KermaTDI stage 3

kastman83

New member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Location
WA
TDI
2013 VW Jetta TDI
Hey all, new to the TDI forums and new to TDIs in general. I have a 2013 dieselgate Mk6 Jetta. What I am looking for is opinions on the KermaTDI stage three Ks3 kit with turbo and tune. I have a stock DPF and EGR and have no opinion either way on keeping or deleting. Although I have heard that deleting or blocking the EGR can cause your heat to take quite a bit of time to warm up in winter. I do have a DKM Stage 2 clutch installed with the SMF so should be able to hold the torque no problem. It just seems like a quality company and would be cheaper than the RawTek with the Malone stage 2 or even the Buzzken with the Malone stage 2. And I get a better turbo...thoughts?
 

Rrusse11

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Location
PA Deutsch Country
TDI
2002 Golf, 5spd; 05 Jeep CRD
The SMF vibration causes the cast steel synchros to fatigue. You could put
a Fluidampr in, which will help, but only delay, an 02m synchro failure.
 

kastman83

New member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Location
WA
TDI
2013 VW Jetta TDI
So go back to the DMF if i do the stage 3 or can I keep the SMF if I do the RawTek or buzzken kit w/ Malone stage 2? Or just put the DMF back in regardless?
 

Mongler98

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Location
COLORADO (SE of Denver)
TDI
98 Jetta TDI AHU 1.9L (944 TDI swap in progress) I moved so now i got nothing but an AHU in a garage on a pallet.
So go back to the DMF if i do the stage 3 or can I keep the SMF if I do the RawTek or buzzken kit w/ Malone stage 2? Or just put the DMF back in regardless?
Put it Back reguardless
Start reading up, do searches
Talk with runners
Put whatever parts you want, the tunner will have a tune for it.
 

kastman83

New member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Location
WA
TDI
2013 VW Jetta TDI
Yeah I appreciate all the help. I had no idea about the cast steel synchro vs brass issue, etc. Looks like I will be ordering the Sachs 2.0 Dual Mass Flywheel with Sachs SRE Performance Clutch Kit. As long as it is a DMF should be good right? So now the question is Darkside dpf delete with malone stage 2, RawTek with Malone stage 2, buzzken with the stage 2 or the KermaTDI stage 3 with turbo upgrade? I am kind leaning towards leaving the stock turbo alone and doing the delete as the DPF is probably getting close. Thoughts?
 

USMCFieldMP

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Location
Fort Worth, TX
TDI
2014 Jetta TDI
I looked at doing the KS3 or CR170 turbo for a while. The biggest reason that I never did is because the gains over just getting a tune seemed fairly minimal for the cost.

IMO, keep the stock turbo, put a tune on it, and be happy. Going much further starts to cost significantly more, and to me, the payoff just isn't there. The lack of high RPM's means your gains won't be that large.
 

adjat84th

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
TDI
'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
Piezo injector upgrades are NOT cheap, and not needed unless you go with a larger turbo.
How noisy is that clutch!? I had a SMF for about 10k miles before it ate 2nd gear synchros and 2 out of 3 ears on the 1st gear synchro..that's WITH a fluidampr!
My opinion on if you decide to upgrade the turbo down the line, don't get something that makes peak torque below 2200rpm if you want a DMF to stay happy. Otherwise, you'll just have to detune to keep torque under the shudder threshold.
Rawtek has a super nice option being that it's 2-piece and very easy to install compared to the rest of the bunch. Makes doing the job on jack stands bearable. I don't understand why nobody else does that.
 

kastman83

New member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Location
WA
TDI
2013 VW Jetta TDI
Honestly I have only had the SMF for about 600 miles worth of driving...and i am not an aggressive shifter and usually double clutch (just how I learned, no other reason), so I have not really noticed a huge change with the replacement clutch. Sure the chatter is quite a bit more noticeable at idle and the foot feel/engagement is completely different but that piece is to be expected when going from a slipping clutch to a brand new stage 2 clutch...but reading up on all the damage to the synchros makes it worth it to order the sachs, ill take it in the shorts on second hand resale of the DKM but would rather a couple hundred bucks down the tube than have to have a tranny rebuilt. Luckily where I live we have a self service garage that has 8 lifts for rent with full tool kits, hoists etc by the hour or day for a pretty reasonable fee. It is mostly a highway driver but I do enjoy my spirited accelerations and I do 68 miles round trip conservatively a day. Thanks for all your help. I will start updating as I get parts in and installing. Just got my OBDeleven pro so I can do the fuel filter when I have some time. Any more thoughts on it I am all ears.
 

USMCFieldMP

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Location
Fort Worth, TX
TDI
2014 Jetta TDI
Piezo injector upgrades are NOT cheap, and not needed unless you go with a larger turbo.
And once you're at that point, you have to start thinking about a CP3 (also not cheap), clutch, intercooler, etc. The head also starts being a serious restriction in the mid-200's, iirc. I went through a lot of this with Malone when they introduced their turbo manifold at the start of this year or late last year.

Like I said earlier, once past a certain point, it gets much more expensive to gain buff horses.
 

tjg

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2019
Location
Ft. Hood, TX
TDI
'13 TDI A3, '14 TDI Sportwagen
And once you're at that point, you have to start thinking about a CP3 (also not cheap), clutch, intercooler, etc. The head also starts being a serious restriction in the mid-200's, iirc. I went through a lot of this with Malone when they introduced their turbo manifold at the start of this year or late last year.

Like I said earlier, once past a certain point, it gets much more expensive to gain buff horses.

the trick to saving money is staying off of Darkside Developments website... the options they have for performance parts is nuts.
 

adjat84th

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
TDI
'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
Honestly I have only had the SMF for about 600 miles worth of driving...and i am not an aggressive shifter and usually double clutch (just how I learned, no other reason), so I have not really noticed a huge change with the replacement clutch. Sure the chatter is quite a bit more noticeable at idle and the foot feel/engagement is completely different but that piece is to be expected when going from a slipping clutch to a brand new stage 2 clutch...but reading up on all the damage to the synchros makes it worth it to order the sachs, ill take it in the shorts on second hand resale of the DKM but would rather a couple hundred bucks down the tube than have to have a tranny rebuilt. Luckily where I live we have a self service garage that has 8 lifts for rent with full tool kits, hoists etc by the hour or day for a pretty reasonable fee. It is mostly a highway driver but I do enjoy my spirited accelerations and I do 68 miles round trip conservatively a day. Thanks for all your help. I will start updating as I get parts in and installing. Just got my OBDeleven pro so I can do the fuel filter when I have some time. Any more thoughts on it I am all ears.
You can be the most gentle driver on a clutch, it will not save your synchros. That rattling is your synchro ears/tabs pulsing back and forth in the gear face. Those three tabs eventually break off and make the synchro spin freely and unable to grab the gear. I think I have a video and pics of the damage in my build thread (link in signature). You can swap gears and synchros from the 02M, but that is ~$1k to source. Could probably get an entire 02M at that point easily.
 

adjat84th

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
TDI
'01 Jetta TDI/'15 Golf TDI
And once you're at that point, you have to start thinking about a CP3 (also not cheap), clutch, intercooler, etc. The head also starts being a serious restriction in the mid-200's, iirc. I went through a lot of this with Malone when they introduced their turbo manifold at the start of this year or late last year.
Like I said earlier, once past a certain point, it gets much more expensive to gain buff horses.
Cylinder head is my current limiter. $1600 for porting, larger valves, stiffer springs. I opted for a different route altogether that is not cheap. It is fun though..should be interesting ;)
 
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