To chip or not to chip - and which is best?

[SuffolkD at aol.com]

Lister(s): Comments inserted below:
> Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 01:41:49 -0500
> From: Brett Dikeman <brett at cloud9.net>
> Subject: Re: To chip or not to chip - and which is best?
> 
> <snip>The turbo bypass valve should be known good(holds a vacuum) and the 
> control line to the back of the intake manifold should be known 
> good(it cracks right about where the wastegate is- you need to remove 
> the metal cover next to the intake pipe to get at it, and you'll 
> probably find it very brittle.  A good long term replacement is thin 
> copper tubing along that "high temp" area).

Bretts right on here: as an FYI I ran my Avant for the second time all 
winter.  The "hiss" under the hood is in the exact spot Brett mentions.  My hose has 
a leak (there is actually a splice in it.)  I'll take a photo and short vid 
of it.  Squeeze your finger in the slot and the hiss was lessened.

> With any of the chips, 93-94 octane is a -requirement-.  91 will not 
> be sufficient, especially in hotter weather.
> 
I've been scolded:  Never go for full boost on 87 octane especially chipped.

>take this car out to a track, and may never get the opportunity to find out
> >just what the REAL top end speed is.  ((((See below: -Scott))))
> Top speed stock is 153mph according to Audi. 
<SNIP>> part because not 
> everyone runs Z-rated tires :-)  Fastest I've gotten 
> my car is maybe 120 on the back straight at Watkins Glen...I think. 
> I was more focused on my instructor and the very rapidly approaching 
> braking distance signs than the speedo :-)

You'd need Z rated tires and a straight longer than what's available at most 
tracks to accomplish this.  Therefore, it would be an outlawed & illegal run 
to do so.  My suggestion would be KS, MT,UT, NV or TX were those FLAT / wide 
DIVIDED open interstates could support that kind of sustained speed. Down hill 
would help too. No track event would encourage a top speed run PERIOD.  Unless 
you can get onto some NASCAR superspeedway high-banked oval you'll never get 
there...and probably wreck trying to.
Brett's done ~120 @ the Glenn: in that same area: (as a reference ONLY) 
modded S4 (93-94 etc) have been radared at 128 - 131.  Vette Z-06 '02 : 130 PLUS.  
'03 Chevy Impalla 104. Cup Car Porsches GTC2&3, push 140 MPH and that area is 
slightly uphill too.

-Scott by BOSTON