I know there are quite a few posts out there for chipping the 2.7T so I thought I would add my $.02.
I went to J3 Motorsports in Buford, GA where they installed the chip in about 45 min. For those of you living in GA, this shop is one of the cleanest I have ever seen. They work primarily on Porsche race cars and had about five on various lifts. The guy to see is Blair...
Had chip tuned for 93 Octane with several of the programs and let me tell you, my A6 screams now !!!
Took a trip to North Carolina and back and gas mileage stayed around 23.7mpg (that's at an avg. 90mph) ;)
Passing no longer requires a down-shift, unless you just absolutely want to make a statement...

Mod was well worth the effort. Have not changed out the TBB but will do that in the next month or so..

Don't forget to upgrade your DV's, too. A necessity.

Glad to hear you like the new performance. I'm sure the guys at J3 appreciate the kudos, too.

Imola,
I had actually mentioned that to J3 when the time comes to upgrade the TBB and they did not deem it necessary unless I just really wanted to make the change. I think I may as well do the upgrade while changing out the TBB - it's only about $60 more for both.

Next on the list is H&R Sport springs (lowering F:1.75#, R:1.5#) with Bilsteins... I'm keeping stock 16" wheels but will most likely go to a 225/50 series tire the next round. Still trying to keep the overall look low-key.

ORIGINAL: Silv_2.7T

Imola,
I had actually mentioned that to J3 when the time comes to upgrade the TBB and they did not deem it necessary unless I just really wanted to make the change. I think I may as well do the upgrade while changing out the TBB - it's only about $60 more for both.

Next on the list is H&R Sport springs (lowering F:1.75#, R:1.5#) with Bilsteins... I'm keeping stock 16" wheels but will most likely go to a 225/50 series tire the next round. Still trying to keep the overall look low-key.


Congrats on the upgrade! Do the DV's now. Go with the TT's 710N or the better option Forge DV's.
Installing a boost gauge would make sense now. Do you know at what pressure the turbos spike now?
I usually reccomend "preparing" the engine for mods first befre doing them but hey, it's your car.
I loved your las comment: I'm picky about upgrades too, I don't want them to be seen/heard.

Audi_first,
thanks for your comments - and I agree on all points. I'll look into the DVs that you mentioned.
As for the boost gauge, I have not seen/heard of a good response on this site as to where to physically put the gauge on a A6. I don't really care to have the pillar pod. I was told that with the chip, they should be pushing around 14-16psi.

Tell me, what kind of changes did you notice in agility and acceleration compared to stock? 2nd, 3rd gear? Did you have the whistling sound in low rpm's while you were stock? Did that change?
I finally solved the CEL issue: MAF replaced under the extended warranty, Few days ago I replaced a suspicious vacuum hose, now the problem is gone.

The changes are definitely hardcore seat of the pants... the power comes on just as smooth but a lot harder than before. I noticed the whistling sound before the chip but now it's definitely more audible. I actually like that sound :)
As far as acceleration, it does best when keeping the car in Auto. If you half-throttle it, it prematurely shifts into 2nd so staying on it in first makes redline come up very quickly now - same for the other gears... for some reason, when I get on it hard while working the TIP, it sometimes feels like the tranny is slipping - maybe when I tip-shift, it just can't keep up under power.
Those are really the only little quirks to mention - otherwise, I am extremely happy. It just gets up and goes very effortlessly now.

I pretty much expected those answers and I'm glad I got them:) I forgot you were driving an auto.
...>300 ft lbs of torque...hmmmm

Actually - 381 ft-lbs (on 93 Octane) with > 90% of that kicking in at about 2200 rpm... check out the dyno for the upgrade at www.goapr.com [sm=burnout.gif]

I have been toying with the idea for a week now.;)

Stop.... tempting....me.....


Keep us updated on how this is working with you. What kind of milage do you have on the car?

I keep looking at these chips and want one. I am afraid of the turbos taking a big dump.

Ha, ha..

My car currently has just turned over 38k miles (bought an extended warranty because original is out due to years). Turbos going out prematurely has definitely been a big consideration in getting this upgrade, however, I have read the threads enough on properly maintaining the vehicle with this upgrade and I think I do a pretty good job.
I don't race around all day; my driving is usually fairly docile around town unless tempted - and I make sure to have a cooling down period before turning engine off. So I hope the life of the turbos will remain fairly decent.

ORIGINAL: Silv_2.7T

Imola,
I had actually mentioned that to J3 when the time comes to upgrade the TBB and they did not deem it necessary unless I just really wanted to make the change. I think I may as well do the upgrade while changing out the TBB - it's only about $60 more for both.

Next on the list is H&R Sport springs (lowering F:1.75#, R:1.5#) with Bilsteins... I'm keeping stock 16" wheels but will most likely go to a 225/50 series tire the next round. Still trying to keep the overall look low-key.



I'm new, so what's DV's & TBB's? Help me out here. I just picked up an '02 Allroad and I'm currently driving an E46 M3. I like my CPO warranty, but like to go fast . . . so, what's first?

ORIGINAL: m3brad

I'm new, so what's DV's & TBB's?

TBB - Throttle Body Boot
DV - Diverter Valve

Most people go with a chip first - best bang for the buck, but there are warranty issues if it causes turbo failure. You could go with an exhaust.

To each his own. For example, I'm sick of the fender gap. Now, I could buy the Eibach Pro kit for ~$300 but most people aren't happy with those so they end up doing coilovers anyway. As for the chip, it's amazing how much room forced induction engines have to play around with. I mean, from 250 hp/~255 ft. lbs of torque to 318 hp (93 octane program) and 398 FT. LBS OF TORQUE!!!

Has anyone with a chip installed actually run into any warranty problems or has had a failed turbo? I've read posts that say the dealerships can't even tell if you have a chip installed, but I was under the impression that they could plug in their diagnostics and find out a whole lot about HOW you have driven the car. If they can find out how you've driven the car, can't they determine that the engine has to be modded to achieve some high performance readings?

I'm considering a chip, but I'm concerned that the dealer will find out about it and use it as an excuse to void the warranty for damn near anything? "So how the hell did my chip modification affect the cup holders breaking down???!!!!"

By the way this is my virgin post...:)

Silv_2.7T,
Have you driven a 4.2L? How would you compare your new power to the V8?

i have a giac chip in my 2.7t. i also purchased a flashloader with the stock program. i was told the dealer cannot see the chip or program but in their diag. the can check boost pressure. i was also told that they would only decline to warranty something if it is a direct result of the chipping. so before i go in for warranty work or service i switch it back to stock mode.

Blk2.7t...When you say they can see it in the diag. Do you mean they can see it only if the chip is actually connected or they can see it from past driving record. A friend blew an engine on his Porsche and tried to get the dealership to cover it on the warranty, but they told him they wouldn't because he redlined the damn thing 6 times, which contributed to whatever problem he had. He said he certainly didn't tell them he redlined it, so they must have some kind of diagnostic tool that would show how the vehicle is driven. If that's the case, wouldn't they be able to show that the audi's boost was higher than stock, even if you replaced the ECU?

I called the Audi dealership in Seattle today, and they said they usually would not cover an item (factory warranty) if they could show that wear/tear was expedited due to the chip upgrade. He said an extended warranty company would definitely not cover anything even remotely tied to the chip. He said the first question the warranty companies ask is "Does the vehicle have any kind of modification?" If it does, then they try hard to correlate the modificiation as the cause for whatever problem you have. (obviously depends on the problem).

He told me to wait until the warranty period is over...Unfortunately, I have 2 years left on factory warranty and also purchased a 5 year extended warranty on top of that.[:@]

Steviep,
I have driven a 4.2 and they are extremely nice - I love the flared fenders and the 255's. I believe that performance is going to be comparable with the chipped 2.7TT. Upside with the 4.2 is the torque is always available and you are not taxing your turbos; downside for me was the lower gas mileage of the 4.2. The used ones I saw were very nice but still a bit out of my price range or higher mileage than I cared for.
Toddyfraz,
I have not had any warranty issues since the turbos seem to be doing well although I do notice a slight burning oil smell when pushing the car hard on a morning commute. I am planning on getting that checked out.
As far as concerns with dealerships noticing the chip, I believe I have some of the same features as blk2.7t. My APR chip actually has two programs that I can go back and forth between (stock vs. 93octane). I also have two additional features called a Fault code erase and a Throttle body adjuster. They work in tandem so once a month, I use my cruise control column to erase any fault codes the chip may be creating and it also helps to adjust the TB back to zero position in case it tried to compensate for any fault codes...

I am hopeful that this procedure causes the mod to go unnoticed at the dealership (at least that is what I was told).

you should find a dealership with a good motorsports division that is willing to work with you. find a dealer with performance enthusiasts working there. i spoke with three different dealers and each had a different answer as to weither or not they would do warranty work on my car.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I was told to SEARCH! lol

I was thinking about the possibly of chipping my A6 when I get it. And I was wondering what, if any, other mods are necessary in order to chip. Do I need a new exhaust, intake, etc.? Or can I just get the chip installed and be done with it.

How easy is it to remove the ECU to have it shipped to whoever does the APR chips?

Thanks in advance.

Branden

Chipped A6 2.7T, must be NICE!
http://www.b0g.org/wsnm/uploads/pedo_bear.jpg

ORIGINAL: azheman17

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I was told to SEARCH! lol

I was thinking about the possibly of chipping my A6 when I get it. And I was wondering what, if any, other mods are necessary in order to chip. Do I need a new exhaust, intake, etc.? Or can I just get the chip installed and be done with it.

How easy is it to remove the ECU to have it shipped to whoever does the APR chips?

Thanks in advance.

Branden



LOl - yeah i got fooled ithought this was a new post till I saw Imolas4 on there... :D
you can get just the chip... actually you can just go to a dealer & get your
ECu flashed.. all about 20 min.
Id upgrade DV's & TBB to be sure (its covered at the beginning of the thread too) ;)

What do you mean I can go to dealer and get my ECU flashed? What does that do?

ORIGINAL: Turbo i3uddha

LOl - yeah i got fooled ithought this was a new post till I saw Imolas4 on there... :D
you can get just the chip... actually you can just go to a dealer & get your
ECu flashed.. all about 20 min.
Id upgrade DV's & TBB to be sure (its covered at the beginning of the thread too) ;)

Chipping an ECU changes how the engine controls various aspects of fuel mixture, timing, and turbo boost. It gives you additional horsepower for very short money. It does come with a price however... By putting additional stresses on the engine, various engine parts are likely to fail earlier. These would include the throttle body boot, the diverter valves, and -- if you really push the envelope and don't follow the good rules of turbo ownership (gentle warm up until oil is over 175 degrees and gentle cool down for the last few miles until you turn the engine off) -- turbo failure.

If you don't know what it is, I'd recommend you do a whole lot of reading before going that route. It can be a very rewarding and economical way of boosting performance, but it can bite you if you don't go in knowing what you're getting into. For some background reading, following the link in my signature to my registry page. Once there, look for suggested readings and find Stoney's Links.

Finally, this is not something your Audi dealer will do -- it may actually void parts of your warranty. I think the "dealer" being discussed here is the dealer of the chip modification company (really just a software load these days). GIAC and APR are a couple of the major players.

yea, that whole warranty thing is kinda a bitch. im upset that audi doesnt have a tuning company that would make parts for em and not void the warranty

I read about 30 pages of these postings before deciding to GIAC chip my 2003 A6 2.7T w/ 6 speed. It had 74K miles on it. Based on reading I also added the Bailey diverters and a Samco TBB. I only have a 1000 miles on it so far, but it definitely pulls more strongly above 3000rpm. Downshifting to 5th or 4th redlines too quickly. It gets from 70 to 110 very quickly.

I do notice a slight oil smell after a few hundred miles of highway running. Mileage seems a little down, too. But it is also colder here in MI now and it gets better mileage in hot weather.

I don't jump on the throttle very often and I will be changing oil frequently and using Mobil1.