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2.0L 16v - EA888.3
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2.0L 16v - EA888.3
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Set of 4 high-performance forged rods for the Audi/Volkswagen 2.0 TSI EA888 Gen.3/Gen.4.
+ Wrought 4340 steel, weight-matched set
+ ZRP, Wössner and Boostline profiles (I / I-3P)
+ ARP 2000, L19 or Custom Age 625+ bolts
+ 23 mm pin, 144 mm center-to-center, set of 4
The third- and fourth-generation 2.0 TSI EA888 (Gen.3 / Gen.4) is an inline four-cylinder petrol engine with direct injection and turbocharging, displacing 1,984 cc (82.5 mm bore, 92.8 mm stroke). Launched in the early 2010s and then widely rolled out across the Volkswagen Group (Audi, Volkswagen, SEAT and Škoda), it spans a very broad power range, from 190 hp in mild tune up to 300 hp on the S variants. This chain-driven family is identified, on the reciprocating side, by its 23 mm piston pin combined with a 144 mm center-to-center length.
The block itself is strong and takes well to tuning. However, as soon as boost pressure, engine speed or torque is raised in earnest, the stock rod quickly reaches its limit: it is the first part to break on a pushed EA888, often taking the rest of the bottom end with it. Moving to forged rods is therefore the decisive reliability step to unlock this engine’s potential for good.
Our forged rods for the 2.0 TSI EA888 Gen.3 / Gen.4 are machined from wrought 4340 steel, the benchmark material for heavily stressed engines. They answer every discipline, from circuit and trackday to drift, rally, drag, time attack and hillclimb, and suit a heavily tuned fast-road 2.0 TSI just as well as a genuine competition engine. From Stage 2 to a high-power Stage 3, then Stage 4 and beyond, they follow the rise in performance without ever compromising mechanical durability. Each kit gathers 4 weight-matched rods and strictly keeps the 23 mm piston pin and 144 mm center-to-center length specific to this family.
Where the factory rod stays sized for very high-volume production cost, the forged 4340 rod releases a markedly wider mechanical margin: around +19% yield strength, +8% tensile strength and +19 to +37% fatigue endurance. That reserve lets the boosted EA888 absorb cylinder-pressure peaks and inertia loads without cracking. Three signatures are offered depending on the goal: the lighter I profile by ZRP, the I profile machined by Wössner (A-Beam) and the reinforced I-3P profile by Boostline.
| Reference | Brand | Profile | Rod bolts | Pin bore (mm) | Small-end width (mm) | Big-end bore (mm) | Big-end width (mm) | Center-to-center (mm) | Weight (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-VW-008-I | ZRP | I | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 23 | 50.6 | 21.85 | 144 | 500 | |
| R-VW-008-I-L19 | ZRP | I | ARP L19-3/8"-38mm | 23 | 50.6 | 21.85 | 144 | 500 | |
| R-VW-008-IR | ZRP | I | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 23 | 50.6 | 21.85 | 144 | 508 | |
| R-VW-008-IR-L19 | ZRP | I | ARP L19-3/8"-38mm | 23 | 50.6 | 21.85 | 144 | 508 | |
| KCR333A-T | Wössner | I (A-Beam) | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 23 | 21.50 / 16.00 | 50.6 | 21.9 | 144 | 579.92 |
| VW5669-905 | Boostline | I-3P | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 23 | 22 | 50.61 | 21.89 | 144 | 610 |
| VW5669-905+ | Boostline | I-3P | ARP CA625+-3/8"-38mm | 23 | 22 | 50.61 | 21.89 | 144 | 610 |
The stated torque and stretch relate to the ARP bolts supplied with the kit; refer to the technical sheet provided. Checking with a stretch gauge remains the most reliable and repeatable method to guarantee preload.
| Reference | Brand | Rod bolts | Max torque (no gauge) | Stretch (gauge check) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-VW-008-I | ZRP | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 61 | 0.140 to 0.152 |
| R-VW-008-IR | ZRP | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 61 | 0.140 to 0.152 |
| R-VW-008-IR-L19 | ZRP | ARP L19-3/8"-38mm | 67.8 | 0.152 to 0.165 |
| KCR333A-T | Wössner | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 74.6 | 0.1397 to 0.1524 |
| VW5669-905 | Boostline | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 75 | 0.130 to 0.140 |
| VW5669-905+ | Boostline | ARP CA625+-3/8"-38mm | 115 | 0.170 to 0.180 |
| 4340 is a low-alloy steel with nickel, chromium and molybdenum. Forging orients the metal grain along the load paths, closes foundry micro-porosity and delivers mechanical strength on another level from a cast or sintered production rod: about +19% yield strength, +8% tensile strength and +19 to +37% fatigue endurance. The aim is a tensile strength of around 930 to 1,080 MPa, exactly what an engine gaining torque, revs and boost demands. This is the material that makes up our entire EA888 Gen.3 / Gen.4 range. |
 | I profile (ZRP) , the lightest in the range (500 to 508 g depending on the version), it concentrates material in the compression zones to lighten the reciprocating assembly and help the 2.0 TSI pick up revs, with no loss of reliability. It is available with or without oil-feed drilling and can be ordered with ARP 2000 or ARP L19 bolts in 3/8". |
| I / A-Beam profile (Wössner) , Wössner calls its optimised I profile the A-Beam: it is indeed an I-beam rod, with reworked webs balancing stiffness and mass (579.92 g). Machined from forged 4340 steel, it targets demanding builds such as the Golf R and is supplied with ARP 2000 bolts in 3/8". |
 | I-3P profile (Boostline) , an I-beam body with three pockets (3-pocket) that markedly raises bending stiffness while containing mass (610 g). Designed for the most heavily tuned engines, at high torque and power, it targets the most severe drag and circuit builds. It is offered with ARP 2000 or ARP Custom Age 625+ bolts in 3/8". |
Bolts are chosen according to the level of tuning; three ARP grades are offered, all in the 3/8" diameter suited to the EA888 center-to-center:
 | ARP 2000: the all-round benchmark alloy, with a tensile strength of about 220,000 psi (1,517 MPa). It is the default choice: it covers the vast majority of builds, from simply raised boost to high power, and makes the bottom end reliable for good. It equips the I (ZRP), A-Beam (Wössner) and I-3P (Boostline) profiles. |
 | ARP L19: a higher-strength alloy, around 260,000 psi (1,793 MPa), intended for heavily tuned engines run at high rpm and high cylinder pressure. More sensitive to corrosion and hydrogen, it needs careful storage and is reserved for pushed builds (ZRP I profile). |
 | ARP Custom Age 625+: the premium alloy, from 260,000 to 280,000 psi (1,793 to 1,931 MPa), combining very high strength with immunity to hydrogen embrittlement and no storage constraint. It is the grade for the most extreme builds (Boostline I-3P profile). |
| The most reliable way to guarantee preload is not to aim for a torque figure but to measure bolt stretch with a dial gauge. Tighten in steps until the recommended stretch is reached , 0.140 to 0.152 mm for ARP 2000, 0.152 to 0.165 mm for ARP L19, 0.170 to 0.180 mm for ARP Custom Age 625+ , ensuring an even, repeatable clamp load, cylinder after cylinder. |
 | ZRP , a specialist in race forged rods founded by Alex Drakos in Athens (Greece). Each rod is machined from forged 4340 steel and weight-matched. For the EA888 Gen.3 / Gen.4, ZRP supplies the I profile, with or without oil-feed drilling, with either ARP 2000 or ARP L19 bolts, as a complete set of 4. |
 | Wössner , a German manufacturer renowned for its high-precision forged pistons and rods. Its A-Beam rod (optimised I profile) is machined from forged 4340 steel and aimed at heavily tuned 2.0 TSI builds such as the Golf R. It is supplied with ARP 2000 bolts, as a complete set of 4. |
 | Boostline , a forged-rod range from the American Wiseco group. Its three-pocket I-beam body (I-3P) offers increased bending stiffness for high-torque, high-power engines. The rods are weighed and matched, supplied with ARP 2000 or ARP Custom Age 625+ bolts, as a complete set of 4. |
 | 1) Small end 2) Small-end diameter 3) Rod beam 4) Rod bolt 5) Big end 6) Rod nut / bolt 7) Rod cap 8) Big-end diameter 9) Center-to-center |
| Make | Model (chassis) | Engine code | Power | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audi | A1 (GB) 40 TFSI | CZPC, DKZC | 200–207 hp | 2018– |
| Audi | A3 (8P) 2.0 TFSI | CBFA, CCZA | 200 hp | 2011–2013 |
| Audi | A3 (8V) 2.0 TFSI | CZPB | 190 hp | 2016– |
| Audi | A3 (8V) 40 TFSI | DKZA | 190 hp | 2018– |
| Audi | A4 (8K) 2.0 TFSI quattro | CAEB | 211 hp | 2008–2015 |
| Audi | S1 (8X) 2.0 TFSI | CWZA | 231 hp | 2014–2018 |
| Audi | S3 (8V) 2.0 TFSI | CJXB | 280 hp | 2012–2014 |
| Audi | S3 (8V) 2.0 TFSI | CJXC | 300 hp | 2012–2016 |
| Audi | TT (8J) 2.0 TFSI | CESA, CETA | 211 hp | 2010–2014 |
| Audi | TT (FV/8S) 2.0 TFSI | CHHC | 230 hp | 2014– |
| Audi | TT (FV/8S) 40 TFSI | DKZB | 197 hp | 2018– |
| Audi | TT (FV/8S) 45 TFSI | DKTB | 245 hp | 2018– |
| Volkswagen | Golf VI 2.0 GTI | CCTA | 200 hp | 2009–2013 |
| Volkswagen | Golf VI 2.0 GTI | CCZB | 211 hp | 2009–2012 |
On a tuned 2.0 TSI EA888 Gen.3 / Gen.4, a stock rod that lets go usually takes the block, crankshaft and pistons with it. Investing in a forged rod set from the outset costs far less than a full rebuild after a failure. You permanently strengthen the bottom end, preserve the value of your build and drive with peace of mind, in intensive use as much as day to day.
