GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Tuning for heat management

Bernb6

Go Kart Champion
Location
Palo Alto, CA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Autobahn
Just tagging on with an alternate setup for comparison and data purposes. With a stock engine setup except for a 034 Stage 1 tune, I hit 275+ oil temps on a 75 degree day at Sonoma.
I've since added a downpipe, 034 Stage 2 tune, and Racingline oil cooler. I'll be at Laguna Seca this Sunday - temps will be in the 60's but I'll post my oil temps.
Bern
On a 60 degree day at Laguna Seca, oil temps were in the 230's.
Bern
 

Will_

Autocross Champion
Location
SF Bay Area
Car(s)
2017 GTI S DSG
On a 60 degree day at Laguna Seca, oil temps were in the 230's.
Bern
Excellent news, seems the Racingline cooler worked well. I may have to bite the bullet and relocate my IC to integrate that in.

EDIT: I pulled the trigger on EQT Stage 2. Depending on when it gets here, may have it loaded up before Sonoma this Saturday. If not, before Laguna Seca on 11/27. Will report back with results.
 
Last edited:

reverend_sean

Go Kart Champion
Location
Pittsburgh
Looking forward to hearing your results. I was formerly JB1 and had no overheating issues on the track. I went EQT Stg 1 low torque (stock IC) and high IATs put the car into limp mode over the course of numerous track days while seeing oil temps up to 265 on occasion. I would flash back to stock tune so I could finish out the sessions (benefit of not having a DP I guess!)

I am now EQT Stg 2 93 (OTS, not custom tuned), ECS FMIC, turbo blanket, wrapped APR DP and I have not had the car go into limp mode yet. I run water wetter too in my coolant (why not, right). Also, I splash in 2 gallons of E85 for track day fill-ups (per Ed at EQT's recommendation). I have only done 4 track days at this setup, and most have been fairly cool with ambient temps between 50-70. I have not had a situation where I saw over 255 oil temp with this setup. I also pull the windshield cowl gasket out for the track days to help let some heat escape the engine bay.

If heat becomes an issue during warmer months next year, I will probably switch to an upgraded IC in the stock location, grab a Mishimoto radiator, piece together an oil cooler. Or..by a sh!tbox Miata and just drive it at the track. Sure...I'll be WAY slower but I really don't want to mod the GTI more as I really like how it is right now.

Also, I picked @Lord_Flexington's brain on what he does for his time attack car to mitigate heat and this was his list.

1. Make sure u use OEM coolant and its in good health. (it does need to be changed)
2. Have an IC i use the Ebay "majesty" oem replacement one.
3. Get a turbo blanket, brand doesn't matter.
4. Remove the foam/sound deadinging under the hood
5.Use liqui Moly 5w-40 Leitchtuft with Mos2 additive
6. Make sure ESC off is enabled and straight ahead brake stabilization are changed via OBD11 that helps keep the car from working so hard.
7. Remember to do a cool down lap as the car needs a break but so do you!
8. Also closed intake systems do run cooler at WOT. I use the USP Tearduct intake.
 

Bernb6

Go Kart Champion
Location
Palo Alto, CA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Autobahn
EDIT: I pulled the trigger on EQT Stage 2. Depending on when it gets here, may have it loaded up before Sonoma this Saturday. If not, before Laguna Seca on 11/27. Will report back with results.
Will, I'll also be at Sonoma this Saturday and look forward to seeing you there,
Bern
 

j255c

Drag Racing Champion
Location
New York
Car(s)
2018 Golf R Manual
Looking forward to hearing your results. I was formerly JB1 and had no overheating issues on the track. I went EQT Stg 1 low torque (stock IC) and high IATs put the car into limp mode over the course of numerous track days while seeing oil temps up to 265 on occasion. I would flash back to stock tune so I could finish out the sessions (benefit of not having a DP I guess!)

I am now EQT Stg 2 93 (OTS, not custom tuned), ECS FMIC, turbo blanket, wrapped APR DP and I have not had the car go into limp mode yet. I run water wetter too in my coolant (why not, right). Also, I splash in 2 gallons of E85 for track day fill-ups (per Ed at EQT's recommendation). I have only done 4 track days at this setup, and most have been fairly cool with ambient temps between 50-70. I have not had a situation where I saw over 255 oil temp with this setup. I also pull the windshield cowl gasket out for the track days to help let some heat escape the engine bay.

If heat becomes an issue during warmer months next year, I will probably switch to an upgraded IC in the stock location, grab a Mishimoto radiator, piece together an oil cooler. Or..by a sh!tbox Miata and just drive it at the track. Sure...I'll be WAY slower but I really don't want to mod the GTI more as I really like how it is right now.

Also, I picked @Lord_Flexington's brain on what he does for his time attack car to mitigate heat and this was his list.

1. Make sure u use OEM coolant and its in good health. (it does need to be changed)
2. Have an IC i use the Ebay "majesty" oem replacement one.
3. Get a turbo blanket, brand doesn't matter.
4. Remove the foam/sound deadinging under the hood
5.Use liqui Moly 5w-40 Leitchtuft with Mos2 additive
6. Make sure ESC off is enabled and straight ahead brake stabilization are changed via OBD11 that helps keep the car from working so hard.
7. Remember to do a cool down lap as the car needs a break but so do you!
8. Also closed intake systems do run cooler at WOT. I use the USP Tearduct intake.
Has the removing weather stripping thing actually been proven to reduce engine bay temps?
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
Has the removing weather stripping thing actually been proven to reduce engine bay temps?
I'm not convinced. I know that it introduces a lot of dust that makes your engine dirty. I get my engine detailed every 3 months so it was obvious that the engine was getting dirtier much faster. Never noticed any temperature improvement or difference.
 

j255c

Drag Racing Champion
Location
New York
Car(s)
2018 Golf R Manual
Yeah I’m not sold.
 

scrllock

Autocross Champion
Location
MI
Anything you can do to lower duty cycle and thus EGTs will reduce temps significantly. Free-flowing intake (preferably closed for lower IATs), free-flowing exhaust, larger turbo housings all help. I'd assume a ported head would, too. Or just, y'know, less boost. On my R with stock coolers, coated catless downpipe, and turbo blanket, I don't get above 230 running 33psi after a 20min session with ambient temps in the 70s. But that's a larger turbo and with 60%+ ethanol in the tank. Ethanol does wonders for temps.

Tuning helps too, the stock ECU has tables for coolant target temps. If you're just using a piggyback, these aren't modified at all. Cobb added them to their tunable tables sometime last year. Anyone with full access to the ECU (UM, lots of euro flash tuners) were always able to set these up properly. I suspect that 034's tunes don't touch them as I've seen more 034 tuned cars overheating than anything else (and you should be producing a lot less heat on a stage 1 tune).
 

reverend_sean

Go Kart Champion
Location
Pittsburgh
Has the removing weather stripping thing actually been proven to reduce engine bay temps?
I have never data logged so I don't have empirical evidence to offer. I wish I had heard of doing this when I had my EQT stg1 2015 and was constantly going into limp mode on the track. Would have been interesting to see if it actually helped. I have taken the gasket out at the start of every track event in my stg2 tuned 2016. I guess next spring I can try not taking the hood gasket out and see if it induces any troubles.

But overall, if not having the gasket there allows more heat to evacuate, how would it not help? It in effect works like hood events do, and they are proven to remove heat and help keep temps in line.

I guess we shall see this spring! I'll give it a shot. Now I just have to remember to data log at the track...
 

j255c

Drag Racing Champion
Location
New York
Car(s)
2018 Golf R Manual
My engine never got alarmingly hot, the oil was a bigger issue for me.
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
My engine never got alarmingly hot, the oil was a bigger issue for me.
When you say the engine didn't get alarmingly hot are you talking about the coolant? Where are you getting the coolant temperature from?
 

scrllock

Autocross Champion
Location
MI
My engine never got alarmingly hot, the oil was a bigger issue for me.
1639427159598.png
 

j255c

Drag Racing Champion
Location
New York
Car(s)
2018 Golf R Manual
When you say the engine didn't get alarmingly hot are you talking about the coolant? Where are you getting the coolant temperature from?
This is what I meant lol. Sorry. Coolant temps were never above 230.
 

Spade

Ready to race!
Location
NC, US
Car(s)
Golf Sportwagen
Since it was mentioned in here earlier; oil doesn’t seem to get past 282F. I’ve only seen 283 at Daytona Speedway.

My GSW has warranty so I don’t back off. JB4 and Unitronic both get it to that point. Timing is pulled at 270-275 mark.

I don’t think I’m too slow at Time Trials; 2:20.1 at VIR and 1:49.2 at Road Atlanta with a no camber, relatively stock GSW at above full weight (tow hitch, baby seat, etc.)
 
Top