My S3 Thread

[Sam_]

Although, from what I can gather, there are no "uprated" MCs and really it's only going to be for pedal feel which is a personal thing. It's not really a necessity.

 

[Sam_]

Couple of weeks on and the front brakes are bed in and feeling awesome. Much nicer feel than OEM and the same pedal travel. Raised the idle by 50rpm in Unisettings and the vibrations from the harder mounts are way less. Recommended if you have stiff mounts!

Next up are the bushes and fluids. Just whacked in an order with ECS for:

- Jack pad adapter kit (protect the sills)
- Haldex service kit
- Multi-hex tool to do all drain/fill plugs
- The m16 security tool for the front box
- Drain valve for the sump (makes changes less messy)
- Molyslip additive
- 4 Qts. Redline MT-90 75w90
- Caliper piston tool (need to do rear discs and pads shortly)

Should be enough to do the front and rear box/diffs and the haldex. Probably fit the rear arms at the same time as doing that lot...

 

[h100vw]

Got those jack pads adapters on my S3 and a Polo GTI I just got. Really good!

Gavin

Couple of weeks on and the front brakes are bed in and feeling awesome. Much nicer feel than OEM and the same pedal travel. Raised the idle by 50rpm in Unisettings and the vibrations from the harder mounts are way less. Recommended if you have stiff mounts!

Next up are the bushes and fluids. Just whacked in an order with ECS for:

- Jack pad adapter kit (protect the sills)
- Haldex service kit
- Multi-hex tool to do all drain/fill plugs
- The m16 security tool for the front box
- Drain valve for the sump (makes changes less messy)
- Molyslip additive
- 4 Qts. Redline MT-90 75w90
- Caliper piston tool (need to do rear discs and pads shortly)

Should be enough to do the front and rear box/diffs and the haldex. Probably fit the rear arms at the same time as doing that lot...

Got

 

[Sam_]

Yeah I always hate jacking the car up on the sill with a trolley jack. Some people say it's fine but it must depend on the jack.

 

[driftymcgee]

Hey Sam,

Funny thing, I've just ordered a few similar items from ECS to have them rejected by DOT. So the Haldex service kit and Redline transmission oil may get rejected.

Hopefully it all gets through for you, unlucky for me that it didn't.

Based on the invoice, it contains ORMD/PROHIBITED ITEM. We regret to inform you that this is prohibited for air shipment.

Partial ORMD - contains Haldex OEM kit that has one large tube of oil -Marked flammable
Partial ORMD - contains MT-90 Manual Transmission Fluid that is one large bottle of oil -Marked flammable

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) considers certain items, including aerosols and alcohol-based products (e.g., pressurized spray cans, hairspray, perfumes, nail polish, etc.) to be Hazardous Materials and requires them to be shipped by ground transportation only.

 

[Sevv]

i ordered some RBF660 of ebay from germany and i got them not problems at all.. however not sure from the US

 

[Sam_]

Oh great. That would be a fair bit of cash lost if they did that. Was it just the fluids they took out? Rest was ok? Did you use UPS?

 

[Sevv]

Oh great. That would be a fair bit of cash lost if they did that. Was it just the fluids they took out? Rest was ok? Did you use UPS?

i never lost a thing and they were delivery via Australia Post last time i ordered and this time i ordered the same but from Germany they never took the fluids... using Fedex

 

[Sam_]

Oh it was more a question about the ECS order that driftymcgee made. I'll be ****** if there's bits missing.

Not had anything removed before either. How do they get it here otherwise? Ship? ECS should warn buyers.

 

[Sevv]

Its their legal duty to inform you mate as did awesome gti on some orders i made...it should be fine i know for instance g12+ coolant isnt allowed... and thwe freight is by plane..

 

[driftymcgee]

I was able to just have the fluids tossed, but I am using a mail forwarding company so you may luck out and have it go without issue.

Or I guess if they ban it they may bin it all.

Hard to say but if ECS let it go by air they are they ones accountable so I would think they'd have to refund.

 

[Sevv]

Yeah its all by air otherwise by ship it takes 3 months or so.. as i enquired

I wonder why its illegal.. how do they then bring such products in the country

 

[superkarl]

I wonder why its illegal..

remember 9/11, and subsequent plane bombing plots lol

US is bound to be strict

surely you couldve got such things in OZ?

 

[driftymcgee]

i opted for the haldex kit as nobody in Aus could get the service tool for it, so thought whilst buying a bunch of stuff from ECS may as well go ahead with the haldex kit.

can get the oil and filter here for around $95 AUD so the whole kit for $99 seemed like a good idea. oh well, the oil is only $40 and the tranny fluid can be sourced elsewhere.

hopefully Sam gets it all through without any fuss.

 

[Sevv]

Lets hope so 99$ is fu**cking expensive i paid 40$ for the kit of awesome lol

 

[Sevv]

Concerning that mate all product being exported or imported to the country pass several screening tests xray etcc... so if it was a naughty product they get hold of it miles before it gets on the plane

 

[Sam_]

remember 9/11, and subsequent plane bombing plots lol

US is bound to be strict

surely you couldve got such things in OZ?

Australia is a cool country in most respects but everything is expensive here. Redline 75w90 4qts, $100. ECS $50. Even the S3 cost about three times what it would there! Saying that, it's all relative. The AUD is decent at the momrent. It was £1/$2.5 when I moved here, now it's £1/$1.5 so it's good coming home...

 

[Sam_]

Lets hope so 99$ is fu**cking expensive i paid 40$ for the kit of awesome lol

Without the tool I assume. $40 is well cheap

 

[Sevv]

Without the tool I assume. $40 is well cheap

yeah mate the tube and the filter

 

[Sam_]

Figured as much. The tools the pricey bit haha. Looking forward to fresh fluids!

 

[Sevv]

Figured as much. The tools the pricey bit haha. Looking forward to fresh fluids!

as much as i like working on the car i got no time so Seb does it for me i know im lazzy hence why i dont need the tool

 

[Sam_]

Yeah I would but he takes too long! Going to do it myself and use his ramp. He doesn't use the tool anyway. Gets in there with big pliers!

 

[Sevv]

Yeah I would but he takes too long! Going to do it myself and use his ramp. He doesn't use the tool anyway. Gets in there with big pliers!

lol i agree.. the car is being booked in first week of december and its gonna take him 3 days to do the sway bar links.. tie rods put the new box in rear main and new clutch ..and thermostat and other bits and bobs im like oh dear ..

though in his defense he does a great job

 

[Sam_]

Well the package is in Australia now. Driftymcgee, did you only know they'd removed stuff when you got the parcel or did the UPS tracking site say that?

 

[Sevv]

Sam inspect the content before you sign off the package so you could hold ECS liable in case some items dont show up and they havent 'warned' you about it

 

[driftymcgee]

Well the package is in Australia now. Driftymcgee, did you only know they'd removed stuff when you got the parcel or did the UPS tracking site say that?

If yours made it to Aus already you will be pretty well set.

I have had packages arrive with 'contraband' removed and a nice little letter telling me said items are prohibited entry to Aus and an official warning given. So it may still arrive sans prohibited items but I doubt it very much.

I would guess I had an issue as I am using a US mail forwarding company as I am getting items from ECS, 034, Integ Engineering, Podi CTS Turbo & Amazon lol so I used up a lot of 'free shipping' promo codes and the likes and the forwarding company is consolidating and sending along when all items arrive.

The fact that they open the boxes to repack more efficiently means they would have spotted oil and of course since it is illegal to send them via Air they had to discard.

 

[Sam_]

Yeah it was all cleared for delivery yesterday but of course UPS just sat on it and didn't deliver it today. Due tomorrow so we shall see. It'd be a bit annoying as it's basically $100 worth of gearbox oil (if bought here) and then Haldex fluid which is about another $30-40 I guess?

Oh that's cool, I've not used one of those services yet. What about the $1k import duty limit? Buying a turbo kit from CTS? I'm so tempted to skip the GT28 and just fit a GT30 but every time I bring it up with Seb (who's helping with the build), he keeps saying a GT28 is "plenty". I just feel like doing it "right" first time...

 

[driftymcgee]

Yeah yours will be fine, which is pretty cool to know because in the future if i need fluids I can get them from ECS so long as I am doing a single shipment direct.

Testing out the waters for the $1k import bit, haven't gone stupid crazy yet, only just over the limit, but each item while it does get forwarded from the mail forwarders all packages have their own invoice so am trying to see if this can circumvent the duty.

I'm going way stupid with my build, turbo swap is the last thing on my list as I have NO idea what to go yet, GT2871R was always the plan but I have no idea yet. As I said I'm doing it stupid and going 2L stroker keeping the stock K04 for now. When I sort all that lot out I can decide on what turbo.

 

[Sam_]

All arrived in one piece, apart from the haldex wrench hanging out of the box...

That's the weekend sorted then. I'll chuck some more pics up later.

Yeah yours will be fine, which is pretty cool to know because in the future if i need fluids I can get them from ECS so long as I am doing a single shipment direct.

Testing out the waters for the $1k import bit, haven't gone stupid crazy yet, only just over the limit, but each item while it does get forwarded from the mail forwarders all packages have their own invoice so am trying to see if this can circumvent the duty.

I'm going way stupid with my build, turbo swap is the last thing on my list as I have NO idea what to go yet, GT2871R was always the plan but I have no idea yet. As I said I'm doing it stupid and going 2L stroker keeping the stock K04 for now. When I sort all that lot out I can decide on what turbo.

Yeah I am planning on doing the stroker too. I have an AGU engine and TFSI crank sorted. Need to save up and get suitable rods and pistons for it. Thinking of Tuscan rods, seen as they are only $100 and are lighter. I have a GT2871R Del Rio kit lined up too, but keep getting tempted by GT30's. Maybe I should wait and get bored of the GT28 first since it's effectively ready to go, I just need to build an engine to bolt it too...

 

[Sevv]

Yey... lol see told u it would arrive in one piece thats a relief for u mr.

 

[Sam_]

And there's the GTX range which seem even more awesome.

I found this today:
Special Turbine Housing T25-EWG-44 : atpturbo.com
But Seb (the guy who's flogging me the kit) reckons that it wouldn't fit. Looking at it, the wastegate might be really close to the bulkhead?

 

[Sam_]

Weekend sorted...

- Sump (thread shagged on mine), pickup (+ o ring), oil change
- Haldex Service
- Rear diff fluid
- Front box/diff fluid

Hoping I have everything. Bought the weird 12 point security hex bit, multi fit drain plug tool, plus individual hex bits, wobble 1/4 extensions for the hard to get to sump bolts and the Haldex tool. Think I'm set?

Just need to go grab some 5w30 mobil1 ep hope I can do it in a day...

 

[s3dave]

The refill of the gearbox is a pain, ideally you need a tube coming down from the top of the engine then it is easy...
And my god it fcn stinks!!

 

[Sam_]

Yeah I liken it to cat or fox **** and it always seems to spill out everywhere. I've got a suction pump which should help with the refilling all round. Not sure on the Haldex. I've heard of people filling up via the level hole rather than the drain...

 

[driftymcgee]

glad to see it all arrived with not bits missing.

whats the quality like on the Uro branded sump?

 

[Sam_]

I tweeted about the box being battered and included @ups and they replied offering compensation etc. Pretty decent of them. Still prefer Fedex though, quicker and cheaper usually. Had a few issues with UPS in the past doing stupid stuff.

glad to see it all arrived with not bits missing.

whats the quality like on the Uro branded sump?

Seems alright, some casting marks etc but seems like it'll be ok. It seems to have an intact thread too (damn ECS sump plug). I bought a drain valve too so I'll just leave that in there for oil changes, looks like it'll make it easier but might end up with a tiny bit of old oil in the sump, worth it for an intact thread and not having a had covered in hot oil every time...

 

[Sam_]

Done the sump, pickup, gearbox oil and obviously an oil and filter change, today. Messy day as you'd expect.

Started off by doing the sump, not a bad job really with the right tools. Going on Tuffty's recommendation of a wobble 1/4 extension, combined with a long 5mm ball end allen key, I was sorted.

Pickup looked pretty decent nick to be honest:

The sump had a bit of baked oil but nothing too bad really. Cleaned everything up and prepared the new sump. Tried to avoid using too much of the sealant and only got a small bead on the outside so figners crossed I'll be ok:

Didn't end up using the drain tap for the sump in the end, when it was on and tightened up it actually poked lower than the sump which might cause an issue so didn't bother with it. The sumps low enough as it is!

Gave the underside the engine a bit of a clean too (bad iPhone picture, clearly too sunny for the iPhone today):

Gearbox was relatively straight forward too, apart from getting covered in stinking box oil. I removed about 3.5L and managed to get the same back in. Mine turned out to be 14mm hex fittings so purchasing the tool was a bit of a waste but I'd hate to not have it if I needed it. Should have checked before hand but had no time really. Suction pump made the job a bit easier too. Drove round the block for 5 minutes or so, went to check again and it wouldn't take any more fluid so presumably because it took me so long to fill it up, it eventually made it's own way to the transfer box? Didn't get any pics of that haha. Shift does feel smoother but I still got the same old clunk going 1st to 2nd. Hopefully the poly additive will help with that over time.

Next week:
- Rear diff fluid (gotta buy more redline)
- Haldex service

If I get time/can be *****, I'll do:
- Rear gruvenparts arms (both sets)
- Rear 20mm whiteline arb + droplinks (rose jointed)

 

[driftymcgee]

- Rear diff fluid (gotta buy more redline)

As do I since my damn order of Redline was returned to ECS ! ! !

 

[Sam_]

How much do you need? I'm going to grab a quart from a guy in Eastwood if you want me to grab a couple. The only downer is he's about twice the price of ECS. $26/quart for MT90.

Saw some tubular wishbones today:
Tubular Front Control Arms (MK4) [SUSPMK4TARM] - $525.00 : USRT, Usually Sideways Rally Team

Kinda tempted. I need to do the bushes on mine but don't have access to a press and it'd mean that I'd have rose jointed top mounts, rear arms, and front arms. It would also means I could dial in some camber on the arms and remove some of the stress on the driveshafts (after reading Bill's post on Prawns thread). Seb reckons it'll be horrible on the road but not sure if he's actually experienced it. Everyone else I've spoken to, or read reports from reckons it'll be fine. You get more feedback but it's not horrible. Keen to get the suspension top notch before anything else if I'm honest.

How are solid subframe mounts? Anyone tried the solid steering rack mount? Weird that the mk4 has a rubber mount when mk5/6 don't and first time I've heard of it to be honest. Seems strange not to solid mount it.

 

[Sevv]

nice work sam... what fuilds did you use for the box and rear diff (of redline) as ill be doing the same box is comming off in december...

btw any benefits to be attain with this front control arms .. been looking at them but not sure