Ming 2.7T

Humm , understand first that any upgrade will reduce the trannys life. Course, just being stock and driving the car, reduces a trannies life : ) That's why they have a lifespan of so many miles.

With that said, lets get into the facts and opinions part of this.
The tranny in the A6 2.7T Tiptronic is the 5HP19xxx. It was upgraded to hold ~308lbs of torque. The Stock K03's have a max rating of ~ 1.3 bar. The stock BPV's of the A6 2.7T were 710A's I think, and were said to be ~ .5bar rated.
Now lets take look at the steps to upgrading:

K03's
You can get the AMS K03 software for the Tiptronic. Its has 310HP and 300lbs of torque.
O.CT has a 295HP ??lb chip. Havent confirmed what the torque is, Steve 2.7T may know this but its low 300's.
Giac "S" chip, 1bar chip - A nice power chip ~310HP and 330-340lbs
Giac "X" chip, 1.2 bar chip - Powerful software ~ 320HP and ~360lbs
MTM - I do not know
APR is ~ 310HP and 366lbs.

As you can tell other than the AMS and O.CT K03 chip, torque is from 330lbs up to 366lbs running 1.1bar to 1.2 bar. Spikes are probably 1.2-1.3 for the 1 bar and 1.35-1.4 for the 1.2 bar chips. A lot of boost means heat, and you are at the edge of the K03 performance. Plus your at the limits of the stock BPV,s and I would say the TBB also.

Everyone was worried about the K03 chips out there, because the feeling was they are too powerful for the Tip. So far we can say that the Tip is good for at least 50k miles chipped with the Giac X-chip and the other aggressive chips. As time goes on maybe we will then see 75k miles without problems for most Tips (this is not to say there wont be instances when a failure will occur.) AMS and O.CT chip may go even further than the more aggressive chips. Again it will be less than stock though!! Always remember that.

For testing data, The K03 A6 2.7T Tip with Giac "S" chip and Giac Tranny chip ran 14.02@98mph at Carlsbad Drags with 29.5lb wheels. The 330' split was 5.86 and 1/8 was 9.004@78mph. Then at California Motor Speedway in 104 degree heat, 1100' alt and headwind, the car ran 13.9@99mph with the Giac "X" chip, Giac Tranny chip, Miltek exhaust. 330' split was 5.85, 1/8 was 8.99. To even things up that would be 13.7 at Carlsbad just based on altitude alone and not the heat(really killed the top end). The exhaust freed it up some and the X chip was powerful.

The reason I wanted to go through all this is too show the evolution of power and the Tip tranny and the mindset the past 3 years.

Now, on to the K04's.

Now we mix in some of my opinions along with facts.
Adding K04's would mean more lag due to the turbos spooling up later. The mid and high end would be better though. The K04's are rated higher than the K03's.
Opinion: regarding the Tip and its lack of `off the line' speed , when compared to a 6 speed and with the DBW lag when you hit full throttle, I think you do not want a turbo with a lot of lag. That's why they put K03's in, they spool up quick. I was fine with the K03's. I really did not want to increase the lag, and I wanted something that would be about even in the ¼ mile time of the K03's, which would mean - same quickness/fast with less effort and more reliability.
But always lurking in the background is the thought - It's a Tiptronic, Beware!

So the list of wants was -

Doesn't overly stress the tranny
Reliable
Less stress on turbo
Less heat
Comparable spool up to K03's
Performance both quickness/fast equal to the K03, not needed to be better

With that list in mind, options were thrown out,
A full blown chip was too much for me. The GIAC setup would be too much for my Tip ( in my thinking). First thing was not to overly stress the tranny. Some kit had to be out there that was geared for the Tip car too.
Well, I came across one that answered all the things on my list. O.CT RS4 K04's

I talked a lot with Bob @ Stratmosphere and even emailed Marcus of O.CT. O.CT had taken the RS4 turbo and gave it a stronger shaft, the housing was more heat resistant, and the vanes had a different pitch allowing for quicker spool up between the K03 and the standard K04. You also purchase a 5bar FPR for this kit , about ~$150.

The kicker was Marcus was developing K04 ECU software that limited the torque and boost especially for the tip car. Believe me, it was a trail and error process getting the A6 ECU software nailed down. ECU's were flying back and forth between California and New York!!! This one did this, this one did that, this ECU itself was bad and so on and so on.

They finally arrived at the current software. I had wanted less boost or detuned, O.CT delivers with a chip running .91bar with spikes to 1.02 and 1.04. That's very mild. Less boost than the K03 1 bar and 1.2 bar chips, Less heat generated. And the torque was ~340lbs. Less than most K03 chipped programs out there like the ones running 360+ lbs !!!. It also generated between 350HP and 370HP. And right before each shift the power was pulled back a shade to cause less stress on the system.
So decent torque, good HP, less boost, less heat, reliable, quick spooling,,,, what about the performance.

This car was taken out to California Motor Speedway. Some headwinds, forgot the temps that day, maybe drkangel remembers, maybe in the 80's. Car was running O.CT RS4 K04's, Giac X-chip ECU software, Giac Tip chip( and coded 00032), Miltek Exhaust, gutted pre cats, SSR wheels.

- the car left the line fast, but the car was running outta steam with the K03 software. And the O.CT software was still not fully ready.
Time was 13.6 at 103mph, splits were 2.111 60'(not as good as other times of 2.05 with K03's), 330' was 5.85, about same as K03's. 1/8 was 8.85@83mph, much quicker and faster than the K03 in optimum conditions, and the final was the 13.6@103mph, quicker and faster than the K03's. SO performance was there.

The car then did a run with the O.CT software, because the software was still being ironed it, would be a street start and we would take it easy till it shifts to 2nd and hits ~30mph then floor it. We just wanted to see what up top power the K04 software had. Was racing a Honda I believe.
Green light I take out real slow, the car auto shifts early then at ~30mph I press the gas down , car takes off!!!. I lost to the Honda by a tenth 15.1 to 15.2, buuuuttt,, it was exciting. I was way way way behind after the first 330' : ))), then when I nailed it, I could hear the track announcer saying on the car radio, oh my the Audi has finally hooked up and is starting to move. Then he says, "the Audi just might catch the Honda at the finish, its going to be close!!". Ladies and gentlemen, it don't get much closer than that!!! Less than a tenth separated the 2 cars at the finish. I lost by a bumper actually.
The splits were, 60' 2.8 seconds versus the 2.1 on the 13.6 k03 run : ))) .7 slower
330' was 7.9seconds, K03 run was 5.85 : ))) 2 full seconds slower : )
1/8 was 10.9 I think, and at 81mph!!!!!! versus 8.75 at 83mph
¼ was 15.2 @ 104mph versus 13.6 at 103mph.
The Car was flying from the 1/8 till the end, had we be able to nail it from the start maybe 106 mph was attainable and low 13's maybe.
So performance is there.

So O.CT and Stratmosphere (1-866-533-1777 ask for Bob) delivered on a reliable turbo, more so than the Standard K04's. Runs .9 bar boost, less boost less heat, has 350-370hp, 340lbs, gets better gas mileage: )), pulls back some boost on the shifts, is silky smooth and is better performance than the K03 setup.

Not too bad.

After driving the car in day to day city driving and with freeway time, the car should have come with these turbos from the factory!!. It is silky smooth and they fit the A6 much better than the K03's with their(K03) sense of urgent power. Even when ran with the stock Software, the car is smooth. Mid range is kinda better and top end is a little better. You would probably try to see what the fuel and such is doing under full throttle, just to check the levels. But so so so smooth.

SO my pick of whats out there for the Tiptronic people and who really is interested in upgrading to K04's, I would have to suggest the O.CT set-up.

And again the disclaimer, upgrading to K04's are even adding a chip to K03's will reduce the lifespan of certain parts.

People who have ridden or driven the car include:
Giacuser, drkangel, DWP, 2.7Tdallas, many people with S4's and TT's and BMW's at the Pahrump track event : ), including the people with the race prepped old bmw who were mystified that a big ol car could out run them on the track.

You can ask these people their opinions, since they have done time in A6 K03 car's and the O.CT K04 car.

In fact one of those listed above, have the O.CT turbos in his 6 speed and it's a monster, can you say 12.7's!!!

At this time I think O.CT maybe the only K04 Tuner out there that considered the Tiptronic car in his thinking. I am not sure if AMS has something for the Tip car yet or maybe they have something now, maybe APril can help out with that one. But O.CT was the first one out there with the detuned K04 setup for Tippies.



Oh and finally - Stay Stock and Stay Almost Worry Free,,,Stock is a State of Mind

nyc.turbo

Thanks a lot. Very detailed.

Fairfax 4.0T

Great write-up and wealth of knowledge. Thanks for sharing and the info.

2.7Twin

I don't have a Tiptronic but this write-up was well worth the read! Thanks Ming

clangjr

bravo!! Now what's the cost?

Kgnast-Nemo4.2

I have a 4.2, but it was a very informative write up Ming, Thanx.

DWP

Yup - your "RS6" hauls butt! I would really like to try it some time where there's a little less traffic. Maybe Parump?