APR tune question

[carguy19]

I've returned back to a B8.5 car after being away from Audi for a few years.

My other 2 B8-8.5 cars both had the APR stage 2 flashes and bolt on mods.


My question is, when I did the last car, I was worried about a check engine light because I had a different exhaust setup then the APR kit. At the time, my tuner told me that I should not worry about the CEL, because APR's stage 2 software turns the O2 sensors off to limit the issues with aftermarket exhausts.


Is this still true?

Can someone explain exactly what's done in the tune to fix the engine light issue?

Would a test pipe or high flow cat setup still trigger a CEL, or does the adjustment in the software prevent a light coming on?

Just looking for the facts to decide the route I am going with the latest car I bought.

Thanks in advance everyone.

[18tyweslow]

Not related to your APR question (I had 034 with my S5), but what did you end up picking up? Did you find a Nogaro?

[carguy19]

Not related to your APR question (I had 034 with my S5), but what did you end up picking up? Did you find a Nogaro?

I am still looking for a Nogaro, but I bought a nice white w black car for the time being until I find the Nogaro.... Whenever that might be.

[sepheroth86]

APR does not disable the secondary O2.

I currently have a CEL for secondary O2 on APR software with gutted cats.

[Gunnarrrrr]

APR does not disable the secondary O2.

I currently have a CEL for secondary O2 on APR software with gutted cats.

stage 1 or stage 2? it’s common for all of the tuners to leave secondary 02 on for stage 1, but disabled for stage 2, since stage 2 is essentially just stage 1 with a downpipe.


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[carguy19]

APR does not disable the secondary O2.

I currently have a CEL for secondary O2 on APR software with gutted cats.

When the APR tunes still had the EMCS (Map switching), they were disabled in the tune. I had 2 other S4's with no light and my tuner told me specifically that APR did this because of the sensitivity of the rear O2's with aftermarket exhausts.

So they must have more recently changed that if it's true.

[SwankPeRFection]

stage 1 or stage 2? it’s common for all of the tuners to leave secondary 02 on for stage 1, but disabled for stage 2, since stage 2 is essentially just stage 1 with a downpipe.


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Since the whole EPA fiasco for other domestic car tuners a few years ago, it was supposedly changed around where APR went and updated all their files where they don’t disable the CELs for secondary O2 efficiency anymore.

[carguy19]

Since the whole EPA fiasco for other domestic car tuners a few years ago, it was supposedly changed around where APR went and updated all their files where they don’t disable the CELs for secondary O2 efficiency anymore.

Is there any workaround for this at all that you know of? Thanks for your reply.

[SwankPeRFection]

Is there any workaround for this at all that you know of? Thanks for your reply.

If you can get your hands on their test pipe file, if they’ll even still allow that, that’s about it. Other than that, you’re stuck with having to use spacers or actually run CATs. Maybe Evolution can chime in and say what’s up with what files are still available from APR in relation to this.

[f1torrents]

Is there any workaround for this at all that you know of? Thanks for your reply.

034

[Gunnarrrrr]

I already was wondering why on earth anyone would still be choosing apr for their tune. Now I really can’t believe someone would still go with them


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[carguy19]

I already was wondering why on earth anyone would still be choosing apr for their tune. Now I really can’t believe someone would still go with them


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I've had more then 10 cars with APR software, I have never had an issue or problem with them and they have always performed like stock; just as smooth, only faster.

I have driven S4's with GIAC and 034 stage 2 software, and although they feel almost the same to me at WOT, and just as fast, they are nowhere near as smooth.

During around town driving, part throttle, and throughout the RPM range (where everyone lives 90% of the time), nothing feels as smooth to me as the APR software. Besides the APR stuff never failing me, It's personal preference.

[Fresh.S4]

I already was wondering why on earth anyone would still be choosing apr for their tune. Now I really can’t believe someone would still go with them


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Which was the whole point of EA argument. They are, weather you want to admit it still have loyalty customers.
Just like you guys swing on 034s nuts lol. (And that's ok too)

Folks who know...know.


Now I want to know about this emcs tune switching that had deleted 02s because of that was the case, I didn't need to go 034.

[carguy19]

Which was the whole point of EA argument. They are, weather you want to admit it still have loyalty customers.
Just like you guys swing on 034s nuts lol. (And that's ok too)

Folks who know...know.


Now I want to know about this emcs tune switching that had deleted 02s because of that was the case, I didn't need to go 034.

This was years ago when I had my last S4.
I have a call in to my tuner/shop about being able to use an older file, but I dont think that's going to be possible. It's a shot in the dark.

[Loe]

If you don't want to change software companies, you can try very very shallow 02 spacers. The one's I purchased and ran for years on my APR state 2 Ultra on testpipes were about 3/4" tall spacers, worked 100% fine and set all OBDII readiness and never triggered a CEL. It was just tall enough to remove them from the exhaust stream.

Note, you'll end up with a CEL if you run too tall of spacers as well. The CEL is due to "slow response" from the O2 signal being fed back to the ECU.

[EvolutionArmory]

If you can get your hands on their test pipe file, if they’ll even still allow that, that’s about it. Other than that, you’re stuck with having to use spacers or actually run CATs. Maybe Evolution can chime in and say what’s up with what files are still available from APR in relation to this.

They won’t let you flash a test pipe file unless you already bought it before the policy change. At least that’s what I’ve been told in the past. People who owned it before are most likely grandfathered in. Or at least that’s my understanding.

Many people have posted that they’ve had zero issues running test pipes with spacers without having a test file tune with APR.

Just gotta play the spacer game.


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[EvolutionArmory]

I already was wondering why on earth anyone would still be choosing apr for their tune. Now I really can’t believe someone would still go with them


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Because it just works from day one, is a very impressive tune and they’re the top VAG tuner in the world.

I have 200+ Dragy or track passes from stage 1 up to dual pulley Ultracharger and I’m running stock cats. I have never had a single issue with my car or tune that needed customer support. Everything just works like it’s suppose to and the car has an OEM feel to it while daily driving and it’s very aggressive when my foot is to the floor.

That’s why people still run it. Hope that answers your question.


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[EvolutionArmory]

This was years ago when I had my last S4.
I have a call in to my tuner/shop about being able to use an older file, but I dont think that's going to be possible. It's a shot in the dark.

You won’t be able to flash older files. Only the most recent software is available.


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[SwankPeRFection]

Step backwards for APR. Just like the bullshit EPL did where they wouldn’t change their files and forced people to run spacers, which’s isn’t the right way to do this. Me personally, I’d never run anyone’s tune that forced me to run spacers that don’t always work and you could get an occasional CEL for efficiency. I’m tired of staring at it with EPL, so if and when I decide to change, that’s one requirement that will need to be included. The right way is to still allow the car to set readiness but suppress the efficiency range triggers on the rear sensors.

[Fresh.S4]

Spacers aren't that serious lol.
Inconvenience? Sure.

[carguy19]

This was years ago when I had my last S4.
I have a call in to my tuner/shop about being able to use an older file, but I dont think that's going to be possible. It's a shot in the dark.

Just to follow up with an answer for this thread, there is no way to reference an old file to run from APR, but my tuner said that with the stock cats he’s never seen a CEL with the APR software. Also, he said that many (more then 10-20) 3.0T/SC’d customers with aftermarket cats or test pipes are running the software with no light and it’s an easy fix; in these cases they install “Vibrant O2 spacers” (which have different sized inserts that go into the spacer to vary the amount of exhaust gases that fhe O2 sensors see). With those specific spacers he said that there hasn’t been a single car that they couldn’t fix the CEL with since the tune revisions.

So it sounds like I have a game plan once I reach that point thankfully.
I hope this helps someone out there.