Stage 2+ K03 best mods/ expected figures

[Dan_FR]

2+ is great, turbo response is fantastic, more like a TDI and a typical petrol turbo - any revs and gear and it just picks up and goes. Don't expect your clutch to last though

[greygti]

Loved my gti when it was ko3 stage 2+ it made 281 bhp and 356 lbft it was a quick car at that level of tune

[MS1]

Well had a bit of a gutting time at R-Tech, never thought I'd say that and it's nothing to do with R-Tech more having the wrong set up and apparently not having a 'healthy car', which I wish I'd known before I went to be honest. 

Apparently the Forge Twintercooler is way to big a setup for a Ko3 turbo and thus I'm losing loads of torque, especially low down. So Niki has advised me to switch to an uprated S3 IC which should realise 30-40lbft of torque. Again wish I'd know this before the 500 mile round trip. I was honest with my mods prior to my visit, promise! 

Also the engine is overly rattly on the cam side, which I knew, but had always been advised wasn't an issue as the car ran will, Niki tells me it's time to change the cam chain et al and others have confirmed that a bad cam chain/adjuster can cause engine inefficency.

Further still Niki explained how my previous mapper had loaded the fuel ratio up so much in my tune, that the engine had likely been washing itself with fuel (apparently the fuel smell from the oil stung his eyes)  as a consequence the turbo had been running really hot. Did I mention that there's a crack in the turbo housing 

Car made 284bhp and 307lbft. Niki tells me with all the hardware I've got, that's 50-60lbft shy of where the car should be at. To be honest I wasn't expecting those sort of gains, I guess in my head I'd anticipated something like 290/330 or 280/340 etc.

I love my car and round the Devon twisties it's exactly  what I need, quick spool up, just enough power for a fwd and maximum driveabilty from 30-90mph. So I've decided to go ahead with the cam chain replacement, sorting an uprated Darkside S3 IC and will most likely replace the turbo. I think AET sell the ko3 for £350, if not VW are £519.

[AJP]

At least you know where you're at with the engine, if you look at the positive side. If you hadn't taken it to R-Tech you might have carried on blissfully unaware of the issues and ended up with bigger problems down the line.

Interesting what you say about the intercooler. It's on my to-do list to uprate mine and up to now I haven't been sure of the best solution for a k03 - so it's good to know that the S3 one is a good choice.

Anything in the 280s is good peak power on a k03, but like you say you should be closer to 350lb/ft. It's the low and mid range torque that makes a k03 so good to drive.

Best of luck getting it all sorted mate.

[MS1]

I agree, the top end power means f*ck all to me. So the car accelerates great from 90-130mph, but when is that ever useful. The best apart about the ko3 is what I'm missing, low down torque. You're right though, I have to look on the brightside. Hopefully others will realise the Forge Twintercooler is not the way to go, mind you if anyone with a ko4 (which apparently is the only set up the IC is really useful for) is looking for a Twintercooler you can have mine!

[Beej]

I have put my low torque output down to intercooler also,as besides that, there is no other real reason I can come to given the hardware fitted, unless my engine isn't really healthy.

Just for info, I am running an airtec cooler and I only seen 288 ft lbs on revo 2+, and then 298 on apr 2+. Both agents know what has been fitted/changed, so effectively should have made good overall figures but came shy.

I have lined up a swap plus cash my way for a direct swap of an s3 cooler for my airtec, and we will swap over at the same time, then we shall see how it goes

[AJP]

Are these aftermarket coolers simply too big for the k03 then? Is it boost drop, or is that a different thing?

[MS1]

It's a spool and low down torque issue. The extra volume that has to be filled with an OEM IC and Forge Twintercooler before pressures goes into the inlet manifold delays boost and creates lag. They're simply too big for ko3 setups. Any ko3, regardless of hardware should at max capacity be running only an S3 IC or uprated version of the S3 IC anything else is counter productive and takes that low to mid range driveabilty away that the ko3 is renowned for.

[MS1]

From what research I've done and what Niki said, installing the uprated S3 IC over my OEM+Forge Twintercooler should realise a minimum of 30-40 lbft and maybe even some bhp, although the concensus seems to be split on that one. The upside to this ballache is not having to have the new IC mapped in. If I don't see some sizeable gains from the new IC, the new turbo and the cam chain replacement, I'll shut brick and buy a Fiat

[Beej]

I'm just unsure if the airtec I have on is the reason for mine being low, but I keep hearing that s3 coolers are more suited to the ko3 than a larger one.

Mine could be something else, but I don't have anyone who can guide me to start ticking things off in the way of logging etc

[MS1]

I'm afraid I can't help you with regards to the IC. I mean plugs, packs, DV, blocked cat, dirty CAI, knackered turbo vanes, rubbish or old engine oil, dirty fuel filter. It all contributes I guess.

[MS1]

For sure it seems too big an IC will cause big losses in torque, especially low down and also to a lesser extent  bhp. I don't know how much of a bigger volume the Airtec is, I know the Twintercooler system is pretty much the biggest cc of all the setups, ao I can certainly attribute a lot of my losses to that, or so I've been told. Like I said, if I don't see any noticeable gains from S3 IC and a new turbo, then I'll be at a dead loss as to why my ko3 is 10-15bhp & 50lbft under par for its stage.

[MS1]

I've looked after my car so well, well everything that was under my control. Oil changes every 3k, only the best oil, new filters, new plugs, general health checks, new fuel filters every 15k, engine flush every 6k, inlet valves and injectors cleaned every 25k as well as IMV cleaner every 15k, cam follower every 10k, gearbox oil every 35k, six monthly checks for moisture content in brake/clutch fluid and replaced if necessary. I've literally done everything and more one could do. To hear Niki say he didn't think it was a healthy car and to give me a 'to do' list literally broke my heart. He didn't want to say it, poor sod, I had to say to him, 'spit it out, it's fine'.

[Beej]

Well, all last year prior to testing and mapping, new rev g dv, genuine r8 coil packs, ngk iridium plugs, new revo intake, new powervalve tbe with 200 cel cat, fresh oil change after just been changed a month and half prior also, new fuel filter, new airtec cooler, new dsg mechatronics unit, new cam follower along with new autotec hpfp internals!

I think I'm going to change the intercooler and add a turn or two pre-load on the turbo actuator, as the apr agent reckons that could be the reason

[Beej]

I've looked after my car so well, well everything that was under my control. Oil changes every 3k, only the best oil, new filters, new plugs, general health checks, new fuel filters every 15k, engine flush every 6k, inlet valves and injectors cleaned every 25k as well as IMV cleaner every 15k, cam follower every 10k, gearbox oil every 35k, six monthly checks for moisture content in brake/clutch fluid and replaced if necessary. I've literally done everything and more one could do. To hear Niki say he didn't think it was a healthy car and to give me a 'to do' list literally broke my heart. He didn't want to say it, poor sod, I had to say to him, 'spit it out, it's fine'.

I am the same with mine, hence why I am a little frustrated with the outcome. Makes it harder trying to tell the wife the car needs other bits to release the real potential of it, she doesn't understand what I am going to gain from it!