ToeBall
Veteran Member
It took the full spectrum of emotion from belligerent frustration to pleading but I managed to convince the local post office to give me my ECU five hours after closing after they didn't deliver it. I got home and got the whole car resembled in 30 minutes. I did leave off the security collar cause it's crap to begin with (weight reduction?). Anyway, the test drive...
After warming the engine up, I took off a bit aggressively from a stop sign. Around 2/3 throttle, the traction control kicked in, hard. Never had more than a chirp from the Pole Positions without intentionally trying to break them loose before. Getting onto a 6 lane road uphill I surged the engine because the throttle limiter which keeps you from revving past 2k is gone, there's so much torque, the perceived 800 RPM cutoff seems to be gone as well. The engine makes so much more torque off idle that I think a very significant percentage of the added output is there. After that took it easy pulling through 3rd and 4th. Nothing dramatic, can't actually feel a difference just putting around. Then did a few 2k-4k RPM pulls at WOT. Nothing dramatic there either, just got through the gear much quicker. Turbo spools a bit quicker and the throttle response is much better, but overall, the whole change is very subtle on the butt dyno.
And then you look at your gauges and realize how fast you're going. Honestly, if feels about like you're in one gear lower than you actually are give or take a bit. Only one real disappointment actually... no Malone sticker to put under the TDI badge...
One thing I could be imagining, but it seems the valves are taping quite loudly at very low RPMs, like running up my driveway, and they didn't do that before.
After warming the engine up, I took off a bit aggressively from a stop sign. Around 2/3 throttle, the traction control kicked in, hard. Never had more than a chirp from the Pole Positions without intentionally trying to break them loose before. Getting onto a 6 lane road uphill I surged the engine because the throttle limiter which keeps you from revving past 2k is gone, there's so much torque, the perceived 800 RPM cutoff seems to be gone as well. The engine makes so much more torque off idle that I think a very significant percentage of the added output is there. After that took it easy pulling through 3rd and 4th. Nothing dramatic, can't actually feel a difference just putting around. Then did a few 2k-4k RPM pulls at WOT. Nothing dramatic there either, just got through the gear much quicker. Turbo spools a bit quicker and the throttle response is much better, but overall, the whole change is very subtle on the butt dyno.
And then you look at your gauges and realize how fast you're going. Honestly, if feels about like you're in one gear lower than you actually are give or take a bit. Only one real disappointment actually... no Malone sticker to put under the TDI badge...
One thing I could be imagining, but it seems the valves are taping quite loudly at very low RPMs, like running up my driveway, and they didn't do that before.