Ok, I have a 2001.5 s4, 136xxx miles, tiptronic transmission, all stock. Next year I'll be going to college; during the college school year I won't be using the car a lot other than to make the trip between my house and school (300 or 400 miles) a few times a year. Also, the check engine light has been on ever since I got it from the dealership. The mechanic there said that it's coming up due to the torque converter but that it wasn't a problem. I don't know if this means that it's not a problem at all or if it just isn't a problem yet. I would really like my car to last me through 4 years of college. I really want to have 300hp because the stock s4 is quick but not sleeper enough for me. Any and all comments/suggestions are welcome. Thanks!

 

Chip the car, have some fun. It makes it a whole new car.

136,000 on stock turbos is pretty good if you ask me, the car doesn't do badly at stock boost.

Pushing them to higher boost will shorten their life, you can never know how much though. Also the TC may not be a problem now, but if something is wrong with it another 70+ft/lbs of torque is probably gonna make it a problem.

If you chip the car but still dont go over 5psi driving it around then it wont really have an effect, but if your doing WOT 2nd-3rd-4th gear pulls at 17psi every day after class your turbo life will probably be affected.

 

chip it man have some fun just like diesel said dont run it everyday ease up sometimes and plus ull save gas especially if ur a broke colleg boy like myself go with a giac chip

 

I'd go with an APR chip man. The nicest thing is to be able to switch programs, and thus, dial-in how much power you want from the car. Plus valet mode makes it so your friends cant mess with your car :P

 

chipping is the best thing ive done to the car.. awesome fun.. but youll wanna go deeper.. i promise... ;- )

 

Fix the tq converter then do a chip!

 

Thank you all so much, it's very relieving to hear all this because I've been kind of nervous about doing it. Anybody know how much of an effect upgrading DVs does?

 

Umm yeah Chip that ****!

love the white

 

A chip can sometimes tear the diaphram in your stock DV's (well not the chip itself but the higher boost it calls for). This will function just like a boost leak, depending on the severity it can have different symptoms, sometimes it will be mostly noise, sometimes it will effect performance.

Theyre good to replace when you chip the car, 710n's are a cheap audi OEM alternative to the expensive aluminum valves. You might also want to look at a samco throttle body boot because thats another part known to fail esp when you turn up the boost

 

it would be wise to fix the tc if you can afford it because the added boost will probably break whats ever causing the light. but again it wont hurt if you dont wot all day every day.