Any guesses?

B8 S4
#1

So I would like to add my name to the official 1/4 mile data base and will eventually, but since there are no proper (local) 1/4 mile tracks in the San Diego area (the closest is Auto Club Speedway which is about 1.5 hours from me), I’m taking an opportunity to throw my car on the Dyno. What??? Yes I know, the word Dyno is a dirty word around here, but the opportunity presented itself and I’m gonna do it for fun just to see what I get.

This will take place on May 31st. The particular shop where I’m doing this uses an AWD Dyno Dynamics unit so I’m expecting slightly lower numbers. I’ll get a print out and share with the group.

My car is DSG/Stg 1 APR, stock air box with K&N, xpipe exhaust mod with Magnaflow mufflers. Any guesses what I should see with this set up on this Dyno?

Also, while I’m on the subject I had a thought - you guys can trash this if you want, it’s just a thought and I would definitely not be offended if it gets flamed.

While we know the true measure of a cars performance is settled on the 1/4 mile, would it make any sense to add a column to the data base that shows each cars dyno output as well? Maybe I’m way off base here, but perhaps this would be a way to centralize dyno pulls and highlight deltas in relation to 1/4 mile times and really put the screws to those guys that live by the dyno. Or does that just introduce too many variables and make things more convoluted? And, maybe this would only make sense if all the dyno queens would post their 1/4 mile times???..IDK.

Thoughts?

#2

I don’t think anyone would bash you dyno running the car. This would expose the biggest issues with dynos as they’ve been all over the place. It’s easier to say you’d run this fast in the1/4 .

A thought that might be interesting is heat soak test the car and see just how much power you loose or gain if the car is heat soaked. I think that would be huge information.

I’ve got no idea hp wise as I’ve numbers all over the place how about 325

#3

A dyno is nice for your own satisfaction I would say, but there isn’t much sense to a dyno column attached to the 1/4mile time. That actually creates the perfect atmosphere for dyno queens that will assume their car runs XX.XX because they dynoed the same as car A and Z. Then they will proclaim what their car could or would run, but never actually prove it. They would hide behind the AR 1/4mile/dyno figure data. Perfect example would be Primetime’s dyno numbers. There are cars that dynoed much better, but will probably never ever run as fast…example Paperishplasticretard…that still has never went to a drag strip.

Also, like you said…there are too many variations of dynos, and even if they are the same dyno the setup can vary…or the weather.

When I owned my B7 S4 I had plans to both dyno and run the car at the strip stock and modified, like I do with most vehicles. So I did a dyno bone stock, ran the car at the strip in favorable weather enough times to get a good baseline and then modified it a little. I went back to the same dyno, nearly the same temp/DA, and got some after numbers that were really for my own use…not to brag about on the forum although they were some pretty great gains for a tune and full exhaust. I then went to the track in pretty similar DA to my baseline runs and compared both the HP/TQ gains on the dyno to the difference in ET and trap times. It gave me pretty good proof that the power I saw my car pick up on the dyno was really there and the car performed like it should.

The double edged sword is that dyno queens or armchair racers will use those dyno numbers as a fall back if their car sucks at the track. The B8 community is pretty lucky because most guys are true enthusiasts, but go have a look at the B5 crowd. They use every performance number besides their 1/4mile ET to show the power their car makes (60-130, dynos, FATS) It’s quite ridiculous.

I guess all I’m trying to say is that is a horrible idea and it will never happen on AR.
Do you have a stock dyno? if not I think it’s a waste of time and money.

#4

Ya it’s sort of like JHM not advertising dyno numbers in an effort to distinguish themselves from the competition. By releasing dyno numbers, they’d be legitimizing the companies who try to sell a tune based on a dyno sheet rather than real-world acceleration data. For similar reasons, we shouldn’t be adding dyno numbers to our 1/4 mile database, which is by far the most comprehensive list of Audi 1/4 mile times you will find.

#5

Incredibly well said. I do think the biggest issues are the group’s of people that just assume because they made the same or more hp then one member that they will experience better acceleration performance. When in fact that seems to have proven itself time and time again to be false. The b5 reference is so true. I’ve never see cars dyno that high and still be that slow.

#6

nobody has any clue what your car could do. Changing the weight setting could alter the result by a huge margin. Since you have no stock baseline, nor do you have any control over the parameters the operator puts in today, it’s completely irrelevant information in my opinion.

I can’t think of any reason for dynoing my car…?

#7

Good points. No stock dyno, but I will go Stg 2 eventually so Stg 1 would be my baseline.

#8

I’m only doing it because it’s a San Diego Audi Club event that I thought would be fun to attend.

BTW, what are the rules here about running the 1/8 mile and then doing a conversion? I’m asking because there’s an NHRA Div 7 track that’s much closer to me.

#9

In that case I’d say go ahead and dyno. Just to reiterate what others have said it’s a data point without reference and isn’t value added for future comparison unless you stick with your own car as the comparison.

As Sakimano said a different operator or even same operator can input a different value/setting. If you want to try to mitigate variability see if the dyno operator will create a separate folder and save a setup file in your name so you can just upload it on your next visit. In addition, it would be ideal if they could save their calibration/configuration settings to a separate INI file and place it in your folder (the two suggestions may be one in the same). They might say they don’t change any settings, but you’d never know and that would help leave your variation to the setup and DA. It’s a long shot.

#10

First time I dyno’d the car i put down 39x. A few ecu revisions, better intake, much more miles, lw rear rotors, and test pipes I went on a heart breaker and put down 365. So what should be a much faster car on paper made 30whp less.

#11

Lol, no conversions either…you run a legit 1/4mile to get on the list. Conversions are for your own amusement…in fact you can convert everything like DA if you want.

Go have fun at the dyno day, I understand it’s a good time to stand around and BS. Just wait until it cools down and make a weekend trip to a 1/4mile track. You’ll have a good time and you’ll finally be able to make the list. There is absolutely no rush because you won’t be the fastest…you’ll just know where you fall on the list.

#12

Yessir!

I also think its important to note that we should ignore the weather variable on the dyno. It exists at the strip too.

The true reason the dyno is useless is that same, car same dyno , same day can vary 400 % if the dyno operator wants it to. That alone means the dyno as a comparison tool is useless sinc3 cobsciously or unconsciouwly the operator inputs can make a n unchanged car dyno 125 whp and 567 whp. That AMS video showed that brilliantly.q

You can’t alter the track even 0.1%. It is just a track with calibrated timing gear and the guy running the place doesn’t give a flying fuck who jhm or apr or giac is. Whereas a dyno operator is in all likelihood a dealer for someone…which means there is a chance he is in their pocket…as is his dyno.

#13

that might be fun then. I wentto a dyno day with mistro and ate the free pizza :).

The b8 s4 is good on thr road, track or dyno, so you should do well with a bunch of cars there and having them to benchmark against is helpful. Whose dyno is it? They a dealer for anyone?

As for 1/8 conversion, they don’t go on the list.

For your Info purposes , within a tenth and half an mph:

1/8 et x 1.55 = 1/4 et
1/8 mph ÷ 0.785 = 1/4 mph

#14

Yup, free dyno pizza FTW.

#15

All great points guys and thanks for the input on my suggestion as well as my question about the 1/8th. I’ll get out to a 1/4 track when I get the time and the conditions are right.

Saki, the name of the place is HG Motorsports. https://www.hgmotorsports.com/

Not a mention of anything Audi on their site as you’ll see, so they’re not peddling for any of our tuners. However, it appears that they offer their own custom tunes, so I could see them trying to butter us up to move over with good numbers. Having said that though, I have no idea if they’ve even messed with a B8 S4 before. I guess I’ll find out.

#16

Make sure they have the proper cable to do the tq reading. Accessing the cable in the engine bay is not fun.

#17

I don’t know anyone that’s a dealer for a dyno company that owns a dyno though? Just finance it like any other tool a shop needs. There are much more uses for a dyno then just numbers I see nothing wrong with someone baselining their car then flashing it too see their gains throughout the rpm graph or for diagnosing lots of real time data, boost leaks, better shift points, troubleshooting,etc.

#18

huh?

tuning companies with AWD dynos are often dealers for various software companies etc.

i.e. ABC tuning owns a dyno…and is a GIAC dealer and NOT an APR dealer. I don’t think I’d send my APR tuned B8 S4 there and blindly trust the numbers that come out.

#19

I’ve seen that be an issue outside the Audi community. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the same acts in the Audi community.

#20

I’ve heard some stories.

That said i wouldn’t trust APR to give me the best reading on my GIAC car and vice versa. Outside of product development dyno’s are a sales tool (unless you are using them for tuning etc)