have custom pistons made last time 5 at silly money each. The original head and cam friction welded themselves together, right mess wrote off both, we have spent the best part of 18 months trying to get replacment for less than £1000.
The cam has slight pitting on the trailing surface of the lobe and the bearing surfaces are scored, lobe tips look good. I have a suspision it is a special, the head has been ported and the lifters apear solid, I was sure these engines were hydraulic tappets.
We would be very interested in parts at more sensible prices, I'll get some part No.s together when I know more about what I am dealing with.
Mike

Mike,

If its an ex Group N race car then hardly anything in the engine is likely to be standard and the guy I had in mind probably wont be able to help.

I'll do a bit of research and se what I can come up with.

The original 5 cylinder were 2.2 liter turbo as per the rally cars, if this was a circuit car perhaps it was destroked to fit within the 2 litre class and non turbo?

Kevin.

Mike,

Heres a link to a wikipedia page that has info on quattro coupes.

I did not see any reference to Group N cars but if you scroll down there are link to an owners club and a BBS which may be helpful if you don't have them already.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_Quattro


Kevin.

I work for AUDI, if you gave me a chassis number i could see if any camshafts are avaible.

have you got the VAG part number?

I will get more info and chassis numbers, the engine is a 2.2 but the crank bearings are well undersize (less friction) not too sure on all the history of it but he has spent alot of time and money trying to keep it as it was.
I need to find out more about this head aswell. Newman cams seem pretty confident they can help, I just need to get to them, probaably have to be next week now.
Mike