# Going Stage 2..



## NorthGaTurbo'd (Aug 27, 2012)

Just a quick up date.

I have a stage 1 and have loved it, but now I want more. I have set dates for the end of next month to drive down to APR.

The plan.. check current engine conditions. (I have asked them to do it for me) Install downpipe and intake. Then flash up to stage 2. 

I want to keep stock cat back to keep noise down. Also I want them to check the engine because the stage 1 isn't dropping power like it was. It's either the intercooler with the GA weather or a leak. Of course I'll take photos and do a write up. 

UPDATE-

Done with stage 2. The sound is nice. I was hoping for a little more, but still I am happy. It's not a huge amount of power gain, but smother. I really haven't had a ton of time to play with it.


Sent from my HTCONE while wasting time at work.


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

NorthGaTurbo'd said:


> Just a quick up date.
> 
> I have a stage 1 and have loved it, but now I want more. I have set dates for the end of next month to drive down to APR.
> 
> ...


How are the boost levels? If there is a drop in boost you may have a boost leak or vacuum leak somewhere. Also did you check the diverter valve? Do you have the updated Revision "D" installed? If not that is probably your culprit. 

Good Luck with your roadtrip to APR.


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## NorthGaTurbo'd (Aug 27, 2012)

IndyTTom said:


> Do you have the updated Revision "D" installed? If not that is probably your culprit.
> 
> Good Luck with your roadtrip to APR.



Is the "revision d" for dsg because I'm 6 speed. I also only have that factory boost gauge that may not to worth anything. Thanks for the heads up in the boost levels, that will be the first place I check.


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

The stock unit is a diaphragm type of diverter valve which is known to fail especially with 
any sort of tune which increases stock boost. 
VW later replaced this weak diaphragm valve with a more solid piston operated valve. 
Those are much more reliable and can take Stage 1 or Stage 2 type of boost levels. 

If your car is a late 2012 edition it is possible that you may already have the latest "D" revision
diverter valve, however it isn't guaranteed. I heard even some 2013's still have the old type 
valve installed so it is best to check to be sure. 

And every Turbo Beetle has a Diverter Valve regardless if it is a Manual or DSG transmission. 


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## stainlineho (Aug 20, 2011)

See if APR will do a smoke test for you to find a boost leak...


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

It's probably just the heat, these cars don't get the best air flow through the bottom vent of the bumper. So heat soak becomes an issue fairly quickly. Usually recommend an intercooler upgrade for stage 2 or above.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

Can't speak about the other brands but the APR intercooler has almost three-times more
capacity than the OEM one and it was like 'night and day' when I was at Stage II from one
summer to the next on heavy humid days. It is the priciest of all I've seen but that 'almost
three-times more cooling' capacity really handles the highest humidity days so that the car
feels similar to running on non-humid days.


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## VWNDAHS (Jun 20, 2002)

NorthGaTurbo'd said:


> Just a quick up date.
> 
> I have a stage 1 and have loved it, but now I want more. I have set dates for the end of next month to drive down to APR.
> 
> ...


Sweet! I plan to go stage 3 early next year after testing out a friends MkVI that's making the transition next month... because... why not


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## LEBlackRob (Feb 1, 2012)

I had a similar issue car would be in full boost yet it feel like it hesitated acceleration. I upgraded the coil packs because the stock seem to not like stage 2 that much. I also replaced me DV for a forge one. Then one day I went to do a second gear pull with a friend in the car. Which happens to be debating on tuning his car. Well the problem finally decided to show me what it was. Turns out the stock clutch was slipping. So keep that in mind because your issue sounds similar, hope its not because upgrading your clutch is not cheap.


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

LEBlackRob said:


> I had a similar issue car would be in full boost yet it feel like it hesitated acceleration. I upgraded the coil packs because the stock seem to not like stage 2 that much. I also replaced me DV for a forge one. Then one day I went to do a second gear pull with a friend in the car. Which happens to be debating on tuning his car. Well the problem finally decided to show me what it was. Turns out the stock clutch was slipping. So keep that in mind because your issue sounds similar, hope its not because upgrading your clutch is not cheap.


Not a problem for the OP since he stated he has a DSG transmission and not a manual.


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## NorthGaTurbo'd (Aug 27, 2012)

After doing a couple pulls last night, I think it is a little bit of heat soak. I appreciate everybody's thoughts on this. I don't not have dsg, but the clutch is fine and I will be upgrading the intercooler. 

I normally drive in stock mode or 89 mode. I just want a little more sound. So I'll do the downpipe and intake now. Intercooler and clutch next, and then K04.

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## NorthGaTurbo'd (Aug 27, 2012)

Pretty boring compared to stage one..

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## VWNDAHS (Jun 20, 2002)

NorthGaTurbo'd said:


> Pretty boring compared to stage one..
> 
> Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2


yeah... that's why I'm going straight to the k04  :thumbup:


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

NorthGaTurbo'd said:


> Pretty boring compared to stage one..
> 
> Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk 2


What do you mean? I know the jump from Stage 1 to Stage 2 isn't as overwhelming as going from Stock to Stage 1 but did you perceive any sort of increase in power? I am about to go to Stage 2 and get a new clutch installed. Just don't want to waste my money if it really doesn't do anything. How is the sound with the stock cat back?


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

IndyTTom said:


> What do you mean? I know the jump from Stage 1 to Stage 2 isn't as overwhelming as going from Stock to Stage 1 but did you perceive any sort of increase in power? I am about to go to Stage 2 and get a new clutch installed. Just don't want to waste my money if it really doesn't do anything. How is the sound with the stock cat back?


It's definitely a good upgrade, I pee on stage 1 GTI's all day long! lol


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

drtechy said:


> It's definitely a good upgrade, I pee on stage 1 GTI's all day long! lol


LOL  Thanks I can't wait... Not sure about the peeing part 

Nate at HSTuning told me my car should be capable of doing 13's in the quarter after this upgrade.
Not too bad for a 2.0 4 cylinder engine. 

Wish I could afford the Intercooler at the same time not to get heat soaked. But for now I will get a clutch upgrade and the APR downpipe installed and the tune upgraded to Stage 2. 
Will save up for the Intercooler and may just go with the SPM that you recommended. 

Thanks again for the reassurance. :thumbup::thumbup:


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

IndyTTom said:


> LOL  Thanks I can't wait... Not sure about the peeing part
> 
> Nate at HSTuning told me my car should be capable of doing 13's in the quarter after this upgrade.
> Not too bad for a 2.0 4 cylinder engine.
> ...


Did you buy the downpipe already?


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

drtechy said:


> Did you buy the downpipe already?


Not yet. HSTuning gave me a great deal on both the clutch and the downpipe.


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

IndyTTom said:


> Not yet. HSTuning gave me a great deal on both the clutch and the downpipe.


Gotcha, just figured I'd ask since I'm still trying to sell a whole exhaust setup I have sitting collecting dust lol


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

drtechy said:


> Gotcha, just figured I'd ask since I'm still trying to sell a whole exhaust setup I have sitting collecting dust lol


I was seriously considering getting your Exhaust but I decide to go with a more quiet route. 
Friend of mine has a Borla cat back on his 2001 Audi TT and at first that exhaust sounds pretty nice. But after being behind him for an hour on the highway it can get pretty annoying pretty quick


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

IndyTTom said:


> I was seriously considering getting your Exhaust but I decide to go with a more quiet route.
> Friend of mine has a Borla cat back on his 2001 Audi TT and at first that exhaust sounds pretty nice. But after being behind him for an hour on the highway it can get pretty annoying pretty quick


Yea the borla is loud, and the drone is pretty bad on it. I remember someone saying that Borla was sending some piece to put in the pipe to help the drone, but by the time someone mentioned that I had already replaced it with the SPM system.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

IndyTTom said:


> The stock unit is a diaphragm type of diverter valve which is known to fail especially with
> any sort of tune which increases stock boost.
> VW later replaced this weak diaphragm valve with a more solid piston operated valve.
> Those are much more reliable and can take Stage 1 or Stage 2 type of boost levels.
> ...


you got some pretty outdated information.

Yes, the "early" ea888 TSI's did get the old 06F diaphram. 

Around 2011, VW transitioned the DV to the piston DV, but not the "rev D", it would be the 06H 145 710 *C*










so you don't need to waste your money on rev D version if you already have a rev C version.


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## ridgemanron (Sep 27, 2011)

IndyTTom said:


> I was seriously considering getting your Exhaust but I decide to go with a more quiet route.
> Friend of mine has a Borla cat back on his 2001 Audi TT and at first that exhaust sounds pretty nice. But after being behind him for an hour on the highway it can get pretty annoying pretty quick


If you contact Alvin @ Borla in California, he will send FREE an hourglass shaped metal insert
that they call a venturi. You insert it in your exhaust for the drone that comes when cruising at
high highway speed. You will have to prove you bought a Borla exhaust to get it free.


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

Well, I am officially Stage 2 now and all I can say is WOW.  I was ready to be disappointed after reading that a lot of people were expecting more when they upgraded to Stage 2. 
All I can say is they must not have the tune set up properly or have some other issue. My car most definitely pulls a lot harder than Stage 1. Once it hits the midrange it just pulls like a Mule and keeps on pulling. Tried full acceleration going onto a Highway entrance ramp and reached 90mph before I even got up the ramp. I don't see any decrease in off the line performance either. With the traction control off I can spin those large 19 inch wheels until I shift to second and even then I loose traction. To be fair I did a clutch upgrade at the same time as the Stage 2 upgrade with the APR downpipe using the stock cat back. Damn, that RSR clutch from HSTuning grabs like crazy and pulls like a raped ape. Perhaps some of that perceived performance comes from the new clutch. All I can say I love the way the car runs with the APR Stage 2 tune. Only Problem is that I probably have to set up a budget for new tires .


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## drtechy (Jun 3, 2009)

I hope you're not doing these pulls or anything too hard with that new clutch, you've gotta drive it easy and let it break in first or you can expect to glaze the disc and have to do it all over again. Just an FYI.


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

drtechy said:


> I hope you're not doing these pulls or anything too hard with that new clutch, you've gotta drive it easy and let it break in first or you can expect to glaze the disc and have to do it all over again. Just an FYI.


 
Yup, I have been holding back from all out going crazy on that clutch. For the most part I have been taking it easy. It's really difficult to do with the new found power under my seat. 

I already have about 400 miles on the new clutch but most of those miles are highway miles which really don't count. I will take it easy for another week or so and then let loose and see what this baby can do.


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## Chris659 (Nov 16, 2012)

Lightened flywheel to go with the new clutch? If so, that in itself makes a huge difference.


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## IndyTTom (Oct 23, 2007)

Chris659 said:


> Lightened flywheel to go with the new clutch? If so, that in itself makes a huge difference.


 No, not this time, been there done that and didn't care for it. No chatterbox for me  Went with the HSTuning RSR clutch that is designed to work with the stock Dual Mass Flywheel. This clutch is amazing and the best part no noise or added vibrations associated with a lightweight Single Mass Flywheel. :thumbup:


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