Tuning options for S3 8P (57 plate) with 150K miles.

[Mamba]

Hi
I'm looking for guidence from anyone with experience and knowledge about upgrading my S3 with high mileage.
here are the facts:

150K miles
Mostly motorway
Always serviced when indicated either by Audi or VAG specialist.
No current issues.

I'm looking to turn it into a project and spend some dosh on it... considernig doing the following over time:

• Performance upgrade by ECU reprogramming (engine control unit remapping)
• Forge upgraded dump valve
• Performance air filter
• Exhaust system from catalyst back (milltek)
• Bigger turbo
• Intercooler
• High pressure fuel pump
• EBC discs n pads,
• Sachs suspension
• 19' rims

Is it worth it for a car with so many miles?

Am I going to blow it up?

Should I look to repolace the engine internals to cope with the upgrades?

Spoke to various specialists and I'm getting mixed messages. Some say car will be fine, some say don't bother, and invest dosh in newer car then possibly upgrade...

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[S3Alex]

Hi there,

Have a trawl through my build thread and a few others to get a view of what can be done,and which parts and tuners to use.

In short,any decent tuner should check the car over fully before any upgrades.

Also,if maintained regularly,there is no reason why it should not work well,although a high mileage turbo is always a likely item to fail when the boost is increased.

If you're looking at a big turbo,then the internals should be replaced if you go above 440lbs of torque.

You would need all of the items in your list,plus a new uprated clutch,and something serious like mine,if you go for a big turbo.

I wouldn't bother with EBC discs and pads for uprating the brakes.

Buy a good big brake kit,such as AP,Brembo or similar.


Please feel free to ask anything that I can help with....I think I've seen or avoided most of the major problems in BT build.

 

[S3Alex]

Few other points....

Suspension.....the best around currently for this car would be Bilstein or kW.

You won't want just an air filter...you'd need a full CAI system for either Revo,ITG or AMD.

HPFP.....the best current choice would be Loba.

Software....take a look also at Unicorn,AMD,Shark,Revo and APR.

19" rims.....most will advise against if handling is a priority.

 

[Mamba]

Few other points....

Suspension.....the best around currently for this car would be Bilstein or kW.

You won't want just an air filter...you'd need a full CAI system for either Revo,ITG or AMD.

HPFP.....the best current choice would be Loba.

Software....take a look also at Unicorn,AMD,Shark,Revo and APR.

19" rims.....most will advise against if handling is a priority.

Thanks for the info S3Alex! Few abbreviations there that I'm not familiar with though.... CAI? HPFP?

Think for now I'm going to do
Brakes n discs (they need doing anyway)
Revo stage 1
Forge Dump Valve
Denso iridium plugs
Milltek cat back

I know every car is different, but any rough ideas on what top BHP / torque I could expect from doing this? Stock is 265... probably lost a few horsies up till now, but he's not slow ;-)

 

[S3Alex]

CAI is cold air intake.

HPFP is an uprated fuel pump for anything above Stg2.

At Stg1 you should see 310-320bhp.

Best diverter valve currently is the GFB DV+

 

[s3_trev]

Some good advice from Alex as always. I would say that you will probably be wanting a turbo back exhaust rather than cat back. Im not sure if cat back even provides any performance upgrade at all, but others can comment on this. I recommend BCS rather than Milltek but that's just personal choice based on my own research.

 

[Mamba]

Some good advice from Alex as always. I would say that you will probably be wanting a turbo back exhaust rather than cat back. Im not sure if cat back even provides any performance upgrade at all, but others can comment on this. I recommend BCS rather than Milltek but that's just personal choice based on my own research.

I agree, and will prob install turbo back system later on, but right now I'm just looking to do a bit at a time so I can gauge the improvements. Make them all at the same time, it'll be hard to say what worked best and what didn't ;-)

I think the cat back system will provide marginal improvements, because on the standard system, as far as I can tell from google images, from the cat there are 2 boxes, Milltek cat back is a straight through to back box...

 

[RedDejavu]

decoke your best mod with such milage!

 

[S3Alex]

I agree, and will prob install turbo back system later on, but right now I'm just looking to do a bit at a time so I can gauge the improvements. Make them all at the same time, it'll be hard to say what worked best and what didn't ;-)

I think the cat back system will provide marginal improvements, because on the standard system, as far as I can tell from google images, from the cat there are 2 boxes, Milltek cat back is a straight through to back box...

Certainly if you're planning further ahead, a full exhaust makes sense.

I think you'll notice the differences between stages easily enough but things like an exhaust or CAI alone would be less obvious.

The point above re coking of the inlet valves is very important.

I have plenty of pics of how bad this can get and on a high mileage TFSi it's worth getting it cleaned up.