All information here is based on my 2003, BAM engine, face lift S3. Parts and prices quoted are from TPS. Use any information / part numbers at your own risk.
I’ve been busy working away fitting my 3” Pipewerx DP and de-cat to my 2003 BAM S3 over the last few nights.
Before doing it I did quite a lot of research into it. So I’ll add my experiences in here for future reference for anyone else who may search for this in future. This is not a guide; there are no pictures, just what I learned.
I’ve only driven the car about 40 miles since fitting. It’s slightly louder than stock but not overly. Turbo spools up much, much quicker, and most of the extra noise you hear is the turbo. There does seem to be a bit more resonating in the noise but nothing that’s bothering me. And I do not like noisy cars. The car feels noticeably better to pick up on the throttle. My **** on the seat dyno is saying good things.
The fitment is very, very good. I would definitely recommend the Pipewerx down pipe. I’ve mated mine up to the OEM Audi cat-back system. No fitment issues anywhere, it all went on nicely and nothing touches anything else. The flexi joint on the downpipe is just ever so slightly touching part of the heat shield under the car. Unfortunately there is no space behind the heat shield to push it up away, but as it is only just ‘kissing’ it I’ve decided to leave it for now and keep an eye on it. The whole set-up sits nice and high under the car too.
Pipewerx 3” DP and decat - £300 (£450 with the sports cat).
I used new nuts to bolt it to the turbo – N903 690 01 £5.47 each. You need 3.
I used a new gasket DP to turbo – 8L9 253 115A £7.22
I used a new clamp to mate it to the OEM cat-back system – 8L9 253 115A £31.60
Notes on fitting –
I have access to a good, big garage (my Dads) and tools. I installed it on axle stands as high as I could get them. A lift would have been a god-send. You could do it on your drive but I wouldn’t like to. I spent a few hours each night, over 4 nights doing it. My car isn’t a daily driver so I had no rush in doing the job. If yours is a daily driver and you will need it the next day, think carefully before you start, as a snapped bolt or something could bite you in the ****.
You WILL need to lower the front sub frame as far as you can get it on the bolts. The bolts are stretch bolts and should be replaced (100NM + 90 degrees). Taking the dog bone off will give you much needed wiggle room with the engine. Your dog bone mount WILL need to be poly bushed.
I didn’t touch the steering rack.
You WILL need to remove the driver’s side driveshaft for access. The big bolt on the hub is 240NM + 90 degrees.
You WILL need to unbolt the prop-shaft and move it out of the way (3 bolts). You will need a 12 point socket for this.
You WILL need a very good selection of sockets, extension bars, wobble bars etc, deep sockets etc.
You WILL need to sacrifice an old 17mm spanner by cutting it in half to allow you to undo the turbo to DP nuts. I got 2 of the nuts from the top of the engine and one from underneath the car. These nuts should be tightened to 40NM but there is no chance of getting a torque wrench in.
You WILL need a reciprocating saw, with some good metal blades. Once you have the CAT off, you need to cut the downpipe. I accessed and made the cut from underneath. I cut it just after the flexi joint. The bottom half came away from under the car, the top half through the driver’s wheel well.
You will probably need a 4” grinder to get the CAT bolts etc off.
After all that the new DP slots in from underneath. It’s a tight fit and takes some moving about, thinking about and jiggling about but it does go, and once it’s in, its plain sailing from there. One thing I will say is get the prop shaft bolted back on BEFORE you tighten the DP nuts as a bit of play here helps you get the prop shaft on.
Summary –
The Pipewerx gear is very good and fits well. It’s a complete **** job to fit but the results so far seem worth it. It’s one of those jobs that I could now probably do in half the time, but honestly, I just wouldn’t want to do it again. Not without a nice 2 post lift anyways.
As Ive had the subframe unbolted, and the ball joint (undone by the 3 bolts) to get the driveshaft out, I'll also have to get the car re-tracked. Something else to think about.
I just need to get the car in with R-tech again now.
Hope this helps somebody.
I’ve been busy working away fitting my 3” Pipewerx DP and de-cat to my 2003 BAM S3 over the last few nights.
Before doing it I did quite a lot of research into it. So I’ll add my experiences in here for future reference for anyone else who may search for this in future. This is not a guide; there are no pictures, just what I learned.
I’ve only driven the car about 40 miles since fitting. It’s slightly louder than stock but not overly. Turbo spools up much, much quicker, and most of the extra noise you hear is the turbo. There does seem to be a bit more resonating in the noise but nothing that’s bothering me. And I do not like noisy cars. The car feels noticeably better to pick up on the throttle. My **** on the seat dyno is saying good things.
The fitment is very, very good. I would definitely recommend the Pipewerx down pipe. I’ve mated mine up to the OEM Audi cat-back system. No fitment issues anywhere, it all went on nicely and nothing touches anything else. The flexi joint on the downpipe is just ever so slightly touching part of the heat shield under the car. Unfortunately there is no space behind the heat shield to push it up away, but as it is only just ‘kissing’ it I’ve decided to leave it for now and keep an eye on it. The whole set-up sits nice and high under the car too.
Pipewerx 3” DP and decat - £300 (£450 with the sports cat).
I used new nuts to bolt it to the turbo – N903 690 01 £5.47 each. You need 3.
I used a new gasket DP to turbo – 8L9 253 115A £7.22
I used a new clamp to mate it to the OEM cat-back system – 8L9 253 115A £31.60
Notes on fitting –
I have access to a good, big garage (my Dads) and tools. I installed it on axle stands as high as I could get them. A lift would have been a god-send. You could do it on your drive but I wouldn’t like to. I spent a few hours each night, over 4 nights doing it. My car isn’t a daily driver so I had no rush in doing the job. If yours is a daily driver and you will need it the next day, think carefully before you start, as a snapped bolt or something could bite you in the ****.
You WILL need to lower the front sub frame as far as you can get it on the bolts. The bolts are stretch bolts and should be replaced (100NM + 90 degrees). Taking the dog bone off will give you much needed wiggle room with the engine. Your dog bone mount WILL need to be poly bushed.
I didn’t touch the steering rack.
You WILL need to remove the driver’s side driveshaft for access. The big bolt on the hub is 240NM + 90 degrees.
You WILL need to unbolt the prop-shaft and move it out of the way (3 bolts). You will need a 12 point socket for this.
You WILL need a very good selection of sockets, extension bars, wobble bars etc, deep sockets etc.
You WILL need to sacrifice an old 17mm spanner by cutting it in half to allow you to undo the turbo to DP nuts. I got 2 of the nuts from the top of the engine and one from underneath the car. These nuts should be tightened to 40NM but there is no chance of getting a torque wrench in.
You WILL need a reciprocating saw, with some good metal blades. Once you have the CAT off, you need to cut the downpipe. I accessed and made the cut from underneath. I cut it just after the flexi joint. The bottom half came away from under the car, the top half through the driver’s wheel well.
You will probably need a 4” grinder to get the CAT bolts etc off.
After all that the new DP slots in from underneath. It’s a tight fit and takes some moving about, thinking about and jiggling about but it does go, and once it’s in, its plain sailing from there. One thing I will say is get the prop shaft bolted back on BEFORE you tighten the DP nuts as a bit of play here helps you get the prop shaft on.
Summary –
The Pipewerx gear is very good and fits well. It’s a complete **** job to fit but the results so far seem worth it. It’s one of those jobs that I could now probably do in half the time, but honestly, I just wouldn’t want to do it again. Not without a nice 2 post lift anyways.
As Ive had the subframe unbolted, and the ball joint (undone by the 3 bolts) to get the driveshaft out, I'll also have to get the car re-tracked. Something else to think about.
I just need to get the car in with R-tech again now.
Hope this helps somebody.
