g60_corrado_91
Go Kart Champion
- Location
- IL
- Car(s)
- 2006 GTI 6MT Pkg 1
This isn't going to be a short review.
Back in late 2007, I had my car flashed to APR Stg 2. I believe it was the revision 3 file, which is what it still is to date for the FSI. My car is almost completely full bolt-on, minus a HPFP, catch can, W/M, and single mass flywheel and performance clutch.
This is how it sits now. It sat just like this with the APR Stg 2.
Unitronic Stg 2, P flo with AEM Dry Flo filter, BSH TB pipe, BSH PCV blockoff, BSH boost tap, NGK BRK7E (one step colder copper plugs), EJ Grenade DV relocate, OEM S3 intercooler, ATP catless DP, Autotech CB, BSH pendulum, transmission, and engine mounts, VF short shifter, 42DD shifter bushings, H&R super sport springs, cupkit struts, MSW Type 15 wheels, Hankook V12 EVO 225/45/17 tires.
Before I go any further, I have nothing against APR to date. I just felt that my car could be making a little more power and that Unitronic was more suited for me, especially because I will be going K04 down the road, and Unitronic adapts to 100 octane without needing a program. With that said, I will still be running an APR HPFP eventually.
Anyhow, my car had 20k on it when I went APR Stg 2 back in 2007. I ran it up until about 103k and didn't have any issues with it. My car got better mileage than it did when it was stock, and being able to switch to APR stock was pretty cool because I was able to run in a lower class for autox. When I did get it, I always noticed boost fluctuations, but that turned out to be a bad camshaft that ate my cam follower at Tail of the Dragon in April of 2009 at 46k. I scanned it out there and was able to limp it home, where the dealership who flashed my car replaced the HPFP, camshaft, and follower under warranty with a Type B, 2 piece cam. Smooth, linear boost, like I hadn't ever seen before since it was always like that even at 20k with the Stg 2 boost levels.
Flash forward to 2012. I decided to see what Unitronic was all about. While I was having the timing belt done at Mobil One in Glenview, I had them flash it to Unitronic Stg 2. The best way I can describe Unitronic is that it’s deceivingly quick. The power delivery is very smooth and linear, and it holds more boost past 5,000 rpm’s where APR Stg 2 fell off. APR hit harder down low, but part of that was because APR was requesting only 15.8psi, yet was hitting 18.3psi @ 3,440 rpm. Unitronic over-boosted a little, requesting 17.7psi and hitting 18.85psi @ 3,760 rpm. Not as much though. Up top, APR was at 12.75psi at 5,000 rpm. Unitronic is at 15psi @ 5,000 rpm. At 6,760 rpm, APR was hitting 7.25psi. By contrast, Unitronic was still hitting 10psi at the same rpm. I will mention that once APR was past the over-boosting in the beginning, it held its actual boost much closer to the specified amounts, as opposed to Unitronic, which specified more boost than it could obtain. Maybe that’s because I don’t have an aftermarket HPFP?
Here are the logs:
APR
Unitronic
Power Figures + Dyno Videos
All of the dyno numbers are weather corrected and performed on a Mustang 1100-SE AWD Dyno. I prefer “lower reading” dyno’s because they’re more realistic. The two dyno's are only a few thousand miles apart. Both 93 Shell V Power, same tires, only the addition of motor mounts and the tunes are the changes.
APR Results:
227whp @ 6,021 rpm
253.4wtq @ 3,721 rpm
Unitronic Results:
230.9whp @ 6,824 rpm
241.6wtq @ 4,478 rpm
Notice the AFR's.
The weather was not ideal for the Unitronic dyno. While it is weather corrected, the air was not dry and crisp, and it was only peaking at 16psi, where you can see it was hitting 18-19 in mid 30’s dry air. Either way, Unitronic made more power, and the AFR’s were safer than APR’s file was. Unitronic did make less torque, but it’s more linear, not the crazy spike that the APR Stg 2 had. Yes, it was fun, but then it’d really drop off past 5,000 rpm where the Unitronic keeps pulling.
Here is a comparison of the APR and Unitronic dyno run on one graph. Ignore the AFR's on this one since they don't coordinate to each tune properly.
Other miscellaneous notes and testimonials:
Overall, I’m happy I have Unitronic now. I have run 100 octane on two occasions now. I was skeptical about it actually adapting at first, but it really does adjust for 100 octane. I like the fact that I don’t have to buy a specific program in order to run a different fuel. Everyone is different, but I honestly didn’t use stock mode that often at all, so not having that doesn’t bother me either. Another thing worth mentioning is the cost to upgrade to K04 specific software. Unitronic charges less, quite. Having a 7,100 rpm fuel cut is sort of cool too. That extra 100rpm really is weird to have.
To wrap things up, I really enjoy the Unitronic tune. My car pulls harder, can run 100 octane, gets the same mileage as it did with APR, yet feels smoother. I recommend it.
Back in late 2007, I had my car flashed to APR Stg 2. I believe it was the revision 3 file, which is what it still is to date for the FSI. My car is almost completely full bolt-on, minus a HPFP, catch can, W/M, and single mass flywheel and performance clutch.
This is how it sits now. It sat just like this with the APR Stg 2.
Unitronic Stg 2, P flo with AEM Dry Flo filter, BSH TB pipe, BSH PCV blockoff, BSH boost tap, NGK BRK7E (one step colder copper plugs), EJ Grenade DV relocate, OEM S3 intercooler, ATP catless DP, Autotech CB, BSH pendulum, transmission, and engine mounts, VF short shifter, 42DD shifter bushings, H&R super sport springs, cupkit struts, MSW Type 15 wheels, Hankook V12 EVO 225/45/17 tires.
Before I go any further, I have nothing against APR to date. I just felt that my car could be making a little more power and that Unitronic was more suited for me, especially because I will be going K04 down the road, and Unitronic adapts to 100 octane without needing a program. With that said, I will still be running an APR HPFP eventually.
Anyhow, my car had 20k on it when I went APR Stg 2 back in 2007. I ran it up until about 103k and didn't have any issues with it. My car got better mileage than it did when it was stock, and being able to switch to APR stock was pretty cool because I was able to run in a lower class for autox. When I did get it, I always noticed boost fluctuations, but that turned out to be a bad camshaft that ate my cam follower at Tail of the Dragon in April of 2009 at 46k. I scanned it out there and was able to limp it home, where the dealership who flashed my car replaced the HPFP, camshaft, and follower under warranty with a Type B, 2 piece cam. Smooth, linear boost, like I hadn't ever seen before since it was always like that even at 20k with the Stg 2 boost levels.
Flash forward to 2012. I decided to see what Unitronic was all about. While I was having the timing belt done at Mobil One in Glenview, I had them flash it to Unitronic Stg 2. The best way I can describe Unitronic is that it’s deceivingly quick. The power delivery is very smooth and linear, and it holds more boost past 5,000 rpm’s where APR Stg 2 fell off. APR hit harder down low, but part of that was because APR was requesting only 15.8psi, yet was hitting 18.3psi @ 3,440 rpm. Unitronic over-boosted a little, requesting 17.7psi and hitting 18.85psi @ 3,760 rpm. Not as much though. Up top, APR was at 12.75psi at 5,000 rpm. Unitronic is at 15psi @ 5,000 rpm. At 6,760 rpm, APR was hitting 7.25psi. By contrast, Unitronic was still hitting 10psi at the same rpm. I will mention that once APR was past the over-boosting in the beginning, it held its actual boost much closer to the specified amounts, as opposed to Unitronic, which specified more boost than it could obtain. Maybe that’s because I don’t have an aftermarket HPFP?
Here are the logs:
APR
Unitronic
Power Figures + Dyno Videos
All of the dyno numbers are weather corrected and performed on a Mustang 1100-SE AWD Dyno. I prefer “lower reading” dyno’s because they’re more realistic. The two dyno's are only a few thousand miles apart. Both 93 Shell V Power, same tires, only the addition of motor mounts and the tunes are the changes.
APR Results:
227whp @ 6,021 rpm
253.4wtq @ 3,721 rpm
Unitronic Results:
230.9whp @ 6,824 rpm
241.6wtq @ 4,478 rpm
Notice the AFR's.
The weather was not ideal for the Unitronic dyno. While it is weather corrected, the air was not dry and crisp, and it was only peaking at 16psi, where you can see it was hitting 18-19 in mid 30’s dry air. Either way, Unitronic made more power, and the AFR’s were safer than APR’s file was. Unitronic did make less torque, but it’s more linear, not the crazy spike that the APR Stg 2 had. Yes, it was fun, but then it’d really drop off past 5,000 rpm where the Unitronic keeps pulling.
Here is a comparison of the APR and Unitronic dyno run on one graph. Ignore the AFR's on this one since they don't coordinate to each tune properly.
Other miscellaneous notes and testimonials:
Overall, I’m happy I have Unitronic now. I have run 100 octane on two occasions now. I was skeptical about it actually adapting at first, but it really does adjust for 100 octane. I like the fact that I don’t have to buy a specific program in order to run a different fuel. Everyone is different, but I honestly didn’t use stock mode that often at all, so not having that doesn’t bother me either. Another thing worth mentioning is the cost to upgrade to K04 specific software. Unitronic charges less, quite. Having a 7,100 rpm fuel cut is sort of cool too. That extra 100rpm really is weird to have.
To wrap things up, I really enjoy the Unitronic tune. My car pulls harder, can run 100 octane, gets the same mileage as it did with APR, yet feels smoother. I recommend it.
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