My minor modding thread

[jojo]

Every person who does the sprint cringes,its part of the fun Paul letting go while revving the tits off your pride and joy

I don't cringe, it's a case of kill or be killed!

 

[<tuffty/>]

Prepared an old tensioner damper ready for a manual tensioner conversion...

End cover and tensioner ready to be blasted...

Removed the TFSI oil pump drive gear (pictured right) from the crank...

...and pressed on the new 20v gear...

All ready to head off to the machine shop to be bored and crank pulley to be dowelled...

<tuffty/>

 

[Gops]

You not at inters then I take it? Looks good, when you getting it back from the machine shop?

 

[<tuffty/>]

You not at inters then I take it? Looks good, when you getting it back from the machine shop?

No idea... will hopefully go off next week... the guy thats going to be doing the dowelling is quite busy too but I want that done before I get it all balanced...

Be a couple of weeks I guess...

<tuffty/>

 

[<tuffty/>]

Small update as I am waiting on the block to come back from being re-bored (hopefully this week)...

Got a couple of items back from good friend George after a bit of media blasting to clean them up..

Before...

...after

Took the opportunity this weekend to do a full valet of the interior of the car and give her a paint protection top up...

She stills scrubs up well for an oldie

Hopefully some more news this week if the block arrives and some pre build checks before the rotating assembly goes off to be balanced...

<tuffty/>

 

[MIGGZ]

still the neatest S3 on here! nice one paul

 

[<tuffty/>]

Thanks dude... she has her little imperfections of course but I wouldn't be happy with anything less than a short of a full body respray if I wanted to sort them out so I know its all up to my crazy OCD level...

Still annoyed at my little wet sanding **** up and still need to sort that to something I am happier with but a respray will happen at some point... just not sure when lol...

<tuffty/>

 

[MIGGZ]

dude in all honesty i dont think iv ever seen a car with that age in such mint condition considering that not only is it driven but also so powerful and functional! easy show and shine winner lol

 

[superkarl]

dude in all honesty i dont think iv ever seen a car with that age in such mint condition considering that not only is it driven but also so powerful and functional! easy show and shine winner lol

its amazing in the flesh! so so clean

 

[MIGGZ]

one day ill come visit lol! ill steal this S3 and Prawns A3 lol

 

[jojo]

Why do I think it's filthy?

 

[<tuffty/>]

Why do I think it's filthy?

You met me right?

<tuffty/>

 

[Vex182]

I've seen the car in the flesh and it is so nice. So stock but so modified!

 

[A3-Lee]

I can't believe how OEM the bay and whole car looks hats off to you mate looks amazing

 

[Scullies]

Looking forward to seeing this go up the strip next weekend

did you have a go, or did you decline! Until next year that is

 

[<tuffty/>]

....or did you decline! Until next year that is

That....

<tuffty/>

 

[<tuffty/>]

Small update...

Block arrived back Thursday from the re-bore, crank was picked up today for doweling... I had the block chemically cleaned and so painted it to stop it going rusty...

All being well the crank will be back for next weekend too so I can start the dry build to plastigauge the bearings and check the clearances on the squirters...

Have found a place that will do the balancing so need to chat to them about times etc... hoping to drop it all off in the morning and loiter somewhere until they are ready to pick up assuming they can do a days turnaround... will see how it goes...

<tuffty/>

 

[Broken Byzan]

I knew you wouldn't resist it,LOL

 

[<tuffty/>]

I knew you wouldn't resist it,LOL

No mate... if its there it will be cleaned or painted or both... and to prove this....

Clean....

Lacquered....

...and now dry in a satin black...

As I take stuff off the old engine to transfer across it will be cleaned and painted accordingly of course lol... the engine bay will get a scrub too when the engine comes out...

<tuffty/>

 

[Chlippo]

I like that! excellent job.

 

[Gizmo20VT]

Awesome update Paul ! Nice clean and fresh

 

[<tuffty/>]

Crank came back from being doweled...

Still waiting on a set of rods to arrive so used a std 20mm rod to check for squirter clearance... first I fitted the ARP mains studs...

...any wondering why I am using ARP over a set of OE bolts, in the pic below we have an ARP stud, OE bolt and what happens to OE bolts... not the first failure I have seen and was enough to persuade my that at my power level its a worth while investment...

Mains caps with bearings fitted and assembly lubed... note that cap 4 (going right to left) has the same grooved bearing as the block bearings...

Block bearings in and lubed...

Fitted an oil squirter for the test... this is one from the K03 engines... I will be getting ones from the K04 engines as they have a larger oil feed hole

Crank in...

Fitting caps...

...don't forget the thrust washers...

...in and just tight (not torqued) enough to do the test...

Piston fitted to old std rod (doesn't feel right LOL)...

The CP pistions have a little cutout for the squirter... all seems good

Thats it now until the rods come... will need to hone the small ends as required then it can all go off for balancing

<tuffty/>

 

[Scullies]

Mains caps with bearings fitted and assembly lubed... note that cap 4 (going right to left) has the same grooved bearing as the block bearings...

<tuffty/>

Are those new bearings? Why do they look so brown and darker in some places.

Also, your main cap on the right side is the wrong way round. It doesn't follow suit with the others. Is your OCDness escaping you

 

[<tuffty/>]

Are those new bearings? Why do they look so brown and darker in some places....

Its just the coating on the ACL bearings and yes they are brand new

...Also, your main cap on the right side is the wrong way round. It doesn't follow suit with the others. Is your OCDness escaping you

lol... as long as I fit it the right way back in the engine I'll think I'll get over it ;P

Good spot though... lol

<tuffty/>

 

[Prawn]

Awesome stuff PT, can't wait to see this all come together

 

[superkarl]

Whats the story behind that snapped main bolt?

 

[<tuffty/>]

Whats the story behind that snapped main bolt?

No story as such... this was from a customers car (an ASN members in fact)... car came in as it had a rattle... dropped the sump and found the head of the bolt in it...

Not sure of the details but the fact they can fail was enough for me... I would have used new bolts anyway but considering the extra stroke and potential for higher torque from this engine it seemed a no brainer to go ARP

Guess this is potentially as subjective as rod failure but its definitely a fatigue related failure... the other part of the bolt was still in the block and the cap 'looked' intact...

Last one I saw stuck the cap through the back of the block...

<tuffty/>

 

[superkarl]

I was this close to buying arp studs too. Fingers crossed.
Stock main bolts are grade 12.9 steel tho, which has a tensile strength of something like 120,000 pounds, which i believe arp material is also rated to.

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

some of my standard mains had stretched by 2mm

glad your going arp mains, will you be fitting flywheel bolts too

 

[<tuffty/>]

I was this close to buying arp studs too. Fingers crossed.
Stock main bolts are grade 12.9 steel tho, which has a tensile strength of something like 120,000 pounds, which i believe arp material is also rated to.

its more the construction than the hardness of the ARP... they may be the same hardness but they don't have the inherent weakness of having a thread all the way up the length of the stud like the bolts do...

some of my standard mains had stretched by 2mm

glad your going arp mains, will you be fitting flywheel bolts too

I would use ARP for the flywheel if they did them for the DMF... I am sticking with the DMF for now so will of course be using new OE bolts...

<tuffty/>

 

[Broken Byzan]

Given that new one use OEM bolts are nearly £5 each, it makes the ARP better value too given they are stronger and re usable.

Having seen several snap, I too am on ARP bolts, same for crank and cam pulleys

 

[s3dave]

Are you balancing the flywheel and clutch with the crank paul?

 

[<tuffty/>]

Are you balancing the flywheel and clutch with the crank paul?

No Dave... a couple of reasons... DMF's are apparently difficult to balance anyways, my DMF and clutch setup isn't new so seems wrong to balance that along with all the new stuff and tbh if I get the assembly balanced as a rotational unit then when I come to change the DMF again it will most likely be more out of balance than before on the new DMF...

The way UI look at it is this... you can happily change the clutch assembly on a std engine with no ill effect... just balancing the crank a little better improves over the factory balance with all the internals matching so should be no different at clutch/DMF swap time than OE only with a better balanced engine

If I was changing to an SMF and new clutch then I would just get it all done but I have no plans to go SMF anytime soon...

<tuffty/>

 

[badger5]

I was this close to buying arp studs too. Fingers crossed.
Stock main bolts are grade 12.9 steel tho, which has a tensile strength of something like 120,000 pounds, which i believe arp material is also rated to.

you felt the way they twist and stretch when doing them up?
they feel horrible..

12:9 but done up to torque angle just seems wrong to me...

 

[<tuffty/>]

More gratuitous parts shots...

New water pump (I have already lacquered this lol), manual tensioner setup, cam belt, new oil squirters, stat, IE ARP cam pulley bolt and EKagrip cam pulley friction disk

I need to make a spacer for the manual tensioner as the 20v one sticks out further from the head on transverse engine setups...

Fitted the new oil squirters (torqued to 27nm)

Fitted the water pump, new crank seal into front housing and modified tensioner damper

Moved onto checking the pins in the IE rods... the pins need to slide nicely in the small ends... not loose but a small amount of tension when lightly oiled (not build lube)... I had to very lightly hone a couple of the rods until I was happy

One rod looked like it had been knocked when packed and this needed a little more attention with gentle wet and drying to remove the raised part of the bearing from the damage... something to be aware of...

...sorted...

Thats all the rotating assembly parts ready for balancing... will be dropping them off this Friday and I am told they should be ready for the following Friday...

I hope to have the head off the car next weekend (other work permitting)... I have something planned for this that requires it to be off and away for a few weeks... this will at least give me the chance to pull parts I need off the old bottom end to be cleaned, painted and fitted to the new bottom end...

Happy days

<tuffty/>

 

[Prawn]

Moving fast now PT, get the head off and away and you'll be fired up to get the rest ready for it's return!

can't wait

 

[Gops]

Looks good PT! I thought someone was missing from AITP

 

[<tuffty/>]

....I thought someone was missing from AITP

Yeah... not made any shows this year... if all goes to plan then I'll be at ADI but tbh I am not going to rush this next stage of updates to my car... there are things I want to make better and also while the engine and box is out take advantage of cleaning and refreshing stuff that needs doing... some of the updates I have planned require intervention from others such as welding and machining work which just means it gets done when it gets done... I also need to refurb the wheels as they have been due a bit of TLC since I acquired them..

Lots to do, little time to do it in... ah well...

<tuffty/>

 

[Gops]

Fair play! Best to change everything and anything while you have the chance! I love the sound of that - OCD heaven

 

[<tuffty/>]

Yay!... got my bits back from the balancers... awesome service from Basset Down Balancing Services..

Turns out the pistons were **** on and needed nothing doing to them, the rods needed just a little off them

..as did the crank...

Now the bottom end can be put together

<tuffty/>