Modding tuning and best performance upgrades on the VAG 2.0 TFSi engine!

Fully Explore "2.0 TFSi Modifications"

How to modify and upgrade the VAG 2.0 TFSi

"Comprehensive guide to tuning the VAG 2.0 TFSi engine!"

Popular tuning sites like TorqueCars often are seeing threads requesting info on how to improve the 2.0 TFSi from people wanting to know what are the optimum 2.0 TFSi mods that work. So let us look into VAG 2.0 TFSi upgrades and outline the best modifications on this great engine and point out some common pitfalls along the way.

Car Tuning Tips will review and look at 2.0 TFSi tuning and point out the optimum modifications. VAG 2.0 TFSi really good project engines and with the optimum tuning modifications like ECU maps, turbo kits and camshafts you will really maximize your driving fun.

The best 2.0 TFSi upgrades on an engine are usually the ones that give the biggest return for your money.

We won't be swayed by popular 2.0 TFSi upgrades, they need to be cost effective.

2.0 TFSi induction kits

Improving air intake on the 2.0 TFSi

You need air and fuel for an engine to work. If there is insufficient fuel then it will run lean, if there is little flow of air it runs rich sapping power which risks damage to the 2.0 TFSi. We'll pick up on fuelling later in this article but for now we shall look at air supply.

So the primary aim to any car tuning project to force more air into each cylinder but this has a knock on effect with the air flow sensor.

It is common that there's a limitation in the air flow sensor MAF/MAP on the 2.0 TFSi when considerably more air is being drawn into the engine.

We note 4 bar air sensors coping with quite large power gains, whereas the OEM air sensor sapped power at a much lower level.

Headers carry the on the suck phase from the air cleaner and allow it to be sucked into the engine cylinders.

Structure and flow rate of the Plenum can make a substantial change to fuel atomisation on the 2.0 TFSi.

Commonly we find the plenum chambers are needing a performance upgrade, although a few car makers provide well optimised plenum chambers.

Increasing the 2.0 TFSi valve size, getting 3 or 5 angle valve jobs and porting and head flowing will also increase torque, this will give you increasing the torque increase on other mods.

2.0 TFSi performance cam tips.

Different 2.0 TFSi engines respond better to less aggressive cam durations so view each engine as unique.

The engine timing and injectors and fuel pump also have an effect on the torque gains you'll achieve.

Extending exhaust or intake durations can alter the torque band and on most engines the exhaust and intake durations do not need to match, although most cams and tuners use matched pairs there are some advantages to extending the intake or exhaust durations.

Significant air intake, and exhaust improvements on the 2.0 TFSi can be made from cam upgrades. Changing the cam profile alters the intake and exhaust durations on the engine and can dramatically change the power band and power output.

NB: Fast road camshafts commonly raise the torque across the rev range, you could sacrifice a little bottom end bhp but higher rpm power will be lifted.

Race camshafts, raise the higher rpm power band but as a result the car will not idle smoothly and low end power nearly always suffers.

For a car used daily you should ideally to match your engines power to your preferences.

I'd be surprised if you have ever thought a 2.0 TFSi Competition camshaft is a pleasure to live with when driving around busy urban areas.

Stage 1, 2 and 3 mods for the 2.0 TFSi

Before we break the best tuning upgrades down into stages of tune, let's list the most effective tuning upgrades for you.

  1. Suspension Upgrades - always improve your cars handling
  2. Brake Upgrades - Even before adding power improve those brakes
  3. Intake - make sure the intake is not restricted, use filters and intake upgrades to improve this
  4. Exhaust - as with 3 ensure there is not restriction in the exhaust, cats are the usual bottleneck
  5. Tunes - remapping, piggyback ECU's and aftermarket ECU's can all make decent gains
  6. Fuelling - when you've increased power you'll need to match this with more fuel
  7. Turbo upgrades - Improving the intake with a large turbo and better flowing intercooler will be the biggest power gain you'll see (but one of the most complex).

This video guide to tuning cars is a great starting point to work from in your project.

Stage 1 2.0 TFSi parts:

Sports exhaust manifold, Fast road camshaft, Remaps/piggy back ECU, Panel air filters, Intake headers, Drilled & smoothed airbox.

Stage 2 2.0 TFSi parts:

induction kit, high flow fuel injectors, Fast road cam, Sports catalyst & performance exhaust, fuel pump upgrades, Ported and polished head.

Tuning tips and articles Engine tuning Transmission tuning Care care Intake & exhaust mods Improve handling Forums

Stage 3 2.0 TFSi parts:

Crank and Piston upgrades to alter compression, Twin charging conversions, Adding or Upgrading forced induction (turbo/supercharger), Engine balancing & blueprinting, Competition cam, Internal engine upgrades (head flowing porting/bigger valves).

Review your options and then buy your tuning parts and set yourself a power target to avoid disappointment.

Remapping allows a tuner to unlock the full potential of all the tuning mods you've done to your 2.0 TFSi.

You will typically expect to see gains of approximately 20-30% more power on turbocharged vehicles and you can expect to see around 15% on NASP engines, but figures achieved usually vary depending on the tuning mods you've applied and the condition of your engine.

Turbo modifications on the 2.0 TFSi

To get a turbo working on a NASP engine there is a lot involved, from lowering compression ratio to improved fuel supply and mapping, so we have found a great guide to helpavoid the common pitfalls or end up with an unfinished project because you were not told what you were getting into by doing this on the 2.0 TFSi.

The more air you can get into an engine, the more fuel it can burn and uprating the induction with a turbocharger upgrade makes significant power gains.

If the engine has a turbo already fitted mods are going to net you a larger power gain and most turbo engines already contain many forged and stronger components.

There are common areas of failure for every engine, with some being extremely strong and some only just able to handle stock power

Research these limitations and upgrade to stronger pistons, crank and engine components to handle the power.

There are many people spending a a stack of money on turbo charger upgrades on the 2.0 TFSi only to see the 2.0 TFSi throw a rod on it's first outing after it's been finished.

Large capacity turbochargers tend to suffer low end lag, and low capacity turbochargers spool up quickly but do not have the top end power band gains.

In recent times the world of turbochargers is always moving on and we now see variable vane turbochargers, where the vane profile is altered according to speed to lower lag and increase top end performance.

Twin scroll turbochargers divert the exhaust flow into a couple of channels and direct these at differently profiled vanes in the turbo. They also boost the scavenging effect of the engine.

Beefing up the air intake by adding a supercharger or additional turbo will help you achieve very large torque gains, although more challenging to configure. We have this feature on twinchargers if you want to read more.

Tips about fuel supply on the 2.0 TFSi

You will need to ensure that the engine is not starved of fuel so must increase the fuelling when you start extending past 20% of a bhp and torque hike. It makes sense to be generous with your injector capacity.

As a rule of thumb add 20% to the flow rate when fitting an injector, helps cope with injector deterioration and provides a little spare capacity should the engine require more fuel.

Don't forget that different fuel grades will usually require different settings, a high octane fuel will burn more efficiently than lower octane fuel for example. A car will trim fuel supply to keep within the ideal air fuel mix but at the extreme ends you may need to adjust your injector capacity, or the mapping or you'll get flat spots and potential lean or rich fuel issues..

Recommended 2.0 TFSi performance exhaust upgrades

We'd only recommend you look to increase your exhaust system with an upgraded one is if the existing exhaust is actually creating a restriction.

On most factory exhausts you'll find your flow rate is still good even on modest power gains, but on a serious tuning project with a big boost in power you will certainly need to get a better flowing exhaust.

Sports exhausts can usually air flow through the engine but do not go too big or you could will reduce the flow rate. Stick to one and a half to two and half inches for best results.

The usual suspects causing problems in your exhaust flow rate are in the filters installed, so adding a freer flowing high performance alternative will help avoid this restriction.

Decatting (NB:catalysts reduce harmful engine emissions) is illegal in most countries and regions.

Faults issues and things to look out for on the 2.0 TFSi

Like most engines an 2.0 TFSi, should have few issues if it gets properly serviced and looked after.

We cannot stress enough the need for oil changes with the correct grade of oil on the 2.0 TFSi, failure to do this will exacerbate engine wear, on a tuned 2.0 TFSi this is more important than ever and close attention should be paid to your maintenance schedule.

If you are interested in learning more or getting impartial tuning advice for your 2.0 TFSi why not pop over to the forums at TorqueCars where you can chat about 2.0 TFSi tuning options and read about others projects who may be planning to do similar modifications on their 2.0 TFSi.

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