1.8T AEB Tuning

[leon10tagg]

I bought a lightly modified 1997 1.8T Sport in silver with 97,000miles (FSH) during Sept 2006 for £2425, which I think is cheap. The car is in extremely good condition having been wax oiled, however the drivers door has been painted and the rims need refurbished. It has the following mods:
- 18" BBS fitted with 225/40/18 tyres
- S4 front bumper
- Kamei front grill
- rear boot spoiler
- sebring back box
- K&N panel filter
It was purchased to allow me to complete work on my TDi golf - big turbo, larger injectors, 11mm pump head, air intake mods, spax suspension, power flex bushings, front mounted intercooler, 66mm exhaust system, etc. During the time of driving the A4 I have decided to keep it and now that the Golf is back on the road I have a new project.

I have read a number of articles which say the AEB engine is not the best for tuning, besides that it is DBW. I am currently contemplating the following
- KO4
- decat pipe
- 66mm stainless steel exhaust
- larger injectors?
- front mounted intercooler.
- cold air intake
- suspension kit
- uprated bushings
I am not suggesting from the above list that other components are not required, but being into diesel tuning for over 6 years I don't know a lot about VAG group 1.8T's. Therefore am I taking the correct approach? What else do I need? What are the clutch, gearbox and driveshaft limitations?

 

[jcb]

AEB is a good engine to tune.
DBW is not a problem for the right tuner (try MRC)

for turbo, look at garrett upgrades, by the time you source and fit the right KO4, you will cap out at 300 ish BHP you could have got a better turbo that is working in a more productive and less stressed area of the curve

 

[macca]

are you sure it is dbw, i have a 1998 one aeb engine and it isn't dbw. i think 1999 and the apu engine introduced dbw.

 

[docurley]

If you fit the K04-15 you will max out at less than 250bhp have a look at the eliminator kits or full GT28rs

 

[Biglockie]

If you fit the K04-15 you will max out at less than 250bhp have a look at the eliminator kits or full GT28rs

AYE!!!

 

[jcb]

you are right. no way that a 97 AEB is DBW, my whole interest in a pre 99 car was to get a non DBW.
I would check that, could be an odd one out, but unlikely to have happened 2 yrs before they were introduced.

few Ko4's running 300 ish numbers, even some of the BAM engine swaps in the Golf Mk2 crowd.....still wouldn't do it to mine......have a tendency to melt!

 

[docurley]

The K04-15 is not quite like the S3 & TT K04 turbo's which can make about 280-285bhp the K04 for our cars will max out about 240-245bhp.

 

[Beerzo]

Mine is a 97 AEB and its NON-DBW. Whats the advatages of having NON-DBW?

 

[johnyj]

could someone clarify i have a 99 b5 the wire comes from the pedal to the engine is that dbw?

 

[docurley]

No, ndbw like my 2000 which is also NDBW

 

[johnyj]

ta

 

[Stringster]

Just to add my '99 APU is drive by wire (but with a non DBW ecu).

 

[leon10tagg]

Major foo-paa I should have said the car is non-DBW. Anyway thanks for the info so far!!!!!

Regards the K04 my understanding was that a TT sourced unit would fit directly. If that is the case then surely a reliable 265 - 275bhp is possible?

 

[macca]

i am pretty sure the TT unit doesn't fit, also the TT has different engine internal inc. pistons i think, also you need injectors and possibly larger MAF, remap.

the only k04 that fits is the k04-15, which i think is a mixture of k03 and k04 bits machined to fit together, i'm sure someone can give a more definite answer.

 

[leon10tagg]

Whats the difference then between the K04-015 and a K03S?

 

[docurley]

Regards the K04 my understanding was that a TT sourced unit would fit directly. If that is the case then surely a reliable 265 - 275bhp is possible?

No it will not fit no matter what you try, the only one that will fit is the custom made K04-15.

 

[jcb]

the KO4 in teh TT has different dimensions and parts
KO4-06 for audi TT

KO4-15 for longitudinal B5 chassis

turbo housing is bigger on the TT

RS4's have different KO4's to fit them also

the TT had a variety of engine codes for the KO4 equipped versions.
BAM code engines are generally regarded as the best due to forged internals, wide port heads and 20mm piston wrist pins.

if you change the turbo you will need to change the injectors and could do with upgrading fuel system parts (pump, fpr, filters etc) to be on the safe side...no point building something that can run lean at 25psi and 7000rpm!
depending on what you intend to squeeze out of it a larger MAF may be needed.