Modding uprating the VAG 2.8V6 30v engine!

Fully Explore "2.8V6 30v Modifications"

How to modify and upgrade the VAG 2.8V6 30v

"Comprehensive guide to performance parts and tuning the VAG 2.8V6 30v engine!"

Forums like the one at TorqueCars often are seeing threads requesting info on how to improve the 2.8V6 30v from people inquiring about getting more power from the 2.8V6 30v and wanting to know what are the greatest 2.8V6 30v modifications. So let us look into VAG 2.8V6 30v parts and outline the best upgrades on this great engine and point out some potential pitfalls along the way.

Our aim here is to outline options for your 2.8V6 30v tuning and outline the best mods that work. VAG 2.8V6 30v really good project engines and with a few sensible modified enhancements like remapping, turbo improvements and camshafts you will dramatically improve your driving experience.

The optimum 2.8V6 30v tuning parts on an engine are in our opinion the ones that give the best gains for your money.

We won't be swayed by popular 2.8V6 30v tuning parts, they need to be cost effective.

2.8V6 30v induction kits

Improving air intake on the 2.8V6 30v

You need fuel and air for an engine to work. If there is insufficient fuel then it will run lean, if there is not enough air it runs rich resulting in lost power . We'll pick up on fuelling later in this article but for now we shall look at air supply.

So Getting air and fuel into your 2.8V6 30v is the main goal to any performance tuning project.

It is not unusual that there's a limitation in the air flow sensor (AFM/MAF/MAP) on the 2.8V6 30v when a lot more air is being drawn into the engine.

We see 4 bar air sensors coping with quite large power gains, whereas the OEM air sensor limited bhp and torque at a much lower level.

Engines intake headers take the during the engines suck phase from the filter and allow it to be sucked into the engine cylinders with fuel for the squish phase.

The size of bore and shape and rate of flow of the Plenum can make a noticeable effect on to fuel atomisation and engine efficiency on the 2.8V6 30v.

It's not uncommon that intake are in dire need of an upgrade, although some OEM provide fairly well optimized intake.

Big valve conversions on the 2.8V6 30v, getting port work and head flowing will also boost power, and as an added benefit will afford you a better power increase on other parts.

2.8V6 30v performance cam tips.

Some 2.8V6 30v engines respond better to mild cam durations than others.

The engine timing and fuel pump and injectors also will make differences on the torque gains you'll hit.

Altering valve durations can alter the torque band and on most engines the exhaust and intake durations do not need to match, although most cams and tuners use matched pairs there are some advantages to extending the intake or exhaust durations.

The cam profile plays a big part in the engines power output so cam upgrades make quite a large difference. The intake & exhaust durations will alter depending on the chosen cam profile, so large power band gains are on offer for cam upgrades.

NB: Fast road camshafts normally raise the performance through the rev range, you could sacrifice a little low down bhp but the higher rpm power will be lifted.

Motorsport camshafts, raise the higher rpm power band but as a result the car will not idle smoothly and low end power nearly always suffers.

For a car driven daily you need to optimize your engines power to your driving style.

I would be surprised if you have found a 2.8V6 30v Competition camshaft is a pleasure to live with when on the daily commute.

Stage 1, 2 and 3 mods for the 2.8V6 30v

Before we break the best tuning upgrades down into stages of tune, let's list the most effective tuning upgrades for you.

  1. Suspension Upgrades - always improve your cars handling
  2. Brake Upgrades - Even before adding power improve those brakes
  3. Intake - make sure the intake is not restricted, use filters and intake upgrades to improve this
  4. Exhaust - as with 3 ensure there is not restriction in the exhaust, cats are the usual bottleneck
  5. Tunes - remapping, piggyback ECU's and aftermarket ECU's can all make decent gains
  6. Fuelling - when you've increased power you'll need to match this with more fuel
  7. Turbo upgrades - Improving the intake with a large turbo and better flowing intercooler will be the biggest power gain you'll see (but one of the most complex).

This video guide to tuning cars is a great starting point to work from in your project.

Stage 1 2.8V6 30v parts:

Drilled & smoothed airbox, Fast road camshaft, Intake headers, Remaps/piggy back ECU, Panel air filters, Sports exhaust manifold.

Stage 2 2.8V6 30v parts:

Fast road cam, fuel pump upgrades, Sports catalyst & performance exhaust, Ported and polished head, induction kit, high flow fuel injectors.

Tuning tips and articles Engine tuning Transmission tuning Care care Intake & exhaust mods Improve handling Forums

Stage 3 2.8V6 30v parts:

Twin charging conversions, Competition cam, Internal engine upgrades (head flowing porting/bigger valves), Adding or Upgrading forced induction (turbo/supercharger), Engine balancing & blueprinting, Crank and Piston upgrades to alter compression.

The 2.8V6 30v power plant are fantastic to work on and we see that there is an increase of upgrades and tuning parts around.

ECU flashing allows a tuner to unlock the full potential of all the mods you've done to your 2.8V6 30v.

You will typically expect to see gains of approximately 20-30% more power on turbocharged vehicles and you can expect to see around 15% on NASP engines, but your mileage may rely on the mods you've fitted and the condition of your engine.

Turbo modifications on the 2.8V6 30v

To get a turbo working on a NASP engine there is a lot involved, from lowering compression ratio to improved fuel supply and mapping, so we have found a great guide to helpavoid the common pitfalls or end up with an unfinished project because you were not told what you were getting into by doing this on the 2.8V6 30v.

The more air you can get into an engine, the more fuel it can burn and uprating the induction with a turbocharger upgrade makes significant power gains.

If your car is fitted with a turbo upgrades are going to net you a larger power gain and you will discover turbo charged engines are made using many forged and stronger components.

However every engines will need better parts at higher power limits

It is important to find these restrictions and fit better pistons and crank to cope with the power.

There are many guys spending a lot of money on turbo charger upgrades on the 2.8V6 30v only to see the motor explode on it's first outing after it's been enthusiastically driven.

Bigger upgraded turbo chargers commonly experience no power at low rpm, and smaller turbo chargers spool up more quickly but don't have the peak end bhp gains.

Thankfully the choice of turbos is always evolving and we now see variable vane turbos, permitting the vane angle is altered according to speed to lower lag and increase top end bhp and torque.

Twin scroll turbos divert the exhaust flow into a couple of channels and feed these at differently designed vanes in the turbo. They also increase the scavenging effect of the engine.

Beefing up the air intake by adding a supercharger or additional turbo will help you achieve very large torque gains, although more complex to setup. We have this in depth look at twinchargers if you want to read more.

Tips about fuel supply on the 2.8V6 30v

You will need to ensure that the engine is not starved of fuel so need to uprate the fuelling when you start exceeding 20% of a power hike. Care modifiers usually say to over specify your injector capacity.

The rule of thumb is to add 20% to the flow rate when fitting an injector, this accounts for injector deterioration and gives some spare capacity should the engine need more fuel.

Don't forget that different fuel grades will usually require different settings, a high octane fuel will burn more efficiently than lower octane fuel for example. A car will trim fuel supply to keep within the ideal air fuel mix but at the extreme ends you may need to adjust your injector capacity, or the mapping or you'll get flat spots and potential lean or rich fuel issues..

Recommended 2.8V6 30v performance exhaust upgrades

You only need to to replace your exhaust system with an upgraded one is if the existing exhaust is creating a restriction.

On most factory exhausts you'll see the flow rate is still ok even on modest power gains, but on a serious tuning project with a big boost in power you will certainly need to get a better flowing exhaust.

Please dont run with the biggest exhaust you can find you'll reduce the exhaust flow rate - the best exhausts for power gains are usually between one and a half to two and half inches. Your exhaust design, the bend angles and construction are what have more effect on flow rates than your pipe width to a certain extent. So the exhaust design is a big factor.

The usual suspects causing problems in your exhaust flow rate are in the emissions filters installed, so adding a freer flowing performance alternative will help avoid this restriction.

Decats (NB:catalysts reduce harmful engine emissions) is illegal in most countries and regions.

Faults issues and things to look out for on the 2.8V6 30v

Like most engines an 2.8V6 30v, should have few issues if it gets properly serviced and looked after.

We cannot stress enough the need for oil changes with the correct grade of oil on the 2.8V6 30v, failure to do this will exacerbate engine wear, on a tuned 2.8V6 30v this is more important than ever and close attention should be paid to your maintenance schedule.

If you are interested in learning more or getting impartial tuning advice for your 2.8V6 30v why not pop over to the forums at TorqueCars where you can chat about 2.8V6 30v tuning options and read about others projects who may be planning to do similar modifications on their 2.8V6 30v.

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