
After only having the RS4 for a few weeks I pulled up to work one morning and all was fine, jumped into the car at lunchtime and it wouldn't fire. After taking the original fuel pump out we tested it on the bench, would you believe it the thing seemed to work! We checked all the wiring from the fuse board to the pump and that seemed fine. We figured it must be some kind of dodgy pump regardless and changing it was the best course of action. Checking out the price of a new OEM pump we figured it was almost the same price to get a Bosch 044 pump (rated higher than the OEM pump) and the necessary basket/filter best suited to fit that pump. - view gallery

Had a great day out at Castle Combe again for the Audi Driver International show put on by Autometrix. It's the first time I've been and have to say it was rather quiet, speaking to a few veterans they commented that it was by far the quietest the show had been for many years. Last time I took the car on track I was disappointed in how it handled so earlier this week I wound the AST's to the hardest setting and adjusted the Neuspeed ARB to it's stiffest setting... THAT DID THE TRICK!! Car felt a million times better, really went round the corners well, transformation was like night and day really. Car went like a dream too, even un-mapped it just pulls like a train to the red line so goodness knows what it will be like mapped! - view gallery

The B5 RS4 comes with a BOSE speaker system as standard with an array of optional head units, however most of these components are starting to get tired and failing after 10+ years so it's only a matter of time before the need to replace the speakers becomes an issue. My drivers side door speaker had been crackling on and off pretty much since I got the car, sometimes I just wouldn't bother turning the stereo on at all but ultimately it needed replacing so I figured I'd replace the lot - view gallery

With Audi Driver International (ADI) less than 2 weeks away my AudiSRS stand pass arrived this morning, better start cleaning the car!
I'll also be doing an AudiSRS dedicated track session, be rude not too. I was hoping to have the first phase of mods completed and the car mapped in time for ADI but it's unlikely to happen as I've still got to sort the intercooler out (and I'm still torn between side mount and front mount!).

In order to keep the fuelling nice and safe with the power targets I'm aiming for it's necessary to fit some larger injectors. Whilst I've heard some good things about Seimens 630cc injectors it does seem the default option for fitting "bigger injectors" to the B5 RS4 is to go with the Bosch EV14 with a 750cc rating. Handily one of my contacts knows where to get them from and sorted me out with a set. They don't look like much, in fact they are really small compared to most injectors (the B5 RS4 taking a compact fitment) so in another way I'm glad I got them for a cracking price rather then what most resellers charge! - view gallery

With the Milltek System and 3" Downpipes now fitted it was time to visit PowerStation and see what difference it's made to the power. Turns out quite a lot which isn't really that much of a surprise! It's worth noting that the car is still running the standard map, all that's changed is the exhaust and filter that would make any difference. Figures this time where much more what I expected with a result of 396bhp and 342ft/lb which is a huge increase on the figure from only 2 months ago - view gallery

Having sorted a full Milltek Exhaust System & 3" Downpipes it was over to the chaps at e-parts to get the system fitted. I don't envy them, it's a tough job doing the downpipes at the best of times! I stuck around of a bit but left them too it, will be collecting tomorrow and can't wait - view gallery

The boys at e-parts have been giving me a hand again, this time with a trial fit of the brakes so I can see how far off things are. As expected they don't actually fit, but it looks like I just need to sort some new bells as the discs are the same size as the OEM discs and the calipers fit the hubs perfectly - view gallery

Finally got around to fitting the gauge, far easier then I expected though fiddly in parts. I went for the steering column mounting location as I think it's the neatest option, however it'll take some getting used to as it very "in your face" but I've got my eye on a device that can utilise the DIS display in the dash for monitoring boost along with other values available via VAGCOM - view gallery
With the fitment of a Milltek System shortly I thought I'd take another video of the Scorpion system now it's been used for a couple of months. I think it sounds a little quieter, that or I'm just getting used to it! - view movie

The long term plan has always been to fit a set of 3" Downpipes without CATS along with an associated system and the opportunity arose to obtain a full Milltek System which was too good to pass up. Brand new and never fitted I can't wait to get them on the car! - view gallery

The standard brakes on the B5 RS4 were never going to set the world alight, in fact they are barely enough to help stop a car with just power that weighs so much! A common upgrade is to fit B7 RS4 front (and often rear) brakes as they are a superb option and look very OEM. Whist this is still an option I've been passed a set of Forge Motorsport 8-Pot Brakes which were fitted to a VW Scirocco that I'm going to see if I can make fit. - view gallery

This summers Castle Combe Action Day was sponsored by the great guys @ Forge Motorsport so it would be rude not to go and check the day out. Weather wasn't great but the rain held off for the most part and a good time was had by all, I wasn't really planning to take the RS4 out on track but a couple of sessions were thrust at me so it would have been rude not to. The car was brilliant though it took me a while to get 'comfy' with the feel of such a large car on track, the last car I'd driven on track was my old 205 Mi16 so the RS4 is waaaaaaay different! Can see me taking it out on track again, though even with my current suspension setup it's a handful through the corners - more work required I feel... oh and brakes!! - view gallery

In the February 2010 edition of Audi Driver magazine they focused on the B5 RS4 with several articles through the magazine. The remaining 4 articles have now been uploaded and are superb, really well worth a read. There is an RS4 B5 Buying Guide, Biturbo Tales (early experiences etc.), a reprint of the original Road Test from when the car was launched and Owning the RS4 biturbo (ownership stories etc.) - view articles

Using a 4mm piece of aluminium I've fabricated a new heatsink that utilises a mounting point of the OEM airbox and keeps all the wiring neat against the engine bay. Works really well and should be enough to keep the amplifiers from over heating - view gallery

With the planned upgrades I figured a boost gauge was a worthwhile investment, however I wanted one that looked as OEM as possible. Some people have fitted a boost gauge where the voltmeter is which is a really nice solution but a big commit to hack the gauges about, one I'm not quite prepared to do! So the next best gauge IMO is a PODI which I had imported from America. It's an electronic gauge with various colour illumination which can be used to match the OEM illumination nicely, hence they are a popular gauge with the VAG-set - view gallery

In the February 2010 edition of Audi Driver magazine they focused on the B5 RS4 with several articles through the magazine. I've scanned all the articles in and will be getting them online, starting with a piece by Ben Williamson on the problems associated with the B5 RS4 engine, sad to say that there are quite a few. Well worth a read - view article
Following on from the movies you can now download the dyno graphs from my various runs at MRC and PowerStation. I plan to go back to MRC soon, especially if I can't work out why the power is so down since January! - view gallery

Always trying to play catch up it seems, I've just uploaded the pictures and videos from a trip to the PowerStation dyno on the 21/07/11. Things didn't go quite as planned as down on power big time (hoping a simple boost leak) but did mange to do a before/after with a K&N Induction Kit, well worth listening to the video for just how loud the induction is now! - view gallery
Well it's time to wave goodbye to the original MD Racing website layout that was built in 2004. Originally a place to host image and movies of my 205 GTi track car the site has become a resource for those modifying their 205's so I haven't remove any of the old content, it's just been moved to an "archive" section. This new site has been built to host the images and movies for my current car, an Audi B5 RS4. I hope you enjoy it :)

Lets face it, the standard B5 RS4 gear knob is pretty unexciting, there's nothing "wrong" with it as such, just a gear knob like any other. I had a brief fling with a Forge Big (Gear) Knob I felt it was just too big! Standard knob when back on and the hunt begin to track down a knob of folk law and legend - an ESP Weighted Gear Knob. ESP closed down their road car product department a few years ago, hence their products hard to come by on the second hand market. Well after a long search I managed to track one down and prise it out of the previous owners hands and it's now fitted to my RS4 - view gallery

A bit premature as this is for Phase 2 mods (i.e. when my K04's give up, nice sign yet though!) but I couldn't resist snapping up a pair of RS6 turbos for future mods to the B5 RS4. They are in need of a refurb and to fit the B5 RS4 they need some mods, mostly to do with the outlet pipes to match up with the intercoolers in the RS4. Some people have done these mods themselves, one persona having made up a jig to help with the alignment of the outlets, however I've been in discussion with Turbo Dynamics who are familiar with the necessary mods and will be carrying them out for me. They will also "fettle" with the turbos so they will eventually become Stage 1 RS6 turbos in a B5 RS4 fitment, nice - view gallery

In the quest for more power the OEM Sidemount Intercoolers in the B5 RS4 are in the direct firing line. Whilst they are an upgrade over the S4 intercoolers, they are still fairly small and are also partly covered by the fog lights. Plans to remove the fog lights and fit replacement grills are already in the works but the ideal solution is to fit uprated intercoolers. I could have gone the FMIC route but on the RS4 that's quite a job with oil cooler and PAS cooler in the way so I've decided to fabricate my own sidemounts. First to arrive from a UK source (i.e. not China!) are the cores which are the same size as the Wagner cores - view gallery