Is it Chipped??

[JamS3]

Ive had my 2001 (facelift model) 210bhp S3 now for about 8 months and I'm very pleased with it. My last car was a mk4 Golf turbo chipped to 192bhp. This was quick but obviously not as quick as the S3 which leads me on to my question..

I'm beginning to wonder whether or not my S3 is chipped. I bought it second hand from a audi dealer with 18k on the clock and the only visible modification was a milltek exhaust. I knew no different until last week I had a go of my friends 2002 225bhp tt..Compared to mine it was slow!

It did not accelerate no where near as hard as mine does (it had done 10k) and seemed very smooth in acceleration where as mine really gives you a punch in the back when you accelerate.

I was wondering whether there was any easy way to tell if it was chipped apart from taking it to a dealer/tuner. ie acceleration times from 50-70 in a certain gear? The reason i ask this is that on a other certain forum this is what they used for the mk4 golfs as a bench mark for the chips. (I think the times were around 6 - 6.5 secs).

Thanks

 

[s8n]

Um, why dont you go and dyno it?

 

[JamS3]

Will probably do but wondered if there was a quick answer! Plus its finding the time to go travel to a four wheel drive one, think the nearest is Well Lane to me.

 

[JamS3]

Which is quite far away..

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
s8n said:
Um, why dont you go and dyno it?

[/ QUOTE ]

It isn't that cheap to just take your car along and get it dyno'd! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Jam, you could try removing the ECU taking off it's cover and seeing if it has a chip with a tuners name on it, or maybe even the casing has something on it to show it's chipped. VAG-COM may show you also, based on boost and air flow.
Otherwise it's off to the rollers for you.

 

[Grant]

If you have a facelift model yours will be 225bhp.

When you mentioned the "punch in the back when you accelerate" I'll bet that it it has been remapped because standard S3s and TTs just don't do that!

The easiest, cheapest and most fun way to find out is to race your friend in his TT (on a private road of course!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mike.M]

wothout dismantling the car, a rolling road is the only real way of seeing what the power output is.

If it goes over and beyond 225bhp its chipped.

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
Imola S3 said:
If you have a facelift model yours will be 225bhp.

[/ QUOTE ]

No gold star for you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif There are 210 facelift S3's out there a few on this forum I believe....Jam has one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Mike.M]

I have one too!

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
S3 Mike said:
I have one too!

[/ QUOTE ]

Next /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[NWMark]

and me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

to the OP, im sure it will be chipped as when standard you dont get the kick in the back at all. and feels very sedate if thats the right word when compared to a chipped car.

Mark

 

[Grant]

[ QUOTE ]
Gambba said:
[ QUOTE ]
Imola S3 said:
If you have a facelift model yours will be 225bhp.

[/ QUOTE ]

No gold star for you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif

 

[dickys3]

Some tuning companies offer packages (like mtm - QST) where they fit a chip and exhaust to get the extra gains. Is it worth ringing a couple of tuning companies local to where the car was from and quoting your registration? Just an idea!

They may have a record of it.

 

[MingBluS3]

I also have a 210 facelift.

 

[speedyp]

[ QUOTE ]
S3 Mike said:
I have one too!

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

 

[Mike.M]

THATS PROVED A POINT /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[Grant]

[ QUOTE ]
S3 Mike said:
THATS PROVED A POINT /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
... and made me look a t*t! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[Mike.M]

you'll get over it mate /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
S3 Mike said:
THATS PROVED A POINT /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I would like to thank everyone that helped prove this point /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Paul-RS6]

or get someone to log it with vagcom

it wont tell you who has mapped it, but it will show ]
a. higher boost
b. higher flow through the maf

if chipped

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
PaulS3 said:
or get someone to log it with vagcom

it wont tell you who has mapped it, but it will show ]
a. higher boost
b. higher flow through the maf

if chipped

[/ QUOTE ]

Ahem....look up....yes me has posted that already /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mike.M]

round two........ding............ding /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif

 

[Stuart_A3_Turbo]

PTS in luton have a 4wd rollin road, if thats any closer, i have no idea where stockton on tees is.

 

[Ryanc]

1.) Get a aftermarket boost guage £30,hose and t-piece
2.) tap it into the hose off the inlet manifold
3.) Boost on 210bhp models 1 bar,boost on 225bhp models 1.1bar
If it is over these figures ie 17psi (1.2 bar) it's chipped.
regards Ryan

 

[Stuart_A3_Turbo]

[ QUOTE ]
Ryanc said:
1.) Get a aftermarket boost guage £30,hose and t-piece
2.) tap it into the hose off the inlet manifold
3.) Boost on 210bhp models 1 bar,boost on 225bhp models 1.1bar
If it is over these figures ie 17psi (1.2 bar) it's chipped.
regards Ryan

[/ QUOTE ]


your joking right? they run 1 bar boost (14.3psi) as standard??? surely this would mean they would have to run near enough 20psi chipped to get the figures chipped S3's get on rollin roads.

 

[Ryanc]

It's quite common for them to take the s3's to 1.35bar (19psi) and for them to spike to 1.5 bar(21 psi).Where else do you think the extra power comes from??regards Ryan

 

[Ryanc]

here you go,apr chips software at 1.4 BAR(20psi) on the s3.
http://www.goapr.com.au/products/ecu_upgrade_s3.html
regards Ryan

 

[Stuart_A3_Turbo]

fair enough mate, i just didnt realise they ran that much boost as standard considering after chipping my A3, i was peaking at 15psi, that just seemed too high to me.

 

[Ryanc]

the s3 engine is very strong,comes with forged mahle pistons and uprated internals,can run v.high boost.regards Ryan

 

[pwnorman]

[ QUOTE ]
Stuart_A3_Turbo said:
PTS in luton have a 4wd rollin road, if thats any closer, i have no idea where stockton on tees is.

[/ QUOTE ]
Stockton's about 10 miles from me.Its also right next to middlesbrough which is a hell of a drive to luton for a rolling road. although i dont have a clue where that place jam was on about is.

 

[JamS3]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. Ive had a boost gauge for a while now that I just have not got round to fitting so I think I will try that first!

Oh and yes mine is a 210bhp model (not to rub it in!!)

Bert, Well Lane is in Batley, West Yorkshire, not too far away from Leeds.

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]
Ryanc said:
It's quite common for them to take the s3's to 1.35bar (19psi) and for them to spike to 1.5 bar(21 psi).Where else do you think the extra power comes from??regards Ryan

[/ QUOTE ]

I was down playing on Star Performance's dyno yesterday...
I'm running 1.7 bar peak / 26psi in 'normal' mode and 1.85bar / 28 psi in 'daft' mode.

Big boost.
Big torque though!!

Oh, on an S3 boost is proportional to torque, not power...you increase the boost and you'll get a jump in torque at peak torque...but not always a jump in power.

The turbo is just too small to get big power gains up top as it simply can't move enough air to keep the pressure up at high revs.

You are more likely to gain top end power from running Optimax fuel and adding ignition advance than from winding up the boost.

 

[RAPS3]

Jam - you could always have a drive of mine and compare it to yours, or we could find an open stretch of "private" highway and go head to head.

Drop me a PM if you like.

 

[Alonzo]

[ QUOTE ]
Stuart_A3_Turbo said:
PTS in luton have a 4wd rollin road, if thats any closer, i have no idea where stockton on tees is.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stockton-on-tees....thats where i live...where abouts is the 4x4 rollin road and how much to test your cars
performance figures/specs etc?
Already filled 5 pages a short while ago with the story as to why..lol
Cheers
Dude

 

[Alonzo]

[ QUOTE ]
Stuart_A3_Turbo said:
PTS in luton have a 4wd rollin road, if thats any closer, i have no idea where stockton on tees is.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which company in stockton on tees has this 4wd rolling road?
And how many pennies do they ask for per a test?
Cheers
Danny

 

[ChrisT]

One other thing you can try, I believe only a chipped S3 can do 60 in second due to the gearing. Its certainly a close call in mine. Anyone with a non chipped S3 want to prove this ?

Chris.

 

[nradfo01]

Get hold of VAG-COM and measure block 120 in third gear. This will give you a torque figure that should help suss out if its been chipped. Anything around 350+ nm at around 3600rpm would indicate some chipping to me!

Am I right chaps ?

 

[dickys3]

You could always attend one of the many meets we have on here and take someone out for a spin? I'm sure someone who has a standard S3 would know if it is chipped or not!

Cheers
Rich.

 

[StephenBogan]

JamS3, one thing I noticed when I got my S3 chipped (f/lift 210 by the way) was that under full throttle you could really hear the turbo scream, usually at around 3000rpm. Standard cars usually make little or no noise from the turbo.

 

[so1o]

All of you lot will do well by staying away from PTS in Luton. They are not very good with cars lol.

They charge a fortune and lets just say there's a few very unhappy turbo owners out there.

Solo