Where should I start? Air filter? Exhaust? Remap?

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Dangerous

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Hi all i've been on before in the past when i had my first A3 1.8TQS in 2004 but then traded that in for an A4 avant 1.8T (B7) due to the first child (bless her). This february got rid of my old heap of a rover and now have another A3 1.8TQS. Yay! As with most audi owners (I think) I like the subtle styling and understatedness so not fussed about changing the looks. However, I would love to improve performance, economy, engine/exhaust note but on a budget.

All and any comments are welcome. Don't know when I'll be able to make the changes due to cash, family, work (you know the usual) but I like to think about things anyway and love to chat cars and mods anyway.

Also am hoping to at some point use the car as a track day car or for racing and don't really ever plan to get rid of it.

Lookingforward to hearing from you all.Cheers Dave.
 
remap is best bang for buck..... filter is a nice ad on that wont do much, much the same as the exhaust

welcome to the forum :)
 
Id go for a remap mate, get it up to abouy 210bhp witha stage one remap, exhaust would cost about £200 bit less maybe for a custom cat back exhaust, thatll give you your note you wants.!!
 
anyone dynod the changes you get with a cat back?
 
usual seems to be air filter (induction kit/CAI or green cotton replacement), forge 007p and a remap.

theres a few deals floating around where u can get all 3 for about £360 which is good going tbh
 
but the filter makes no difference, so why waste the money?
 
i would go for the remap last, do all the performance mods you want to do then get them all set up with a remap, but thats my opinion
 
Question is, how much you looking at spending first?
 
A cat wouldnt do anything, if making it larger in diameter problem feel a bit more responsive but will just create the note he wants, yer you can gets deals for like 007 dv air filter and remap for like £350, you dont need an air filter but i would defo get a 007 divert valve as its metal and the standard one is plastic, **** easy to fit on as well. Youd get remap and the 007 for just £300. then £200 for custom cat back for the noise. so £500 ~
 
audi upgrades
if the cats on the 18TQ are the same as the S3 then they wont be restrictive, not sure they are the same tho TBH.....

as said above air filter is a nice to have but wont get you any power, much the same as a cat back exhaust, again assuming its the same as the S3's..... its alright waiting for the remap but most stage 1's wont really take account of the mods we're talking.....stage 2 is where that comes in and then your talking downpipe and fmic to list just two items, this will prob end up being nearer £1k

so if your prepared to spend upto 1k then fit the mods then do stage 2 at an additional cost of 3-500...or go stage 1 now and buy the bits as you go, even look at a deal as mentioned for uprated DV and air filter
 
so basically, stage one and the basics, dont bother with stage two, just uprate the turbot
 
personally i would do stage one and add the lil bits as above...if your prepared to change the fmic as a minimum and possibly the downpipe, then do that first then stage 2 straight away making sure you have all the lil mods above aswell before you go for the map.....idea being that he will be able to get a lil more out of the turbo through lower temps (turning up the boost) if he fits an fmic..... problem with the 18tq is that hes only got a KO3s fitted and a heavy 4wd haldex system
 
like with my golf. got the remap, done some other basics and its punching well above its weight. further money spent would be a bit of a waste until i have a bigger turbo, ie beyond ko4.
 
I would get a exhaust first, thats whats im doing. IMO the best free flowing exhaust is essential on a turbo car, oh and the 1.8T sounds lifeless in standard form also.

Nath
 
the exhaust on the S3 does sound a lot better than most but regardless Nattie, it has been proven to provide no results again via ess three who dyno'd the before and after results

but then we're talking about an A3 18tq which isnt the same as ours so we could be ******* into the wind in terms of the advice we're giving this chap
 
That test is very good but you cant always read things on the internet and take it thats that, You may but I dont. If someone done a test on remaps and found out they dont give you no benefits, would that stop you from buying it. This is the wrong forum for tuning as not many member really do because they keep reading things on the net instead of going out and doing things and finding things out for themselves. Its basic understanding of an engine, quicker you can get the air out quicker you can get it in.

An exhaust is a very important aspect on a turbo car where good gains can be had. You talk to most people who is into tuning and have a turbo car and see what they say about having a free flowing exhaust. The S3 feels very very restricted to me in standard form and sound utter sh!t, really boring and lifeless.

Anyway, from the list above I would go for a exhaust first.

Nathan
 
im always umming and arring about exhaust. But you say the engine feels restrictive, that probably has alot to do with the big massive flywheel. The stock s3 exhaust has twin cats and fair size pipe work but we all assume its restrictive because its standard, but it could give very little resistance. And I find it hard to belive that audi engineers would use exhaust sizing as a method of restricting power when this can all be done with the map. But of course if you have a remap you will be flowing more gases and therefore a slight better flowing system may be beneficial. Just food for thought gents
 
Good info. Alot of engines are de tuned when they leave the factory as they have to meet regulations such as emissions, MPG, Insurance groups, packaging, cost etc. Why do you think all german cars are limited to 155 mph when some can easily do 180, so they dont have to fit tyre, brakes, aero parts which must be capable of them speeds.

First thing I thought when I drove a S3 is that it feels very restrictive, the same was for when my friend got his 8P S3, felt really restricted, being held back and had much more to give. When he got his exhaust system on, the difference was well surprising. It just loves to rev all the time, any gear.

The reason whys the more free flowing exhaust is better for your car is that the air reaches its maximum velocity quicker, this is the speed of sound which is 330 m/s. Once the air flow has reached this velocity it has a velocity of zero as it cannot travel any faster, therefore you have reached your max air flow velocity. The quicker you can get the air flow up to this speed and out of the exhaust system, the quicker you can get the air into the engine and start the process again. With alot of standard exhaust systems it takes along time for the air to reach that speed due to that angles and volume changes within the exhaust and at some points the air flow velocity can be decreased.

Im not 100% sure on this but with a stage 2+ map on a 8P S3 you must have a full exhaust system, uprated fuel pump and a uprated air filter. All these products are for the benefits that you can get from the exhaust system. As the exhaust air flow velocity is much quicker and more free flowing you need a uprated fuel pump that can provide more fuel as now the engine can be mapped to suck in more air as it can leave the engine alot quicker. If you have been in a standard 8P S3 and a Stage 2+ S3 you would not believe the difference.

Sorry for the essay lol Nathan
 
what forum did you just regurgitate that tripe from?

no velocity after the speed of sound? get your facts right before trying to pass yourself as an expert because the next know nothing numpty will then regurgitate that rubbish too and make a tool of him/herself.
 
That is from my own knowledge Matt, dont take stuff from forums and put it onto the next thank you. I aint no expert, im a student studying Motorsport engineering design (about to go into my final year) so I aint no expert but I know alot more than most.


Instead of telling me telling me to get my facts right and that im talking rubbish, why dont you explain the facts then.


Nathan
 
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Sorry nathan but please do not patronise me,i use all info available to make my decisions, facts are that the exhaust has never been proven to make that much of a difference onour cars, you methodology is completely wrong and doesn't take into account the none restrictive exhaust already in place, you are making an assumption based on stereotyping and making an **** of yourself in the process whilst giving advice that you still cannot prove yourself.restriction on your car is the mani

Until you can come back with conclusive evidence that is quantifiable then kindly keep your theory to yourself

Good luck with your exams btw
 
LMAO, thanks mate. I have had a 1st every year for 3 years and had my results back for the exams I took couple of months ago and you guessed it, had another 1st, I cant be that bad for degrees level.

Ok lets just forget this silly stuff, weather im right or a complete NUMPTY/****, Dangerous (Thread starter) will make his own decision.

Nathan
 
no worries buddy...... as always we all have opinions, but unless you can prove what your preaching when every other piece of info available goes against you (and a lot of it is as solid as your likely to get) - then you really could do with coming up with evidence before preaching to new people about what is best

hope to see ya at AITP :)
 
Fair point. I used to think exactly the same as you and alot of people (not saying your/im wrong or right) but when I when to uni and was actually learning how things actually worked, I realised I didnt actually understand how things work if that makes sense. I have been there PLENTY of times thinking my lecture is talking rubbish as I have always thought something has worked completely different to what he is say but once I actually understood what he was saying, it all makes sense and I was completely wrong.

We had Ross Brawn, Sir Jackie Stewert and Team Principle of BMW Motorsport come into my uni few months back looking at recruiting final year students, pretty amazing, they recruit someone every year without fall from my uni. One friend went from uni earning minimum wage to working for Brawn F1, another at Cosworth designing F1 engines and another Works at Prodrive designing something on WRC, not sure what. Most of my lectures all have experience in F1 or WRC or some form of top of motorsport engineering.

Anyway back on topic, I happened to find a thread the other week were Milltek got a new system out for a RS6 and got 15bhp extra on the dyno and extra 87bhp once remapped to suit. I might try and do a before and after thread when I get my full exhuast system. Not sure about AITP, want to go but got to put my head back on tomorrow, sent it away for a very small porting and polishing.

Nathan
 
i see your point, though i dont see that i am taking others testing for granted (if thats what you are alluding to)....more of a success in numbers attitude based upon the fact that a lot of people who do know what their doing have had their say. Its easy to say taking any restrictions away will increase power, however the same can be said of obstructions to a degree, on occasion the odd obstruction has its uses in how the power is delivered as im sure you are aware.....

no probs, a before and after is always a good thing like Ess three did...... just make sure you use conclusive equipment rather thaqn relying on the cars sensors/IT calculations of what power should be ;)
 
Ye, you could go on the opposite side and say if you have to big diameter exhaust you will loss alot of low end torque and probably have a more lag engine due to the air not flowing through the exhaust as well as air doesnt respond well to big volume changes.

Stage 2+ on the 8P S3 is just a full exhaust system and a fuel pump and remap to match and they get over 100bhp increase over standard. If I get the chance to do a before and after it will be a dyno on a standard engine then a dyno with a full exhaust then a dyno with a remap to suit, that should give a good indication if all done on the same day with same tester and dyno.

Nathan
 
be good to see the results Nattie..... although im not expecting anything disimilar due to the amount of people that have tested previously
 
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