I have spacers on my 2001 s4, and im getting some vibration off them. im thinking of taking them off. but it's fine for when it's parked, which it is now....

 

Stupid question: What is FMIC?

 

FMIC = Front Mount InterCooler basically stock upgrade mounted in the front.. you have to change most piping in order to fit it... in most cases it is bigger then the one you're replacing... and more efficient...

more efficiency equals cooler intake charge and more power...

 

lol ... as if more power and the desire to feel it, increases gas mileage

To add to Black_RS4's info ...

It does reduce heat soak (ever felt the difference in power between a hot summer day and a cool night?). That said, when running a big turbo and much more aggressive software, it is imperitive to keep the car running safely incl. keeping exhaust gas temps within safe parameters and CF's in check otherwise you can run the risk of blowing up your engine.

 

leadfoot syndrome taints gas mileage... lol

 

Damn it guys: I was so sure that driving hard is good for the fuel economy!

In my youth when I was driving a "true" Beetle someone told me that driving as hard as you can does it good... could not kill that engine!

Thanks for the "FMIT" translation!

Is there a merit to the idea that changing a car to wheel offsets changes its geometry and the driving could be unpredicatble at extreme load?!

 

lol - better for the engine but not gas consumption.

BTW, its FMIC - Front mounted intercooler

Not sure about your question about wheel offsets. Although I did not feel it, I've read that a wider stance in the rear provides more understeer. That said I don't believe for a second that widening the stance equally on all 4 corners will cause any unpredictable behaviour whatsoever.

 

Avantquattro,

The fingers are faster than the eye... yes it is FMIC!

I heard talk that these German machines are geometricaly refined for the best performance; changing certain parameters (wheel offset) could/may make the car behave unpredictably.... computers... AWD stuff... power applied to the wheels... what do I know? ... I drove a Camaro until the AUDI Fox was forgotten so I can buy a real car from them!

 

dude, awesome looking S4 Avant! I've got a 2004 Avant, but only the 1.8T with Sports Package. Thinking of upgrading the suspension and getting wheel spacers along with an ECU upgrade. Do you have problems driving over bumps with the wheels so far out?....doesn't look like your tires have much room to go up in wheel well. Any risk of the wheels hitting the well in day to day driving? Also, are those 18s or 17s? thanks...

 

Thanks ! Firstly, the A4 Avant has the USP package which includes 18" rims. I had no problems running with that stance until I replaced the Toyo T1R's with Goodyear F1's. The F1's are slightly wider than the Toyos (even though they're 235's also) and had very minor rubbing when going over dips on the highway. I ended up selling the 15 mm spacers and put the 8's in the back.

With respectto doing the ECU, do not wait to chip your car - you will wonder why you did ! JUst remember that the modding is a slippery slope ...