# crew219's APR Stage 3 build



## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

After 5 years of owning my 2006 A3 I decided to keep the car for another few years and go Stage III. This mod was slightly prompted by a noticeable drop in mpgs over the past 3 months (cause was determined to be a vacuum leak + leaking exhaust manifold gasket due to the studs backing out). For the DIY-er, there is really only one option currently on the market for a BT kit you can install at home over the weekend: APR Stage III. I had considered doing a K04 and would be able to get a great price on it ($2200), but given that I'm forced to run 91 octane and the pending availability of the APR stage II Carbonio intake with K04 recirc bung, I opted for the complete package of the stage III. (Not to mention stage III just sounds cooler)  

I've been pressed for time so there are not many pics of unboxing and etc. Everything comes in a large box with foam inserts and multiple smaller boxes and plastic bags isolating the components. One nice touch is that all the screws and clamps for a given hose or part are all contained within a small plastic bag for that part. The installation booklet is also a nice touch, but there are a few things that should be added / mentioned to make the install easier. 

























What sets this kit apart the rest is the attention to detail and engineering put into every component. The divided investment-cast (smooth runners) inconel manifold is the first highlight of the kit and something that no other tuner offers due to the cost. For those who don't know, Inconel is nickel-chromium alloy that has superior strength and corrosion resistance in high temperature applications. Unlike stainless steel, Inconel has a much lower rate of expansion, thereby leading to fewer backed out bolts and warped flanges over time. 


































Another impressive piece is the cast MAF housing with the honeycomb airflow straightener. One of the concerns with going with the K04 was that the factory 2.75" MAF housing size would not be adequate and would hit the upper scaling limits of the sensor. Several K04 owners had previously reported MAF-sensor codes, which I believe have to do with turbulent air being pulled past the sensor at high velocity. By increasing the size of the MAF housing and adding a straightener (which comes from the factory), velocity and turbulence is reduced and the MAF sensor gets better resolution and accuracy (but software has to be rescaled in order to make sense of the readings) In the pics below, the honeycomb was shot at an angle to show the structure, but when looking at it straight-on the mesh itself is very thin and can barely be viewed. 


















Lastly, APR's reputation and rock-solid customer support prompted me to purchase the kit. Knowing that they would take care of any defects in the kit years down the line is a re-assuring guarantee. Keith, Arin and Evan have been a great help in answering any questions I had about the kit and in providing support for previous modifications. 

A few things I immediately added onto the kit were:
.5" heat sleeving for the oil inlet line to the turbo (since it runs close to the manifold)
new N75 (old one usually breaks off when removing from K03)
RS4 fuel pressure valve (opens at 136 bar instead of 130 bar)
Some new hardware (new throttle body and intake manifold gasket, pass-side axle bolt)
new OEM fuel filter

Secret APR injectors :laugh:




































Will update the thread with more pictures / impressions as the kits gets further along in installation. 

Dave


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## sabba (Oct 25, 2008)

awesome Dave! 

can't wait to read your initial driving impression. Fourth gear pulls are fun!

good luck with install.

nick


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## dargofinch (Sep 27, 2007)

Thanks Dave 

look promising - can't wait to read following story


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## guiltyblade (Jul 12, 2007)

I am intently watching. When you are done i'd like to know total cost manhours and full mod list. That what I can follow exactly what goes on and what may be needed when i go for this. 

THanks for the write up so far!


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## terje_77 (Dec 19, 2005)

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:


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## krazyboi (May 19, 2004)

:thumbup:


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Pulled the intake manifold and HPFP to install the injectors. 

Cam follower with 11k running Mobil 1 5w40 TDT. Probably will not use this oil any more. I've had less wear with 2x the mileage on other oils.










Intake deposits were not bad. The past 11k I've been using the latest OEM "L" PCV with water/meth. No real change in valve depositing compared to OEM PCV only (~40k) & catch can with water meth (~20k).


















Will get the valves cleaned up and injectors put in. Will replace the fuel filter and install the low pressure fuel pump afterwards. 

Dave


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## Rub-ISH (Aug 8, 2006)

Good job Dave...I'm hoping I don't have crazy issues air flow issues with the K04 on a Eurojet Cold Air system (with APR tuning:what but I was aware of the possibility such an issue... Just hoping that APR might be nice if I do and sell me MAF seperate:biggrinsanta: 

I am a converted APR customer after all...LOLZ

EXCELLENT Write up, and build quality...

Those braided lines are amazing...What are the chances of finding something like that compatible with OEM?


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## TechnikSLR (Jul 30, 2008)

looking forward to this thread.


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## PeteA3 (Dec 3, 2005)

Nice Dave, glad to see you decided to keep the car and go for the Stage3. I was going to offer a helping hand but it seems impossible to get a hold of you.

Pete


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## [email protected] (Jul 29, 2008)

Thank you for the writeup so far Dave! Looking forward to more.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Made good progress yesterday. Studs were replaced, turbo mounted, heatshield installed. VF mounts were too stiff to allow the engine to flex for the turbo install so I swapped the side mounts back to stock. I'll probably drive around on the stock mounts + VF pendulum mount for awhile and see how much I like it. So far I've spent about a total of 15 hours on the install and foresee 5 hours more until the car is on the ground and running. 

What's left:
Hookup turbo oil and coolant lines
Reconnect IC and pressure lines
Reinstall driveshaft 
Reinstall downpipe & O2 sensors
Reinstall front bumper
Add oil and coolant
Lube sway bar bushings

Hopefully it'll be completed later today.

Here are some pics:

K03 vs GT2871R









Turbo mounted (you see even less of the manifold once the heatshield is installed)









Few install notes: 
The heatshield had to be slightly altered in order to fit over the APR manifold. While no mention was made in the install manual, the #2 runner of the APR manifold was a bit higher than all the runners and would contact the heatshield, preventing it from lining up properly with the bolt holes. A quick hit with a hammer solved that issue. Also, the lower two bolts of the heatshield seemed impossible to install given that the runners curved up in front of the holes. I managed to get one in from underneath but the 2nd was blocked by the wastegate. 4 bolts hold the heatshield on so 3 out of 4 should be fine. If there's any rattling of the shield once the vehicle is running, I'll go back in and try to install the last bolt. 

Another hitch I ran into was one of the bolts for the APR turbo support bracket. The bracket utilizes a threaded hole that is unused on the block. Unfortunately due to rust and dirt, the hole was impossible to thread into more than an 1/8th of an inch. I ordered a tap and die set and will clean out the hole next week when it arrives. Until then, the bracket seems to sit securely against the block.

Dave


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## lotar_6 (Jan 16, 2004)

score.

I should send you a gift certificate for the PB blaster!!

keep up w/ the ic:'s


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

awesome.

the brain of the A3 stepped up his game


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## cleanA3 (Jun 23, 2007)

should be a fast A3


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## wazzap1101 (May 1, 2009)

Sub'd!!


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## KCMTNBIKER (Jun 23, 2002)

crew219 said:


> Cam follower with 11k running Mobil 1 5w40 TDT. Probably will not use this oil any more. I've had less wear with 2x the mileage on other oils.


Most interesting part of this thread (for me). What other oils have you ran with success? I've been testing the M1 TDT and curious to see my results. 

RB


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

KCMTNBIKER said:


> Most interesting part of this thread (for me). What other oils have you ran with success? I've been testing the M1 TDT and curious to see my results.
> 
> RB


Oils that I've had good success with are Redline 10w40 and Castrol 0w30. For awhile I also ran Amsoil 5w40, but didn't pull the follower to see any indications of wear. I wouldn't recommend the Amsoil due to low flashpoint in UOAs, significant viscosity shear and no indication that it was reducing wear over the Castrol 0w40.


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## sabba (Oct 25, 2008)

crew219 said:


> Oils that I've had good success with are Redline 10w40 and Castrol 0w30. For awhile I also ran Amsoil 5w40, but didn't pull the follower to see any indications of wear. I wouldn't recommend the Amsoil due to low flashpoint in UOAs, significant viscosity shear and no indication that it was reducing wear over the Castrol 0w40.


i am having awesome results with redline oil...minimal wear at 15k to cam follower. 

Crew quit posting and keep wrenching so you can get the car back on the road!


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

sabba said:


> i am having awesome results with redline oil...minimal wear at 15k to cam follower.
> 
> Crew quit posting and keep wrenching so you can get the car back on the road!


It's all done 

Will start it tomorrow. Rotated the crank by hand a few times to circulate some oil and coolant through the passages, then pulled the fuel pump fuse and injector connection and cranked it 2x for about 5 seconds each time. Don't want to start the turbo dry. It's already dark here so I'll start it tomorrow during daylight. 

Dave


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## eddiefury (Aug 5, 2007)

opcorn:opcorn::beer:


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## sabba (Oct 25, 2008)

crew219 said:


> It's all done
> 
> Will start it tomorrow. Rotated the crank by hand a few times to circulate some oil and coolant through the passages, then pulled the fuel pump fuse and injector connection and cranked it 2x for about 5 seconds each time. Don't want to start the turbo dry. It's already dark here so I'll start it tomorrow during daylight.
> 
> Dave


oh fun

tomorrow will be a fun day!
:snowcool:


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## fuzionx (Aug 20, 2008)

I am insanely jealous!! Good luck on the project I can't wait to see the finished result! Props to doing it yourself!


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

KCMTNBIKER said:


> Most interesting part of this thread (for me). What other oils have you ran with success? I've been testing the M1 TDT and curious to see my results.
> 
> RB


One more thing I should mention about the TDT . . . I ran 3500-4k mile intervals while using TDT. I picked up 4 gallons on clearance and had no issues with changing it significantly sooner since the cost was relatively little ($40 for 4 gallons). 

I also considered running rotella T6 since it is a "cheap" 5w40 synthetic with good reviews, but opted to pass after reading this: 

http://www.amsoil.com/news/2010_march_maximum_viscosity_protection.pdf


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## drew138 (Dec 3, 2006)

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:opcorn::biggrinsanta:


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

UPDATE: 

Everything is installed, the engine started easily and idles smoothly and the new tune runs great... except my throttle body is throwing malfunction codes for intermittent connection. Back in February, I replaced my "dead" throttle body for something similar. Flash forward 10 months later and I'm having issues with the latest revision model. Turns out there's a factory TSB for the code I was getting (P1545) and basically from 2006 to 2009, poor connectors and wires were used on the throttle body connection. The TSB basically has a new set of reinforced wires and connector (which I purchased and will be installing as soon as it comes in). The TSB is: 01 09 04 

The car still drives fine other than some sporadic RPM hang. 

A few things I wanted to highlight: 

*42dd O2 sensor spacer.* It's really a very well made piece by the guys at 42dd. Everything I've purchased from them has been top notch in quality. The reason why I've put one on despite the O2 CEL delete is that I hope to be testing a non-testpipe file which doesn't affect the readiness of the secondary O2 sensor. In states with emissions testing, the O2 CEL delete will most likely cause the vehicle to fail the OBDII scan since readiness for the secondary O2 will not be set. I hope to see whether or not by using this O2 spacer, the CEL can be kept off and readiness set.










*APR silicone hoses* One very nice touch is that the APR hoses have molded inner linings which feature indents that not only let you know when the hose is fully engaged, but also provides a very smooth transition between pipe and hose. Pictured is the turbo outlet pipe and you can see the smooth transition from the outlet to the hose. The hose then transitions into the cast outlet pipe which then feeds into the intercooler. 


















*VF motor mounts* In order to remove and install the turbocharger, I had to remove the VF mounts from the car and install the OEM mounts. The engine mount has approximately 40k on it whereas the transmission mount is only 2k miles old. As the polyurethane ages, it gets further and further compressed by the weight of the engine. You can see the bottom polyurethane mushrooming out on the engine mount. This is often what people refer to as the VF mounts "failing". Pretty much every polyurethane mount will do this, as well as the factory rubber mounts. Although not photographed, the transmission mount sat about 3/16ths of an inch higher than the engine mount. The problem can be remedied by installing a new lower bushing. The top bushing showed no flattening as the weight of the engine is not rested on it. 


















































*Downpipe fitment* Finally, with the OEM turbo and aftermarket downpipe, people would often complain about poor clearance of the factory heatshields. With the cast downturn off the APR SIII turbo, there's actually more clearance between the downpipe and heatshields.










Dave


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## drew138 (Dec 3, 2006)

Congrats' on the install. Would love to see some video.


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## TechnikSLR (Jul 30, 2008)

how do you like the dv relocation?


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

TechnikSLR said:


> how do you like the dv relocation?


The DV is actually in the same spot as OEM. The OEM just has it built right into the housing. 

Dave


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## .Ghost.Face. (Apr 28, 2010)

Where are the videos? very interested to see as I am looking for a kit myself. :thumbup:


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## TechnikSLR (Jul 30, 2008)

crew219 said:


> The DV is actually in the same spot as OEM. The OEM just has it built right into the housing.
> 
> Dave


nice


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## lotar_6 (Jan 16, 2004)

props to a good build and a good informational thread!

congrats, Dave!!
:beer:


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## KCMTNBIKER (Jun 23, 2002)

crew219 said:


> One more thing I should mention about the TDT . . . I ran 3500-4k mile intervals while using TDT. I picked up 4 gallons on clearance and had no issues with changing it significantly sooner since the cost was relatively little ($40 for 4 gallons).
> 
> I also considered running rotella T6 since it is a "cheap" 5w40 synthetic with good reviews, but opted to pass after reading this:
> 
> http://www.amsoil.com/news/2010_march_maximum_viscosity_protection.pdf


Thanks for the update Dave!


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## [email protected] (Aug 21, 2008)

Try Motul Dave. Very clean, neat, well planned install. Now reading through it brings back memories with the heatshield. :laugh:


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## StorLiten (Jan 5, 2011)

*Nice job!*

How's the build coming along? 

I would LOVE to see some under the hood pictures when you're done! 

I'm thinking of getting this kit myself, but due to MOT visual inspections it has to be somewhat stealthy.  

Thanks for a great thread!


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

StorLiten said:


> How's the build coming along?
> 
> I would LOVE to see some under the hood pictures when you're done!
> 
> ...


 Well the kit has been installed for two weeks and I'm enjoying the car very much. The only issue that popped up is an intermittent throttle body error that has to do with a fault in the OEM harness. I had a throttle body go out on me about 8k miles ago so the unit that is in there is very new. According to the TSB, it was found that the wire connections used in the OE harness tends to corrode over time, increasing the resistance of the wire and causing intermittent signal. As a result, the RPMs will sometimes get "stuck" unless I use the clutch to engine brake and get the RPMs to drop down. However, the issue only occurs when the car has been driven for awhile. 

I've ordered the parts as recommended by the TSB, but have been plagued with supplier issues (first sent wrong parts, then sent wrong # of wires). Once the harness is replaced, i'll be able to go ahead and run some logs and give some good feedback. So far though, driveability has been perfect and the short pulls I've done have been very impressive. 

I've left off the VF mounts and have been enjoying the smooth quiet ride the OE mounts provide. Still on the lookout for something a bit stiffer than OEM but not as stiff as the VF mounts. The BFI stealth insert for the transmission mount seems like a good fit, but I'm not quite sure I'd want to drop down the money for their stealth engine mount (practically the same thing as the VF engine mount but with a lower durometer poly). 

I too am in the same boat as you with needing a "stealthy" engine bay for California SMOG testing. The kit is very clean and all the parts flow together nicely. The MAF holder and silicone are all in black, but the carbon fiber intake and hose clamps will quickly give it away to anyone looking at the engine bay that these are not OEM parts. I'll post up some pictures after I fix the harness. 

Dave


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## StorLiten (Jan 5, 2011)

I guess you have the E-Gas version then? I'm lucky (or so they tell me) to have the Drive-by-wire AWD engine.  

Thanks for the feedback, it sounds like this is the kit for me to get!  

I'm going to get the Tyrolsport SMIC to go with the kit - again for stealth. 

What I did for the trans. mount was that I just changed the rubbers to poly-ones - I noticed a real difference in response from doing that. A bit more vibration during idle, but I guess you have to live with that.  



crew219 said:


> The MAF holder and silicone are all in black, but the carbon fiber intake and hose clamps will quickly give it away to anyone looking at the engine bay that these are not OEM parts. I'll post up some pictures after I fix the harness.


 What now? Are the intake AND the hose clamps carbon fiber? Or do you have a carbon fiber intake and the hose clamps are shiny? Haha...


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## KRL_UK (Jan 17, 2009)

crew219 said:


> W
> I've left off the VF mounts and have been enjoying the smooth quiet ride the OE mounts provide. Still on the lookout for something a bit stiffer than OEM but not as stiff as the VF mounts.
> Dave


 I think these might be just what you are looking for Dave: 
http://www.thsperformance.co.uk/pro...ng_System_1.8_TFSI_2.0T_FSI|TDI_THSFR3-MK5CMP


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

KRL_UK said:


> I think these might be just what you are looking for Dave:
> http://www.thsperformance.co.uk/pro...ng_System_1.8_TFSI_2.0T_FSI|TDI_THSFR3-MK5CMP


Those look just like the 034 mounts.... hmmm

Actually I was considering these: 

















http://www.dli-teknik.se/index.php?...=14&s1cat=525&s2cat=936&showprod=6170&lang=en
http://www.dli-teknik.se/index.php?...=14&s1cat=525&s2cat=936&showprod=6171&lang=en


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

So I've been monitoring the MPG over 3 tanks and have noticed that the MFD doesn't read accurately. On tanks where I actually get 23-24mpg, it'll say about 27-28mpg on the MFD. To solve the problem, there's an adjustment that can be made in the instrument cluster via vag-com.

In vag-com, go into the instrument cluster (17) --> group 03 and adjust the value. It should read 100 from the factory and the range of adjustment is 85-115. I set it at 115 to make it read 15% more pessimistic. There's a formula to come up with a value on the ross-tech software. It's the new value = old value * (old calculated mpg/actual mpg)

That being said, it will always be off using larger injectors. The MFD calculates it roughly based off of injector duty cycle and doesn't really take things like rail pressure into account. The adjustment can be made for k03, k04 and another other BT. 

Actual MPG has improved over the K03 by about 1-2 mpg, although it's still hard to tell since I haven't been able to do a "clean" mpg run without popping in a few 3rd and 4th gear pulls :laugh:

Dave


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

my gas MPG is always off too but mine reads lower.

I get almost exactly 25.5-25.7 MPG in every damn tank, but my display will always read about 21-22MPG.

so i just do the calculation of how much gas i put vs the miles i drove on that amount.


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

Dave

what PSI are you seeing max and what does it settle at?

mine spikes at about 21psi and hold at 15-16 most of the time. i think the EVOMS DV i have is crap and flutters quite a bit and need a new DV.


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## lotar_6 (Jan 16, 2004)

ProjectA3 said:


> ... i think the EVOMS DV i have is crap and flutters quite a bit and need a new DV.


I'm moving to a Synapse dv... hearing nothing but good things.

and Dave... when are we gonna see dyno results? :thumbup:

and get the ic: out!!


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## tyrone.minton (Aug 2, 2010)

The stock internals of the engine are really capable of holding 15-20psi? Wow! what is the stock 2.0t rated at from the factory, boost wise?


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

ProjectA3 said:


> Dave
> 
> what PSI are you seeing max and what does it settle at?
> 
> mine spikes at about 21psi and hold at 15-16 most of the time. i think the EVOMS DV i have is crap and flutters quite a bit and need a new DV.


It's hard to say about max since I don't have a boost gauge and it maxes out the vag-com reading. Holding about 20-19psi all through redline. 

Get the OEM "D" DV. It really does work well.

Dave


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## sabba (Oct 25, 2008)

i would spike to around 23 psi and hold 19psi till redline with APR's kit.


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## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

tyrone.minton said:


> The stock internals of the engine are really capable of holding 15-20psi? Wow! what is the stock 2.0t rated at from the factory, boost wise?


It's usually the torque spike that destroys the rods and internals, not holding the boost.


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## sabba (Oct 25, 2008)

Believe stock spikes around 14psi and holds 12psi..but again our cars are load based and based on conditions this can vary.

I should review my logs and post up some boost graphs of my car at various stages... stock, chipped, fuel pump, GT28717, and now 3071r.


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## rbradleymedmd (Feb 24, 2007)

Nice thread Dave. Lots of good information and details covered. Glad to hear you did everything DIY, too. Also, funny as hell about the exhaust manifold bolts backing out...wonder when VWoA/AoA will release a TSB on that issue?


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

i got a new EVOMS DV, and boy what a difference. My PSI levels are the same but it holds dead strong at 16psi now after the spike, and with my water/meth kit all fixed, the car FINALLY feels like it should have from the beginning. 

but in 6 months i will take the kit off and get it ready for the Golf R


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## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

ProjectA3 said:


> i got a new EVOMS DV, and boy what a difference. My PSI levels are the same but it holds dead strong at 16psi now after the spike


 
I think it should be closer to 19 psi. My K04 hold 16 till redline. I know these cars are load dependent but that seems a little low.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Uber-A3 said:


> I think it should be closer to 19 psi. My K04 hold 16 till redline. I know these cars are load dependent but that seems a little low.


 16 does seem a bit low, but keep in mind that he's using a 28RS CHRA and compressor cover and the Dbilas exhaust manifold (very similar to S3 K04). 

The 28RS itself has a very similar compressor wheel size to that of the S3 K04. The only real difference in sizing is on the exhaust turbine. 

Dave


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

ProjectA3 said:


> i got a new EVOMS DV, and boy what a difference. My PSI levels are the same but it holds dead strong at 16psi now after the spike, and with my water/meth kit all fixed, the car FINALLY feels like it should have from the beginning.
> 
> but in 6 months i will take the kit off and get it ready for the Golf R


 What was wrong with the old DV? IIRC Evoms uses a piston design. 

Sidenote, it's just a bit funny how these DV mfgs create "bulletproof" designs that are supposed to be more reliable than OEM yet they always seem to end up being more of a headache. 

This particular thread on golfmkv was rather interesting: 

http://golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140559 

Cliffs notes: 
--OP doesn't understand N75 duty cycle and boost 
--thought that since N75% was requesting 100% on spool and boost request was 20psi and the turbo wasn't producing it instantaneously, that the OEM DV was leaking and causing surge 
--Forge steps in and uses this "data" to bash OEM DV 
--Everyone hates on the OEM DV 
[email protected] steps in and points out that the data was misinterpreted and that he was holding more boost than requested 
--Everyone loves the "D" DV again 
--OP bought a Forge DV before posting, then realizes that it doesn't really fit well on his TSI Stage III. 

lol


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## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

crew219 said:


> What was wrong with the old DV? IIRC Evoms uses a piston design.
> 
> Sidenote, it's just a bit funny how these DV mfgs create "bulletproof" designs that are supposed to be more reliable than OEM yet they always seem to end up being more of a headache.
> 
> ...


 Basically anybody who makes an aftermarket DV bashes the OEM "D" version and states how inferior it is. Much like the thread on the Forge K03 and K04 wastegates.


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## AJWard549 (Apr 11, 2006)

very impressive, awesome job!


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## syracusegli (Jan 22, 2005)

:thumbup::thumbup:


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

my Old DV was run without a spring in it for a long time as a mistake. when the kit was built the DV they used to mock up fitment was left installed in the car and it never had a spring. So the piston didnt work properly and my boost would flutter all over the place. That wore on the DV and never allowed it to function even after a spring was installed a long time ago. 
so i asked them for a new one and boost holds fine now.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Small update. Hit 3500 miles on the kit since the install last December. So far, it has its highs and lows. 

The good:
Daily driveability is excellent. For the most part, you don't need to deal with the headaches of an "aftermarket" kit as it starts up the same, idles smoothly and power delivery feels OEM. Overall sound volume has settled down since I first installed it and the only real indicator of the 2871R is the sound of rushing air when the turbo spools. 

The setup is not laggy at all. Initially when I polled several stage III owners about low-end power, everyone indicated that it would be somewhere between stage I and stage II performance. I'd say that they're mostly right except the power delivery is much smoother and less like an on-off switch with the k03. Step on the gas at 3krpms and it'll pull hard all the way to redline. 

The bad: 
Doing the throttle body harness TSB has not solved my idle issue. Basically when letting off the gas, the rpms will catch at around 1,5k rpms sometimes and stay there. Usually putting some load on the engine with the clutch and having the car in gear will drop it down right to the 800 rpm point. So far Arin has been helping me with the issue, but the poor weather conditions have made it difficult to get good sets of logs for them to look at.

I'm also getting a bit of timing pull when doing a hard 4th gear pull. I'll see correction factors of about -7 throughout the run but I'm making more timing than Arin believes is even programmed into the file. A/F looks solid at 11.3:1 with no oscillation. Just another oddity that needs to be investigated by datalogging. Other than high gear WOT pulls, I see no timing pull with the occasional -3 blip. 

Lastly, I opted to install the TSI carbonio intake instead of the standard FSI Stage III intake. I went with a new TSI unit supplied by Achtuning as the newer versions have a notch built in to better clear the vacuum line going to the brake booster.


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## sabba (Oct 25, 2008)

Hope you get the bugs straigtened out Dave.


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## lotar_6 (Jan 16, 2004)

sic.

sooooo wish I could take a spin w/ you. nice work!


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## gjoko7 (Jun 14, 2007)

*TSI Carbonio intake*

Hi Dave, 
I was wondering if you happen to have apr's p/n for this newer version of the TSI intake? Looking at your pictures it looks more like the TDI carbonio intake version rather than the TSI carbonio intake based on pictures posted on apr's web site. I have been looking at doing this intake setup on my '08 Jetta WE for a while, but apr keeps telling me that the TSI carbonio and the TDI carbonio intakes don't fit in the FSI engine bay. Btw, great work on this project. 
Thanks.
GA


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

gjoko7 said:


> Hi Dave,
> I was wondering if you happen to have apr's p/n for this newer version of the TSI intake? Looking at your pictures it looks more like the TDI carbonio intake version rather than the TSI carbonio intake based on pictures posted on apr's web site. I have been looking at doing this intake setup on my '08 Jetta WE for a while, but apr keeps telling me that the TSI carbonio and the TDI carbonio intakes don't fit in the FSI engine bay. Btw, great work on this project.
> Thanks.
> GA


It is just the same PN as listed on their website. They simply changed the box a bit without altering the PN.

The TDI carbonio is simply the same box + a small bung on the tube.

I connected it using a neuspeed intake that I cut.

Dave


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Installed a Fluidampr in preparation for the Southbend clutch I'll be putting in shortly


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## gjoko7 (Jun 14, 2007)

Thanks Dave. So it seems like I can use either one - I wonder why were the guys from apr so adamant about the TDI intake not fitting in the FSI engine bay. I am planning on using the existing maf sensor housing (will cut it out from the rest of that lousy engine cover assy) and connect the carbonio box with a stainless 2.75' elbow. Btw, what is the id of the carbonio box 3" or 2.75"? Also, did you have to do any mods to fit the TSI carbonio intake in the engine bay? Thought about using a p-flow intake, but have heard some people having issues with the maf readings on the p-flow intake. Thanks again.
GA


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

gjoko7 said:


> Thanks Dave. So it seems like I can use either one - I wonder why were the guys from apr so adamant about the TDI intake not fitting in the FSI engine bay. I am planning on using the existing maf sensor housing (will cut it out from the rest of that lousy engine cover assy) and connect the carbonio box with a stainless 2.75' elbow. Btw, what is the id of the carbonio box 3" or 2.75"? Also, did you have to do any mods to fit the TSI carbonio intake in the engine bay? Thought about using a p-flow intake, but have heard some people having issues with the maf readings on the p-flow intake. Thanks again.
> GA


OD for the carbonio outlet is 3" A 3"->2.75" silicone reducer would work. To be very honest, I never had any problems with my neuspeed intake and maf readings. LTFTs were ~3% with that setup.

Dave


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## gjoko7 (Jun 14, 2007)

Thanks. Do you happen to have the neuspeed intake that you cut and if yes, are you willing to sell it? I see from the pictures above that you are using the apr stage III intake downstream of the carbonio box, so I assume you are not using the neuspeed piece any longer.
Thanks again.
GA


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## gjoko7 (Jun 14, 2007)

Dave, one more question, is the older design of the TSI carbonio intake without the notch difficult to fit in the FSI engine bay, or? I see that you have had this setup before, and I am wondering if there are any issues with the fit when using the older TSI intake? Thanks.
GA


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

A bunch of new parts are in the process of going in:

DS & PS Raxles
New transmission
Wavetrac differential
034 Density motor and transmission mounts
Whiteline KSR209 steering rack mount
Powerflex front control arm bushings

Had these for a few weeks too:

18" TSW Rotary Forged Nurburgrings in machined/anthracite finish with 225/40/18 Hankook Ventus Evo V12s (not a huge fan of the tires)

Dave


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## SilverSquirrel (Jul 24, 2006)

new transmission?


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

SilverSquirrel said:


> new transmission?


Yep. Slight screwup on my end.

Long story short, hit some construction debris. Debris damaged new wheel. Debris also caused the inner CV to go and a part of it put a dent in the tranny case. When I looked at the dent and saw a hole, I thought a part of the case was punched out and into the transmission itself (keep in mind that it still drove fine). 

Bought a new transmission from VW. Sent it to PureMS in San Diego to get the Wavetrac installed. Removed old transmission and saw that the "hole" was actually more of a dent and that nothing went inside the tranny. Tranny fluid drained clean. I looked at getting a new half-case put in and it was $400 for the part + about $700 for labor. The slit is small enough that a bit of jbweld would seal it up.

At the end of the day, the construction company paid for a bit. I have a new transmission with a wavetrac. Car should be better than ever by the end of the weekend. 

Dave


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## SilverSquirrel (Jul 24, 2006)

nice. wavetrac should help get all those ponies to the pavement.:thumbup:

hows your clutch looking ? holding up ok?


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

SilverSquirrel said:


> nice. wavetrac should help get all those ponies to the pavement.:thumbup:
> 
> hows your clutch looking ? holding up ok?


I replaced it with a southbend stage II daily about 4k ago. The original clutch looked fine, but the dual mass flywheel had ridiculous amounts of play. I thought there was something wrong when I heard rattle-like noises at idle with the stock setup. Turns out it was the DMF.

Dave


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## TechnikSLR (Jul 30, 2008)

crew219 said:


> Whiteline KSR209 steering rack mount
> Powerflex front control arm bushings


keep us posted on these!


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

*034 Streetdensity mounts* (vs/ OEM & VF)








































034 released their streetdensity series awhile back but only recently did they add the transmission mount. I suspect it has something to do with THS releasing their engine mount package which looks identical to the 034s (without the casing swap on the engine mount). Regardless, 034 advertises the streetdensity series as being 60a, but the packages suspiciously had "65" on them :what:

Anyways, I was very interested in these mounts because shortly after I went stage III, I removed the VF motor mount package that I had prior. The VFs are great but the design leads to lots of engine noise infiltrating the cabin and vibrations when the A/C is on. With stage III, the amount of engine noise increased due to the manifold and turbo setup, so it had to go. I ditched the VFs and went back to stock engine mounts while keeping the VF pendulum (which is great). 

Stock engine mounts transformed the vehicle into a quiet comfortable car, with only sporadic vibrations occurring in random conditions. Gone was the direct feel, shifting felt less engaged, the chassis was less settled over rough patches of road but overall, engine movement was still kept in check mostly by the VF pendulum mount. Still not happy, I wanted something in-between the VFs and stock.

With the news of the streetdensity package completed, I opted for the 65A durometer over the 80A trackdensity mounts simply because I didn't want to deal with the stiffness and noise that I had with the VFs. Also, while the trackdensity package may offer a 80A engine mount, the transmission mount is still 65A. Didn't make sense to have two mounts of different stiffnesses. 

Upon opening the package, the design of the 034 is pretty much identical to stock (as they are supposedly made by an OE supplier and utilize OE castings). The transmission mount is still swiss-cheesed and all the connections on the engine mount are the same (good for those who care about preventing a floppy windshield wiper filler). The construction of the engine mount was slightly different. No longer is the rubber bonded to the arm that attaches to the engine itself. Instead the arm is allowed to freely rotate in the housing. Also, the distance between where the rubber contacts the inner casing is reduced from about 5mm to 2mm. Also, the engine mount is no longer liquid filled. The bladder and fill valve is still present on the 034 mounts, but upon pressing the bladder, you can feel nothing but solid rubber. Both mounts felt stiffer than stock when moving by hand. 

So the results? Well, engine and transmission noise are slightly increased, but much lower than VF. There are very very very mild vibrations when idling with the A/C on, but it is nowhere near the amount of VFs. Shifting is crisp and clean. No noticeable wheel hop when accelerating over bumpy roads. So far, they are exactly what i'm looking for. 

If I had to rate them (w/ VF pendulum):

*//////////STOCK --- 034 --- VF*
Ride Comfort 9 - - - 8 - - - - 6
Noise - - - 10 - - - - 8 - - - - 5
Vibrations - 10 - - - 9 - - - - 6
Shift Feel - 6 - - - - 10 - - - 10
On/Off Throttle
Response - 6 - - - - 10 - - - - 9 (I rated the 034 higher because you get less of a jarring sensation compared to the VFs when transitioning)

Closing thoughts:

For the price I paid ($220 shipped from INA), it's a no-brainer to get these mounts. VFs are more expensive ($200 each mount, the BSH clone is still more expensive ($170ish) and both mounts suffer the same issue of the bushings wearing out within 30k ($40 to replace on each mount for VF, not sure about BSH). Also the noise and vibrations are something any daily driver can go without. I've read multiple complaints about the 034 solid lower subframe mount so I would not recommend those. Instead go with a VF mount or a powerflex bushing replacement for the OEM pendulum mount. 

I'll update this thread if any new impressions pop up as these mounts age.

Dave


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## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

Nice review. As a matter of fact, today I am swapping out my BSH engine and transmission mounts for BFI stage 1 mounts to see if I can get back to an OEM+ feel. Similar durometers.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

JRutter said:


> Nice review. As a matter of fact, today I am swapping out my BSH engine and transmission mounts for BFI stage 1 mounts to see if I can get back to an OEM+ feel. Similar durometers.


Nice, just be careful with the BFI transmission mount. There were a few 2.0t owners with the stage 1 that cured random timing pull issues by removing the stage 1 insert from the tranny mount. 

Dave


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Had a coolant leak . . . decided to tear the engine out.


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

heilige Scheiße!


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## Tcardio (Mar 19, 2009)

crew219 said:


> Had a coolant leak . . . decided to tear the engine out.


You da man Crew!!!


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

tcardio said:


> You da man Crew!!!


LOL! Can't take much credit for the work that's being done.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

8 months without the car and counting... :banghead:


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

Damn, that's a long time. Did they give you an idea of when you can expect it back? What are you driving in the meantime?


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

crew219 said:


> 8 months without the car and counting... :banghead:


But at least its a new engine now right.... :/


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Ponto said:


> But at least its a new engine now right.... :/


I'm sure it'll get a new engine whenever they choose to get around to it. Unfortunately I can't even get a response regarding my build.


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

crew219 said:


> I'm sure it'll get a new engine whenever they choose to get around to it. Unfortunately I can't even get a response regarding my build.


Eff serious? that is not cool.


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## JRutter (Nov 25, 2009)

Funny how some of the companies that come across as giants of high performance on the forums can't pull off a build if someone decides that it isn't worth their time. Hopefully the right people will realize that we all talk to each other about car mods, if it isn't already obvious. Companies that follow through and exceed expectations reap the dividends of good reviews. Those that can't figure that out are continually buying new customers...

PS - I ended up going to the 034 mounts after the poly on the BFI started shrinking. I agree with your breakdown on how they compare to stock and the BSH polys that I had as my first aftermarket mounts.

-JR


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## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

i have the bfi transmission inserts, what timing probles were u talkign about?


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

Finally back on track?


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

Ponto said:


> Finally back on track?


No.

RIP 5.23.2014










Terrible that I never got to see it after all that time, but not complaining too much driving the replacement 










2013 Suzuka Grey TT RS CPO with 6900 miles & Audi Care. Price wasn't bad either. 

Dave


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

crew219 said:


> No.
> 
> RIP 5.23.2014
> 
> ...












She's a beaut!!


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

And of course they ruined the tailights so I couldn't get them off you lol. 

Loving the rs.


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## azoceanblue (Aug 13, 2006)

Sad to see 










You win :facepalm:

Looks like our impacts were in the exact same place, but from the looks of yours, your impact was far greater 

Nice Replacement :thumbup:


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## DOMIT (Oct 26, 2009)

Ok, wait... how did you not even get to see it? Did the shop wreck it?


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

azoceanblue said:


> Sad to see
> 
> You win :facepalm:
> 
> ...


:thumbup:

Link for my RS http://forums.fourtitude.com/showthread.php?7011843-crew219-s-Suzuka-Grey-TT-RS-build

I may end up getting back into an A3 as a daily driver and keeping the miles off the RS. Until then #noSportbacknoCare

Dave


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## azoceanblue (Aug 13, 2006)

crew219 said:


> #noSportbacknoCare
> 
> Dave


:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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