Page 1 of 2
lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:03 am
by buzzard
I know that turbo life polls have been done before and we have even done a pole pole which was rather amusing (do a search if your baffled)
But-
I am still running standard 265 and now just over 70k
just interested in how long the stock turbo setup lasts with average use and normal TLC
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:56 am
by arS4
Mine are still going (103,000) MY98 FSH
Dan

RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:34 am
by bobbler
On 116k (though remapped about 5k ago) AFAIK they are the originals on there.
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:43 pm
by saf
Mines was 114K when it was taken off standard, Now running 320ish at 130K and the little buggers still wont give up.
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:17 pm
by rikrose
I've just had my 100,000 mile service, and they're still going strong. As for "standard setup", the last owner did the after-run mod to the car, and told me that he grannied the turbos before it was warm. I've been doing the same thing. This should be standard
Now, if only we had an oil pressure gauge...
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:31 pm
by BlackShadow
I think the key is to, as is said above, drive like a granny until the oil pressure has warmed up. For me this means keeping it under 2,000 rpm until the oil gauge has started to move. Also, not to shut the car down immediately when it is hot - evem if this is just another 30 seconds (the after-run pump is obviously a better solution) My Standard KO3s were on until 110,000, when they were replaced with KO4s, because the engine had to come out for something else. The car was remapped from standard at 70,000 - i.e. car run with 340 bhp (remap and sports cats) and KO3s for 40,000 miles.
If people drive the car relatively hard from the off, I'm sure the turbos can go at 50k, particularly if these are lots of short journeys in towns/cities.
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:44 pm
by saf
Just want to add that a friend of mine had 76,000 on his S4. It was standard for the first 50K of its life, then as soon as he bought it, it was mapped. The K03's blew at 76,000 when he was raching an EVO. That was under really hard accelleratiion for about a minute. So goes to show, it can happen anytime, but if your car is standard thenI think you have a lot more time to play with as the boost that goes through them is quite low, as long as you warn up and cool down like has been said before.
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:08 pm
by derdle
My S4 clocked up 100k on the original KO3's at stock power.. I then sold the car so don't know how much longer they lasted.
Paul
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:31 pm
by Doug_S2
Chris was upto 190k on original turbos and now mapped to run high boost, and over 200k.
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:34 pm
by jb7_uk
113k, original turbo's, standard spec (afterrun mod done 5k ago) still pulling like a train

RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:35 pm
by saf
Just goes to show. If you take good care of the engine and turbo's they will last. Frequent oil changes and warming up and cooling down and checks for boost leaks are often forgotten / neglected by some.
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:16 am
by team_soy
92k on the first set...then 8k on the second...third set tba lol
RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:42 am
by ChipHazzard
Currently on 96k and was remapped about 15k ago
Re: RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:46 am
by MarkB
Doug_S2 wrote:Chris was upto 190k on original turbos and now mapped to run high boost, and over 200k.
Is that higher boost than your normal K03 maps?
RE: Re: RE: lifespan of KO3 unchipped!!!
Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:16 am
by Doug_S2
he is running no cats so higher boost than most cars.