Product successfully added to your shopping cart
Quantity
Total
There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.
Total products
Total shipping To be determined
Total
2.2L 20v - RS2
Manufacturers
2.2L 20v - RS2
Warning: Last items in stock!
New product
Kit of 5 forged connecting rods, ZRP / Boostline, for Audi 2.2L 20V AAN-ABY-3B-ADU engines:
+ Audi 100/A6 C4 S4 Turbo quattro (AAN)
+ Audi 80/Coupé S2 quattro (ABY)
+ Audi 200 C3 20V Turbo quattro (3B)
+ Audi 80 Avant RS2 quattro (ADU)
The 2.2-litre 20-valve is the flagship turbocharged inline five-cylinder developed by Audi in the late 1980s, derived from the five-cylinder family launched on the Audi 100 in 1976. Fitted with a DOHC 20-valve head and boosted by a KKK turbocharger, it powered in turn the Audi 200 quattro 20V (code 3B), the Audi 80/Coupé S2 quattro and the Audi 100/A6 S4 quattro (code ABY then AAN), before reaching its peak in the Audi 80 Avant RS2 quattro (code ADU), co-developed with Porsche.
Sold between 1989 and 1997 depending on the version, this turbocharged five-cylinder left a lasting mark on the Audi tuning scene thanks to the strength of its block and its ability to hold boost. On examples pushed to Stage 2 and beyond, the factory bottom end becomes the weak link: replacing the stock rods with forged 4340 steel rods, paired with forged pistons, is the first step to securing the engine for the long run.
Machined from high-strength 4340 steel, reinforced forged rods keep the bottom end reliable as power rises. They become essential when fitting forged pistons, raising the rev limit, increasing boost pressure or gaining displacement, all situations where the factory rod reaches its limits.
Designed to withstand the heavy loads of AAN-ABY-3B-ADU-type turbo five-cylinders, these forged rods cover every discipline (rally, drift, drag, circuit and track days, hillclimb, time attack) and support Stage 2, Stage 3 and Stage 4+ builds, right up to full competition engines.
| Reference | Brand | Profile | Bolts | Pin diameter OEM 20 mm | Small-end width | Big-end diameter OEM 50,6 mm | Big-end width | Center-to-center OEM 144 mm | Weight per rod |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-AUD-004-I | ZRP | I-HD | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 20 mm | 50,6 mm | 24,9 mm | 144 mm | 515 g | |
| R-AUD-004-I-L19 | ZRP | I-HD | ARP L19-3/8"-38mm | 20 mm | 50,6 mm | 24,9 mm | 144 mm | 515 g | |
| VW5670-787 | Boostline | I-3P | ARP 2000-3/8"-38mm | 20 mm | 24,9 mm | 50,6 mm | 24,9 mm | 144 mm | 637 g |
| VW5670-787+ | Boostline | I-3P | ARP CA625+-3/8"-38mm | 20 mm | 24,9 mm | 50,6 mm | 24,9 mm | 144 mm | 637 g |
| Rod | Bolts | Torque | Recommended stretch |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZRP (R-AUD-004-I) | ARP 2000 | 61 N·m | 0,140 – 0,152 mm |
| ZRP (R-AUD-004-I-L19) | ARP L19 | 67,8 N·m | 0,152 – 0,165 mm |
| Boostline (VW5670-787) | ARP 2000 | 75 N·m | 0,130 – 0,140 mm |
| Boostline (VW5670-787+) | ARP CA625+ | 115 N·m | 0,170 – 0,180 mm |
Manufacturers recommend the stretch-gauge method as the reference: the instructions supplied with the kit always take precedence. The torque figures shown apply to assembly with ARP lubricant.
4340 is a nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy steel used in aerospace as well as motorsport. Forged and then heat-treated (quenched and tempered), it offers excellent tensile strength, strong fatigue resistance and real ductility. Compared with a factory rod (often sintered metal, optimised for production cost), a forged 4340 rod delivers roughly +19% yield strength, +8% tensile strength and, above all, +19 to +37% fatigue resistance, meaning a service life under cyclic loading several times longer. This is what makes forged 4340 the reference material once boost and rpm climb on a turbocharged five-cylinder. |
 | I-HD profile (Heavy Duty). An I-beam central section keeps the rod light: less reciprocating mass and freer revving. The Heavy Duty version reinforces the small end and big end to handle higher loads, a sound choice on a turbocharged five-cylinder such as the 2.2 20V. |
 | I-3P profile (Boostline, 3-pocket). A patented design that keeps the lightness of an I-beam rod while adding triangulated reinforcements at the big end: bending resistance far superior to a standard I-beam, without the extra mass of an H-beam. Well suited to forced-induction engines. |
The rod bolt is one of the most heavily stressed parts of the engine. The key is to match the ARP grade to the actual use of the build, then strictly respect the assembly torque and stretch. ARP 2000 (tensile strength ~220,000 psi, i.e. ~1,517 MPa) is the high-performance standard. Suited to builds up to 200 hp per cylinder in 3/8", and up to 8,500 rpm, it is the most common grade for circuit, track days, drift, rally, drag and hillclimb, recognised for its robustness, reliability and versatility, with no particular storage constraints. L19 (tensile strength ~260,000 psi, i.e. ~1,793 MPa) is designed for engines pushed to the extreme, up to 250 hp per cylinder in 3/8", and up to 10,000 rpm: very high boost pressure, sustained high rpm and elevated cylinder pressure. It is the choice for high-power builds: drag racing, drift, rally and circuit. Caution: sensitive to corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement, it must be stored and fitted oiled, away from moisture. CA625+ (Custom Age 625+, tensile strength 260,000 to 280,000 psi, i.e. ~1,793 to 1,931 MPa) is ARP’s premium alloy. Extremely high strength, it targets the most extreme builds (more than 250 hp per cylinder in 3/8", beyond 10,000 rpm), while offering better resistance to atmospheric corrosion and oxidation than ARP 2000, and remaining immune to hydrogen embrittlement (without the storage constraints of L19). Ideal for the most demanding rod applications. |
In addition to torque tightening, measuring rod bolt stretch is the most reliable check for achieving optimal preload. The check is done with the bolt fitted: the dial gauge is placed on both ends of the bolt and the actual stretch is read, which must match the recommended value (see the torque & stretch table above). This method removes the friction variability inherent to torque tightening and secures the assembly on heavily stressed engines.
|
 | ZRP, a Greek brand of high-performance forged connecting rods, designed by Alex Drakos in Athens. Each rod is forged in 4340 steel, precision-machined and balanced to ±1 g to stay reliable at high rpm. Designed and inspected in Greece, they are proven in rally, on track and in drift. |
 | Boostline (Wiseco group), a forged connecting rod range from the American Wiseco group, a benchmark since 1941. Its patented 3-pocket design combines the rigidity of an H-beam rod with the lightness of an I-beam rod. Forged in 4340 steel and machined in the USA, they are built for forced-induction engines. |
 | 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 |
These forged rods are compatible with all vehicles fitted with one of the Audi 2.2L 20V AAN, ABY, 3B or ADU engines:
| Make | Model (chassis) | Engine code | Power | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUDI | 100 C4 / 100 C4 Avant (4A2/4A5) Turbo quattro | AAN | 230 hp | 1991–1994 |
| AUDI | A6 C4 / A6 C4 Avant (4A2/4A5) Turbo quattro | AAN | 230 hp | 1994–1997 |
| AUDI | 80 B4 / 80 B4 Avant (8C2/8C5) S2 quattro | ABY | 230 hp | 1992–1995 |
| AUDI | Coupé B3 (89/8B3) S2 quattro | ABY | 230 hp | 1992–1996 |
| AUDI | 200 C3 (44/448) 20V Turbo quattro | 3B | 220 hp | 1989–1990 |
| AUDI | 80 B4 Avant (8C5) RS2 quattro | ADU | 315 hp | 1994–1995 |
When a factory bottom end gives out (a broken, bent or scored rod), returning to the original specification means replacing both rods and pistons, which are often damaged together. The bill quickly adds up for what is essentially a basic overhaul.
For an equivalent budget, or even less, fitting forged 4340 steel rods together with forged pistons brings markedly higher reliability and safety margin, with the added bonus of real potential for a power upgrade. It is the solution chosen by European tuning shops for more than 15 years.
For the same budget: more reliability, more potential, more longevity.
