Accessport on OBXT

I did a search didn't really find anything. I'm seriously considering getting an AP for my 05 OBXT - 1. to help with mileage in these times of high gas prices (and that'll help convince my wife); and 2. of course so I can play with the added power.

I average 17 to 21 in the city, and about 26 on the highway, every so often, I push it a bit, but generally, i'm relatively careful.

I'm curious, what are those of you with an AP getting with the Gas Mileage map downloaded, can I excpet 30+ on the hwy? 25 in teh city?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Nawambo

Crap, I thought there was a mileage map, or is that for WRX APs and such, because I checked on Cobb's forum page and people were talking about getting upwards of 29 mpg.

Ya, sorry about those number, I figured they were high, I just pulled them out of my a**, but I'm trying to get a better idea.

^^^ lol, she doesn't check the threads, she'll take my word on it, I'm just an honest guy ;-)

But it's safe to assume that Cobb will later come out with a mileage map right.

Cheers,

Nawambo

Does AP help with your low-end torque in the mountains? I feel like the turbo lag is pretty intense at altitude... even my 2.8 A4 is noticeably slower since I moved to CO from Boston!

What is the AP doing really? Is it changing the ECU, or just upping the boost, or both? And no warranty issues?

I have the AP and took a road trip through the colorado mountains last week, 650 miles, and averaged 24.4mpg, but that also included moutain passes and some back road snow and mud driving. i also was avaraging between 80-90mph while on the highway. Considering the area, I feel my milage was awesome. With my Audi 2.7T that I had, same type of trip, I averaged only around 18mpg. So I was happy.

well, a 2.8 compared to a turbo engine is like a frozen borrito to a steak dinner. Your 2.8 is a NA V6, not turbo charged at all, unless you meant to type 1.8T A4. I have no turbo lag, since i have a manual transmission. If you are tiptronic, well, then you have turbo lag, and it is miserable on Audi. I had an allroad 2.7T, tiptronic, before this car, and the lag was bad. I don't think turbo lag has anything to do with altitude...forced induction is forced induction, once you are boosting up to pressure by getting RPM up, you are boosting. Only someone with a boost gauge could tell for sure. A 2.8, or any normally aspirated motor will be SLOWER at altitude, as there is no forced induction...and less oxygen available for combustion. That is common sense. That is why so many people at altitude have turbo or otherwise forced induction vehicles...you can maintain horse power over the mountains, where a NA motor DIES.

The AP is like having a chip for Audi and their turbos. It re-maps the ECU. I am not an expert, so just go to http://www.cobbtuning.com and read what they have to say, or do a search on remapping ECUs and you will find your answers. The AccessPort is a tool that you use to flash your ECUs map. If you installed a chip, such as is needed for Audi, you would be chaning the map. Each map is different, and can produce different results.

Yes, there are warranty issues, as there are ANY time you modify a car from factory specs....if you are not comfortable with that, then drive a stock car. If you wanted a faster car then the one you bought, and do not want to risk warranty issues, well, then buy a faster car...

I modify because it is fun, like a hobby, and I enjoy spirited driving, but I am also prepared for the cost of said fun. I blew my turbos in my allroad, and it cost me out of pocket nearly $5K to replace them...all in good fun. So, you have to pay to play, just be prepared. That being said, the Subaru turbos are more able to handle the increases in horse power and torque from a chip/flash to the ECU. So, I have much more confidence that damage and need for warranty claims will not occur. And if they do, I can just reflash my ECU back to stock and there is truly no way a dealer can tell I did anything as the ECU remains physically untouched.

I don't think turbo lag has anything to do with altitude...forced induction is forced induction, once you are boosting up to pressure by getting RPM up, you are boosting.

Yeap. It’s all about ”absolute pressure” as Deer Killer points out. The higher the altitude, the thinner the air and the harder a turbo will need to work or spool.

I routinely travel between 2 cities with altitudes along the way ranging from 5,000’ to 10,000’ and ending at 8,000’. The degree of turbo lag, (+ -) follows altitude, has been my experience.

As an aside, ...many a chipped Audi has blown their small turbo's (over spinning) while traveling over Vail Pass on Hyw. I-70 here in Colorado (10,200')

Cheers,

Mike

Our MY96 Audi S6 wagon is manual 5sp. thank God! As to the OB XT automatic, my wife was the genius with that idea. After 3 months of ownership, she is conflicted regarding her choice. Man… the automatic really brings out the turbo lag issue. She was warned!

Cheers,

Mike

Our MY96 Audi S6 wagon is manual 5sp. thank God! As to the OB XT automatic, my wife was the genius with that idea. After 3 months of ownership, she is conflicted regarding her choice. Man… the automatic really brings out the turbo lag issue. She was warned!

 

Cheers,

Mike

haha, have her drive mine, then she will cry. maybe she should not drive my manual, then she will really not like her auto.

Is your S6 the turbo? Was that the previous generation model, or the newer C5? I can not remember when the switch was. The inline 5 turbo can be made into such a monster!!!

Yeap. It’s all about ”absolute pressure” as Deer Killer points out. The higher the altitude, the thinner the air and the harder a turbo will need to work or spool.

 

 

 

I routinely travel between 2 cities with altitudes along the way ranging from 5,000’ to 10,000’ and ending at 8,000’. The degree of turbo lag, (+ -) follows altitude, has been my experience.

 

As an aside, ...many a chipped Audi has blown their small turbo's (over spinning) while traveling over Vail Pass on Hyw. I-70 here in Colorado (10,200')

 

Cheers,

Mike

You also have to take into account the abilities of the turbo. I had a nice set up on my 1.8t VW Jetta and you could still notice a difference going through the mountains. It was certainly much better than an NA engine but the little turbo could only make up for so much! I'm sure it is the same with ours. They will make up the difference in air pressure only to a certain point.

WOW - was I *that* unclear in my post? I thought you would realize I was talking about my Outback XT, since the forum is about the Outback, and you had just talked about your recent trip in the XT.

Thanks for the tip on the Audi. The only reason I mentioned my normally aspirated 2.8 is because that's the only car I've driven extensively both at sea level and at altitude. I haven't had a chance to drive the XT at sea level yet. The Audi, of course, has NO turbo lag (no turbo, unlike your steak dinner), but has more low end torque and a much smoother power curve, despite the XT's slight edge in the 1/4.

I asked about the Access Port because I wonder exactly what it accomplishes by reprogramming the ECU. If it's simply turning up the boost, I'm not particularly interested, since I believe the XT puts out something like 14 psi as is. I want a program (timing or fuel mixture) that will help with low end torque - something my stock XT has none of. Turning up the boost will have zero affect on that, since the turbo needs RPM's and the associated exhaust gas to spin. Speaking of turbo lag - your manual has plenty of it... I've driven both, and noticed only a slight improvement with the manual if I slipped the clutch on launch.

Finally, turbo lag is decidedly worse at altitude. Here's why: When you launch the car, unless your slipping the s__t out of your clutch, you aren't initially getting the revs up high enough to spool up the turbo. Therefore, you car is essentially normally aspirated for those first couple of seconds during a launch. This is when the lag occurs, and it's worse at altitude because without the turbo, that little 4-banger is anemic (thin air).

Wondering if the Access Port will help with any of that by changing timing or mixture. And you did answer my warranty concerns about AP - as long as I can revert to stock without any memory "trail" of what I've done, then I'm all set.

Thanks,

Mike

well, a 2.8 compared to a turbo engine is like a frozen borrito to a steak dinner. Your 2.8 is a NA V6, not turbo charged at all, unless you meant to type 1.8T A4. I have no turbo lag, since i have a manual transmission. If you are tiptronic, well, then you have turbo lag, and it is miserable on Audi. I had an allroad 2.7T, tiptronic, before this car, and the lag was bad. I don't think turbo lag has anything to do with altitude...forced induction is forced induction, once you are boosting up to pressure by getting RPM up, you are boosting. Only someone with a boost gauge could tell for sure. A 2.8, or any normally aspirated motor will be SLOWER at altitude, as there is no forced induction...and less oxygen available for combustion. That is common sense. That is why so many people at altitude have turbo or otherwise forced induction vehicles...you can maintain horse power over the mountains, where a NA motor DIES.

 

The AP is like having a chip for Audi and their turbos. It re-maps the ECU. I am not an expert, so just go to www.cobbtuning.com and read what they have to say, or do a search on remapping ECUs and you will find your answers. The AccessPort is a tool that you use to flash your ECUs map. If you installed a chip, such as is needed for Audi, you would be chaning the map. Each map is different, and can produce different results.

 

Yes, there are warranty issues, as there are ANY time you modify a car from factory specs....if you are not comfortable with that, then drive a stock car. If you wanted a faster car then the one you bought, and do not want to risk warranty issues, well, then buy a faster car...

 

I modify because it is fun, like a hobby, and I enjoy spirited driving, but I am also prepared for the cost of said fun. I blew my turbos in my allroad, and it cost me out of pocket nearly $5K to replace them...all in good fun. So, you have to pay to play, just be prepared. That being said, the Subaru turbos are more able to handle the increases in horse power and torque from a chip/flash to the ECU. So, I have much more confidence that damage and need for warranty claims will not occur. And if they do, I can just reflash my ECU back to stock and there is truly no way a dealer can tell I did anything as the ECU remains physically untouched.