Golf R MK7.5 Tuning in cold weather

[acb718]

Hello everyone,

New here on the forum. I have owned a stock MK7.5 Golf R since February, 2019. I have always wanted to tune it to stage 1 and get a catback exhaust. I use the car as a daily and because it has yet to survive a true winter yet (I live in Sudbury, ON). I am wondering if anyone here has any experience with a tuned Golf R in winter, any issues? Thanks in advance.

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

If you're concerned about safety, just run a low torque / 91 octane-tuned file, and run fuel that's higher than that (94 is your premium, right? I'd run that). The variation in your environmental conditions are certainly more extreme than most, but if you go for a more conservative tune that's based around lower octane fuel than you actually run, you're building several degrees of safety into it that should more than mitigate the risks. OTS tunes are pretty safe in general, since the tuners designing them are making a cookie-cutter mold that should operate more or less the same under variable conditions.

These cars are reliable in general and if tunes caused problems in the cold we'd know about it.

 

[acb718]

If you're concerned about safety, just run a low torque / 91 octane-tuned file, and run fuel that's higher than that (94 is your premium, right? I'd run that). The variation in your environmental conditions are certainly more extreme than most, but if you go for a more conservative tune that's based around lower octane fuel than you actually run, you're building several degrees of safety into it that should more than mitigate the risks. OTS tunes are pretty safe in general, since the tuners designing them are making a cookie-cutter mold that should operate more or less the same under variable conditions.

These cars are reliable in general and if tunes caused problems in the cold we'd know about it.

Sounds fair, I am thinking to run stock through this winter and see how it goes (also being I got the car second hand). It has been running great with no issue so far and with a tune I don't want any hiccups to it as a daily. Thank you for the advice.

 

[Fastlax16]

Daily drove an fbo jb4 car making stage 2 numbers through 3 Chicago winters with zero issues. If you have a problem on a stage 1 tune, odds are it wasn’t the tune and it would have happened anyway.

 

[ecsta]

Just let the oil get up to temp before you beat on it.

 

[scrllock]

I'd worry way more about your tires than the tune. And I'd worry way more about using a piggyback than a tried and tested, conservative off the shelf stage 1 tune. VW can tell if your car has been pushing more boost/torque than it should regardless, you might as well let the ECU do what it's supposed to do in terms of managing your air and fuel.

 

[Fastlax16]

I'd worry way more about your tires than the tune. And I'd worry way more about using a piggyback than a tried and tested, conservative off the shelf stage 1 tune. VW can tell if your car has been pushing more boost/torque than it should regardless, you might as well let the ECU do what it's supposed to do in terms of managing your air and fuel.

Seen more posts about blown turbos with apr tunes than jb4s.

 

[scrllock]

Not sure APR is the bar I'd want to set, lol.

 

[Fastlax16]

Not sure APR is the bar I'd want to set, lol.

You said off the shelf tune. I picked arguably the most common.

 

[ZuMBLe]

Hello everyone,

New here on the forum. I have owned a stock MK7.5 Golf R since February, 2019. I have always wanted to tune it to stage 1 and get a catback exhaust. I use the car as a daily and because it has yet to survive a true winter yet (I live in Sudbury, ON). I am wondering if anyone here has any experience with a tuned Golf R in winter, any issues? Thanks in advance.

Tires. The 4Motion and traction control will save your ass in the winter. If you have a traction problem, steer and keep on the gas - don't let off. Don't floor it either, just don't let off completely.