Removing 4WD?

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Barks

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This my sound like a sound like a strange thought, but has anyone thought about converting a S3 to FWD?

The 4wd is good for booting it of the lights and 1/4 miling but is it really nessisary for track days etc. As far as I can think the benefits are:-

Less transmission losses
Decrease fuel consumption
Decrease the weight
Keep the S3 styling and interior (could just get a A3 I supose?)

Would it just entail a rear axle from a A3 and a cupra six speed box?

Any Ideas or just shoot me down, I have seen on another forum a guy has done it to a pure track car...
 
In theory, there's no reason you couldn't remove the rear drive shafts from the rear CV's, and keep all the S3 rear IRS. Remove the prop and fit an LCR box and yea, I guess you're away!
 
If you really dont want the 4wd then disconnect it electicaly. The floor pans/shells are different and the axles won't swap.


The s3 is mostly 2wd and the 4wd only kicks in when slippage is detected so transmission losses are not a problem and thus make no odds to economy bar weight difference.

If thats what you want, it would probably be cheaper to sell your S3 and buy an A3 and kit it with an S3 kit
 
1) Sell S3
2) Buy A3
3) Enjoy :)

Floor pan is different on a quattro so parts are not transferable... for a track car you would want to strip most of the interior out anyway, the main difference between an S3 and an A3 other than the k04 is the recaro interior and wheel arches...

If you really want an A3 platform as a track car, buy an A3 (cheaper) strip it, sell bits and buy a K03 hybrid etc to get S3 power... simples...

<tuffty/>
 
Sounds like my sugestion was both impossable to do and in most peoples eyes ridiculous!

That me well and truely shot down.

I sold my striped 2.0 16v MK2 golf on R1's carbs and purchased the S3, because as a daily driver it was a bit hardcore. So the plan was to have a bit of a happy medium (which I know isn't going to make a great track car).

Why have a S3... Because they look good and drive well.

Thank for the info... definate no go
 
No the engine is transverse and need it longitudinally
 
Barks said:
Sounds like my sugestion was both impossable to do and in most peoples eyes ridiculous!

That me well and truely shot down.

I sold my striped 2.0 16v MK2 golf on R1's carbs and purchased the S3, because as a daily driver it was a bit hardcore. So the plan was to have a bit of a happy medium (which I know isn't going to make a great track car).

Why have a S3... Because they look good and drive well.

Thank for the info... definate no go
Click to expand...

Buy another Mk2 and bung a 1.8t in it mate :)

<tuffty/>
 
Barks said:
Sounds like my sugestion was both impossable to do and in most peoples eyes ridiculous!

That me well and truely shot down.

I sold my striped 2.0 16v MK2 golf on R1's carbs and purchased the S3, because as a daily driver it was a bit hardcore. So the plan was to have a bit of a happy medium (which I know isn't going to make a great track car).

Why have a S3... Because they look good and drive well.

Thank for the info... definate no go
Click to expand...

It's very difficult to compare a Mk2 golf to an S3, out the box, there's almost 500kg's in weight difference alone, and you are talking about a stripped out Mk2! I have a Mk2 16v, and S3, and both very different cars to drive. The golf is all about the revs and handling, the throttle response is much sharper also, but the S3 is a very good all rounder like you say. I've tracked my S3, so it's not impossible to use it for track work, needs a lot thrown at the suspension to make it corner well though, could probably pick up a Mk2 Golf for the amount of money you need to make it handle if I'm being honest.
 
audi upgrades
In a world with no insurance, road tax or mot's I would of keep the MK2 and stuck a 1.8t in it as it handled and outbreaked most things with Willwoods, R888 and coilovers.

But keeping 2 cars on the road for a handful of track day a year was too expensive.

I know the S3 will never be the same, its just trying to strike a balance between confort and fun....

The S3 is staying.... suspension, Big breaks are done, arbs on the way... But like what has been said its not a cheap option...

When I am old and wrinkley living in a big house with a huge drive for a trailer. Then thats the time for another MK2. (by then a collectors and very expensive but you know what I meen)
 
or lift your handbrake up one notch whilst driving...this will disable the rear ;)
 
1animal1 said:
or lift your handbrake up one notch whilst driving...this will disable the rear ;)
Click to expand...

does that work tim ?

If you want fwd do as jojo says pull the fuse on the haldex
 
It works, used it snow as i was stuck on a hill sideways :D and had to take it out of 4wd to swing around.
 
voorhees said:
ermm the handbrake I take it paul ?
Click to expand...

Yus Jase :)

drive onto a bit of grass (not gravel for obvious reasons), pull handbrake up a few clicks until handbrake light is on then try pulling away with a little added spirit ;P

Not really advisable to do on a more permenant basis as its a fail safe operation rather than a 'feature' and you will just annoy the ECU :)

<tuffty/>
 
S3 is lardy ***** car even when remapped its not fast
want more fun on track, add some BT power, but if chasing track/road car use you must compromise, and be prepared to get recovered home from time to time.

been there, done that..... built a track car
 
When your Haldex controller is screwed (as mine apparently is), the test is to pull your handbrake up one notch, as JoJo says.
If the wheels no longer lock up while you have the car on full lock it's your Haldex that's gone (the test turns it into permanent 2WD so the brain for the rears no longer gets confused).

Couple of good sites on the subject I was reading just yesterday...

http://www.wikitt.org/wikiTT/index.php?title=Haldex_controller
http://www.vagtech.co.uk/index.php/products/transmission/59
http://www.wak-tt.com/mods/haldexpp/haldexpp.htm

I'm probably going to go the opposite direction to Barks and get the uprated one - the Haldex Performance controller (available from http://www.amdtechnik.com/ - just over £700). Turns it in to a 4WD more permanently.

Although Barks, if you're that desperate for yours to be a permenant FWD car then I'll happily alleviate you of the extra weight your controller adds!
 
Wasn't me that mentioned the handbrake up one notch, so I won't take credit for it, but it only works on cars with ESP, as it won't work on my non ESP car, but I know my Haldex works though anyways. :)
 
I know someone who has a 1.8t K03s from an A3 running 240bhp and it is rapid! Took the p!ss out of my mates Evo 7 and another mates scooby P1. The S3 was designed to be 4WD and this would have been in the thoughts of the designers/mechanics when they were building every aspect of the car so you're best off keeping it that way.
 
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