Does anybody have an opnion on how to "safely" add more hp to the engine, ie; Exhaust, Turbo... I have seen a lot of packages and am afraid of what will hurt my engine. Who exactly is the known expert for these types of modifications? <p>Rocky

<br>nt

I'm sorry, I don't quite follow...

When Audi puts more horsepower into the engine, changes are made that you cannot make (or at least are not economically viable alternatives for most owners). So, you obviously make compromises against your engine's safety by adding chip horsepower (what your post was really getting at, I assume). Will the long-term drivability of your car be affected? Probably. Will it be better or worse in 100,000 miles than an identical unchipped car? No one knows. Worse, think some, otherwise every A4 would have another $600 on the sticker for a option called "Wett Chip," but that hasn't happened. And perhaps it never will. However, you should be aware that the factory didn't put 200 horsepower in your chipped car with 200 horsepower, and treat the last 50 horsepower that extra dose of respect.<p>Cameron<br>

Thanks. I was afraid you were gong to say something along those lines.

When Audi puts 150 horse in the car they do it with the "dummy" operator in mind. In other words the car is set up to work right and last long even under the most advers conditions. 87 octane gas, lengthy intervals between service, cheap oil/lubs and the occational 3rd gear start or 5th gear pull up the hill to pic the kids from school. The driver who chips/modifies his car is required to engage his/her brain before doing so with the clutch.<p>I have never owned a car that I have not modified. The factory leaves something extra there for the driver who wants to take on the responsibility of using it. This means over -mantanance, the best of everything, expensive gas and a tight relationship between you and the vehicle that allows you the ability to"feel" when something is a mis.<p>I believe if you use synthetics (oil, gear, tranny), always use the best gas you can and keep a close eye on things you can live happily ever after with your modified Audi. You WILL spend more time on and more time thinking about your car but thats kinda why you modify, its more than a point to point transport its a love.<p>I may not be the best at advice on this subject. If I owned a 1.8t it'd be built to the hilt, huge single turbo, huge intercooler, lots o' boost, full exhaust, full suspension, 18s, and a kitchen sink. I bought an Avant to avoid all this and had I known that Audi was going to do a 1.8t Avant I'd have probably waited. Anyway, buy yourself at least a 50hp chip, an air filter and an exhaust kit, you'll be glad you did.<p>Damon........The car that was supposed to stay BONE stock<br>98.5 30v Avant QMS, AMS chip, cat back, K&N, H&Rs, Bilsteins, 18x8.5 A! SLRs, Recaro SRs, synthetics.<p>ps. You can't hurt anything with an air-filter or an exhaust or synthetics.<br>

<br>Chip it! Most of the enhanced chip tech. is done in Audi standing in the back ground, giving approval and advice. The new A4's 1.8T, will be all the 200hp versions. North America has always been given the detuned version . Uncle Sam dosen,t think we can handle it.

Jo Hoppen Motorsport has been around the longest. Jo ran VW/Audi?Porsche motorsport for 25 years before starting his Audi Tuning business. He sells Americanized (read: OBD II friendly) MTM parts, which is Audi's Official Tuner, like AMG to Mercedes. 941-924-6380.<p>I'm not affiliated with Hoppen, just a happy customer.<p>Rich Quinlan<br>Nowhere near stock 1.8tqms in Pearl<ul><li><a href="http://home.att.net/~richquinlan">Quinland</a></li></ul>

Just look at the M3. The US spec car has 235 bhp and the Euro spec is at least 40 more. The Z3M has 245 bhp in the US and in Europe it is well over 330! Same goes with the S4. US spec is 265 bhp and Euro is 295 bhp.<p>If I'm wrong on any of these numbers , please correct them. But the point is still true, for whatever reasons, North American versions of European cars will always be shy on the HP. Too bad, because not all of fear horse power and know how to use it...like reving our engines abouve 3,000!<p>Marcin R.<br>---<br>'98.5 A4 1.8Tqms

Rich is right, Hoppen is the factory tuner. Although they all have their plusses and minuses. I would talk to all of them and get a feel for how they work with you, ask lots of questions.<p>Also, you are not permanently committed to a tuner once you start, but the parts work together best. Make sure that they have an upgrade path that suits your needs.<p>The archives are full of info on this question. The factory engine is set for 180-200 hp without any major work. In fact it clearly appears that the engine is detuned for marketing purposes vs. the v6. Look at the exhaust manifold... compare it to the high level of design of the rest of the engine and chassis. Above 210 hp or so the engineers heve made substantial changes to the motor for their "safety margin."

f

...The US spec E36 M3's make 240bhp (and 236ft-lb torque) I believe, while the European counterpart puts out an appaling 321lbhp out of the same displacement. However, if i remember right, the European motor breathes thru a substantially larger intake, has no less then a seperate throttle body for EACH cylinder, runs larger injectors, a double-VANOS head, etc. etc. In many respects, you can almost say that the American motor is a "neutered" version of the European motor, if it even bears enough resemblence to be called that. That's not to say that the American motor is bad, in any respect - for the American market, the US motor is perfect, and the US M3 accelerates thru the 1/4 mile, i've been told, within 0.2 sec of the Euro version. But, at least in this case, the horsepower difference cannot be accounted to software. <p>What's kinda cool is that in the OBD-I M3's (1995), you can bolt the MAF sensor from a Euro car, and, coupled with injectors, it gives the car a REAL 30-35bhp gain. I find that nuts :)<p>Edmund Louie<br>98 A4Q 30V <--audi content

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