Bob Dobalina RS

To make a long story as short as possible while including all the pertinent issues; these are merely the events that transpired and my experience with the t28 kit from PES. This is also to give people an idea of what to expect out of big turbo kits at high elevation (5000 feet)

Like most stage3/pes t28 people I went back and forth for about a year on what kit I wanted to get. Decided to go apr, called them up, they had a back order for 6 weeks on exhaust manifolds, pes here I come. The kit arrived in a brown box that almost fell apart when I picked it up,the heat shield was a little bent up but none the less, I finally had a big turbo! Dropped the car of to get it installed at a very reputable speed shop in Ft Collins. Four days later (Friday) I get a call "the kit is in but the car is really flat until 5.5k rmp and it is pulling timing." Went over, checked and re checked the install, drove the car and felt sick. Absolutely nothing until over 5k rmp, very rough. It was 7pm so I could not talk to pes until Monday. Called them up Monday, they were pretty sure it was an installation issue. Dropped the car back off at the shop on Monday, well 2 days later, 5 hours of diagnostic work and another big bill from the install shop we find out that PES sent the wrong injectors, they overnighted the right ones to the shop. A simple mistake but a costly one for me.
So how does the car run now? Much much better but not at all what I expected. Dead until 4.2rpm, then it feels like a chipped k03 kicks in, at 5300 is when the real power starts, very fast from then on, sounds great. Called back PES, they said that this was normal lag for my altitude, I really wish that I would have know this prior to buying the t28. Another guy in FC has the APR kit and he has full boost at 3500, a very nice and very fast car.
I read all of the melodramatic write ups on this kit and feel disappointed that my car does not "throw you back in your seat at 3500" or "feel like a dup truck hit you". The t28 is great when it kicks in but with lag like it has I rarely get to feel full boost. I cant really see why people need a clutch right away because a launch at 4k with the k03 was much harder then the same with the t28. The people at PES are nice guys and they have demonstrated great customer service on many accounts via other Audi world posters.I am not saying this is a bad kit or they are an inferior company at all although I wish they could have told me "you may want to consider a bb turbo or the k04 since the altitude that you are at will cause very serious lag".
So right now I am looking at helping the low end, I already have a down pipe but am still with the stock cat. Also maybe some cam gears will help.
So if you are at high altitude and are considering a big turbo you really should take the lag into account. If anyone is in Colorado and wants to ride in my car to see what I am talking about feel free to email me. If I could go back in time would I have waited for the APR kit? Without a doubt, but hind site is always 20/20. I am sure at sea level the t28 rocks because it sure does at 5500 rpm.



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Zed 2.0

I'm in CO, whereabouts are you?

SameerP

My car does come to full boost at 3500 rpm (3600, actually) and i gave a ride in it to an owner of a X chip S4 who did say "Jesus" once during a WOT run, and did say it was fast when i did one racing start for him.

Give us info, what year is your car, what version of the software are you running? I have no idea what elevation does for turbo cars, but my thought was they can run a couple more PSI to compensate for thinner air?

When did your KO3 kick in?

Something's not right...

Cheers,
Sameer

Bob Dobalina RS

I am in Ft Collins. The apr chipped k03 came in at about 2000 rpm.

SameerP

What year is your car?

Bob Dobalina RS

see 1.4 bar.

BOOSTD

you state the local guy with the APR kit doesn't have an altitude/lag problem. Sounds like something isn't right with the install or you've got programming issues. Altitude should have NO bearing on where boost kicks in. Boost lights up when the chip tells it to and exhaust gases increase the turbo's exhaust wheel spin.

James R.

being at altitude is not THAT much worse...it's a little worse, but not, "gee this sucks" kinda worse. I've driven my car at pretty decent altitude and hardly noticed save for a slightly higher reading on the boost gauge.

Often times these places with high elevation have the benefit of colder weather, so IMHO it's likely a wash. During the summer the difference in air density I've seen by reading the boost was far more dramatic than what I saw attributable to being at any elevation so far.

Something is probably wrong...how did the car run before hand...chipped or no?

Regards,

James R.

James R.

I think that's well below the norm for most of the PES guys...

Regards,

James R.

EdP

perhaps the vac line routing.

boost onset is way low.