RIP Audi K03S

**SN95Audi87** · 06-02-2016 06:32 PM

Hey Guys,

Turbo is officially making the dentist drill sound. I guess it took going up a steep grade at 75mph to take it out. I soon as I pulled into the gas station I heard a weird noise almost like knock then it turned it a dentist drill sound, quite fascinating actually lol. One question is it ok to drive the car like this for a while? Secondly, get a rebuilt K03s or Frankenturbo F21? I think I know what the answer is....

Nathan

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**redline380** · 06-02-2016 07:15 PM

No telling how long it will lat, but my turbo is making dentist drill like noises and I have no immediate plans of swapping it out.

Either get FT or I have always been curious about the Mahle turbo on Rock Auto for $570. When I get around to it, I think I will go the FT route.

**SN95Audi87** · 06-02-2016 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by redline380

No telling how long it will lat, but my turbo is making dentist drill like noises and I have no immediate plans of swapping it out.

Either get FT or I have always been curious about the Mahle turbo on Rock Auto for $570. When I get around to it, I think I will go the FT route.

Ok as long as there isn't any long term effects. I like keeping my car in tip top shape.

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**pgiuliano98** · 06-02-2016 09:52 PM

My turbo blew about 3 weeks ago and I don't plan on changing it for a bit... As far as I know so far there haven't been any bad side effects.

Also picked up a used k03 for $60 shipped in the classifieds on here

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**SN95Audi87** · 06-02-2016 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by pgiuliano98

My turbo blew about 3 weeks ago and I don't plan on changing it for a bit... As far as I know so far there haven't been any bad side effects.

Also picked up a used k03 for $60 shipped in the classifieds on here

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Yeah, the car still accelerates normal but it still makes the dentist drill noise. When it gets warmer it quiets down a bit. It's very loud when the oil is cold. It doesn't smoke either so possibly it could of been a partial failure.

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**pgiuliano98** · 06-02-2016 09:58 PM

I'm also on a tune for 17psi and the noise doesn't start until around 10-11 so mine is probably a partial blow as well.

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**SN95Audi87** · 06-03-2016 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by pgiuliano98

I'm also on a tune for 17psi and the noise doesn't start until around 10-11 so mine is probably a partial blow as well.

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Yep! Oh well I'm going to drive it like a grandma. I don't want to make it worse. Atleast the car still has power.

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**Dan[FN]6262** · 06-03-2016 05:32 AM

If the car still has power the turbo isn't blown. If your blow your turbo and drive your car the bearings of the turbo will start breaking apart and going into your oil pan as the shaft is slapping around in there. Not to mention that the compressor and exhaust wheels could blow apart, sucking a bunch of metal into the engine doesn't sound rad.

Look for a vacuum/boost leak before deciding the turbo is done.

Story time

I thought I blew the K03 on my B6, ordered a eliminator kit because why not upgrade? When removing the stock turbo I found a big tear in the turbo inlet pipe that was causing the dentist drill noise, and making it run shitty because the MAF sensor readings were fucked. I spent $3,400 because I jumped to conclusions. And it was not worth it because I tore it all out and went full frame like 8 months later.

A little diagnostic time is always worth it.

**SN95Audi87** · 06-03-2016 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by Dan[FN]6262

If the car still has power the turbo isn't blown. If your blow your turbo and drive your car the bearings of the turbo will start breaking apart and going into your oil pan as the shaft is slapping around in there. Not to mention that the compressor and exhaust wheels could blow apart, sucking a bunch of metal into the engine doesn't sound rad.

Look for a vacuum/boost leak before deciding the turbo is done.

Story time

I thought I blew the K03 on my B6, ordered a eliminator kit because why not upgrade? When removing the stock turbo I found a big tear in the turbo inlet pipe that was causing the dentist drill noise, and making it run shitty because the MAF sensor readings were fucked. I spent $3,400 because I jumped to conclusions. And it was not worth it because I tore it all out and went full frame like 8 months later.

A little diagnostic time is always worth it.

Wow! Thank you for this story. I actually have a silicon TIP waiting to get installed. I will check the rubber TIP and see if there is anything broken. It whines like supercharger (roots blower) like muscle car but it's not loud like it was last night.

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**Dan[FN]6262** · 06-03-2016 07:31 AM

Yeah man, a K03 is a noisy little fvcker. Especially if it doesn't have to draw air through an airbox designed specifically to keep it as quiet as possible lol.

**GOODBYNAAIR** · 06-03-2016 08:48 AM

What is a K03s ??

**pgiuliano98** · 06-03-2016 09:18 AM

The k03s (sport) has a compressor housing of 39.5ml instead of 37ml on the k03. The k03s also came stock on 01 models.

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**redline380** · 06-03-2016 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by pgiuliano98

The k03s (sport) has a compressor housing of 39.5ml instead of 37ml on the k03. The k03s also came stock on 01 models.

There's no such thing as a k03 sport. It is a revised turbo, that is it. Nothing sporty about it.

Most people do not know this, but the turbo was revised for the 2000 MY and it was the same through the B6 chassis. Same exact turbo, same PN. Yes, that is correct. An ATW with 150hp has the same turbo from the factory as any 01 or B6 with 170hp.

**GOODBYNAAIR** · 06-03-2016 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by pgiuliano98

The k03s (sport) has a compressor housing of 39.5ml instead of 37ml on the k03. The k03s also came stock on 01 models.

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hmm thought this was a myth, thanks for the answer I was somewhat trolling.

**pgiuliano98** · 06-03-2016 09:24 AM

I was wrong... Look at redlines response^

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**redline380** · 06-03-2016 09:28 AM

I will say that it looks like there was another revision in 2007, which is obviously after b6's ran there course. The replacement is an "n' model in stead of the "j" model but applies to all 1.8ts/

**SN95Audi87** · 06-03-2016 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by pgiuliano98

The k03s (sport) has a compressor housing of 39.5ml instead of 37ml on the k03. The k03s also came stock on 01 models.

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Originally Posted by redline380

There's no such thing as a k03 sport. It is a revised turbo, that is it. Nothing sporty about it.

Most people do not know this, but the turbo was revised for the 2000 MY and it was the same through the B6 chassis. Same exact turbo, same PN. Yes, that is correct. An ATW with 150hp has the same turbo from the factory as any 01 or B6 with 170hp.

So your telling me the turbocharger is exactly the same and through factory stock tuning is pushing more PSI then yester years audi...hmmm....Well when I do my oil change I am going to inspect the piping, if everything doesn't check out I will put the turbo post results.

**redline380** · 06-03-2016 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by SN95Audi87

So your telling me the turbocharger is exactly the same and through factory stock tuning is pushing more PSI then yester years audi...hmmm....Well when I do my oil change I am going to inspect the piping, if everything doesn't check out I will put the turbo post results.

Bingo. AWM and AMB used revised mapping and additional boost to get the extra 20hp. Stock pressure on ATW is 7psi, on AWM/AMB it is 11psi

**SN95Audi87** · 06-03-2016 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by redline380

Bingo. AWM and AMB used revised mapping and additional boost to get the extra 20hp. Stock pressure on ATW is 7psi, on AWM/AMB it is 11psi

Man someone should post a sticky about the 01 Models saying that it is a myth lol.

**redline380** · 06-03-2016 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by SN95Audi87

Man someone should post a sticky about the 01 Models saying that it is a myth lol.

It is more fun watching noobs get all worked up about how awesome their ko3s is compared to the "stock" turbo. There is technically a size difference between a stock 1999 and a stock 2000-2006 turbo, but the difference is de minimis and has a negligible effect, if any whatsoever, on performance.

**pgiuliano98** · 06-03-2016 10:07 AM

Very glad I didn't buy a ko3s for $200 more than I got my ko3 for now lol

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**SN95Audi87** · 06-03-2016 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by redline380

It is more fun watching noobs get all worked up about how awesome their ko3s is compared to the "stock" turbo. There is technically a size difference between a stock 1999 and a stock 2000-2006 turbo, but the difference is de minimis and has a negligible effect, if any whatsoever, on performance.

And the plot thickens. Well my car is virgin with all oem hardware so we can get to bottom of this soon haha.

**Dan[FN]6262** · 06-03-2016 10:31 AM

I had a AEB K03 and a AMB K03 laying the garage for a while.

The only differences that you could see with the naked eye are that the compressor fins appeared to be arranged slightly ... closer together (maybe the secondary fins weren't quite as short, like were closer to the shaft nut?) on the AMB vs the AEB. The AEB compressor wheel looked more similar to a K04 wheel, this is naked eye of course.

Who knows, that was like 6 years ago now lol maybe one was more dirty than the other and it just looked that way while actually being identical. I'll have to dig through my pile of parts and see if I can find them, I'm curious now lol

**seanf86** · 06-03-2016 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Dan[FN]6262

I had a AEB K03 and a AMB K03 laying the garage for a while.

The only differences that you could see with the naked eye are that the compressor fins appeared to be arranged slightly ... closer together (maybe the secondary fins weren't quite as short, like were closer to the shaft nut?) on the AMB vs the AEB. The AEB compressor wheel looked more similar to a K04 wheel, this is naked eye of course.

Who knows, that was like 6 years ago now lol maybe one was more dirty than the other and it just looked that way while actually being identical. I'll have to dig through my pile of parts and see if I can find them, I'm curious now lol

thats the only difference is compressor wheel and possibly slight exhaust housing differences, I'd have to go check my pile of turbo cores, AEB had the k03-005 and AWM, ATW and AMB had a k03-029 almost the same damn turbo although the later turbo is cheaper than the AEB one so I don't know why anyone would put the older turbo on their car. The whole k03s seems to come from people hanging out on vwpoortex talking with the transverse crowd.

Also if it's howling at higher boost levels then see attached pic, my b5 s4 driverside k03 started making drill noises over 10psi and that's what I found.

**redline380** · 06-03-2016 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by seanf86

The whole k03s seems to come from people hanging out on vwpoortex talking with the transverse crowd.

Yup!

And I believe the revisions were due to cracking exhaust housing, or at least that was part of the impetus to change. Remember that, when everyone was cracking housing? Been a while since we a thread like that.

**seanf86** · 06-03-2016 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by redline380

Yup!

And I believe the revisions were due to cracking exhaust housing, or at least that was part of the impetus to change. Remember that, when everyone was cracking housing? Been a while since we a thread like that.

my K03-029 in my B6 got heat distorted and ground down my turbine wheel resulting in me having to buy a complete new turbo as well as my wifes B6 altho those ULEV cats are notorious for plugging so thats probably what happened.

**SN95Audi87** · 06-03-2016 11:15 AM

I wouldn't be surprised if my turbo looks like yours in your picture. My car has 175k on the clock, I really believe heat took it out. Definitely a testament to Amsoil though, I've been running there lubricants for years and thats what probably made the turbo last so long. If it wasn't for my failing catback, the turbo probably could of went to 200k. I recently upgraded the whole exhaust and intake pipe so that with me beating on it for the last few months just broke the camels back.