B8 S4 project thread
- Thread starter Simon
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Next question is on remapping.
Stage 1 for £750 or do I got straight for stage 2 at ~£1500.
This is supposed to be the "daily" and the dog car, if I want to go properly fast obviously I have the GTR (which is going in for a revision to the map on the 20th that should give me a bit more power and area under the curve)
Gut feel is stage 1 should do fine.
Stage 1 for £750 or do I got straight for stage 2 at ~£1500.
This is supposed to be the "daily" and the dog car, if I want to go properly fast obviously I have the GTR (which is going in for a revision to the map on the 20th that should give me a bit more power and area under the curve)
Gut feel is stage 1 should do fine.
I went stage one in 2017; I've often wondered if I missed a trick by not going to stage two, but the reality is that there have so far been very few occasions where the extra 70 or so BHP (or the accompanying extra torque) would have made a difference. So overall, I've not regretted sticking with stage one; I guess it's all about how you use it and when.
Upright changed this morning that went smoothly enough apart from snapping the bottom ball joint bolt, but a quick trip to Audi sorted that for just £2.95. Had my first “proper” drive and it goes quite well, better than I expected in all honesty. Is there any easy way to check and see if it has already been tuned?
on the negative side I think the clutch release bearing need changing as it is sound quite grumbly.
Simon
on the negative side I think the clutch release bearing need changing as it is sound quite grumbly.
Simon
Passed the MOT this morning with no real issues other than a blown indicator bulb, the garage reckon the water pump is on the way out, it we will see what they say when it goes in for service on Friday.
drives pretty well, I’ll get the alignment done when I get the tyres replaced in a couple of weeks and I think I have decided just stage 1 on the remap for now.
drives pretty well, I’ll get the alignment done when I get the tyres replaced in a couple of weeks and I think I have decided just stage 1 on the remap for now.
Well it seems like my rattle is the DMF which tbh is a bit chuffing irritating.
so Sachs xtend clutch and new dmf ordered, can’t get them fitted until mid sept though, other than that the service didn’t throw up any other surprises.
so Sachs xtend clutch and new dmf ordered, can’t get them fitted until mid sept though, other than that the service didn’t throw up any other surprises.
New clutch and flywheel have been delivered, will be a couple of weeks before I can get them fitted but the car has still been pressed into service in its role as runabout and daily. New set of wiper blades fitted all round, makes such a difference in the rain without worn out wipers!
Still waiting on a date for the clutch to be fitted but a forge silicone intake pipe and k&n filter arrived today
I made my mind up after you posted this answer, so mines booked in with Turner Race Developments https://www.turner-race-developments.co.uk/ for a major service and a Stage 1 APR remap on the 18th.
I am still really unsure which way to go tbh, the forge pulley is so cheap and easy to fit that it almost seems like a no brainier to do it before mapping, though I am not sure why the standard charge for fitting seems to be above the £400 mark, the part can be had for £150ish so £300 to fit seems excessive to me...
Time to give it a bit of love today
had to release a bit of engine noise, and give the bay a clean while I was there..
had to release a bit of engine noise, and give the bay a clean while I was there..
Well looks like I dodge a potentially expensive and damaging bullet, as it turns out every single bolt on the flex plate was only finger tight. Original clutch was still in place so no idea how they can have come loose. Anyway everything was checked and cleaned and it all torqued up to Spec without issue. New clutch replaced the half worn original item and all feels good, gave it a bit of stick on the way home and it holds power no problem as it should do and no nasty rattles.
got it booked in for a synod map on the 28th, going stage 1 for now and in the meantime use it as it was intended to be used!
got it booked in for a synod map on the 28th, going stage 1 for now and in the meantime use it as it was intended to be used!
Had a full set of Michelin pilot sport 4 s and the Alignment sorted on Friday, not driven it yet but given the only good tyre on it (a Dunlop sportmaxx, the rest were jing yu’s or something!) had a bulge in the sidewall and the other three were super crap I am expecting good things. The remap has been bought forward to the 22nd now.
I’ve also picked up some satin silver wrap and I’m going to do the front splitter to define the front end a ‘bit more, I’ve decide to do the zuast works back box delete and strutco front brace but as it is my birthday in a couple of weeks I am not allowed to buy myself anything so that will have to wait
I’ve also picked up some satin silver wrap and I’m going to do the front splitter to define the front end a ‘bit more, I’ve decide to do the zuast works back box delete and strutco front brace but as it is my birthday in a couple of weeks I am not allowed to buy myself anything so that will have to wait
Nothing much to report other than the car is being mapped tomorrow, looking forward to the result 
The results are in, before mapping 335bhp with 330 torque, after mapping 400bhp and 356 torque, not seen the graphs yet so no idea on what the area under the curve looks like, the mapper is really pleased says it feels great but couldn't get any more out of it without a cold air feed into the airbox.
I was hoping for a little more but will run it like this for a while and see what I think.
I was hoping for a little more but will run it like this for a while and see what I think.
That's pretty similar to my stage 1 results back in 2018; 386BHP (393PS) and 363lb/ft torque.
Feels very different to drive much better than stock, not sure it is enough for me though..
You are bang on the money there, I know I am spoiled but it is what it is! I deffo upset the mapper when he text me the result and I replied is that the best it can do?
It is certainly more perky to drive even though it is more of a top end change. I'm going to mod the airbox to get a bit more cold air though there and then just run it for the rest of the year, let the bank balance recover a bit as I have already spent way more money on this than I planned. Come the spring I'll decide if I want to start changing pulleys and remapping. Between now and then I just have a few cosmetic mods to do, oh and I might have picked up this a well...
It is certainly more perky to drive even though it is more of a top end change. I'm going to mod the airbox to get a bit more cold air though there and then just run it for the rest of the year, let the bank balance recover a bit as I have already spent way more money on this than I planned. Come the spring I'll decide if I want to start changing pulleys and remapping. Between now and then I just have a few cosmetic mods to do, oh and I might have picked up this a well...
Haha I'd love to have seen his face when you said that. 20% increase over stock isn't bad going for a simple map though.
You are just like one of my friends from back home, as soon as the current project is nearly done he's looking around on Copart for the next one!
You are just like one of my friends from back home, as soon as the current project is nearly done he's looking around on Copart for the next one!
Your torque figures are a bit lower than what Revo says on their website for a stage 1 map (375-395) I wonder how close people actually get to their quoted figures
Very similar to how my graph looks, the mapper was saying that it is a "proper" 400 and basically slagged of what he called "happy dynos" that give 450 from stage 1 software only remaps.
the BMW is actually for my son, he has been bugging me for ages to help him get something so I finally gave in. Will be a nice father and son rebuild project hopefully legal and on the road by the end of the year - assuming the DVLA don't take 12 weeks to sort the V5 again!
the BMW is actually for my son, he has been bugging me for ages to help him get something so I finally gave in. Will be a nice father and son rebuild project hopefully legal and on the road by the end of the year - assuming the DVLA don't take 12 weeks to sort the V5 again!
Nice!
what changes did you make to get that result, and how does it feel compared to the stage 1 on the road?
Simon
what changes did you make to get that result, and how does it feel compared to the stage 1 on the road?
Simon
Hardware changes at Stage One were a Forge silicone air intake and APR mesh air filter. Hardware changes for Stage Two were an APR supercharger pulley and belt.
If anything the difference between Stage One and Stage Two is more noticeable than the difference between stock and Stage One. I think that's because the torque is abundant so much sooner than the extra power.
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It is costing me tools as well, I am buying them for him now to stop him pinching mine! Now I understand how my dad felt all those years ago...
Haha I can imagine. I've started building up my tools now that I have a house with a garage, amazing how much easier everything is when you have sets of good quality tools
One thing I have definitely learned is that buying good quality tools is never a waste of money, that and buying the proper tool for the job just removes so much frustration. Still need more though
well the cold weather has certainly slowed things down on this but I did get the rear lights tinted the other week, looking for just a slightly more aggressive look.
I did try fitting the film with the lights on the car but it was a bit of a nightmare (tbh I didn't realise how easy they were to remove or I never would have tried that in the first place!) so I took them out, however that left me with
Which I couldn't leave so I gave it a bit of a clean
And then the lights could go back in
It is actually quite a subtle look but I do like it and the lights are still plenty bright enough at night.
I also managed to pick up a bargain exhaust on ebay, it is a zuastworks backbox delete and a centre pipe with the silencers removed and replace with "straight" pipe, I got it for less than the cost of the backbox delete new so I think I'll fit the whole thing and see if it is too obnoxiously loud and if so replace it with just the backbox delete.
Which I couldn't leave so I gave it a bit of a clean
And then the lights could go back in
It is actually quite a subtle look but I do like it and the lights are still plenty bright enough at night.
I also managed to pick up a bargain exhaust on ebay, it is a zuastworks backbox delete and a centre pipe with the silencers removed and replace with "straight" pipe, I got it for less than the cost of the backbox delete new so I think I'll fit the whole thing and see if it is too obnoxiously loud and if so replace it with just the backbox delete.
I’ve not done anything with the car other than drive it for the last few weeks and it continues to perform flawlessly, needs a bit more on the bottom end but that requires a pulley upgrade that I am not yet ready for.
however I have a track day booked at the end of February (hopefully it still goes ahead!) and I need new brakes as they are about end of life. brakes have been on my radar since day 1 and I have been keeping an eye on eBay for a set of RS4 Calipers to come up for reasonable money without any joy.
Booking the track day somewhat solidified the need to get something done so I did a proper amount of research on what the actual options are so I could pull the trigger and get something bought and fitted.
the basic options are
1. Updated discs and pads (a few options here)
2. Rs4/rs5 8 piston Calipers and appropriate discs
3. Macan/q5 Calipers and either standard discs or slightly updated ones (350mm)
4. B9 S4/s5 Calipers and 356mm discs
5 B9 rs4/rs5 Calipers and 375mm discs
I want the ability to run 18” wheels for either track days or winter and I didn’t really want to spend fortunes on the brakes if I could avoid it, the 8 piston RS4/5 calipers, pads and discs are all super expensive both to buy and for consumables ongoing though tbh they were my first choice. Standard updated discs and pads ranged from £358 all in front and rear to £1500 for Ecs 2 piece. Macan/q5 Calipers add around £500 to that cost.
I think the macan option is a good one for fast road but you done really get much in the way of thermal mass upgrade for repeated heavy braking so no good for the track really. This lead me to the B9 options information on this is actually a bit sketchy but basically with a 12.7mm spacer between the Caliper carrier and the Caliper and some slight massaging of the hub they fit pretty well and for the S4 Calipers you can use an a6 356x34mm disc, or if you use the rs4 Calipers and 375x36mm disc can be fitted.
I’ve been unable to confirm if the B9 RS4 Calipers will fit under 18”s but the S4 ones definitely do and a 356x34mm disc is a good thermal upgrade from the standard 345x32mm standard size disc. In addition to this cross drilled discs can be had for about £100 each, combined with Calipers being available for around £500 a pair this makes it a really cost effective upgrade.
this can be combined with the macan dust shields and air guides to improve cooling for not much more money.
I am working with a brake upgrade guy to see if we can produce a one piece bracket which I would prefer over spacers but either way I am going down the B9 S4 route, Calipers have been bought and should be with me this week, I’ll order the rest of the bits once we have arrived at a conclusion if we can make the bracket for reasonable money.
Either way I’ll fully document the fitting process so that we all have an option for a front BBK that is achievable for under £1000 and lighter than the stock setup and will fit all B8 A4 and A5’s
(For the mods - I am not selling anything here and not planning to!)
Simon
however I have a track day booked at the end of February (hopefully it still goes ahead!) and I need new brakes as they are about end of life. brakes have been on my radar since day 1 and I have been keeping an eye on eBay for a set of RS4 Calipers to come up for reasonable money without any joy.
Booking the track day somewhat solidified the need to get something done so I did a proper amount of research on what the actual options are so I could pull the trigger and get something bought and fitted.
the basic options are
1. Updated discs and pads (a few options here)
2. Rs4/rs5 8 piston Calipers and appropriate discs
3. Macan/q5 Calipers and either standard discs or slightly updated ones (350mm)
4. B9 S4/s5 Calipers and 356mm discs
5 B9 rs4/rs5 Calipers and 375mm discs
I want the ability to run 18” wheels for either track days or winter and I didn’t really want to spend fortunes on the brakes if I could avoid it, the 8 piston RS4/5 calipers, pads and discs are all super expensive both to buy and for consumables ongoing though tbh they were my first choice. Standard updated discs and pads ranged from £358 all in front and rear to £1500 for Ecs 2 piece. Macan/q5 Calipers add around £500 to that cost.
I think the macan option is a good one for fast road but you done really get much in the way of thermal mass upgrade for repeated heavy braking so no good for the track really. This lead me to the B9 options information on this is actually a bit sketchy but basically with a 12.7mm spacer between the Caliper carrier and the Caliper and some slight massaging of the hub they fit pretty well and for the S4 Calipers you can use an a6 356x34mm disc, or if you use the rs4 Calipers and 375x36mm disc can be fitted.
I’ve been unable to confirm if the B9 RS4 Calipers will fit under 18”s but the S4 ones definitely do and a 356x34mm disc is a good thermal upgrade from the standard 345x32mm standard size disc. In addition to this cross drilled discs can be had for about £100 each, combined with Calipers being available for around £500 a pair this makes it a really cost effective upgrade.
this can be combined with the macan dust shields and air guides to improve cooling for not much more money.
I am working with a brake upgrade guy to see if we can produce a one piece bracket which I would prefer over spacers but either way I am going down the B9 S4 route, Calipers have been bought and should be with me this week, I’ll order the rest of the bits once we have arrived at a conclusion if we can make the bracket for reasonable money.
Either way I’ll fully document the fitting process so that we all have an option for a front BBK that is achievable for under £1000 and lighter than the stock setup and will fit all B8 A4 and A5’s
(For the mods - I am not selling anything here and not planning to!)
Simon
