Integrated engineering ecu and tcu in depth review
I did a lot of research before deciding on the tuner for my new S3. I had APR stage 2 on my 2017 a3 quattro. I decided on I.E. for a couple reasons.
1. Seemed to be highest hp and one of the highest torque
2. Power link is cheap and allows for easy at home tuning and the ability to flash back to stock.
3. Website looked professional and their hardware looks to be very high quality.
4. I loved APR on my A3, but wanted to try something new. It was great, but expensive and there were a few things I didn't love.
I received my power link in the mail Friday. I started with stage 1 low torque. Install was easier than expected and only took about 20 minutes. It definitely added some extra power, but I wasn't blown away by it. I was actually a little underwhelmed but knew this was the most mild tune and for what it is, it ran well. If you're just looking for a little boost but don't intend to change any hardware, want to be easy on your engine/turbo but still have some fun, it is a great tune. Most people would be more than satisfied with it. I, however, was not. As tuning enthusiasts we always want more power!
I had to flash it back to stock yesterday for a quick stop to the Audi dealership for a warranty issue. That was very easy. took all of 5-10 minutes.
When I got the car back today I raced home to install the stage 1 high torque and the required tcu tune. Ecu took about 20 minutes. I chose 3600rpm launch control to start the tcu tune. This took maybe 5 minutes. It was surprisingly fast.
I drove it in city, country roads, and highway right after install with my wife and 9mo old son. I couldn't wail on it too hard with them in the car, but hole-E-Sh*t! the car is so much quicker!
Drive mode: I did not enjoy drive mode stock, or with my stage 2 apr tune. They both were much weaker and gear hunted compared to sport or manual. That is no longer the case! Drive mode is perfect! It shows you which gear its in as you fly through them! It always finds the right gear depending on your driving style at the time. WOT is a thrill in drive. Stuck in traffic, it's easy to drive. The tcu tune is most evident here and in sport mode. The shifts are so smooth and lightning fast. I surprised myself a couple times this evening when I took it for a spin alone. Got to 60 faster than I ever have and it feels effortless because of the tcu. I would be fine if I didn't have two other driving modes, but I do.
Sport: sport mode is identical to drive in the sense that it's smooth power. I don't think it's any fast than drive. When it was stock, sport was the only auto mode I found tolerable. Now it just runs 1 gear lower than drive. I can definitely notice a couple conditions where this would be a desirable mode though. Anything above first and you're already in the ideal gear for more pep, outside of full throttle. The other benefit is auto with launch control, like stock.
Manual: I almost exclusively drive in manual mode using the paddles. It now holds the gear further into redline, and in general is just fast and shifts smoother. It's a lot of fun.
Launch control: OMG I now own a rocket! I thought launch control was good stock, but it's in a whole new ball game now. I chose 3600rpm to start, as recommended by I.E. staff. They said start low and work your way up. You have the choice in 200rom intervals from 3000-4200. I figured this was a conservative choice and I didn't know what would be good with my set up. I was blown away. I was to 60 in what felt like 3 seconds(i'm sure it was longer, don't critique). The acceleration felt violent. I was firmly plastered in my seat. I loved it! I think it was around 35mph before I felt the first gear shift. My first launch as in sport mode. I believe I stopped accelerating around 75/80 and was in 3rd gear. It gripped so hard. I had no wheel spin at all. This is only stage 1! I can only imagine what stage 2 will feel like.
I will continue adding updates to this thread as I continue my build. I'm also going to play with different launch settings. My next step is a downpipe, intercooler and stage 2 high torque w/ crackle. If you own an I.E. tune or any of their hardware on our platform please share any and all info. I found almost no first person accounts of their products. I took a leap of faith and am overjoyed by the results. I hope this is helpful to anyone who was in my position. I'm still debating on who to use for my dp and intercooler so if you have theirs let me know. I'm sure they're as good as their tunes though.
P.s. Currently, the only aftermarket hardware is my APR cold air intake. Everything else is stock.
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Originally Posted by Kevin quattro
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