S4 FAQ
 

Ok, so I've been on this board for about 7 months now.

It seams like we get the same exact questions all the time. Can we sticky this?
Feel free to add your thoughts!

How long will my turbos last.
Till they blow. There is no way to tell. Boost leaks, long oil change intervals, bad DV's, lots of short trips, getting to the boost when cold, will all help kill em.

Can I use a BOV/ what DV's are the best
Yes, you can use a BOV, the car will run like SH!T, & you will get a CEL. Bosh 710n's are the best stock replacement, any other rebuildable DV's are good also.

What's a TBB
Throttle body boot, it's weak, and like to tear, causing an boost leak, will help kill turbos', there cheap & easy to replace. APR Bi-pipe will fix the problem permanently.

What intake is the best for the S4
Darintake, holes in the bottom of the air box, work the best, panel filters don't hurt, K&n's oil can kill MAF's, so use ITG, type. AWE's S-flow is ok, but don't add much for the $$
Open elements filters are dumb, unless you have a heat shield.

Is this is a good deal
If you are happy with it, then it's a great deal. All cars have different prices, just cuz I paid more of less is not a reflection of your car.

What breaks on the S4
TBB tear, DV's go out, some sensors are flakey (Bosh MAF), seat bushings wear out ($5), tie rods ends are weak. There pretty solid cars, you just need to take care of them.

What chip to get
What ever one you want! It's best to pick one up locally, so you don't have to send the ECU out. There all about $500. GIAC, APR, MTM are the most popular.

Are these cars expensive
Yes, parts are not cheap! Things will break! Timing belt is a $1000 job & needs to be done before 100,000mi. Turbo replacement is expensive due to having to pull the motor to change the turbo's. Just about every part will cost $100. If you can't afford to drop $1000 at any time on the car, walk away, or learn to wrench.

How much is insurance
More then your Mom's Honda. It's a Twin Turbo V6, you do the math. Prices are all relative to location, age, driving record. CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMANY!

Where can I find S4's for sale
Here, Audiworld, Audizine, Autotrader, local paper, eBay, craigslist. DO YOUR OWN SEARCH! If you find a car that isn't local, ask some one who is local on the board to check it out.
It's not our job to find you a car, unless you are offering money to do so.

Are Audi's hard to work on.
YES, cramped engine bay, lots of electronics, lots of one use items (clamps).

Where can I buy parts?
Dealer, ECS, PureMS,

Where to buy Mods?
AWE, ASP, MTM, APR,

What's the best mods?
Chip, best bang for the buck! (yes you should change your DV's & make sure you have no boost leaks). Next would be a Cat back, there super easy to install, and give real gains, they also help the turbo spool faster. Darintake, it's FREE!, Downpipes, piggies are cheap (gutted stock DP's) but do not flow as much as aftermarket ones. YES< they are expensive, but worth it if you want the power & fast spooling turbo's. Yes, you can JUST put on K04's. But if want max HP, you need the whole thing, fueling, intake, IC's, turbo back exhaust. Everything must work from air filter, to the tip of the exhaust.

What's a VAG-Com
It's a really cool tool that anyone who wants to work on their car should have! Dealer wants $100 to check codes, most Auto parts stores will check them for free.
http://www.ross-tech.com/

Audi maintaince
http://www.bentleypublishers.com/tech/audi/

Codes
http://www.bentleypublishers.com/tec....dtc.table.htm

More reference
http://www.audisport-iberica.com/ftp...t-buyguide.pdf
http://homepage.mac.com/edyjun1/S4/index.htm
http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/945342.phtml
http://forums.audiworld.com/s4/msgs/1559248.phtml
http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/ca...egoryName=audi

Audi manuals, of all types, even radio
http://www.audi.ddsltd.com/



More links thanks to S4 freak
So i've noticed alot of people looking for websites for general parts or tech or upgrades. So here's a list of websites I've compiled so everyone doesn't ask every ten minutes where we can find the parts! Feel free to add more:
http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2.html
http://ecstuning.com/
http://www.awe-tuning.com/
http://www.audiworld.com/
http://rapidparts.com/
http://www.ross-tech.com/
http://www.bentleypublishers.com/tec....dtc.table.htm
http://www.vastperformance.com/
http://www.goapr.com/
http://www.tap1.com/catalog/
http://purems.com/
http://avalonmotorsports.com/
http://www.mtm-online.de/en/
http://www.audidiy.com/
http://www.blauparts.com/index.html
http://autospeed.com/
http://audipages.com/
http://www.steve-hall.com/cgi-bin/VAG-Locator.pl
http://audizine.com/
http://anchormotorsport.com/
http://LLtek.com/

RE: S4 FAQ
 

looks good to me, i approve. maybe it will stop all the noobies from asking these questions over and over and we can get back to talking about the finer things in life, like women and our cars

RE: S4 FAQ
 

2k s4, i am insulted, you didnt put me down as a place to buy parts and mods. but other than that i think this is a good sticky.;) i just started to respond to tech questions and i can honestly say im sick of hearing when my turbo's will die. also change the timing belt service to every 60k, they have broken even earlier than that.

RE: S4 FAQ
 

I was alraedy thinking sticky as i read the first sentence..

Ye ask an ye shall recieve..


Now... GET TO DA CHOPPA!!!!

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Didn't know you sold parts! Do you have a URL to add? Company name? I just put what was on top of my head down.

The timing belt.
Well, some say 60mi is over kill, some say 100kmi is to far. From my limited experience with the 2.7t, it seams to me that 70-80kmi is about the sweet spot.


Guys feel free to add your own comments, or expand on mine, lets get a good knowledge base going.

RE: S4 FAQ
 

no url yet, just got some guys to actually get started on the website this weekend but as always pm me with what you need. as far as timing belt kits go i cant beat ecs price by alot so its not really worth to compete, they buy a ton of those things at once. that seems to be the only thing they get cheaper than me though.

RE: S4 FAQ
 

great job 2k... i've noticed a reduction in non-logical questions from people with a post count below 2

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Good post; a lot of questions I had have been answered here. For a person who is a COMPLETE noob in the audi world, this will hopefully allow me to avoid flames and trolls when I post questions.

Thank you 2K S4.

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Great sticky/tool..

RE: S4 FAQ
 

TheGhost,
Its all about power to weight ratio..2000-2002(B5-S4) : 3812lbs.(gestimates)




Standard Engine
2.7L 250 hp V6


Horsepower
250 @ 5800 RPM


Torque (lb-ft)
258 @ 1850 RPM








S4-N/A V8(2004-present) = 3825lbs.(gestimates)



Standard Engine
4.2L 340 hp V8


Horsepower
340 @ 7000 RPM


Torque (lb-ft)
302 @ 3500 RPM

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Would someone mind adding a link to the Darintake thread? I've done some searching and can't find anything really specific except for this: https://www.audiforums.com/m_134478/tm.htmwhich doesn't have any discussion around it.

***EDIT***
Found another thread where to3o provided some links for someone asking about it.

RE: S4 FAQ
 

All the websites compiled so far audi related, Good for Parts, Tech, Forums, Perfomance and so on...
https://www.audiforums.com/m_651974/tm.htm

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Hey everyone. As cliche as I know it sounds, I'm new here and I have a question. And I'm sure it's been asked and answered ad nauseam in other forums, but gimme a break - I have terrible ADD and after reading about three or four lines of anything, I just want to turn my computer off and go play video games. So I would sincerely appreciate it if someone could explain the difference between the 2000/2001 cars and the 2001.5/2002 cars. My Porsche just died and I've decided on an S4, but I just want to be certain I'm getting the right one. Again, any help will be greatly appreciated and I thank everyone in advance.

-Stephen

RE: S4 FAQ
 

If you can pick out a 2001.5 or newer. In short 2001.5+ has M-box ECU for manual, no f-hose, revised TBB, different oil inlet lines, possibly changed shifter stalk, polished aluminum mirrors w/ sport package, new badge, and the Avant model. I believe all 2001+ have the traction control button. Other than that the two are the exact same. Older means more miles, but thats specific to individual cars.

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Its not the turbos that were revised, its just the oil lines runnign to them :D

RE: S4 FAQ
 

OOps thanks for catching that. Its changed

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Ok, so I am in the process of looking for an 2001.5, just by looking at a 2001, how can you tell? Is there some place that you can look ? Is it when the production date was? Does it actaully say 2001.5 somewhere? Or if not, can I look in the engine bay, will I see (???a oil line going here or there???) :eek:

I really want an S4 as I think its the most bang for our buck, esp with the way the dollar is depreciating, but I want to make sure I get intothe right car WITH the right/most repairs done so that I won't get stuck doing them later whenI own ther car. Audi's, along with other German, cars can be notorious for breaking down and the repairs can be astronomical.

One more thing, I've been look at this one http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/car/609769190.htmlWhatdo you guys think? I talk to one of the sales guys todayand he said that the car is currently chipped and has hasboth its turbosreplaced. Sketchy? The Sales guys said thatthe car has been worked on @http://wicked-motorsports.net/. Anyone ever heard of them/know them? Check out the craiglist ad and please give meyour two cents! Much appreciated!!!! :D

~JL

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Only way to know if the car is a 2001.5 is to go check it out...i found out recently that mine was: the badge is different on the two....on the .5 the badge is a big IS4 just like the on the older model its like three lines with a lil s4 on it....also like the other guys were saying the ESP button is only on the .5 and the steering wheel and dash will also have that s4 badge on it...as for acar being chipped with new turbos there is gonna be some form of paper work if it was done at a shop isnt wicked motorsports one of the tv shows like pimp my ride i believe ive heard of it

RE: S4 FAQ
 

I have a 2000...we have the badge on the steering wheel and the dash as well. If by dash you mean gauge cluster.

I agree the ESP button is a dead giveaway and I believe those are the ones with the chrome mirrors. Us 2000 peeps have the painted ones.

The easiest way to double check a year of a car is on the VIN number right at the windshield by the driver's side. I think it's the 10th number?? Can't remember.

RE: S4 FAQ
 

so im confused about how to id a .5 ... anyone?

RE: S4 FAQ
 

So which year is the best? I can surmise that the best year was 01.5' or 01'. But since I can't find one at the moment I can settle for a 2000. And as Deanna_S4 pointed out the 00' does not have a traction control button is this correct?

RE: S4 FAQ
 

ive got a esp button and painted mirrors, so wtf does that mean?

RE: S4 FAQ
 

Does anyone know of a chip available for a 2007 B7 S4? I've checked the APR website and it just shows 2006 S4's but nothing for the 2007. Am I too early in expecting a chip to be out since the 2007 is to new? It seems to take a few years for the "aftermarket upgrades" to come out. Any guidance would be great!

RE: S4 FAQ
 

For that, you should try calling the companies directly...might get something!

RE: S4 FAQ
 

wow, this will really help for my future car. i better start saving!!!!

RE: S4 FAQ
 

06/07 are identical, both B7 there are chips out as the B7 has been out since 2005 now, not a new model. In fact a new one comes out for 09

01.5's have the esp button, and they have the new s4 badge on the trunk. the grill style though is the same as the older style. i have a 2001.5 s4 and no polished mirrors. my car is registered and titled as an 02, even in my insurance. also on all parts websites it stays as 2000-2002 for the years of the b5. so consider it an 02, everyone else except us is ignorant of the difference

These guys make THE best shifters on the market plus they have a lot of replacement and OEM parts in stock. Oh and they have helpful DVDs for timing belt jobs and tranny rebuilds. Great tech support too.

http://www.jhmotorsports.com

hey, are they S4's more reliable than the A4's? Im looking for 2001.5 or 2002 audi S4 but i dont wanna do alot of repairs on it. Are they reliable cars?

They are both reliable cars if you take care of them. Some S4 parts will be more $ just because there are ten billion 1.8t out there. If you want easy reliability buy a civic or a camery. But if you're willing to put the time into it buy an audi and drive something you'll enjoy. The A4 and S4 have their quirks and thanks to forums like this we know what they are and how to fix them. So i guess what i'm saying is, get your hands dirty and enjoy the payoff or buy something you'll never have to fix and never enjoy. These are enthusiast cars, so you've got to give em some love.

B5 s4
 

how much HP can an 01 s4 really handle before you have to rebuild the internals. Say we were to do RS6 turbos with fueling and custom mapping with a stage 3 or 4 clutch. Can she handle it?

Funny joke 3 Sensible Shoes
 

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF I CAN PUT AN RS4 MOTOR IN mY b7 S4???

if it wasint for us new guys and askin all these Q then whats the point of havin the forums just so the same ppl can talk over and over again ya you guys might get tired of the same crap but still if you have the knowledge then share it with the next new guy thats just the way i see thats all. if i have a prob on my car and i fixed it i would tell the next guy how i did it and would hope he told the next guy how he did it and that the POINT of the FORUMS i think...and besides how long does it really take to type the answer to tell guy whats up....

Awesome post, good info...and thanks for all the links!

You can put any motor in any car, with a few exceptions (as in, you can't put a diesel engine from a freighter in a Golf). However, barring those extremes, any motor/transmission combination can be put in any car. It's just a question of how much modding and fabrication you are willing to do.

Now, what you likely meant, was can I put the RS4 motor in my B7 S4 without any changes to the car?

The answer, of course, is a decided "no". You can't. There are modifications that will need to be done to make it work. Physically, the RS4 V8 from an '07 or similar will probably work, and bolt right in. But the wiring, plumbing, and ECU systems would all need to be changed.

Prospective buyer
 

Hi Everyone,

I am looking at a 2004 S4 and I took this one out for a test drive, I found the engine to be pretty loud!, not in a bad way though (No clattering/rattling) just engine note and the thump thump of the cylinders, I was wondering if this is normal for these V8's, because when I drove my buddy's 540 it was a lot quieter! and I was wondering about the difference.
Thanks,

i found a link about Audi A4 & S4, perhaps u guys need it!
http://viewpdf.co.cc/audi-a4-cabriol...cabriolet.html

I know this isn't the right board necessarily, but upon an initial search I couldn't find an existing board on this topic. Has anyone discussed the differences between a B7 and B8 S4? I'm looking to buy either an 08 or 09 and would love some educated feedback on the differences. I'm hearing a lot of chatter about those preferring the B7 V8. Thoughts or suggestions as to where I might read more on this comparo?