2015 3.0 TDI Q7 performance upgrades

[Verrico1183]

Hello,

Just wondering what is out there for performance upgrades?

 

[BarryT82]

Tunes, turbos, exhausts, and suspension upgrades.

 

[Verrico1183]

Thinking of doing an intake and a chip tune any recommendations?

 

[Owain@malonetuning]

An intake won't add power but will make a bit of noise. Shy of doing a delete downpipe + turbo upgrade the only thing that really nets power is software.

 

[Verrico1183]

Do you have any recommendations for an intake or a chip tune?

 

[nayr]

https://malonetuning.com/ecu-tuning/audi-volkswagen/tdi/30l-v6-tdi

 

[AU_Bug]

With the Malone Stage 1/Stage 2, does that eliminate the need for the DEF fluid? Assuming you don't delete the downpipe.

 

[Owain@malonetuning]

Deletes are an optional add on, the standard files are designed around stock emissions components.

 

[slimwood shady]

Deletes are an optional add on, the standard files are designed around stock emissions components.

Wish I knew that when I purchased the stage 1 yesterday...

 

[Owain@malonetuning]

It's listed on the site Most people do keep them road legal.

 

[BarryT82]

Owain, someone mentioned that they swapped out the TCM in their 3.0 TDI after the fix and it corrected the shifting issues people are seeing after the fix. Does Malone Tuning have a TCM flash for the 3.0 TDI’s? I know they offer them for the DSG cars.

 

[nayr]

Nobody can tune Aisin TCM's, the security has proven to be much better than a German ECM/TCM and they remain uncracked.. many manufacturers use it, if nobody's broken it by now I would not expect it to ever change.

 

[BarryT82]

I loaded the stage 2 file on mine this morning. I’ve missed the added power since the “fix”. It’s a huge improvement and like driving a totally different vehicle.

 

[Owain@malonetuning]

Yes I've heard of someone swapping the TCM to a pre-fixed unit and that worked, might be worth picking up one from a wrecked vehicle that hasn't had the update done. Had a 2014 R line in for a few weeks recently and it wouldn't take VCDS codes post-fix. Aisin units probably won't be cracked ever unfortunately, unless someone puts some brute force in there. Might be able to figure something out with factory tools as well, just been swamped over here. Lots of "might"s and "probably"s though, sure there will be a solution within a couple years if there's enough demand.

 

[Beeej259]

Picked up a 2015 Q5 TDI that’s been fixed by the dealer a month ago. Still under warranty. I haven’t been able to find a clear answer on how a Malone or JR tune would impact the warranty if something were to happen. Are these tunes completely reversible if I needed to bring the car in for service? I thought I read the ECU tracks each flash?

 

[Owain@malonetuning]

Both use the same alientech powergate 3 devices and are potentially detectable by the dealer. If your warranty is of the utmost importance it would be best to leave the vehicle stock.

 

[AARodriguez Corp.]

Picked up a 2015 Q5 TDI that’s been fixed by the dealer a month ago. Still under warranty. I haven’t been able to find a clear answer on how a Malone or JR tune would impact the warranty if something were to happen. Are these tunes completely reversible if I needed to bring the car in for service? I thought I read the ECU tracks each flash?

Audi has always been tough on voiding warranties with tuning, if you are concerned about the warranty, I would avoid it unless you are local to us. We're able to make it undetectable but that requires bench flashing.

Nobody can tune Aisin TCM's, the security has proven to be much better than a German ECM/TCM and they remain uncracked.. many manufacturers use it, if nobody's broken it by now I would not expect it to ever change.

JR Auto Performance will be offering 3.0L transmission tuning in a few weeks, I have customers coming in to our shop with a 2014 Touareg and a 2015 Q7.

 

[Mythdoc]

JR Auto Performance will be offering 3.0L transmission tuning in a few weeks, I have customers coming in to our shop with a 2014 Touareg and a 2015 Q7.

Very interesting development for those unhappy with the new shift points. Please let us know what the price for this service is expected to be.

 

[Verrico1183]

Intake?

Still looking for an intake any ideas?

 

[Pittdawg]

Still looking for an intake any ideas?

If the factory setup is similar to the Q5 TDI then there is really not much to improve upon. I installed an AFE Dryflow filter that is supposed to have a bit more flow capacity than the stock filter but can't say if it really increased power much.

 

[mswanson65]

If the factory setup is similar to the Q5 TDI then there is really not much to improve upon. I installed an AFE Dryflow filter that is supposed to have a bit more flow capacity than the stock filter but can't say if it really increased power much.

Not to hijack the thread but do you happen to have a link or part number for the correct AFE dry filter for 2015 Q5 TDI? thanks!

 

[Pittdawg]

Not to hijack the thread but do you happen to have a link or part number for the correct AFE dry filter for 2015 Q5 TDI? thanks!

aFe 11-10121 Pro Dry

 

[Pittdawg]

Audi has always been tough on voiding warranties with tuning, if you are concerned about the warranty, I would avoid it unless you are local to us. We're able to make it undetectable but that requires bench flashing.



JR Auto Performance will be offering 3.0L transmission tuning in a few weeks, I have customers coming in to our shop with a 2014 Touareg and a 2015 Q7.

So do you now offer a TCU tune?

 

[commedeschatons]

Yes I've heard of someone swapping the TCM to a pre-fixed unit and that worked, might be worth picking up one from a wrecked vehicle that hasn't had the update done. Had a 2014 R line in for a few weeks recently and it wouldn't take VCDS codes post-fix. Aisin units probably won't be cracked ever unfortunately, unless someone puts some brute force in there. Might be able to figure something out with factory tools as well, just been swamped over here. Lots of "might"s and "probably"s though, sure there will be a solution within a couple years if there's enough demand.

i would like to leapfrog the tune and do a 6 speed swap

 

[DrobKGB]

My ‘12 Q7 TDi is about to have her 200k birthday (miles) and has been giving me issues for the very first time.

One is a limp mode due to a clogged DPF that is becoming more frequent. I’m reading .54l of Oil Ash... trying to decide if I should just replace the DPF, or I’m also entertaining a Stage 2 tune with DPF delete.
My questions are: for those that have this, what changes have you noticed in noise, primarily highway... and is there an increase in exhaust “smoke” (I’m not looking to roll coal from every stoplight.)
Also, did you notice a change in fuel efficiency?

The only other issue she’s giving me is one that I’m currently following a YouTube fix for— a recurrent “Click” from the motor while running... something about a solenoid or maybe EGR on the passenger side at the top. — I’ll have more time to dig into that when home this weekend... not really sure what the part is yet, but wondering if it would be removed/solved during a delete.

TL;DR: Should I dive in, or run home like a scared little girl?

 

[DrobKGB]

Update:

Purchased the Malone stage 2 "off road".
Removed dpf and NOx cat.

A bit of an oops with the online retailer meant I didn't get the "off road" tune, and therefore had like 14 DTCs.
A quick email to Malone, and within the hour I have a new tune...
While flashing the new program, the Flashzilla blacks out, bricking my ECU....
Mark Malone finds a shop near here who will bench flash the ECU... I shipped it out today.

IMPORTANT PART:
One could make a very strong argument that the issue here is NO FAULT of Malone's, yet he's bending over backwards to make it right!!!!
I'll know more late this week, but so far WAY impressed with Malone and CR Performance in Illinois.

 

[TXJohn]

Hi, did you get everything straightened out? How does she run? Thanks!

 

[DrobKGB]

THANK YOU for reminding me to follow up!

Mark @ Malone, Owain, AARodriguez, CR Tuning in Peoria...
I simply cannot say enough about all of them. Everyone bent over completely backwards to get this running right for me and the things that messed up were ZERO fault of anyone involved. Just freak "bad luck" sort of things.

I've put more than 4,000 miles on this setup and I absolutely love it.
I'm getting close to 25mpg at 80 on the freeway (used to get 18-19ish)
I have a lifetime average above 26mpg. (used to be 22ish)
If I completely mash it, it does roll a little coal, which I kinda dig... keeps tailgaters at bay There is definitely more turbo whistle, which I love, but zero highway drone from the exhaust. the motor sounds angrier now when I mash it, more like an F250... Love that too.
The power gains are fantastic.. I actually used the beast to pull out my 16,000lb Winnebago from the mud this weekend...

But by far the biggest gain is the daily driveability. Turbo lag has all but dissappeared, acceleration from intersections and for lane changes is MUCH smoother... overall city driving, it now responds more akin to the v8 or the supercharged 3.0... This is how it SHOULD have been programmed from the factory.

my only two initial complaints were that the exhaust will never be chrome again... which I'm actually growing to like.. and I may wrap the rest of the chrome in flat black to match.
and... I thought that the throttle was a little useless past 70%.. it didn't seem to accelerate any more after that point... flooring it was useless other than to create black smoke. However, I was towing a trailer load of gravel last weekend and I can tell you that the bottom 1/3 of the throttle is actually there if you need it. that power is apparently reserved for VERY heavy loads.

I had planned on asking Mark for a low-smoke tune that I could swap in and out of, but frankly I couldn't imagine ever wanting to modify how this thing runs right now.
She will turn over 200k next week, and I'm probably more excited than when I got her... time for another 200k!

 

[Huskies2710]

THANK YOU for reminding me to follow up!

Mark @ Malone, Owain, AARodriguez, CR Tuning in Peoria...
I simply cannot say enough about all of them. Everyone bent over completely backwards to get this running right for me and the things that messed up were ZERO fault of anyone involved. Just freak "bad luck" sort of things.

I've put more than 4,000 miles on this setup and I absolutely love it.
I'm getting close to 25mpg at 80 on the freeway (used to get 18-19ish)
I have a lifetime average above 26mpg. (used to be 22ish)
If I completely mash it, it does roll a little coal, which I kinda dig... keeps tailgaters at bay There is definitely more turbo whistle, which I love, but zero highway drone from the exhaust. the motor sounds angrier now when I mash it, more like an F250... Love that too.
The power gains are fantastic.. I actually used the beast to pull out my 16,000lb Winnebago from the mud this weekend...

But by far the biggest gain is the daily driveability. Turbo lag has all but dissappeared, acceleration from intersections and for lane changes is MUCH smoother... overall city driving, it now responds more akin to the v8 or the supercharged 3.0... This is how it SHOULD have been programmed from the factory.

my only two initial complaints were that the exhaust will never be chrome again... which I'm actually growing to like.. and I may wrap the rest of the chrome in flat black to match.
and... I thought that the throttle was a little useless past 70%.. it didn't seem to accelerate any more after that point... flooring it was useless other than to create black smoke. However, I was towing a trailer load of gravel last weekend and I can tell you that the bottom 1/3 of the throttle is actually there if you need it. that power is apparently reserved for VERY heavy loads.

I had planned on asking Mark for a low-smoke tune that I could swap in and out of, but frankly I couldn't imagine ever wanting to modify how this thing runs right now.
She will turn over 200k next week, and I'm probably more excited than when I got her... time for another 200k!

Did you get the TCU tuned as well? Interested on your thoughts. I had mine done along with ecu and a delete. Car shifts so smooth and its always sitting in the powerband. As you mentioned turbo lag is gone. Just took a trip and got 720 miles on a tank.

Congrats on everything working out! Enjoy!

 

[DrobKGB]

Did you get the TCU tuned as well? Interested on your thoughts. I had mine done along with ecu and a delete. Car shifts so smooth and its always sitting in the powerband. As you mentioned turbo lag is gone. Just took a trip and got 720 miles on a tank.
Congrats on everything working out! Enjoy!

I didn't, but now you have me wondering.