Kerma Tunes

rbartson00

Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI 1.9L
i recently purchased a 2006 jetta tdi with dsg automatic trans with 77k miles i dont rely know much about these cars i just got a good deal on it and wanted the mpg
but my real question is i want to put a tune on it but i dont want to send out my ecu. so i was considering the q loader from kermatdi. i was just wondering if its worth the price? and how are there tunes?

http://www.kermatdi.com/servlet/the-66/PD-ECU-tuning-'04-pls-/Detail
 

joseluis.17g

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Location
Monterrey, Mexico
TDI
2007 MKIV mexican Jetta 1.9 TDI
Most tunes are the same, there are several tuners specialized in Diesel engines like Kerma, Malone, rocket chip etc etc.
If you want to pay less, instead of purchasing the tune loader, you could rent a flashzilla for $50 dlls. With Malone tuning
Or find a dealer that's close to you
 

rbartson00

Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Location
CT
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI 1.9L
i like the loader because i can also make it back to stock but what stage should i do with everything else stock? and i dont want to kill the tranny
 

eddie_1

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Location
Hannover, Germany formerly Toronto & NY
TDI
Jetta Wagon 2003 TDI tuned to 170HP, A6 Wagon 2008 TDI 2.7L tuned to 340HP
You can now get an original flasher for the Hobbyist only $250, now being sold out of CT on ebay but maybe shipping from Europe. Alientech Powergate. I think the Q loader is actually based on this one. Then you still have quite a bit of money left over for a tune. This is really a brilliant flasher, has recovery options and original tune is on the loader at all times. Alientech is top notch.
 

40X40

Experienced
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Location
Kansas City area, MO
TDI
2013 Passat SEL Premium
Drive to Red Lion, PA and see Rocketchip. Having a Tuner actually lay his hands on your car beats the heck out of mail order....

Bill
 

diesel4ever

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2004
Location
Ontario
TDI
Golf 2000, black
I've had Kerma tune on my ALH and BEW cars. All positive experience and the beauty is the lifetime support. On my ALH I have few tunes I can choose from (low smoke, all out power or original).
 

Biodezl

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2002
Location
Davis, CA
TDI
Passat, 2005, Teal; Golf, 1999, Metalic Green, Auto
RocketChip has been my tune of choice for two vehicles. What worked well for my Passat was to pick up a used ECU from car-part.com for $150 and have it reflashed to work for my vehicle. I asked the salvage yard to give me the VIN of the vehicle the used ECU came from and I got the 4 digit CAN security code from my vehicle with an appropriate ODBD reader. I probably shouldn't go into too much more detail here (there are a few other threads on this), but I gave Jason both VINs, the used ECU, and the 4 digit security code, he made me a plug-and-play ECU. I keep the original ECU untouched in case I want to go back to stock configuration such as when I sell the vehicle. However, no ECU swapping was needed when I took the car in for a smog check because of how he does the reflash.
 

loudspl

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Location
Osakis, Minnesota
TDI
02 ASV w/ 02J
You can now get an original flasher for the Hobbyist only $250, now being sold out of CT on ebay but maybe shipping from Europe. Alientech Powergate. I think the Q loader is actually based on this one. Then you still have quite a bit of money left over for a tune. This is really a brilliant flasher, has recovery options and original tune is on the loader at all times. Alientech is top notch.

Q-loaders are Alientech

Most of the ones out there are simply plated with the tuner's logo. Never had a problem with any of the loaders I used

As for tuners, any of the previously mentioned work great. All are reputable
 

eddie_1

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Location
Hannover, Germany formerly Toronto & NY
TDI
Jetta Wagon 2003 TDI tuned to 170HP, A6 Wagon 2008 TDI 2.7L tuned to 340HP
Since somebody asked me I want to clarify. With the Alientech Poweregate S (self programmer) series there is a slave version and a master version. I believe the slave version allows tuners to resell the loader and lock it but the master version allows you to upload tunes from any tuner. They are both the same price usually. The Master is then for the Hobbyist and allows you to upload any tunes and store altogether 3 (incl. orig) on the tool at any time. The Master is locked to one car and is released for another car when the car is returned to original. However there are folks able to unlock the 1 car restriction for about €200 in Germany. The good thing about the tool is that it also carries out checksum and checks the validity of everything automatically before upload to ECU.
Here is a website in England selling both for example. Make sure you order 'Alientech Powergate S Master':
http://alientechsales.co.uk/products...te&pcategory=s
The upload/download tune to tool software is nice to use and is at following called 'PWGpro':
http://www.alientech.to/xnote/sw/con...wg/pwgdwl.aspx
 

loudspl

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Location
Osakis, Minnesota
TDI
02 ASV w/ 02J
If the goal is DIY maps, it might be better to just dump the EDC15/16/17 and Powergate box then upgrade to Nira i7r ECU..

Maybe not so easy install...but looks much more capable :)
 

darkhorse

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Location
Wisconsin
TDI
'06 Golf GLS, '01 Dodge/Cummins
Back to the original poster: Yes, the Kerma tune is worth the price. To be fair, so are the others. A good tune is your best buy in performance enhancement.
 

TDIJetta99

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2005
Location
Port Jervis, New York, USA
TDI
03... Faster than yours =]
If the goal is DIY maps, it might be better to just dump the EDC15/16/17 and Powergate box then upgrade to Nira i7r ECU..

Maybe not so easy install...but looks much more capable :)

That looks pretty sweet.. Only issue I see over here is if you're going to use this on a street car, state inspections in emissions states will be a deal breaker unless they build it to support OBD2 readiness.. I doubt it since they are a Swedish company..
 

eddie_1

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Location
Hannover, Germany formerly Toronto & NY
TDI
Jetta Wagon 2003 TDI tuned to 170HP, A6 Wagon 2008 TDI 2.7L tuned to 340HP
Also one of the goals of DIY maps may be to learn the winols software or one of the more widespread packages, so ideas can be exchanged more readily or Damos files could be shared. Also, EDC17 is really not a bad ECU.
 

loudspl

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Location
Osakis, Minnesota
TDI
02 ASV w/ 02J
The future of tuning might be DIY maps on some kind of HUD w/ real-time analysis

Limits defined so users can't exceed known/discovered operating parameters of selected hardware. Tuner liability minimized?

There's this little gadget too:

Skynam
 

Zlartibartfast

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Location
Deep in the Heart of Texas
TDI
SOLD 2009 Jetta Sportwagen
"...Commander6D will allow the engine to get the torque and the power which it claims, with furious accelerations provided by an astonishing speed and power of calculation, in the safety."

I'd rather go with a hand's on tune - I'm not comfortable with 'furious accelerations...in the safety'.
 

loudspl

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Location
Osakis, Minnesota
TDI
02 ASV w/ 02J
"...Commander6D will allow the engine to get the torque and the power which it claims, with furious accelerations provided by an astonishing speed and power of calculation, in the safety."
I'd rather go with a hand's on tune - I'm not comfortable with 'furious accelerations...in the safety'.
Some things are lost in translation :)

They are based in Belgium and alternate is en Francais

There are several members here from EU that sometimes lose meaning in translation. It's not hard to understand what they mean though
 

jooser5

Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2017
Location
Castle Rock, Wa.
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI 224,000 miles
Could you possibly send me some instructions on how to download a KermaTDI tune I received from them to my computer and then to my Qpro tuner?
 
Top