The Project Pad

I’m having trouble uploading any pics but damn I underestimated how much work it would be to redo this manifold And downpipe .

3 attempts to do the merge collector , one was great but didn’t line up right . One was trash , too big of gap , third one worked well.

















Really, really a pain to get this one in and out . Super hard , but I got it .


So the only thing it’s lacking- that I think I need to add- is a flex pipe in the wastegate exhaust tube . The one I ordered is about 3” long . And I need to see if I can either find a shorter one or somehow cut this one down and shorten it which would be difficult but possible
So.



Under 8 psi to redline now at 0% DC

Dude, you are a machine. Glad to hear it fixed the problem. I think most other sub-humans would have just ordered a smaller turbo.

audifreakjim wrote:Dude, you are a machine. Glad to hear it fixed the problem. I think most other sub-humans would have just ordered a smaller turbo.

For sure, looks like you have to jump up and down on everything to squish it all in there

audifreakjim wrote:Dude, you are a machine. Glad to hear it fixed the problem. I think most other sub-humans would have just ordered a smaller turbo.

I guess I didn’t think much of swapping the turbo because I assumed it was a wastegate priority / design issue with my manifold . I somehow figured this would be easier and cheaper , and I think it will be cool to see what this turbo does with this engine .
The reality is new turbo will likely be coming sometime down the road though because the Indy EFR won’t last forever and the options for rebuilding it * I think* are slim to none . Maybe a supercore is an option.
Swapping the turbo pretty much requires the manifold to be modded as well because the IRL turbo has this weird flange that doesn’t match any other manufacturers turbo flange . I saved the old manifold and downpipe without cutting anything so as if right now I have a “spare “ I could modify that fits in this bay if needed .

ringbearer wrote:
For sure, looks like you have to jump up and down on everything to squish it all in there

I have to put the downpipe in from the bottom . As far as I can tell I don’t even know if I would be able to get it in from the top .
I almost had to take the axle out which would have sucked


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Your welding is looking awesome!!! Really glad to hear that the new manifold solved the problem.


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FFF wrote:Your welding is looking awesome!!! Really glad to hear that the new manifold solved the problem.


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I wish I got to weld more so I’m fine making excuses to do it . Thin Stainless is always a challenge for me and a long break makes me feel like I’ve gone in reverse

Now that I’m ready to enable my boost I have to revisit the setup of the boost control again.

I’ve hooked it up like this .




0% duty cycle : no boost
100% DC : no boost

If I invert the output in VEMS outputs

0% = all the boost
100% = all the boost

I’ll look at some diagrams and see what I’m doing wrong here . But man this turbo spools fast.

It just looks to me like what I am putting in the refDC vs RPM table is not necessarily translating into actual duty cycle for the valve . Doesn’t make sense yet but looking into it . Something in my settings I bet is wrong .

These below are a couple of examples of what I’m talking about
A trick Marc showed me a long time ago was set P , I, and D to 0 , use the RPM vs REFDC table , start with low numbers and slowly up the screen until I get the boost I want , then I can enable PID and make it closed loop and I will already no the values I need to get what I want with little correction from the Computer .
What I’m finding is regardless of what I put in those tables . I’m not seeing actual DC in VEMS . So below for example , again I started with low numbers but I should at least be getting 20% DC and I’m seeing 0 . I shouldn’t have to but I tried putting real values in for PID and that makes no difference either



So one of these settings is not right I’m assuming .

Couple things . Tomorrow I should be able to test this out .
I’ve got the duty cycle showing actual numbers now (I think) but I did it by changing the settings around . This is with the car off but I can set the “valve off below “ to 100kpa or less and see duty cycle / hear the valve click . So from what I can tell it’s working properly and I should se actual duty cycle .



I’m used to using the table that is rpm vs DC but I switched it to :
Boost target “MAP target”
Lookup: “ Reference based”

This gets me a different table than I’m used to . RefDC vs. Boost target



I think I will have to throttle these back a little . With my spring and new wastegate I’m making a base pressure of 5#. I’d like to take it up to like 10 or so then maybe 14 ish . P, I, D are all set to zero so I should be able to start low and fill that table out with realistic numbers .

Keep in mind this is literally an unopened engine . So until I have my new pistons and rods in my possession I’m just trying to not push it too far . Once I get the rest of the engine parts I can turn it up and see how far I can go .

In other news , installed the Iabed power steering relocation kit and now my belt looks straight and I shouldn’t have to worry about it coming off . It was pretty shredded after a week of hoping it would hang on.

Another thing I noticed last week was it seemed like the catch can was blowing a lot of vapor out so I’ve been meaning to pull it and install a sight glass that i bought for it along time ago .

To my surprise the damn thing had an impressive amount in it . Just over 20 OZ.. I think this may be due to me running too much oil in the sump. I’ve just got enough oil in the sump to hit the very end of the dipstick. Thinking I’ll probably going to have to shorten the dipstick tube just a little . Like 1/2” or so. I guess now that I can watch I’ll see how fast it fills .

The boost issue i was having was actually a simple fix, my TPS scaling was totally wrong

So back to tuning from logs now .
I have the boost at about 180 kpa and with my new used wastage that’s about 64% duty cycle it takes to get that. So I’m happy with the results of that change .

The only thing odd that I’m noticing is I am filling the catch can up pretty quick when I go out and do WOT pulls . Not sure exactly why that is, but it’s possible that maybe I have the oil level too high . Or the engine has a lot of blow-by. Don’t know .

[youtube] https://youtu.be/AfB4SBNLow4[/youtube]
https://youtu.be/AfB4SBNLow4

Hopefully my exhaust leak is fixed . This has been driving me insane since doing the new DP . Cut off the rear most and front 4 band and refit everything . Tack and test fit a million times . Will test it tomorrow .







Pulled apart my spare engine for rebuilding . Will have to find a suitable shop to take it to.

What are you HP goals on this engine?

And are replacement timing chain guides made of the same material as they were when new? Just wondering if they've improved with revisions or if there are more durable options on the market.

Well I don’t have huge goals , I was hoping to be in the 4-500 range I guess but Essentially I don’t have an exact power goal , I just want to have a setup where I can go WOT any time and and all the time if I want , and not feel like I’m going to break something. I want a streetable powerband, too. Like the engine won’t be too strung out past design I guess is my hope .
I’m going to be running 91 octane pump gas which will limit things a bit, might do meth injection and I guess.

I’ve got the stock engine in there now to buy me some time to build one , and I’ve been doing some tuning on that to get it running healthy .
It’s quick, but the thing about it is it’s just capable of so much more that it feels so throttled back how I have it now , running 12 or so PSI. Like, it wants to go ... it’s asking for more boost . I don’t know how to explain it . It feels like I’m cheating the engine by running it this low. It’s actually pretty fast right now though for the boost level . I’m gonna try and take it to like 15 psi if I can and hold er there for a bit .that’s probably pushing it for a stock engine

As far as the chains and sliders go . I bought a kit to replace everything that is supposed to be all OE parts. I suppose I should open the box sometime and actually see what’s in there .

Man, those bores look nice. Perfect candidate for drop in Mahle Power Packs. Unless you are going over bore, with a proper torque plate, I would not touch the bores.

audifreakjim wrote:Man, those bores look nice. Perfect candidate for drop in Mahle Power Packs. Unless you are going over bore, with a proper torque plate, I would not touch the bores.

My plan was to take apart more than one if I have to but find the best condition block I have and go stock size Mahle pistons like you said . now that I have this apart , I’m real happy with the condition of it , and I think it will work

I agree, it looks very good.


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I was pleasantly suprised for sure ..
which is all Good news because I had figured pistons would take a while to get so I had already ordered stock size pistons from issam and was counting on being able to find a good block

In other news
I just drained a quart from the catch can again . So I’m going to try this out . I shortened a spare dipstick tube . I’ll have to drain the oil from the sump and figure out exactly where 6.5 qts gets me and see if I still accumulate then .




Also I’m going to try and see if I can swap the speed sensor from the 01A into the 01E . Alex made a great video on what’s needed . https://youtu.be/UbgPCww08-I
Step 1 will be pull the side cover off the old 01A and see if I have all of the parts I need in there .
Step 2 will be to deal with the side cover on my current GBE trans which doesn’t have the hole with the fake plastic plug . Maybe I can drill it out ? Or I can swap the cover from my other GBE trans but eventually I’ll need that too.

Here’s an exhaust clip now that finally the leaks are fixed . Can’t figure out how to “embed “
[youtube] https://youtu.be/3fswJZ8ClYM[/youtube]
https://youtube.com/shorts/3fswJZ8ClYM?feature=share

No real updates here which honestly is about the best thing possible because that means nothing has broken. Ive just been driving the car using it as a commuter for work.
I have a few things left to sort out. "Comforts" if you will...
I need to sort out some small wiring things. The oil pressure light , ABS light, and oil pressure warning are on , and I don't have a speedo.
So first I'm working on the speedo . The wiring and plug is integreated in to the beautiful harness I got. On the GBE trans however , the sensor didn’t exist.

Thankfully , Alex made a video that thoroughly explains and shows how he added the sensor to his 01E for his S8.

Link to Alex’s video
https://youtu.be/UbgPCww08-I


I have two GBE transmissions- both are supposed to be from 03 A4 3.0 V6 . One has a plastic dummy plug in the side cover and one has more of a tamper proof maybe pressed metal type deal.

I removed the side cover and sender from the 01A trans and the little magnetic impulse wheel thing from inside.

Drained the fluid and pulled off my existing side cover to find that even though its capped off with a tamper proof plug, it actually had the clip on magnetic wheel inside.

Re-assembled and filled with fluid and hopefully tomorrow I will find out that I have a speedo. Fingers crossed



Some pics .
Cover removed from 01A


Sensor swapped into 01E cover (top)


The tamper proof plug in the 01E cover


Draining the fluid and ready to swap covers


Installed and ready to test



Edit . It works !









In other news I got another identical but much nicer 90 and I'm debating swapping that as well.
Not sure exactly how i'd do it but better intake and exhaust manifold, possibly front radiator?

I have been super busy and kind of neglected this car because it runs fine. It’s been in the back of my mind mainly when I’m out abusing this car and bouncing off the rev limiter that I need to actually build the engine.
but with low Boost - about 13 ish # maybe , peak and a literally just a stock unopened engine this thing is taking some serious abuse.
The only thing I’ve noticed really is when I rally on it a lot I see quite a bit of oil accumulate in the catch can.

So I believe I have all the parts i need now to make the engine good for as much boost as I want to run.

I’ll be using my lowest mileage best condition block.


I’ve only ever built AAN/3B/7A engines so hopefully I can figure out how to put all this stupid chain / tensioner shit back in .


Issam set me up with all the stuff . I’ll be using the following

Iabed Spec Mahle Motorsport RS3 pistons
82.5mm - these are meant to be a drop in and I won’t even mess with the bores if i don’t have to (see pics below)

Matching rod set

ARP main studs

ARP head studs

ACL STD Main bearing set for TTRS/RS3 6M5563H-STD
I’ve test fit the crank in with these bearings and new bolts torqued to spec and these get me to OEM spec for clearance . But the mains will be line bored for the ARP studs (I guess they have to )

RS3 crank pulley : Issam modified this for me to make it bolt on the 07k crank .
My hope is that this will stop the serpentine belt from flying off when I hit the rev limiter . I have to keep spares in the car with me now .

Hopefully I can figure it all out . I don’t like Building engines and wish I could farm this part out- but that also means it’s probably something I should learn and get comfortable with .








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Very nice! I had kind of forgotten about this. Good to see it's still going with many beatings put in it. Will be interesting to see what it can do with build internals.

Yeah so much of this car is custom made or home made I really wanted to give it a solid go and make sure I wouldn’t have any weird issues before I build the engine and have a lot of money on the line . Honestly I’m impressed with the stock engine and if someone wanted to keep the boost low, a stock engine and the exact set up and power level I have makes for a really fun car , I mean I’m maybe peaking at 1 bar of boost and I have it tuned very conservatively and it still rips . Small boost on this engine is nothing like old 20v at the same level . I’m ready to turn it up , though, it just has so much potential and I feel confident in the setup now .
I keep meaning to get the engine dropped off at the machine shop and I’ve just been so busy and the thrust bearing took a long time .

Engine disassembled

Thrust bearing -
I’ve made a couple of passes at this so far.

Basically measured the crank , measured the main cap, main cap with thrust bearings , etc.

Then we made a jig to hold the main cap to machine the cap to accept the Audi 20vt bearing . Once the jig was made we machined a “test” bearing cap first. Once that checked out we did the actual main from my block - but took a little less off than what my measurement said I needed just to be conservative.
Then I cleaned the block and crank and assembled crank in the bottom end and torqued everything down while I was measuring the main bearings I checked the axial play of the crank.

That’s a long way of saying I just followed the video Jim posted but I did it in more steps, because I was afraid of messing something up.

I had hoped that maybe I could use any main cap , and they would be interchangeable , say then a guy could modify any main cap and then ship it to someone, but It doesn’t appear to be the case. These may actually be “fracture split”. Not 100% sure on that / can’t remember.

It's cool to see you jumping in and learning how to do all of that. Looking forward to the next iteration of your 07K swap.

Nice, Pat!