Doug's RS4 build

[dougle_turbo]

Hi all,

I picked up my Black RS4 Avant last week and thought I'd post some pics. She has a full Audi service history, just 3 owners (inc me), carbon trim, wing back seats, bluetooth, nav.

Initial plans are to add some black optics, starting with the front trim and window surrounds. I'm also going to change the front brakes and pads (Brembo and yellow stuff).

Future stuff on the list include a stage 1/2 re map, improved exhaust note, and alloy wheel refurb.

I've had a grin on my face all week!

[MikeFish]

Good choice of car!
If you go for remap make sure you take it to MRC, you won't regret it.
These build threads are like buses, you wait ages…

[dougle_turbo]

Thanks Mike,

I've had a look through your build thread, and may 'borrow' one or two ideas!

Just spoken to the guys at MRC and have booked the car in for a health check. May try a Wynns DIP3/EGR treatment later this week.

Oh and look what arrived in the post today.

[dougle_turbo]

Thought I'd write a quick update on the car, as I've had a fews bits done.

Firstly a big thanks to Doug and the guys at MRC tuning. Went up there with a friend (who also runs a B7 RS4), for a health check and front disk/pad change (Brembo and yellow stuff). The health check came back clear and the car performed fairly averagely on the dyno, with a corrected figure of 370ps (my mates made 382 with near identical milage). The guys also noticed a small weep from the oil cooler - pipe connection, which I'm going to sort next week before it becomes more serious. The brakes are bedding in well but I have quiet a loud squeak from them just before the car stops, hopefully this will disappear once they bed in properly.

Next on the list will be a carbon clean and a stage 2 remap.

I've never been a big fan of the aluminium surround on the black cars, so I thought I'd give wrapping the front grill and windows surrounds a go. Not the easiest thing in the world to do (the window surrounds took a looooong time to do and were f@$£ing fiddly), but I'm pretty happy with the result. I went for a matt finish as I wanted a slightly more stealth look, and I think the car looks much better for it. Will now wait to see how well the wrap ages before I either get it professionally wrapped or sprayed.

Next up are the wheels which are crying out for a refurb and really letting the car down. I'll be going for a titanium finish, as black wheels on a black car a bit much for me. I'd also like to get the roof bars and mirrors sprayed to match at the same time £££ dependant. First I'm going to try wrapping the mirrors and the roof bars (roofs bars will probably be impossible!) in the black and see how it looks.

Anyway here are some pics:

[Punz]

Looks good mate, I had to take the roof bars off mine to get them wrapped; complete pain to get them off and back on.

[edge]

Yellow stuff used to squeak for me unless under stiff breaking....easier to make the exhaust nice and loud so you cant hear it!

[dougle_turbo]

Thanks guys, I've tried wrapping the bars a couple of times now and I'm throwing the towel in! I think I'll get roof bars and mirrors sprayed when I get the wheels done.

The brake squeal subsides after heavy braking and returns after a bit of around town driving, so I think they just don't like being cold (which makes sense for what is essentially a track pad).

Changed the oil cooler over the weekend and while the bumper was off decided to try some carbon rings I have. Not 100% on the carbon but prefer the stealthier look. I also sprayed the Quattro badge up front as I think it was a little shouty before.

I've also noticed that the OSR corner is sitting 8mm lower than the other corners , signifying a potential dreaded DRC problem. Had all the wheels off and other than very light misting, there are no signs of any problems. I also checked the springs which all seem fine. I also don't have any knocking from the suspension, so I've booked the car into Camspec in Crawely for a diagnosis. I'm hoping for not too much wallet damage as the wheels really do need a refurb!!!

[Jonnyjetster]

As I'm a new owner too I've enjoyed this thread. Car looks so much better with the black front end.

How much did MRC charge you for the health check out of interest? I'm in a real predicament at the moment about my car as the last service was independent and they're reluctant to give me the paperwork as it has the previous owner's address....All in all I think I have a good straight car but for piece of mind I like the idea of the health check.....plus MRC is 200 miles away hahaha!

[dougle_turbo]

Hi Jonny, sorry only just saw your reply!

I think the front end works much better with the black, may swap out the carbon rings for some blacks ones. Doesn't look quite right.

The MRC health check is around £88, and consists of a rolling road session and an ecu/on board computer fault check. I think they offer a mechanical check as well, but that is more expensive.

Im sure if you went to the independent garage in person you could persuade someone to give you a print out. Good luck!

[dougle_turbo]

Just got the car back from having the wheels powder coated an realised I haven't updated the build thread in ages.

The car is really getting to where I want it to be now. Next up will be the centre resonator delete, hopefully before the Wales road trip!

Since I last posted I have done the following:

Taken the mirrors apart and have the mounts and caps re-sprayed. I went for the classic LA8U Titanuim in a satin finish - really happy with the results. I was also pretty happy with how easy the mirrors etc came off and back on the car. I worked out that you connector that doesn't pass through the mounts can be disassembled very easily so no cable cutting was necessary.

Fitted a black optics exhaust with operational valves. I did this for two reasons, one I wanted the black tail pipes and two I want to remove the central resonator box and not p*ss the neighbours off too much. I just need to decide if I'm going for straight, H or X pipe.

Managed to finish off wrapping the rest of the car, including the dreaded roof bars. I'm 95% happy with the result only a couple of small creases on the back side of the bar. May do again if anyone other than me notices. It was a royal PITA but worth it.

Finally I've just got the wheels back from powder coating. Again went for Titanium to match the mirrors, but went for a fully matt finish. The pictures don't really do them justice but I think it really finishes the car off. Especially with the new spacers front and rear! (8mm front, 10mm rear - Thanks Virdee)


This shows disassembly of the mirror connector

Mirror bracket before

Mirror after

New wheels, needs full sunlight to really show of the finish and colour.

Spacers = much better

New colour close up

After a quick wash this morning. Can't believe how different it looks from when I picked it up!

[MrHilario]

Looking forward to seeing this in the flesh, as mine is basically the same as yours was when you bought it!

[dhali]

That looks really good . Where did you get the wrap from and how many meters ?

[dougle_turbo]

That looks really good . Where did you get the wrap from and how many meters ?

Thanks, I got the wrap from eBay and have been really impressed with it. I tried to get hold of some 3M wrap but couldn't find a satin black I liked. Below is a link to what I bought. Still have some left so it should be plenty to do a whole car.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3m-x-1-5m-Mat ... 20fbf627fb

I found the best way to wrap the trims and bars was to cut the material into long strips about 50mm wider that the trim. Then apply the wrap like you would a roll of electrical tape. This allows you to carefully apply each section without a massive piece of it blowing around in the breeze. It also means it can be easily stretched around corners etc. The down side to this method is that the wrap will have a joint somewhere. However if you overlap the joints and then carefully cut a straight line across it and peel away the excess the joint is near invisible.

I had to do the roof bars in two parts, with the joint seem on the top edge of the bar. I did the front of the bar first, and then the trickier back of the bar second.

Another thing I did was to use a sharpened plastic knife to cut the wrap once applied to the car. I didn't trust myself with a scalpel and all that paint!

[dhali]

Thanks for the info

[Jon_J]

Looking good, I have some blisters on my mirror bases so they are coming off for a paint soon. What colour did you paint them?


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