Worth a retune? Next step?

Turbski

Active member
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Location
Denver
TDI
2011 Jetta TDI
Hi all,

I have a few questions about what to do next/ if my current changes are worth the cost of a retune or if it won't matter. Currently running malone tune stage 3 (I have 3.5 but EGTs were higher than comfortable), SBC Daily Stage 2 clutch kit w/DMF, CR170, Rawtek turbo back 3" exhaust w/ high flow cat and resonator, DPF and EGR delete, stock IC. I just received the KermaTDI intercooler with hoses, as mine have been leaking down to 16psi since a couple of weeks ago and I was definitely feeling the heat soak before that. I do plan on going back to stage 3.5 afterwards. I have a buddy (doesn't have a lot of tuning knowledge) who says I should get another tune since the stock IC was bottlenecking me. I'm fairly certain it isn't a big enough difference to merit a tune, as it probably won't get me much further. I did find a shop in Denver that will do a tune competitively priced with Malone, and offers a retune later for 100. The retune factors in big time for me as I'm traveling 3,000 miles round trip for a wedding, which puts me within 1k miles of the timing belt service. I plan on swapping to darksides CP3 kit when I do it so I don't have to chance a CP4 failure, which is original to the car. Obviously, the HPFP will require a tune to work. I also plan on continuing to build it with a GTD turbo and stage 2 injectors down the road. Should I get a tune now and pay another 100 down the road or should I wait and just rock the 3.5 for now? I would want a gain of another 30+ ft-lb of torque minimum if I was going to tune now. Thanks for any info!
 

andreigbs

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Location
Walworth Co., Wisconsin
TDI
N/A
My advice: make your hardware mods first, then tune to match. Save your coin by not doing incremental writes/rewrites.

And if you're happy with Malone, why not stick to it and get a custom tune made? I'm sure that can be accomplished.

Good luck in your search for moar powa!
 

Turbski

Active member
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
Location
Denver
TDI
2011 Jetta TDI
Thanks will do! I do really like the Malone tune, but feel tuning it on a dyno will probably get better/faster results, especially considering when the injectors and HPFP need to be tuned as Darkside does not have tables for them.
 
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