Audi 100 Tuning

"Going the full 100 percent"

The Audi 100 was a very popular large executive class car, and production ran from 1968 right up to 1994. Thankfully there are still plenty of good examples of this car around dated prior to 1990 and most are now cherished by their owners and being restored. A testimony to Audi's legendary build quality.

We expect the older Audi 100 to become a classic and start to appreciate in value in the near future. So if you are lucky enough to own an Audi 100, what can be done to improve the performance?

Handling modifications are usually your first port of call for the 100. We would go to a maximum drop of 45mm on most models which you can get away with using modern alloy wheels and low profile tyres. The 100's original bushings are almost certainly shot and should be replaced to maintain the handling.

Top end power should be your overall aim on the 100 with a nice fat peak torque band allowing effortless cruising and minimising gear changes.

The best power gains come from larger engine sizes. The more you start with the bigger the return on investment so engine swaps are good value mods for small engined cars. We have also seen a few Audi 100 projects with transplants from modern cars, the 1.8T is a popular choice but the other large NASP engines are equally interesting projects.

There were no shortages when it came to engine choices with the 1982 models coming with a 1.8 litre block right up to a 2.5l TDi unit. By 1991 when the final incarnation of the Audi 100 was launched there were a limited number of engine options but the engines were nicely refined and the Quattro system was offered as a dealer option.

Audi 100 Tuning modifications.

Peak power is all well and good but a driveable and fun car needs a wide power band and lots of low down torque. A fast road cam will be one of the best power mods you can do mechanically to your engine.

After this look at uprating the Carb on pre injection models. The priciple of tuning is that you maintain the fuel to air mix into the engine but will need to increase both for a power gain.

Advancing the ignition timing will sharpen up the acceleration but you should add modern fuel injection if you really want to extract the most power. 

Audi 100 Intake and Exhaust Tuning.

The next area for modification is the intake and exhaust. Derestricting the airflow into the engine is the primary part of tuning so get a better flowing air filter. Sports exhausts balance the flow of air throughout the engine. But if your exhaust is too large, ie it is over 2.0 inches bore, you will lose a lot of the flow rate and lose power on most Audi 100 engines.

Getting a professionally flowed head with larger valves can fully release the engines potential  power. When you start tuning your 100 you will find that the standard clutch starts to complain if you push it too hard, so get an uprated clutch.

Adding forced induction will see big power gains but this is usually too expensive to be cost effective. It is much easier to swap in a modern turbo engine that it is to get a turbo setup and working on the standard Audi 100 engine. Turbos are harder to add than supercharger. Turbos give boost in exponential proportion to increasing engine speed and this can make mapping difficult. Superchargers however will give a boost which is proportional to engine speed so is easier to map. Adding forced induction will usually require a lower compression ratio or water injection.

Audi 100 Wheel modifications.

Because alloy wheels are lighter they improve performance and they help to cool the brake disks. The downside to large alloy wheels on your 100 is that you alter your effective final drive ratio and this will have a detrimental effect on acceleration and performance. Aim to keep the overall rolling diameter of the wheel the same as supplied from the factory. In all cases we do not recommend going above 16 inches.

For more information on Tuning your car please join us in our friendly forum where you can discuss 100 options in more detail with our 100 owners. It would also be worth reading our unbiased Audi tuning articles to get a full grasp of the benefits and drawbacks of each modification.

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This article is flagged for an update, so please pass on specific tips below that I can include. All articles, and content was written by me, Waynne Smith TorqueCars founder. Some outlines are just too general so I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. This entry was filed under Audi. You can leave a response below or join our forum to discuss this article and car modification in detail with our members.

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