My s3 v6 build

[<tuffty/>]

See if you can get an end on pic

<tuffty/>

 

[IPG]

@IanPG so I’m not filling @<tuffty/> page with **** , does this look like a drp box then? If it’s even possible to tell from that, I can have this for fairly cheap maybe too cheap really

Difficult to tell what it is at all from this angle! You need to see it on the side to see if it's go the black cap or not.
I can tell, however, that it is a vr6 quattro box. lol

 

[Tj 0785]

Anyone know off the top of their head what size the gearbox bolts are used for fixing to an engine stand ?

 

[ADs3]

I just got some threaded m10 bar, nuts & washers from screwfix & cut it to the length I needed if that helps........thinking about it may of been m12......I was out last night so brains a bit foggy!

 

[Tj 0785]

Never thought of that, That is a big help i was on phone to audi for the bolts but would be next week now, I have a van full of that stuff, finally picked the engine up from the garage where is been sat in a corner for over a year, engine stand and hoist are at the unit waiting just need to get it unloaded and get stuck in over xmas

 

[hydro s3]

Good to see progress on this build. Will be interesting to see your build thread finally get there.

 

[Tj 0785]

Well it’s finally happened! After moving to a slightly bigger unit and assembling the hoist and the stand I got the engine on the stand and started to strip it down, hit a slight snag with the stand being that I cannot remove the chain covers with it on the stand so will attach the hoist remove the stand and the covers on that side and re attach the stand, that’s all I managed to get done today as I’m off on a call out now so more fun tomorrow

 

[<tuffty/>]

Yay!!.... yeah I did my covers with the engine hung off a hoist... the 'official' way is to use a side mount bracket of some description

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

I did think it was going to be tight when I got it on the stand, can you remember what size bit the head bolts are?

 

[<tuffty/>]

M10 star/spline I think...

<tuffty/>

 

[Bluepower]

M10 polydrive, not the common 6-star

 

[<tuffty/>]

You are thinking of 20v ribe head bolts... 3.2 vr6 are these..

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

Anyone who’s in the know about head rebuilds is this a good price https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/254217363439 is it worth the extra to get the head ported and polished or is just a skim enough will be looking to refresh the head anyway just not sure how far to go with it

 

[<tuffty/>]

Not entirely convinced the head needs porting... and when I sent mine to Bill's head guy neither the seats or the guides needed doing... so just had a resurface...

Just remeber that the valves are of no use to you as you will need at the very least inconel exhausts (supertech or ferrera)... personally unless you are chasing numbers from a very large turbo or building the ultimate atmo engine I would say save your money....

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

Cheers tuffty ,May 3 favourite words “save your money” ha, so I need new inlet valves aswell I take it,

 

[<tuffty/>]

Cheers tuffty ,May 3 favourite words “save your money” ha, so I need new inlet valves aswell I take it,

tbh I don't know... turbo valve gear info for the 3.2 seems (fairly typically) vague... I am using the std inlets as they are stainless but supertech inconel exhausts for obvious reasons...

The supertech inlets have a black nitride coating but are essentially stainless steel like the OE inlets...

I honestly couldn't say if they are worth the investment or not tbh... exhausts definately, inlets maybe not... bear in mind that most VR'ts don't rev particularly high and generally don't need to to make power...

For much the same reason I stuck with std rods I chose to stick with std inlets... your use case may be a little different but I haven't found any info to suggest that they are required although logic suggests that they should be more tolerant to higher temps... but thast a little subjective..

If I was choosing where to spend the money you had potentially earmarked for the ported head I would say use that for valves instead... you would get more value from that...

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

Yeah I’m reading you don’t need to change anything unless 500 bhp+ but just being cautious so have new rods, cheapest I’ve found both sets of valves is bar trek at £600 delivered so will have a bit of a shop around turbozentrum which have a Manchester shop now are a few hundred more expensive

 

[<tuffty/>]

They are pricey because there are more of the b*ggers!...

Inlets are around £25 each, exhausts are about £35 each... and then you need single groove collets which are a couple of quid each... you will need 48 if doing a full valve replacement...

Enjoy the 20 head bolts you need to buy lol... 13 short, 7 long... they came to around 100 quid with decent discount from TPS

<tuffty/>

 

[<tuffty/>]

Enjoy the 20 head bolts you need to buy lol... 13 short, 7 long... they came to around 100 quid with decent discount from TPS

...or you could try these bad boys....
https://www.uspmotorsports.com/ARP-Head-Studs-3.2L-VR6.html

Probably overkill unless you go mental on boost...

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

I think it said the collets were included( it says cotters included), Already have the head bolts from the part request £150. ( No trade discount) I was put off by the stud kits as I read they needed modifying,

 

[Tj 0785]

Managed to get a bit more done today, as you can see this engine had some pretty bad wear to the guides

Few things how’s best way to clean up the bored before attempting the new piston rings and rods and bearings? The bolts for the caps are they re useable or a new ones needed? And I’ve noticed the new oil pump hasn’t come with the drive rod should this be changed or is the old one re useable ?

 

[Tj 0785]

Had to call it a day now as since I hardly get to drive the r32 and I’m always in the van I came in that today thinking had all the tools I need but as always I forgot something, I left the rods long just to get in on but forgot to cut them down( rookie mistake, plenty more to come) and I’m not going home to get the hacksaw and come back,

 

[Tj 0785]

@<tuffty/>, I’ve just seen a video saying I need to gap the rings bigger because going from NA to turbo, do you know anything about that ? Is that right?

 

[superkarl]

@<tuffty/>, I’ve just seen a video saying I need to gap the rings bigger because going from NA to turbo, do you know anything about that ? Is that right?

Makes sense, higher cycl temp+pressure so likely more room required for thermal expansion.

Just use paper towel and gallons of brake cleaner to clean the engine. Honing tool for the bores


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Tj 0785]

Now just need to Find out what gap to go to looks like my homework for tonight. Do I need to be careful about getting the brake cleaner in the waterways? (Potentially a stupid question)

 

[S3AMJ]

Brake cleaner should evaporate way before you put the engine back together TJ. Just wipe off any excess residue. Been a long time waiting for this build, looking forward to seeing your progress


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[Tj 0785]

Ok cheers didn’t know if the residue would break down any rubber on the coolant side down the line,
I know this has been a slow build probably slowest ever I was just glad that it turned over easily today


Brake cleaner, honing tool and feeler gauge have been ordered ready to collect just looking at piston ring compressor, I think plan for tomorrow will be remove the crank and clean everything up and hopefully get new rods on the pistons ready for the rings if I can find what to gap them to

 

[<tuffty/>]

@<tuffty/>, I’ve just seen a video saying I need to gap the rings bigger because going from NA to turbo, do you know anything about that ? Is that right?

Technically yes... Couldn't tell you to what exactly though... I never touched mine as I don't plan to run high boost and was following the general HPA approach of the bolt on turbo to a certain power level... Have not seen anything specific as to when they deem it necessary but in general turbo cars with high ish boost should be gapped differently to na cars..

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

I’ve seen one video suggest it should be 20 thousandth Instead of 16 when going turbo but I’d like to find more info on this before I open up the gap, Is it worth getting a lightweight or damper crankshaft pully if increasing the power,
At the moment I’ve got so many questions rattling around in my head

 

[hydro s3]

It's good seeing some.good progress on this build. Cant help with your ring gaps but if you where to phone and speak to Bill he might have answers to a lot of your questions.
I know he has a business to run and maybe cant talk to long but he was extremely helpful when I needed information for my hybrid turbo getting fitted. Or a email him.
Just a thought mate. Would save you getting all sorts of answers of the interweb that might not even be accurate.
I look forward to see how this progresses,keep up the hood work and plenty of pictures.

 

[<tuffty/>]

I’ve seen one video suggest it should be 20 thousandth Instead of 16 when going turbo but I’d like to find more info on this before I open up the gap, Is it worth getting a lightweight or damper crankshaft pully if increasing the power,
At the moment I’ve got so many questions rattling around in my head

Stick to the OE damper pulley or if you have cash burning a hole in your pocket then I think fluidampr makes one...

Do not! stick one of those daft billet trinkets on... If you do I will have to pop round, remove it, cover it in C4, blow it up then make you watch me give you a life time ban on ASN

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

Haha was just a thought as I see fluidampr Mentioned a lot, I take it the oem one should be changed for a new one at least ? No money burning a hole in my pocket, in fact I think there must be a hole in my pocket already because there’s no money it ha, I’m just reading through manuals now and noticed before I removed the head I didn’t check it was a tdc, is that going to cause me issues down the line

 

[Tj 0785]

It's good seeing some.good progress on this build. Cant help with your ring gaps but if you where to phone and speak to Bill he might have answers to a lot of your questions.
I know he has a business to run and maybe cant talk to long but he was extremely helpful when I needed information for my hybrid turbo getting fitted. Or a email him.
Just a thought mate. Would save you getting all sorts of answers of the interweb that might not even be accurate.
I look forward to see how this progresses,keep up the hood work and plenty of pictures.

I see what your saying but I’d feel bad bothering him when he is so busy looking for free advice, if he pops in here and helps out brilliant and it would be much appreciated but , I wouldn’t phone him to pick his brains,you at least bought your turbo set up from him and a customer, I’ve not as his shop was mainly 1.8t but when time comes for ecu and fuel pump things like that then I will be ordering from bill

 

[<tuffty/>]

Haha was just a thought as I see fluidampr Mentioned a lot, I take it the oem one should be changed for a new one at least ? No money burning a hole in my pocket, in fact I think there must be a hole in my pocket already because there’s no money it ha, I’m just reading through manuals now and noticed before I removed the head I didn’t check it was a tdc, is that going to cause me issues down the line

Its a 370 bucks part and only really any good if you are planning to run a fully balanced crank and revving high (not typical on a VR)... I never ran a fluidampr on my 20v... read into that what you may...

Makes not odds as you can easily set TDC on both the top and bottom end with it apart

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

Can you remove the crank pully without the special tool? I take it the crank won’t come out with the pully still attached

 

[<tuffty/>]

Just need to be able to hold the crank to undo the cranck bolt then obvs replace with a new one to torque angle once replaced...

Unless balancing the crank I am not sure there is any benefit at all from the fluidampr over the OE one... I'd rather spend the money on getting the crank balanced with the OE damper than put a fluidampr on an unbalanced crank tbh...

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

Didn’t even think off crank balancing, I was only going to remove it whilst honing the bores, is the crank balancing expensive, il order a new oem pully and bolt on Monday, the workshop manual I have there’s no filies in the crank section (or wiring) so I’ve just emailed them as I need to know what torque it all tightens back up to

 

[<tuffty/>]

Ok then that changes things... For the cost of a new OE pulley I would buy a fluidampr... I suspect there won't be much difference in price tbh... 50/100 quid maybe..

Unless the one you have is borked there is no advantage to buying a new one but... if you are going to spank out on a new one (ecs list them at around 300 bucks, 70 less than a fluidampr) then tbh a fluidampr pulley is justifiable especially if to price difference between it and new OE is negligible

As for balancing... I don't recall how much it was when I got mine done... 150 ish springs to mind but it could be a little more than that now... I don't think it should cost more than a couple of hundred though

<tuffty/>

 

[Tj 0785]

The pully at the minute look like it’s got a slight crack in it from getting left in the work van for 2 weeks and probably took a beating

 

[<tuffty/>]

ahhh ok then I'd just get a fluidampr then mate LOL... next time, start with that lol

<tuffty/>