BuffaloS4

What else do I have to do?

I'll pass on playing checkers in the park. I'd rather be tinkering.

Wouldn't you love to see someone try something different? Isn't that what makes SlvrBullet, TheBollocks, and the Sportec car so interesting? It's not just another K04 kit, it's something unique.

There's so many other things that the "tuners" haven't tried. Why? Because it's not within their interest because new models of Audis are being released, and the S4 is a limited market.

Why do you think the AWE Exhaust manifolds cost ~2300? To recoup R&D costs. It's a bunch of welded steal and some ceramic coating. Cost in materials is probably ~$300. Labor is much more intense, but not more than 10-20 hours (labor ranging from $25-50/hr)

Yes, OEM Parts are more expensive, but that's b/c Audi marks them up, they are then resold to a distributor, then resold to the tuners, then they resell them to us. Ever wonder why these OEM-part kits are so expensive?

So, if I have the tools and the abilty, why not?

s4nit loves BOX

with the AEM EMS unit and the haltech. It is not the part of being able to work on cars or having computer experience it is being able to understand what all the different setting do and making it work in the car. If you want an idea of how complex the AEM EMS is go to the aem website and join the EMS forum. From there you can download and install the software and play with it on your computer. There is a whole drop down section for just idle. It is very time consuming and frustrating thing to learn and master. But if you have the time, patience and common sense you can pick it up. I know the AEM EMS fairly well and what the settings do, and what to change when you have problem or if the cars does such and such. I think if you really want to tinker and learn get a Honda OBD1. You will learn so much more then trying this on the Audi and it will not make you loose your hair as fast.

BuffaloS4

I'm just pondering this now....trying to figure out what I want to do. It seems that very few people on here (besides SlvrBullet) have taken this car to the next level....SB (sivlerbullet) has done some great work on the car, but I'd like to see someone open up the engine and do some more internal work, THEN we start tuning it.

It's all custom - and maybe a pipedream, but it makes for interesting research.