APR ECU Upgrade MK6 Golf - Customer perspective

[redback74]

Had the APR Stage 1 tune put in yesterday. Harding Performance were excellent and it was an easy transition. The wagon in stock form really struggles compared to my previous MY09 118 TSI hatch. Now it feels strong without a heavier foot and without that visible / audible labor on longer climbs in 6th or 7th with the DSG.

[Ryan_R]

I drove to NSW and back on Tuesday (on one tank too, just), which involved driving on roads currently closed for a car rally north of Mansfield, and returning on the Hume. The back way was actually a bit quicker for me (and more fun, and no toll roads). So now I'm at about 13,500kms so not far away from the 15k service and hopefully an APR upgrade not long after that.

[BunsenBurna]

So all good. I would still definitely recommend it.

Excellent news logger thanks for keeping us posted. 1500kms on my new TSi now and that extra 30kw is sorely needed.

[Corey_R]

Thanks for the update Logger.

I hate "intermittent issues". It doesn't matter what the product is, or what industry we're talking about, they're THE WORST! They consume so much of everyone's time... the customers and the support staff. But it's good that everything is all worked out

[logger]

Tune is working perfectly again now and has been for the past three weeks. In fact on the weekend I was just thinking it is working as well as it ever has if not better. Car pulls strongly up long hills in 7th gear at 120kph no problems at all. All the other hallmarks of the tune are clearly evident.

When I had "the issue", I reckoned the tune was not working. Run Logs to APR specs showed there was no difference between 98 Ron tune active and stock tune. An explanation for this "issue" was never clearly explained to me, by the APR calibrators. This is not to say the calibrators did not have a strong suspicion of the cause and were not letting on to me. Perhaps they were being diplomatic, see possibility (a) below.

However I would say it has been resolved for now. The tune works perfectly fine. I just don’t know what the cause of the previous issue was.

A fair bit of time and effort was gone to by APR to reflash my car in three different configurations and then I had to take significantly more time and effort to carefully log the performance in each configuration.
1)98Ron only,
2)Program order reversed and
3) Standard program order.
In all three configs the car passed with flying colours and the 98Ron tune worked perfectly as expected. The performance gains were clearly there in the logs when switched to 98Ron vs not there when in stock.

In the absence of APR telling me anything specific as to the cause, I can only speculate......
The way I see it, the original fault, where the tune was sporadic or seemingly not working at all, could have been for three possible reasons:
a) I do not know how to switch programs. I was switching back and forward between stock and stock and sending APR calibrators’ logs of the same stock tune to compare instead of 98Rom vs Stock. (Unlikely because it does not explain the change in performance without me switching anything)
b) There was an issue with my car that had a negative impact on the 98Ron map that negated its effects. Perhaps the Throttle Body alignment was out precluding any performance above stock ? (Maybe - but I don’t really understand how TBA or anything else effects a remap to know if this is plausible)
c) There was a genuine glitch with the remap software as installed in my individual car that caused the weird behaviour – Re flashing the software again fixed it. (Me speculating)

I am totally satisfied that the tune is working properly again now. I also am comfortable in the knowledge that I now have the tools to log and empirically show to APR any similar issue should it recur. ie I know where to look in the data.

So all good. I would still definitely recommend it.

[oferelijah]

any update?

[logger]

Any developments here? Logger, is all well with the stage 1 tune?

Bunsen, No all is not well and Yes there have been some developments. APR calibrators are looking into it. There does appear to be "an issue' with my car. Beyond that, I would only be speculating at this point. Once it is fixed I shall report back.

[BunsenBurna]

I'll see what parameters I can come up with for specific logging for the twincharger. The fuel trims are well within normal range, so no hints there at all (unfortunately).

Any developments here? Logger, is all well with the stage 1 tune?

[spiff]

Are there any semi-conclusive day to day tests we can do to confirm the Stage 1 tune runs as it's supposed to?

I was going to start another post as I don't seem to be getting the 'distinct' 'difference' that some people have mentioned between stock and stage 1. Neither do I have access to vag-com to do any evidential logging.

Does driving it up a steep hill and seeing if it drops a gear (stock), or holds it at a lower rpm (stage 1) as someone posted earlier reveal anything?

[Guy_H]

I think the secret word here is "intermittent",

Logger, I will ask the APR calibrators on what to data log on the dyno - unfortunately because the problem is sort of vague & only happens sometimes, it might be tricky to track down.

I'll see what parameters I can come up with for specific logging for the twincharger. The fuel trims are well within normal range, so no hints there at all (unfortunately).

[logger]

I am little confused OP, why are you dealing with this issue and having to trouble shoot it? Do you not have the Victorian APR dealing managing this process for you?

A few reasons elesiX.

I have required my APR tune to be installed twice so far. Once initially and a second time post the VW SC24S4 service campaign. To achieve this I have had to make no less than 5 trips to the victorian APR dealer which is a pain. Two of the superfluous trips were because the APR computer system had not seen my ECU progam number, which I could have passed to them beforehand had they asked and the third because it was installed without switching capabilty. I suspect their first course of action had I just taken it back yet again would be to reload the program and send me on my way. My bet is this would be yet another wasted trip!

As I have the tools to look at the data it seems to make more sense for me to come up with some data to prove it was not working properly. More difficult to refute. I am not sure how the APR dealer would ascertain it was working in suburban Melbourne other than to check it is installed correctly which I believe it is.

By grabbing data I have shown;
..it is pulling ~18% less engine Load at the exact same rpm and speed with WOT as it was before.
..it is doing logged 0-100 times with the tune active that are identical to what I can achieve in stock. Backed up my seat of pants and no TCS action or Axle tramp.

But the real kicker is that it is intermittent. I was on my way to get it checked out which by the way involved a 2 hour drive each way and it came good before I got there. So I aborted that trip. Now because the issue has come back I may need to leave my car with them for a few days so they can have a decent look at it and hopefully see what I am seeing. Then work out what is going on and fix it.

[logger]

Obviously the only data we can work off is logs & a dyno graph (logs that match the dyno), this would need to be ideally run one day in stock, then the next day in 98 ron mode - that would show what is happening & some data so temperatures & conditions can be compared.

Thanks for the reply Guy. Tell me what to log to match the dyno graph and lets see what we come up with!

The switching is still there, so is the programming is intact.

Yep I don't doubt this.

FYI, on our records, we have in excess of 30 cars which have had the VW update, and I have had no reports of anyone getting "stock like power or feel" after getting the new APR flash incorporating the VW update.

I think you meant to say NO OTHER REPORTS. Because I am reporting it. As well - I am not so sure how closely others may be looking. On the other hand - it could well be an isolated case - my car only and unrelated to the VW update.

I appreciate that what I am seeing may not be related to how the tune interacts with the VW update. However to to base the assertion that there is no issue on a lack of customers complaints, would suggest you have done no empirical testing after the update!

BTW my trims are -1.80% and -6.30%.

Will give you a bell tomorrow.

[Corey_R]

Logger has yet to take his car to the APR dealer and has chosen thusfar to troubleshoot himself...

[elisiX]

Let me preface this by saying i've not read the whole thread, just the last few pages and I notice Guy's responses. But I am little confused OP, why are you dealing with this issue and having to trouble shoot it? Do you not have the Victorian APR dealing managing this process for you?

[Guy_H]

also fuel trims are mentioned, pretty easy check:

Ross-Tech: VAG-COM: Fuel Trim Info

The first thing you would do if you suspected your trims were out is swap the Mass Air Flow meter & recheck your data.

This is the biggest culprit in an "off song" motor.