ko3s turbo upgrade agu, HELP PLEASE

Steve Wilson

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hi there i have just blown my ko3 turbo on my 150 agu, been told its best to put a ko3s on but not sure if i need to change anything else or if they just fit straight on? any help would be much appriciated
cheers steve
 
Ko3s, just fit him straight on.

Use new gaskets, and replace the washers/seals on the oil lines, buy some new stretch bolts off Audi or Badger 5 and job's a goodun :)

Then get yourself a remap!
 
thanks alot mate, would it still run as normal before a remap? because was planning on investing in a exhaust, air intake and maybe front mount, would it be better to do remap after? and have also been told about changing the tip? cheers steve
 
The run down of mods, in this order is -

Get a KO3s fitted.

Air filter (phone Bill at Badger 5 and get a Jetex off him).

Forge 007P.

TIP.

Oil filter, oil (ONLY use VW Quantum) and cambelt along with a metal water pump.

Stage 1 map, should see you 220bhp with a healthy engine and NO boost leaks.

Decat/Downpipe.

Front Mount Intercooler.

S3 brake discs and carriers on the front.

PCV Delete.

S3 Spark Plugs (go NGK).

Stage 2 map, should see 230/235BHP and a LOT more power throughout the rev range.

For suspension mods 90% of people go for the ebay Jamex £220 coilovers with new top mounts, then throw a rear ARB on it and you will have a nice sorted car.

For the remaps I would really recommend Nick at R-Tech, proper good service and he seems to be able to squeeze the best power out of his cars.
 
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you won't see 220 without a downpipe, 205-210 TOP whack, more often closer to 205 though. Add in a downpipe and decat and 220ish is easily possible. Over that you're pushing it, 230 can happen, but it's not consistent at those levels as Jarrod will tell you
 
Your car made 224 on Bills rollers with a 007p and an air filter didn't it? Or did you have a de-cat then too?

Also, I'll more than happily comment on the reliability issues of running 230BHP+ on a KO3s. If you want big power you need a big turbo, big airflow at low boost = infinitely safer than a small turbo at high boost.
 
is the ko3-052 the same as the ko3s? because the one i have seen says ko3-052 for a3 1.8t auq/arz 2000-03 180bhp? is this the turbo i need and would it fit 1998 agu? cheers steve
[h=1][/h]
 
had a decat on as well Jardo.

Steve, that's the turbo you need yes :)

new gaskets, bolts, and crush washers required to fit it, only a few quid from audi
 
thanks alot guys been a really big help, can hopefully get it back on the road soon now, thanks again steve
 
i have just ordered that turbo, what gaskets, bolts and washers should i change aswell? cheers steve
 
TPS or Audi dealer mate, where did you get your turbo from as im also on the hunt for a K03s
 
I brought my ko3s from toyosports,got it out the box checked the impeller to find it had movement in and out on a brand new turbo so be sure to check it first,they sent me another one and it's all good
 
One problem I had with fitting was the oem tip did not fit onto the compressor housing,I ended up machining mine out as I needed to be on the road that same day
 
Just reviving this thread back up...Im also looking to do a turbo upgrade on my 1.8t agu... will be getting my hands on the ko3s turbo and the oem tip soon. I will look into getting the gaskets and bolts as suggested in the earlier posts. I did get an advisory about maybe upgrading my maf to a vr6 one and my injectors to the ones from the vauxhaul calibra turbo yellow...
I currently have 205cc ones i think running on a 4bar, i can get my hands on the 1.8 tqs maf and injectors which are 282cc... would they work? Or keeping my standard maf and injectors is more than enough? Let me know your thoughts guys...
 
Your standard MAF and injectors is enough for a KO3s.

187GPS is the maximum your MAF can read, which equates to roughly 230/235BHP, which is just about what a KO3s will flow before sounding like mine does and making the turbine and housing quite friendly. (F**ked).

The TQS/facelift car's MAF won't work because the plug is different and the injectors are pointless, because you won't be needing to go any higher than your current injectors can give. Going up to the 282CC Injectors will be wasted money, because a KO3s won't be quick enough and you'll have to put bigger ones on for a hybrid anyway.

I have maxed my turbo (ko3s), maf and injectors on my car and there is nothing I can do to make it go faster other than upgrading all three at once and going for a hybrid. The three are all very closely linked.

I suggest you buy some Genesis 550CC injectors, a VR6 MAF and put them aside then save up for a KO3s hybrid. (£700+/- & Mapping & £350/450)
 
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Thanks a lot dude, i am only aiming to get about 225/230bhp with the ko3s and remap... and just run it like that. I would love to go for the hybrid but i feel it will be to much as i also use this as a daily. Any benefit if i only upgrade the maf to the vr6 and keep my current injectors? Good luck with the hybrid setup mate!
 
Thanks a lot dude, i am only aiming to get about 225/230bhp with the ko3s and remap... and just run it like that. I would love to go for the hybrid but i feel it will be to much as i also use this as a daily. Any benefit if i only upgrade the maf to the vr6 and keep my current injectors? Good luck with the hybrid setup mate!

You will get 230BHP, have a look for my project thread. My spec is what you need for 230bhp+.

The VR6 MAF will add a little I guess, but the cost of mapping would IMO rocket the costs up to making it not worthwhile.

Here's an interesting read on what Nick at R-Tech has to say after a LOT of criticism over this 248HP Ko3s dyno plot on ClubGTI -

IMG_0077.jpg


Originally Posted by RTechUK
Its the result of many year tuning the AGU and k03s combo... first thing to do is try and find another tuner who will do a full custom remap on an AGU with ths same mods?* phone them and email them and find out?* The UK norm is to just use a generic stage2 map, or some tuners say stage1 with mbc to up the boost..lol* I think I have spent over 500+hours mapping AGU k03s engines over the years, many many happy customer with proven result on other dynos.

The FACT is that you cannot get a K03s over 240bhp on the oem actuator, a forge unit is needed with yellow or blue spring and the mapping method is to get the boost to 21-22psi as fast and early as you can in the rpm range and hold close on 18.5psi until 5000rpm then taper the boost off at the top end so the turbo dont blow hot air.* The k03s is never going to make and power at the top end of the rpm range as it aint up to it, which compresor maps show albeit to a "SAFE %" on paper.

Now lets let a little out the bag.. the AGU fuel mapping need to refined as if your going to draw some much air in at 3000-5000rpm the ecu will fuel in the 10s and even 9s, just search the forums for k03s/k04 AGU dyno plots vs lambda and you see what I mean, the mapping needs to set the fuel between 13.1:1 - 12.4:1 from when the turbo spools till the power starts to die off.* Its hard to get the AGU to fuel in this manner as the part load lambda is based on load v rpm. A generic stage2 map would just over fuel and eat way at the power from such low rpm at such high boost.* Once the fuel is spot on the timing then can be used to make power, which with the lambda being at 10:1 would have not real effect on power.* The timing play a HUGE part in getting the power from a k03s AGU.


If the guys on club GTI dont like the idea of 240+bhp and they have the same spec1 car, I am willing to map there car and make it much quicker and give them the numbers above.... £FOC and not matter what other tuners maps on there. Then they can go to every dyno in the land to get it tested and logged.


I once was a doubter saying the k03s would never make power like this, there are many post with me making these comments...

Its only until I started to realise that the oem actuators would not do the job by holding the power in the mid range(they would spike to 25psi easy but tail off as the waste gate cracks open at 3500rpm)
*I started to tune customers cars with the forge actuators, customer where comming back with there k03s AGU which we had mapped with the oem actuator, we fitted the forge unit and the car was night and day. Many customer here who have this setup.... BUT only a few of them have the correct fuel setup to go with is, the stock injectors run 100%IDC with around 225-230bhp and the lambda readings head north.


If the guys on club GTI dont like the idea of 240+bhp and they have the same spec1 car, I am willing to map there car and make it much quicker and give them the numbers above and VCDS reading to back them up.. I will do it £FOC and not matter what other tuners maps on there. Then they can go to every dyno in the land to get it tested and logged an post up there finding.



The car was the following spec -

k03s
AGU (recently rebuilt
3" decat downpipe
2.5" cat back to remus backbox with no center silencer
forge actuator (yellow)
forge 007p (yellow)
forge TIP
New N75 I think its a 'E'
2.75" ID MAF
Pipercross panel filter in stock oem smoothed airbox with 3" cold air feed
THS FMIC
calibra yellow injectors
 
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The TQS running the ko3s runs 282 injectors so they must need it top end?@ 180bhp,

Doesn't matter, it's the same engine as you would get in an A3 with a different map and some half ***** 4wd ****. They changed injectors from EV6 to EV12 fitment injectors which happened to be bigger.

It's basically an S3 without the snobbery.

:lmfao:
 
Doesn't matter, it's the same engine as you would get in an A3 with a different map and some half ***** 4wd ****. They changed injectors from EV6 to EV12 fitment injectors which happened to be bigger.

It's basically an S3 without the snobbery.

:lmfao:
Have you had your fuelling checked top end?.....:)
 
hi i have a agu 1.8 t and am going to install a k03s turbo as i have read it bolts straight on, my car should have 150bhp, without a remap and just installing the k03s turbo what will be the power gain thanks!
 
hi i have a agu 1.8 t and am going to install a k03s turbo as i have read it bolts straight on, my car should have 150bhp, without a remap and just installing the k03s turbo what will be the power gain thanks!

You won't get any power gains without a remap.

Your vehicles stock ECU is mapped to give 150bhp, the K03 more than easily delivers this, fitting the K03s will still give you 150bhp but it will give you the scope to 230+bhp with mapping where as a K03 wiill never give more than 200.
 
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hi thanks for that so maybe just a remap will do rather than the hassle of finding and installing a k03s how much is a remap? and i live in bedfordshire anyone recommend anywhere?
You won't get any power gains without a remap.

Your vehicles stock ECU is mapped to give 150bhp, the K03 more than easily delivers this, fitting the K03s will still give you 150bhp but it will give you the scope to 230+bhp with mapping where as a K03 wiill never give more than 200.
 
hi thanks for that so maybe just a remap will do rather than the hassle of finding and installing a k03s how much is a remap? and i live in bedfordshire anyone recommend anywhere?

If your car is healthy, a stage one remap will see you the right side of 190BHP.

The Revo website will tell you what to expect and what you will need, as well as your local mappers.

Revo | Audi

There are many companies and tuners who will remap the 1.8t, I suggest you do a good search and find out more information. I am a little surprised that you were contemplating changing your turbo, given that you are unaware of even the costings of a remap. There are 100's of threads on this forum which will detail exactly what you need to do and what to expect from modifications. Have a good read of the FAQ post at the top of this forum and you should learn a lot. :thumbsup:
 
Thread resurrection chaps!

my AGU is currently mapped with a k03. I am bolting on a k03s next week, will I be ok running it as is, or shall I unplug the n75.

I am am going to buy a new wastegate from BBT. Shall I got OE spec, 10 or 15psi?

i am going to Rtech for the map. Spec is-

piperX panel in oe box opened up at the mouth
Forge tip
OE 710n
ths fmic
3" dp decat
tdi centre section,OE back box

These are all stage 2 parts except the exhaust. I don't really want to change it as I like the car quiet. How much do you think the OE back box will effect results?

regards
 
Tbh the main exhaust restriction is the silly down pipe so with the decat and centre section you shouldn't have to change the back box as far as actuator is concerned I was running a forge one on my ko3s golf but oe spec will do fine it's just the oe ones get very weak
That said there is no harm buying an up rated one
When you put the ko3s on best practice is to unplug the n75 because of the higher flow you don't wanna end up running lean but best of luck with the upgrade it's lots of fun on stage 2
 
Any other thoughts chaps? Does the AGU not adjust all fueling from the maf?
So new turbo sucks in more air, so ecu pumps in more fuel?
 

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