A3 2.0 TDI Upgrades

[Equ1nox]

Hi All,

New to the forum, I have an Audi A3 2.0 TDI (140) Sport, Can anyone give some advise on the following for me?

• I was considering looking for a leather interior s-line to replace the standard cloth trim, if I was to get one with heated seats does the existing wiring harness support this feature? or is it more trouble than its worth?
• I was also considering a speaker upgrade and adding some bass can anyone tell me what the best way is to add a proper after market sub and a beefier amp? I have the audi concert stereo installed and my car is a 2007 model.
• Any recomendations on a really good Bluetooth car kit? I dont have the multifunction steering wheel and have been told I need additional cabling as well as bluetooth kit itself due to the way the stereo is amplified?
• I have also read numerous posts on engine mods and have seen such things like hybrid turbos and the like can anyone give me some ideas on performance/costs/suppliers ect, so that I have some idea's/options as I dont really want to just chip the car. I would like to achieve some serious performance and it would be nice to see more than 200bhp if possible but reliability is key as opposed to max power.

Apologies if this is not the right section and I know I have asked a lot of questions too but thanks to all who reply in advance your opinion and advise will be appreciated.

Regards

Equ1nox

 

[~RS~]

for more power you will need a hybrid turbo, turbo back exhaust, panel filter (optional) + remap and you should see 220-240bhp + plenty of torque which your injectors so I read will be able to flow enough for so no upgrade needed to those.

turbo - £899 new/ £599 reconditioned
turbo back exhaust - £400-500 custom exhaust center local to you
remap - £250 - £400 depending on supplier- I have chippeduk, but read custom code are **** hot for tailor made maps.
panel filter - circa £60

edit> oh and brakes! you gotta be able to stop that thing. S3 or R32 upgrade about £300 - £400

 

[Equ1nox]

Hi RS,

Sweet sounds mint would never have thought you could get so mouch from such a small engine even my old E46 330D Beemer was hard pushed to get 250bhp ;-) I am assuming you would have to upgrade in that order too ie turbo, exhaust, finally chip so the car could be re-mapped accordingly to the mods?

What sort of hybrid am I looking for then? Sorry to be a bit vague as im still learning about the A3 potential

Regards

EQ

 

[mike foster]

Not sure why it hasn't been mentioned but no way will the standard clutch and dual mass flywheel cope with that power so that'll be another grand or so and then which brakes will you put on to stop it ?

I think you have the mods in the wrong order !!!!!

Sorry

 

[navnayyar]

See my signature part2 lol

 

[Equ1nox]

Cool cheers for the replies guys, im starting with the basics first its next service lol, its going to audi next monday and I have requested a full service and a timing belt change however and this leads to my next newbie question

My service book states the belt was changed at 37K and 57K my car has now hit 83K whats the life expectancy of the belt as I might not even need to have this done saving me £400.

I have read audi revised the life down to 75K or some state most are replacing TT models that is at 60K + or 5 years? I prefer the accuracy of going by milage to judge as i could possibly do more milage over 5 years, if correct do i still have 35K left in my belt then?

Any answers would again be greatly appreciated guys give me your thoughts on when you have had your done and how long do you usually leave them when changed. I know you need a kit which Audi will do as the tensioner and water pump need replacing from what i have read/heard.

Regards

EQ.

 

[mike foster]

I find it strange that the belt was changed at 37K and 57K. Has there been another problem with the car that necessitated two belt changes so early ?

If you can verify that the last belt change was at 57k then you should be ok until 125k at least !

Mine is a 2006 140 sportback and I changed the belt at 72k which is within the manufactures recommended period.

 

[Equ1nox]

I got the service book totally wrong lol it appears the car has never had a timing belt DOH my mistake it was not done at the two intervals at all and i must admit I thought it a little strange its the way the books shows I thought a cross was an indication of the work done not so ! rather than a blank square unmarked in the stamps, im driving so sloowwww as the car is overdue (goes in monday anyway), but apparently every 75K or 5 years which ever is reached first as i spoke to audi direct in case anyone wondered. Once done I think ill start saving for the hybrid turbo chip and exhaust brakes and clutch as i fancy that power upgrade.

Regards

EQ.

 

[devonmikeyboy]

Sweet sounds mint would never have thought you could get so mouch from such a small engine even my old E46 330D Beemer was hard pushed to get 250bhp

There are at least three PD140 BKD engines in road cars making over 300 bhp i know of. Mine was the first back in 2006.

 

[Equ1nox]

Surely the reliablity is out of the window with that kind of power no? I would love to get 250BHP+ with reliability as anything above that I would of thought (a) you would struggle to put the power down and (B) excess or bad torque steer surely too??

As my car is currently stock what would you advise I upgrade/save for first and what order would you advise?

I was thinking from previous replies as follows:

1, Bigger brakes from an S3?
2, Exhaust
3, Hybrid Turbo,
4, Chip,
5, Clutch if needed

Will these give me to BHP I am aiming for? and is there anything else anyone would recommend if I have missed anything out ?

Again any replies or view/advise is greatly appreciated.

Regards

EQ

 

[Stiggles]

I can't speak from experience but I have a 2.0 TDI as well and I have very similar performance mod's in mind

ATM I already have the car re-mapped, but when I get the money I will have the hybrid turbo installed, I would advise on a new intercooler at the same time as new turbo, I'm considering the Forge twintercooler.

The clutch is definitely a good idea aswell, I wouldn't know weather to put it in before or after the turbo, but I'm sure someone else will have an idea.

I have S3 front brakes on hold and will see about getting rear ones too.

I'll be looking at around 250bhp don't see myself needing any more than that in a FWD

I think a hybrid turbo upgrade with re-map should easily put out 240 could probably get 250+ though

 

[devonmikeyboy]

You will not get 250 bhp with stock injectors.

 

[~RS~]

Mikey's the man for these q's, but I was wondering - equ1nox.... Is your car a DSG or manual, as if it's manual then you will need the flywheel and clutch upgraded from what I've read. If DSG I think the clutch (twin) will be fine for 220-240hp and the flywheel also ok.

Again... from what I have read (a lot of from Mikey, lol) You will not see 250hp as he says without upgraded injectors I think 240hp MAX and that's maybe pushing it?? Plus in a FWD I reckon anything over 220hp (as much hP as a Golf GTI MKV) with the torque diesels put out will produce some sort of torque steer. I get it in mine if I floor it in 2 to 3rd and it's only running about 183hp (catback exhaust and remap) + 294lb/ft torque.

 

[Equ1nox]

Hi RS,

My Car is a Manual 6-speeder, I see a lot of talk about catback are these catalyst removal exhuasts? and if fitted will these still get though an MOT?

EQ

 

[~RS~]

With a catback you will as it is as the name implies from the catalyst converter backwards. The turbo back removes the cat with a down pipe straight off turbo- back to backbox.

 

[devonmikeyboy]

Diesel cars do not need a CAT to pass an MOT in this country so totally legal.

 

[Stiggles]

Isn't it de-cated turbo diesels that make that annoying pewwwwww sound? Or is there a way to prevent that? Also I totally forgot about fuel injectors I did know they were needed after a certain bhp upgrade but wasn't sure when. Cheers Mike

 

[Equ1nox]

Nightmare at the Dealer,

Guys just to let you know, I took the car into Audi and got off to a bad start not what I wanted for a first time experiance, they had not even booked the car in despite me doing all this over the phone, no courtesy car had been arranged either again despite doing this over the phone, in the end I did manage to get the car serviced via Audi dealer local to me where I had booked it in to, the car went in for a timing belt and service, but another blow was coming my way. To my horror I got a call about an hour after leaving the car with them, and guess what the mechanic who changed the oil on the car previously bodged it and stripped the thread's on the sump plug obviously never came clean when doing it and left it loose ! and I never knew as aparently its been leaking oil?? underneith there is a cover which has been collecting it hence not seeing any leakage left when parked and audi would not do the service until I gave them authorization for a new sump costing £275!!

I got straight onto the garage where I bought the car from who thankfully have agreed to pay half, im still really hacked off though all because some jerk over tightened a bolt on an oil change these are supposed to be torqued up to 30NM. I thought I would post so that you guys are aware if not already that if you have an oil changed done ensure that you make sure whoever does it torques the bolt properly.

I was also told by the previous garage where I bought the car and who organised the oil change this was carried out and done by an approved audi dealer but im thinking it wasnt. Serves me right for not buying the car direct from an audi dealer I suppose oh well

Still the car is now serviced, new belt fitted, and the rest of the car is now sorted, book stamped and I know the full history which gives me peace of mind, and once I get this money paid back and done it will be saving for mods stated here ;-)

To give audi credit they did reduce my service cost from £270 to £211 and did my belt for £350 due to the mixup so not all bad, total inc new sump damage came to £850 could of got a hyrid turbo for that! LMAO

Oh BTW I was given a polo as a courtesy car my god you dont know how good a car the A3 is until you get something like that it was bliss getting my baby back ;-)

 

[~RS~]

Lmao @ the polo comment, hahaa! My sister drives one and can't wait to her new car sorted!!

Sorry to hear about the sump plug. As an oil change is a pretty simple job it probably was done outside Audi and if it was actually done by Audi then I'd be avoiding the garage that done it like the plague! At least it's all sorted out now, and as you say... gained a little info on the history too....

 

[Stiggles]

Ohhhhh mate I know all too well how it feels!

I was driving a piece of ***** 1.9 SDI Polo for a few years before I got my A3, the change is unbelievable, it's like going from an A3 to an RS4, mind you I'd gone from polo to RS4 and back again, back to polo is just depressing!!!

Mod's are like pringles haha
Once the mod's start you just can't stop!