2004 manual tune recommendations

[themightyquinn]

I had my 2004 tuned for manual transmission a year or so ago. Since then I've had my ASR light on and haven't had traction control. I ultimately just taped over the light when I upgraded to a W8 cluster, but with the torque of the TDI it requires some a good amount of clutch feathering to get going on hills or in slick conditions and I'd like to get it actually fixed. My understanding is that this is due to basing the tune off of a MK5 base rather than modifying my BHW tune for manual, and that this isn't an issue that shows up for the ESP cars.

Since the tune I've also noticed that my cruise control surges. Even on level ground it's constantly cycling through acceleration and coasting. Once you notice it, it's pretty annoying and MPG really suffers when on cruise which is frustrating on long trips to face the trade-off.

Anyone have an '04 that has their car tuned without these issues? If so, who did you use? Annoyed that I'll have to shell out for another tune.

 

[zzdiesel]

05 though, malone tune without those problems.

 

[ekkoh99]

Question. if a wagon has tune from another company, can one get a malone tune later?

 

[PickleRick]

Also Malone tune on two different ECU/vehicles with none of those issues

 

[themightyquinn]

Thanks! Guess I'll reach out to them and see if they hopefully have a complete flash for an ASR-only car.

 

[Windex]

Same here, 2005 6apd manual conversion, Malone tune, everything works as it should - traction control, stability control, cruise etc and no lights in the dash.

 

[CantWrite]

Not trying to start a war....

I read/heard that Malone uses a modified BEW file to tune, and Kerma uses the BHW.

I have no clue who to recommend, but I have an unknown tuned ECU and would like to find out who did it. I called Kerma since they’re somewhat local to me. I was asked to log EGT data, but for the life of me I cannot find EGT data within VCDS.

Any thoughts? Should I start my own thread instead of piggy back on this one? Thanks!!

 

[Windex]

As the BHW engine was never offered with a manual transmission, any tune will need to be a mashup of the original BHW tune and something from a car with a manual.

Even kerma would need to "borrow" code from a manual ecu.

That and modifying the ratios for cruise to function.

 

[d24tdi]

I was asked to log EGT data, but for the life of me I cannot find EGT data within VCDS.

To me that could indicate that yours has a BEW based tune. The BEW has no EGT sensor so one of the disadvantages of applying it to a BHW is the loss of that input. The other is sensitivity to gear ratios for cruise function.

I don't have a favorite between the two approaches, each seem to have pluses and minuses. My 2004 has Kerma's approach and one benefit was that when I changed to a different manual gearbox last year (failed GGB swapped to DUK) cruise operation was not compromised and no retune was needed. But on the flip side I'm not too impressed with the smoothness and driveability of the tune.

 

[caffeine]

A while ago I found this tune that's based on a BGW ECU (European B5.5 w/manual transmission) https://www.ecuconnections.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33576

I haven't tried it myself, but I plan on trying it out with my Allroad BHW swap.

 

[CantWrite]

I spoke with @burpod and not to put words in his mouth, but it sounds like he plans to venture into BHW tuning in a couple months.

If so, he will be getting my business.

Just wanted to throw out there that another option may be coming for us BHW guys.

 

[yadic]

I had my 2004 tuned for manual transmission a year or so ago. Since then I've had my ASR light on and haven't had traction control. I ultimately just taped over the light when I upgraded to a W8 cluster, but with the torque of the TDI it requires some a good amount of clutch feathering to get going on hills or in slick conditions and I'd like to get it actually fixed. My understanding is that this is due to basing the tune off of a MK5 base rather than modifying my BHW tune for manual, and that this isn't an issue that shows up for the ESP cars.

Since the tune I've also noticed that my cruise control surges. Even on level ground it's constantly cycling through acceleration and coasting. Once you notice it, it's pretty annoying and MPG really suffers when on cruise which is frustrating on long trips to face the trade-off.

Anyone have an '04 that has their car tuned without these issues? If so, who did you use? Annoyed that I'll have to shell out for another tune.
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the problem may be related to the tune being based on a MK5 base instead of modifying your BHW tune specifically for a manual transmission. It's possible that this issue doesn't occur with ESP cars. To find a solution, it would be beneficial to reach out to other 2004 vehicle owners who have had their cars tuned without experiencing these issues. Online forums or communities dedicated to your specific vehicle model may provide helpful insights and recommendations on reputable tuning services or specific tuners who have successfully resolved similar problems. While it can be frustrating to consider paying for another tune, it might be necessary to address the issues you're currently facing. Before proceeding, it's important to research and find a reputable tuner or tuning service that has a track record of successfully tuning vehicles with similar specifications. Reading reviews, asking for recommendations, and consulting with professionals in the field can help you make an informed decision. Ultimately, resolving these issues with your vehicle's performance will likely require professional assistance from a knowledgeable tuner who can accurately diagnose and adjust the tune to ensure compatibility with your manual transmission and address the ASR light, traction control, and cruise control concerns.

 

[Zambee500]

the problem may be related to the tune being based on a MK5 base instead of modifying your BHW tune specifically for a manual transmission. It's possible that this issue doesn't occur with ESP cars. To find a solution, it would be beneficial to reach out to other 2004 vehicle owners who have had their cars tuned without experiencing these issues. Online forums or communities dedicated to your specific vehicle model may provide helpful insights and recommendations on reputable tuning services or specific tuners who have successfully resolved similar problems. While it can be frustrating to consider paying for another tune, it might be necessary to address the issues you're currently facing. Before proceeding, it's important to research and find a reputable tuner or tuning service that has a track record of successfully tuning vehicles with similar specifications. Reading reviews, asking for recommendations, and consulting with professionals in the field can help you make an informed decision. Ultimately, resolving these issues with your vehicle's performance will likely require professional assistance from a knowledgeable tuner who can accurately diagnose and adjust the tune to ensure compatibility with your manual transmission and address the ASR light, traction control, and cruise control concerns.

I think that's probably why the OP created this thread, to find other '04 B5.5 owners who had their cars tuned and avoided these issues OP is having.

I have Malone on mine and it runs great with no CELs, but it's an '05 with ESP. I'd suggest reaching out to one of the tuners suggested above. Is Jeff at RocketChip still around? Fortunately, the cost of tunes for these cars is relatively affordable. (The tunes on the NMS are 2-4x the cost of B5s, depending on whether you have DSG that also requires tuning.)