New 2010 VW Polo: lighter, safer, higher mpg (71), better looking... Coming here?

[Piotrsko]

Actually, torque pro app could send commands to the ECU that would mimic the smog test, BUT, the power and fuel economy get so wonky that the car is kinda gutless, an anathema to the reason for owning the series.

Your software is different than my Cali Version.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by GreenTDI

Especially the unrealistic European test method was to blame. EPA is much more realistic and achievable in daily traffic.

Not sure to which point one test method is effectively more accurate than the other. Both are somehow unrealistic as EPA rigs up its procedure in order to favor automatic transmissions rather than manuals.

I have a VW 1.2 TDI dieselgate engine in my car, and getting a respectable 55 + MPG with normal driving conditions. The bad software has been removed a couple of years ago and the car has consumed a little less since than. But I also notice less eagerness at higher speeds.

Well, I guess it's still not so bad at all. Drive a naturally-aspirated 1.0L Dacia Logan once and you'll understand what I'm talking about...

[eagle]

Originally Posted by GreenTDI

The bad software has been removed a couple of years ago and the car has consumed a little less since than. But I also notice less eagerness at higher speeds.

That is because the "fix" was rather an ecu tweak and now the car has even less horsepower

more like a gimmick rather than a fix

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by eagle

more like a gimmick rather than a fix

The proper fix would involve adding some extra hardware which would become too costly and labor-intensive to implement on most of the affected vehicles. Well, I still guess some owners would become even more unhappy having to use AdBlue instead of dealing with this different ECU calibration.

[Piotrsko]

On my 2013 golf, there is literally no place to put an Adblue container except for the spare tire area which they did for the Cali versions in 2014/2015. Any extra room underneath was used by the def powered converter.

[GreenTDI]

Originally Posted by eagle

That is because the "fix" was rather an ecu tweak and now the car has even less horsepower

more like a gimmick rather than a fix

The engine lost a few HP at higher RPM's, that's true and that's what I experience. But oddly enough it also gained torque in the low RPM range.
Result: it makes it easier to drive at low engine speed = less consumption/ emissions. And with easier I mean: smoother and less 'explosive'.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by GreenTDI

The engine lost a few HP at higher RPM's, that's true and that's what I experience. But oddly enough it also gained torque in the low RPM range.

Not so bad at all.

Result: it makes it easier to drive at low engine speed = less consumption/ emissions. And with easier I mean: smoother and less 'explosive'.

At a lower load it also leads to a decrease on exhaust gas temperatures, which may seem bad at first because it would eventually take longer for the DPF and other aftertreatment devices to reach their optimum temperatures, but the ECM may occasionally trim the air/fuel ratio leaner more often in order to raise the EGTs accordingly.

[GreenTDI]

How the software "fix" improved emissions and driving quality.

German article about the measurements after the "dieselgate update"

https://www.adac.de/-/media/pdf/tet/...004EC4CBE009F3

Very briefly: up to 25% improvement in emission reduction and no loss of power. On the contrary, they even have 7 percent more power than specified. Both the torque- and power curve has flattened but also starts earlier, which is consistent with my experience.



But why was this not possible before? And at what cost?
I think the benefits are achieved by triggering a different driving behavior by boosting the power at low RPM. But certainly due to more internal pollution of the engine -> more use of EGR and more frequent regeneration of the diesel particulate filter. Time will tell ...

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by GreenTDI

I think the benefits are achieved by triggering a different driving behavior by boosting the power at low RPM. But certainly due to more internal pollution of the engine -> more use of EGR and more frequent regeneration of the diesel particulate filter. Time will tell ...

Since it was supposed to not harm fuel-efficiency, I would actually expect it to not increase the particulate emissions so badly.