APR Tune Running Real Rich

[prestige.phantom]

Hello everyone!

I am still running my APR Tune with me new (used) motor, and I've noticed it is running really rich.

I can tell because the car is spitting out a LOT of black smoke under acceleration. Enough that my brother noticed it when following behind me. Enough that when I reved the car in a parking garage I saw the cloud of smoke hovering.

I am also getting atrocious fuel economy (YES, sometimes it is because of the way I drive and the traffic I have had to contend with recently, but I should not be getting this poor of fuel economy).

The shop that put the motor in said this is a common characteristic of APR tunes, but I wanted to see everyone else's opinion.

Rn, I am considering switching tunes to 034 because then I can flash at home, I have their TCU file already, and I have heard great things.

Curious as to everyone else's opinion...

[Audisthesia]

Interesting, running rich isn't so great for your cats either....

[prestige.phantom]

Interesting, running rich isn't so great for your cats either....

EXACTLY, I am very certain that part of my cat failure was due to that (NOT Blaming the tune entirely, but I dont think it helped).

And I have BRAND NEW Cats with like 500miles on them on the car so this smoke should not be this bad.

[Yeoman]

MAF could be on it's way out.. a bad one will cause the engine to run rich

[MTV10]

Aren't these cars MAFless?

[Yeoman]

Aren't these cars MAFless?

You're correct - i believe the 3.0Ts use a couple of MAP sensors instead..

[2k16A6]

Noticeable black smoke on a new to you engine? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s something other than the tune, most likely hardware related…. Otherwise you would have had the same issue on your old engine, as would others with the same tune.

[sepheroth86]

Noticeable black smoke on a new to you engine? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s something other than the tune, most likely hardware related…. Otherwise you would have had the same issue on your old engine, as would others with the same tune.

Might be worth a compression and leak down test. May have a dead cylinder.

Although mine has always done that when stepping into the throttle.

[Mark.in.tulsa]

Do you have a way to check your afr like via Torque app?

[Alabama]

The shop that put the motor in said this is a common characteristic of APR tunes, but I wanted to see everyone else's opinion.

For what it's worth, I don't recall anyone writing on AZ that any vendor's off the shelf Stage 1 tune suddenly caused black smoke when the tune was first activated.

[TexasDfwS4]

Are the plugs correct for this new to you engine, have you looked at them to see if they were new or older liking?

[Botbasher]

Noticeable black smoke on a new to you engine? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s something other than the tune...

Like a Redwood sized limb.... thinking there's not a lot of risk!! [:D]

Cheers,

KS

[ericw.]

Oxygen sensor going out could also cause a rich or lean scenario. Run it and scan codes frequently. Unlikely to be the tune.

[prestige.phantom]

Noticeable black smoke on a new to you engine? I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s something other than the tune, most likely hardware related…. Otherwise you would have had the same issue on your old engine, as would others with the same tune.

Noticed it with the other engine as well, but the cats were clogged up and destroyed.

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Are the plugs correct for this new to you engine, have you looked at them to see if they were new or older liking?

Fresh OEM plugs and coils

[Audibellybutton]

Noticed it with the other engine as well, but the cats were clogged up and destroyed.

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Fresh OEM plugs and coils

what did you gap them at?

[prestige.phantom]

what did you gap them at?

Stock

[prestige.phantom]

To clarify: It is not like diesel rolling coal levels of smoke. Its like catless tuned car levels of smoke.

See attached video (not the best video ever but should give you the idea).


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RBbIVZ_MSck7NdO2mTSwsvrbIO1M2bHv/view?usp=sharing

[Audibellybutton]

Stock

for your power level I think you need a tighter gap. although I THINK this would manifest itself in misfires, its not something you can rule out. but its a possibility, if you're not getting adequate spark itll run rich too. I would run some techron additive in the tank and see if that helps at all. Its good for the engine and fuel system anyways so no hurt in trying that

Edit: as i think into it more, your oxygen sensors definitely are a likely suspect as stated above.

[GilliamOS]

Nobody has mentioned PCV here. That could have failed.

[Botbasher]

To clarify: It is not like diesel rolling coal levels of smoke. Its like catless tuned car levels of smoke.

I've seen Lambos and Ferrari puff that much on hard accel!

With an OTS tune and no cats... I would think that little amount is pretty good. The OTS tune has to make sure that you don't run lean under any condition, so it is always going to be a little fat. Take away the cats (Shame on you!!) and all that they would have collected and burned goes out the back. Bet that really stinks, huh? Especially in a parking structure! [=(]

Get a good custom tune (after you confirm that it's not a mechanical issue) and I think you'll be a lot happier!!

Cheers,

KS

[Botbasher]

Noticed it with the other engine as well, but the cats were clogged up and destroyed.

Now I wonder what could have clogged them up?? [facepalm]

I'm betting it did this with the previous motor and the cats hid it as long as they could. Sounding more and more like a tuning issue. What does APR have to say about it?

How did you defeat the rear O2 sensor DTC?

Cheers,

KS

[ericw.]

Now I wonder what could have clogged them up?? [facepalm]

I'm betting it did this with the previous motor and the cats hid it as long as they could. Sounding more and more like a tuning issue. What does APR have to say about it?

How did you defeat the rear O2 sensor DTC?

Cheers,

KS

APR doesn't make custom tunes. Every car running their tune has the same file so if it was a issue with the tune, there would be hundreds of people with the same problem.

I believe OP is not catless and he's only stage 1, and APR stage 1 you can buy directly from some Audi Sport dealers when the car is new.

[sepheroth86]

Now I wonder what could have clogged them up?? [facepalm]

I'm betting it did this with the previous motor and the cats hid it as long as they could. Sounding more and more like a tuning issue. What does APR have to say about it?

How did you defeat the rear O2 sensor DTC?

Cheers,

KS


APR doesn't make custom tunes. Every car running their tune has the same file so if it was a issue with the tune, there would be hundreds of people with the same problem.

I believe OP is not catless and he's only stage 1, and APR stage 1 you can buy directly from some Audi Sport dealers when the car is new.

OP has new cats installed just prior to the engine failure.

[Audibellybutton]

it would be a rare occurrence but not impossible that maybe you have a leaky injector and your previous motor did too?

[esemes]

flash to the oem file and run it for a day or so. Even though they never advanced their r&d, APR dialed in their tunes for this platform.. I think it could be the octane map set.. (?)

[Akakios]

To clarify: It is not like diesel rolling coal levels of smoke. Its like catless tuned car levels of smoke.

See attached video (not the best video ever but should give you the idea).


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RBbIVZ_MSck7NdO2mTSwsvrbIO1M2bHv/view?usp=sharing

That's 100% normal with the amount of tuning and such you have going on imo.

The motor sounded extremely healthy audibly

[prestige.phantom]

Nobody has mentioned PCV here. That could have failed.

This is what I am currently thinking. I am throwing a DTC code #20136 which is for a PCV valve malfunction. I am also definitely burning some oil, and I did the oil cap trick and there was a decent amount of suction. I have contacted the shop because they were supposed to put a new PCV in the new-to-me motor.

[prestige.phantom]

flash to the oem file and run it for a day or so. Even though they never advanced their r&d, APR dialed in their tunes for this platform.. I think it could be the octane map set.. (?)

This is the annoying thing about APR. I would have to take the car back to an APR dealer and pay to flash back.

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OP has new cats installed just prior to the engine failure.

Correct

[ericw.]

This is the annoying thing about APR. I would have to take the car back to an APR dealer and pay to flash back.

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Correct

That depends... When they flash your car, they usually can flash more than 1 file onto the ECU. You can switch through those tunes using the wiper stick or some other button combination but the simplest way is of course, an add-on OBD dongle and app that you download on your phone.

With the OBD dongle and app, you can switch between files that are installed on your ECU. One of those files could be your stock tune if you choose to have that at the time of original flashing.

When I had APR, my tunes were setup as..
1. 91 octane stage 3
2. 93 octane stage 3
3. 100 octane stage 3
4. stock
5. valet

[sepheroth86]

That depends... When they flash your car, they usually can flash more than 1 file onto the ECU. You can switch through those tunes using the wiper stick or some other button combination but the simplest way is of course, an add-on OBD dongle and app that you download on your phone.

With the OBD dongle and app, you can switch between files that are installed on your ECU. One of those files could be your stock tune if you choose to have that at the time of original flashing.

When I had APR, my tunes were setup as..
1. 91 octane stage 3
2. 93 octane stage 3
3. 100 octane stage 3
4. stock
5. valet

I don't think program switching is available on the 3.0t.

[Akakios]

This is what I am currently thinking. I am throwing a DTC code #20136 which is for a PCV valve malfunction. I am also definitely burning some oil, and I did the oil cap trick and there was a decent amount of suction. I have contacted the shop because they were supposed to put a new PCV in the new-to-me motor.

PCV malfunction will definitely throw more smoke out.

[prestige.phantom]

I don't think program switching is available on the 3.0t.

This

[ericw.]

I don't think program switching is available on the 3.0t.

more reason to go 4.0t [:p]

[Optimus247]

There is a Service Bulletin/Recall for the O2 sensors ... Mine was rolling like a coal truck ... O2 sensor fixed at Dealership for Free ... problem solved ...

[prestige.phantom]

There is a Service Bulletin/Recall for the O2 sensors ... Mine was rolling like a coal truck ... O2 sensor fixed at Dealership for Free ... problem solved ...

for the 3.0?