Jamie's S3 Thread

[JamieOS]

I've been meaning to put up a thread for my S3 for over a year so here it is. I bought my S3 off a member on here about a year and a half ago @S3_Mitch who owned it for a few years and did most of the modifications. He did poured a lot of time and effort into it. I bought it sight unseen, but Mitch sent me plenty photos/videos to give me an idea about it. I had it collected from him and transported from the UK to Ireland. Getting Irish plates on it was a ball ache and a wallet ache, but its done now. I suppose I'll list of a few of the mods that Mitch did to it.

-IE Rifle drilled forged conrods with ARP bolts (stock pistons with new OEM rings)
-Calico coated big end bearing
-Supertech inconel exhaust valves
-BeachBuggyTurbo's k418t k04 hybrid turbo
-Bosche 550cc injectors
-DA-31 inline fuel pump
-R8 coil packs
-AEM Progressive water methanol injection
-Relentless V4 exhaust manifold
-XS Power downpipe
-Trackslag charge pipe
-Forge 008p DV
-Badger5 heatshield with cone filter
-Badger5 turbo intake pipe with billet aluminum adapter
-Toyosport FMIC with custom pipework
-N249 bypass and PVC delete
-Loads of pipwork replaced with silicon pipes
-Powerflex dogbone
-CG Motorsport Stage 3 clutch kit
-Porsche 996 Turbo monoblock 4-pot calipers with 993 two-piece discs
-Probably plenty other stuff I've forgotten

Badger5 mapped the car and it made 302bhp. Mitch said it was later found that the wastegate actuator was loose at the time of mapping (now sorted). Hopefully that means there is some more power to be had out of it yet. I want to sort a few things before I take it in to get it mapped again.

It pulls like a freight train on boost and I reckon it gives my B5 S4 (Revo stage 2) a good run for its money.

The only thing that really lets the car down is the paintwork and stock suspension. All things I plan to sort out over time. The paint isn't something that bothers me too much as its a car that gets driven, but the roof is rusting away quite a bit so that will need attention soon. It needs a set of coilovers in the future and I'd like to get all the subframes etc blasted, powdercoated and polybushed soon enough.

As for things I've changed/upgraded on it, I may as well list those too:
-DW65 in-tank fuel pump (DA-31 was SUPER loud)
-New refubished rear brake calipers and hardlines
-Reconditioned steering rack
-Full custom 3 inch turbo-back exhaust (more info below)
-MK4 GTI Rear Recaro seats
-S3 8P gearknob and B7 RS4 steering wheel (Also have an S3 8P one to reupholster and fit)
-Chrome mirror caps

Here are a few pics of my S3

Shortly after arriving in Ireland

Next to my S4

Dirty engine bay (Looks great when its cleaned and has the battery cover on)

Next to the whole fleet

More recent photo of it

MK4 Rear Recaros

The exhaust was something that bothered me a bit on the car. It was never a great fit. The downpipe was actually rubbing in two places (one was the prop shaft wearing through the flexi) and the catback was literally a homemade job by a friend of Mitchs that was probably only for the sake of making it sound better. It was loud, but had a nice rally-esq sound to it. Too loud for around town though. It ended up failing its NCT (MOT) for being too loud (despite passing the same test when it was imported), so it had to get sorted. Finding someone in Ireland to do good exhaust work is difficult. I had loads of trouble getting my S4s exhaust to be done right, so I asked everywhere I could until I found someone who was able to produce the good. It took some time to get made, but it was worth it. I gave the poor lad a very over the top wish list of specs and he pulled off every one of them. The quality of his work can only be described as art. I'm no welder, but I think most of you will agree, he did one hell of a savage job on it.

The specs of the exhaust us that its a full 3 inch exhaust. It has a removable 200 cell cat and a removable resonator (with straight pipe replacements), twin mufflers at the rear where the stock backbox used to be and an electric cut-out/bypass valve to bypass the two rear mufflers. Everything except the Turbo flange is joined with quick release V-band clamps. Its way overkill for an old "**** heap" of a car like this, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I've currently got it with the cat fitted and resonator removed (so straight pipe except for the cat when the valve is open). Is really loud with the valve open, but fairly quiet with it closed. Not stock quiet, but quiet enough not to bother most people. I must stick in the resonator and see what its like with it. I might get more opportunities to open the valve if its not as loud lol. Heres a load of pics of it.

I have a few future plans for the car that I'd like to get done, but for now its going to get driven and maybe get the rusty roof sorted while I get my S4 back in order to go back on the road for summer. I'd love to get some decent coilovers with adjustable rear arms (already has some camber on the rear with stock suspension), polybushes etc as I already said earlier, a map to see if anything is left in it, some new wheels, bigger rear brakes and maybe some Brembo 18Zs on the front just because I am used to them from having them on my S4. Only thing planned for the near future is some new bi-xenons from T8ups once the group buy is finished.

 

[Tj 0785]

Cats looking good, Have you Got a videos of the exhaust sound

 

[JamieOS]

It sounds a bit like a diesel with the valve open. Sounds proper when its on boost.

 

[graham d'arcy]

Most of the pictures won’t load for me for some reason

What bothers me is a stage one remap gives you 260 bhp, Then you upgrade the fuel pump, injectors, downpipe and cat back exhaust, bigger TIP, cone filter, front mount inter cooler, meth. and it only gets another 40bhp when the next remap is done after all of that

Surely you’ll squeeze more out of it?!

 

[voorhees]

The pics aren't loading in your first post @JamieOS

 

[Tj 0785]

They have for me

The pics aren't loading in your first post @JamieOS

 

[JamieOS]

I uploaded some from my google account and some from Imgur. The google ones seem to be blocked, so I've uploaded those to imgur and will stick them in here because I can't seem to edit my first post.

Shortly after arriving in Ireland

Next to my S4

Dirty engine bay (Looks great when its cleaned and has the battery cover on)

More recent photo of it

 

[Tj 0785]

The 18z are not a good as a upgrade as the 996 caliper apparently, the pedal travel is quite bad in the 18z calipers but they look good behind the wheel I have a set I’ve just rebuilt for mine

 

[JamieOS]

Most of the pictures won’t load for me for some reason

What bothers me is a stage one remap gives you 260 bhp, Then you upgrade the fuel pump, injectors, downpipe and cat back exhaust, bigger TIP, cone filter, front mount inter cooler, meth. and it only gets another 40bhp when the next remap is done after all of that

Surely you’ll squeeze more out of it?!

There should be a decent bit left in it hopefully. I saw a TT on ebay with virtually identical specs that had a print out for about 350bhp. I'm not running the meth at the moment either as I don't think that was fitted when it was mapped. Having it on/off doesn't seem to make any difference at all so I can only assume thats the case. With our bog water petrol over here, I'd be hoping for around 320-340bhp. I'm sure Joe Power can work his wizardry on it and probably make it out perform my expectations haha. Its got all the parts to suit a bigger turbo too, so that might be a job for down the line when the suspension and all the rest is up to scratch. If you look at the Revo Stage 3 package, it basically got everything required and recommended bar a wideband/lambda display and the Garrett GT2871r. Plenty other jobs to be getting on with before that happens though!

To answer your question from the downpipe thread, I'm based in Kerry.

 

[JamieOS]

The 18z are not a good as a upgrade as the 996 caliper apparently, the pedal travel is quite bad in the 18z calipers but they look good behind the wheel I have a set I’ve just rebuilt for mine

The 996 calipers are good, but they are spongy unless you bleed the living life out of them. Mine were last bled by a garage that used a pressure bleeder and Ferodo brake fluid and they are a bit spongy now and have a bit less stopping power than before. The previous owner had ATE racing fluid in them and the pedal feel was much better, as was stopping power.

I have driven an S3 (albeit one with a diesel mk2 TT engine fitted in it) that has a set of 18Zs on it and the pedal feel isn't ideal. Its a bit spongier than what I have now, but the stopping power is miles better.

The main reason, besides looks and that I'm familiar with them, that I'd go with 18Zs us actually wheel fitment. The bells for the discs on the 996 setup are far thicker than any VAG disc. Its like having a build in spacer behind the disc so it pushes the wheel out a lot and clearance isn't great. I took my wheel and spacer over to my friends S3 with the 18Zs to test fit them and found that they would need a very slightly bigger spacer (maybe 2-3mm) to fit right. They just about fit on with the 15mm spacer, but its barely catching the back of the wheel. The other side of the coin was that the wheel was tucked way in behind the arch compared to with mine, so there was room for a way bigger spacer. I'll see if I can get the pics I took and upload them. The NCT over here don't like wheels poking out beyond the arches and mine currently do just a pinch. I haven't failed over it yet, but if I happen to get the wrong guy carrying out the test some day, I could be in trouble because I can't do anything to tuck the wheel in any more with the current setup, unless I can borrow some wheels that fit better.

 

[graham d'arcy]

There should be a decent bit left in it hopefully. I saw a TT on ebay with virtually identical specs that had a print out for about 350bhp. I'm not running the meth at the moment either as I don't think that was fitted when it was mapped. Having it on/off doesn't seem to make any difference at all so I can only assume thats the case. With our bog water petrol over here, I'd be hoping for around 320-340bhp. I'm sure Joe Power can work his wizardry on it and probably make it out perform my expectations haha. Its got all the parts to suit a bigger turbo too, so that might be a job for down the line when the suspension and all the rest is up to scratch. If you look at the Revo Stage 3 package, it basically got everything required and recommended bar a wideband/lambda display and the Garrett GT2871r. Plenty other jobs to be getting on with before that happens though!

To answer your question from the downpipe thread, I'm based in Kerry.

Ah right I was just talking to my cousin Keith telling him about your exhaust he said you were in with him for some tyres not so long ago.

Yeah so my next question was is it still on the standard turbo. Apparently ko4’s pushing out 300 would be nearly the absolute max they’d do.. don’t quote me on that tho.

 

[superkarl]

Most of the pictures won’t load for me for some reason

What bothers me is a stage one remap gives you 260 bhp, Then you upgrade the fuel pump, injectors, downpipe and cat back exhaust, bigger TIP, cone filter, front mount inter cooler, meth. and it only gets another 40bhp when the next remap is done after all of that

Surely you’ll squeeze more out of it?!

First, show us stage 1 remaps that consistently give 210/220-260hp.

Second, it’s not just about the peak figures. A stage 2 with all the supporting mods you list may ‘only’ net you 300 (you’d be lucky) it will raise torque and power throughout the Rev range AND be more consistent and reliable. That in itself is where the real gains are.

Anyway, OP has a hybrid turbo capable of much more again.

 

[JamieOS]

Ah right I was just talking to my cousin Keith telling him about your exhaust he said you were in with him for some tyres not so long ago.

Yeah so my next question was is it still on the standard turbo. Apparently ko4’s pushing out 300 would be nearly the absolute max they’d do.. don’t quote me on that tho.

Yeah I was in to Keith to collect some tyres on my way down from dropping off the S3 to get it's exhaust. The one day I actually get to call in instead of getting tyres delivered to me, and I missed him!

It's got a BeachBuggyTurbos K418T Hybrid K04. I don't know what the specs on it are, as their website is vague about it. They just say 330+bhp lol.

 

[graham d'arcy]

Yeah I was in to Keith to collect some tyres on my way down from dropping off the S3 to get it's exhaust. The one day I actually get to call in instead of getting tyres delivered to me, and I missed him!

It's got a BeachBuggyTurbos K418T Hybrid K04. I don't know what the specs on it are, as their website is vague about it. They just say 330+bhp lol.

Yeah he was saying he normally does post to you, I bought his s3 off him a few months ago.

I was hoping you were a bit more local than Kerry, really would love to see the car up close.

Will be down listowel way in a few months if you’re around when I’m down there I might link up with you if you’re free when I’m down that way.

 

[graham d'arcy]

First, show us stage 1 remaps that consistently give 210/220-260hp.

Second, it’s not just about the peak figures. A stage 2 with all the supporting mods you list may ‘only’ net you 300 (you’d be lucky) it will raise torque and power throughout the Rev range AND be more consistent and reliable. That in itself is where the real gains are.

Anyway, OP has a hybrid turbo capable of much more again.

Ah I know I’m just saying in general. Any remapping site like Celtic tuning or revo etc quote 250-265. I know generally they probably don’t hit that.

 

[S3_Mitch]

I really hope you can get more power out of it, it's certainly built for more. Keep us posted.

 

[JamieOS]

I really hope you can get more power out of it, it's certainly built for more. Keep us posted.

Will do Mitch, hopefully it will go in for a bit of paint on the roof at the end of the month and then I'd like to get it tuned over the summer. I might tackle the coilovers first. I think those will make a massive difference to it.

It's already making nice power and enough to frighten most cars around my area. A lad in a modified Fiesta ST put the hammer down when I went to overtake him a few weeks ago and no way was he keeping up lol. I'm sure the S3 is making less than the 302bhp it had when you had it. Our bog water is far from the 99ron you get over there lol!

 

[S3_Mitch]

Haha nice. I feel your pain though, I'm just in the process of getting quotes for paintwork on my S4. Might even need new bumpers due to poor repairs in the past.. ££££

 

[Analog33]

HI Jamie
Nice motor and enjoyed reading it.
Do you fancy trying to get some of the other Irish S3 owners together for a meet?

 

[Analog33]

HI Jamie
Nice motor and enjoyed reading it.
Do you fancy trying to get some of the other Irish S3 owners together for a meet?

Hi Jamie
I am not on Facebook book but can be reached on wjames.symington@gmail.com
Cheers james