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VAQ felt terrible on the track yesterday

replicate

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Downunder
2016 Clubsport
Stock apart from MX72 pads and PS cup2 tyres
XDS set to weak
VAQ set to increase traction
Outside temperature 31deg C (87.8F)
Oil temp hitting 125C (257F)

Yesterday was the first round for 2018. Ran the car over 7 rounds last year. Last 3 with modified XDS/Haldex settings.
Early in the day car felt fine. Put down a respectable time just 1sec off PB. Later in the day as it got hotter I really felt the VAQ struggle. Only way I can explain it is that it felt like it was repeatedly trying to lock, not at all smooth. Like a lurching or even bunny hopping. By the last session I was averaging +3 seconds where I usually get faster by the end of the day.

Was going to plug ODBELEVEN in to look for any fault codes but my android phone I use for that needs charging. Not sure what else could be the cause, temps were high but not filthy high. Would be interested to hear from anybody else who has experienced a similar feeling. (That is if I’ve managed to convey it successfully)
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
They are not 100% strong for track & the TCR cars have them fitted to the DSG gearbox...over here you can run the TCR with a sedev sequential & run their diff lock & ditch the DSG & VAQ...

Anyway the TCR VAQ motorsports software..which is different to what is on the road car..

I would suggest looking at fault codes, & then alter those settings back as by decreasing the XDS & increasing the VAQ settings you are effectively removing the XDS etc from the grip systems & relying on just the VAQ...& they don't like it....also it could be cooling issue for the VAQ unit in that temp...
 

TecklenburgVW

Go Kart Champion
Location
Saint Cloud, FL
2016 Clubsport
Stock apart from MX72 pads and PS cup2 tyres
XDS set to weak
VAQ set to increase traction
Outside temperature 31deg C (87.8F)
Oil temp hitting 125C (257F)

Yesterday was the first round for 2018. Ran the car over 7 rounds last year. Last 3 with modified XDS/Haldex settings.
Early in the day car felt fine. Put down a respectable time just 1sec off PB. Later in the day as it got hotter I really felt the VAQ struggle. Only way I can explain it is that it felt like it was repeatedly trying to lock, not at all smooth. Like a lurching or even bunny hopping. By the last session I was averaging +3 seconds where I usually get faster by the end of the day.

Was going to plug ODBELEVEN in to look for any fault codes but my android phone I use for that needs charging. Not sure what else could be the cause, temps were high but not filthy high. Would be interested to hear from anybody else who has experienced a similar feeling. (That is if I’ve managed to convey it successfully)
They are not 100% strong for track & the TCR cars have them fitted to the DSG gearbox...over here you can run the TCR with a sedev sequential & run their diff lock & ditch the DSG & VAQ...

Anyway the TCR VAQ motorsports software..which is different to what is on the road car..

I would suggest looking at fault codes, & then alter those settings back as by decreasing the XDS & increasing the VAQ settings you are effectively removing the XDS etc from the grip systems & relying on just the VAQ...& they don't like it....also it could be cooling issue for the VAQ unit in that temp...
Replicate, do you have the means to log the VAQ fluid temps? I'd be curious to see the average temps of the fluid with your settings listed above vs. default settings.

As Dave insinuated, the VAQ fluid may be over the maximum threshold when you set the XDS to weak and VAQ to increased traction.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

ucfquattroguy

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Florida USA
Put XDS back to whatever the default is for the car and report back. The VAQ has no static preload and the XDS intervening serves as just that. A clutch-plate LSD (I know VAQ isn't a diff...but the idea still applies) with less preload will feel more "on-off" than with more preload. If the VAQ software is optimized with XDS as-is from factory, that could most certainly affect behavior. Given that the increased traction setting increases locking ability, reducing XDS may magnify that behavior more.

The "turn all the things off" mentality doesn't always make the car better. ;-)
 

replicate

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Downunder
Thanks for the responses guys. Appreciate it. I think the answer would most likely lie in the responses you have provided.

1. Temperature
2. FDL doing a bit more work
3. Combination of the two

I’m leaning towards 3 as I ran this configuration last year for two rounds in cooler weather with no issues. Even at the same track.

I checked for fault codes yesterday and there were none. I’m not sure if ODBELEVEN can log temps for the diff but I’ll have a look.

I’m next on track at Easter for a 6 hour regularity race. Will have a whole day of practice to try all the options recommend. The temperature most likely will be cooler by then. So it may not even reoccur.

I’d love to find out how the TCR cars running the FDL are setup. As I’m sure they run in Asia in much hotter temperatures and run for longer than the 10 mins that I do. If heat was an issue they would need some kind of trans cooler.

Has anyone changed the Haldex fluid? I’m worried that if I have exceeded heat ranges then I should change the fluid out.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Thanks for the responses guys. Appreciate it. I
I’d love to find out how the TCR cars running the FDL are setup. As I’m sure they run in Asia in much hotter temperatures and run for longer than the 10 mins that I do. If heat was an issue they would need some kind of trans cooler.
.

VAQ is used only on the DSG cars in the TCR over here (we have sadev sequential with sadev mechanical LSD option)......& the VAQ controller has special motorsports software....other than that its more or less standard...
 

replicate

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Downunder
Actually just thinking about it some more. I should have tried the VAQ reset first to see if that helps. I remember now I did it at the track last year after changing the settings and the car felt amazing. May need doing frequently if being driven hard on more aggressive calibration?
 

replicate

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Downunder
VAQ is used only on the DSG cars in the TCR over here (we have sadev sequential with sadev mechanical LSD option)......& the VAQ controller has special motorsports software....other than that its more or less standard...

Makes me think it’s not heat then. If anything I would think the Motorsport software would be even more aggressive.
 

8kGoodEnuff

Ready to race!
Location
Northern NJ
Actually just thinking about it some more. I should have tried the VAQ reset first to see if that helps. I remember now I did it at the track last year after changing the settings and the car felt amazing. May need doing frequently if being driven hard on more aggressive calibration?
The reset that you mention - is that with OBDEleven? If so, do you mind sharing the steps to do this? I'm pretty sure mine needs a reset.

Thank You.
 

Keehs360

Autocross Champion
Location
Denver
Car(s)
Mk7.5
Totally normal. The vaq needs a freaking oil cooler. As the day drags on you’ll notice the vaq engagement has a dramatic delay. And it’ll just get worse and worse
 

replicate

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Downunder
The reset that you mention - is that with OBDEleven? If so, do you mind sharing the steps to do this? I'm pretty sure mine needs a reset.

Thank You.
It’s just the Basic Settings under the Haldex module. You’ll see it.
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
I have the reset process in my track post.
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP

8kGoodEnuff

Ready to race!
Location
Northern NJ

Visceral

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Northbrook, IL
You mention above that you have a 2016 car, have you changed the diff fluid? VW recommends every 3 yrs. You would do for one if you haven't...
 
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