Can a chip be harmfull for the engine? I own a A4 Quattro 1.8T 2002 and would love a little more hps...

The K 03 turbo used on these engines is a little undersized for high output applications so it will help if you do not use extended full boost sessions such as heavy track use. Otherwise, the stock turbo is more than up to boosting up to 225 hp. The killer for these turbos is exhaust gas temperatures. There is a lot of nonsense posted on this and other boards about other issues with the K 03 turbo but if you go direct to the K 03 manufacturer's web site you'll find that exhaust gas temperature is the number one turbo killer. The K 04 is not much different in specification from the K03. The way many on this board post you'd think the K 04 is bulletproof and the K 03 is hopeless. They are basically the same design.

The harder you work a turbo the more important it is to let it cool down before shutting off the engine. Turbos have no wear parts to speak of, heat is what kills them off eventually.

... and take care of your car and you'll be fine. I see that you're new here so you should read the B6 forum for your car and see what issues people have. There might be FAQ for your car.

Kirk

ok, so if I go with a good chip brand, I'll have no problems? I am kind with my car, don't worry... I just do some fast starts sometimes but that's it. What about a cold air intake? would it be better for my turbo? it would cool down faster?

... I'm quite sure your questions have already been answered over there.

Kirk

All I wanted was "just a chip" and look where that got me :-(

Be sure to check out the B6 A4 forum and STFA (Search the Forum Archives).

Damn it! I bought that car and said to myself, "I'll keep it stock, no mods..." and you see what's happening now... once you start, you can't own a stock car....

I blame AW for everything.

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but it takes a while.

I owned a 99.5 for 2 years (from 2002 to 2004). 1st year: enough power 2nd year: not enough power, chipped, now it's enough power. By the end of the 2nd year, it's not enough power again.

Now, here's where I did things different that some 1.8T owners...(still not smart). I said f'it, and kept my eye's open for an used S4....No use plowing a tonne of money into a 1.8T when I can get that power stock. (Please note, I'm not bashing the A4 guys...keep reading). So I found a nice S4 with low mileage...a bit of luck. Enough power now!
End of year 1: guess what, not enough power anymore, so chip it. Middle of year two, still not enough power: so exhaust. Somewhere in years 2 to now, the rest of the mods on my list.

Morals of the story: 1) You will never be happy 2) Know what you can "live" with...i.e. if a K04'd 1.8T with 250HP won't be enough, you better figure something else out.

due to our colder and longer winters as opposed to the same car in Texas?

You know my mom?

When I picked up my hot but high maintenance girlfriend (by gf I mean the S), I thought the same thing: This car will be fast enough! Considering I came from a 93 Toyota Camry, this was a huge step up.
Not more than 2 months later, the car was chipped.
I then had the unfotunate mishap of meeting some of the people on this forum and now I'm addicted to modding like a crack whore is to...well crack, and everybodies used parts are the equivalent to crack and there are a select few individuals who are the notorious crack dealers, waiting for me to get my next fix!

Bastards all of you! And you KNOW who you are!

I've only had the car since February of this year, and my mods list has grown substantially. If you chip your car, you'd be wise to have someone cut up your credit cards, cease your accounts and filter out this site in your internet settings. That's if you actually want to keep your money.

Maybe you have better self control than I do, so what do I know...

Happy Modding! =)

Ooohhh. Where are you getting your RS4 shift knob from?

I'll let you know if I source a good deal ;-)

are the piggies installed yet?

LOL

and no they are not installed yet. Still waiting for warranty to expire. =P

it does speed up the cool down time. At minus 30C the turbo will be cool in about 3 seconds....

Seriosuly, one advantage of cold weather is the intersooler and the turbos work more efficently and the cylinder head stays a little cooler so you should get more boost if the ECU will allow it (aftermarket chips will, stock chip is low pressure to begin with).

Possibly you might get higher exhaust gas temperatures in winter at the turbo which is where it hurts.