The EA888 Gen 4 is one of the best engines to tune right now.
This Audi S3 8Y was in with us for a custom ECU and TCU tune. The only hardware mod on the car was a RacingLine R600 intake, otherwise completely standard.
The 2.0 TFSI EA888 Gen 4 is the same engine platform found in the Mk8 Golf R, and if you've seen the results we get from those, you'll know how well these respond to tuning. The S3 8Y is no different.
The results
Stock: 330hp / 300ft-lb
Tuned: 421hp / 420ft-lb
91hp and 120ft-lb gained from a stage 1 tune with just an intake fitted. The EA888 Gen 4 has serious headroom in it from the factory, and a proper calibration brings a lot of that out.
Why the TCU tune matters on these
This is an important one for the newer generation S3s and something worth understanding before deciding what to go for.
The ECU tune on the EA888 Gen 4 unlocks a significant amount of extra torque. The problem is that the stock DQ381 gearbox calibration was never designed to handle that level of torque. The clutch packs in the gearbox can physically cope, but the stock software limits how much clamping pressure is applied to them.
Without a TCU tune to increase those clutch pressures, we'd have to limit the torque output on the engine side to keep things safe. That means you'd be leaving power on the table purely because the gearbox calibration can't keep up.
With the TCU tune, the clutch clamping pressures are increased to match the extra torque from the ECU tune. That's what lets us run the full calibration and get the most out of the engine safely. On these cars the TCU tune isn't just a nice addition, it's pretty much essential.
The EA888 Gen 4 platform
Whether it's in an S3 8Y, a Mk8 Golf R, or any of the other models running the EA888 Gen 4, the tuning potential on this engine is genuinely impressive. The gains from a stage 1 tune with minimal hardware are some of the strongest we see across any platform. If you're sitting on a standard or near-standard EA888 Gen 4, there is a lot left in it.
Thinking about getting your S3 tuned?
Drop us an email - Support@Wayside-Performance.co.uk
