GIAC tune - transformed the car

[wolfsburgnative]

Thanks to the guys at Streamline Industries in Salt Lake City, I got my R flashed with the GIAC software today...and I love it.

I had been following the threads and the numerous positive comments about APR. However, the group at Streamline is really the closest, most friendly, professional and knowledgable one to me here in Utah. As many forum users have stated before, go with the tuner that is trustworthy and will take care of your car. These guys really did for me.

Living in Utah, we are limited to 91 octane fuel. I really wanted a tune developed for that gasoline rating. I talked with Austin at GIAC in CA at the beginning of the week and he was very upfront, friendly and straight out tech savvy. He said that they had finished the development of the software, but were waiting on some final dyno numbers before marketing the tune. I told him that I was interested and he sent the file to the guys here in SLC to flash my car. They did it this morning and then ran a bunch of data logs to confirm the way the flash should run, especially given that were are at significant altitude and the development was at sea level. GIAC feedback was that it performed flawlessly. We did not dyno it, but the car's behavior transformed enormously.

I can say that the throttle response is super linear. No hickups, no drops, no drop off. Torque is noticeably stronger at any rpm, even in the very low range around 1500-2200. Once the engine hits 2700 rpm, the turbo spools immediately and everything just takes off. Like night and day compared to before.

Talking with the group here and the guys at GIAC, the restrictions to power now are the airflow in and out. That means that a CAI and downpipe are in the immediate works. Still doing my homework on which way to go. The good news is that I won't need a reflash to accomodate the downpipe or CAI. The software tune is adaptive for these. Next thing coming down the pipe, I understand, is a reworking of the software for a high-performance fuel pump...will have to wait and see.

Oh, the great news about the GIAC tune is that it comes with three switchable programs, stock, pump (91 octane) and race/track. These are switchable via OBD II mapping cable that comes with the software install and will be made switchable via bluetooth/iphone app I hear.

Anyway, love the car now. It has been said before, this is how it should have come from the factory. So happy I went with a shop that knows what they are doing, they made a new customer for life. Also ecstatic to have a tune developed for our fuel measure.

Now, on to the intake and downpipe. Any suggestions are welcome.

[Lamfalus]

Oh, the great news about the GIAC tune is that it comes with three switchable programs, stock, pump (91 octane) and race/track. These are switchable via OBD II mapping cable that comes with the software install and will be made switchable via bluetooth/iphone app I hear.

Interesting... APR can only be using those extra bits that GIAC found for more power. Though switchable via OBDII cable may just me you are allowed to reprogram, not that all 3 programs are stored.

[Lucas_R]

You made the right choice with the GIAC tune. Here in Australia, our fastest K04 Golf GTI's and R's re running the GIAC Extreme tune and doing low to mid 12 second quarter miles.

APR can't keep up with them.

[Heinrich]

So would this flash be invisible to dealer by revert to stock?

[droopy1592]

So would this flash be invisible to dealer by revert to stock?

Not if they count the flashes

[triman11427]

So would this flash be invisible to dealer by revert to stock?

You can't hide the flashes. I was told many dealers really don't check the ECU unless there is a recall for an issue which may or may not involve resetting the ECU.

[BlazedR]

good to finally hear about the GIAC flash for our car. I'll be getting my R flashed with GIAC very soon

[smd3]

...I really wanted a tune developed for that gasoline rating...

APR's got a 91 octane tune, don't they?

I wish someone could explain how GIAC managed to make a switchable program, when APR can't or won't. Did they have to pull the ECU? Maybe they soldered something on?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, you say it's switchable via an OBD-II Mapping cable? Do you have to have another piece of hardware?

[VWPDX]

APR's got a 91 octane tune, don't they?

I wish someone could explain how GIAC managed to make a switchable program, when APR can't or won't. Did they have to pull the ECU? Maybe they soldered something on?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, you say it's switchable via an OBD-II Mapping cable? Do you have to have another piece of hardware?

It sounds like the tunes are stored externally and switched with a device. I would assume the bluetooth smartphone app has a receiver you leave plugged in the port? I think APR is concerned about tune pirating.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[YoungMedic]

It sounds like the tunes are stored externally and switched with a device.

Correct Flash Loader

[blue20th-forcefed]

Good to hear, looking forward to
Numbers on the dyno.





Rarhare

[chwmy]

Correct Flash Loader

Unless things have changed, the flashloader does not store anything- it just switches programs.

[wolfsburgnative]

Thanks for the correction...it is a flashloader. From my understanding, the flashloader does not store and reflash the ECU. All tuning variations are stored in the ECU, the flashloader only switches them, sort of like APR does via the stalk. That is why GIAC can manage to have it done via an app down the road.

Not too concerned about my dealer finding out about the tune. In fact, my dealer is who recommended the tune and the shop, and they are well aware that I had it done. They were upfront about covering warranty items unless you can clearly link the breakdown/malfunction to my careless driving.

Enjoying the tune more and more. Feels so linear. Certainly don't regret my decision.

[SHO'NUFF]

[YoungMedic]

so if its true that the GOLF R ECU cannot store multiple programs,(which has yet to be confirmed by any tuner) then the flashloader is negated anyways correct?

I'm holding out until I can get confirmation whether I can get multiple programs flashed or not

[Bahltech]

Yes, the Golf R ECU can store multiple programs, as of now only GIAC can do this along with the Audi TT RS and the new S4 with switchable maps. The handheld flashloader is more of a switcher, like there bleutooth dongle with the android app. It does not contain any maps.


www.bahltech.com

[Bahltech]

http://www.giacusa.com/news.php?newsid=134


www.bahltech.com

[CrocoStimpy]

I'm just curious... GIAC doesn't have anything like the APR High Pressure Fuel Pump, so even if GIAC gets a bit more performance out of just the basic software upgrade, aren't you limiting yourselves?

[Bahltech]

GIAC does offer stage 2 files for upgraded HPFP, you can use autotech, pumps which I use for stage 2 FSI, or even APR's pump. The files are just not released to the US public for now. Just a matter of days now.


www.bahltech.com

[ThatVdub]

anyone else go GIAC in the USA?

[BlazedR]

anyone else go GIAC in the USA?

I'll be going with GIAC on my R since my company is already a dealer anyways. And honestly both my self, our techs, and our customers have had much better experiences with GIAC over APR software. Nothing against APR as a company, I just greatly prefer GIAC software. I'll be jumping from stock straight to stage 2+ sometime next month. I still need to get a HPFP, turboback exhaust (most likely Scorpion), and a new intercooler (debating between Forge, Eurojet, and APR).

[ThatVdub]

Yeah, I think I will be going GIAC as well, a great shop in my town swears by them.

The downer is that people switch from GIAC to UM on the MK4 R32 and swear UM killed GIAC.

Interestingly, NO ONE posted ANY before and after dyno's. GIAC it is.
Believe they have a money back guarantee.

What are the GIAC Stage 1 and Stage 2 HP figures?

Edit: From MK6 site

GIAC's Flashloader Wireless App (FWA) gives you smart phone access to cool car enthusiast calculators and tools. The Racer’s Toolbox is included with this free download.

· Use info from your ¼ mile time slip, car weight, and track conditions to estimate HP.

· Estimate your MPH at a specific RPM or RPM at a specific MPH using tire diameter and gear ratio.

· Calculate your engine displacement using the bore, stroke, and number of cylinders.

· Calculate compression ratio using the bore and stroke along with combustion chamber, head gasket and deck height volume.

· Calculate the thickness of the head gasket spacer shim using starting compression, bore, stroke and desired lower compression.

· Convert various units such as horsepower, kilowatt/hours, foot/lbs torque, PSI, bar, Celsius/ Fahrenheit and others.

· View the FWA’s engine software switcher demo, if you haven’t already purchased GIAC switching software and a GIAC DME Transceiver Module (DTM).

With the purchase of a GIAC DTM engine software switcher and compatible GIAC engine software, the FWA also gives you control of the GIAC-tuned software programs in your car's computer with a touch of a button. Potential software options include stock programming, performance programming for pump gas, performance programming for 100 octane gas, valet mode, and antitheft mode.

GIAC DTM users can also download and install latest GIAC firmware updates, as they become available, to the GIAC DTM via button selection on the FWA.

Additional accessories, such as the boost gauge feature, are in development.

GIAC’s MSRP for the DTM is $175. The DTM is compatible with all GIAC software for Seat/Skoda VAG/Audi, BMW and Porsche with the following exceptions: 2007 N54 BMW and 1997-1999 A4 applications. This product is not currently available for Bentley models.

Please note that stock will be limited at release time, however, we will work to build them as quickly as possible.

[Optimus812]

I was originally thinking of going with APR, but not having the ability to change tunes is a bummer. GIAC is now looking like the tune I will go with unless we have others that allow tune switching on the R. I have access to 100 and could even mix 100 with the crap 91 we have at the pump to make 93.

Dave

[climbingcue]

The downer is that people switch from GIAC to UM on the MK4 R32 and swear UM killed GIAC.

Interestingly, NO ONE posted ANY before and after dyno's. GIAC it is.
Believe they have a money back guarantee.

If you are talking about the MKIV, the dyno's and all data have been posted, my car was one of the ones that did a before and after dyno with the GIAC cam file and then flashed the car wtih Atwood's C2 cam file (which was before he started UM) and the UM new file is even better than his old C2 file.

Bill

[ThatVdub]

bill can u post the dyno plots here?

[Rdurty2]

bill can u post the dyno plots here?

posting them here is just going to confuse everyone. You can't really compare VR6 tunes to 2.0T tunes anyways.

The dyno's aren't hard to find if you search the Mk4 R32 forums. I believe there were a few people that posted dyno's and UM's cam tune definitely beat out GIAC's.

[ThatVdub]

so, a link to where all conditons were the same, and just a flash was changed during two runs
is in the MK4 section somewhere?

[Rdurty2]

so, a link to where all conditons were the same, and just a flash was changed during two runs
is in the MK4 section somewhere?

Why are you going on and on about this in the Golf R section? Go post up in the Mk4 R32 section.

You owned a Mk4 R, go do some legwork

[climbingcue]

bill can u post the dyno plots here?

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...highlight=giac

[ThatVdub]

You owned a Mk4 R, go do some legwork

I still own one I did all the reading, never saw anything concrete or from an unbiased source.

Thanks.

[20AEgti-MK5R]

I had Giac on my 20thae loved it, for my R though I went with Unitronic stage 2 for now, and also love it. just need me a hpfp now......

[Arin@APR]

APR's got a 91 octane tune, don't they?

Our 91 octane program is for 91 octane fuel.

I wish someone could explain how GIAC managed to make a switchable program, when APR can't or won't. Did they have to pull the ECU? Maybe they soldered something on?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, you say it's switchable via an OBD-II Mapping cable? Do you have to have another piece of hardware?

We have Golf R program switching on our list of thing to do. We do not use any external hardware to switch our flashes, while others do. That plays a roll in it.

The Golf R has less free memory than other MED9 ECU's, such as the MK5 GTI. The program switching routines we used on MED9 involved compressing full files for each octane mode in the free space and not simply changing only a few maps. We've successfully created program switching with less space and without external hardware so this is something we're looking to do for the Golf R.

You can read the patent information here:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=lsI...page&q&f=false

[wolfsburgnative]

Appreciate all the discussion on this post. Just to give you an update, have had the GIAC tune for over 800 miles now. Still love it. It felt as though the ECU almost adapted after the first couple of days. Torque is tremendous and super linear. Again, no dips, flat runs, just endless power surge. The flashloader is a piece of cake to use. The cord is short and sits in my glovebox. Just plug into OBD II, push the botton for the program you want, and voila. That said, I have really no need to change it. Why would I want to run stock program? And, I am not at the track that often. But, I can see how it will come in handy to have a track tune for when I can get some high octane fuel.

Will give an update on how things change once the DP and CAI are on. Both are on order and due to be here in the next two weeks.

[zznalg]

To the OP and anyone else with a GIAC tune, what are your opinions and experiences? Do you recommend the GIAC tune for our Rs?

[luvadubdub]

My dealer (in Canada) has told me that some of their techs with flashed GTI's have received letters from VW stating that they have been informed through dealer diagnostic equipment their cars have been tuned and warranty is now void. Is this possible or is it possible on the GTI due to the different tuning method?