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Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:35 pm
by Shaners4
I have a feeling my RS4 saloon is under powered.. Its an 06 plate with 75k on the clock and my friends box standard e46 2004 convertible with 60k seems to keep up no problem!! Also I had a little play with a 535 bmw the other day and I beat it but wouldn't say it was by much..!
I did hear someone say that quite a few RS4s when made and left the factory wasn't performing the way they should and it was down to a blocked valve or something!!! I'm yet to get it on a dyno machine and see my read out but before I do I thought I'd cast my concern here to see if anyone has a solution or experienced a similar problem!!!

Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:39 pm
by RIV
This is old news,most standard cars suffering from carbon build up struggle to make decent power,put it on the rollers or do the Arthur test, search is your friend, loads of info on here
Or vac leaks before someone jumps down my neck
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 7:49 pm
by Stevec33
Ive heard there only slightly quicker than m3's anyway, ive had both and theres not loads in it imo. Out of interest is there an easy way to tell if you have vacum leaks?
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 8:12 pm
by adsgreen
Really hard to tell with similarish cars.
If you take 0-60 times, the rs4 has the obvious 4wd traction advantage and can pretty much get a quick advantage so it flatters the rs4's time. Once up and moving you need a big power difference between cars to show up decent distance.
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:17 pm
by Sonnyjim
Put mine on the dyno the other day just out of nosiness more than anything else, standard car 60k, never been carbon cleaned as far as the previous owner knew.
394bhp, which I thought was not bad considering the above. Was worth the money just to hear the noise inside!
Sonnyjim
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:28 pm
by wrekka
This was my age old main problem with the standard rs4 - not fast enough as it should be. Still love it though for everything else it offers.
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:33 pm
by RIV
394bhp, which I thought was not bad considering the above. Was worth the money just to hear the noise inside!
That's very good, not the norm I would say, they never made the rated power from out the box, I think the MRC stage 2 inlet manifold, gutted cats and map make it more as it should have been from day one
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 9:56 pm
by Sonnyjim
Silas wrote:394bhp, which I thought was not bad considering the above. Was worth the money just to hear the noise inside!
That's very good, not the norm I would say, they never made the rated power from out the box, I think the MRC stage 2 inlet manifold, gutted cats and map make it more as it should have been from day one
That's the 3 things on my list, just a pity I stay 500 miles from MRC!
Sonnyjim
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 10:04 pm
by Stevec33
I think thats a lot of the power thing with them, because there sposed to be 414 from new you expect them to feel quicker than they are, and much quicker than an e46 m3 for example. But there 4wd and heavier so i guess it makes sense that their only slightly quicker, especially seen as most arent even making 400.
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 10:17 pm
by toyneg
Mine was pushing 340 something before MRC got their hands on it and after a carbon clean, stage 2 and pre cats it dyno'd 431 and that made the car feel like I always thought it should have done.
Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:31 pm
by 22B
Sonnyjim wrote:Silas wrote:394bhp, which I thought was not bad considering the above. Was worth the money just to hear the noise inside!
That's very good, not the norm I would say, they never made the rated power from out the box, I think the MRC stage 2 inlet manifold, gutted cats and map make it more as it should have been from day one
That's the 3 things on my list, just a pity I stay 500 miles from MRC!
Sonnyjim
I've sent mine down to MRC a couple of times via 5 star transport, think they've got a branch in Aberdeen now but their main place is in Ayrshire. They do a very good service for an unbeatable price. Get it down there, you won't regret it.

Re: Under powered
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 11:47 pm
by Graeme4130
Stevec33 wrote:I think thats a lot of the power thing with them, because there sposed to be 414 from new you expect them to feel quicker than they are, and much quicker than an e46 m3 for example. But there 4wd and heavier so i guess it makes sense that their only slightly quicker, especially seen as most arent even making 400.
A healthy B7 should annihilate an E46 M3 in a straight line
I came up against one in my old B7 and even considering the traction advantage, mine definitely had the legs over it (mine rollered at 409bhp)
Fwiw, 5th gear tested both and dragged them - the RS smoked it by miles if I remember correctly
Re: Under powered
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 12:13 am
by ArthurPE
hardly
a laden car that weights >4100 lbs that can run 12.8/109 range is making at least 420 HP
in 3rd gear from 3000 rpm / 35 mph and can accelerate to 8000 rpm / 95 mph is making at least 420 HP
there is a problem with your car, vacuum leak or something
although from a roll the delta between an e46 M3 and an RS4 is not as large as you think it would be
both starting at 40 and running to 100, maybe a car length
Re: Under powered
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 12:46 am
by Sonnyjim
That's very good, not the norm I would say, they never made the rated power from out the box, I think the MRC stage 2 inlet manifold, gutted cats and map make it more as it should have been from day one[/quote]
That's the 3 things on my list, just a pity I stay 500 miles from MRC!
Sonnyjim[/quote]
I've sent mine down to MRC a couple of times via 5 star transport, think they've got a branch in Aberdeen now but their main place is in Ayrshire. They do a very good service for an unbeatable price. Get it down there, you won't regret it.

[/quote]
Cheers 22B, I had heard of them before but couldn't remember their name. Out of interest how long a waiting time do MRC usually have?
Sonnyjim
Re: Under powered
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2014 8:49 am
by adsgreen
ArthurPE wrote:hardly
a laden car that weights >4100 lbs that can run 12.8/109 range is making at least 420 HP
in 3rd gear from 3000 rpm / 35 mph and can accelerate to 8000 rpm / 95 mph is making at least 420 HP
there is a problem with your car, vacuum leak or something
although from a roll the delta between an e46 M3 and an RS4 is not as large as you think it would be
both starting at 40 and running to 100, maybe a car length
That's the point I was making - you either need a large power difference or run to license losing speeds.
Side by side is one thing but if you are being followed then one car length is really hardly to differentiate.
Works both ways though as plenty of faster cars I've kept up with and felt good but them plenty slower cars appeared to keep up... Karma
