Bit of a big update since last time.
Firstly sold my MY09 mirrors and upgraded to the correct shape for my year but now with electric folding which comes in handy when parking my garage.
I took the opportuniny to replace the mirror switch for a aluminium one from the S1.
Had an MOT (all passed) and service and one highlighted issue was my timing chain was noisey, so had that done as I've heard horror stories of them jumping a cog at high rev's when the tensioners fails.
This causes major engine damage due as its part of the timing gear. Whilst the timing chain was done had the sump removed and cleaned. The garage found the remains of my tensioner in there.
In preparation for Revo stage 3 I wanted to carbon clean the inlet valves and install the RS4 injectors which is another 4-5 hour job.
I start the laborious job of removing the inlet manifold which consists of removing the following:
Engine under tray
Engine cover
Air filter, intake pipe, and bracket
Throttle body intake pipe and intercooler pipe
Throttle body
Dip stick
Inlet manifold and about 10 bolts that hold it to the head
Once all that is removed access to the injectors and inlet valves is ready.
The inlet valves were coked up quite bad, some big chunks on the valves considering i did about 15k miles ago.
To remove the carbon deposit I blasted them with walnut shells with a media blaster.
This is the same process BMW and Audi use but they have a specially made adapter that covers the inlet port, I had to make my own.
It worked but it got a bit messy.
After cleaning the valves, installing the RS4 injectors, and putting everything back together my car was ready for the next day.
I was booked in at Riverside Racing 9am Tuesday morning, drove over there and let them get to work with installing uprated intank DW65v pump, upgrading the map to Revo 3 and fine tuning it
After a couple of hours hearing my car run on the dyno they came about and said I have a boost leak and it was due to a missing seal on the turbo outlet pipe.
They said I would need to order one or use the one from my old OEM pipe. The car made 380bhp with boost leaks.
I headed home had a brew then found my old turbo pipes in the attic and low and behold the seal was still on there.
I was kicking myself as there were no instruction to re-use this seal. I cleaned it up and installed the seal on the turbo outlet pipe in Formula 1 pit stop time.
My friend Dave didn’t believe how fast I did it. Anyway I rang up RSR and they said if I get back to 4pm they will do the rest of the tuning.
I got back there at 3.55pm and got the car back on the dyno. After an hour of hearing the dyno again they got me to come over and show me another boost leak.
I was like WTF these are brand new pipes, the leak was coming from the CTS throttle pipe where the MAP sensor is plugged in. I said I can’t believe it, I went with new pipes so there wouldn’t be any problems.
They told me to replace it or put the OEM back on and come back at the weekend.
I headed home again a bit miffed at the problems I had been having. Went to gym then came home and fitted the OEM throttle pipe.
The next morning I rang up RSR and asked if I could come that day as I was busy at the weekend. They said sure come down to 2.30pm.
They put the car on the dyno and started fine tuning it again, after an hour they came out and said they most its making is 395bhp.
Its making the right boost but not holding it. Its either the actuator or the Revo software.
I told them it’s the same turbo they had on their Golf Edition 30 that’s making 424 with the same hardware as mine. We came to the conclusion that Revo must have changed something in their map since last year to prevent people using different turbos.
The Revo stage 3 requires the following Garrett 3071R external waste gate turbo kit, along with the other hardware I already have. Since last year they must have changed the software to be less adaptable with other turbo’s as they want you to buy their hardware only.
It’s funny how last year a same engine and hardware spec Golf ED30 made 424 after just a flash of Revo stage 3 software and little tuning. Yet this year with their latest file on a car with the same setup and its struggling to make even 400. RSR think Revo have made changes to the map as they don’t want other cars with different turbo’s making over 400 without their hardware. RSR tried to upload the software from their Golf to mine but the files are locked down to chassis number. The car didn't feel smooth or right. RSR were brilliant in problem solving and couldn't fault their work and professionalism. In the end they refunded me the Revo 3 upgrade and put me back to 2+, meaning I need to put my S3 injectors back in.
Now APR already have their own stage 3 turbo kit just like Revo, but APR have seen the TTE420 turbo is getting a lot of interest and making some good 400+ cars with custom mapping. They started to develop a map for the TTE420 turbo based on their stage 2+ software. This is really good of them as they are adjusting to the market and gaining a lot of new customers especially ones moving over from Revo.
The customer support from Revo has been shocking too, they really don’t want to know unless you use their exact hardware, and not even interested in helping solve a problem.
I asked if they could put a proper rev limit on instead of the EGT limit (which is bad for the engine) and they weren’t interested.
I definitely won’t ever be using them again or recommending them to anyone.
I placed an order for an S3 injector seal kit, new dip stick (they are yellow now), intake manifold seal and some clips. I also placed an order for a 155bar FPRV and runner flap delete (remove the valve flaps too).
Eventually got everything fitted and went down to Awesome and had a meeting with Mark and two of their top technicians and decided to go with APR for their new TTE420 map. Which is booked in for this Monday afternoon.