engine and drivetrain the path to more horsepower... (long)

[dubois]

Sometimes I really wonder about all the mods and horsepower claims etc.

Here is a story of my journey:

Started about a month ago, the starter just quit. Thanks to Steve K, I was able to push start the car and make it home. Car sat for a week.

To get to the starter I had to remove the A4 airbox. First thing I noticed, the bellows were all cracked. So I decided to remove the airbox and replace it with individual foam filters. As soon as I did that I noticed the engine ground that attaches to the same bracket as the airbox, was totally loose!

I found a better place for the ground cable and magically the starter started working!

This got me thinking, if the started couldn't even work, what about the rest of the electrical system, especially the iginition components, coil, MDS,etc

So I thought, maybe I should look at the plugs.

Removed the plugs and realized the engine was running rich!

Maybe while I am at it, I should check the compression, since the plugs are already out.

Well, I really should adjust the valves before I do that. (only one was too tight)

Ok, time to increase the gap to .045 with new plugs. Lean the mixture and advance the timing. Now the blowby hose is not going back in the engine, time to route it to outside and get a little filter for it.

Maybe it is winter time and the air is colder, or maybe it is my imagination, but the car is running way better. Money and time spent on getting at least 5 hp: negligible. Sometimes it is the little things...

[JsnPpp]

Nice ending to the story - I really need to adjust my valves too - haven't done this in a LOOOONG time...

Engine looks good - do you hear more engine vroom without the airbox?

Jason

[pichos1]

Hello Michael,

Very interesting. Those foam air filters look very much like the ones that I put on the touring 2 years ago.

Lately the Touring has been starting with difficulty, sort of like starving for fuel. Have you ever had that problem with the A4 set up?

I hope that everything is well for you.

Regards

Jan

PS: Jason hope that things are good for you aswell. Best wishes.

[BillWilliams]

a sound that is so cool. Hammering sound is awesome.

[oh2fly]

Nice socks! Where did you get them? I am thinking I will run mine like that rather than running the airbox hose across the warm engine. That always bothered me.

[pichos1]

If I'm not wrtong theyt look like the ones that I have on my touring. I bought mine at a motorcycle shop. The brand that I had bought is UNI I believe, I can check later tonight.

Regards

Jan

[BarryA]

Nice ending to the story - I really need to adjust my valves too - haven't done this in a LOOOONG time...

Jason

'02 or the E21 were idling properly - adjusted the valves on both, and both went back to idling normally. It's so easy let the little maintanence stuff slide...........

[_z_]

ya its like the frog in the pot on the stove slowly heating .. you don't notice the car slowly going out of tune till you go through and give it the total tune up. Then you suddenly notice the difference!!

[dubois]

I think they are $90 for the set, a bit pricey but they fit. The car is definetly louder. They let me try their two sizes. They are tricky to mount, but once they are on they are on.