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Go APR or stay UM?

GroceryGTIer

Drag Racing Champion
This. It's the reason why big V8s make silly power on boot such as 8psi. It's 8psi @ 10000000 cfm, where our puny golf engines would seem shit on 8psi @ 1cfm aha.

It's easy to fall for it though. That sort of stuff is pushed on people through magazines, stupid ads, and misinformation in general
 

iSpeed

Passed Driver's Ed
I'm on the stock one, but UM told me it really didn't matter, whether that's true or not, idk, but if you have a large core IC, you don't need as much boost to make as much power, however, when you do up it, you can make more power with the larger IC vs one running a s smaller core IC. Definitely not all about psi.


That's interesting because UM told me specifically to get an OEM 3 bar MAP for their tune. ?
 

GroceryGTIer

Drag Racing Champion
Maybe they have tunes for both. The sensor just changes how high it reads. But it can still go high without a 3bar

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Right, so if you're using vagcom or a electronic boost gauge, it helps, but as far as I know, the tune itself isn't affected by a 3 bar.
 

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
Right, so if you're using vagcom or a electronic boost gauge, it helps, but as far as I know, the tune itself isn't affected by a 3 bar.

I thought you couldn't get more than about 23 psi with a 2 bar? I don't have a k04 so it's just something I thought I read before.
 

zef

Drag Racing Champion
The 3.2v APR KO4 software is strong, but if you already have the KO4 kit you have to pay $900 for the tune if you're not an APR customer.
 

iSpeed

Passed Driver's Ed
The 3.2v APR KO4 software is strong, but if you already have the KO4 kit you have to pay $900 for the tune if you're not an APR customer.

I have APR on my other mk4 GLI but when I asked APR if their loyalty pricing would transfer to my GTI they said no unfortunately. I think at this point I'm committed to sticking with UM and seeing where it gets me but also because there are so few UM K04's running around in the middle of the Pacific. This should be interesting!
 

iSpeed

Passed Driver's Ed
I did end up sticking with UM and just so it's clear, they did honor the loyalty customer offer and I paid $450 to upgrade. I got the 3bar map sensor K04 file. It took 6 months to get the loaner tool out here so it's a good thing I'm a very patient man. It's certainly a jump up from the UM stg 1 set up I had and I'm enjoying the extra butt dyno feels!! Dyno numbers coming soon....
 

SnailPower

Autocross Newbie
I've only got APR K04 so I'm not sure how Uni is difference wise. Would love to be in one though. APR is like, weak up until 4k RPM, then it's like wheelz can't stop spinning, engine screaming. I'm not sure I like it though. It's either all or nothing. Can't keep up with sh1t off the line without giving it serious gas and then it sounds like I'm just racing everyone.
 

Turbo Beetle

Ready to race!
I've only got APR K04 so I'm not sure how Uni is difference wise. Would love to be in one though. APR is like, weak up until 4k RPM, then it's like wheelz can't stop spinning, engine screaming. I'm not sure I like it though. It's either all or nothing. Can't keep up with sh1t off the line without giving it serious gas and then it sounds like I'm just racing everyone.


I agree, APR K04 file is pretty weak until it hits 3700-4000 Rpm and for daily driving the best part of torque band is therefore pretty small as the torque falls off very fast after 5000-5200 RPM.

IMO for a lot of daily driving you have a nice amount of torque for only about a 1000 RPM window. It seems like the APR tune is so determine to eliminate any surge that it has created all the disadvantage of a slow spool big turbo combined with the top end limits of a small K04 turbo so you get the worst of both worlds.
 
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