Stage 2 118 TSI Upgrade

[Mk R]

So, after convincing myself it was all too hard and expensive to bother squeezing another few kW and Nm out of the 1.4 with a downpipe, I came across a turbo back, non resonated, Milltek system with sports cat dirt cheap, put a bid on it and am now the new owner.

I'm tossing up a REVO stage 2 or Revlimit stage 2 or even 2+ at this point and have asked for some quotes. I know Guy H looked at this back in 2011 and even had some APR maps for it but given the recent changes by APR LLC I guess that's all out the window.

For those that are interested, I'll try and document the install and heat shielding at the downpipe end and get the car on a dyno for the Stage 2 tune results.

[ope126]

So, after convincing myself it was all too hard and expensive to bother squeezing another few kW and Nm out of the 1.4 with a downpipe, I came across a turbo back, non resonated, Milltek system with sports cat dirt cheap, put a bid on it and am now the new owner.

I'm tossing up a REVO stage 2 or Revlimit stage 2 or even 2+ at this point and have asked for some quotes. I know Guy H looked at this back in 2011 and even had some APR maps for it but given the recent changes by APR LLC I guess that's all out the window.

For those that are interested, I'll try and document the install and heat shielding at the downpipe end and get the car on a dyno for the Stage 2 tune results.

Mk R - sound great mate! Keen to hear your results!!!

[Mk R]

Mk R - sound great mate! Keen to hear your results!!!

Thanks Ope126! I'm getting excited mate. Also saw this on fleabay this week...

1.4TSI 200 cel Downpipe for ~$700 delivered to AUS
Downpipe Exhaust 64mm With CAT S S FOR VW 1 4 TSI Golf 5 6 Scirocco NEW Beetle | eBay

Might be worth chucking on the watch list in case the dollar keeps getting stronger. I was originally looking at this with just a step down to the stock exhaust.

[popcorn]

Keen to see how it goes with stage 2!

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[ope126]

Any updates Mk R?

[Mk R]

Any updates Mk R?

Away for work this month, going to be installed and tuned mid June at this point so will have the first dyno graph of the current stage 1 setup before then. Looking forward to seeing it compared to the recent dyno session from another 118TSI owner here recently!

[The_Hawk]

Thanks Ope126! I'm getting excited mate. Also saw this on fleabay this week...

1.4TSI 200 cel Downpipe for ~$700 delivered to AUS
Downpipe Exhaust 64mm With CAT S S FOR VW 1 4 TSI Golf 5 6 Scirocco NEW Beetle | eBay

I was always told that the issues were around heatshields in the stock unit that would need to be replicated in an aftermarket unit... give that doesn't have them is that an issue?? Is it different in the Scirocco vs the Golf?

[Mk R]

I was always told that the issues were around heatshields in the stock unit that would need to be replicated in an aftermarket unit... give that doesn't have them is that an issue?? Is it different in the Scirocco vs the Golf?

It's still a concern, the engine bays are very similar if not the same. Everything is quite close together down there but the new downpipe is actually slimmer in total diameter (at the wide point where some of the fluid hoses and wire pass it) so i'm proposing to do a downpipe wrap, install some dimpled heat shielding from Supercheap to section off the small pipework and possibly cover the heat wrap in a foil layer. If that still presents heat issues to the hoses i'll wrap them too.


As you can see here, there's an intercooler pipe down there too that i might try and insulate as well but what that looks like will depend on how much of a gap there is.

[Mk R]

So after a bit over a year, I've finally got around to putting the exhaust and fresh turbo on my Golf and getting the stage 2 map installed. I must apologise for the delay, I got a mortgage and some orthodontics in the mean time and it put the brakes on more fun things like this. I figure these cars are worth so little now that its going to stay with me as a fun daily driver until the wheels fall off.

First impressions are:
- Much smoother power curve
- Longer harder push past 4000 RPM
- Feels like the power is on tap sooner, also feels a little stronger throughout
- Obviously a boomy exhaust note from the currently non-resonated exhaust which now has some pop and the occasional crackle on gear change which is a nice novelty for someone with a 6 speed manual
- Slight turbo flutter like a pigeon when coming off the gas under low acceleration

No CEL errors yet and it's had a few good full boost pulls up hills and on highway.

One phantom boost limp (restricted to 15 PSI) after some "spirited" driving up a hill. That seems to clear itself aster a few minutes of quiet driving. Picked up an N249 error code after install so that might explain the flutter.

Will post a few photos and a video of the sound if anyone is interested. Hope to put it on a dyno in the near future and see what it makes!

[The_Hawk]

Sounds great. I will be interested to see the photos when they are available!

[Mk R]

This is looking from the back of the engine bay towards the front. Top left plastic is the front fan assembly. Currently only have minor heat shielding on the upper cables. Have done some good traffic for around 45 minutes with no melted plastic or wires. There seems to be about 25mm between the downpipe and anything else until the turbo boost pipe at the bottom. The metallic boost pipe you can see passing under the downpipe in the picture in post #8 above. This would be getting some serious heat and even with the bigger intercooler i feel like I'm getting some heat soak after driving for a while.


View from the rear...


The exhaust is un resonated and pretty boomy under acceleration as a result. A bit too loud so im looking at options to quiet it down. If anyone has any resonator or muffler suggestions for the centre channel i'd love to hear them.

[Mk R]

After about a month of driving I've noticed the following:

1. A high pitch squeal under turbo boost, like the noise made by blowing across two sheets of paper. Changed out the diverter valve for the previous one with a GFB DV+ attached, which seems to have reduced it significantly and has completely eliminated the post acceleration turbo flutter. Still suspicious of a slight boost leak.

2. Heat soak feels noticeable after some hard driving (even with the S3 intercooler). Intercooler return, which passes under the downpipe is getting rather hot now. Some sort of insulation is needed there.

3. Boost limp still seems to happen occasionally (limited to 15PSI). Can be cleared by re setting the APR map mode, although sometimes it clears itself. Does anyone know what causes this? I remember reading some previous threads mentioning the knock sensor settings being too sensitive under the APR maps.

In general, the supercharger boost is definitely less peaky now, instead it seems much more linear and focused on the top end. The exhaust genuinely pops now once it's warmed up. The ESP cutouts on acceleration through corners are now fun with even more exhaust pops. Starting to think a WOT Box and short shift would be very fun on this setup for flat shifting but I think this is as far as the mods will go on this car.

Anyone know a good dyno for a test in Sydney?