This has been driving me NUTS

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MopaR&D

MopaR&D

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Alright, I almost have everything I need to start putting my 318 back together for my '70 Duster and one of the first things I intend to do when I am finished is race my friend's stock 2008 Audi A4 2.0T. Now, from looking at the performance specs I have him beaten in basically everything (engine size, vehicle weight, HP, torque) except drivetrain; a 6-speed manual with a 3.89 final drive hooked up to a sophisticated AWD system is light-years beyond my old 3-speed non-OD automatic with 2.76 final drive hooked to a solid rear axle with RWD. Here are the parts I have in this engine for you guys to look at:

-- Stock reman'd #302-casting 318 heads (will be ported with bigger valves later on)
-- Edelbrock Performer intake
-- Rebuilt ThermoQuad carb
-- Lunati Voodoo 256/262 cam
-- COMP 901 valve springs

I'm going to use the stock manifolds at first with the stock single exhaust (awful, I know, but $$$ has run out) but will eventually be getting a Pypes 2.5" X-pipe dual exhaust system (still with the stock manifolds).

I know the rear gearing will kind of cut me off at the knees but will I still have enough torque to blast him in the 1/4? My other friends (who aren't really car people) tell me how fast that Audi is and I'm getting a little worried that all that time and money will be for nothing if I lose to a stupid turbo 4-banger Euro car.
 
I think you will beat him in the 1/4 mile but top end speed I don't think you would win. Forget trying to beat him around curvy roads. Stick to your guns and tell him that his car is designed to hang corners so to keep it fair you only can race him on the 1/4 mile. Keep in mind the consequences of racing on the street if you get caught... but I'm not your mother. LOL!
 
You don't have a carb, or a fuel system specified, but at this point, I am gonna call "your Buddies Audi" the winner.

I bet that his car can run a low 15 (like 15.1 @ 90) with no mods at all.

If you have anemic 2.76 gears and a peg leg open diff, its all over but the :sad5:

I will say a 318 can dominate, your setup is just a little on the low airflow side right now.
 
Cant help you on whether or not you'll beat him since i dont know much about audi's, but man whats wrong with a solid rear axle? thats what all fast drag cars are, and they own- leave all wheel drive for the rally cars...if you say that you have him owned in everything besides that, then i think you should be fine spanking his weinerschnitzel in your duster... but ill tell ya this- even if he does beat you, you bought, built, and drove your car yourself (from what i have see on here) on a budget, whereas he had to go buy some overpriced european gimmick that probably cost twice as much as your car to beat you...if you had the money into your car that he had in buying that car, you'd own without a doubt
 
oh i totally missed about out on the 2.76 thing lol you need gears man! lol even some 3.23's
 
Damn......................

Prine I mentioned that I'm going to run a ThermoQuad (slightly smaller "800 cfm" version).

Actually, looking at performance specs that car tested with around a 16.5 second 1/4-mile which is pretty bad, but I can't say much myself.

I would gladly have swapped to 3.23's but the only way I'd want to do that is with an entire rear-end swap to at least an 8-1/4", and then I'd have to convert to BBP wheels and front end. It's not like he has good "performance" driving technique anyway; I bet he'll miss more than a few shifts and probably attempt them much too early in the RPM band.

ARRGGHHH, the anticipation!!!
 
only a 7-1/4 in the rear? better hope it holds up lol...own him, and then come here and brag when you do =) lol
 
MOPEkidD-3 said:
Damn......................

Prine I mentioned that I'm going to run a ThermoQuad (slightly smaller "800 cfm" version).

Actually, looking at performance specs that car tested with around a 16.5 second 1/4-mile which is pretty bad, but I can't say much myself.

I would gladly have swapped to 3.23's but the only way I'd want to do that is with an entire rear-end swap to at least an 8-1/4", and then I'd have to convert to BBP wheels and front end. It's not like he has good "performance" driving technique anyway; I bet he'll miss more than a few shifts and probably attempt them much too early in the RPM band.

ARRGGHHH, the anticipation!!!
Click to expand...


Personally I like the 3:55 gears. At 3000RPM with 28" tall tire I can go 70MPH. At the moment you need 4:30 gears. LOL!
 
Yeah, purely stats wise.. It's going to be tough to beat him. Unless he's a crap driver.

He'll bog a bit at the line due to the AWD, but he won't spin, either. And once he gets tromping, then he'll tromp pretty well. He'll get some lag from the turbo, but 200 horses do the a4 allright. Off the line, even with 2.76 gears, you'd probably outpace him by a nose.. But he'd catch up quick.

Get some gears and the pipes and you'd have a much better chance.
 
Well, I may test unbolting the exhaust from the manifolds and see if I get any improvement (most likely on the top end). I know, I know, not as efficient as a full exhaust system and all that crap, but it's better than a crappy single 2" pipe, and it sure does sound good :snakeman:.

EDIT: I'm running MAX 26.5" tires and average cruising speed on the highway is around 80 MPH, so even 3.23's aren't the most practical option.
 
watch it, i was at the drag strip 2 years ago and one of those audis ran a 12:30 1/4 . i had to do a double take, ordinary looking quiet car rips off a 12 sec et. i didnt go down and look at it to see what he had done to it.
it didnt have any traction problem at all.
 
I went down to ATCO on there MoPar gathering day and ran an untuned carb and distributor to a 15.14 @ 89 w/2.2's for a 60 footer. Not bad for bolt on's and a baby Crane cam w/3.21 gears.
The engine is a 1979 - 318 that I added a LD4B edelbrock intake. The 625 Carter carb is topped with a unsilenced MP air cleaner.
Headers are Hookers with a Jegs exhaust @ 2-1/2 inchs. A Crane cam speced @ 272/284 (@.505 214-228) w/.454 - .480 lift on a 112 c line. Electric fan and orange box.

A stock sized tire resides on all 4 corners. The 3.21 - 8-1/4 rear has a sure grip.

OH, 14's are very possible with this set up. It could use more compresion than the dead on it's heels 7.5-1 ratio and some port work on the heads would be great.

After reading below, I edited this and figure it's possible with my build and some gear.
 
74fldart said:
watch it, i was at the drag strip 2 years ago and one of those audis ran a 12:30 1/4 . i had to do a double take, ordinary looking quiet car rips off a 12 sec et. i didnt go down and look at it to see what he had done to it.
it didnt have any traction problem at all.
Click to expand...

AWD's very rarely have traction problems.

However, A4's don't run 12's stock.

1/4 Mile ET:14.6101/4 Mile MPH:97.810
Car Make:AudiCar Model:A4Car Type:3.2 QuattroCar Year:2009

That's with the v6, which puts out ~265hp. The 4pot + t pushes around 210hp, but with more torque than the 6. (8 more ft-lbs or so).

The average 0-60 is around 6.3 seconds.

So, the audi doing 12's and running "stock", he may say Stock... except the upgraded turbo, intercooler, exhaust, and con rods...
 
Tell him you painted your car and warmed it up a bit and show up in my car.

13.8 @ 105 driving it in off the street.

PA072129.jpg

P2072518.jpg
 
With what you have said you're running, if he can drive, i think it will be close, but he'll beat you.
 
2500 stall Torque convertor, sure grip, 3.55's and some sticky tires. Do it and smoke 'em.
 
If you can find some smaller diameter tires to put on the back for the race it would have the same effect as a lower set of gears. Maybe something on a 13" rim? Just a suggestion.
 
I have an 8 3/4 rear with 3.55's. It will need to be shortened and a sure grip installed. I will sell it to you for a very reasonable price as I decided to go with a Dana 60. PM me.

Why am I going to do this for you? You're young and running against the wind. I like that. You are also a member in good standing and in the same state so I don't have to try to pallet this thing.

Don't forget, it's not what you buy but what you build. How much does that Audi cost out the door? MSRP is 31k to 48K.
 
Way to go ramcharger! It would be great for this guy to shut down the foreign car with his cheap, low tech Mopar. Of course, the Audi guy will have all kinds of excuses why his high dollar machine lost.
 
'64 Cuda said:
Way to go ramcharger! It would be great for this guy to shut down the foreign car with his cheap, low tech Mopar. Of course, the Audi guy will have all kinds of excuses why his high dollar machine lost.
Click to expand...

Thanks '64. I want to see him smoke this Audi. I can hear the excuses now...lol!

It has a 489 center section, the best of the three. I pulled it out of a truck in Longmont. I paid 100 bucks, it's yours for the same price. I'll hold it for as long as you need. It has the big brakes too (11x2 1/2) but the brakes will need to be rebuilt. LBP axles. Needs axle seals too but you'd want to replace those anyway.
 
Here's hoping that another member can chip in a set of axles, spring pads, trac loc, etc. for a reasonable price.
 
I really appreciate the kind gesture but I honestly won't be able to buy that stuff for at least the next couple months. BTW I'm not trying to make anyone feel bad for me or anything, it's just that's the way it is right now.

Something you guys should know that will give me a big advantage, this guy is a worse driver than I thought. None of my friends really understand how to drive a car in a "performance" fashion, and I don't think my buddy even knows the basics behind how a car works. Today I was explaining the purpose behind shifting shortly after your peak HP on the RPM band to maximize acceleration and he just looked at me and said, "...What?"

Really this race isn't too big of a deal, I'm just full of anticipation that I'll finally be able to drive an old Mopar with some decent power. What I really want is to know what it feels like, how hard it'll hit off the line, how it pulls through the mid-range and top end, if there will be any really "weak" spots. BUT I will be really embarrassed if I feel like my car is the fastest thing on earth and then this stock luxury Euro car beats me without even trying.

One thing I might try too, his max speed is limited to like 125 MPH. If I have the guts to push my car that fast (obviously have to do some safe testing of that on my own) I might have an edge with the tall gears. I agree though, needs head porting/bigger valves and more compression to really scream.
 
OK man, just thought I would offer. I wasn't feeling sorry for you, just wanted to offer a helping hand. When I was your age the internet did not exist as we know it today, but I had the support of some friends and relatives and was always in the library.

Good luck and I hope you beat him.
 
very nice of you to offer him ramcharger...I have found that being young and into the mopar hobby, alot of guys are really generous towards me since im keeping the hobby alive, so they help me out...a few members on here have given me some great deals, as well as some guys locally....mopekid let us know when and if you smoke your buddy! lol
 
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