Transforming a Broken Auction Audi S4 into a 500HP Beast
Here’s an in-depth look at how one can resolve a DSG transmission issue on an Audi S4 and walk away with a 500HP super sedan bargain.
Sam Crac is a YouTuber with a knack for buying cars sight-unseen at auctions. His latest conquest is a clean title Audi S4, which he procured earlier this month at an auction for 50% off because of a transmission issue. A three-part series on Crac’s YouTube channel offers an in-depth look at how one can resolve the said DSG transmission issue and walk away with a true bargain that can be modified into a 500HP track monster.
Crac was quick to share his expectations for the S4 even before the repairs were underway. “We could get lucky and fix this for a hundred bucks, but if not, we’re looking at a near $5000 transmission replacement making this Audi a true auction mystery,” said Crac.
Safe to say, we were hooked. After running a diagnostics test and replacing the original battery that was running low on charge, Crac managed to get rid of a majority of the codes. The YouTuber also deduced that the transmission issue was probably stemming from an electrical fault, as the gearbox did not make any noise while driving, which would indicate a mechanical issue.
At this point, Crac fully committed to the cheapest possible solution, which involved replacing the Mechatronic circuits, after eliminating the possibility of worn clutch packs (estimated repair cost $2000), and failed Mechatronic unit (estimated repair cost $3000).
The Audi Mechatronic repair kit costs around $500, but installing it is a tedious process that involves removing the cross brace and transmission pan. True to Crac’s prediction, the simple Mechatronic circuit replacement fixed the transmission problem, but the YouTuber had more elaborate plans for his mystery Audi S4.
“We are definitely gonna tune this car. We’ve got to do some modifications,” said Crac. He further added, “To mod this car, you could do it in probably half the amount of time it took us to do that Mechatronics repair. A couple of pulleys, while we’re in there, we’ll do a tune-up, spark plugs, and things like that, and in a day, we’re going to gain darn close to 200 horsepower.”
In the third installment of this series, we see the mild-mannered auction-bought Audi S4 transform into a supercharged AWD beast. The transformation was complete after Crac installed a pair of new aftermarket pulleys and an Armytrix exhaust system. All that was left to be done was a quick engine and transmission tune, and Crac’s auction-bought Audi S4 was ready to make some noise.
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