EQT VAG/MQB Knowledge Base

This is the most important question for new ones. "I am new to tuning, where do I start?" First place to start is by familiarizing yourself with the FAQ page as you are doing now. There are lots of really good topics within here that you should be looking at in the various subcategories, especially the Accessport specific category. Once you are ready to purchase, you can order. 

If you do not have an accessport at all, car has never been tuned, have very minimal mods, stock downpipe, and you want to just jump in, then you will need an Accessport with a stage 1 tune! If you have already started modding your car including a downpipe, you will need stage 2 for proper boost control (we do not alter any emissions related components so your hardware choice will determine if you have a check engine light or not). Most vehicles only need our staged tunes. If you have a bigger turbo, extensive mod lists, fueling mods, and so on, these are the setups where custom tuning comes in. If you have standard modifications and still want a custom tune to dial it in a bit further than our normal tunes we can do that too if you wish. 

Everything you need is on one page, the Accessport page. Fill out your car information accurately, and your tune details that you wish to have. If your car has a DSG transmission and you want compatibility to tune it, be sure to bundle as needed those things. If you have a car that has a manual or non DSG automatic, be sure to NOT select DSG unlocking or tunes. Grand total is calculated at checkout. 

If you have a:

MK7/7.5 GTI, 2019-2021 GLI, R

2.0T A3/S3 (Quattro A3 only not 2.0T FWD)

You go here ---> 2.0T VW/Audi Cobb AP

If you have a: 

1.8T A3

1.8T Golf, Sportwagon, Alltrack

You go here ---> 1.8T VW/Audi Cobb AP

What are burbles?

Burbles is our version of "pops and bangs", a seemingly popular modification in which fuel is injected after the combustion process so that unburnt fuel is ignited during deceleration by the exhaust stream, causing lots of little explosions in the exhaust after the turbo. The sound mimics that of an anti-lag system that keeps the turbo spooled to prevent turbo lag. Here's a video of one of our customers with our turbo system and showing off the sound of his custom catback exhaust and the burbles in sport are able to be heard as well.  ---> Golf R burbles in sport

How is it activated?

In order for this to work, a few things need to be lined up. 

•  • You need to have a warmed-up vehicle with all oils and coolants at operating temps. (FYI, if the ECU thinks the exhaust gas temps are too high it will not allow it as a safety feature)
  
  
• • You need to have the vehicle in the mode in which you chose burbles to be in (sport, normal, or if both it doesn't matter)
  
  
• • Any time you turn off the car and restart it, the car is in normal mode by default even if it says Sport or Race in the drive mode on the screen. If you have burbles in sport mode only, you'll need to cycle out of sport/race mode and then back into sport/race again. 
  
  
• • Finally, you need to have enough load on the vehicle in order to introduce some unburned fuel into the exhaust stream during deceleration (take your foot off the accelerator while in boost, for instance). With these variables above, you should hear plenty of burbles/bangs/pops/etc. Try ensuring your foot is heavy on the throttle and past 3500rpms and then release the throttle.

Do the burbles pop while in Park/Neutral?

In order for the car to have burbles in park/neutral while free revving it, is to have it in both normal and sport mode where it is on all the time.

Are there any negatives to having burbles/pops?

Other than disturbing the public :P, depending on how sensitive someone is, in certain situations you may feel or notice RPM behavior ever so briefly fluctuate while in the mode you have burbles active in the tune during gear changes. The drivability quirk is just a byproduct of the extra injection of the fuel in the cylinder after combustion. Also fuel mileage is decreased of course with wasting extra bits of fuel after the combustion process. 

What if I have a stage 1 stock downpipe/cat? Are burbles safe?

Our burbles are not super aggressive and some cars even have them active from the factory. That being said, the risks are still there to clog your OEM cat and cause damage. Also, stock downpipes muffle a lot of sound so while you can still hear them the effect isn't as good as having an aftermarket downpipe. Keep this in mind. :)

Native IS20 Vehicles (Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Audi A3)

• Stage 1 & 2 
• - All stock fueling equipment for 91, 93, E30- HPFP Required for E85
• Stage 2 IS38 
• - All Stock Fueling Equipment for Pump Gasoline (91/93)
• - HPFP Required for E30
• - HPFP Required for E85
• - LPFP Highly Suggested for E85
• Vortex Std / XL 
• - HPFP Required for Pump Gas
• - HPFP + LPFP Required for Ethanol Content UP TO E40 (tuner may advise higher or lower during your tuning session)
• - MPI + LPFP Required for Ethanol Content GREATER than E40 (E60, E70, E85, etc)
• - If you previously had an HPFP installed, you do NOT need to remove it if you go to  MPI/LPFP. But it is not required and you may be able to recover some costs by selling it and reverting to a stock HPFP.
• EQT Typhoon
• - MPI + LPFP Required. (Pump gas or Ethanol)
• - If you previously had an HPFP installed, you do NOT need to remove it if you go to  MPI/LPFP. But it is not required and you may be able to recover some costs by selling it and reverting to a stock HPFP.
• - EQT LPFP Pro Brushless Pump Required. 

Native IS38 Vehicles (Golf R &  Audi S3)

• Stage 1 & 2 
• - All stock fueling equipment for 91, 93, E30
• - HPFP Required for E85
• Vortex Std / XL 
• - HPFP Required for Pump Gas
• - HPFP + LPFP Required for Ethanol Content UP TO E40 (tuner may advise higher or lower during your tuning session)
• - MPI + LPFP Required for Ethanol Content GREATER than E40 (E60, E70, E85, etc)
• - If you previously had an HPFP installed, you do NOT need to remove it if you go to  MPI/LPFP. But it is not required and you may be able to recover some costs by selling it and reverting to a stock HPFP.
• EQT Typhoon
• - MPI + LPFP Required. (Pump gas or Ethanol)
• - If you previously had an HPFP installed, you do NOT need to remove it if you go to  MPI/LPFP. But it is not required and you may be able to recover some costs by selling it and reverting to a stock HPFP.
• - EQT LPFP Pro Brushless Pump Required. 

Native IS12 Vehicles (1.8T MQB / AllTrack / SportWagen)

• Stage 1 & 2
• - All stock fueling equipment for all octanes (91, 93, E30)
• Stage 2 IS38 
• - Vacuum Pump Conversion HIGHLY Suggested w/ Upgraded HPFP
• - 91/93 May Max out the stock fueling system depending on age & condition of the vehicle
• - MPI Supported on select Vehicles (Contact sales with your Ecu ID / Box code to confirm)
• Vortex Std / XL 
• - HPFP + LPFP Required Pump Gas
• - MPI + LPFP Required for Ethanol (Any Content)
• - If you previously had an HPFP installed, you do NOT need to remove it if you go to  MPI/LPFP. But it is not required and you may be able to recover some costs by selling it and reverting to a stock HPFP.

Rev hang is both in the ECU Tuning as well as the mechanical parts on the car. The dual mass flywheel has substantial mass which will promote some rev hang and can only be reduced on a manual transmission car by means of lightening the flywheel.

However lightening the flywheel does come with its draw backs if lightened too much. Too light of a flywheel will induce gear rattle / noise from the transmission and can also hurt torque a little bit at the expense of higher end power and the ability to free rev faster.

So while our ECU Tune will help reduce the rev hang through electronic tuning, it can not be 100% eliminated.

We do not offer a low torque variant as regardless of the tune you're on, direct driver input is going to play the greatest factor in how long the clutch lasts or not. By not providing a low torque file we try to not enable or encourage drivers to abuse the stock clutch thinking that " it's on a low torque tune, it's safe, it'll be fine"

The facts are, the clutch will last as long as YOU let it, within reason that is.

Things to avoid:
- Launching the car / aggressive starts

- Lugging the car
- Heavy Throttle usage in High Gear.
(example: passing a vehicle on the highway in 5th or 6th gear at fairly low engine speed such as sub 3000rpm)

We offer several clutch upgrade options for all sorts of budgets and hopefully one of them will meet your needs.

Shop for EQT Drivetrain / Clutch upgrades Here

 If you need any help or have any questions about them please contact our sales team. sales@eqtuning.com

Vaarticus / EverythingCPO put together an awesome video explaining how to switch fuels safely!

Go check out this video

Another great one to watch is How to properly drain your fuel to make a switch

In a nutshell, the factory turbocharger (is20 or is38) is very small, and designed for efficiency. The way the boost is controlled is very advanced, with both the waste gate and diverter valve working in unison for optimum performance. 

Our tunes take advantage of the way the ECM controls these functions, and really breathe life into the car. With our methods of control, you may encounter some "flutter" or "compressor surge" at high-load, low RPM conditions. This varies depending on the individual car or mods such as intakes or inlets etc, but in some cases is completely unavoidable. We have done our best to minimize this condition with smoothing out the boost curves at high-load and low-rpm areas of the map, however some users may still encounter it. 

The easiest solution for this "problem" is to not lug the car around in too high of a gear at more than 50% throttle input. Downshift to a lower gear, then give it the beans to your heart's content.

Note that the flutter is not detrimental to turbo operation. 

If your vehicle has any Downpipe other than stock, you will need a Stage 2 tune or Higher.

You should NOT run a Stage 1 tune with an aftermarket downpipe.

• Stage 1 - Stock Turbo with Stock Downpipe
• Stage 2 - Stock Turbo with Aftermarket Downpipe

EQT is unable to provide support for mismatched hardware to software setups. Please follow the recommendation above. If you have specific questions feel free to reach out to us at sales@eqtuning.com

Knock can be caused by a few different things, or a combination thereof. There’s just as much art as there is science to reducing overall knock feedback. When you determine you’re seeing actual knock that is harmful to the motor, you need to get to the source and eliminate it as soon as possible, to prevent irreversible damage. When we say actual knock, we typically refer to knock feedback NOT during shifting schedules, or noise from suspension/body/modifications to the car. If you see sustained knock on multiple cylinders in lets say a 4000-4500rpm range above 3.00, this is problematic and needs to be addressed.

Typically, faulty/incorrectly gapped plugs, or bad gas cause these kinds of issues. We have posted a link below to a thread in this group which speaks to fuel quality and knock feedback; Fuel Quality vs. Knock Resistance – Fuel quality can vary, but Chevron should be avoided. It’s a bit redundant, but needs to be said: Avoid cheap gas, like CHEVRON! Remember, “Top Tier” doesn’t mean it’s good gas. It just means they’re using industry recognized detergents and additives. The phrase “Lipstick on a pig” is very meaningful here.

Simple things to check are coil packs (grounds and coil harness connections), spark plugs and their electrode gap, and possibly even bad fuel. These vehicles when tuned are VERY sensitive to fuel quality, due to Direct Fuel Injection. We highly recommend you address the common issue of carbon buildup on the intake valves at recommended schedules, and also run a can of seafoam through the gas system every 30~40k miles.

Seafoam works great in helping to diagnose lesser known issues such as partially clogged injectors and other fuel system components. Follow recommended instructions for application of Seafoam to the fuel system. Less popular however still helpful instructions for Seafoam through the intake tract can also be utilized. Lastly, log and provide us with what you’ve acquired; there may be another underlying condition that warrants a second opinion.

Below is an example of sustained knock events on a cylinder. The picture may be difficult to see, but the only monitors in view are knock retard cylinder 4, engine speed, and throttle position. Here you can see knock retard as much as -5.25 degrees, and several instances of -3.5 to -4.25 degrees of timing for knock.

Current versions: 

V2.62 2015-2018 R/S3

V2.54 2019+ GTI/GLI/A3

V2.52 2015-2018 GTI/GLI/A3 

09/26/2023 - v2.62 (2015-2018 R/S3)

• Burbles revised to resemble OEM European style, less aggressive below 4k rpm, increasing aggressiveness above 4k rpm
• Diverter Valve tuning further refined to prevent hanging open at part throttle
• Boost profile revised slightly for high elevation operation
• Default Cobb LC settings revised to make more boost on launch
• Misc cleanup

11/23/2022 - v2.54 (2019+ GTI/GLI/A3)

• Revised strategy to address some cars presenting with false SAI codes

4/21/2021 - v2.52 (All MQB Manual Transmission)

• Minor update to reduce throttle sensitivity in manual transmission cars only. Some MT customers found the throttle to be too sensitive. This revision now uses the same throttle mapping for MT as DSG cars which makes the pedal a bit more linear and less sensitive. 
• Does not affect DSG cars. 

2/21/2021 - V2.51 (All Golf R/S3)

• Revised fueling strategy to improve spool and response during aggressive driving. 
• Revised valve lift switchover points for smoother powerband at partial and full throttle. Especially noticeable on manual transmission cars. 
• Reduced coolant temperature targets. This results in cooler coolant and oil temperatures which makes for more consistent power levels and reduces knock. 
• Included fixes for issues specifically affecting the 2018 Golf R. This includes inconsistent launch control activation for DSG cars, and some shifting/drivability issues for MT cars. 
• Added upgraded HPFP variant of all maps. This is meant to work with the Autotech Upgraded High Pressure Fuel Pump internals. 

1/29/2021 - V2.51 (All GTI/A3)

• Added revised 2019 throttle mapping to pre-2019 GTI. Smoother, more predictable drivability and throttle feel. This also helps further improve the diverter valve operation. 
• Revised fueling strategy to improve spool and response during aggressive driving. 
• Revised valve lift switchover points for smoother powerband at partial and full throttle. Especially noticeable on manual transmission cars. 
• Reduced coolant temperature targets. This results in cooler coolant and oil temperatures which makes for more consistent power levels and reduces knock. 
• Added upgraded HPFP variant of all maps. This is meant to work with the Autotech Upgraded High Pressure Fuel Pump internals. 

4/25/2020 - v2.0 : Major update to all ECU Staged Tunes.  

• Added support for Jetta GLI
• Added E30 Staged Tunes for Stage 1/2 Golf R
• Resolved factory inherent diverter valve control issue on all GTI tunes
• Refined boost control, ignition timing, fueling targets, cam timing, torque and throttle tables for all models to improve drivability, power, and consistency.
• Revised low end boost curves to minimize compressor surge/flutter.
• Some slight flutter can still occur on certain setups and conditions, but it is minimal and not a cause for concern in terms of performance and reliability.
• Peak boost targets set to 27psi at sea level with a healthy taper at the top end to keep the turbo healthy and efficient; boost targets and taper will vary based on elevation.
• Revised burbles options for more consistent activation.
• Resolved issue that prevented some 2019 vehicles from activating burbles.

9/20/2019 - v1.10 (2015-2018 R, 2019 GTI); v1.25 (2015-2018 GTI): 

• Drivability and performance revisions
• Revised boost targets, ignition timing, and fuel timing for improved performance and drivability
• Significant power bump for 2015-2019 GTI
• Refinements in Cobb custom feature settings
• Refinements for burble options

V1.09:  Initial non-beta Staged Tune release.   

Gasoline:

To make it simple, you can always run a HIGHER Octane Fuel, on a LOWER Octane Tune, But not the opposite.

Example: 

If you're tuned for 91 Octane fuel, you may use 93 Octane fuel. 

If you're tuned for 93 Octane fuel, you may NOT use 91 Octane fuel

Ethanol Fuels

The above does NOT apply to Ethanol or Ethanol Blends.

You can NOT run E30 in an E85 tune, or E85 in an E30 tune.

Ethanol Tune Safe Working Ranges:

E85 Tunes may use Ethanol Content varying from E60 to E85

E30 Tuned should stay as close to E30 as possible +/- 3% (E27-E33)

If you are tuned for E30 - You can NOT run 91 or 93 octane on its own. Please follow the content guide above.

The Ideal setup for a Stage 1 setup concludes of following upgrades

Stage 1 (Stock Turbo - Stock Downpipe - Any Fuel)

• Intake
• Turbo Inlet
• Intercooler
• 1 Step Colder Spark Plugs (see our recommendations in the General section of the FAQ)
• DSG Tune (*Suggested for ideal driver experience)

Minimum for Stage 1 is;

• No Hardware Required - Stock Hardware is compatible.

The Ideal setup for a Stage 2 setup concludes of the following upgrades

Stage 2 (Stock Turbo - High Flow Exhaust Equipment*)

• Intake
• Turbo Inlet
• Intercooler
• High Flow Exhaust Equipment* (Not Sold by EQT)
• 1 Step Colder Spark plugs (See our recommendations in the General Section of the FAQ)
• DSG Tune

Minimum Upgrades for Stage 2

• High flow Exhaust Equipment* (Not Sold by EQT)
• Intercooler
• DSG Tune

*See Performance Disclaimer ---> Here

The MQB Volkswagens and Audis are capable of operating in either All-Wheel Drive or Front-Wheel Drive so you have some choices.In terms of booking a dyno, it will greatly depend on what the nearest dyno facility has available

If they have an AWD dyno make sure that it is a LINKED dyno. Meaning a large belt links the front and rear rollers together.

NOTE: Most DynoComs are NOT linked, while most Mustangs are linked. So a Mustang dyno would be ideal if you're going to run it in AWD, if not Mustang then any other linked system should be sufficient. Make sure to confirm with your dyno facility if their AWD dyno is linked or unlinked. They should know this information off hand

If 2WD dynos are more prevalent in your area then a DynoJet would be fine. Try to avoid hub dynos as they tend to be a bit more finicky to get set up correctly for your vehicle and may read inaccurate or have issues with the load cell which may cause delays or other issues.While there is nothing inherently wrong with Hub Dyno's, they do take some care and attention to get set up that chassis dynos do not.

If you're unsure how to make the car operate in FWD mode it's fairly easy. Under your back seat, there is a connector on the driver side of the car attached to a plastic cover that protects the siphon pump. That connector should go directly to your Haldex Controller and when it is unplugged the vehicle will operate in front-wheel drive.

NOTE: Your dashboard is going to throw a ton of lights at you until it is reconnected and the ignition cycled, but it's nothing to worry about.

While Audi designed the car to run in FWD and AWD, it expects to do so via the Haldex control module and not the owner unplugging a connector. You will NOT damage your car or the AWD components by disconnecting this plug.

You may however damage your AWD system by running the car in AWD mode on a non-linked dyno.

Regardless of what dyno you choose to use make sure to follow our basics on Dyno Guidelines which can be found HERE.

We have an article in our technical blog specifically written for checking boost leaks. You can find that article by following this link: 

https://eqtuning.com/blogs/technical-write-ups/testing-for-boost-leaks

When adding a wastegate actuator to any turbo package offered by EQT, it is important to know the orientation of your setup so we can install and calibrate your new wastegate actuator to work with your vehicle. Below is an example to show you which wastegate you have. IS38 orientation has the connector plug towards the turbo outlet (motor side), whereas the IS20 orientation is towards the turbo inlet (firewall). It is important to note that not all IS38 turbos have the same orientation, so it is critical to check your specific setup. 

Oil/Coolant:

Regardless of whether the vehicle's OEM was spec'd with 5w40 or 0w20, We have traditonally recommended Motul Sport 5w40, but Motul has since replaced their Sport line wiith Motul 8100 Power. This is our recommendation along with OEM oil filters for those wanting to push their car hard and especially when utilizing our turbocharger system. (change every ~5k miles). What oil you decide to use is your own decision, but this is indeed our recommended oil.

As for coolant, we recommend Pentosin coolant (OEM). 

Coil Packs:

Stock, absolutely ZERO need to change them unless they are broken. No performance benefits by changing them. If they are bad, put new OEM ones. 

Spark Plugs:

The plugs we recommend are below and have slant style grounds (don't need to gap but you can if you have the proper tool)

For is20/is38 at any stage of tune = 1 step colder spark plugs are recommended, stage 1 can use stock plugs if you absolutely need to simply run, but if you are getting lots of knock, misfires or EPC, ensure the gap is proper or just change them. 

• NGK R7438-8 (NGK part number 4905)
• Denso IKH01-24 (Denso part number 5749)

For Big turbo (EQT Vortex or larger) = 2 step colder spark plugs. 

• NGK Racing R7438-9 (NGK part number 4656) 
• Denso IKH01-27 (Denso part number 5750)

There are many plugs out there, If you choose to use other types of plugs, that is up to you. If you use plugs with traditional style grounds, please gap to 0.024". Inspection of spark plugs every 5k to ensure gap is still good. And replacement at your discretion at an absolute maximum of 15K miles but closer to 10k is better (except brisk, if you use brisk such as er12s or er10s, you need to inspect or even replace every 3k-5k). Your mileage may of course vary with driving habits.

EQT Log List Definition

Difference between Golf R and GTi (EA888.3) explained

How to load a datalog preset (loglist.cfg)

Ross-Tech Diagnostic Fault Code listing

Fuel Quality vs. Knock Resistance – Fuel quality can vary, but Chevron should be avoided.

IS20 and IS38 turbo “flutter” on base and pro tunes

Oil Temperatures on EQT Vortex powered MQB vehicles?

Cobb’s CCF (Consolidated MQB Rom Architecture) and what it means for VCDS/OBD11

Factory PCV system, and why it’s a good idea to replace it

EQT suggests that when servicing the DSG Transmission that only Genuine VW/Audi fluid be used.

Make sure to verify with your local VW Dealership which part number oil is correct for your application as there have previously been two different oils for 6-speed DSG transmissions than 7-Speed DSG transmissions.

Make sure that after a DSG Service that you perform a DSG Relearn procedure.

DSG Relearn Procedure FAQ

Yes!We do have a Technical Blog.

It can be found here

While EQT does not directly offer Affirm or other payment/finance services, the Affirm Virtual Card is a great option! 

It's basically a "Temporary Credit Card" which can be used at checkout once approved through Affirm and can be used just like a normal card at any of your favorite stores including EQT.

For more information click the link below!

What is an Affirm Virtual Card?

If you're interested in becoming an EQT Dealer, please submit our application form located here and one of our staff will reach back out to you.If you have questions about becoming an EQT dealer or what the requirements are you can also email the Wholesale Team.

20wholesale@eqtuning.com">Send Email

We offer a variety of services, from general maintenance to performance modifications and engine building. In addition, we provide local and remote tuning services. Our services page provides a bit more detail, found here: Equilibrium Tuning Services

We also offer a growing variety of products for the VAG/MQB platform. From Turbochargers to coil-over suspension, fuel delivery systems, intakes, exhausts, etc. Our product line may change without notice, so please review our sales page for additional product information and cost.

Our tuning packages vary, depending on the customer's specific requirements. We utilize Cobb AccessTuner Pro software to build a custom rom file, which is then loaded by the customer onto their Cobb AccessPort. From there, the customer can flash the rom to their vehicle. Our basemaps for the VAG/MQB platform start at $175 for ECM and DSG tuning. Custom E-tuning (pro-tunes) start at $500. Map updates for existing basemaps are $25 for ECM and TCM, and options to base maps (adding burbles in sport for example) start at $75. 

Our ordering page can be found HERE.

At this time EQT does not currently offer tuning services on Cobb AccessPort or EcuTek for the Mk6 or Mk6.5 in any variation of model or trim.
Including;

Mk6 GTI (CCTA/CBFA)
Mk6 GLI (CCTA/CBFA)
Mk6 Golf R (BPY)
Mk6.5 GLI (Gen3 Non-MQB)

While the Mk6 GTI is supported on Cobb AccessPort, EQT does not tune these vehicles due to their extremely limited factory fuel system and various other issues native to the Gen 1 TSI Engine.

If you are serious about tuning your Mk6 GTI with EQT, you can always reach out to sales@eqtuning.com and discuss the implementation of a Syvecs ECU and Multi-Port Injection. However, that avenue is extremely cost extensive and should only be carried out by an experienced technician.

COBB Tuning offers custom features on most if not all platforms they support. These features vary depending on the make/model of the vehicle. For the MK7/7.5 platform, these features are explained in detail here: Cobb Custom Features for MK7 and MK7.5 

Our personal recommendations for features:

- Launch Control: Select Cobb LC if you have a GTI or A3 or a 2019+ GLI as this builds boost on launch whereas the OEM style does not. Golf R and S3 the OEM DSG based LC is better and builds boost on launch.

- Cobb Traction Control: For FWD vehicles such as the GTI and GLI, Cobb TC is a good option. For AWD cars that do not suffer from poor traction, you want the least amount of nannies possible, so no need.

- Burbles (Normal or Sport or both): We personally do not care for burbles as it slightly reduces drivability in whatever mode it is active in. Which you can feel on shifts or deceleration to a certain degree. Some are more sensitive to it than others in noticing. We personally love smooth drivability and not noise makers that draw attention so while this is popular for many, we just prefer none.

- Cobb Flat Foot shifting (Manual cars only): Allows you to shift at wide open throttle without lifting off the gas. Takes practice to do it properly.

In addition to these features, we can enable options such as “NASKD”, or No Auto-upshift, KickDown control (DSG equipment, manual-mode selected). Kickdown disabled/enabled controls the gear change when you hit 100% throttle input (or pass the 80% threshold / pedal “stop”) If you disable this, then the car will not downshift to a lower gear when you plant the pedal to the floor in manual mode (great for doing roll racing or on a dyno so you can stay in the gear you are wanting) nor will it auto shift to the next gear when you hit the limiter (good to make sure you don't accidentally double shift), it will stay in that gear until you manually shift. Note: This does NOT mean safeties are removed where the DSG will stall or over rev and break the motor. The RPM limiters are still in place and will simply bounce off the RPM limiter until you shift and if you are slowing to a stop it will downshift as needed.

Leaving it enabled like stock means the OEM configuration is enabled so you can potentially double shift and lose acceleration if you accidentally shift when the computer also is trying to initiate a shift. And if you are trying to do a roll in a single gear it will downshift on you when you hit the kickdown switch.

Something people don't generally understand is that the stock tune is set up to provide very consistent power across a wide range of conditions (temperatures, elevations, even fuel qualities). It can do this because it isn’t pushing the limits of the turbo, and only does so when needed in order to meet torque targets. An unmodified car with no dyno correction will generally dyno within 5whp in 30F weather at sea level or 90F at 2000ft.

A performance-oriented tune has to take a different approach. The idea here is that we try to provide the optimal available power for any particular condition. When it’s cold and the car is at sea level, it will make significantly more power than when IAT's are out of control and/or the car is at elevation.

This has to be the case because we are generally trying to use the turbo to its maximum potential, so there is no room to increase boost further when conditions are sub-optimal. If you were to dyno the stock tune followed by our tune in cold weather with good cooling, you'll see the advertised gains.

When you dyno both in hot weather, or with IAT's that are out of control, the stock tune will compensate and make similar power because of this ability to compensate; our tune has to drop power somewhat to stay within safe ranges. In this case, the gains are less apparent due to lack of compensation in unfavorable conditions.

This is a question asked all too frequently, and while we’d love to give you a specific number, no two cars are alike. Even taking the car’s modifications out of the equation, there are other variables such as weather, elevation, fuel quality, etc. that come into play. With that being said, there are ranges that most vehicles will see depending on the type of dyno used and how it is calibrated, if the dyno operator properly has the RPMs read, if they have adequate fans, etc.. given standard bolt on modifications. For example, on my personal R, I have taken it to one Dyno and it read 330whp and 300ftlbs of torque on a dyno dynamics dyno. I then took it to another shop with a dynojet and it showed 362whp and 394ftlbs of torque. Same tune, Same mods, and it was even worse conditions with the higher numbers. So therefore while seeing fancy high dyno numbers is nice, what matters is the difference vs stock baselines on the same dyno and conditions to show you a true representation of the changes made. Dyno is a tool after all :)

Below are ranges typically expected based on various end users who take their car to the dyno. This range combines 91 and 93 for pump gas (93 could generally see roughly 10hp greater than 91 on average) and ethanol ranges is for both e30 and e85 staged tunes as they target the same power but e85 is made for ease of not having to mix. These are averages and if a dyno is very happy reading it can be higher or if it is a true heart breaker dyno it can be lower.

•  Stage 1 Pump gas: GTI (stock is20 turbo) - 270-300whp / R (Or is38 GTI)- 320-350whp

• Stage 2 Pump gas: GTI (stock is20 turbo) - 300-330whp / R (Or is38 GTI)- 350-380whp

• Ethanol: GTI (stock is20 turbo) - 330-360whp / R (Or is38 GTI)- 380-420whp

• Vortex Standard: Pump gas- 400-450whp / Ethanol - 500-550whp

• Vortex XL: Pump gas - 410-470whp / Ethanol (blends or up to full e85) - 500-575whp

So you are wondering how to go about the initial marrying/install of an accessport to your vehicle? Here is the definitive checklist you need for the process to be as smooth as possible as taking shortcuts or having the process interrupted can result in a bricked ECU that Cobb will need to help you recover.

1. Ensure the car has a good battery tender/charger on the battery. 10amp or greater is recommended. Having a running car hooked up with jumper cables also works if you are desperate and in a pinch. The initial process of getting the Accessport married to the car takes around 20 minutes and if your battery weakens or dies in mid flash it can brick the ECU requiring a recovery in which Cobb will need to help you with.
2. If at all possible, be in a STOCK state. While the AP can overwrite certain tunes, there is no guarantee that yours will be perfect. Sometimes people buy cars used and they have tunes already on them and they have no idea which. If this is the case then fine, go ahead and perform the process as it cannot be helped. But if it is at all possible, try to be stock to avoid potential issues.  
3. Turn off bluetooth inside the car's radio itself. Merely turning off the screen will not accomplish this. Turn it fully off in the settings. Bluetooth can at times cause interference in the flashing process.
4. Temporarily remove or disable any LO-JACK or remote starters or any other device that ties into the OBD system or Can-bus gateway. These can interfere with the AP keeping a stable connection to the ECU. 
5. DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM THE CAR WITH THE KEYS IN YOUR POCKET OR HANDS! This will trip the immobilizer and will brick the ECU as well.
6. Keep the hood popped open (Especially 2019+ vehicles). This should be automatic since you should be using a battery charger. When you pop your hood, your dash should show the hood in Red indicating it is open. Pay attention to this because if your hood latch sensor is faulty, it can think it is always closed even when it is open and wont turn red and then fail to flash the car!
7. Doors: Some cars like the driver door open, some are picky and only work with them closed. This is less of an issue and in the event it does cause an issue, it usually fails in a way that the ECU is not bricked, and you just restart the process.
8. ONLY MARRY AN ACCESSPORT WHILE COBB IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS! This will ensure that IF something unfortunately goes wrong, you can call them and have them help you recover the flash instead of you waiting all weekend with an unusable car. 

That is pretty much it! Enjoy!

I see on the page where I order my tune it is asking what my Accessport serial number is. How can I find it?

You can find your accessport serial number in various ways, including physically written on a sticker behind the accessport's face plate. But that is not the method I would recommend, especially if you bought a used accessport or ever had Cobb relicense your accessport for whatever reason (converted your AP to a new vehicle or repgrammed after a faulty accessport was fixed, etc).

The best way to ensure your accessport serial number is correct is to plug it into your computer and open Accessport Manager, which you download from Cobb's website as the packaging instructs you to when you receive an Accessport. Link to AP Manager download ---> Here

Once inside Accessport manager, you can update the firmware of your AP, and copy tunes to and from the PC and AP, datalogs, etc etc. To find your AP Serial,  click AP Info as show below and you will now see two places with your 100% correct serial number.

When is a DSG relearn needed?

When flashing a TCM tune, especially if you are switching from a competitors software to another, or switching from software meant for 1 turbo to a new bigger turbo, you may possibly encounter some unintended shift behavior. *If*  you experience shift oddities(Do not necessarily need to run it if you are not experiencing issues), it's recommended you perform a reset of the DSG  transmission, as the TCM does not reset learned behaviors (unlike the ECM when flashing a new map). In order to do this, you'll want to navigate to the troubleshooting menu in your Cobb AccessPort. Once there, select TCM service.

From the TCM service menu, perform each item straight down the list, one by one. Skip touchpoint calibration, and Default Setting of DSG and Fast relearn, continue on with the last few, then go back and do "Default setting of DSG", then after that do "Touchpoint Calibration", then finally the fast learn. Attempting to do the Touchpoint before doing the others will typically give an error. 

NOTE: In order to properly perform default settings, the vehicle must be running, in park with the parking brake engaged, and transmission fully up to temperature. You will need to also place your foot firmly on the brake in order to complete the procedure.  Failure to follow these instructions could result in unwanted results. 

If you have an accessport with DSG capabilities already

With the ignition on, and the AccessPort connected to the OBDII port, back out of the gauges display, and scroll up to “Help” and select it. Then, select “About Accessport”, and your ECM/TCM ID’s are displayed under installed Vehicle and DSG ID. "Serial Number Sticker" is your serial number. Always use what it says digitally in that spot, as sometimes the physical sticker on the outside of the accessport can be hard to read from letters smudging.

If your accessport is NOT DSG unlocked, where you cannot see anything DSG with it or flash a Cobb DSG tune, you need to purchase a DSG unlock before you can flash a DSG tune to it but you can use VCDS or OBDeleven to see your ID still.

If you are using VCDS or OBDEleven

You can use this handy guide from our friends at 034 motorsports.

Click here --> How to find ID's

Quick Pros/Cons

Pro: Yes it is possible to use an ECU tune someone else may have had depending on the Application with a discounted used unit.

Cons: Tune might not work or be for a different model year car, seller might have uninstalled improperly and leaving you with an AP that cannot be installed on your car, no Cobb warranty if the AP ends up having an issue and going out, DSG tunes are very highly unlikely to transfer so you will need to factor in the cost of 1 or both tunes to the used price. Must purchase your own tunes for the discounted options changes or updates (if/when updates are released)

Q&A

Question: I am thinking about buying a used Accessport that has EQT tunes on them, will they work for my car?

Answer: "it depends". Depending on the version tune, the tune that someone else has on their Accessport may or may not work on your vehicle. For 2015-2018 vehicles, All modern tunes starting with v2.0 are built upon the Cobb Consolidated ROM file structure (CCF for short) and they are interchangeable between any 2015-2018 of that particular model vehicle. So for example a tune for a GTI or A3 for a 2015 can work on another 2015-2018 GTI or A3. And the same for the Golf R and S3. 

2019+ is a whole different ECU and cannot interchange with the older ones. So no a 2019 tune will not be compatible with a 2015-2018. 2019/2020 Golf R and S3 use one tune. 2019-2021 GTI/GLI/A3 use another. 

Question: Can I use an acccessport that was on a GTI or A3 on my Golf R or S3?

Answer: No. Different Accessport model number.

Question: Can I use an accessport that was used on a manual transmission car on my DSG car?

Answer: Yes, you would simply need to purchase the DSG communication unlock upgrade for it if you wish to tune the DSG. There isn't a DSG accessport and manual accessport. There is only 1 single Accessport for the GTI/A3 and 2019+ GLI, and 1 single Accessport for Golf R and S3. The only thing that makes them different (ECU and DSG wise) is if someone paid for the $400 DSG upgrade to unlock the ability for that accessport to talk to DSG's in addition to the ECU. There are no differences ECU tune wise for manual cars and DSG cars. 

Question: Can someone's DSG tune they have on their Accessport work on my car?

Answer: It is possible, but highly unlikely. DSG tunes are made to work on specific DSG Box codes, and there are many many of them. The odds the seller and buyer will have the same one is very small, but exists.

Question: Can I get the latest updates or changes to options on my used file?

Answer: No. The discounted ECU staged tune options change and updates (when updates are ever released) are reserved for original owners of the tune who paid for their file to support our work. If you love our work and want too contribute to continued development and support, please consider supporting us and becoming an original owner of your own tune. :)

We normally provide our customers with specific instructions via email when we send their tune, however sometimes this note can be omitted by mistake during the fulfillment process. 

The email reads as follows: "Here's your tune. First make sure your AccessPort firmware is up to date.Then load the file onto your AccessPort and flash it to the ECU/TCU. New Cobb Consolidated ROM's may cause a warning message when loading to the AccessPort. Please ignore and proceed with flash. 

Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.  If you ordered an E30 tune, please pay careful attention to the map notes. 

Finally, please join our Facebook Group which contains a great FAQ and a lot of useful information. It is a great place to ask questions and stay in touch with us and other EQT customers at Equilibrium Tuning MQB/VAG Group "

The below link contains the EQT Logging list. You can use this file with your AccessPort for logging monitors that your tuner will want to see if you're sending him log files. If you are doing a log for your tuner, follow the directions from your tuner on what they want you to log. If you are just doing a normal log on your own and trying to capture something specific, take the log during the actual event you are trying to capture. Do not log for 10+ minutes and try to upload a log and say "can you check this log out". Take focused logs. 10-30 seconds capturing exactly the area in which you may have a concern about. 

EQT Logging List

The most recent logging list will always be at the above link.

"Help, it gives me an error about too many monitors when I try to log!"

If you uploaded the loglist and activated it in your accessport, but the accessport warns that you have selected too many monitors to log, this is likely because you have selected additional monitors in your gauges view, that are not present in the logging list. If this is the case, the easiest solution is to reduce the number of viewed gauges to 1 or 2, and then you should be able to log as normal. For example, if the maximum amount of simultaneous monitors that can log is 48, and there are 48 monitors in the loglist that we use, then if ANY of the gauges you display on the main gauges screen is a monitor that isn't one that is on the loglist, it will take it beyond 48. If your gauges on the gauges screen are things we already include in our loglist, such as relative manifold pressure, rail pressure actual, or AFR etc... then it will not add to the 48. 

Video Instructions provided courtesy of EverythingCPO: EverythingCPO uses EQT Loglist

With Cobb's new CCF Rom structure, you can perform the adaptation directly from the AccessPort.

 By selecting the “Turbine Actuator Voltage” monitor in your gauges, you can monitor the voltage in order to set your wastegate voltage (~3.9-4.1VDC in most cases), and then utilize the “Wastegate Adaptation” setting in the troubleshooting section to set your adapted voltage. 

To use for setting is38 wastegate voltage, the car just needs to be in the ACC/ON position (not running). You can then manually set your voltage, and then in the troubleshooting menu, perform the wastegate adaptation. To use for setting the is20 wastegate voltage, the car needs to be cycled into the ON (not running) position. The voltage is then displayed as the base voltage, and then after the car is on for more than 10 or so seconds it reduces to a resting voltage. 

Note that you will need to repeat this action a few times until you reach the desired voltage. Then perform the wastegate adaptation as above.

Background codes don’t normally trigger a check engine light, because they are not primary malfunction items. Depending on the malfunction, they can however prevent readiness monitors from executing/passing. In addition, when flashing/re-flashing a map, sometimes you will see U112E/* codes, which are communications fault codes; resultant of the AccessPort reflashing procedure. If you receive MIL, scan for codes and annotate them or take a photo before clearing fault codes. Provide us with the codes and any logging you have when the MIL presented for diagnosis. EPC lights are more important than MIL lights. These issues cause your car to degrade into protection mode, as there is something important out of tolerance that needs to be addressed immediately. Do not attempt to drive the vehicle unless you are certain the EPC is a condition that will not harm your vehicle.

Short answer, no. None of the torque related monitors in the accessport have any accurate values that tell you what your wheel torque or even engine torque are. For instance, the driver requested torque monitor is actually an output from the maximum torque tables, and is used as the X axis for mass air setpoint tables. The output is based on AIT, coolant temps, dsg torque, etc. None of the torque related monitors are for end-user display; they are used for dialing in the tuning of the vehicle. 

None of the performance monitors are 100% accurate either. They give you a rough idea on how fast your car is but you are better off using a dragy for accurate monitoring of your performance.

This is another “what works for some, may not work for others” topic to address. It’s often overwhelming to see the sheer number of monitors you have to choose from, when setting up your AccessPort for gauge views. For starters, Air Fuel Ratio (AFR) monitoring should be a given, followed by Intake Air Temp (IAT), Coolant Temp, Oil Temp, Relative Manifold Pressure, and Knock Average. Acceptable ranges as follows: 

* AFR: 11.9~12.2 WOT (wide open throttle as the RPMs get higher, AFR will be higher at start of pull with lower RPMs). During cruising you may see minor fluctuations averaging 14.7~14.9 cruising, and 29 is what it shows when you letoff the pedal and coasting. If you see above 12.5~12.6 or higher during a WOT pull at high rpms, immediately abort the pull. Please datalog and provide for review. Do not drive the car if you don’t have to. Always ensure your fuel tank is at least half full when doing pulls and driving spiritedly as fuel moving away from the fuel pump with higher G forces can cause momentary fuel starvation and make you go lean. When coming to a stop, the AFR may fluctuate at various AFR before settling to the mid 14s.

* IAT: Weather dependent. With good intercooler, no more than +15F (8C) over ambient when driving without A/C; +25F (13C) with A/C.  IAT will always be high and rise if you aren't moving or sitting at stop lights or in drive thru's.

* Coolant Temp: On average, anywhere from 210~223F operating temperature depending on various factors. If over 230F (110C), pull over and determine cause. These cars are very robust, but heat will kill anything given enough time.  

* Oil Temp: On average, anywhere from 215 - 230F is typical . Above 270F (132C), invest in an oil cooler you track hooning maniac! ;) In all seriousness, If you’re hitting above 270F (132C) on a road-course, do a cool-down lap and give it time to return to average operating temperatures. 

* Relative Manifold Pressure: As opposed to Boost Pressure, this monitor shows boost in the manifold, and not pre-throttle plate (in the throttle pipe). What boost you are supposed to run depends on the tune but typically stock turbos (is20 and is38) peak around 28 give or take and taper down as the RPMs rise. Vortex holds boost through the whole RPM range. If you’re struggling to maintain boost pressure, check for leaks. 

* Knock Average: Provides you with an average knock feedback from the knock sensor, located between cylinders 2 and 3. These are very sensitive sensors, so the rougher/harsher the ride and the more NVH you have, the more noise will be presented to the sensor. When driving and datalogging, any Knock Average below 3.00 is “O-K”. Some engine mounts can cause -3.75 just from releasing the brakes at a stop light. We will always strive for achieving ZERO knock, however things such as fuel quality, climate, elevation, etc. will factor in. Typically, you will discover knock feedback on shifting, and it’s usually well within acceptable limits. If you see knock feedback above 3.00 for extended periods of duration while wide open throttle, as can be seen in a data log, do not push the car hard, and you can send us the datalog to review. Normally poor fuel or improperly gapped plugs or old plugs are the culprit.

Yes. 

Both VLK002 (GTI/A3/GLI) and VLK003 (Golf R/S3) AccessPorts are capable of being upgraded from ECU Only to ECU/TCU units.

To upgrade your AccessPort to be able to flash your TCU/DSG visit the product page linked below.

CLICK HERE

Make sure to take advantage of our EQT Bundle Pricing during checkout to receive $75 off your EQT TCU Tune.




DSG Unlock Installation Procedure:

Please use the following instructions to complete your upgrade:

• 1. Download the upgrade.key attachment into a folder of your choice.
• 2. Connect your Accessport to your computer.
• 3a. Update to the latest version of Accessport Manager (APM).
• 3b. Update to the latest firmware for your Accessport.
• 4. From within APM, go to the Options menu, and click the "Advanced" button.
• 5. From within APM, click the "Change Accessport License" button.
• 6. Browse to the folder where you saved your upgrade.key, select it, and click OK.
• 7. The process is complete when you see and confirm the success message.  Your Accessport will now reboot and the feature will be active.

It was recently brought to our attention by Cobb that there are some issues with supportability of World Market / Rest of World TCM ID’s or “box codes”. Some of these TCM’s in world market vehicles will have the proper base TCM ID, however their software loads are incompatible with Cobb’s released software. Cobb is aware of the issue and is working to bring support to affected world market vehicles, but we are unaware of timing for this to be resolved.

In light of this, we cannot guarantee support for world market DSG tuning at this time. If you are unsure what this means to you, please reach out to us before placing your order.

To help protect both us and our customers from fraud or the potential of fraud, we are highly reluctant to ship to any address other than the billing address without proper proof of residency.

If you have recently moved and not yet updated your billing information, please reach out to customer support prior to placing your order so proper proof of residency can be established.

If your billing address is your place of business and you are looking to ship to your personal residence or vice versa, proof of residency required.

If the order is a gift for a friend or relative, please reach out to customer support at sales@eqtuning.com prior to placing your order.

Without proof of residency EQT will NOT be able to ship to an address other than your billing address to help protect both you and us from potential fraud. EQT will ultimately determine if an alternate address can be shipped to or not. Note that Packages can always be held and picked up at your local UPS location.

If a mismatch is found between your billing and mailing address your order may be held and delayed until additional information or proof of residency is provided.

We will strive to meet our personal customer service goals of:

*** 48-72 hours for US Market staged ECU and DSG tunes (weekends and holidays not included)
*** Custom tunes 1-2 weeks until your first starter map and 1-2 revisions a week thereafter.

*** World Market staged tunes can vary and usually take a longer time as a lot of times a whole from scratch map needs to be made.

Please note that while we always try and hit this mark, there are sometimes things that are beyond our control, which lead to longer lead-times than normal. In some cases, staged tunes can take up to 3-5 days and custom tunes can take 3 weeks to begin, while revisions can take as many as 10 business days. Customers are served in the order received. Inquiries can be directed to sales@eqtuning.com for current wait times, and other information. We will also post delays and updates in our Facebook Group. CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDERS! Sometimes, our correspondence ends up in customer spam folders, especially when there are tunes attached. Please ensure the following email addresses are safe senders in your email settings.

eqt.fulfillment@gmail.com

patrick@eqtuning.com

tuning@eqtuning.com

support@eqtuning.com

sales@eqtuning.com