Well, maybe not where "no one" has gone but probably few. Here's a few pics from my busy couple days off (sorry about the quality, I'll have to get the pics re-scanned later).

Here's the complete S4 engine wiring harness. When you look at it, you realize there's a lot of stuff connected to the ECU.

<img src="http://members.home.net/dangonay/pics/wireharness.jpg">


Here's the front with almost everything removed. No, the power steering pump doesn't normally reside on top of the oil filter, I forgot to take it off...

<img src="http://members.home.net/dangonay/pics/frontbare.jpg">


Here's the S4 oil sender (dead centre of the picture). I haven't removed it yet, but the small plug on the front side looks like it might be an extra tap into the oil line. If so, it would make adding an oil pressure gauge even easier (no T's). The black bracket on the top left was for the AC.

<img src="http://members.home.net/dangonay/pics/oilsender.jpg">


Here's the cylinder head before...

<img src="http://members.home.net/dangonay/pics/cams.jpg">

and after... I couldn't take the heads off because I didn't have the "special" Audi Torx socket (it's an odd size). So the heads stay on until after the long weekend.

<img src="http://members.home.net/dangonay/pics/nocams.jpg">


Here's the caps and hardware for the cams. If you're gonna take this much stuff off, you better know where it goes back (you can't exchange things like bearing caps). This is my method...

<img src="http://members.home.net/dangonay/pics/partsbins2.jpg">


Here's a close up of where the waterpump mounts. The left opening is where the thermostat mounts (and the intake hose from the rad). The right side is obviously the pump location and you can see the 2 exit points for L & R side of the block. The two "openings" at the back are where the metal coolant pipes run to the back of the engine were.

<img src="http://members.home.net/dangonay/pics/waterpump.jpg">


Well, that's it for now. Really need to get a digital camera (I've almost decided). For now, I'm taking LOTS of pics as you never know if you will need them.

 

Why are you stripping the motor???

 

I'm going to rebuild it from the ground up. I know it's an almost new motor, but I'm a mechanic and very inquisitive. Half the reason is I just wanted to see how it was made. And, I'm happy to report, I'm quite impressed with the construction compared to most cars I work on.

We (my fiance and I) are building our S4 into a show/track car and so we are being very picky in everything we do. I'm going to do a minor port/polish on the heads, port matching from the manifold to the heads and remove the leftover casting marks from the block (on things like the cooling passages). Just detail work, but hey - I've got the time so why not?

We're also going to get the engine balanced. I found someone locally who will do it for only $250CDN (he actually has a Haynes balancer in his basement and does this on the side). People have told me it probably won't make much of a difference, but again, I'm really curious as to how good the engine was stock.

As to other mods re the block and internals, we havent decided yet.

 

Christmas tree lights. Have a few hanging above my door step ;-p

 

change the pistons and connecting rods to something lighter and stronger so you could run a highly modified motor with more hp if you wanted to.

 

Look into an RS-4 motor: heads are ported, intake tract from the "Y" pipe to the turbo inlet is enlarged, get titanium valves & retainers, have pistons balanced with 0.25 grams, connecting rods strengthened.

 

I don't know if it's necessary to change the pistons and rods for the HP level I'm looking at (around 425 HP). I remember reading on one of the S4 Touring cars (recent Motor Trend) that they kept the stock internals at 420HP and they worked fine, even under stress of a full season of racing. They only balanced everything.

I may get some treatment done to the rods in addition to the balancing (as above, I need more info on what works and what doesn't). Anyone have any opinions on things like cryotreating?

As to the valves, I will probably keep the stock ones but put in better springs and retainers.

But, I'm always open to suggestions and ideas. I'm not putting this motor back in for several months, so time is not a problem.

Thanks

 

And ruins all your hard work. You're trying to extract 60% more power from its stock configuration. The internal parts might be marginal at these power levels. Talk to people who've done this before and get their opinions. Play it conservative and consider replacing the internals so that you can have a long trouble free engine life.

 

That engine is an RS4 - not an S4...different internals from what is known.