# APR Stage 1 on EA888 Gen 2 (CESA engine)



## danmk2 (15 d ago)

Hi all,

TT is going in for major service end of next week where am getting the Haldex and Stronic Oil + Filter replaced alongside all the other usual things. I didn't know much about the engine prior to joining here but after finding out the engine code it looks like my TT is using the EA888 Gen 2 engine with the timing chain. I've asked the garage to check over the tensioner while in as understand older models had a different version which can cause serious problems further down the line if it goes wrong. Fingers crossed my car being 2012 has the updated tensioner.

Anyway - reason for the thread was once the service is done was looking to get the car + DSG remapped however with this engine its been pretty hard to find alot of info. I've spent all weekend searching around for info or other peoples posts and seen a few but not finding too many people with same engine who have gone to stage 1.

It looks like alot of people recommend either APR or REVO and I've seen awesome-gti mentioned a few times - would be a long treck from essex to manchester but would much rather get this sort of thing done at a specialist and have the car dyno'd at same time. 









APR Stage 1 Remap - 2.0TSI (211bhp) EA888 Gen2 Engines


Specialist in performance parts for the VW Audi Seat Skoda Group cars. Interest free finance available on all car tuning parts and we have our fully equipped specialist workshop in Manchester.




www.awesomegti.com





This is the map I was looking at (and think is the relevant one from my car) - was just wondering / hoping someone on here may have any experience of recommendations and let me know if this is worth doing? The quoted gains seem very good and am sure I would notice quiete a difference vs the stock performance?

Thanks in advance


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## TT'sRevenge (Feb 28, 2021)

APR seems a lot less popular in UK than US & Canada... Never hear many ppl talking about APR tunes or hardware on here but on a more US-oriented forum like Vortex, tons of people use/talk about APR...

The same engine is carried in the B8 S4/S5/Q5, only there it's mounted longitudinally. However tune-wise it will be more or less the same. Here is APR's info and rated output/power curves for the tune:





APR ECU-20T-EA888-2-T APR ECU Upgrade - 2.0T EA888 Gen 2 (Transverse)


APR's ECU Upgrades are the best dollar-per-horsepower modification one can make to improve engine performance. The upgrades dramatically increase horsepower and torque, making for an exceptionally quicker and more exciting vehicle. This is made possible through APR's optimization of the factory...




www.goapr.com





As you can see the stock tune is surprisingly good on this engine in the low range and the main gains to be seen with a Stage 1 tune are above around 4500 RPM. Because of the VL system the low-end on this engine is quite something--making nearly 300lb*ft @ 2000 RPM, even in stock form (rated for 258lb*ft but APR claims to find upwards of 290 as shown). As said, if you go on forums like Vortex, go in the A4, A5 sections, you'll find a lot more ppl who have used this tune. 

As for the DSG tune, my personal opinion is to forego it. I have the APR DSG tune myself...I'm honestly not that impressed with it. I do very minimal driving in auto mode so that's mostly why but even any other alleged benefits seem negligible to me. IMO I wasted around $500 (CAD) on it.


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## danmk2 (15 d ago)

Thanks for the reply buddy - I do indeed think the car seems to perform well, especially in S mode in the lower range like you mention. Problem is prior to the TT i owned a 1.4 diesel for 10 years (and before that my first car being a 1.1 ) so I have nothing to really compare it too in terms of performance. There's nothing wrong with it at all in truth but just thought if I'm going to keep the car for a few more years a stage 1 might make it a bit more exciting/fun - seems like if i had a gen 1 there is more gains made from the stage 1 vs the gen 2. I'm not sure if the price vs the gains really makes it worth it which is why I thought I'd see if anyone had any real experience of putting a stage one on this particular engine!


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## TT'sRevenge (Feb 28, 2021)

danmk2 said:


> Thanks for the reply buddy - I do indeed think the car seems to perform well, especially in S mode in the lower range like you mention. Problem is prior to the TT i owned a 1.4 diesel for 10 years (and before that my first car being a 1.1 ) so I have nothing to really compare it too in terms of performance. There's nothing wrong with it at all in truth but just thought if I'm going to keep the car for a few more years a stage 1 might make it a bit more exciting/fun - seems like if i had a gen 1 there is more gains made from the stage 1 vs the gen 2. I'm not sure if the price vs the gains really makes it worth it which is why I thought I'd see if anyone had any real experience of putting a stage one on this particular engine!


Indeed the Gen 1 motors have more gain with a tune but the engines are vastly different in their output curves. The VL system allows for almost immediate peak output and maintains close to 300lb*ft out to about 3500 RPM, then drops off steadily thereafter. The Gen 1 OTOH, w/o the VL system and on the stock tune it's very clear output is heavily limited from the factory; when tuned it will develop around the same peak output but much later--less flat in nature and peaking around 3500 RPM, while being near/above 300lb*ft from about 3000 RPM out to about 4500 RPM, then it starts to drop off steadily. 

Both engines make power in the same way though, with the curves being fairly similar; a tuned Gen 1 enjoys a higher peak power, but it's not huge and the massively different area under the curve (in favour of the Gen 2) for torque, will make the Gen 2 feel like the faster car in most normal driving, tuned or not. 

Really on the Gen 2 you have to consider the main benefit of the tune is in the higher end--above 4000 RPM as mentioned. So it'll be noticeable for flat out 0-60 or 1/4 mile type acceleration, or even full-throttle highway passing, but otherwise probably not so much. 

Personally I'd say it's still worth it but the beauty of APR and most other big companies offering canned tunes, is you can buy the tune and try it out. If you don't like it you have 30 days to "return" it--you can have the vehicle reverted to stock by the installer, and get your money back. (TBH this is something I should have done with the DSG tune lol--stupid me, but that's another story.) I'd say it's fairly risk free and you can decide whether it was worth it or not...just be sure to go back within that 30 days if you don't think it's worth it.

I think the 30 day trial period is probably going to be a better gauge as to whether _you_ will like it or think it's worth it, than any accounts or testamonials online.


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## danmk2 (15 d ago)

Thanks very much mate - really appreciated. Will wait for the service next week and i'll likely give it a shot!


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## Wormrider (6 mo ago)

I’ve been using APR for over ten years now with my 4 cylinder VW tunes and have not been disappointed.


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