Scared to Tune!!!

[allwheeldrive]

I have to admit it...I am. A few years ago I bought a 2002 Audi 1.8 turbo w/ about 65K on it. About three months into ownership I reflashed the ECD (I forget what program I purchased but it was for more top end power). The car ran fantastic for a week or so and then would not start. As it turned out, the car had serious engine sludge problems that had been addressed before I owned it and the car was classified a lemon. So that right there put the fear of messing w/ the ECU into me (I understand the car had problems to start w/ but the reflash brought them out).

 

After the Audi I bought a 06 Civic Si. While I never modded the car I was frequent enough on the forums to see that people always had A/F ratio problems when they would boost them. This scared me as well. (Again, I do understand boosting a N/A car is naturally going to have some problems).

 

Now I have a 05 Outback XT. I have always wanted a sleeper and feel this may be the perfect car. Keep in mind I want to drive this car till it dies many many years from now.

 

I would like to purchase some bolt on (turbo back, ect) nothing to serious...but as usual the more research I do the more I see that a good tune is needed to fully realize the potential of the bolt ons.

I want a DD that can rip when needed and not draw looks from cops. I want the sexy boxer sound and power w/o having to worry if I am too lean or rich of if a piston is going to shoot out of my hood.

 

Are my worries justified? Can I do all that and still have the reliability of the factory car? Would I be wasting money if I did straight bolt ons w/o a tune? Will the stock ECU "relearn" anything if all of a sudden there is a 3" exhaust in place?

[Infamous1]

Well the first vehicle was an Audi registered as a lemon, toss that one out. Next a boosted Honda is alot different then a designed turbocharged car from the manufactor.

As long as you choose a decent tuner you shouldn't have any reliability fears. But you definately don't want to start installing parts without some form of tuning in mind. Opening up the exhaust will cause the car to breathe better eventually leading to increased boost. The stock ecu wasn't intended to see these pressures so in some cases this can lead to all sorts of bad things.

[goneskiian]

You shouldn't have to worry about pistons coming out the hood either. If they go anywhere it will be out the front quarter panel! :lol:

 

Sorry a little boxer humor there.

 

Seriously though, lot's of folks have been running "stage 2" (turbo back exhaust and mild tuning to take advantage of the more open exhaust) here for many, many miles with out issues. Then again, any time you modding you've got to be ready to "pay to play" as they say.

 

Cheers!

[rock2534]

I am in the same boat, I have had my 07 for almost 4 years now and have not touched the engine. But I've read enough on here over the years that I now consider stage 2 to be reliable and not very drastic to the engine. I think overall, as long as it is tuned properly, stage 2 is just allowing the engine to perform up to it inherent capabilities but not really pushing it.

 

I have a cobb dp and upgraded intercooler(on the way) and will be having them installed sometime next month. I plan to use an infamous tune, as they seem to be have better reviews than the cobb ones. As long as you don't skimp on parts and tune, you should be fine.

[Cincy05LGT]

A simple Stage 1 tune should put you right where you want to be. I have been Stage 1 for over a year now with no worries. A catback exhaust is optional with a Stage 1 tune, and requires no additional tuning.

[NSFW]

Would I be wasting money if I did straight bolt ons w/o a tune? Will the stock ECU "relearn" anything if all of a sudden there is a 3" exhaust in place?

 

Bolt-ons without tuning is more likely to kill your motor than bolt-ons with a tune. You'll be way outside the bounds of what the ECU's learning can compensate for. For example, you're likely to hit fuel cut (sudden and total loss of power, but temporary) because you'll end up with more boost than the ECU believes is safe.

 

I agree with the folks who wrote above that 'stage 2' mods (catless up-pipe, high-flow-cat down-pipe) with a good tune should be as dependable as stock.

[allwheeldrive]

So from what I understand a up/dp combo w/ a Cobb access port along w/ the OEM CBE will be ok? Which MAP would be ideal to run w/ it? Or would that be a custom tune?

[rtbrjason]

You can gut your up and downpipes if you're cheap or just don't want to spend money. You can get a Tactrix cable for about $160 and you can get someone to give you an etune/road tune for about $150.

 

If you don't want to gut the stock parts, then just an aftermarket up and downpipe will do fine and should only cost another $400 or $500 perhaps.

 

I would skip the Cobb Accessport and go for the custom tune in either case. Your stock catback and air intake/filter will be fine with this setup. Have it tuned for conservative boost (16psi or so) by someone that knows what they're doing and you should have a smooth reliable setup.

[allwheeldrive]

You can gut your up and downpipes if you're cheap or just don't want to spend money. You can get a Tactrix cable for about $160 and you can get someone to give you an etune/road tune for about $150.

 

If you don't want to gut the stock parts, then just an aftermarket up and downpipe will do fine and should only cost another $400 or $500 perhaps.

 

I would skip the Cobb Accessport and go for the custom tune in either case. Your stock catback and air intake/filter will be fine with this setup. Have it tuned for conservative boost (16psi or so) by someone that knows what they're doing and you should have a smooth reliable setup.

 

Ok. That makes sense.

 

Regarding the Cobb AP...can that be used to custom tune by a professional tuner or is going to the professional tuner, in itself, cutting out the Cobb AP?

[rtbrjason]

You can have a pro tune done with the Cobb AP or with Opensource tuning. The opensource tuning requires the Tactrix cable mentioned above as well as a laptop. If you have the tune done locally via opensource you likely wouldn't need to buy your own cable but I would recommend it so that you can periodically check up on your tune with some logging.

 

If you're not a DIY type or don't already have a laptop/netbook, than the AP might make more sense for you though it really adds to the cost of going stage 2.

[05pearl]

Infamous1 Tune

[allwheeldrive]

You can have a pro tune done with the Cobb AP or with Opensource tuning. The opensource tuning requires the Tactrix cable mentioned above as well as a laptop. If you have the tune done locally via opensource you likely wouldn't need to buy your own cable but I would recommend it so that you can periodically check up on your tune with some logging.

 

If you're not a DIY type or don't already have a laptop/netbook, than the AP might make more sense for you though it really adds to the cost of going stage 2.

 

In what ways does it add cost going to stage two?

[rtbrjason]

In what ways does it add cost going to stage two?

 

Well either the Tactrix cable or the Cobb AP are needed to put the tune on your car. The Tactrix cable is $160 or so and the AP is $600..