Guest

Please tell me about the power gains associated with the addition of headers to your TL-S. I will be buying mine in about 3 or 4 months and was wondering about mods.

I plan on buying springs and sways, but I'm not sure about the CAI or the headers. Not sure if its worth it. But if it will move my car under 6 seconds or at 6.0(from 6.4 or 6.5 stock), maybe its worth it. Just wanted to hear your impressions of the addition. Please be honest, dont exaggerate, because I hate it when people do that! If you wanna comment on other mods, feel free...

Oh yeah, anybody heard of a chip for the TL-S? I have read that the S4's can get 35 HP from a chip... WTF? Why cant we get one!?!?!?!?!?!

Anyway, thanks in advance for all who respond.

Guest

Good Q. Does anybody know about a chip upgrade?

StanMan

over at www.superhonda.org there is a sticky post in the v6 accord forum for the unichip (formerly, the program) from the racer's group. it's a piggyback computer.
http://www.superhonda.org/board/show...&threadid=3137

this might be applicable to the tl's since the accord and the cl are all alike.
http://www.theracersgroup.com/

Mr Hyde

The TL-S will gain 30-35 hp at the wheels from the headers as gains will be the same for it as they are for the CL-S which has the same engine. Some CL-S members report sub 6 second 0-60 times with just the addition of headers. The TL-S which is just slightly heavier should get similar gains.

As far as the chip goes, a Normally aspirated car will not get anywhere close to the gains that an S4 or A4 gets from a chip upgrade. Reaon being is that the Audi's turbo boost levels are controlled by the ECU, so a simple chip upgrade increases the boost which makes for an instant substantial power increase. A normally aspirated car like ours would be lucky to get 5hp from a chip if that, while killing your warranty on any future electrical problem you may have.
save the money on a chio upgarde for something else.

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Just call me..................Mr Hyde
TL Type-S Moderator
02 Aegean Blue TL Type-S with Navi
Accord Forum Moderator/Honda-Acura.net
96 Sherwood Green Accord EX

Guest

Ahhh, thanks for clearin that up about the chip. That makes sense.

Now, those headers... they cost about 1100, I guess... so I'm wondering how much is installation and how does this affect the warranty?

If you got some more experience with headers, please holler at me! THANKS!

Road Rage

I agree about the chip - the days of free HP from chips is long gone. The mfr's dial in the cars about as well as they can be dialed-in.

Re the Comptech headers

1) I paid $150 to have my Acura dealer install them
2) My dealer said that if one bought the parts from them, the header is warranteed just the same as the OE parts

Acura has a good track record on warranty, unlike BMW who gets agitated if you change anything.

BTW, a warranty can only be voided in print, so if a dealer ever says you have voided the warranty because of a part swap, get it in writing.

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Rage On!
2002 TL-S w. Comptech header/exhaust
SSR Integral A2's
17x7 45mm offset
Pirelli P7000 (Summer) 215-50/17

Guest

In regards to the chip on the Audi, a chip for an a4 gives you 45-50 hp and about the same for torque, while chipping an S4 takes hp from 250 to 330ish and 310-320ft-lbs of torque. I know this as i own an A4, and my roomie owns a chipped s4. The previous post about the boost is correct. A stock audi pushes about 7-8psi while a chipped audi pushes 13-14lbs of boost, still within the tolerances of the turbo, but definitely making it work harder.


Cheers.

Darren

Aka Foo

Road Rage

It is not an issue of the turbo handling the boost as the huge increase in temperatures and internal pressures in the engine itself!

I think that is really pushing the envelope, and I would not be at all surprised if your friend sees a melted piston (or worse) down the road.

AC

I know that the headers gave my TL about a 15 to 17 HP gain to the wheel. As for the TL-S, it should be like 25-27HP to the wheel. As far as BMW, you can add Dinan and no warranty issues since only a dealer is suppose to do you Stage 2 and higher. Either way, I don't believe any dealers when they say "we installed it we warranty it". Let's see if your engine cracks or something due to aftermarket that a dealer installed. What would Acura say? I always wondered about that.

Guest

Actually i would guess 10-20% of the S4's in the country now are chipped.. its cheap and easy. The dealerships here in Houston still warrenty them. 13psi is only 1bar, and it really isnt all that hard on the turbos. You are correct about heat, he does have to sit at idle for 120+ seconds to let it cool and oil itself before shutting the motor off, so thats why alot of them use turbo timers.
Read lots more about chipping (pros and cons) on www.audiworld.com (forums like this)

Cheers.

Darren