Vex182 - S3 Modding and maintaining thread!

This evening, when I got home from work, I found time to get the turbo-to-charge pipe hose replaced. The original Audi hose had not split but it seemed to be a good idea to replace it before it did. I went for Forge as it seems a reliable replacement but much toughter to swap over than I expected! Fiddley! Pleased with that off the list now.

 
Any change in power from the old one ?
 
Vex182 said:
It does not feel any different nor sound any different but was more lively down to the fact it was 10c cooler outside!
Click to expand...
It'll be worse today then,baking hot here not complaining mind.
 
Yeah I agree, I don't use the car day to day for work as I live on a bike normally. That is where the Wellycooler when fitted should come in handy!
 
  • Like
Reactions: voorhees
Well I thought I might update this a little bit. The Wellycooler I purchased for the car I decided to sell a few months later as I don't wish to go down the power front any more due to the value of the car being so low with how much cost it takes to increase the cars power output. I have now fitted new genuine coilpacks - in the correct red :D to make sure it stays misfire free after another failed on Christmas Eve. ( I keep a spare one in the boot so all was ok!) Also treated it again to new plugs after the others have done 6k but have not shown any wear to them.





 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: <tuffty/>
Well I decided to finally get some later mk4 blades and arms after using flat style ones for 18months. Very easy to fit and very pleased with the look of them. Been busy the last few two weeks changing my brothers clutch and wishbones on his 306 - taken ages due to doing it on my drive and not good in the non stop wind and rain!





6EF5C42B-81F9-44FE-9CF0-1E43FF7681AA_zpszswkbrbi.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Nilz
Look much better than the retro fit blades don't they... its subtle little things like this that freshen the car up I think

<tuffty/>
 
  • Like
Reactions: s3mad_dude and Vex182
Yeh they do, it's not as bulky from looking over the windscreen now. Cheera for the edit too, phone went flat at just the wrong point to sort it out! Lol
 
And to finish off the January pay cheque, I drove the 120 miles to Awesome GTI today to have my cruise control fitted, at £120 all in, it seemed a great price. Took about 1 1/2 hours, great bunch of guys. Sat and chilled!



Bit of a annoying change of weather along the M6. Easy on the way home! I tried to see how far I could safely drove without having to use the throttle or change gear, managed just over 100 miles in the end. Also only used just under 1/2 a tank for 240 miles.



 
  • Like
Reactions: sssline and <tuffty/>
This is actually one of my favourite mods... worse thing is though is you get to find out how crap everyone else is at maintaining a steady speed lol

<tuffty/>
 
Even though I do next to no motorway miles, it's still another little 'toy' I want on my car. looking good bud. :icon_thumright:
 
Tuffty has a point. I've got this on mine but never seem to travel far before I have to touch the brake. Gonna try to beat that 100miles sometime tho lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vex182
I don't use my car day to day for work so usually it's for distance driving so it's great for me. Yeh 100 miles was difficult due to drivers speeds always changing! I used the brakes a couple of times, I set it at 75mph and then brakes to 60 etc and then just let it resume and get back to to speed. Ready awesome, just a pity that nothing on the dashboard lights up to say that it is on, that would be great.
 
So another bit off the list today was to change the top mounts. I fitted new bearings and OEM LCR ones. My old ones were sticking out but they weren't causing any knocking and the old bearings were still smooth. The drive feels almost exactly the same apart from a little harder over ruts and dips. I half wish I had just gone for the strandard S3 ones and saved money now but oh well!





I changed them with the struts still on the car to make life eaiser



 
  • Like
Reactions: Nilz and <tuffty/>
Well a few days after I changed the top mounts, I noticed the ride was more solid without feeling to firm so that's a good point. On the other hand, this odd creaking and knocking noises started when the car was going over dips in the road. After asking some of you on here, I checked the top mounts, track rods and other bits and it turned out to be the newish antiroll bar bushes. I quickly ordered some polybush ones and all is well again! I won't do a write up how to change them as it's been covered lots before on here.

I also changed both my front driveshafts. The n/s outer cv joint was on the way out and making noises, the inner boot had also split. The o/s inner cv boot had also spilt and it seemed to make sense to just fit a new matching driveshaft. I brought some J&R branded driveshafts. £110 posted to home so very pleased. They feel well made and all felt smooth. After being fitting, there is no wobble or noises at all so first impressions are good. I will keep a eye on how they go over the next 2 months but as they have a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty, they should be fine!





 
One more small update, car went in for 4 wheel alignment and it was some good news and some bad. The garage confirmed that everything at the front of the car is spot on but the rear of the car is way out on the n/s, it seems to be the bushes I replaced on the tie arms. I am right thinking that by fitting adjustable tie arms to the bottom at the back, this can be all sorted out? The garage could not promise that it would but thinks it would help anyway.

 
Rear toe can be adjusted buy unbolting the arms (at the chassis) and shifting them about

<tuffty/>
 
Good work there- what ARB bushes did you go for? Seriously tempted to get cruise done on mine after seeing this! :)
 
CazzaVR said:
Good work there- what ARB bushes did you go for? Seriously tempted to get cruise done on mine after seeing this! :)
Click to expand...

The cruise control is brill, I have used it a few times now. I went for 19mm powerflex ones, the standard purple ones but it turns out I needed the 20mm ones so I had to mod them slighty. I did fit them directly onto the bar too as the plastic collars on the bars were broken. Only a 30 minute job to do both sides, the clamps and fixings had already been replaced 6 months ago so all came off really easily.
 
I went for Powerflex as well. The bar diameter is a bit of a lottery! Got myself some digital calipers in the end- turned out to be 19mm. Pretty straight forward job really- worst bit is getting the bolts back in as they're only short.
 
Yeh, the problem I had was the fiddley one on the n/s that holds the pas pipe on, just took time to get it on and off.
 
Well for a while I keep getting 2 fault codes coming up every now and then:

17873 - Exhaust Gas Temp Sensor 1 (G235): Implausible Signal
P1455 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent

16712/P0328/000808 - Knock Sensor 1 (G61): Signal too High

I ordered a second hand working EGT sensor from a car being broken on eBay with a warranty so I fitted that this evening and I'll see how that gets on.



As for the knock sensor, I'm going to take it off, check and clean the connections, refit it and toque it up correctly and see if that helps, if not I'll replace the sensor or sort out the wiring for it as I have read on here that it's been a problem for people before.
 
I had that knock sensor fault... rewired it direct back to the ECU and it went...

<tuffty/>
 
Well since changing the EGT sensor, the car has been really good. No error codes showing after the last few weeks so I'll keep a eye on it. I have had these turn up from Dave so need to get these fitted and adjusted so that the toe and camber can be adjusted correctly. I'm not going to lower the car or anything like that though.

 
Well I fitted the bars and got the car aligned fully so that's much better now.

In the last week of so, I have been noticing how loud my DV is and how it never used to so loud - the n249 bypass being the issue (the DV is fine, a new 710n and it was the same with me old 710n too). I ordered some new piping and rebuild the n249 pipes earlier and reattached it this afternoon. The car feels smoother to drive at low speed and on light throttle. I also like the fact that the car is quiter when I change gear.





I did plug the n249 back in after I took the photo too!
 
So it's been a couple of months since my last update. Not done a huge amount, just keeping the car going.

I decided that when the car turned over to 115k, I would give it a good full service.

Picked up all this stuff:



Oil and filter, fuel filter, cabin filter, (washing Jetex the air filter out), spark plugs and new disks and pads alround - DS2500 fronts. Also fitted a thermo gasket for the inlet manifold to help keep it cooler. I have some rear poly bushes for the anti-roll bar but not found time to fit them today and the originals have only been on for 30k anyway.

Also found time to fit a new S3 8P gearknob to just freshen the interor up. Looks and feels great.





Did the filter changes and spark plugs and then got started on the brakes. They were all only about 1/2 worn to be honest but I fancied doing everything in one go.





Overall the brakes feel better. A day well spent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sam_ and <tuffty/>
S3 is looking good mate. What did you use to clean out your filter and how long did it take to dry?
 
I just rinsed it from the inside outwards in the shower as it was not bad at all and then shock it and left it up dry on the washing line all day lol.
 
So 2 weeks ago I decided to get my S3 on to a local rolling road and see what's what. The can ran 242/241bhp and 279/296 lb-ft torque. It looked like the car had wheel spun on the rollers but I'm not assured that it did not so I need to get Niki to have a look sometime at it, no odd codes showed up after and it seems to drive fine.





Well I have had a slightly sticky handbrake, mostly on the drivers side for a while. It releases almost to the bump stop but it was just missing it and that meant the brakes were ever so slightly catching. The cable feels smooth and the brake is fine if I disconnect the cable and apply the foot brake on and off a few times. I ordered some helper springs from VW as seen on another thread on here which has fully solved the problem. The handbrake is stiffer but no more rubbing at all!



 
Nice work! How are those driveshafts? I need a new drivers side one and OEM are mega $$.
 
Sam_ said:
Nice work! How are those driveshafts? I need a new drivers side one and OEM are mega $$.
Click to expand...

The replacement from ones have been fine but I did notice one had leaked a small amount of grease from out outer clip on the drive side but no spilt in the boot. No noises or anything though from them. My brother is running the same beans on his 306 without an issues at all.
 
red charge pipe clamp plates let it down.. most non oe.. shocking.. disgusting even..... lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vex182
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Modding thread
Replies
7
Views
876
Andrew@A.L.D
Andrew@A.L.D
dannyh
Dannyh's Modding thread!!!
Replies
75
Views
5K
Dibdub1
D
Sevv
My Rather Slow S3 minor modding thread!
Replies
94
Views
10K
Sevv
Sevv
S3 D2HTY
S3 hybrid modding . . . .
Replies
22
Views
1K
badger5
badger5
I
Cost of Maintaining your S3/A3
Replies
9
Views
953
MattS5
MattS5
Top
Back