Stealth GTI

Upgrading to APR’s downpipe yielded great results, but the free-flowing downpipe also introduced a prominent drone, starting at 2800 rpm, even with an otherwise-factory exhaust system. At cruising speeds below 2800 rpm, the car sounded just as it did when it was new and stock. But the exhaust note would easily double in amplitude the instant the engine reached 2800 rpm. It’s not often that I cruise at 3000 rpm. But I sometimes find myself accelerating gently, perhaps being too lazy to shift since I know I’m about to slow down again, and my engine speed is hovering between 2800 and 3200 rpm, right where the drone can be most annoying. “Annoying” is a rather harsh term to describe my drone because it’s really not that bad. Still, I was happy to learn that I could eliminate or reduce it by replacing the factory front muffler/resonator with a different resonator. Continue reading →

I had planned to add APR’s downpipe and intercooler in the spring. Being a relatively new resident of Virginia (I maintained Texas residency during my military career), I had created a financial safety net so that I wouldn’t have any unpleasant surprises when the 2017 tax bill came. As it turns out, I over-budgeted and had plenty of leftover cash. What a great opportunity to upgrade! I didn’t have immediate plans for a new intercooler, but the surplus tax money made adding one an easy decision. I took my car to Euro Pros to have APR’s downpipe and intercooler installed, as well as new spark plugs and an appropriate software update. Continue reading →

I knew I was testing the limits of my stock clutch when I added 81 hp and 111 lb-ft with APR Stage 1.  The car drove great and the clutch held the extra power for over 16,000 miles (for a total of 34,000 miles). However, turbocharged cars LOVE cooler temperatures due to an improved ability to make horsepower and avoid heat soak. So it was little surprise when my clutch began to slip as temperatures dropped in October. I probably could have put off a clutch upgrade, but driving the original clutch on our upcoming road trip over the mountains was out of the question, especially since I may take the trailer. I had planned to buy a Southbend Stage 2 Endurance clutch, but then I changed my mind… Continue reading →

The first generation TDI was one of the first cars in VW’s North American line-up to be able to make substantial gains from what was then known as “chip tuning.” The chip was physically removed from the ECU and replaced with another which contained more powerful programming. Gains of 25 hp and 50 lb-ft were typical for TDIs (much less for normally-aspirated engines). Later, the 1.8T was able to gain ~35 hp and 70 lb-ft. The subsequent 2.0T gained ~45 hp and 94 lb-ft. These are increases in peak numbers; gains in the middle of the power band could be even greater. Incidentally, all of these ever-increasing gains were being had by engines that were more powerful than their predecessors. This brings me to the Mk7 GTI, the chassis for VW’s most potent North American four-cylinder engine (as of this writing and aside from the Golf R). It starts with a reportedly under-rated 220 hp and 258 lb-ft. Dynamometer testing by tuners and enthusiasts indicates that the actual output is closer to 235 hp and 270 lb-ft, figures which rival that of tuned engines of earlier generations and already beats my bought-back Stage 2 Jetta TDI.  A tune alone transforms the GTI into a different car! APR was having a sale and I found a hole in my work schedule that allowed me to visit a tuner during the week. I decided to take the plunge… Continue reading →