APR Stage 2+ in Houston, Check Engine Light, Limp Mode on the way home...

[shaneo29]

Just a heads up to you guys going 2+ in Houston, make sure they flash you the Test Pipe tune...
I did the APR Stage 2+ tune today (non test pipe) with an APR down pipe, and the car pulls hard, it's awesome!! On the way home, the car over boosted (I'm assuming, I have no boost gauge yet) and went into Limp mode while wide open in 5th gear. restarted etc, The second time it happened, it threw a check engine light. When I got home, I called Pete and let him know, he called APR and they said to run the 'test pipe' flash, instead of the 'non test pipe' flash that we had selected (he let me watch the programming). They said I can still pass emissions running the test pipe tune, but this is where I'm confused, I was under the impression that the test pipe tune kept the O2 sensors in a 'not ready' state or something, which failed you on emissions testing... maybe someone can help me on this one???
My clutch was slipping at stage 1+, and now it's worse, and I only have 7000 miles on her, but damn, she pulls as hard as my stage 3 1.8T 2003 GTI.

Also installed were H&R springs with 15mm spacers for the rear, Neuspeed engine cover, Neuspeed discharge pipe, Neuspeed torque arm insert, and I already had the Neuspeed intake with APR Stage 1+ with APR fuel pump.

Pete had mentioned he had a couple R's' coming in tomorrow for similar mods, just letting you know, he'll be flashing the 'Test Pipe' tune.. maybe you can dig a little deeper with the questions?? just giving you a heads up, and I'll keep you updated as I find out more. If anyone else has any additional info, please chime in... I've done a lot of my mods based on info I've read from you guys that have paved the way, and I truly appreciate all the info everyone shares here... I still have a ways to go to be where I want to be, but I want to personally thank everyone that contributes their info, It helps me make the hard decisions when I read your pro's and con's on something I have an interest in... now if I could just figure out how to upload a pic hahaha...

[ThatVdub]

When I fiiled out the APR order form, you are given a drop down option for the exhaust mod you
have "High Flow Catalytic Converter/Testpipe" which is what I selected, but you are saying they
should be seperate, and I should run a strict test-pipe file?

If so, it really is BS that this was never mentioned to me.

http://www.goapr.com/includes/forms/orderform.pdf

[shaneo29]

when I was talking to Pete before we selected the 'high flow catalytic converter/ non test pipe', he was telling me that people were having problems passing emissions on the test pipe tune... then after he calls APR and calls me back, he tells me that APR is instructing him to do the 'high flow catalytic converter/TEST PIPE' tune for all Golf R's... so now I'm confused... when I was stage 2 on my 2010 GTI, I couldn't pass emissions because the tune held one or both of my O2 sensors in a 'not ready' state or something, and it would fail you on emissions here in TX. Pete said I wouldn't have that problem with the 'non test pipe' tune, so we selected it from the drop down menu to flash the ECU... Now they're telling us different. Supposedly, APR told Pete that I would pass emissions on the 'test pipe' tune, and that's why I'm confused, according to what my installer was telling me prior to the flash. I'll call APR when I wake up and try and sort it out... will keep you posted. But from what i understand so far, i have to go back and reflash the 'test pipe' to keep from throwing the CEL... hope this helps...

[John@Roc-Euro]

You'll throw a CEL for emissions with pretty much any non-stock catted downpipe. That being said I had not heard of the 2+ emissions failure for this platform.. Thought that was only a couple B8 A4's.

Second thought though- when my clutch slipped, the first time it happened it went overboost/limp mode with no CEL. The second time, when I pushed the car again, it went overboost/limp mode and THEN gave me a CEL. I got my clutch replaced and it held fine. All was well until last night, when I (assume) overboosted/limp mode.. first time on the new clutch. Fun Fun. Pulling the codes in a few.