Project: RS2 ABY

[Sonic]

Cheers Gents.

While you mentioned the change for the better with your new KW3 's on the track compared to H & R 's, can you give little bit of feedback as to what they are like on bumpy real everyday roads. I appreciate that you have not fully set them up yet, but just your initial comments / impressions maybe?

The reason for me changing was purely down to road-use. My previous setup was just to crashy and no doubt causing damage. The rideheight was just to low and as a result whenever you hit a bump in the road (i.e all the time) the entirely springs compressed and bottomed out, causing a massive and uncomfortable THWACK!

The V3's, thus far, are a revelation

The crashing and banging has entirely gone, and to be honest the S2 on the road doesn't feel that much different to my BMW F20 125i M-Sport with it's slightly sportier M-Sport suspension setup.

It has entirely changed the composure of the S2 on the road, making it as comfortable as you could expect for day-to-day driving on the road but whilst maintaining a perhaps more track-orientated setup.

[macspring]

Got my pas pump from Quattro Corner, probably not the cheapest method compared to a hydraulic specialist who'd rebuild your existing one, but it is still perfect, as opposed to some exchange / reconditioned ones that people have complained about on here over the years.

While you mentioned the change for the better with your new KW3 's on the track compared to H & R 's, can you give little bit of feedback as to what they are like on bumpy real everyday roads. I appreciate that you have not fully set them up yet, but just your initial comments / impressions maybe?

I know there is a rally car preparation place over here that has a 'dyno' for setting up adjustable shocks/springs, which might be worthwhile considering over there. No idea of how useful it is, but just a thought.

Thanks.

[Greg_S]

Andy,

I got my PAS pump on exchange through TPS. Wasnt the cheapest, but at least its a decent quality item. Ive heard the ones from ECP arent great

[Rusty]

It's a combination of springs dampers ARBs and a lot more...

First step is to flip reverse the springs. Set the ARB in the middle to allow quick adjustment.

Do you check hot tyre pressures? I set to 36 all round hot and after the warmup and check after the first and second session.

Find out how to set the dampers and put them equal and in the middle setting. Do a session with them like that and then add or take away to suit the balance. I like a twitchy car that I can adjust with the steering and throttle but it's not for everyone.

Etc. Etc.

Also, and I'm sure you know this but most don't, you drive it like a quattro not a BMW. Slow and sideways in and use the grip to get a good exit. Need to be patient on the throttle unless it's really hooked up and accept the power under steer on exit as you should be pointing far enough round the corner or sliding enough to get on the power! You also need a map that gives you part throttle.

Quick adjustments to the handling can be made off the tyre pressures, ARBs and dampers... Not much to play with then...

I only have tyre pressures to worry about.

[Rusty]

It's a combination of springs dampers ARBs and a lot more...

First step is to flip reverse the springs. Set the ARB in the middle to allow quick adjustment.

Do you check hot tyre pressures? I set to 36 all round hot and after the warmup and check after the first and second session.

Find out how to set the dampers and put them equal and in the middle setting. Do a session with them like that and then add or take away to suit the balance. I like a twitchy car that I can adjust with the steering and throttle but it's not for everyone.

Etc. Etc.

Also, and I'm sure you know this but most don't, you drive it like a quattro not a BMW. Slow and sideways in and use the grip to get a good exit. Need to be patient on the throttle to unless it's really hooked up and accept the power under steer on exit as you should be pointing far enough round the corner or sliding enough to get on the power!

[A80Avant]

I can only suggest one that will repair it for about 120-140£

[Ross]

Yes... and one day, he will have kids, and realise that he made one big mistake:

He should have started with an RS2, like me

I just need KW's and some track tyres (I'll bin my winters)

Car flies though, the response is instant compared to mine and it feels so tight. Without being excessive on the NVH either. I do envy that.. but I don't think I can change the engine bay from the OEM look.

I actually enjoyed working on someone else's car for a change. Get that PAS pump and we'll swap it. I got mine for £200 exchange, can anyone recommend a supplier to beat that?

[Error404]

Andy wants a car that does everything very well - the hardest thing to achieve
He is a couple of years and several £k ahead of me in this ultimate pursuit

[Rocco]

How much cost your back,neck or ... your life,eh?

If I were a track addicted... with that amount of power I'd do it... isn't too expensive a roll cage.


If you really want,you'll end doing it

[Sonic]

Oh God... don't start with that.

The constant temptation is to rip out the leather interior and electric leather recaro's and use the sale to source a cage and bucket-seats with harness, providing better safety on track, handling and performance due to weight reduction.

It's a constant temptation as it's bloody worrying when you see a crash and realise what could happen to you if you did come off the track given how fast and how hard this thing can handle .... but i always aimed to have a fast, comfortable road-going sleeper car, not a dedicated track-weapon. If i did, i could have saved myself a LOT of agro!

[Rocco]

Awesome yellow parts

I'm seeing your next upgrade will be custom roll cage

[Sonic]

I've been trying to curtail my expenditure on the S2 over the last few months given what it's been lavished with thus far and in preparation for some body and paintwork this winter, however i eventually caved in and bought a set of KW V3's to compliment the car along with new top-mounts all round and Mount Savers (thanks Ross).



Simply, the handling and road comfort was getting a bit silly due to the ride-height with the H&R springs, and coil-overs seemed the best solution, allowing me to tailor the setup for the car and tweak the rebound/bump settings for both track and road use.

The coilovers were only fitted last week but in-time for ADI and Castle Coombe last weekend.

I'm happy to report that the ride on the road is massively improved. On track the car feels as great as it always did and far less of a handful whilst cornering. I need to dial out some understeer, and i figure that means increasing the bump resistance at the rear to stop the car sitting down so much at the rear under acceleration out of the corners? Any advice on this is much appreciated

Other "mods" include the oil-gauge being replaced due to the dreaded peeling, which was stopping the gauge from reading correctly. The oil-cooler has been relocated slightly closer to the front-bumper duct, with a 4" pipe being added to direct airflow over it. The undertray has also been re-fitted, all of which hopefully should keep temps down. I was seeing coolant bang on 90c and oil temps rising to but sitting on 130c during the time on track at ADI. Ambient temps were cool 12-13c.

New headlamp glass has been fitted to both lights due to some ******* lorry dropping some stones in-front of me, so the front of the car is looking a bit sharper, and the front-bumper grills has received a coat of paint, but i have no doubt they'll be rusting within a few months again

As reported on the ADI thread i had a bit of drama getting home. The car started feeling like it was going to stall and would bunny-hop on any positive boost. Rather than sit at the side of the M4 in the now pissing rain i made it to Ross's where we diagnosed the split vac hose running (i think) between the inlet manifold and ECU. It had completely corroded and torn in-half where it was cable-tied to a bunch of other hoses.

Luckily, as a good S2 owner, i had all the spares in the boot, so with Ross's help and hospitality (somewhere dry with some light and tools) we replaced all the vac hoses in the area that looked worn and then took her for a test-run, with everything working perfectly again.

It's amazing how bloody temperamental these cars are when it comes to boost leaks

Having acquired some new aeroquip oil lines from Merlin at Castle Coombe (thanks Rusty) we then decided that some midnight-modifications were in order and started replacing the horrible blue Samco catch-tank hoses that have been grieving me for a long time.

The engine bay looks far nicer now IMO. But it would have been preferential to do it in the sun at ADI rather than in the pissing rain at midnight



The power steering pump is leaking large amounts of fluid so that needs to be replaced imminently. Can you still get hold of these from Audi?

Besides that, i'm on count-down to get the car in with Ish at QCW and finding somewhere indoors to keep her

[Sonic]

Looking pretty good

Any more fitting info?

The catches come with a template for the outline, so its just a case of marking that and cutting the plastic out for a flush fit, then putting the bracket in place and drilling a hole through it the wing behind it where you want to mount the bolt, ensuring its all lined up.

The bolt needs cutting down to avoid catching on the inside, as it's far to long by standard, as to the rubber bump-stops to make sure it's a snug fit. Also get 2 locking nuts, as the normal ones that come with it to clamp the bolt to the wing didn't last long

Aerocatches are very nice, so can you release them and just pull the bumper off?

Yeah they do the job well. The bolts behind the fog lights are still in place, holding the bumper in the correct position at the front, so you'd have to remove them also to entirely remove the bumper.

The purpose here was to hold the sides in place after cutting them back.

[newsh]

Aerocatches are very nice, so can you release them and just pull the bumper off?

[Rusty]

Looking pretty good

Any more fitting info?