AGU Engine - Pros & Cons

[WorkInProgress]

Just out of curiosity really, what are the good points to owning an AGU engined car and what are the downsides if any?

I've read various things on the interweb about the management being basic, being able to run an atmospheric dump valve without issues occurring, stronger engine than later ones etc but you never know quite what to believe so thought I'd ask the experts!

 

[Vex182]

It uses a large port head meaning better flow as standard compared to say the Bam and Amk inlets.

 

[Lewis583]

AGU

Pros:
Large port head
20mm wrist pins
9.5:1CR

Cons:
Basic ECU system(Narrowband lambda) (though they can be mapped to provide good power, provided adequate time is spent tuning them properly. E.G. Prawn's track beast)
Comes with a hairdryer spec turbo in standard trim (K03)
Standard large port throttle body on OS. Only an issue if going to be used in an S3/other vehicle with throttle body on NS.

 

[Prawn]

As lewis said really.

As a short engine to build on/from the AGU is the best, without question. You get a large port head, 20mm gudgeon pins, higher CR than APY/ AMK / BAM (9.5:1 instead of 9:1)

However, you can fit a large port head and AGU / AEB pistons to any other 1.8T, and you've got the same thing.

As a complete engine, it's arguably the worst, tiny ko3 turbo that's only good for 190bhp and very basic me3.8 management with cable throttle and narrow band fuelling.

New cars, like the facelift A3 with the AUM have small port head and 19mm pins, but on a stock turbo this isn't an issue, and the gains from the later me7.5 ecu outweigh the cons for sure, as well as the more preferable 9.5:1 cr

S3's get me7.5 in the main (me7 on early models) as well as a ko4 turbo, so instantly easier to tune to 250bhp+. S3's also have the larger 20mm gudgeon pins, but still have a small port head and 9:1 cr.

ME3.8 can't be all that bad, as my hybrid makes more power than any other running on me7.5, but it doesn't have the same safety features, and it can't have all the cool toys mapped in like me7.5.

 

[RobinJI]

As well as what they've all said, from what I've seen the bolt down coil-packs used on the AGU/AEB seem to be more reliable than the later push on ones.

 

[<tuffty/>]

As well as what they've all said, from what I've seen the bolt down coil-packs used on the AGU/AEB seem to be more reliable than the later push on ones.

The ICM on AEB/AGU is the issue... don't get these bolt downs confused with the later ones on the ME7 narrow band engines... these too seem to have been fairly reliable although the aftermarket ones fail regularly... genuine only for any coil pack in fact... I have seen an APY S3 come in with 4 x new bolt downs bought from ECP... misfired on every cylinder under boost...

<tuffty/>