# Best value TFSi performance mod?



## neilpioneer (Nov 23, 2011)

Hello all,

As I mentioned in my first post in the newbie section, I've recently purchased a low mileage 58 plate 2.0 TFSi. I came to the TT from a tuned Astra VXR, and whilst the TT generally has a far better engine I'm beginning to hanker after a little more shove.

I know remaps give the best value for money in terms of outlay, however I wondered what everyone's thoughts were with regard to physical modifications. For example, on my VXR the exhaust manifold was the first thing to be changed as it gave you approx. 10bhp straight away, a bit more torque, and only cost £100. Is there a similar 'wonder mod' on the TFSi? Don't worry, I've no intention of turning it into a boy racer mobile!

My long term plan would be a full turbo back exhaust and remap, but at this stage I'd be interested to get some opinions. At the moment I'm swayed by a cat-back Milltek, then the downpipe and cat section, then remap. Is the neuspeed outlet a good mod?

I also recognise that the ideal situation would have been to buy a TTS, however funds dictated a TT. 

Thanks for any advice.

Neil


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## McKenzie (Dec 25, 2008)

Welcome Neil. Well I have a fair bit of experience with the TT and the 2.0tfsi engine. I would say the biggest improvement other than a remap would be the downpipe from the turbo with either being catless or sports/racing cat. Next would be intake and I can recommend very highly of ITG being the place for that. That would get you to a stage 2 remap level, after that for the 2+ your looking at fuel pump upgrade. You can of course go down the route like I have of getting; colder grade spark plugs, neuspeed power pulley, neuspeed intercooler to intake pipe, upgraded diverter valve and also getting a larger intercooler or Twintercooler to keep turbo temps down.

Really depends on budget in all honesty. I would go with turbo back exhaust and intake to start off with along with a remap and then if you get the tuning bug go for other add on hardware.

Check out my build thread for a few ideas of what you can do;

http://www.********.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=232583

It's about 7 pages long but has some pretty pictures if you don't fancy reading :lol:


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## neilpioneer (Nov 23, 2011)

Thanks for the response- to be honest I've already read through your thread a few times! I suspected that the order would be something like exhaust / intake / remap. I wasn't sure how efficient the existing intercooler was mind you.

I also noticed your enclosed ITG filter but haven't come across it on the ITG site yet, unless I'm being a bit blind. :lol:

Have you been tempted by the Neuspeed high flow discharge kit? I see you've gone for the upgraded intercooler pipe already. I'll probably start off with a cat back exhaust (still investigating options here) and wait for the remap. Come summer I'll be looking at the WALK kit too- traction seems quite poor, and throttle modulation isn't the issue, honest!


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## McKenzie (Dec 25, 2008)

You can get the car up to a stage 2+ without an upgraded intercooler but when the summer hits you will find that it will keep things a lot cooler. Worth thinking about if you go above stage 2 but then you need to upgrade the high pressure fuel pump at that stage too.

ITG won't have updated their site more likely. Best to give them a call if you are interested in one, I think they are retailing it for £400-500 which is a lot for an intake but you will find putting on a very good intake can make the need for an intercooler less.

I have thought a lot about the Neuspeed high flow turbo discharge pipe but from reading and hearing a lot of reviews it's a very expensive piece of kit for the very small amount of gain. It's something I will do but don't expect it to get you more than 5BHP. The intercooler pipe to intake pipe is a bigger gain as the difference is a lot in bore size but again probably 3-5bhp more but does cost a lot less than the discharge pipe.

You won't really get any gains from a cat-back exhaust on this engine, only sound. But then again you don't have to go all out at once so could do the zort and stage 1 then later on do the downpipe, intake and stage 2 map.

The WALK is a good little mod especially if you are finding traction poor. Going as wide as possible on the tyres helps a lot too. I'm just about to change the clutch on mine and doing the differential at the same time which will make a monumental difference. Worth considering if you are wanting to do some more serious things to it.


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## neilpioneer (Nov 23, 2011)

Fair enough. In that case I'll probably hold fire until next month and get the full exhaust- I was tempted to do it in sections, but I doubt you'd be able to do that given the difference in pipe diameters.

I had an uprated intercooler on my VXR and it made the world of difference. While I want to increase the power I also want to avoid stressing the engine any more than necessary, so keeping down intake temps etc can only be a good thing. The thought of spending upwards of £400 on an intake does fill me with horror, admittedly.


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## McKenzie (Dec 25, 2008)

neilpioneer said:


> Fair enough. In that case I'll probably hold fire until next month and get the full exhaust- I was tempted to do it in sections, but I doubt you'd be able to do that given the difference in pipe diameters.
> 
> I had an uprated intercooler on my VXR and it made the world of difference. While I want to increase the power I also want to avoid stressing the engine any more than necessary, so keeping down intake temps etc can only be a good thing. The thought of spending upwards of £400 on an intake does fill me with horror, admittedly.


An intercooler does made a decent difference but I think a decent intake would make a bigger difference. Problem is a intercooler is around £600 so about£ 200 more than an intake roughly. There are cheaper intakes on the market but after getting the ITG I wouldn't get any other, I have tried the Neuspeed intake which is nicely done but quite loud and had about a 3" inlet rather than the 5" of the ITG.

In regards to the Exhaust you could go with a custom fabricated one which you could get it to sound how you want and yet could be cheaper than an off the shelf version.


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## Hark (Aug 23, 2007)

Hi.

No experience of tuning a mk2 TT, but I'm curious about the intake. You said upgraded to the larger neuspeed intake might negate the need for intercoolers upgrades? Why?

I can't get my head round how it would reduce intake temps. This isn't a dig, it's a genuine question from someone whos useless with spanners.


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## McKenzie (Dec 25, 2008)

Hark said:


> Hi.
> 
> No experience of tuning a mk2 TT, but I'm curious about the intake. You said upgraded to the larger neuspeed intake might negate the need for intercoolers upgrades? Why?
> 
> I can't get my head round how it would reduce intake temps. This isn't a dig, it's a genuine question from someone whos useless with spanners.


Hi Hark, the Neuspeed was the smaller bore open style intake whereas the ITG was the large bore intake.

Neuspeed









ITG









The reasoning behind the better the intake the less need for larger intercoolers is that the intercooler is air cooled so if your stopped in traffic an open filter would get loads of heat soak, whereas an enclosed style filter would be sitting a lot cooler and for both the intercooler wouldn't be doing anything. The 2nd point with having more and cooler air flow from the intake is it means the intercooler wouldn't have as much to cool as the intake would already be bringing more cooler air. An intercooler is getting ambient air rammed at it to try and cool any hot air that is on its way to the intake manifold, but the intercooler can only cool down to as much as the ambient temp outside the car.

So in other words the cooler it goes in the cooler it stays when getting passed through a hotter turbo. An intercooler is very much needed but not as much when less heat and more volume of air is available from a massive intake.


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## neilpioneer (Nov 23, 2011)

In the end I decided to get myself the ITG kit- it arrived yesterday and I have to say I'm very impressed with the quality.

You can certainly see where your money goes, and the internal bore if the intake pipework is literally huge. Its a shame it throttles down in advance of the turbo. I'll be fitting it this weekend so hopefully it'll improve the breathing side of things.

In the meantime I'll shortly be booking into Shark for a stage 1 map. I've only read good things about them on here, and I like the way that tweaks to the map (i.e. going to stage 2) are catered for without having to spend serious £££.

I promosed myself I wouldn't start playing with this car too...


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## mrdemon (Apr 20, 2005)

quote
"I promosed myself I wouldn't start playing with this car too... "

stick to that imo, spend no money on it and put that money towards a TTS

win win for performace saving money and resale, insurance etc etc


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## TootRS (Apr 21, 2009)

I don't think a new air intake is a worthwhile mod on a TT unless you're going really far with tuning. The standard air box with uprated panel filter is very good by OEM standards, so I would suggest going TBE and remap first.


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