if you look at a 12v motor, the valve covers have like a boxy part on it, the 30v doesn't. the ignition coils in front of the motor in the middle closes to you when you stand in front of the car is also different.

the 30v is pretty much bullet proof but watch out for older engines as the cam chain tensioners may be worn which will give you a diesel sounding engine. since the car you have is a 99, it's an AHA engine. the 00-01s have the ATQ engine. note these 2 engines are swappable but the head can't go on the other block as i've heard people try and fail at getting the car to run correctly. I'd go for an another AHA since it'll make your life easier

 

Pretty sure the winter package also included the pass thru for Ski's so both sides of the rear seat could still be up for 2 people to sit in the back.

 

Yea, that's how mine is. The armrest that comes down in the middle in the back is where you unzip the ski sack and it just passes through there, leaving the other two seats uninterrupted for passengers or other gear or whatever.

Interesting to hear this, I wonder if I've got a worn tensioner. Do you know if it makes it sound like a diesel in only one gear? Or would it make a diesel-ish sound regardless of the gear if a tensioner were bad? In first gear, mine has a sound that resembles that of a diesel engine, but once I shift to second and above, it goes away.

 

Thanks for all the help. I have located a few engines, but I am going to pull this one and have a look. The previous owner, said it was running like a champ, but had a low idle. He pulled the TB off to clean it out. Reinstalled, started it up, and it had a chattering noise. He thinks he might have dropped a washer into the intake. If so, I bet the valve, seat and chamber are pretty hammered.

So, one question still remains unanswered. Is it a hard swap to put in heated seats? Are the A4 already wired? I know on the Nissans I have worked on, if it didnt have the option on it, it was a pita to put it on. Nothing, was prewired, and a lot of the time the harnesses were completely different.

Thanks again'
-Jason