Jibberjive's RS6 Build Log

8 minute(s) of a 96 minute read

Most definitely a die-hard DIY person (my field is engineering.) A main motivating factor of me even starting this project was for the DIY aspect of building a fast car, learning a lot on the way, and doing so the least expensive way possible. I basically outfitted an entire garage with a lift, tools, toolbox, workbench, engine hoist, etc for a good amount less than it would have cost to pay someone legit who knows these cars well to do it for me. And I planned the effort, experience, and tools invested into this project to enable me to do whatever future maintenance necessary for this car like it's cakewalk (since it's a highly modified car, so I'm also saving that tons of money in the future from this experience.) I now know this car inside and out. And by this DIY route, I KNOW everything is put together right. I hate paying for something and not being satisfied, so I'd rather save my money and do it right myself (I'm sure almost no shop would give the car the attention that I have lol.) The general car knowledge/experience gained from this project will help me with whatever future maintenance/modifications I do on whatever other cars I will have in the future as well. I'd much rather invest money into tools rather than labor, and invest my own time into making my personal skills better. I plan on this being a life-long passion:)

However, for other car areas like bodywork and paint, for example, I've weighed it out and I won't make enough use of the necessary skills/equipment required to do a quality job to justify the cost and investment (time and effort.) I'll be happy to pay the skilled craftsman for big bodywork stuff throughout my life ha. I'm debating on the fabrication side of stuff though. I've got tools at my disposal currently, but it takes so much effort and time to acquire the artist-like skills to do quality fabrication. Not to let some future thoughts out of the bag, but with the tools at my garage and stuff, you might see a sub $8k big single turbo 6-speed 2.7 widebody C5 A6 as a daily driver for me ha. Something I definitely couldn't do if I didn't have the tools/experience from this project.

And just to shed a little more light on the money and time aspect, the car is completely paid off, and I have another car that I love as a daily driver, so it's not costing me any money or comfort to take as long as I as I want on the project (though I'm jonesing hard core for some speed!!!!!!!exclamationpoint!!!)

2/3/2011

Update, my daily driver is being sold on Sunday, so this project just got pulled off the backburner and thrust into the fire! Also, you'll likely be soon seeing some R&D and product development that will benefit the rest of the B5 S4 community, if I decide to make more than 1. I'll update again after Sunday when the car is actually gone and I'm driving a beat-to-crap 97' F150 singlecab that has a driver's door that doesn't close all of the way (someone backed up Tommy Boy style at a gas pump). Nothing like driving a crappy car to motivate you to quickly finish your nice car ha.

2/12/2011

So this was my last view of my beloved A4 USP. Hopefully the new owner will love her as much as I.


And this is the lovely Romco Roofing truck that I get to rock for the next little while

Notice the driver's door that doesn't close and the duct taped rear view glass

So just thinking out loud here, because I like it in other people's build logs when they talk about their current research. So I've been finalizing my fueling design over the past couple of nights. Since I've got two local E85 stations around me, I'm planning building up the fuel system to be killer and upgradeable for if I ever get crazy with it in the future and swap in huge turbos, or in case I throw a 150 shot in there.

So after doing a bunch of research, there are two setups I'm debating between. I'm running a surge tank and new lines no matter what (though I would have stuck with stock lines for my setup if I hadn't planned on running E85.)

1. Dual Walbro 255lph in the surge tank, and one 255lph in the tank as a primer pump.
Pros- quiter, don't heat up much, cheaper (but not much)
Cons- more complex fuel line plumbing and electronics wiring, if one (or two) pumps fail, the motor can go lean and damage itself, walbro doesn't warranty the pumps (they charge $40 to look at it, and if it is indeed defective they'll refund it.)

**-side note, I considered the same setup as above, but with twin Bosch 044's, but I chose against them for a couple of reasons: they would be more expensive than the proposed setup below, they will way overflow what I'll need with my current setup (heating up the fuel more than necessary) and I don't want to deal with running a hobbs switch or anything to them. Bosch only rates those pumps for 500hrs for E85 as well.

2. Run a single Magnafuel MP-4302 ( http://www.magnafuel.com/products/efi/pumps/MP-4301.htm )


These are rated to run like 1000hp+ on gas, so like 700+ on E85 (I read about a bunch of people that were running those levels+ at the wheels). This pro tuner series is made to be able to run on the street and doesn't require an external controller. Also, this pump is the smallest of the series, but it's easily rebuild-able to the 2000hp+ verison, for relatively cheaply. Also, supposedly these type of pumps provide enough suction that I won't need a smaller primer pump in the normal tank. With a single pump, if it fails, it fails, so I don't have to worry about running my motor with a lean condition for an extended period of time like I would with multiple pumps.
Pros- Simpler wiring and plumbing with only one pump, upgradable and futureproof, while closely fitting what I might need soon, rebuildable
Cons- Louder (but it'lll be enclosed and sound deadened,), get's hotter (but I'll be ruining huge lines, and flowing alot of E85 to abate heat-related issues), and is a little more expensive

So those are what I'm deciding between, but I'm leaning towards the single Magnafuel just for simplicity and it's easiest to futureproof with the least compromises now.

It seems the Fuelab pumps have a horrible track record for failure, but the Magnafuel's record is alot better.


Other another note, I'm just ordering piston rings to get the rotating assembly balanced, and just figuring out some hardware to build my stock set of 2.8 heads (I sold the built ones a ways back).

2/19/2011

Got a package today

I sold my other heads that were already built, so I'm in the process of building a different set of 2.8 heads that I have. Tomorrow I'm going to pull the rotating assembly out of the block, and as soon as my piston rings come in, it's off to get balanced.

2/23/2011

And these came in, so I'm hoping to get some motor stuff going this weekend.

Got some 80mm TB's for the car as well for when the time comes.