2012 Monsoongrau PP Kandiru

[Kandiru]

OMG, she is in the showroom waiting for me.

Quote from Jasper Elberink at Bert Wolfe:


Your 2012 Audi S4 is sitting on our showroom floor. It looks FANTASTIC!!! I
especially like the contrast between the paint, wheels, mirrors, tires,
front grille and the seats with the silver Alcantara inlays. We had another
S4 which came in with yours as well. Usually when I go to fuel up cars I
have to go to the Ford department to get the gas card. I fueled up the white
S4 and some people were interested but when I did the same with yours it was
gathering a crowd. It's a beautiful car... that is certain.

I would have sent you some pictures but my co-worker is on vacation and he
locked the camera in his desk...

P/u tomorrow, then i'll add photos, then i will post on the mods as they come
to life. Good thing the other car has another month on lease so i can fool with
the S4 at will.

In this whole waiting game a decent dealer with good timely comms, updates,
and knowledge makes the difference between hope and despair. Jasper is awesome!
I hope he will like the bottle of Tokaji i mailed his way.

[Stubek]

subscribe to see pictures!
Congratulations.

[Deckdout2]

Nice pickup! Can't wait to see pictures.

[nick71692]

This gets me excited about my monsoon that is coming

[Deckdout2]

This gets me excited about my monsoon that is coming

It probably won't look as good. :)

[ahcow]

can't wait for pics!

[Kandiru]

Jasper Elberink at Bert Wolfe Audi drove this beauty off the showroom floor for me today.

Everything is just perfect, this beast corners like nothing else i have ever driven, acceleration
is a blast, bye bye turbo lag.

http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2917.JPG
http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2918.JPG
http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2919.JPG

[showcarmike]

awesome color

[Stubek]

Looks great! Love the interior. Enjoy every minute with that

[Kandiru]

Thx guys, back to the garage, starting with the wheels today, grille mesh tomorrow.

The shifter, oh the shifter is sooo short, why do we need JHM? OK OK i see, it catches
a bit but still very good.

[helix139]

Thx guys, back to the garage, starting with the wheels today, grille mesh tomorrow.

The shifter, oh the shifter is sooo short, why do we need JHM? OK OK i see, it catches
a bit but still very good.

Try going 6-4 a few times. You've gotta be VERY careful not to put it in 2 instead. No such vagueness with JHM

[jlarke]

The shifter, oh the shifter is sooo short, why do we need JHM? OK OK i see, it catches
a bit but still very good.

Wow, that really tells us something about the nature of expectations. I have a Subaru-installed short throw on my current car, and the S4 shifter felt so long and wobbly in comparison that it almost kept me from buying the 6MT. Only the promise of the JHM cleaning it up kept me true to the three pedal creed.

[legbend]

A fellow former S60R owner. Was the Saab before or after the volvo?

[Kandiru]

Updates:

1. S5 19" double spokes with 245 rubbers installed, RAD locks. What a surprise NO EBRAKE
ON FRONT WHEELS??? Peelers are on classifieds section.

2. Windesa Sonniboy curtains all around rear, very stylish, much less obivious than tint.

3. V6T delete, just cannot will myself to do anything else with OEM badges for now, they
do look good.

4. Dipstick, A8 leather manual holder, OEM spill proof trunk tray.

I need two of you guys to trade the center rear headrests for my sides now! Oh sure dude:)
================================================== ================

A fellow former S60R owner. Was the Saab before or after the volvo?

After the S60R, an improvement, the S4 is tuned 1-2 tiers above both.

[4rociouS]

1. S5 19" double spokes with 245 rubbers installed, RAD locks.


I require PICS!. I've been thinking about going with the S5 style too.

[willyspub]

Peelers are on classifieds section.

Not to nitpick, but the stock 18" wheels are not "peelers;" the 19" tri-spokes are referred to that way because they look like potato peelers.

[tomh009]

I require PICS!. I've been thinking about going with the S5 style too.

You can see some photos of S4s with Hartmann S5 replicas on their web site:
http://gallery.hartmannwheels.com/v/AudiFitment/HS5_-_209/

[audifan22]

Kandiru how do you like the silver alcantara black leather combo in person? I bought the car with that interior sight unseen, hoping it really pops in person

[Kandiru]

Kandiru how do you like the silver alcantara black leather combo in person? I bought the car with that interior sight unseen, hoping it really pops in person

With the silver alcantara the car looks even more customized, as you now have matching brushed aluminum trim and silver "leather", the black leather gives a nice match with the rest of dash and the oh-so ominous looking black everywhere else including headliner. It looks freaking awesome, but i am still in the honeymoon, i feel like an Amish boy at the county fair to be honest, total sensory overload! I chose Monsoon from Quartz as IMHO these colors blend in with the gray grille and make a very decent match for the silver badging, trims, and mirror covers, so much so that i am giving up on my idea of black badging, i am switching from black plate frames to pewter ones just to match everything.

================================================== ============================

Not to nitpick, but the stock 18" wheels are not "peelers;" the 19" tri-spokes are referred to that way because they look like potato peelers.

Thanks for clearing that for me, never assume, always check.

[4rociouS]

You can see some photos of S4s with Hartmann S5 replicas on their web site:
http://gallery.hartmannwheels.com/v/AudiFitment/HS5_-_209/

True, and I've browsed those pictures a few times, but the ones they show are the Anthracite flavor on an ibis b8 s4. I'm thinking I'll go with the new style bright silver HS5 209.

Kandiru's monsoon gray is pretty close to my quartz, and would give me a better idea of what mine would look like.

[duffS4]

What's up with the MMI controls, is that the new setup on the 12's?

[Leor604]

I believe that's the standard non-Nav setup. Input knob and the four surrounding buttons are on the dash above the climate controls.

New setup looks very similar to the current setup (with the knob on the cosole behind the shifter), but has less buttons than the current setup as some of the selections will be done using the screen rather than a hard button.

[Kandiru]

OK:

1. Warning triangle on trunk lid installed. Compared to Dave
http://www.audienthusiasts.com/ProjectEmergencyTriangle.html
i did a much lower tech job. I cut s slit with a very broad
and short hobby knife (remember the paint is very close)
for the top retainer to slide in, then once positioned i marked
the bottom holes.I broke off one of the snap-in retainer clips
at the bottom (brute force) so after some cussin' i put my brain
back in gear and cut off the other one too, then used two of
these drywall anchors cut in half to attach through the holes
remaining after i cut off the clips, very secure too, and should
not cause paint damage:
http://handyowner.com/img/anchors/21BjRAjq6PL._SL160_.jpg

2. MB Part Number A-203-817-30-15 "Kompressor" badges installed.
Heatgun dialed in at 200F for 2 mins took car of old V6T badge removal.

How do you like me know, featured with my soon-to-be-ex stablemate:

FYI wheel Audi part # 8T0601025H (look it up on www.audipartsnationwide.com,
you will be pleasantly surprised) 19x8.5 ET32 Tire 245/35R19

http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2921.JPG
http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2922.JPG
http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2925.JPG
http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2923.JPG

[4rociouS]

Thanks for the pics, looking good [up]

[Leor604]

Sorry, but IMO the Kompressor badge is just wrong.

[clochner]

Nice pics. Not diggin' Kompressor though.

[Bryan]

lower it !!

[Bryan]

and remove the Kompressor badge =P

[Kandiru]

OK, I hear you guys, KOMPRESSOR delete. Just like it too much still, maibe because
i sweated like a pig in 94 degs working on it.

Just blow up the first pic in my second pic post on your LCD TV to see what i see in it.

================================================== =


lower it !!

This car will be the "beater" have 3 kids to haul, many miles of winding rural roads
and steep driveways, i am very happy with current ride height. It'd be a different
story if I were to prowl Sunset Blvd every Friday night:)

Note to self: don't forget to mount the deer whistles, they do work!
================================================== =

I have two questions i need help with, first one may be stupid, but i am too
tired to search:

1. I have rear diff, people claimed that switching among the 3 settings in non-Prestige
cars only altered suspension, but on my car i notice not only less power steering but also
less steering wheel travel to turn in Advanced. Am i missing something here?

2. 19" stock wheels, what inflation pressures does Audi recommend? My tires are now
245/35R19 and i put 40 psi. The door frame label only makes mention of 18" wheels.
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/424992-Tire-Presure-what-s-everyone-running?p=6756464#post6756464
I will try 38/36 tomorrow, the 40 is a bit harsh, would they wear unevenly at center with that
pressure?

[CBRmatt600]

Oh boy, that Kompressor badge has got to go

[nick71692]

Everything is great but get rid of the MB badge

[GTSurgery]

Those Kompressor badges are nowhere near as cool as the V6 mustang Convertible GT-R Nascar edition I saw yesterday. Random badges FTW!!!

[toaster]

we forgive you, for you have sinned...

[Kandiru]

Upper+Lower+L-Foglight Grille Protection Screens Done
===================================
Materials:

1. Customcargrills.com "Small Diamond Grill Mesh Sheet" 12x48" and a 6x36"
along with 20ft run of "Neoprene Rubber Edge Trim"
2. Steel wire chrome plated.

Tools: Torx kit 27 and 10 used
Fiskars thin metal snips

I just removed the front cover with the 4 Torx 27 bolts, then undid the two top
grille retainer allowing it to slide out 1".

Lower intercooler grille: 12x48" was cut with 1" redundancy to allow tensioning in the natural
well between the intercooler and grille, i just dropped the tape into the well and measured.
Then applied edge trim to bottom and sides, that is after i primed and repainted the
cut line. The top however was still wobbly, so i used steel wire to tie it to the wide center
downward facing plastic tab resting on the solid structural beam, had to tension it a bit
with a V bend before i slid it under and tied the ends, as the bottom of the plastic tab just
rests on that beam.

Top radiator grille: 6x36" used. Removed homelink and holder, removed the 4 light alu
screws on the back of edges of grille, then measured at the top and cut again with 1"
redundancy. Then i made 1" wide by 2.5" deep cutouts on both bottom corners. Then
dropped the cover in tight, tight to the back of grille, no edge trim here, as everything
sits on plastics. Then used brute force to bend the top so the mesh sits flush with grille
and allow Homelink over it. Put everything back over the grille, now held in place by 7 screws.

Left fog grille radiator: used leftovers. Cut about 9" tall piece, as long it took to reach the foglight,
covered the entire thing in edge trim, the Houdinied it through the top slit of the grille, and used a
hook i created to pull the foglight edge while i was pushing from the left. Wasted a piece, did another
one, beauty of aluminum is that it bends very easily, in the end it looks super cool. The trick is for it
to end up resting tight with a nice backward curve wedged between the medial wall of the grille and
foglight.

Tip: no matter how carried away you get, do not touch the radiator fins, they will bend very easily.

Took me 8-11PM.

Many thanks to Patinsd and the other pioneers without whose ideas i would have surely failed.

http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2933.JPG
The following may look fugly frontally but perfect without a flash illuminating the grille well:
http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2934.JPG

I have been a real bxxxxxd on the roads lately, insane fun, i LOVE THIS CAR!!!

Oh BTW, how do you like this?
http://www.gotyourtshirt.com/bmz_cache/0/0cff89994925a69b2465d121ed9c56c7.image.300x252.jpg

[metalica08]

Upper+Lower+L-Foglight Grille Protection Screens Done
===================================

Oh BTW, how do you like this?
http://www.gotyourtshirt.com/bmz_cache/0/0cff89994925a69b2465d121ed9c56c7.image.300x252.jpg

NO

[Wah]

http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2933.JPG
The following may look fugly frontally but perfect without a flash illuminating the grille well:
http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_2934.JPG


Would love to see how they look in the sunlight.

[Kandiru]

Would love to see how they look in the sunlight.

I did take photos outside too,but the grilles are very discrete and hard to see. Will
get some in broad daylight.

[Diesel Clown]

awesome...its basically daytona!!

[DATZ]

awesome...its basically daytona!!

Hey now!

[Kandiru]

R8 V10 Steering Wheel Swap

Airbag part # 8J0 880 201 J 6PS

Partial success. Used the old style airbag (no silver ring) and followed instructions here:

http://www.audienthusiasts.com/ProjectSteeringSwap.html

Electrical here:

I don't think you can take the wire harness from your old airbag because the mounting points are different to include the grounds. I might be wrong about that though, I did the pin-reloaction to the S4 12-pin connector.

What i get is horn, and backlight on the MFC, but no MFC functionality. Also "Parking Brake Fault" displays,
but the brake works. Read page 2 to see correct pinouts

I used auto terminal tools but still it was a difficult job, i may have a wire insulated by a piece of plastic somewhere, will have to recheck tomorrow.

Correction (08-20): I messed up pinouts, redid it. If i had to do it again, i would transplant the entire S4 harness with a Y solder to ground lead on airbag end to connect it to both ground plugs, and transposition pins 1 and 2 on
the small black 6-pin connector.

[Kandiru]

Now, in addition to backlight and horn, i have full MFC, hooray!
Still with "AIR
BAG" on speedo and "Parking Brake Failure" center top.


yycools many thanks for this photo, guys ignore the connector,
i reused the S4 one, the bumpy orange springloaded clip is replaced
by a flat green snappy one:
http://www.nitnelav.com/MFSW/airbag1.jpg

S4 Steering Wheel 12-pin Yellow Connector:
===================

1. Horn ground. Connector rests on the body of horn, united in the harness
with pin #3 on flat black MFC 6-pin connector.
2. Horn (wire rests on depresible disc)
3. R wire on Green connector
4. L wire on Green connector
5. R wire on Orange connector
6. L wire on Orange connector
7. Empty
8. Flat black 6-pin MFC Pin #2
9 Flat black 6-pin MFC Pin #1
BTW above connector's steering wheel female is blank at pos. 4-6 in both S4
and R8 steering wheel.

10-12 hook to pins 4-6 onto the MFC male, but blank on the female
steering wheel side, so no function.



TT Airbag pinout to S4 12-pin, thx God for the RS multimeter's
continuity function and patience:
=============
1. Brown, horn and airbag ground, joins pin #3 on MFC)
Note here that the TT Airbags #8J0 880 201 J(or K, or L) 6PS have two
ground plugs on the body of the airbag:
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/8994/img0331hz1.jpg
2. Yellow (horn)
3. Green (R pin on the Green aibag connector)
4. Black (L .................................................. ....)
5. White (R pin on the Orange airbag connector)
6. Blue (L................................................ ............)
7. Empty
8 Red (MFC Pin 2)
9 Purple (MFC Pin 1)

So the car is super fun to drive, but potentially trouble without airbag.
Please give me some more ideas guys, shall i get a new airbag or repin it?

Some ideas:

1. Short in 12-pin connector, will check for it. After all, even with a decent terminal
connector tool i still beat the xxx out of it.

2. If none, looking at the pinout photo, i will try to swap 3 and 4, and 5 and 6. Maibe,
just maibe i did the pins for the Green (3,4) and Orange (5,6) in reverse, after
all pins are read from L to R and i did it the other way.

3. Poor connection at clockspring.

LMFAO this mod is driving me insane:)

[dreaddontdie]

Hey now!

Lol

[forza1976]

Question for the OP or for the group. Why are the MMI controls on the center console above the HVAC controls while my 2011 has them down behind the shifter? Just a curiosity I have seening the pictures.

BTW, Kandiru you have a very nice car!

[primetime]

Question for the OP or for the group. Why are the MMI controls on the center console above the HVAC controls while my 2011 has them down behind the shifter? Just a curiosity I have seening the pictures.

BTW, Kandiru you have a very nice car!

Matt, That is where they are located on non-nav cars... Ron

[forza1976]

Ah, got it.. Thanks Ron... Paddles come today ;) Can't wait my friend!

[Kandiru]

Thx for compliments!

Ordered a BNIB bag with tags and codes, and ordered VAG-COM so i can
code it if need be, failed miserably with 2 different ebay clones. That VAG
xxxx is $$$.

No more mods until i overcome this obstacle.

Steering wheel tip:

Don't fool with adjusting the steering wheel by moving around the position marker
if the car is pulling after new install. Watch the clockspring under it, the interior edge
of the 12-pin male connector's clockspring housing should be perfectly parallel with
the metal edge of the wheel's accomodating opening. Align them before you tighten
the T55 bolt and you are good to go.

Audienthusiasts install mod suggestion:

Where he keeps talking about turning the wheel during the install, that is not possible
once you disconnected the battery. I just start by aligning the airbag screws with the
notches and leave it there.

Signing off, going on vacation for a week, i need to drink this problem out of my head
so i can start fresh when i come back:)

[Kandiru]

A small deviation, need paint for parking sensors:
************************************************** *************************************
Monsungrau 0C0C Audi Paint Chart, from Ruth Chen in HK, show this to a paint store or body shop with a mixing machine and they will know what to do, he is missing a pigment, otherwise his 400ml $40 spray cans are great:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en&hl=en&key=0Ak2q3fV0ITq1dEdQbGlST1NUbDVEcGd3aGdidmJCUkE&single=true&gid=0&output=html

************************************************** ******************************************-

[headbang]
Got the new airbag, same problems. Redid the connectors, stuffed some wire insulation
into the pit for the purple retainer to tighten connections a bit (no way it would fit in again
after the pin pusher rape it took earlier), checked everything again.

Posted the VCDS readout on the vagcom discussion at AudiWorld, hopefully Sebastian can
give me some ideas:

http://forums.audiworld.com/showthread.php?p=24186106#post24186106

Fortunately the ABS and Parking Brake faults list the Airbag as culprit, dunno what to do, do
i need a new module or just a recode? The intermittent contact fault is gone after the replug.

[Kandiru]

Kandiru vs. Airbag 1:0!!!

OK, airbag igniter #1 and 2 at module 15 showed "resistance too high", and reading a lot about this fault, and out of desperation i took the airbag off again and did a "tuneup" on my pin reinstall job, painstakingly cleaning every pin on the clockspring and MMI connectors using wire insulation dipped in alcohol then used a small drill to enlarge the diameter of the yellow 12-pin connector openings just a bit, then rubbed inside the females (yum) with alcohol then very little rosin. The pin extraction business is a messy job, even with VAG specific tools, as the micro molex females have a spine to snap into the middle groove and permanently rest there, extraction breaks this spine off, and you can see by the spines on the purple retaining pin that the assembly is meant to be permanent.

I then did reattach, but alas, still codes. After i bathed the 3 kids, went back with the VAG.com, did VCDS with fault deletion four times, with each sequential sweep off went the airbag error, followed by the parking brake, lastly a third sweep killed the ABS error.

$$$ well deserved to Ross-Tech, knowing also all the little additions that will follow.

My advice to DYI airbag upgraders: DO NOT MESS WITH THE YELLOW 12-PIN CONNECTOR! Instead, transplant the S4 OEM # 8K0 971 589 G harness (buy an extra one off ebay.de in advance) reverse the MMI 1 and 2 pins on the black connector and build a Y connector for the the 2 ground plugs on the round airbag. The reason, even variances in contact surface can induce changes in resistance (too high), which in turn will induce Airbag and Parking Brake Failure MILs, loss of parking brake automatic disengagement (very bad for hill starts), and ABS fault.

To recap, parts used:

1. R8 V10 wheel: 420 419 091 B TNA
2. TT Round airbag with silver ring around the 4 rings: 8J0 880 201 L 6PS
3. OEM S4 harness: 8K0 971 589 G
4. OEM S4 12-pin connector: 4H0 972 208 F

The STE95978 terminal connector and the OTC5900A
Torx master kits were very useful, high quality stuff too.

[Kandiru]

OK, time to move on with the mods.

RS4 Pedals & Dead Pedal Cover
======================


Tools: Aquaseal silicone grease spray (from diving supply shop), bone tool, small screwdriver,
heat gun, small wood screw with large washer, flat nose pliers.

Procedure: OMFG, a 50k car without an accelerator pedal cover, you bet, thanks Audi! I
put the cover on with minimal fuss. The brake pedal took a spraying with silicone grease
and became very compliant after that. Some cussin' and the bone tool, 5 min done.

The clutch whole another story, it took the heat gun at 300F for about 5 mins to
soften it into submission then grease it until it dripped and smoked. I worked the foot guard
side, then bottom, then right side, prying it in with the bone tool. Top kept coming off until i
started actually using my head and took a tiny C-clamp and tightened it over the bottom so
it won't snap off while i lifted the top, no more pain, top went in suddenly. Aouch! my right
elbow hurts (that carpet is really rough), i can't feel my fingertips.

Dead pedal, too little time left, want it done. Solution, removed the metal cover with rubber
off the RS4 baseplate, bent the top and right side retaining clips flat with the body, then bent the left
clip at 90 degs, and marked its position on the S4 plastic footrest after i had bent the bottom
clips to about 60 degs and inserted them under the bottom end of the S4 footrest. Fired up
the butane torch and overheated a flathead screwdriver's head and it went like butter through
the S4 footrest to recreate the hole on the RS4 base. Then proceeded to insert the bottom
clips under the S4 footrest (forcibly i might add, as they bend as the RS4 plate flattens), then
as it approached the base inserted the 90 deg left clip into the hole i made earlier, no chance it
will slide medially off the base now. Then pushed upward and laterally with all i had on the RS4
plate to mark a point at 10 o'clock on the egde of the large top hole for a small wood screw, which
i mated with a large washer, then screwed into the S4 footrest, this way it naturally pulls the plate
up and laterally No wiggle, tight like factory made (for now).

Voila, sorry for dirty interior, old habits die hard:
http://pages.suddenlink.net/bobpaule/IMG_3073.JPG