Mike's Avant upgrade thread

[madpugger]

It started out as a standard ABY avant, with a running issue. It wasn't starting sometimes and had a 4K cutout which nearly made me sell the car. A google search pointed me to the S2Forum which I had to join to read the thread I needed to solve my issue. It saved me a huge amount of time and a good bit of cash on the part. Thats when the good of the forum ended and the bad began! This place is costing me a fortune!

I have had the car 6 years now and love it to bits, I have slowly upgraded it bit at a time, and have been slowly gathering bits for a power upgrade. In this thread I want to keep you up to date on the latest developments and also try and give some hints and tips along the way!

I will try and keep this first post updated as a sort of contents to the thread as it evolves. Feel free to ask questions or give me pointers etc.

- Where am I going with the car? - Post 2
- Wheels and Tyres - Post 3
- Clutch - Post 13
- 044 Fuel Pump - Post 34
- ARP Head Washers, Too Small? - Post 35

[madpugger]

Where am I going with the car?

I have wanted an RS2 since they were launched when I was at school, but they were way dearer than S2s when I bought this 6 years ago, besides, I loved the colour of it when I saw it It was always an Avant I wanted, sleeper wagons are so much cooler

Right from the offset I had intended improving it, but at that point I knew not much about turbo tuning, so it was going to be limited to an exhaust and remap. Then I started surfing the forum and heard about 034s GT3071r kit which seemed like a good plan, a grand or two would double the standard power Not quite that simple though is it? I would need rods as I want lots of torque coming in hard, and its a daily driver, so doing that is not easy. I have other cars to drive, but I don't want to!

Shortly after settling on the 3071 kit, Mr Wagner introduced his RS2 EVO EM, with a T3 flange, that was the first thing I really bought that sent me on my way to getting some big power. Several 3071 kits came up second hand, but none in T3, which is why I never went that route. I decided that 450 is too close to 500 BHP so I should aim for that or I would regret it, its a far nicer number to aim for!

So thanks to Bram's project I am now heading for that ballpark.

The Spec I have decided on is as follows:

Wagner RS2 EVO EM with a T3 flange
Wagner Reverse IM kit for improved spool up
CT355 Turbo from Repo (Pro-Mo racing)
Vems ECU
Siemens Deka 630cc/60lb injectors
3" exhaust with separate 'screamer' pipe from wastegate
H Beam rods from AronmaticS2
Sachs clutch retaining DM flywheel

Currently I have all these parts either fitted or on their way to me

As far as suspension/brakes etc...

H&R all round (RS2 Green I believe)
Koni rears
Bilstein Fronts
RS2 'Big Reds' (993 GT2 and Turbo I believe)
Standard rear brakes
RS2 FARB
RS4 15mm RARB
Poly bushes all round
Ally subframe bushes

At some point I would like to add coilovers.

I will try and do a post for each section and explain the reasons for the parts I have or the parts I want and how I fitted them etc.

The bodywork is a bit tatty right at this moment, but I do have a load of parts in the paintshop right now to tidy her up The aim is RS2 look. Why RS2? Simple, it is better looking Why not buy an RS2? A couple of reasons, one is I have started so I will finish! Two is that there is only one pearl white RS2 I know of and it is lush! If I am honest, I'd have a RS Blue RS2 though!

So thats where it started and where its going, subject to change

[madpugger]

Wheels and Tyres

I was never really a fan of the Avus alloy (except on the Avus concept!)

Then I saw an S2 with the S8 phase one Avus on it, it has to be THE best wheel for an S2! Coincidentally that was Anders's S2 Avant in dark blue with Anthracite S8s! They just seem to bring the car into the 21st century, filling out the arches perfectly and yet keeping to lines of the car and the OE look.

As most of you will know, these wheels can be hard to come by, but at like busses, you wait for months and then three sets come at once! I was fortunate (very sorry for your loss Raymor!) that these wheels were on a car that had to be parted, of which I got most the suspension and brakes for my car days before going to the 'ring

They are not the correct offset for the S2, but that is a minor issue that spacers solves. Originally I had bought a set of genuine RS4s for the car not realising they were way to wide! Anyway, this raises the question, what spacers? I can only tell you what I have and that I like it, others may have different solutions/opinions.

When I got the wheels they came with a pair of 10mm and a pair of 15mm spacers and 235/35/18 Continental Sports on all 4 wheels. I have the 10mm spacers on the rear and 15s on the front. I don't think 10s would fit the front as I think the wheel would hit the steering arm on the shock absorber.

After a trip to the 'ring I needed rear tyres, well fronts actually but they went on the rear, I drove out the place and straight back in! 235/35/18 Asymmetric Goodyear Eagle F1s do not fit on the rear with 10mm spacers! They must be a tiny bit wider that the Contis! I asked them to put them on the front and that was fine. This left me with a dilemma though, do I buy 15mm spacers for the rear? I decided no, I would buy 225/35/18s. I had read on the Forum a little while before of people doing this to improve the balance of the car - to reduce understeer by giving the front wheels a larger footprint. Then centre diff (in my case - no liability!) takes up the difference of rolling circumference with no problems and I am on my second set like this.

I would love a set of Porsche Twists though for when the RS2 bodywork is fitted!

Wheels:

Audi S8 Avus 18" (Phase one)
15mm spacers on front with 235/35/18 Goodyear Eagle F1s
10mm spacers on rear with 225/35/18 Goodyear Eagle F1s

[Big Lee M]

This is going to be one awesome car when you finish fella, and a pearl White RS2 will look the dogs nuts. So it's going to have the good looks of the RS2 and the power of a Lambo. I have the upmost respect for you my good man for putting so much time/money and love into this car. I have been in the same place when you get to a point and think should I sell or upgrade and I have just made the choice to upgrade. I will be keeping a good eye on this one(not that I have a bad eye)

Good luck with your superb project and when I come upto jockland I'll be expecting a ride

[madpugger]

This is going to be one awesome car when you finish fella, and a pearl White RS2 will look the dogs nuts. So it's going to have the good looks of the RS2 and the power of a Lambo. I have the upmost respect for you my good man for putting so much time/money and love into this car. I have been in the same place when you get to a point and think should I sell or upgrade and I have just made the choice to upgrade. I will be keeping a good eye on this one(not that I have a bad eye)

Good luck with your superb project and when I come upto jockland I'll be expecting a ride

Thank you very much mate

This thing had a LOT of work put into it to get it running when I bought it, I saved it from the grave so I couldn't let it go! They do try your patience sometimes though huh?!

I'll save a jock pie for you, but will the missus not mind? I am happy to go out and try get a riii...oh, you meant in the car, DoH!

[Big Lee M]

Thank you very much mate

This thing had a LOT of work put into it to get it running when I bought it, I saved it from the grave so I couldn't let it go! They do try your patience sometimes though huh?!

I'll save a jock pie for you, but will the missus not mind? I am happy to go out and try get a riii...oh, you meant in the car, DoH!

What the missus doesn't know won't harm...... But then again we are heading upto the Highlands over new year. Going to Avemore for 4 days for a little break and skiing if there's enough snow? I'm looking forward to the update and nice write up do far. I'd love a set of S8 rims but I'm licking the A8 sports I have at the moment, but I always up for something different.

[A80Avant]

now why does all this remind me of something....!! haha

good luck with all your plans!

who maps your VEMS?

[madpugger]

now why does all this remind me of something....!! haha

good luck with all your plans!

who maps your VEMS?

Good memories I hope!

My VEMS is sat in my house right now, but I plan on getting the car going, then getting Repo over to tune it when I can afford it.

[nip]

Be nice to see it all done mate , lookin good

[A80Avant]

good luck with that as well then!

[macspring]

Mudplugger,

Great write up, very much looking forward to following it.

Post plenty of photos, they always speak volumes.

Blueprint sounds familar to me as well

( IMHO - ABY Avant with S8s )

Kind regards.

[Jamo]

Good memories I hope!

My VEMS is sat in my house right now, but I plan on getting the car going, then getting Repo over to tune it when I can afford it.

Good decision that as he's got a few basemaps for that turbo with VEMS

[madpugger]

Clutch

As most of you know, my timing belt slipped at Knockhill which meant the head needed removing. This provided an opportunity to replace the clutch thrust release bearing which was making a pretty bad noise for ages. The clutch is not that old in the car, but as I am going for a power upgrade thought, it would be silly not to up rate the clutch?

I did a bit of thread searching and decided on the Sachs Race Engineering clutch for the Dual Mass flywheel. As the car will still be a daily driver i decided to keep the DM flywheel for comfort so we shall see how it goes!

I bought it from here. Can I reccomend them? Well I got the clutch eventually, they said they would send it next day, and yet they didn't even book the shipping for over a week. They also ignored my emails about the shipping delays, nothing from them. However I got it eventually as I said, and it was the right clutch...


Friction Plate is a full face Organic type, it should take the torque but be a little smoother than the 4 Puk Sinter one.


Part numbers visible, I think the SM has the same friction plate...


Pressure plate number for DM Flywheel on ABY/ADU


On the engine.

[Bram]

I am not sure if you want to run +500HP/+600Nm with a dual mass flywheel...... I hope for you it stays in one (actually 2) pieces.

The rest of your setup is great, you will love it once it is properly mapped for you.

[Jamo]

I am not sure if you want to run +500HP/+600Nm with a dual mass flywheel...... I hope for you it stays in one (actually 2) pieces.

The rest of your setup is great, you will love it once it is properly mapped for you.

600 nm is Rs2 torque, dual mass can handle it with decent sachs clutch but I wouldn't use an old dual mass flywheel with this power I would have replaced it as the rubber damping will give up the ghost sooner than later.

That's the real advantage of the single mass, fit and forget and not worry about it going boom