An Audi supercharger upgrade is the reason people keep their 3.0T cars for a decade. The EA837 Eaton blower responds to more speed, better airflow and colder charge air like few engines do. But throw a smaller pulley on a car with a tired valley and stock cooling and you have built a very expensive heat generator. This guide explains each upgrade, from pulleys to our Artus-Sturm ported supercharger service, and the order to do them.
How the 3.0T Supercharger Makes Boost
The EA837 3.0T uses an Eaton R1320 Roots-type supercharger (also called the TVS1320) sitting in the V of the engine, driven by the crankshaft through a belt. Boost is a function of three things:
- ✅ Blower speed. Spin it faster with a larger crank pulley or smaller supercharger pulley and it moves more air.
- ✅ Blower efficiency. Porting the case smooths the inlet and outlet paths so the same speed moves more air with less turbulence.
- ✅ Inlet restriction. The throttle body and intake feed the blower. Restrict them and everything downstream suffers.
Then there is heat. More boost means hotter air going through the intercooler bricks inside the supercharger, which is why cooling is part of every serious build. We explain that side in our Audi supercharger intercooler upgrade guide.
A quick note if you arrived here with a V8: Audi's modern 4.0T V8 is twin-turbocharged, not supercharged. Our Audi V8 supercharged explainer covers that side of the story.
The Core Audi Supercharger Upgrade Options
1. Crank pulley (and supercharger pulley)
A larger overdrive crank pulley spins the blower faster at every rpm. Combined with a smaller supercharger pulley it becomes a "dual pulley" setup. Either way, it must be paired with software written for that pulley combination. Our TruDrive 3.0T crank pulley upgrade ($249.99-$329.99) uses a stainless steel inner hub with a CNC-machined aluminum outer ring, and the outer ring is modular, so you can change between 179, 187, 193 and 207mm sizes without starting over. Always install new crank hardware: the Unzerstörbar crank pulley bolt kit ($64.99-$69.99) uses grade 14.9 bolts.
2. Ported supercharger
Porting reshapes the inlet and outlet of the R1320 case to reduce turbulence and raise volumetric efficiency. Your blower is stripped, inspected, ported, cleaned of all debris and refilled with fresh supercharger oil, with an optional bearing rebuild for high-mileage units. Our service page lists typical gains of 2-3 psi more boost and roughly 20-40 whp, depending on supporting mods and tuning.
3. Throttle body
Audi never offered an 84mm throttle body on the 3.0T, but it is one of the most popular airflow upgrades on the platform. The Luft-Strom 84mm throttle body upgrade kit ($219.99-$349.99) includes the throttle body (genuine VDO or our Luft-Strom design), a billet adapter tapped for methanol injection, a stock or ported supercharger opening to match your blower, gaskets and a plug-and-play harness.
4. Cooling support
The GP Ice Heat Exchanger v2 ($449.99, currently on pre-order) is a quad-pass front core that gives the intercooler loop room to reject the extra heat. Pair it with a higher-flow pump and larger brick ports. See our heat exchanger upgrade post for the details.
5. Tune
Software ties it all together: boost, timing, fueling and throttle mapping for your exact hardware. Browse our Audi tuning solutions and match the file to your pulley and blower.
Staged Paths: Which Upgrade When?
Stage names vary from tuner to tuner, so think in steps instead. The rule: never add boost faster than you add cooling and reliability.
| Step | What you add | Why | Must have first |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0. Baseline | Under-supercharger refresh, plugs, coils, belt and tensioner check | A healthy engine takes boost; a tired one breaks | Diagnostic scan and logs |
| 1. Software and air | Tune, 84mm throttle body, intake | Removes inlet restriction and optimizes the map | Step 0 |
| 2. Pulley | Crank pulley and new bolts, matching software | More blower speed, more boost | Healthy belt drive |
| 3. Cooling | Heat exchanger, pump, brick ports | Keeps IATs down pull after pull | Step 2 or sooner in hot climates |
| 4. Ported blower | Street or race ported R1320 | More efficiency and boost ceiling | Steps 1-3, fuel system check |
A daily driver can stop happily at step 3. A track car or big-power street car goes to step 4 and then reviews fuel and injector health. Our injector rebuild service and ultrasonic injector cleaning guide cover that side.
Shop the Artus-Sturm Ported Supercharger Service, from $749.99
✅ Ported and inspected in-house, return shipping included ✅ Pulley and blower matching help from real 3.0T owners ✅ Ready-to-ship core exchange options
Vorsprung Parts for Your Audi Supercharger Upgrade
- ✅ Artus-Sturm Street Ported Supercharger, Gen 1 ($749.99-$1,599.99): mail-in porting or ready-to-ship exchange for Gen 1 R1320 cores.
- ✅ Artus-Sturm Race Ported Supercharger, Gen 1 ($1,024.99-$1,724.99): the more aggressive port for builds chasing maximum boost.
- ✅ TruDrive crank pulley ($249.99-$329.99) and Unzerstörbar bolt kit ($64.99-$69.99).
- ✅ Luft-Strom 84mm throttle body kit ($219.99-$349.99).
- ✅ GP Ice Heat Exchanger v2 ($449.99).
- ✅ Billet supercharger tensioner pulley ($64.99-$111.99) to keep the belt drive happy. Background in our tensioner pulley replacement cost post.
See everything in our turbo and supercharger upgrades collection.
Fitment
The Gen 1 Artus-Sturm service fits cores built around the Eaton R1320 from the Gen 1 EA837 3.0T: B8/B8.5 S4 and S5, B8.5 Q5 3.0T and SQ5, C6/C7 A6, A7 and Q7 3.0T. Gen 2 CREC cores (2016-2018 A6, A7 and Q7, 2015-2018 A8) need extra machine work, so use the CREC street ported service ($999.99-$1,849.99) or CREC race ported service ($1,274.99-$1,974.99). The TruDrive pulley, bolt kit and Luft-Strom kit are built for the supercharged EA837 3.0T. Not sure which engine you have? Our Audi 3.0T supercharged engine guide explains Gen 1 vs CREC.
Install Notes
- ✅ Mail-in porting takes roughly two weeks from when we receive your core. Choose a ready-to-ship exchange unit to skip the downtime.
- ✅ The crank pulley requires the correct holding tool and torque procedure. Use new bolts every time.
- ✅ Match software to hardware. A pulley or ported blower on the wrong file can overboost or run lean.
- ✅ Log boost, IATs and timing after every step, and let the data decide the next one.
- ✅ Planning an S4 build from scratch? Our Audi S4 mods roadmap puts this into a full stage plan.
Audi Supercharger Upgrade FAQ
What is the best Audi supercharger upgrade for a 3.0T?
For most cars the best first upgrade is software plus an 84mm throttle body, followed by a crank pulley with matching software and supporting cooling. A ported supercharger comes after the cooling is sorted.
Does a crank pulley upgrade need a tune?
Yes. A larger crank pulley spins the supercharger faster and raises boost, so the software must be written for that pulley combination.
How much power does a ported 3.0T supercharger add?
Our Artus-Sturm service page lists typical gains of 2-3 psi of extra boost and roughly 20-40 whp, depending on supporting modifications and tuning.
Can I port a CREC supercharger?
Yes, but CREC cores need extra machine work, so they have their own street and race ported service options.
Do I need to upgrade cooling after a pulley?
You should. More boost means more heat in the intercooler loop. A larger heat exchanger, higher-flow pump and larger brick ports keep intake temperatures and timing consistent.
What is a dual pulley setup on the Audi 3.0T?
It combines a larger crank pulley with a smaller supercharger pulley to raise blower speed further than either change alone. It requires matching software and good cooling.
Is an Audi supercharger upgrade safe for daily driving?
Yes, when the engine is healthy, the software matches the hardware and cooling keeps up. Refresh the parts under the supercharger before adding boost.
Bottom Line on Your Audi Supercharger Upgrade
The best Audi supercharger upgrade is a planned one: healthy engine first, then airflow and software, then pulley and cooling, then a ported blower when you are ready for the next level. Do it in that order and the 3.0T stays fast every pull and every season. When you are ready for the big step, start with our Artus-Sturm ported supercharger service for the Audi 3.0T, and if you are still at the pulley stage, the TruDrive is the place to begin.
Shop the TruDrive 3.0T Crank Pulley Upgrade, from $249.99
Drive the difference. Drive Vorsprung.
Prices checked September 25, 2026 and subject to change.
