Shark visit - impressive results!

[rob_e]

Ok, so anyone who I've been chatting with recently (or anyone who reads the random musings I post on my PH blog) will know I've been running the car stock ie without the shark map for the last few months - I'd been having a few misfire problems which were only apparent with the map loaded, but the car ran fine on the stock map...

As Shark is a bit of a trek for me I'd had a local independent to check the car over and they'd concluded (wrongly, it turns out) that the map was at fault, hence me returning to stock. Ben did what he could to assist via email with a couple of revisions but the issue was still there.

Although frustrated I didn't want to give up on the shark, especially as there didn't seem to be anyone else with similar issues on briskoda, and Ben was saying that mine appeared to be the only one with the problem, leading him to believe the problem was car related, not the map.

Anyway, cut a long story short (too late?!) I went up to see Ben in Mansfield today. After a pretty short time on the diagnostics he correctly diagnosed a failing coil pack. A local replacement was sourced and fitted and the car now ran great on the shark map.

Given that I'd made the effort to get up to Mansfield and there were no other customer cars in the workshop, Ben very kindly offered to spend some with my car on the rollers to see if there was any more to come with the map, with some minor tweaking.. this ended up being close to two hours of effort on his part - thanks Ben! what a top bloke

To say I'm impressed with the result is a major understatement! I have a few graphs that I'll post when I can get access to a scanner, but here's the skinny:

Stock map ran 210bhp (although it only seemed to "peak" at that level for a split second then drop back down to 200-ish). Based on that I'd say the Dyno was calibrated pretty much spot on.

First run on the "original" stage 1 map showed peak 241bhp and 386Nm which is pretty good.

Best run on the tweaked stage 1 map showed a peak 245bhp and 436Nm torque (!) and that with a hot car and an ambient temp in the dyno room of 29 degrees!

Ben also did me a graph showing the stock map overlaid with the final revision. What's key is not the headline numbers (although both are impressive in isolation) but the difference between the two curves. The power curve in the mid-range is circa 70bhp higher than OE, and torque near 100Nm higher! All this is where you'll feel it most, for accelleration, overtaking etc.

Unfortunately, monsoon conditions on the drive home meant I couldn't really explore the "envelope" more than a couple of times, but it feels really smooth, at low speeds and small throttle inputs just like the OE map, but when it start so go its a VERY stong pull!

Huge thanks to Ben for sorting out my problem and for going the extra mile with some great revisions to the map. I cannot recommend Shark highly enough!

[rob_e]

Ok, got the scanner fired up, here they are:

The "original" stage 1 map, 241bhp, 386Nm:

The best result of the day, this is the revised stage 1 map, 245bhp, 436Nm:

n.b. you can see i also had a misfire from another cylinder in this run, not had that repeat but maybe i need to get all the remaining coilpacks done just in case..

And finally, here's the comparison graph, this is much later in the day and the car is pretty hot by now, showing "reference" as the OE map at 210hp, 303Nm vs the revised stage 1 at 243hp, 419Nm.

Stage 1 lines are not only higher up the page, but also less spikey!

[Clarky]

Hmmm. My car is almost identical age and spec to yours and runs the same Shark map.

Took it for it's 20k service today and asked the mechanic to check boost pressure and pipes as I felt there were one or two flat spots in the delivery and it didn't seem as quick as when it was first remapped.

His verdict was that it was one of the tightest VRS he'd ever driven and that the power delivery was (in his words) really impressive. I guess I've become accustomed to the extra grunt and I am a just a picky git.

Would love to get it on the rollers though and properly dialled in. Just need to decide on an excuse to get over to Mansfield!

[TsvRS]

How long does it take to get to Mansfield . . . ?

Very impressive service.

[Nicky boy]

Glad it's sorted rob. Isn't the TSI supposed to make 255bhp? Are you putting it down to temperature that you didn't make that figure?

[shark_90]

We quote 250hp from the TSI, 4.6hp behind after the car's been in a hot dyno room for 3.5 hours isn't far off

It was good to meet you Rob and I'm pleased that you're happy with it, and of course the service!

[D@z]

also more than happy with my stage 1 Shark map, hoping to be stage 2 before Christmas! actually surprised it came in at 145hp, mines feels like more! will find out soon, Im attending a RR day on the 22nd of October!

Edited 21 September, 2011 by daz_pd

[rob_e]

Glad it's sorted rob. Isn't the TSI supposed to make 255bhp? Are you putting it down to temperature that you didn't make that figure?

Yes, an enlosed hot space & a hot car will mean that on the road it will probably be a higher figure, but to be honest I'm not too bothered about the headline bhp. Its the big gap between the two lines on the comparison graph that tells the story about how this goes on the road. The torque is the impressive number btw!

:p

[Nicky boy]

Sorry to be picky but the website quotes 255bhp.

I'm looking at stage 2 also soon but the cost seems quite high vs gain.

I do agree with how your comment about the curve though. My engineering degree taught me something that I still remember, just!

[zeffania]

also more than happy with my stage 1 Shark map, hoping to be stage 2 before Christmas! actually surprised it came in at 145hp, mines feels like more! will find out soon, Im attending a RR day on the 22nd of October!

Daz, what have you got?

[D@z]

2.0 TSI VRS mate

[mdk1]

2.0 TSI VRS mate

And you only got 145bhp i would get your money back.

or is that a typo?

[D@z]

I was referring to Robs car, but yeah the 145 is a typo, should have said 245. although 145 is still 5 more than your car

[mdk1]

I was referring to Robs car, but yeah the 145 is a typo, should have said 245. although 145 is still 5 more than your car

Although i have had mine on two sets of rollers and std it's making 159bhp :yes:

[999pooch]

Ok, so anyone who I've been chatting with recently (or anyone who reads the random musings I post on my PH blog) will know I've been running the car stock ie without the shark map for the last few months - I'd been having a few misfire problems which were only apparent with the map loaded, but the car ran fine on the stock map...

As Shark is a bit of a trek for me I'd had a local independent to check the car over and they'd concluded (wrongly, it turns out) that the map was at fault, hence me returning to stock. Ben did what he could to assist via email with a couple of revisions but the issue was still there.

Although frustrated I didn't want to give up on the shark, especially as there didn't seem to be anyone else with similar issues on briskoda, and Ben was saying that mine appeared to be the only one with the problem, leading him to believe the problem was car related, not the map.

Anyway, cut a long story short (too late?!) I went up to see Ben in Mansfield today. After a pretty short time on the diagnostics he correctly diagnosed a failing coil pack. A local replacement was sourced and fitted and the car now ran great on the shark map.

Given that I'd made the effort to get up to Mansfield and there were no other customer cars in the workshop, Ben very kindly offered to spend some with my car on the rollers to see if there was any more to come with the map, with some minor tweaking.. this ended up being close to two hours of effort on his part - thanks Ben! what a top bloke

To say I'm impressed with the result is a major understatement! I have a few graphs that I'll post when I can get access to a scanner, but here's the skinny:

Stock map ran 210bhp (although it only seemed to "peak" at that level for a split second then drop back down to 200-ish). Based on that I'd say the Dyno was calibrated pretty much spot on.

First run on the "original" stage 1 map showed peak 241bhp and 386Nm which is pretty good.

Best run on the tweaked stage 1 map showed a peak 245bhp and 436Nm torque (!) and that with a hot car and an ambient temp in the dyno room of 29 degrees!

Ben also did me a graph showing the stock map overlaid with the final revision. What's key is not the headline numbers (although both are impressive in isolation) but the difference between the two curves. The power curve in the mid-range is circa 70bhp higher than OE, and torque near 100Nm higher! All this is where you'll feel it most, for accelleration, overtaking etc.

Unfortunately, monsoon conditions on the drive home meant I couldn't really explore the "envelope" more than a couple of times, but it feels really smooth, at low speeds and small throttle inputs just like the OE map, but when it start so go its a VERY stong pull!

Huge thanks to Ben for sorting out my problem and for going the extra mile with some great revisions to the map. I cannot recommend Shark highly enough!

Hi Rob_e

This post could have almost been written by me! have read it a couple of times to get the facts straight.

I have a 2.0 TSI, march2011 mapped to Shark stage 1 at 5000 miles.

It then developed misfires between the 2-2.5k rev range.

I was at Shark last Friday, where Ben spent 4 hours 'tweeking' on the rollers.

Original stage 1 - 243bhp, 384nm (very similar to yours)

Tweeked stage 1- 254bhp, 414nm (again v similar)

However......my misfires happen during specific operation, that is, once the engine is warm it develops under relatively heavy acceleration from 2k. this happens for maybe 15 mins and then the car performs normally and the misfires disappear.

Sods law, Ben couldnt get it to misfire, and therefore couldnt diagnose the problem. So left Shark with the car driving unbelievabley quick and smooth.

The next day - problem still there! aaaarrgggghhhh!

So my question to you- has your misfire completely gone? what fault codes did it produce?

Also Nicky-boy, daz_pd, I think you will be surprised at the figures produced (on bens rollers anyway) as these are known to produce more realistic values, and lower than many other inflated RR's.

I thought, wrongly, that mine was about 260bhp, it certainly felt like it compared to stock. however what i will say is the tweeked stage 1 is even more impressive, and I think that is due to the increased torque.

Just to get rid of this damn problem......

[shark_90]

So my question to you- has your misfire completely gone? what fault codes did it produce?

Gary

Rob's problem was much more pronounced than yours, but I believe there is a replacement programme for coil packs at the moment and your car should fall under it. I have advised Rob to look in to the same thing. Give your dealer a call and see if there's a free set of new coil packs waiting for you

[D@z]

hmm, mine seems to be running fine (touch wood) although I very rarely feel the need to accelerate hard from 2k revs!

[shark_90]

I would also like to add that if any of the current STS owners would like the map that rob_e and 999pooch are running, then it is available FOC and can be obtained by emailing [email protected] with your registration number and full name.

[D@z]

Awesome, Im up for that!

[Lou_O]

Is the dyno new, Ben? I don't remember it from when I visited in December.

Edited 21 September, 2011 by Lou_O

[oobster]

I would also like to add that if any of the current STS owners would like the map that rob_e and 999pooch are running, then it is available FOC and can be obtained by emailing [email protected] with your registration number and full name.

Ben - email winging it's way to you in the next few minutes!

(I take it I will qualify for this being a MK2 FL petrol car and already own an STS?)

[999pooch]

Gary

Rob's problem was much more pronounced than yours, but I believe there is a replacement programme for coil packs at the moment and your car should fall under it. I have advised Rob to look in to the same thing. Give your dealer a call and see if there's a free set of new coil packs waiting for you

Ok cheers Ben. its at the dealers as we speak, they are looking at it this afternoon. so hopefully report back with there findings.

[shark_90]

Is the dyno new, Ben? I don't remember it from when I visited in December.

New along with a brand new premises - see http://www.youtube.com/user/sharkperformance for a lovely new vid

[Brimma]

Is the dyno new, Ben? I don't remember it from when I visited in December.

The premises are new from when you visited in December

[Lou_O]

New along with a brand new premises - see http://www.youtube.c...harkperformance for a lovely new vid

Super stuff, really pleased to see that.

Shows that people who look after customers will do well, even in tough times.