A4 Centaur's Build Thread

[A4 Centaur]

^ I agree!

Was using a cool system with my 1199 Panigale called Rapid Bike and would like to do the same a car. Looking forward to seeing what 034 can come up with. Missing my Avant at the moment:

[bbigskipper]

^Thanks much!

I just bit the bullet and ordered an OEM ECU through the stealership. After begging a discount I was able to get to around $1500 and now I wait to see when the ECU shows up and get the vehicle moved to the shop for re-programming.

I've also decided to go with 034 and their flash loader and the upgraded fuel pump piston. Will look at doing the injectors from the GTI or other VW platform later this year once it cools down a bit I need to get off my ass and do the Snow Kit.

I went back to the Forgestars and am keeping the BBS wheels for the 2022 RS3 I have a deposit on with Jim Ellis Audi in Atlanta. Probably won't see that car for 10 months the way things are going lately. I love this Avant and will keep her for as long as possible.

A4 Centaur,

Did you ask your tuner about re-flashing the tune, before purchasing a replacement ECU?

The reason I ask, I have to get my tune removed every 2 years, for emissions testing - the process goes like this:
- Tuner flashes a "stock K04" tune, to enable O2 sensor, so I can pass emissions.
- Drive 1 tank of gas, then go pass emissions.
- Return to tuner, flashes the K04 "hot" tune again, and I'm done.

This last time, they were unable to flash back to "hot" K04 tune, and I had to return a second day. I believe the tech said I was also receiving the "implausible data from ECU" code. Tech discussed with APR who suggested they flash my car back to a fully "OEM stock" program, and then apply the K04 program, in 2 steps. That seemed to work.

My car remained driveable with no issues during this period. Not sure if your situation was similar.

I can only speculate, but I think something happened to my ECU when my battery suddenly died one day, and my car's electronics went haywire when the starter was BARELY able to start the car. Ever since that time, I was unable to clear my service reminder that pops up every 3-5K miles, and i've been dealing with "Service Due!" on my screen for almost years. It's fixed now!

[A4 Centaur]

^ That is a remarkably similar issue!

Very interesting situation and I would love to be able to attempt that remediation work, except my car now is sitting at the dealership awaiting the next phase of mechanics standing around and diagnosing or troubleshooting.

I also have to get the tune removed and then re-installed here as well every two years. But looks like the days of me paying $50 for this are over. I am going to go with the tune from 034 and wait for a K04 file to be released. What does seem weird is the 034 Tune when comparing the graphs, seems to be a bit weaker than the APR, but I did upgrade to the 034 fuel piston, again don't know if that does anything either.

I also couldn't drive the car as she began acting up and since it's friggen too hot to monkey around in the sun here, I just figured I would run the VAG COM scan and take a chance it was the fuel pump or some other problem on that circuit.

Another bizarre thing was my 2 year old Yellow Top battery also died, and then the replacement also was found defective at the indy shop she went to first last week. They tried to charge it and no bueno, replaced under warranty this week before being towed to the Audi dealership.

[Rewagon]

Just have to say, wow! Read the whole thread and really appreciate all the experience, details, and dedication! Beautiful car and impressed with all your hard effort making it into something special. Congrats on everything you’ve done. Looking forward to seeing what comes next.


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[A4 Centaur]

^
Car is running great and temps are coming down in the valley now. IE Tune hits really had but appears to make a bit less of overall HP than APR's. Happy with the smoothness and delivery of the IE Tune. Basically, having the ability to load and remove your own tune is way better than being tied to a company and their satellite vendors. Been doing this with my Ducati for a few years now so it's good to finally get with the program.

Thank you, I still am eyeing a few more mods. One I would really like to do is another engine swap with forged internals and fresh valve springs etc. Will have a house soon that is large enough to support this kind of work so I will begin to look for a CPMB donor later this winter.

But the big one will hopefully be the 6MT swap which according to prices on eBay have come down to point where this looks like a project that is much more financially possible. Having a big garage will open up the possibilities for sure.

[A4 Centaur]

Ok, been a long time since posting! Picked up a 2023 S4 Prestige in June of last year and have been driving the her mainly as I needed to get the rear suspension updated on the Avant.

Finally got the parts together and had them installed here in Scottsdale. With the Powerflex bushing kits for the rear suspension: https://www.powerflexusa.com/shop/ca...2008-2015-1752

Getting ready to do the timing chains and tensioners again at 194K and was wondering if anyone has bought the newest timing chain kits from the dealership or FCP Euro?

Reason I am asking is it appears that the chains and tensioners are on a new revision based on what I have seem with the guy from Naptown Tuner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzfs_0QQza8

Here is the BBK I picked up for the S4:

[19birel]

S4 looks gorgeous! Glad to see the Avant is still around as well, for 194k she's aged quite gracefully

[A4 Centaur]

Ok, it's been a few years since the engine was swapped out for a 2014 CPMB. I roughly have around 70K of hard miles on the re-built engine which had 34k? on before the transplant into the Avant. Prestige in Lakewood had given her new timing chains and tensioners and pulled over the items from the outgoing engine.

Here we are getting her ready for another few years of action:



I have a lot of oil on the engine and subframe from a leaking cam cover and I'll have to address the filth and grime once I get her buttoned back up.



JL wanted to see the cam bridge and screen and boy what a lucky day for me:



Found the complete other half in the oil passage!



Needless to say the new cam bridge will not have a screen in her

[19birel]

What was you cam phase sitting at before doing the chains this time around?

If theres one thing you can count on with these engines, it's the cam bridge screen leaving the chat haha It's a relief being able to find the thing when u have it apart haha

[A4 Centaur]

^ I was too lazy to check with VAGCOM this time around. However, my read comparing the chains side by side shows very little stretch. Looks like it was mostly the tensioners that were worn out.

And yes, that stupid little screen which was the absolute best thing to discover in this project.

[A4 Centaur]

Well, started getting ready to button her back up after completing the timing chains and discovered my oil drain plug was welded to the oil pan! Got a new pan from FCP Euro and I was all set!



FYI: Doing an oil pan means you need to raise the engine just a bit to work loose 6 or so very difficultly located bolts. The engine lift from Home Depot was only $60 or so:



Got the new Cam Position Sensor on there after breaking the old one and she was ready to go!



Took for a shakedown cruise around town and then a long drive for a few hundred miles in the 109 Degree Arizona heat. She performed flawlessly!



The big take away and lessons learned from this work is that I had so many plastic clips and other things fail, it seemed like I was at the dealership everyday for another part. It's hard to predict but I would get all the fender liner clips, all the screws for the lower sound pan, and upper radiator mount. Screws for the headlight mounts were all corroded.

Lot's of broken ABS plastic parts like the headlight brackets, did a heck of a lot of de-greasing the engine and transmission area where oil had covered it from leaks up top on the cam cover or front engine cover seal? Probably would have spent time pressure washing her and de-greasing her before pulling her in the garage.

The radiator was power washed for over an hour to get the sand and dirt out of the fins. The evaporator clips are really fragile so you have to improvise screw mounts.

I didn't do the PVC or do engine mounts but might do them soon for peace of mind.

[shreddykrueger]

you'd never think it was a 12y/o car, nice work dude!

[A4 Centaur]

^ Thanks much! I'm also in the process of "freshening up the seats" soon as well as seeing if the shop can also sew steering wheels with that crazy french braid or whatever its called.

I found some Alacantara 9002 from Italy and I'm hoping to get a shop to do that work soon.

[A4 Centaur]

Well, all good projects and work must eventually close out and the torch is passed to another enthusiast in Colorado where this Avant was originally delivered in January 2012:



She is going up to the 303 Area Code and the new owner is a big Audi fan so I am pretty happy for him!

[19birel]

Sad to see the old girl go, but awesome it's going to an enthusiast!

Does the B9.5 have a build thread of its own?

[A4 Centaur]

^ Yea, I have one on the B9 S4 forum but haven't done anything except the tune, heat blanket, FMIC and Brembo BBK.

I have so many things going on with motorcycles I just haven't had time to focus on the S4 really. APR has a great sale on the DTR8868 but again I am wrapped up with my newest Ducati 950 SP.

[19birel]

^ Yea, I have one on the B9 S4 forum but haven't done anything except the tune, heat blanket, FMIC and Brembo BBK.

I have so many things going on with motorcycles I just haven't had time to focus on the S4 really. APR has a great sale on the DTR8868 but again I am wrapped up with my newest Ducati 950 SP.

That's fair, bikes are a whole lot faster than the cars anyways, especially when you're approaching 1litre

FWIW, I have an APR DTR on my GTI and even with a conservative tune I'm very impressed by it, if you decide to go that route on the S4 I'm sure their offering for the 3.0T will impress just as much! Not to mention FCP Euro carries them so you get that nice lifetime warranty.