Best 3 "Mods" for 3.0 TDi A6

[Gunner Bill]

I've had my 2005 A6 S-Line 3.0 TDI just over a year now and in that time I've done a few minor things to it that have turned it from being a pretty good large saloon into a pretty awesome large saloon - short of (that is) trying in some ghastly fashion to make it an Diesel RS.

It was pretty simple really:

1. Blue Fin Superchips re-map. After being a diehard modder in the physical sense (bigger turbo's exhausts etc.) I was fascinated that you could tap untold reseves of power and torque simply by uploading a remap from the internet - too good to be true? No. Just as it "said on the tin", for a few hundred quid the results were excellent and I can still pull 40 mpg on the motorway.

http://www.mybluefin.co.uk/search?make=2&fuelt...

2. Tarox Sport Japan Drilled and grooved front brake discs. I really thought the standard 357mm brakes on the A6 were up to it but for some reason they warped (I'm still blaming the harsh winter as I really don't think I abused them that much!). But as I wasn't going to fork out £1000's for AP or the like I elected for the aforementioned discs and they are excellent. Minimal noise unless pressed really hard and super smooth. I also kept the OEM Audi pads as I had only just replaced them and they work extremely well with these discs.

http://www.europerformance.co.uk/pages/products/pr...

3. Continental Sport Contact 3 245/40 R18 Y (97), Reinforced tyres. Possibly not a mod(!) but different nonetheless from the OEM Pirelli PZero Rosso's the A6 came with. AND very different from the PZero Sotto Rosso's I had on over the winter. I really wanted the new ContiSport 5P's but these are not yet available in 245/40 18. However these Continental 3's are simply amazing. When I first took the car out it really felt like I had upgraded the suspension! It's a fair point that as temperatures increased the Sotto Zeroes were really struggling but I swear these are miles better even than the summer PZeroes that were on before. This is the single most effective performance mod I have ever made to a car.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Continental/Spor...

So for about £1900 I think I've really brought out the best in this car by fully sorting the 3 "major's" of any performance upgrade - Engine, Brakes and Handling.

Is there anything else I need to do?

[blueg33]

Bluefin or similar = good idea, I plan to do mine.

Brakes = never had any problem with standard brakes over 75k miles so I won't be changing them

Tyres = I agree Paeros are horrid on the A6 (good on my Tuscan though). I Prefer Vredstein Ultrac Sessantas and am now on the second set of 255/35/19 XL's

Personally I cant think of any mods I would do, except perhaps a de-chrome.

[TDIfurby]

Replacing the cat with a decat pipe would be a good move as its a major restriction for the exhaust system (like blowing through a straw with a bulldog clip on the end....) and its easily reversable, and most important, not needed for MOT test, which is just a particulate test.

[D34NO87]

If I remember correctly that will have a cat and a secondary cat, Miltek sell a secondary cat bypass pipe and the rest of the system for about £800 and it really changes how it sounds too.

[Gunner Bill]

Decat! Excellent advice I'll look into that.

Edit:

Not for the C6 I'm told. Removal of particle filters etc would require a remap. Although the cat-back exhaust looks and SOUNDS great!

Edited by Gunner Bill on Thursday 21st April 10:53

Edited by Gunner Bill on Thursday 21st April 10:54

[Dr G]

Yup, the 3.0 TDI is a surprisingly decent sounding engine, your A6 sounds tastefully modified too

[Gunner Bill]

blueg33 said:

Bluefin or similar = good idea, I plan to do mine.

Brakes = never had any problem with standard brakes over 75k miles so I won't be changing them

Tyres = I agree Paeros are horrid on the A6 (good on my Tuscan though). I Prefer Vredstein Ultrac Sessantas and am now on the second set of 255/35/19 XL's

Personally I cant think of any mods I would do, except perhaps a de-chrome.

Did you find the Rosso's seemed to dig in and wallow on tightish corners/roundabouts?

[blueg33]

Gunner Bill said:

Did you find the Rosso's seemed to dig in and wallow on tightish corners/roundabouts?

I found that wear rates were very high, grip in the wet was rubbish and yes they were wallowy when pushed hard. The last few thousand miles of tread (I change at 2.5mm) were really terrible in terms of grip on damp or wet roads

Strangely I find them excellent on the Tuscan, progressive and grippy (although I dont drive it much in the wet)

[Kevin VRs]

Your disc issue was most likely pad material sticking to the disc, very common after replacing pads if not bedded in correctly. In general discs do not warp at all, any perceived juddering is generally pad deposits and can be removed from the discs.

[Gunner Bill]

Kevin VRs said:

Your disc issue was most likely pad material sticking to the disc, very common after replacing pads if not bedded in correctly. In general discs do not warp at all, any perceived juddering is generally pad deposits and can be removed from the discs.

Then it's a shame I had to repeatedly beat one with a hammer to get it off Because I still have them.

What you say sounds right, I think working away from home for long periods didn't help.

[Gunner Bill]

blueg33 said:

I found that wear rates were very high, grip in the wet was rubbish and yes they were wallowy when pushed hard. The last few thousand miles of tread (I change at 2.5mm) were really terrible in terms of grip on damp or wet roads

Strangely I find them excellent on the Tuscan, progressive and grippy (although I dont drive it much in the wet)

Are the load ratings the same??? - well the TVR must be lighter... I'm only saying because the Conties I got were the highest load rating and reinforced.

[blueg33]

Gunner Bill said:

Are the load ratings the same??? - well the TVR must be lighter... I'm only saying because the Conties I got were the highest load rating and reinforced.

Load ratings are different. Tuscan doesnt use the reinforced ones

[D34NO87]

Gunner Bill said:

Decat! Excellent advice I'll look into that.

Edit:

Not for the C6 I'm told. Removal of particle filters etc would require a remap. Although the cat-back exhaust looks and SOUNDS great!

Edited by Gunner Bill on Thursday 21st April 10:53

Edited by Gunner Bill on Thursday 21st April 10:54

I did wonder if it had a DPF, my 2005 3.0TDI A4 was lucky enough not to have so I thought your A6 might not.
I forgot to say the brakes and tyres are good call, I can't believe how many people I know with good cars that put budget tyres and cheap pads and discs on.

[AJToff]

Hi,

Sorry to dig-up an old thread...

I agree with other comments that the 3.0 TDI is a lovely sounding engine, even with the stock exhaust.

I have a 2006 A6 Avant - I don't believe it has a DPF as I'm sure I would have seen a DPF warning light in my 4 years of ownership, surely? Were DPFs fitted to 3.0 TDI's as standard after a certain date or were they an optional extra?


Anyhow, I'm interested in a de-cat / sports exhaust to free up some ponies and enhance the aural pleasure

Going by Gunner Bill's comment, this is easier if the car doesn't have a DPF. How does the engine cope with the lack of back-pressure caused by removing the CAT (or isn't that important on Diesel engines - excuse my ignorance!)

Cheers
Al.

Gunner Bill said:

Decat! Excellent advice I'll look into that.

Edit:

Not for the C6 I'm told. Removal of particle filters etc would require a remap. Although the cat-back exhaust looks and SOUNDS great!

Edited by Gunner Bill on Thursday 21st April 10:53

Edited by Gunner Bill on Thursday 21st April 10:54