A3TQ Cam tuning

[QU4TTRO_A3]

are there camshaft upgrades for the 2001 A3 1.8T quattro? Also, i'm thinkin of buying an A3, currently hav a honda, i want to tune it to 300hp...apart from exhaust system, chipping and remap...wot else can i do? to achieve 300hp thanks!

 

[A3_Turbo]

300 BHP From a TQ.. Well 180 standard Remap on a good day 220 BHP?

Correct me if im wrong but isnt it big turbo route if you want 300 bhp?

I know a bloke on here with a lovely S3 has got 330 bhp.


Jason

 

[RichA3Turbo]

Yep...Only way is big turbo really. You can easily achieve that power.

 

[QU4TTRO_A3]

will a garrett dual ball bearing turbo fit? if not wots the next best turbo or can i take the K04 off the TT or sumink like dat....also...wud i need to upgrade internals?

 

[RichA3Turbo]

Internals for good for abour 330bhp.

GT28RS or IHI VF-34 are the ebst choices. Jabba sport do a kit for the IHI and ATP in teh states to the eliminator kit for the GT28RS. Speak to Star performance about that.

Rich

 

[QU4TTRO_A3]

back to my original question...anybody have kent cams or any higher lift cams? any bhp gain?

 

[Tallpaul]

back to my original question...anybody have kent cams or any higher lift cams? any bhp gain?

Nobody does them on the 1.8T before changing the turbo. It's not like a valver where you have few tuning options in the £/bhp stakes.

Plus the 1.8T is a more complex engine with things like knock sensors for ignition timing. I've only heard of one 1.8T with differant cams, but that had been bored out to 1.9 with virtually no stock components left apart from the block and head and is running about 450bhp.

For the price of cams and what (i assume) other work in terms of the ECU will be required, i think that money is better spent elsewhere.

 

[RichA3Turbo]

Yeah not worth it until you've got nothing left to do!

 

[Ess_Three]

Plus the 1.8T is a more complex engine with things like knock sensors for ignition timing.
I've only heard of one 1.8T with differant cams, but that had been bored out to 1.9 with virtually no stock components left apart from the block and head and is running about 450bhp.

You cheeky sod!
The 16v ABF engine has two knock sensors for ignition retardation too you know.
And the same crank pick up...
and sequsntial injection...

But you are right...no real gains with cams on a standard turbo.

 

[Tallpaul]

You cheeky sod!
The 16v ABF engine has two knock sensors for ignition retardation too you know.
And the same crank pick up...
and sequsntial injection...

But you are right...no real gains with cams on a standard turbo.

I never said it didn't?

My point, which was a question as much as anything, was can high-lift cams be thrown in without mapping the ECU?

 

[Ess_Three]

Not sure on the 1.8T as it has more sophisticated emissions control...

But back to the 16ver, yes you can run some high lift cams on a standard ECU.
Obviously you won't have them optimised...but you can do it.

The problem for modern engines is duration, rather than lift...long duration = dirty idle = MOT fail.

As an example on the 16v ABF (actually not too different to the 1.8T bottom end) you can run 258s, 260s but the standard ECU's closed loop lambda control is not sufficient to run 268s (in and ex) and pass the emissions test.

Even with a standalone ECU you struggle.

Now, the 1.8T is far dirtier than an ABF once chipped... (mine was anyway) so I think that even with a standalone ECU you'd struggle to get it MOTable on emissions with a set of 'high lift' cams.

Might be wrong though...maybe the 5v head is much more efficient than my big valve Blydenstein ABF 16v head (which I doubt!)

 

[Ess_Three]

To be honest...I can't see the point of cams on a 1.8T...
You just fit a bigger turbo and crank up the boost.
Leave the cams standard and it'll idel well and pass the MOT.
Job done.