3" Downpipe Gains on Custom Remapped S3 8l - Feedback welcomed

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Jimgrim77

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Just wondered if anyone has measured the bhp/torque gains of an uprated 3" downpipe and 200 cell sport cat install on an S3 8l.

Mine has already had a custom SWICT remap, full set of forge silicone hoses including tip, fmic, forge 007 dv etc...but really now only lacks this modification before hybrid/custom turbo which i'm still uncertain about taking on.

Essentially, I guess it's a bangs for bucks question as i've been quoted £500 for the 3" pipe, 200 cell sport cat and approx 4 hours (ball-aching) labour according to Infinity Exhausts Bristol.

In light of the work already done, the car goes very well but i'm keen to allow it to be the best that it can be. I imagine that I would see some gains to torque/bhp but wonder is anyone has measured it and modified in the same order to quantify improvements. Perhaps even describe the way that it felt different in response.

Thanks in advance
 
A remapped S3 does between 245 and 260bhp on average regardless of mods.... items such as 3" DP's, FMICs etc don't have much of an affect on total power (although the Badger5 80mm TIP does) they do help you keep that power for longer...

The std S3 DP is a crap design as is the exhaust manifold... this promotes high EGTs which will in turn harm performance..

3" DP's generally relieve some of this burden and you will see advantages in being able to use more timing etc and a stage 2 map that generally lifts the mid range... they don't typically release more top end power though...

If you are seeking the best you can get from a K04 then 3" DP, FMIC, decat or sports cat and a B5 TIP with Jetex or panel filter in OEM air box will get you there... you could benefit from mapping tweaks too... I am not familiar with SWICT maps but Revo stage 2's are effective and adjustable

<tuffty/>
 
Would buying it and fitting yourself save a couple hundred quid? Or have a mate that would do it for beer tokens?

Might help your decision :)
 
I'm having the downpipe installed next wednesday and as Mark, from South West In Car Tech (remapping), is only next door, he's going to adjust the custome map to take into account the new modifications. This, like you mention, should be the equivalent of the stage 2 revo and agrees that it would provide significant gain in the mid range.

Have to be honest and say that I am still sceptical about tinkering with the airbox as the standard box with a green filter I already have fitted seems to be more than sufficient. Again, i'm aware that there are two schools of thought on this with much debate about bringing hot air into the turbo from the open jetex style filters from the engine bay, even with the heat shields, but I'm open to suggestion. I do like the sound that the jetex makes but do wonder if it's a case of a nice sound creating a sense of more speed/power. Has anyone tested pre/post jetex only on a rolling road?

Chris- i'd love to save the cash on the fitting ...but while it's up having the exhaust done, i'm going to take the front bumper off to uprate the H7 spot light bulbs and then spray the lower grill surround matt black to match the upper grill surround.
 
After having my downpipe and decat the car felt like it was spooling more freely, This resulted in the car needing the map looking at as it was boosting way way too high. ( it max'd the 2.5 bar boost gauge i tested it with)
As for all S3's on phase one making the same power ... not sure about that, Different maps and diffrent mod's surely make a diffrence?
 
It's all about maintaining power with these cars. You might make 260bhp once on a dyno but can it be repeated over and over as the car gets hotter and hotter???

As Tuffty said, mods that help aid the cooling and breathing of this car are what maintain that power.
 
There will be a ball park but I'm inclined to agree. Different maps and mods will make a difference. Each and every mod that I have done has changed the performance significantly. When i added the the FMIC recently, I had to have the map changed to account for that specific element and hence why i'll do the same with the downpipe as you can never gauge prior what effects it will have.

It seems that performance tends to be greatly influenced by what remapping route you approach ie structured revo route (stage 1 intitially and then stage 2 once further mods are mad) or through custom route, where the car is optimised with its existing parts at each point. This supports the notion which you mention Paul and is something that I have experienced. Would i be cynical if i thought that staging remaps at advised/set modification points is more to do with profiteering by remapping firms?
 
My experience with the 3" downpipe is a positive one. My old 2002 Cupra (up for sale) with 165k on the clock had produced 193bhp on the first run at Bill's because of the downpipe! Nite the car had left the factory with 180 ponies originally, so if you take it into consideration how much power it had lost over the years, I'd say it had gained at least 20bhp by fitting the de-cat 3" downpipe. I am tempted to fit one before my new S3 goes off to Badger5 on the 1st of March, I must say however Mot will be due in the next few months then there will be the ball ache of refitting it for MOT... Could do with a bent garage if you guys know what I mean...?
 
S3-Zoltan said:
My experience with the 3" downpipe is a positive one. My old 2002 Cupra (up for sale) with 165k on the clock had produced 193bhp on the first run at Bill's because of the downpipe! Nite the car had left the factory with 180 ponies originally, so if you take it into consideration how much power it had lost over the years, I'd say it had gained at least 20bhp by fitting the de-cat 3" downpipe. I am tempted to fit one before my new S3 goes off to Badger5 on the 1st of March, I must say however Mot will be due in the next few months then there will be the ball ache of refitting it for MOT... Could do with a bent garage if you guys know what I mean...?
Click to expand...
5 years later....
 
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Back when I had REVO stage 1 and was upgrading to stage2, the biggest increase in performance I could "feel" was how quick the turbo spooled due to the B5 TIP and 3" downpipe. Coupled with the front mount (wellycooler) the car would "feel" more powerful for longer.
I then toook it back to my local REVO agent and had stage 2 installed and logged, then took it to a local dyno rolling road day.
My S3 made 264 bhp and 270 lb ft at REVO stage2, and when comparing graphs to when it was stage 1, the whole graph had moved to the left.
I personally think it was due to the turbo and engine flowing more smoothly, torque was made earlier in the rev range and held on for longer.

REVO stage 2 is ok, but my god the boost spike is rod bendingly scary. My local REVO agent set the boost up to setting 8 and it was spiking rediculous. After logging we found that reducing the boost actually made more power and gave less ignition timing pull, so the timing could be moved up a notch.
This is what Tuffty means by REVO being adjustable.

Personally If i was to do it all again. I would pie off stage1. I would fit stage 2 mods and take it for custom mapping at badger5 (i am biased as he has worked wonders with my hybrid build and never fails to help me with problems).
Custom mapping is custom to your car, its not a generic off the shelf map that was written when the S3 were brand new. Its been said a million times these cars are getting old and no two cars react the same to mods etc.

In answer to the main point, fit the 3" downpipe. Better spool, more free flowing, lower EGT's and more boosts and timings available.

Your just going to get bored of stage 2 like I did and build a hybrid like I did anyway lol
 
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S3-Zoltan said:
I have better things to do then uploading images of dyno printouts to prove it... Carry on laughing.
Click to expand...
56040644


F60f968070f21ba3f1b42d856e26a10f921fda19
 
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Okay, I've got you... To do with the garage comment I'm guessing. That was not meant to be taken literally, was a joke. Terribly sorry mr moderator...
 
I think I better actually make a useful post before I laugh to death! :D

Since fitting my 3" down pipe, the car is louder and the turbo spools up quicker, so less lag basically, therefore, feels quicker, but not actually going any quicker than before. Biggest gains I've had on my S3 with out a map tweak was a B5 TIP, followed by a decat. Both released around 10bhp with no map tweaks.
 
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