With absolutely no problems over a year's worth of driving, our HPA FT360 R32 customer decided it was time for more power.

Since the FT360 is HPA's entry level turbo package for the Mk4 R32, a few compromises were made to keep the package affordable (relatively speaking). The most significant compromise is the lack of intercooling and the relatively low boost levels required as a result. Add Florida's year-round heat and humidity and it was obvious from day one what the next upgrade would involve.

HPA has recently overhauled their R32 turbo package upgrade paths and one of the big changes is the change from air-to-air intercooling to a liquid-to-air set-up. Better able to handle low-speed heat soak issues, the new intercooler set-up is an excellent choice for the local climate. Next up from the FT360 is what's now known as the FT425, and as one might surmise the number 425 represents approximate crank horsepower. In addition to the intercooler, the FT425 upgrade also introduces a new short runner intake manifold, fuel rail, software upgrades, and a battery relocation kit that moves it from the engine bay and into the trunk. Besides making room for the intercooler heat exchanger and fluid reservoir, moving the battery to the trunk also aids in better weight distribution - no bad thing.

As you might imagine, these changes offer some substantial power gains for the R32. Besides allowing more boost than before, the cooler intake charge mitigates major corrections in timing and as a result throttle response and turbo spool are greatly enhanced.

We apologize for not having more and better pictures - somehow the install coverage got deleted.

For the most part, this install is done. We've set the wastegate but still need to fine tune the boost setting. Still, even with a "mere" 8 psi, the car is a monster and an absolute joy to drive.

Since the last update we've installed the KW V3 coilovers and camber plates, the Haldex Competition controller, an A-pillar-mounted boost gauge, stainless-steel brake lines and Porterfield brake pads. We also swapped in some fresh rear diff and Haldex fluids.

We'll get the boost adjusted, clean up the car and deliver it to its anxious owner. Final update and images to follow shortly.

A couple delays due to waiting on parts and tending to other projects have slowed our progress a bit, but we're happy to say that the car is back together and running perfectly. We'll be setting the boost and road-testing later today.

As mentioned in previous updates, our customer went the extra mile and ordered upgraded rod bearings from HPA as well as an oil scraper from Bildon Motorsport. Installing these items is pretty much standard fare, but caution and attention to detail are the main criteria during the process. The oil scraper requires a minimum of 1mm clearance between it and the crankshaft and achieving such tolerances requires quite a bit of time and finesse. We're pleased to say that our diligence paid off and that the engine turns over perfectly and without any signs of interference.

The rod bearings also have their own clearance issues, so we put our trusty "Plasti-Gauge" to good use and installed them all to spec using ARP bolts supplied with the kit. Good stuff.

In the pics below you'll also see we've installed all three VF-Engineering engine mounts.

We still have the suspension, Haldex controller, brake lines & pads and boost gauge to install, as well as some customer-requested maintenance to perform, so it's still going to be a few days before our customer gets his turboed R32 back. Do you think he's getting anxious?



Original rod bearing with approximately 18k miles of wear. Not bad, eh?

Getting there!

We took the head off the car, installed the head spacer and pair of OEM gaskets, then reinstalled the head with new OEM bolts. We soldered in the new injector plugs and the exhaust manifold and turbo are bolted on. The new downpipe is also in place.

We're waiting for the ECU as well as the high-po rod bearings. Once the bearings are here (hopefully tomorrow), we'll install them, along with the oil scraper. After that, it's mostly just a matter of fitting the oil lines, the heat shield and injectors, then we're ready to bolt everything back up and start the car.

Then we get to move on to the suspension and other accessories portion of this project.

Got a chance to tear into the engine after removing the front of the car. We'll move the car onto a lift to remove the exhaust and then the head can come off.

The ECU has been sent to HPA for reprogramming and we'll be making more progress tomorrow.

Another week, another blown VW Mk4 R32! Actually, lest anyone think we're just swimming in these installs, the truth is it's purely coincidence that we've got the two Rs back-to-back like this. It does make for an interesting couple of weeks at bpd, though, and we honestly do enjoy this kind of work.

This black R32 made the trip to Sarasota from Orlando, and for that we feel rather honored. Unlike the supercharger we installed previously, this R will be turbocharged when it leaves bpd.

Canada's HPA has made quite a name for themselves in the last few years for taking German HGP VW/Audi turbo kits and making them accessible to North American customers. The HGP/HPA FT360 kit we're installing is the first step in a diversified lineup of HGP/HPA turbo kits that consist of single and twin-turbos, intercooled and non-intercooled, and power bumps from 360 to 565 horsepower. The FT360 kit is a single turbo, non-intercooled kit and takes the R32 from 240-hp to about 360-hp.

Should anyone think this entry-level offering is even close to being low-rent, consider some of the pics below. Notice the Garrett R30 ball-bearing turbo and cast exhaust manifold. The downpipe is a full 70mm in diameter and is made of stainless steel. Check out the laser-cut head spacer that, when combined with the OE head gasket, lowers compression to a reasonable 8.5:1. Assuming 360-hp isn't ultimately enough for this R32 owner, the lowered compression will make it relatively easy to bump up the boost. Everything, and I mean everything, in this kit is quality, and that includes the instructions and packaging.

For extra peace of mind, with this FT360 kit we'll be upgrading the R32's rod bearings to race-spec items from HPA and in the interest of making the lower rotating assembly more efficient, we'll be adding a Bildon Motorsport crankcase oil scraper. This is a neat item designed to lessen the parasitic drag caused by oil as it drains from the crankshaft. Rather than getting whipped into a cloud of foam, the scraper allows draining oil to quickly make its way back to the oil pan and the process is said to be good for a 5% increase in horsepower at 7000 rpm.

As the saying goes, power is nothing without control, so our R owner is having us install a set of KW Variant 3 coilovers as well as a pair of adjustable upper camber mounts. The Mk4 Golf chassis on which the R32 is based does not provide for much camber adjustment in stock form, and these KW items will allow this owner to dial in some pretty aggressive camber specs.

Also in the name of more control, we'll be installing all three VF-Engineering R32 engine mounts. For anyone adding power to an R32, these mounts should be considered a mandatory upgrade.

Other additional installs on the agenda are a Haldex sporrt controller that allows for extra rear bias in the awd system, a full set of Porterfield brake pads, a set of ECS Tuning stainless steel brake lines, and an A-pillar-mounted boost gauge. We'll also be performing a Haldex oil and filter service, and, time permitting, a transmission and differential fluid change.

Sounds like fun, eh?