I drove the beast to work this morning. 55F outside, slightly damp road from rain last night. Stomped it up a hill on the highway, already going 60mph and got some wheel spin with traction control light flickering... on 275 PS2s. This car is an absolute rocket. I love it. It's nice to feel like it's worth it, even if it's a fleeting experience, after spending this much time and $ to get her running right again.
I started with a beat down MTM RS6. Low miles, full upgrades (turbos, low comp headgasket, exhaust, ecu/tcu, bosch fuel pump, etc) but every problem I can imagine -
constant limp mode issues
slipping TQ converter
leaking diverter valves
missing/disconnected stereo wiring
multiple failed/failing relays
broken contact on MTM ecu
broken harness connectors
trashed DRC
crumbling brake pads and worn out rotors (SQUEEEEEEK)
bent wheels
corroded trans logic board
failed EGT sensors (twice in 1 year)
leaking turbo seals
torn bushings
cv joint
and on and on
Today its nearly perfect.
full IPT trans
new o/e rotors and EBC red pads
wheels repaired & repainted, new tires
DRC recall complete, done correctly!
hotchkis swaybars
wagner intercoolers
rebuilt MTM turbos
APR duck-call diverter valves
resoldered MTM ecu, latest rev
all broken factory stuff fixed (relays, egt, etc, god bless Fidelity warranty)
30k service done early
tons of nit-picking little annoyances that my OCD cant stand, all fixed - missing factory screws, harness connectors with broken tabs, etc.
added 1/8 audio jack connector which is perfect for my MP3 player
And now after all the VAGCOM logging and troubleshooting sessions and frustration, it's running like it should. It truly is a 4k missile and brings joy to my soul. My wallet hurts a bit but being pushed back into the gray leather drivers seat makes the pain go away. Only 28k miles and I plan on keeping her until the warranty runs out or I lose my job.
Lot's of help from this board getting everything sorted. Thanks guys.