S4 Mods

[TurkS4]

Met up with Jeff Wiltshire yesterday who kindly offered to show me the ways of the chip (AMD)....thanks mate [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]

I was impressed with the way his car accelerated in 4th-6th gear...very little, if any turbo lag and boy does it pull.

I drove the car and I can say for sure. I want. no I need a short shifter. The gear change was much shorter than my car and such a pleasure to use. Spot on for me. [img]images/graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Jeff kindly showed me how his hi Spec brakes work, and boy can they stop the car soooo quickly . I now want the brakes!!!

Jeff has the Toyo tyres and convinced me I need these on my car...so 5 new tyres!!!

I need a number plate as well...S4 JEM...checked the DLVA website, but no joy, so if anyone knows someone who has these and are willing to sell then please let me know.

As you can see from initially meeting up with Jeff to get a feel of the chip I am now in a dilemma of what comes first... [img]images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

the shopping list....

1) Short shifter...Tanoga or UCC?
2) 5 x Toyo tyres
3) Personalised number plate
4) Hi Spec brake kit
5) AMD or Revo Chip
6) Milltek Exhaust

Any thoughts gents?

Thanks again Jeff for the PM [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]

[jeffw]

Do it all !!!!!!!

Glad to help [img]images/graemlins/jump.gif[/img]

[jeffw]

S4 URK
S4 TRK

are both available for £250 each....

[TurkS4]

hi Jeff,

Thanks...may go for the S4 TRK...baby on the way so everything has to be in moderation to please she who must be obeyed [img]images/graemlins/jump.gif[/img]

try this link....just what we need
[img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]

http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/1225303.phtml

[DavidT]

Have a word with Karl (Tanoga) and get one of his shortshifters fitted. Cheap compared with other mods and it makes a big difference, as you have seen.

[DavidT]

The other major thing is suspension. H&R seems the most popular although Jeff was looking at Leda.

BTW how did you find the DTS ? Does it make the transmission feel 'tighter'

[jeffw]

Still haven't found the time/money to get Leda to have a look at the suspension.....one day soon !

[Dippy]

the shopping list....

1) Short shifter...Tanoga or UCC?
2) 5 x Toyo tyres
3) Personalised number plate
4) Hi Spec brake kit
5) AMD or Revo Chip
6) Milltek Exhaust

Any thoughts gents?

If you notice how different a short-shifter is, then that has to be your first buy. It doesn't cost too much and it can make a significant different to driveability, not to mention protecting the gears from mis-shifts.

Next I would sort out the suspension. This is a 180 degree shift of opinion from me since I asked the same questions as you a year ago on AS.net (some may remember). I wasn't going to do anything about it. However I now feel that a chipped S4 without a suspension upgrade is possibly asking for trouble, especially with the stock brakes. I recommend the H&R coil-overs.

Tyres are important too, but not so much that you should get new ones before you have had sufficient use out of your current ones. I too favour the Toyos and mine are being fitted on Monday.

Next you would consider a chip, as it really untaps the potential of the engine. However if you chip you are raising the boost pressure and therefore should consider uprating the air intake system components which are prone to failure, i.e. the DVs and the TBB. While you are at it the intercooler pipe clamps need checking. Personally I advise fitting the APR bipipe, since a rubber TBB is always prone to failure at 1.3 bar.

I wouldn't bother with the Miltek cat-back on its own. It really doesn't do much for performance. However if you really want to get the most out of the S4 engine then I do recommend the full Miltek (i.e. cats too), or another free-flow exhaust. Even with a chip, the OEM cats on the S4 cause the power to tail-off starting around 5500-6000 rpm. However the full Miltek means that power is virtually a flat line maximum all the way to the redline (7200 rpm in my car).

I have left the brakes until last because the standard S4 brakes will do for a while. However the disks will wear down so you might as well wait until they need replacing before uprating.

As to the number plate - what a waste of money! You'll never find me putting a personalised plate on my car. [img]images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[TurkS4]

Cheers Chaps...food for thought.

Dippy...I was under the same impression as you regarding personalised number plates, however, S4 ??? does suit Jeffs car, which has changed my opinion because it represents the car in a subtle way and not in your face..if you know what I mean [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[jeffw]

Jem

I think he's pulling your leg... [img]images/graemlins/nodder.gif[/img]

[TurkS4]

Doh!!!...thats what you get when you don't know a guys car [img]images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

[Dippy]

Yeah, I do have my own plate, but it was the lowest price type from the DVLA. I would have had an S4 plate, but my plate was first used on my Impreza. I didn't know what letter & number to have, so I chose T2 for 2 litre turbo. Fortunately when I got my S4 it was still suitable, now standing for 2 turbos!

[Golich]

I can only add my own thoughts on the order of mods based on what I have done.

i.e. AMD chip and Hyperboost DV's.

While sure the shift is not the best and the brakes fade under a couple of hard applications. The power is what I have always craved after. I can never have enough power. Give me more power. [img]images/graemlins/jump.gif[/img]

The shift will generally always shift and brake fade is something you can adjust your driving to suit. The car will always stop when required from high speed when you require for those one off occasions should they happen.

I can't see how the Milltech CAT back can make a significant difference. But the whole system yes.

I chose what I thought were better DV's given the high failure rate of the older type Bosch but now I'm not so sure. I'm half planning buying some Bosch ones to see if they elliminate the lag between shifts.

My choice for what it's worth since we clearly have different priorities would be as follows:

1. Short shift (it's a cheap mod)
2. Chip/DV's (My standard TTB is ok 6 months now. at £7 I carry a spare and the tools to fit if required. 5min job.)
4. Suspension (If your's has done more than 30K miles)
5. Brakes.
6. Reccaro seats. (The stock seats are far too wide fo my medium frame!)

Sorry if this starts something.

[Dippy]

2. Chip/DV's (My standard TTB is ok 6 months now. at £7 I carry a spare and the tools to fit if required. 5min job.)

But how do you know if it is required? TBB failures are generally not obvious.

[Joshie]

I can only add my own thoughts on the order of mods based on what I have done.

The shift will generally always shift and brake fade is something you can adjust your driving to suit. The car will always stop when required from high speed when you require for those one off occasions should they happen.

Sorry to disagree with this statement about brakes always stopping. The fact is that they don't. Boiling brake fluid and terminal fade means just that. Its terminal [img]images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img] when you press the middle pedal nothing much can happen and you don't stop. Honest. Just ask anyone that has done a trackday with standard brakes.

My choice for what it's worth since we clearly have different priorities would be as follows:

1. Short shift (it's a cheap mod)
2. Chip/DV's (My standard TTB is ok 6 months now. at £7 I carry a spare and the tools to fit if required. 5min job.)
4. Suspension (If your's has done more than 30K miles)
5. Brakes.
6. Reccaro seats. (The stock seats are far too wide fo my medium frame!)

Sorry if this starts something.

If you talk to the same insurance company I use they simply won't insure you for a remap unless you have conviced them that suspension - and brakes in particular - have been upgraded to cope with the additional power.

Now I'm sorry but I feel a little bit of a hypocryte because my mods went in order of the chip first, then the tanoga and the brakes came later. But with the benefit of hindsight the driving experience is hugely diluted with standard brakes. [img]images/graemlins/cry.gif[/img]

And to echo Daves point about the TBB there are a number of different S4 drivers on here including me, that didn't realise their TBB was split until it was off. [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]