sorry for the repost, but it seems this thread gets more traffic and i don't know, maybe this is where I should have posted originally since it is an A4?

So i got chipped today with GIAC. (1999 A4 1.8t). I like it. It may have been slightly less than what i was expecting, but definetly there and I really don't need any more hp than that. I think i notice it most in 3rd gear 3-5k rpm. I really haven't drove too much or too hard with it yet (there's always a car in front of me on the freeway onramps!) So I'm happy with it BUT.......
Tonight (after having driven it 90 miles home from the shop and a couple short trips) I get in and start it to find the check engine light illuminated. [sm=noooo.gif] I really didn't like that. My friend told me that the those light only when the exhaust oxygen sensors sense a problem or are malfuntioning. He downplayed it to the point of saying just take out the fuse to the warning light....hmmm... not really good enough for me. I just got this car and I don't want to f it up. I am going to call the shop, but am afraid they won't be open again till monday. Please advise! shoud i worry about driving it 10 miles home from friends house? is this a (relatively) common occurance with getting chipped?

not happy [sm=smiley35.gif]

 

Cna't really tell you what the CEL is due to without the code. Could be misfires, or anything. With a well maintained engine chipping shouldn't cause a CEL.

If the CEL isn't flashing you should be OK to drive it home.

There are a multitude of things that will cause the light to go on, not just Oxygen sensors.

Have the shop check it out and pull the codes. If you have an autozone nearby you can have them pull the code or they may lend you the reader. Post the code and someone can tell you what it might be.

 

thanks, that was my first plan of action (after calling the tuning shop on Mon.)

 

Please do not double post questions.

 

yea, i'm sorry, but i thought it would be better here after i orignally posted in the general section.

the shop had told me that i might need to replace hoses as the increased vaccum could collapse older hoses. could this cause the CEL to come on?

 

sure, you could have a hose leak or a bad diverter valve too. Could be many things, but no way to tell for sure without proper diagnostics.

 

yeah that happened to me once...i was pulling outta this plaza and i thought i had the car in tiptronic....i gunned it and it turned out that the car was in N... so relined it and then dropped it back into drive and the car jerked violently...when i pulled into the gas station a few miles down the road the check engine light came on...turns out it was a vacume line leak and i think it was caused by dropping it into drive. shop charged me $20 in parts and $100 in labor [:@]

 

ok here's the latest. I started the car and after about 10 seconds it died, but then i restarted and it stayed running. i drove about two blocks and it started to get weird. when deccelerating there is jerkiness. I don't know much about turbos. Is this when there is a vacuum occuring (decelerating)? It feels very much like it could be hoses collapsing like the tuner warned me about due to increased vacuum. hopefully then replacing hoses could solve the problem? Also when in neutral the engine is oscillating between about 1200 RPM and 1700 RPM about once every 1.5 seconds. just like if i were giving it gas off and on at that pace. I believe before chipping it was idling at about 900 RPM. And the CEL is no longer illuminated... It was on when i started this drive and turned off sometime during the 5 mins i was driving.

Thank you everyone for the help.

 

Could be vacuum leak or hose collapsing, but, pull the codes and take it to the tuner.

 

ok, so i'll write the conclusion to my story in hopes it will help someone in the future.
I took it to a shop today and he pulled the codes. there were 3. sorry i forgot the numbers. one was a low idle rev. one was about the EVAP and I forgot the other. The guy predicted that there would be a couple vacuum leaks. He knew what he was talking about and found 2 or 3 and replaced my vac. hoses. Pulling out the car almost died and the CEL flashed, but I think I didn't have the clutch in all the way...but I would guess that another low idle rev error code is in there now. After that though, everything seemed to be fine and dandy. I don't think I was feeling the chip fully before either. There is quite a noticable dif. from stock now...and i like it!!

On a side note, I had him put it up on a lift to look for the leaking oil pan gasket the dealer told me about. we saw oil, but there was also oil above the seal and we concluded it was probably from my dipstick opening because the plastic piece the dip stick plugs into is missing. I went to the dealer and got a replacement. so i'll keep an eye on that and see if that was the whole problem or not.

Also as soon as the car went up, we saw that right CV boot was shot. Amazed and kind of pissed the dealer didn't see that when I got it inspected 10 days ago. (AKA a ****ing $100 oil change). Also he told me there was a recall on my car for the tie rods and that they did indeed need to be replaced.

so my $100 dollar oil change i did at the dealer, which i did because i just bought this car used and wanted a good look over, missed the CV boot, the recall, and (probably) miss diagnosed the "oil leak". hmph

But the chip is awesome!! [sm=burnout.gif]

oh yeah he charged me 75 for check/repairing vacuum leaks, 55 to change the CV boot, and 34.95 for the part. pretty fair i thought, espec. for the CVB. getting the tie rods done on Thurs.