So you want to build your engine eh? That world of bigger turbos then the GTRS will be opened and the real fun times will begin. But where do you start? This will be a guide to what you will need from start to finish to have everything done right.
We will start out with the simple qestion, "I want to do rods, where do I start?"
Well, before ordering anything you need to know what type of rods you want. If you want to do just drop in rods with your stock pistons, with the 19mm wristpin (which is less safe than a 20mm wristpin, but can still take a beating), you have...
- Integrated Engineering Rods ($350)
- Pauter Rods ($800)
Now, if your ready to change your pistons out for bigger 20mm wristpin, you have a few more options.
- Carillo ($850-$1500)
- Scat ($350)
- Pauter ($750)
- IE ($330)
- Eurospec ($700)
Now, for those of you that decided to get pistons for this job way to go, you have a few options here as well.
- JE Pistons ($600)
- Mahle ($600)
- Wiseco ($600)
- OEM AEB Pistons (these come out of the 97-2000 A4s and have 20mm wristpins) ($100-$200)
Now, your rods (and pistons possibly) came in the mail and your all happy, however, youll need some more things to complete the transaction.
- rod bearings
- rear seal
- head bolts (or studs depending if you want to step up)
- head gasket
- timing belt kit
- pan sealant
- assembly lube
- pistons with rings or OEM rings if using stock pistons
Cool, your all set. Now, you want to make sure you have the tools for the whole job. Tools you will need are
- Torx Set
- Hex Set
- Metric Socket set
- Torque Wrench
- Ring Compressor
- Ring filers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So F that 1.8T stuff man, your moving on to bigger and better things. You're tired of this 1.8 stuff and your doing something about it. This is when the B5/B6 split becomes more apparent.
We will start off with the difference between the B5 and B6 1.8T engines.
In 1997, Audi introduced the AEB 1.8T, arguably the best 1.8T ever made. It had a free flowing head and strong bottom end (20mm wristpin) with forged internals. In the year 2000 this free flowing head was replaced with a small port head but kept the strong bottom end until it was replaced in 2001 by the weaker bottom end. In 2002, Audi came out with the AMB, basically a different block design altogether but with the same weaker bottom end and small port head.
Earlier Block Model - 058
Later Block Number - 06A
I will be using 058 and 06A a lot so stay focused here.
Now onto actual displacements. Engine builders round up quite often, which you will see here. Things to note here is that the stock bore is 81mm and the stock stroke is 86.4mm
86.4mm stroke = Stock 1.8T Cranks
92.8mm stroke = AEG/ABA Cranks
95.5mm stroke = TDI Crank
81mm bore x 86.4mm stroke = 1781cc
83mm bore x 86.4mm stroke = 1870cc
83.5mm bore x 86.4mm stroke = 1892.7cc
81mm bore x 92.8mm stroke = 1913cc
83mm bore x 92.8mm stroke = 2008cc
83.5mm bore x 92.8mm stroke = 2033cc
83mm bore x 95.5mm stroke = 2066cc
It is possible to do more but if your going that big you need more info then this thread...
Now, for your custom pistons for this job, you have a few options here as well, just make sure you order them in time they usually take a month to make! Also, you can get many different Compression Ratios, I went with a 9:1 but talk to them about what you want, everyone's needs are different.
- JE Pistons
- Supertech
- Wiseco
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have an 058 block, I'm going to assume your doing the bold route (2008cc) because it is easiest. Now, your basically pulling your whole engine apart to do this so it is much more detailed. Basically you just need one more part, the crank, so now you have
- Pistons
- Rods
- Crank (058 guys use the ABA crank for 2.0 builds)
"You will need to shave the walls on the inside of the block to make the 92.8mm crank with Scat rods work. Cyl #1 has to be shaved the most, then shave the inner reinforcement of #3 and the lower reinforcement of #3. No need to shave the wall on 4th cyl wall but the piston will hit the oil squirter. Answer: Run a copper shim to move the squirter up so it'll clear the piston squirt." - Paul@BF
A machined intermediate shaft is needed for everything to fit also. Check Paul's thread for more info (listed at the bottom)
If you have an 06A block, I'm going to assume your doing the bold route (2008cc) because it is easiest (and even easier then 058 guys). Now, your basically pulling your whole engine apart to do this so it is much more detailed. Basically you just need one more part, the crank, so now you have
- Pistons
- Rods
- Crank (06A guys use the AEG crank a crank out of the new 2.0T FSI motors)
Now, because your motor is comming completely apart, you will most likely have more things to replace, keep in mind some of these may not be needed for you and some may be. Its all up to you. I would get some more opinions with your milage and such.
- crank bolt
- main bolts
- main bearings
- rod bearings
- rear seal
- head bolts (or studs depending on what you want to do)
- head gasket
- timing belt kit
- pan sealant
- assembly lube
- oil pump
Now, for the main bearings, there is a big controversy of which color is best. There are colors on the top bearings (the ones that sit on the top of the crank) that determine their crush factor apparently. Anyway, on the bottom of your block it should have letters, 5 of them, in a row. They should tell you what color your bearings are. Keep in mind that the letters are in German. Mine were Red (Rosen in German) so my block looked like this - RRRRR.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok so you've gotten all your parts (although you know youll be at the dealer for those last minute things you break!), good. Now your off to find a machine shop.
WARNING
by this point I would assume that your ready to tear apart your motor. I would get a spare 06A block for myself (they float around Vortex a lot) and build that. My car was down for way too long and it sucked I could have saved myself a lot of trouble by having a spare block!
Ok so for the machine shop, you need to make sure they have done 1.8Ts that work before. Seriously make sure you have talked to someone with a running engine from their shop. Bring at the least your pistons to them, your going to want a
- 83mm Bore/Hone
- Hottank
and you can get whatever other options you want but its all up to you. I got the block decked also and the assembly balanced, but it doesnt matter because I think I mixed up 2 bearings, o well shit happens.
I paid $400 in all (crazy good deal) but the pricing gets way up there depending on the shop/amount of work
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I cant really help you out on this part, it would be the assembly. Make sure if you dont know what your doing that you have someone help you who does or you leave it to professionals. Basically the hardest parts are torquing everything down, ring gapping (I snapped one of my rings in the process

Hope you all enjoyed this thread, let me know if you want to add anything else.
Refrences
http://audizine.com/forum/showthread...=105602&page=3
http://www.ducatitech.com/info/bore.html
Random Vortex 1.8T forum threads
- Clint
Bookmarks