Stg 2 pulley install.

[GWS42013]

Hi guys, hope you are all well. Im new to the forum but Im the proud South African owner of a 2013/4 B8.5 S4 in Glacier White.Quick question to the masters in 'know how'.. How long does it take to install a stg 2 pulley from start to finish on a B8.5 S4?

My car has 33k kms or 21k miles as some call it, and I want to pull the trigger on MRC stg2. Got a quote from a local dealer so I want to get your input on the deal...

Everyones input is appreciated.

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[14S4GWM]

Whats your deal?

[cjw]

3.5 hours labor is the norm. Some might charge 3, some 4. The pulley swap isn't that time consuming, but you have to take into account heating the pulley for over an hour and then also flashing the software and buttoning everything back up.

I took my time and I think it took me about 3 hours.

[bayonet14]

If you never did any DIY - like when I did my 1st pully install on my B7 - 5hrs by myself in the garage / no jack stands / while baking the pulley in my wife's toaster oven

She freaked when she saw what I had in her toaster oven & smell - then freaked again w/the front of the car disassembled and radiator pulled forward

[GWS42013]

Im being quoted 6hrs labour for the pulley install alone by a local tuner...that excluding the SW and dyno time that needs to be alocated or booked....Does it sound suspect or not.... The tuners says he has done a few B8 and 8.5's...

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[cjw]

I did it myself in about 3-1/2 taking my time + having a beer so 6 hours is a bit much especially if there is more time added for flashing the software.

[mintytoo]

Im being quoted 6hrs labour for the pulley install alone by a local tuner...that excluding the SW and dyno time that needs to be alocated or booked....Does it sound suspect or not.... The tuners says he has done a few B8 and 8.5's...

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I'm hoping to diy it this weekend. I don't think it takes that long. Taking off the front bumper is pretty easy since doing the rs4 grill swap, and everything else in the diy guide for replacing the pulley send very simple. You should look at ecs guide on YouTube for pulley swap.

[GWS42013]

Thought so... just had a look at a APR tutorial on Youtube. By the looks of things you are correct wth your 3 hour estimate, and the tuner ahould be able to complete it a bit sooner imo...

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[JD S4]

Im being quoted 6hrs labour for the pulley install alone by a local tuner...that excluding the SW and dyno time that needs to be alocated or booked....Does it sound suspect or not.... The tuners says he has done a few B8 and 8.5's...

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That sounds very high for an experienced mechanic. There is very little Audi specific intellectual property involved in a SC pulley install. You need to put the car into service mode (30-60 minutes) while baking the pulley (60 minutes) and then do the install (15 minutes) and put it all back together (60 minutes).. 3-4 hours max and most shops would make money off that since it likely wouldn't take that.

But.... Doesn't MRC use crank pulleys for their stage 2 instead of Supercharger pulleys? Maybe I'm remembering that wrong.

[mintytoo]

Good point about crank pulley, how long does that take?

[GWS42013]

The quote is the Pulley at R2500 or $174, MRC SW at R5000 or $348 if im correct, labour at $45 an hour x 6 for pulley and extra 2 for SW....crazy...

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[JD S4]

Good point about crank pulley, how long does that take?

Car doesn't need to go into service mode - so technically it can be a quicker install. More challenges with belt sizing, etc..

[GWS42013]

The quote is the Pulley at R2500 or $174, MRC SW at R5000 or $348 if im correct, labour at $45 an hour x 6 for pulley and extra 2 for SW....crazy...

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Oh, and no mention whatsoever of crank pulley, only SC pulley...

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[JD S4]

The quote is the Pulley at R2500 or $174, MRC SW at R5000 or $348 if im correct, labour at $45 an hour x 6 for pulley and extra 2 for SW....crazy...

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Wow..
The software takes 30 minutes tops..
Supercharger pulley is 3-4 hours
Crank pulley maybe 3 hours (not sure which pulley MRC uses)


But the fact that mechanics work for $45/hour is cheap by US standards. $100/hour at an independent shop here or $200 at a dealer

[whiped]

I did mine last weekend.

If I had gotten the pulley on the first time it would have taken 3 hours total.

Instead it took me 4 tries to get the pulley on so total time ended up being closer to 5 hours due to letting the pulley warm back up.

If I were to do it again I could probably get it done in 2-3 hours.

[GWS42013]

I dont mind paying for labour, but how do you build a relationship wth a tuner if it they're not straight upfront...

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[GWS42013]

Do you guys have any gripes with MRC, because they info that is available all looks positive about MRC?

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[JD S4]

Do you guys have any gripes with MRC, because they info that is available all looks positive about MRC?

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I think the feedback on them is almost always positive. They don't support cars in the US much - so not common.. They do more business in Europe, Oz and apparently South Africa. They build fast cars!

[whiped]

Do you guys have any gripes with MRC, because they info that is available all looks positive about MRC?

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Not very much experience with MRC has been posted here. They look like a reliable company though.

I reached out to them a few months ago to get information on their pulleys for the life beyond stage II thread but never got a response.

If you could get some data and forward it to me I would appreciate it!

[GWS42013]

I think the feedback on them is almost always positive. They don't support cars in the US much - so not common.. They do more business in Europe, Oz and apparently South Africa. They build fast cars!

Our choices are fairly limited in SA. Reputable companies available are APR,REVO, MRC, STEALTH. So yes, ive done a bit of research and decided MRC. Nearest dealer is a 120mi from where I live, APR / REVO 200mi+, and the feedback localy on the last two tuners aint good for our platform vehicles...

The tuners bomb the ea-888 platforms in the Golf R and S3's, and neglect the rest. I dont know of the rest of you guys, but the S4 is a more mature performance sedan, than a run of mill R or S3... and actually quite unique...

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[oohnoo]

Haha I know that feeling all too well. I make intercoolers for Mitsubishi 3000GT's and sometimes have to anneal the aluminum pipes to bead them. Like you the wife freaked the shit out. I know use the bbq to heat up my pipes which works better anyway as I can fit more pipes in there and it get alot hotter.

If you never did any DIY - like when I did my 1st pully install on my B7 - 5hrs by myself in the garage / no jack stands / while baking the pulley in my wife's toaster oven

She freaked when she saw what I had in her toaster oven & smell - then freaked again w/the front of the car disassembled and radiator pulled forward

[mintytoo]

Just finished a sc pulley install, ~3 hours, 3:15 with software flashing, it was not my first time taking off the bumper. Watching the ecs tuning vid made it simple. A shop with proper tools and experience should not have a problem finishing in less than 3

[grrrrrrr]

Have an appointment for apr stg2 this tues and I'm very excited. They want the car for the whole day. Charging me labor for 3 hrs. I hope I won't be disappointed like apr stg1.

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[Sukks2bu]

My tunner removed the supercharger, removed the stock sc pulley, heated the new one for about 15-20 min, stayed liquid nitrogen or something of the line on the stub to put new pulley on and reinstalled the supercharger, all in less than an hour.ecu tune took about 20 min to install, Then I sat there for three hours waiting for the tcu tune to come down the pipeline that came the next day after I left the dealer.

[neverfastenough]

Im being quoted 6hrs labour for the pulley install alone by a local tuner...that excluding the SW and dyno time that needs to be alocated or booked....Does it sound suspect or not.... The tuners says he has done a few B8 and 8.5's...

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If they're using the Puller used to pull the pulley off on these cars in the service mode then 6 hours is too long. However, if they do not have a puller to fit with the car in the service position then yeah 6 hours no problem.

[Dasaudi mtl]

i've done it my self and I am not a master mechanic took me an hour an half as I've removed the supercharger instead of lousing the front end.

The only problem I had is when I tried to install the pulley it didn't slide all the way thru there was to much paint inside the pulley so I had to remove some paint and put back the pulley into the oven to install it back.

[XxSullyxX123]

i've done it my self and I am not a master mechanic took me an hour an half as I've removed the supercharger instead of lousing the front end.

The only problem I had is when I tried to install the pulley it didn't slide all the way thru there was to much paint inside the pulley so I had to remove some paint and put back the pulley into the oven to install it back.

I've only seen a few people go this route. how easy is it to remove the SC vs. doing it in service mode?

[Dasaudi mtl]

I've only seen a few people go this route. how easy is it to remove the SC vs. doing it in service mode?

IMO very easy to remove and less time consuming vs lousing the front end!

[jmaddr]

IMO very easy to remove and less time consuming vs lousing the front end!

Second. Removing the supercharger was very easy and quick.

[KMoore]

Do you have any info on a DIY for the supercharger removal? I'm thinking of going Stage 2 and would like to save the money of paying someone but the whole front end removal/service mode seems concerning

[mintytoo]

Do you have any info on a DIY for the supercharger removal? I'm thinking of going Stage 2 and would like to save the money of paying someone but the whole front end removal/service mode seems concerning

Check out the ecs video on YouTube, makes it simple to remove pulley.

Edit, sorry, read your post wrong. The ecs is to put into service mode.