[NitroNick]

It's been two weeks! any update? :-)

[Shaunee]

Christ..... you're impatient!  

 

Yes... a shedload of day time work that pays the bills, with a long weekend away in between to the south of Spain.  

 

I'm waiting to get my mitts on a new box of tricks and then I'll be back on it.  

[micloi]

Fair enough, we will reluctantly wait another 48 hours

[booker]

Christ..... you're impatient!

 

Yes... a shedload of day time work that pays the bills, with a long weekend away in between to the south of Spain.

 

I'm waiting to get my mitts on a new box of tricks and then I'll be back on it.

 

It's your fault Shaunee, you've created a level of expectation

[Tommyk]

Sorry it may be somewhere in this thread but I couldn't see it if it was. What was the standard 0 - 60 time before the stage 1 map from your VBOX?

Cheers

[terminator x]

Standard car is <4s to 60mph.

 

TX.

[Shaunee]

Sorry it may be somewhere in this thread but I couldn't see it if it was. What was the standard 0 - 60 time before the stage 1 map from your VBOX?

Cheers

 

Unfortunately I didn't VBOX stock, but as TX has said, you're going to be talking sub 4s. 

[Shaunee]

It's your fault Shaunee, you've created a level of expectation

 

After some further conversations this week it looks like the "new box of tricks" is around 4 weeks away from me being able to get hold of.

 

All things considered I doubt much more will be forthcoming in the way of updates until after xmas now.  

 

As soon as I have anything worth while sharing, I will of course do so.

[Shaunee]

Dogbone Insert and Exhaust Valve Mods

Whilst this isn’t anything earth shattering, last week I made some further mods to the RS3.

 

Let’s be honest, it’s probably time for a bit more rice anyway!

 

034Motorsport Billet Dogbone Mount Insert

Quite a few people have fitted one of these and some say it’s a “must have” mod on the 8V RS3.  Like most things available in the tuning world, I was quite sceptical, but for the sake of £45 I thought I’d give it a punt.

 

The idea behind this insert is that it stiffens the mounting off the bottom of the gearbox (and engine) with the front subframe.

 

The marketed benefits of this state it will make gear shifting crisper, reduce wheel hop / axle tramp on launches and provide a more connected driving experience.  All sounds very good in black and white terms! Let’s see what it really does….

 

These do look a really nice quality item, and for something so simple to look at, you’d be forgiven for thinking how can this actually do anything worthwhile.

 

 

 

It states in the fitting instructions sheet that it takes between 30-45 mins to fit.  More like 10 mins! It really is easy and quick.

 

This is the mount that we need to put this new insert into.  

 

 

All you do is unscrew the bolt, push the insert in and screw the bolt back in.  It’s really just that!

 

We put some grease around it, copper slipped the bolt and marked the bolt against the insert (just so we can see if the bolt moves due to vibration).  You don’t need to do any of this though.

 

 

Simple!

 

Exhaust Valve Mod

The next mod that I’ve been threatening to do for ages is to remove the valves on the exhaust backbox so they stay open all the time.

 

Since the valves on the RS3 open and close dependant upon gear and revs, maybe even throttle position with revs (as well as the obvious drive mode select) and certainly with cold start, I wanted to see what it was like with the valves effectively jammed open…. All the time!

 

The easiest way to do this is to start the car up and ensure the valves are open, then pull the plug on each of the valves.  This way they will remain open regardless of what the ECU thinks it’s doing to control them.  This will throw a code with VCDS but it doesn’t cause any issue.

 

I did try pulling the valves off whilst on my back without the car being up in the air….. It was more or less impossible for me to get my arms and hands around that space.  Your mileage may vary though.

 

Much easier to do it on a ramp to be honest…… it takes seconds to unplug.

 

The valves are literally on top of each exit pipe from the backbox.

 

 

 

Instead of just leaving the plugs dangling and to protect them, you really need to tie them out of the way and ensure the loom ends are covered.  We just zipped tied them up and covered the ends with a finger from a latex glove.

 

 

So…. what’s the difference?

I’m not entirely convinced this isn’t the full “placebo”, but the front end of the RS3 does feel a bit more solid.  Not like earth shatteringly different, but certainly different.

 

I haven’t felt any compliance issues yet, but….. I have a resonance issue when in Sports gearbox mode at idle.  I’ve always had a slight rattle in headlining where the pano roof controls are.  Only ever evident with music on and shedload of bass. In Sports gearbox mode now on idle, I now hear a vibration in this same area.  Never had that before and if I drop it to Dynamic gearbox mode at idle (revs drop) and the noise goes.  I doubt if the exhaust valve mod has caused this, as it shouldn’t make any difference at idle.

 

I haven’t done a launch yet so I’m not sure if it’s helped with my wheel hop issues.

 

Can’t say I feel any difference with gear shifting if I’m being honest.  My car always felt tight on shifts.

 

The exhaust…….

 

Mmmmm….. It’s pretty anti social now! lol

 

You’ll either love it or hate it with the valves open all the time….. For the time being I’m loving it.

 

One downside is a drone on cruise, which it didn’t have before as the valves would normally close at this point.

 

Just see these mods a stocking filler for xmas!!!

Edited by Shaunee, 13 December 2016 - 08:39 PM.

[monopole]

cheers for that Shaun

 

I've still to do the Dogbone on mine, been in my ruck sack since September   - get round to it one day.

 

I've think I've become accustomed to the valves being disconnected, been around 9 months or so, seriously thinking about decats next time i'm up with MRC. Probably get them to bang the Dogbone on too, I'm pretty lazeeee All done before April and SP

[Fivepotfan]

Great write up and supporting pics for these little 'extra' mods.

I drove Steve's car with the exhaust valves disconnected and discovered that I am in fact an old git!    It was just too much drone for me when not hooning it about. The answer for me would be a switch that fully opens of closes it off (not just part throttle as per the standard set up).

Edited by Fivepotfan, 13 December 2016 - 08:19 PM.

[Shaunee]

Steve,

It you're still on stock secondary cats, then you best prepare yourself then! The noise with your valves open all the time will be quite different!

 

Brian,

It is quite brutal with the valves open all the time..... even more so with the secondary decats as well! lol

 

One other thing I forgot to mention is that it bangs quite loudly now when the car downshifts at 2k in Sports gearbox mode (with the valves now permanently open).

 

It is quite chav! lol

[Shaunee]

 

Just a little demo of how it now sounds on cold start.

[D19NL B]

Haha Shaun you chav

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[Shaunee]

Guilty as charged! lol


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[Fivepotfan]

Forgot you had secondary decats.......... wow that gonna be a headache for normal driving.

Ok for showing off at shows and sprints though   

[Shaunee]

Forgot you had secondary decats.......... wow that gonna be a headache for normal driving.

Ok for showing off at shows and sprints though 

 

It's fine..... the other half will be getting me a few new baseball caps for xmas.  I've also adjusted the drivers seat for that "full lean on" look!

[mfurse]

Is it ok to reuse the bolt for the dogbone? Did you use a torque wrench?


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[Shaunee]

Is it ok to reuse the bolt for the dogbone? Did you use a torque wrench?


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Yes... the insert assumes you'll be using the stock bolt.

 

Yes... torqued the nut up, but I can't remember the amount.  It's stated in the fitting instructions.

[terminator x]

I have the decats and it is much noisier generally although still quieter between idle and 3k. Open valves must be mental as just the decats is nuts. Dropped a gear under a bridge today and was made deaf for half a minute!

TX.

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