Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Add how-to's or talk about hi-end engine mods for the performance minded types.

Moderators: kamzcab86, CalAltaDubber

Post Reply
BkoolB3
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:11 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1981
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by BkoolB3 »

After many months of procrastinating, I finally have the Audi 2.0L motor I purchased from a good buddy installed in my '81 Cabby. Here are the specs on the motor:

Audi AAA 2.0L bottom end
Rebuilt Solid Lifter head
Shrick 288deg .440 lift cam
Super Sprint 55mm header
Intake manifold port matched to head & throttle body
Audi 4000 throttle body
VW 020 diesel transmission with Eurosport short shift kit

Shot of the head
Image

Full shot of the motor prior to it going in
Image

Old 1.8L 8V with hydraulic head. Actively tried to kill this motor over 3 years, but it wouldn't die LOL
Image

Closeup of the cam
Image

The crew lending a hand :beer: :beer:
Image

The motor's in!
Image

After an interesting drive over to a local muffler shop (driving with just an open header :lol: ) we messed around a LOT to get this beast timed & holding an idle. No mean feat considering the cam profile. Today, I finished off replacing the water pump on account of just a few days after them motor was completed, I was duly greeted to a lovely green puddle. I'm still wrestling a bit with a high idle, but I'm hoping to get that all sorted out over the next couple days.

My VW buds now call her "The Angry Cabby" :lol: :lol:
Thanks for looking!
'81 Cabby
'98 B5 Audi A4 1.8T
'06 B7 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro
'91 Passat 16V Wagon
User avatar
PDX Cabby
The Living Bentley Manual
Posts: 523
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2003 12:51 am
What year is your cabby?: 1985
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by PDX Cabby »

NNNNIIIICCCCEEEEE

I wish the bubble blocks were more easily come by. They're sweet, high revving motors. I wouldn't mind building one up to a 2.2L monster 8v...
85 Cab - 1.9L 8v, g-grind, euro dual downs to TT race w/ Borla, VWMS fuel dizzy, 2H tranny with 5th gear swap, TT short shift, FK 60/40, 15" BBS RA, rear disks... begging for boost...
User avatar
Calimus
Grand High PooBah
Posts: 2892
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2002 11:40 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Cartersville, Ga

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by Calimus »

Nice indeed. Should certainly give the cabby an extra kick in the pants.
16' Challenger ScatPack
05' Yamaha FJR1300
02' Honda VTX 1800C
BkoolB3
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:11 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1981
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by BkoolB3 »

Thanks guys! Back in the late 90's in a previous '83 GTI I owned, I had a 2.0L ABA that had been built @ RPI with similar specs. That motor was truly a monster, this motor's pretty close though. The biggest difference was that I still was running the close ratio GTI tranny. This Audi Bubble block seems to rev quicker, but doesn't have the same "violent" torquey-ness as the ABA did. However @ 3500 rpm's...yeehaw! Still though, it's a lotta fun & I'm back eating Mustangs. Except this time it's even funnier doing it in what most Mustang drivers would consider being a "chick" car :lol: :lol:
'81 Cabby
'98 B5 Audi A4 1.8T
'06 B7 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro
'91 Passat 16V Wagon
User avatar
PDX Cabby
The Living Bentley Manual
Posts: 523
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2003 12:51 am
What year is your cabby?: 1985
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Portland, OR
Contact:

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by PDX Cabby »

Very true. The 3A does not produce the torque of the ABA because the 3A has a shorter stroke than the ABA. But, because of the shorter stroke, it does rev much faster, and is capable of higher RPM.

This is a truly oldschool swap, and I love it!

I really wish I had the garage space you do. I can barely squeeze my cabby into my garage, and have just enough room to open the door to get out of it.
85 Cab - 1.9L 8v, g-grind, euro dual downs to TT race w/ Borla, VWMS fuel dizzy, 2H tranny with 5th gear swap, TT short shift, FK 60/40, 15" BBS RA, rear disks... begging for boost...
User avatar
kamzcab86
Queen and Popette of Cabbydom
Posts: 1277
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2002 3:54 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Location: Arizona
Contact:

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by kamzcab86 »

Nice to see a different kind of 2.0 getting installed for a change! :thumbup: 8)
User avatar
Steve E J
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 10:47 am
What year is your cabby?: 1988
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: IL, USA

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by Steve E J »

so what is the difference from the diesel 020 and the gas 020 tranny? Gear ratios lower?
eric4321
Posts: 143
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1993
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by eric4321 »

The diesel trannys are typically geared higher (gears are numarically lower) which keeps the engine rpm lower at speed.
My Rabbit Rescue and Recovery Ranch
93 Cabriolet red. 5 speed
81 Rabbit 4 door auto bronze (project)
77 Rabbit 4 dr 4spd diesel
(Project next in line)
1987 Cabriolet parts car(may one day bring her back)
1993 Suburban green(used for Rabbit rescue)
User avatar
Steve E J
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 10:47 am
What year is your cabby?: 1988
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: IL, USA

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by Steve E J »

Ok that's what I thought. I need one of those, cuz when I'm going down the highway at 65 mph the rpms are in the 3800 range.
BkoolB3
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 3:11 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1981
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: Woo Hoo!! Audi AAA 2.0L 8V finally in my Cabby!!

Post by BkoolB3 »

Steve E J wrote:Ok that's what I thought. I need one of those, cuz when I'm going down the highway at 65 mph the rpms are in the 3800 range.
Yup, I ran short ratio tranny's in my previous mk 1's, with the exception of my '82 Jetta Gli. I tried a diesel 020 with a lightened flywheel with great success, hence why I went that same route with this build.
'81 Cabby
'98 B5 Audi A4 1.8T
'06 B7 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro
'91 Passat 16V Wagon
Post Reply