Skydive@AI

Well, guys... As many of you know, we've recently completed rebuilding the Bionic Tiptronic following the cliff-piloting incident that occured in May.

Today was the first time I've been able to really play with the car, despite the fact that it is 105+ in my part of the Valley today.

This car is STRONG. Kaz and Dusty both drove it today, and came back literally scared of it. The setup is nearly identical to the one I ran in the sedan, but this car seems to run significantly stronger now that I have the adaptation values set correctly. (I'm actually running J/H code in my L/M car because there's something goofy with the alpha L code I have. It limps immediately in anything but stock emulation mode.) Hopefully I can get that ironed out this week, prior to getting my pump baseline at next week's dyno day.

Anyway... the changes include:

Sub'd out the destroyed APR Stealth for an AWE Twin2
Sub'd out the destroyed AWE Intercoolers for the APR/RS4 IC kit
Sub'd out the standard K04s for a pair of modified ones that are meant to provide earlier torque for the Tip setup.

The code and everything else is identical. (I fact I loaded the same binary that was used in the old car.)

Considering that the car is an untuned one-off at this point, I am absolutely thrilled with the quality and fun factor it's already providing.

I can't wait to get a baseline next week, so we can finally dial in this Tip car. (I wrecked before we had a chance to do any tuning on the first Bionic Tiptronic.)

By the way... I got ECU Explorer working today. I *highly* recommend this too for anyone looking to do any sort of tuning or hardware manipulation. Its logging and data extraction capabilities far exceed those of VAG-COM. (VAG-COM is still very useful in a general sense, though. The two are complimentary.)

Thanks again to everyone who has contributed...

Everyone at APR (Knowledge, Time and Materials)
The gang at Ingolstadt West (Install and Custom Work)
Simmply (Advice, Expertise, and Insight)
Mike Staley and Zev Barnett (The Holy Grail Left Upper Inlet)
Mike Staley again! (Left RS4 IC)
Issac (Right RS4 IC)
MarkP (Water Injection Writeup -- Not Installed Yet)

Thanks guys!

chuangs4

AWE?REVO?APR? Which set-up should I take for my incomming stage III?

Skydive@AI

That's a tough call, Jimmy...

Of course, I am a proponent of APR because they make powerful software that manages to be smooth, and keep the car within its reliability band. I know the software works because I'm running it. If you have all of the APR/RS4 hardware, I think it's the best option you can get short of a custom tune, on your car.

However, some folks are after different things.. Revo has L-Box K04 code, but I don't think it was ever finished with RS4 hardware. BLK01S4 has Revo software, but it was tuned with a strange combination of components.

AWE's code is GIAC based. I don't think they've tuned K04 for tiptronic yet.

PEB does some interesting things with tweaked K03 X code and boost controllers, plus the TCD mod... so this could be another option for you.

Sportec will do custom code based on the same components used in the APR kit, but it's very costly, and would mean bringing your car to a Sportec house. (Are there any in Taiwan?)

For me, APR was and continues to be the best option. It is good, solid code. The car is very fast, and is still as smooth as all the rest of APR's code base.

chuangs4

My car is running detuned Sportec stage III(370hp edition) for a while. I ever contact Sportec for special tune of my K04 tip for a real strong stage III but they asked me for transporting my car to Swiss as you said. That's why I have to give up my current set-up.

Todd promised to give me that special software (420-440hp) together with their fueling kit for my tip but I need to confirm this message correct.

As for APR, I don't need to worry so much cause you are running this software without complications. The big problem is that I have to spend lots of money additionally for those RS4 stuffs cause the code is RS4 based right? I have to take this into consideration very seriously before I go for it....

I think my current set-up is more like BLK01S4's car except that RS4 Y-pipe. However, I have to do some homework with REVO!

If you are me, how will you do?

Skydive@AI

To go APR, you would need the APR/RS4 fueling components:

RS4 Fuel Pump
RS4 MAF (Same as S8 MAF Housing and 2000 S4 Sensor)
RS4 Airbox
RS4 Fuel Injectors

I think you said that you already have and RS4 Y-Pipe, which would be nice, but I don't think it's a neccesity.

All of these items are available from places like ECS Tuning, or directly from APR. I'm told that for the S4 APR *will* sell code by itself, since none of the hardware is proprietary.

Intercoolers, downpipes, and exhaust of some kind are highly recommended, if you don't already have them regardless of fueling or software. (As I said, I run RS4 ICs with the APR hose kit, LaBree Downpipes, and an AWE Twin2. I LOVE this combination.)

I wasn't aware that Todd at AWE was willing to code for tiptronic. That's good news. That kit makes great power on six speed, but hasn't been quite as smooth as I prefer.

As for the Revo code... BLK01S4 recently changed to a custom MAF, and his car is running better now. (I think he's still running SVT Lightning Injectors and an RS4 Fuel Pump). He likes the setup, but he's only had it running well for a few days. (It had severe driveability issues before the MAF was sorted out.) Apparently it makes good power. I'd like to see it on a dyno.

I remain impressed with the combination of power and driveability I get from my code, especially when one considers that is is completely untuned so far, and just a very educated guess. The EMCS features are really nice to have in California, too. It will be a lot of fun to get the car on the Dynojet next week, to get an idea of the power I am making, before we start dialing things in. (I don't expect to "win" anything as I'll be running pump gas and a software guess.)

So... to answer your question... I don't know... The good thing is, you are starting to have a lot more options, and you don't have to decide immediately. I am a big fan of APR, but that has to do with my taste, and a lot of respect based one personal knowledge which leads me to trust the kit more than others.

Good luck,
-Michael.

chuangs4

I've had RS4 fuel pump, ICs as well as MTM DPs already. Now it seems to be more clear to get APR or AWE either. According to your answer, APR will sell the code seperatelly with the fueling kit right? If it is true, I can prepare the other RS4 stuffs locally. That will make things more easily...

About AWE, I will contact Todd for that in the near future.

Anyway, I can't wait to see your dyno report. Try your best and teach us all that you learn continously.

Thanks Michael.

vegasS4

i am looking into a k04 motorsport variant to keep lag down though. Hopefully a few more tip setups will be done by that time

Skydive@AI

Yes... I'm told that all S4 software is available seperately from APR.

Skydive@AI

Cool... What are you going to do with rgard to your transmission? Level10?

BLK01S4

i don't have any strange componets .. I stick with the Hitachi sensor no bosch needed .