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2012 GTI Downpipe and Running Lean can I just stage 1?

J

JonVW

Passed Driver's Ed
Hey guys I have a 2012 gti DSG and I recently added a downpipe, asides the downpipe I only have a resonator delete along with a DV+. Besides that I have no other mods, I currently don't have a tune.

I was hoping to just install the downpipe for a bit of horsepower gain along with better noise which greatly satisfied me after the install. Shortly after enjoying the benefits of the exhaust, a couple of friends of mine informed me about a possible fuel issue that could appear from the downpipe, specifically running lean.

I didn't want to tune my car at all honestly I just wanted to keep it stock with a few mods but now since the car could possibly be running lean with fuel cuts it looks like I might have to get a tune.

My question is, can I just run a stage one tune to solve this or do I need to go full on stage 2?

Thanks a lot for your time in advance!
 
N

nuisancecc

Ready to race!
So your buds have some magical abilities to look at your car, without touching it or connecting diagnostic equipment to it, that some how tell them the car is running lean?
 
J

JonVW

Passed Driver's Ed
NUISANCE said:
So your buds have some magical abilities to look at your car, without touching it or connecting diagnostic equipment to it, that some how tell them the car is running lean?
Click to expand...

they just brought up a possible issue and after looking through the forums there doesn't seem to be a clear answer to whether to not the downpipe will or wont cause a problem without a tune
 
pdan

pdan

Ready to race!
JonVW said:
they just brought up a possible issue and after looking through the forums there doesn't seem to be a clear answer to whether to not the downpipe will or wont cause a problem without a tune
Click to expand...



I’m running a downpipe on the stock tune. Got a code for cat efficiently about 100 miles in, put on a spacer and cleared the code. Was fine for another 150ish miles or so and then it popped back up again but has since disappeared.

From what I’ve read it’s just an efficiency code and doesn’t actually affect anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
J

JonVW

Passed Driver's Ed
pdan said:
I’m running a downpipe on the stock tune. Got a code for cat efficiently about 100 miles in, put on a spacer and cleared the code. Was fine for another 150ish miles or so and then it popped back up again but has since disappeared.

From what I’ve read it’s just an efficiency code and doesn’t actually affect anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Can I ask how long you’ve been running the downpipe on a stock tune, has it run lean for you at all?
 
G

GroceryGTIer

Drag Racing Champion
JonVW said:
Less ware on the turbo and engine. At this point I’m looking at Cobb with a stratified tune
Click to expand...

You're really worried about wear on the turbo at stage 2 levels? A Cobb protune is going to push the car even further than an ots stage 2 tune.
 
pdan

pdan

Ready to race!
JonVW said:
Can I ask how long you’ve been running the downpipe on a stock tune, has it run lean for you at all?
Click to expand...



Not too long, had it on since mid December. However I have put about 3K miles on the car since then driving up and down the country a few times. I haven’t checked logs or anything since I don’t have access to anything to log with.

No issues that I can tell though so far. I believe disconnecting your battery will reset trims though.

And I’m looking at a stratified tune as well. I haven’t gone stage 2 yet cause I’m still trying to save for a clutch, but debating getting a low torque tune from either stratified or through APR, still haven’t decided yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
J

JonVW

Passed Driver's Ed
GroceryGTIer said:
You're really worried about wear on the turbo at stage 2 levels? A Cobb protune is going to push the car even further than an ots stage 2 tune.
Click to expand...

I was hoping to get more of a “stage 1” from stratified. Stock air intake just coding for the downpipe and minor horsepower gains
 
J

JonVW

Passed Driver's Ed
pdan said:
Not too long, had it on since mid December. However I have put about 3K miles on the car since then driving up and down the country a few times. I haven’t checked logs or anything since I don’t have access to anything to log with.

No issues that I can tell though so far. I believe disconnecting your battery will reset trims though.

And I’m looking at a stratified tune as well. I haven’t gone stage 2 yet cause I’m still trying to save for a clutch, but debating getting a low torque tune from either stratified or through APR, still haven’t decided yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

That’s good to know, I guess it doesn’t really cause such an issue as some say! Thanks for the info!
 
Laimface

Laimface

Ready to race!
JonVW said:
I was hoping to get more of a “stage 1” from stratified. Stock air intake just coding for the downpipe and minor horsepower gains
Click to expand...

You buy a circa $10k car, then cheap out on it.... Get an intake, get a Stratified tune, roll around in mad gains and wonder why you didn't do this earlier.
 
CHerna

CHerna

Ready to race!
Laimface said:
You buy a circa $10k car, then cheap out on it.... Get an intake, get a Stratified tune, roll around in mad gains and wonder why you didn't do this earlier.
Click to expand...

This ^

There's a lot of misinformation on forums about turbo cars with exhaust, not being tuned. Unless you actually saw your A/F ratio, take what they told you with a grain of salt. That being said, go balls out with the Stratified tune. :D
 
G

GroceryGTIer

Drag Racing Champion
JonVW said:
I was hoping to get more of a “stage 1” from stratified. Stock air intake just coding for the downpipe and minor horsepower gains
Click to expand...

I understand not wanting to wear parts out, but the fact is that if you change the oil, keep the air filter clean etc on a regular basis, you aren't going to wear the turbo out much faster, in fact, I'd be willing to bet that it would be almost the same lifespan as stock with a little closer oil changes. I do mine at no more than 4k with rotella t6 because I'm not fond of castrol and believe it wears out fast. I also burn basically zero oil over that 3-5k span.
 
D

Dans GTI

Ready to race!
Downpipe + no tune = running lean on WRX's. Its a common issue. Thats where that typically stems from.

Downpipe + no tune on a mk6 gti is fine. Plenty of people have driven thousands of miles with a downpipe and no tune.
 
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