Author Topic: 2010 Audi S4  (Read 34280 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #250 on: October 16, 2015, 01:01:50 pm »
Well. They're definitely not increasing clutch life. There's not a specific delete kit, but there is a stainless steel clutch line that people are now using which deletes it.

Warranty is up in 6 months and, with the economy the way it is, I dont think I'll be upgrading to a newer S4 like I originally planned.
Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline xrayvsn

  • WSC Member
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • ****
  • Posts: 1443
  • In the dark
  • Location: Calgary
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #251 on: October 16, 2015, 01:25:30 pm »
Do you (or did you prior to replacing the clutch) sometimes get the clutch shudder?

I was getting it a bunch in the winter, but it has eased off this summer. 

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #252 on: October 16, 2015, 02:33:18 pm »
It wasn't clutch shudder. I basically couldn't get the car into 1st, 2nd or Reverse once it warmed up. When the transmission was cold, it shifted normal, but once warmed up, there were definite issues.

Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #253 on: October 23, 2015, 11:39:36 am »
Well. I've apparently broken my 2.5 year streak of not modding the S4 (beyond interior LED's or wheels). I purchased and installed a CR-15 brace from a guy (u2nelson) who is making them on Audizine. Basically, its a front strut tower brace. The goal is to give a little more precise steering and remove some of the hesitation from sudden steering inputs. The S4 is a heavy beast and in their quest to give it a comfortable, luxurious ride, they've made it so its a little sketchy to make quick adjustments at higher speeds.

Audi has the studs available for it built into the strut towers underneath the front plastic cowl but instead of a proper brace, they included a stamped steel L-Shaped piece which is quite weak. This piece that I've bought goes right over top of the L-shaped piece and strengthens it. The belief on the Audi forums is that Audi avoided strengthening this area to avoid extra NVH and harshness over bumps.

On to the install:

For just a guy making these in his spare time, the packaging was professional and the communication was excellent. There was a delay in getting them anodized and James was very good at providing his customers with updates regarding expected shipping. When the package arrived via Canada Post, I found it was protected better than most actual companies protect their goods.



At this point, my wife told me to go outside because she didn't want me making a mess in the kitchen.

Unpacked, its just a square bar with various holes and slots cut into it for attaching and fitment around brackets. Instructions are included (but the pictures are hard to make out) and new hardware with locking nuts and zip ties.


First thing to do is to remove the plastic cowling beneath the windshield wipers. Two plastic screws (they dont break immediately like Subaru's!) and it comes off easy. Ignore the fact that the car seems to be covered in dead leaves. I was just in BC and left the car parked in a forest during a windstorm.


There is a wiring harness attached to the L-shaped bracket. Pull it off and zip tie it out of the way. I left the ziptieing until last so that I could figure out the best way to keep it out of the way.




I pulled the weather stripping out of the way to access the convenient cutouts to undo the stock nuts that are on the studs (they don't attach anything. they're just there!)


One of them does hold onto the washer reservoir. Undo it and pull it out of the way gently.


Slide the bar through the gap and wiggle it around from both sides until it drops down onto the studs.


Put the washer reservoir back on over the bar.


Install the provided washers and the locking nuts. Torque to 20 ft lbs.




Put everything back together and shine up the engine bay a little.


I found that the two inside studs were hard to tighten down using the socket. I think they're slightly off alignment from the outside two, so the socket rubs against the bar and eventually works itself off. I had to "convince" the socket to stay on the nut with a rubber mallet a couple of times. No big deal, but the holes could be larger.

Taking it for a quick spin, the steering does feel tighter on sudden corrections or changes of direction. The best way I can describe it is that the feeling of the suspension loading up before the car actually responds to the input is lessened. There used to be this delay as the weight transferred to the outside corner and while this doesn't get rid of it, it improves the feeling and confidence in the corners. I wasn't able to detect any increased NVH, even with the radio and A/C off and straining to hear it. I think I noticed that it follows ruts in the road a little more and is a bit more "lively" over large bumps in the road, but it could be that I am being super-sensitive to that.

For the price ($130USD), this is definitely a worthwhile mod for the Audi.

Next up: 034 Transmission and Rear Diff Mount Inserts.

Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline canehdianJ

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 4137
  • Location: Impostor that owns no Subaru's
  • Ride: 2016 Golf GTi
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #254 on: October 23, 2015, 01:28:18 pm »
so it begins.

I would like to welcome back the man who broke the 2.5 rs down to its bare shell, put it back together with a complete swap and then broke it back down to its shell and sold it as a shell.

cant wait to see where this goes!


Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #255 on: October 23, 2015, 03:41:50 pm »
lol. Not going to go anywhere near as far as that one.

Looking at exhaust options right now though. Might end up with a Milltek resonated exhaust from the UK. I want a bit more sound but really value how quiet the car is on the highway. Tough to balance.
Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline canehdianJ

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 4137
  • Location: Impostor that owns no Subaru's
  • Ride: 2016 Golf GTi
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #256 on: October 23, 2015, 04:52:39 pm »
lol. Not going to go anywhere near as far as that one.

Looking at exhaust options right now though. Might end up with a Milltek resonated exhaust from the UK. I want a bit more sound but really value how quiet the car is on the highway. Tough to balance.

do they make a electronic valved exhaust for it?  i know when i was looking at boxsters it was an option

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #257 on: October 23, 2015, 05:22:23 pm »
Yep. Several exhaust makers do... but they're super expensive.
Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline dnizzle

  • Stubbly Faced
  • **
  • Posts: 125
  • Ride: 16' M3
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #258 on: January 14, 2016, 12:34:42 am »
hey did you have to get your fenders rolled to fit the 265s? Im thinking about getting some vmrs, but was set on 255/35/19 to avoid rubbing

Offline GTRAuto

  • Vendor
  • Stubbly Faced
  • *
  • Posts: 188
  • Location: Calgary
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #259 on: January 14, 2016, 11:08:48 am »
I had to roll on 235/35/19 car was also slammed
info@gtrauto.ca
www.gtrauto.ca

COBB, Motul, RedLine, KW, SONAX, Invidia

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #260 on: February 01, 2016, 10:50:06 pm »
Nope. Not lowered though. Never had an issue with rubbing.
Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline Zaider

  • WSC Supporter
  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 12621
  • <shifty eyes>
  • Location: Calgary, AB
  • Ride: Oh look at the kitty!
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #261 on: February 15, 2016, 06:47:03 am »
Im currently debating between a new motorcycle and upgrading my 2010 S4 to a 2013/2014 S4.

The main reason that I'd like a newer S4 is that my warranty is up in May and Im scared of owning a German car out of warranty. However, I've done the clutch/flywheel and had wheel bearings replaced recently so maybe nothing more expensive will come up for a couple years? 

I have an issue with my headlight auto aim feature (again) but with the video below, I am hoping to convince Audi that it really is happening and they should replace the headlights or load sensors. As you can see, they just keep pointing down, then back up, then back down. This only happens intermittently and when it is cold, so its impossible for the dealer to diagnose. Sometimes they just stay pointed to the ground until I start and restart the car a few times.



I also really like the face-lifted S4's that came out in 2013. I think they're much more aggressive looking and look better with a front lip (Enlaes). They have the new steering system which gets poor reviews, but its not a race car so I don't really care.

Alternatively, I spend that money on a Ducati Multistrada 1200S or a KTM 1290 SA. With the current economy, Im not doing both.

Go home Subaru. You're drunk.
Quote from: seat safety switch
audis are disposable suicide machines with 700lb of stupid interior itshay glued to them and 200 more horsepower than it needs so that their owners can never bring on track or drive anywhere more aggressively than a camry except when weaving in and out of traffic and letting the traction control soak up their incompetence

Offline cha0tik

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 1020
  • Location: Edmonton
  • Ride: '22 Venza | '03 S2K
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #262 on: February 15, 2016, 11:17:25 am »
If you get a B8.5 S4, you can always try to find one without the dynamic steering. A lot of the folks on the Audi forums say that the car feels more natural without it; and there are less things that can break down the line.

However, it seems manual, low-mileage B8.5 S4s are really rare at the moment. I've been periodically looking myself.
My 2016 Subaru WRX


Fly high, dive deep.

Offline seat safety switch

  • Rivaling ZZ-TOP
  • *****
  • Posts: 6044
  • Snowmen with fezzes are ardent rally fans.
    • seat safety switch
  • Location: Calgary
  • Ride: Junk
Re: 2010 Audi S4
« Reply #263 on: February 17, 2016, 11:49:54 am »
If they refuse to fix a safety concern that's a recurrent known issue without you first videotaping it, what's the warranty on a newer one actually worth?

Alternatively, if you genuinely like this current car and you know it's going to blow up repeatedly, maybe this is a case where buying a third party extended warranty makes some sense. It's sort of like wearing a thicker sweater around the spouse that beats you but it might make sense if the gap between "old car, 3rd party warranty" and "new car, 1st party warranty" is big enough.

With the economy and your position in it, I'd just run it into the ground unless you're using the warranty to justify car ADD, in which case go for the Italian bike made by the same company.

edit: WTF you had to replace wheel bearings on a six year old car?