128 days later…….

[Condo]

…….And my car is finally back on the road! The piston rings seized two days before Waterfest when I was getting my car checked out before the drive to NJ. I took it out to drive for the first time yesterday and started breaking in the engine. So far it’s running great and it’s just begging for more boost.

The bottom end was rebuilt with new pistons, bearings, main bolts, and the oil pump. I was able to re-use the block after having it honed. D + D Racing Engines rebuilt the engine and checked the head for any damage. They balanced the entire rotating assembly including the clutch and flywheel.

I decided to put all of the downtime to good use and add a few upgrades. DTR Performance built a custom intake manifold to go with an R32 throttle body along with a set of Cat 3658 cams. I bought a Snow Performance water/meth kit to install along with a Bosch 040 fuel pump that will be installed as soon I’m ready to turn the boost up.

With all of the problems that people have been having with Southbend clutches lately I thought it would be a good time to upgrade my clutch. I picked up a Clutchmasters FX 600 twin plate clutch with a 14lb steel flywheel from Greg@DTH. So far it’s a lot different than the Southbend FE SS. What I’ve noticed so far is that it has a very light pedal feel and engages very quickly. It was a little tricky at first but I think I’m getting the hang of it. I’ve only put about 125 miles on it so I’ll wait to post a full review until it’s broken in.

Original build thread

Engine failure thead

Here are a few pics of my setup as it is right now. I’ll try to get some vids as sometime this week.

[dougyfresh]

Great to hear John!

How is the clutch feeling?
How do the logs look? Compression looks good?

[A4ringedONE8T]

Nice! Glad shes back in one piece and running again! Might want to try losing that TIP and running open turbo!

[Condo]

Great to hear John!

How is the clutch feeling?
How do the logs look? Compression looks good?

Clutch is getting better. It was rough at first but I'm getting used to the engagement point now. Everything is looking good. Just have to keep driving it every chance I get.

Nice! Glad shes back in one piece and running again! Might want to try losing that TIP and running open turbo!

I might mess with different setups when the engine is broken in. First I need to figure out why it is randomly stalling when I'm getting ready to stop.

[7speed]

Does the clutch chatter ?

[A4ringedONE8T]

DV/BOV sticking open? Do you have any pics of the manifold off the car?

[EUROaleksey]

dont think i've seen you before... but great looking ride, man..... im jelous.. very.. in a nice way ...

[Condo]

Does the clutch chatter ?

It does a little but not as much as everyone thought it would. You can't hear it with the radio on and it goes away if you hold the clutch in.

[AudiA4_20T]

John, 128 days is nothing lol...

Glad to see it back out, should be a beast... Now all u need is a tune

[Condo]

DV/BOV sticking open? Do you have any pics of the manifold off the car?

It's a Tial BOV and I was told that it might need some grease. Here are a few pics of the manifold while it was being made.

[dirtybrd]

First I need to figure out why it is randomly stalling when I'm getting ready to stop.

It's the cams, the ECU will compensate eventually. You'll notice some hard hot starts also. Just give it a little gas and it'll start.

[Condo]

dont think i've seen you before... but great looking ride, man..... im jelous.. very.. in a nice way ...

Thanks!

John, 128 days is nothing lol...

Glad to see it back out, should be a beast... Now all u need is a tune

It seemed like forever. It was supposed to be done in two weeks for the last two months. Kept hitting delays. How soon will your car be ready?

It's running really strong right now. Can't wait to turn up the boost. I'm looking at a few different options for a tune and should have it figured out early next year.

[7speed]

Would it be possible to get a video of how the clutch sounds ?

[Papachristou]

he said yes, but its barely noticeable. you cant hear it with the radio on

[dirtybrd]

That's not a good descripsion, I can't hear mine with the radio on either, but it chatters like a bitch.

[Condo]

It's the cams, the ECU will compensate eventually. You'll notice some hard hot starts also. Just give it a little gas and it'll start.

It was doing the same thing with the last build on stock cams. Thanks for the tip on hot starts. Luckily I haven't had any problems so far.

That's not a good descripsion, I can't hear mine with the radio on either, but it chatters like a bitch.

I'll try to get a video of it this week. The exhaust is louder than the chatter at idle both inside and outside the car.

[dougyfresh]

I might mess with different setups when the engine is broken in. First I need to figure out why it is randomly stalling when I'm getting ready to stop.

OEM cam gear right?

stalls when the car is cold or both cold and hot?

Like Chris said, the ECU has to adapt. Should get better but only time will tell.

I know why mine kept stalling out. That is all fixed now with the custom tune and OEM cam gear. The REVO file can't compensate enough for it. That's why Chris has hot start problems too. There's a few maps that need to be tweaked. We just did all that on my car.

[absolutegtr]

Love the setup.....3076, right?

In the second pic of the Intake manifold pics...what is it that we are looking at? (What is it that was added to the runners?)

[Condo]

OEM cam gear right?

stalls when the car is cold or both cold and hot?

Like Chris said, the ECU has to adapt. Should get better but only time will tell.

I know why mine kept stalling out. That is all fixed now with the custom tune and OEM cam gear.

Yeah, OEM cam gear. Idle is usually good as well but has a few hiccups every once in a while.

Why was your car stalling?

[Condo]

Love the setup.....3076, right?

In the second pic of the Intake manifold pics...what is it that we are looking at? (What is it that was added to the runners?)

Correct.... 3076

The stock plenum was cut off and a 1/4" sheet of aluminum was welded in. The stock ports were blended with the ports in the aluminum sheet to give them more depth.

[LampyB]

dear lord those are some huge parts in your engine. looking really good man, congrats to being back on the road!

[A4natomical]

sweet deal.

most of my gear is at the machine shop as well. bored, honed, balanced (clutch/flywheel)
waiting for the aeb head (thanks doug) to arrive and off to the shop she goes as well.

im gonna try the fx300. thats all i need.

[diagnosticator]

Nice! Glad shes back in one piece and running again! Might want to try losing that TIP and running open turbo!

Open turbo? As in driving without a functional air filter installed? You must be joking, right?

[dougyfresh]

Yeah, OEM cam gear. Idle is usually good as well but has a few hiccups every once in a while.

Why was your car stalling?

I had the adjustable cam gear in and it was advanced providing timing advance at idle which the ECU didn't like. Car would stall when cold and it idled 'ok' once warm but still not perfect. One reason why we went back to an OEM cam gear and are taking up the timing advance via the ECU.

[absolutegtr]

Open turbo? As in driving without a functional air filter installed? You must be joking, right?

sure he means with some chicken wire strapped in place....

[A4 TSCHUSS]

My car has never stalled once and I have cams while running the revo software.

[dirtybrd]

He means no TIP but an open element.

[dirtybrd]

My car has never stalled once and I have cams while running the revo software.

You have girl cams.

[A4 TSCHUSS]

your mother has girl cams! Mine are 252/260 that isnt that much different

[Condo]

dear lord those are some huge parts in your engine. looking really good man, congrats to being back on the road!

Thanks! Feels great to have my car back.

sweet deal.

most of my gear is at the machine shop as well. bored, honed, balanced (clutch/flywheel)
waiting for the aeb head (thanks doug) to arrive and off to the shop she goes as well.

im gonna try the fx300. thats all i need.

Sounds good. The AEB head should make a big difference. How soon do you think you'll have everything together?

I had the adjustable cam gear in and it was advanced providing timing advance at idle which the ECU didn't like. Car would stall when cold and it idled 'ok' once warm but still not perfect. One reason why we went back to an OEM cam gear and are taking up the timing advance via the ECU.

My car has never stalled once and I have cams while running the revo software.

I'm pretty sure mine has something to do with the Tial BOV.

[dirtybrd]

Are you running a MAF? Disconnect the signal line to the BOV and see if it stops stalling.

[B6Lovin]

Try doing a TBA to see if it helps the stalling and idle - also check my thread about my problems and see if any of that helps.

[AudiA4_20T]

Thanks!



It seemed like forever. It was supposed to be done in two weeks for the last two months. Kept hitting delays. How soon will your car be ready?

It's running really strong right now. Can't wait to turn up the boost. I'm looking at a few different options for a tune and should have it figured out early next year.

God knows how long... I have a little trick up my sleeve and im the prototype for a new part coming for us bB6ers... nothing special but helpful for the BAT crowd ... its just $$ holding me back at this point but im working on it

[dirtybrd]

BTW, Revo is coming out with an updated 550 file and something for us BAT guys.

[Condo]

Are you running a MAF? Disconnect the signal line to the BOV and see if it stops stalling.

Still running the MAF. I was thinking that it may run better without it.

Try doing a TBA to see if it helps the stalling and idle - also check my thread about my problems and see if any of that helps.

That's another problem. I can't do a TBA in Vagcom. I get an error every time. It reads the throttle angles correct though.

[dirtybrd]

Is you have a BOV issue, like it opening at idle, and a MAF it'll stall.

[Carlitos]

BTW, Revo is coming out with an updated 550 file and something for us BAT guys.

when is this update be out? I haven't flashed my ECU w/REVO yet... might wait for this...

sry for threadjack///

back2topic -->

[FourRings80]

Great news John! Glad you have your car back. When I saw the thread title I was scared a little.... was under the impression your car was infected or ill



Looking foward the see your impressions when you start pushing the car more.

[A4natomical]

BTW, Revo is coming out with an updated 550 file and something for us BAT guys.

good to know. hopefully by the time my setup is nearing its completion it'll be out!

[dougyfresh]

BTW, Revo is coming out with an updated 550 file and something for us BAT guys.

good luck getting that one. you'll be waiting for quite a while..