S4zAudihere

Soo i started, i cleaned out the garage, made a nice work space, and started digging in.
I started taking off the engine covers, intake maf etc. i took off the coolant tank and it was....empty....
i had just topped it off prior to parking it a month ago. It hadnt been leaking to my knowledge but i think it is now. Weird how being parked sprung the leak. I think it's trying to tell me something.
N e way, i'm looking to replace all my hoses with new ones, possibly the bi-pipe and possibly some sort of intercooler mod, or replacment. I'd like to try and lower the temps under the hood. anything i could possibly heat wrap im going to. and i may run lines for Meth injection while everything is apart.

If anyone has parts they would like to donate I would be happy to accept and install!
I'll post some process pics once i get home.

ALSO
Has anyone done an engine shampoo? Is it safe with all the electronics under the hood?
Its real dirty and i'd like to do something like that. Any horror or suceess stories?

S4zAudihere

here are some pics of the progress thus far

f115QT

No replies???

Once way to clean it off is to use an air compressor rather than fluids. You can at least remove a lot of the surface muck that accumulates.

K04-S4

Can use Brake Clean and rags with a drip tray underneath, works well.

One of the best ways to reduce under hood temps for the 2.7T is to ceramic coat the Exhaust Manifolds. This also reduces engine oil temps!

S4zAudihere

Already done, got them coated when i put the ko4's in. I just got my silicone hose kit, and a oem s4 intake manifold i'm going to attempt to port and polish.

i just want my baby back. OSAP gave me a loan finally, for school.......
so some new tires are getting bought and coilpacks

once i get those it's a matter of the stupid hazard swich becaues i have no turn signals and HID's. Bought a set 2 years ago and 1 burnt out.

Any ideas on what to do with 1 HID ballest and light? lol would make for one hell of an under hood light!

K04-S4

Just noticed you have the original style PCV Spider Hose and Oil Cap. Suggest replacing both with new style to assist preventing engine oil leaks, esp from over pressurizing the crank case in winter conditions.

Also the pass side valve cover gasket is starting to sweat.

The aftermarket air filter is open to the engine bay heat. You will get more performance by bringing in cool fresh air from the front end as originally designed. Suggest either seperate existing filter from engine bay heat or install OEM Filter Housing with Darintake Mod or use RS4 Housing.

k1e1v1i1n

its safe to wash ur engine just keep it running so u can hear if theres any changes in sound then u can stop with the pressure washer .

S4zAudihere

I couldnt find my OEM airbox for the longest time, but i'm going to close it off from the rest of the motor bay, fiberglass box most likely, it'll allow me to mold it to mounting points fairly easily. If that goes horribly wrong darrin intake it is, or just oem, depends on how i'm feeling.

i dont know what's taking me so long, i need to get the rest of my damn parts.
Any reccomendations on where to get the following: (dont say dealer)
Coil Packs
Hazard Swich.

Next week i have exams and then a big job so i wont be able to really work on it for the next little while, but id like to get my coolant system flushed, possibly oil system and a catch can for the oil at the bottom of the ic's. It's a small amount but i'd rather not have it at all. maybe i can makeshift a pressure release at the bottom of the Ic's that'll blow out the xs oil

S4zAudihere

Well after enough procrastination, she's back together.
Here are some pics from the process, the valve covers, what they looked like when i pulled them off, and how i cleaned them. The one that's Glistening i used a degreacer, the other breakclean. The brake clean didnt work as well at as the degreacer, so for reference when your cleaning your valve covers that's works wonders.
While taking it all apart i found some sludge buildup in the top vent's for the valve covers. I vacumm'd that out, and i made a little hose attachment for the vacuum so i could vacuum the crap out from around the valve covers and clean the old silicone out. When i pulled off the drivers side valve cover i had trouble untill i took out the coolant line from the bottom, beside the inlet piping. I had to suck out some of the coolant otherwise it would have made a nice mess of everything. Now i just need to replace it and do the flush. But in the mean time, i filled it up with mobi1 0w40 synthetic. Last night i finally finished putting it all together, and gave it a crank..... first try it didnt start....second try...didnt start......i was a little worried i'm not gonna lie, then VROOM she started up and was purring like a kitten. mind u with all the beeping from low coolant and no headlights i was still quite content. Today i'm gonna finish sanding the headlight's and polishing them get me some G12 coolant, and a stupid hazard switch. But it's pretty much finished. I'm calling my insurance company to put er back on the road. i'm gonna do a proper write up once it'a all done. Maybe a bit of DIY step by step.

S4zAudihere

k i started her up, and let her run till it was warmed up and...
lot's of smoke from under the hood. valve covers arent leaking at all, smoke is comming from under them, i think it's just residual oil that has settled. no smoke out the exhaust. and i get 2 error codes, one is something about missing something on my instrument panel, i think it's because my light's are disconnected, and the other is something about intermittent. I dunno i'll write them down tomorrow. besides that i just have to check for leaks. whats' the best way to go about doing that? I've made something with a car tire valve, and air pressure gauge that i can put on to the intake just by the MAF sensor but when i gave it any pressure it just shot out the broken oil cap i had on (i put one on that was from vast, it's supposed to releave pressure from the valve cover, i dunno. Anyway anyone know how to do this? could i just plug the exhaust and try to pressureize it? or isolate the intake and leak test it?