"Italian Tune Up" is it required for TFSI engines ?

[Sootchucker]

Having been out of the petrol game for 12 years now, and with a new GTI on order for around late May(ish) pickup, I've been reading up on any potential issues with these engines.

One thing that does seem to keep popping up on various forums is excessive carbon build up in the valve gear on these engines, and many swear by performing an "Italian Tune Up" on relatively regular basis. For those that aren't familiar with that term (and I wasn't), An Italian tuneup usually refers to a process whereby a motor vehicle engine is run at full load for extended periods in order to burn carbon buildup from the combustion chambers, spark plugs, and exhaust system.

Now some people seem to swear by this process every 6 months or so, (or every 5k or so miles), and especially if that car has quite a sedate life (i.e. spending most of it's life crawling though traffic or driven low mileages / slow runs). Some forums seem to say that there is a noticeable improvement in both engine responsiveness and ultimately performance / fuel consumption after doing this.

Other say it's poppy cock and that modern engines like the TFSI in the GTI MK7 are running so close to the "perfect" stoichiometric ratio these days, that the engines ECU can sort of self clean themselves.

Anyone got any thoughts on this, or has seen severe carbon build up on the MK7 engine (I read that some MK6 GTI's suffered form this quite badly but not a lot on the MK 7's) ?

I appreciate there are some on here who drive their cars everyday like an Italian tune up, but I'm more interested in those that do relatively low mileages and don't always rag their engines.
 

[MikeP]

I did my Italian Tune Up at Snetterton on Tuesday, a Trackday every few months is a wonderful curative, as for the engine, no idea, but I felt great!

[gasco1]

I like that answer. It's the only way to do it properly. I do very limited mileage in my golf and to perform an Italian tune up on public roads is quite difficult due to the amount of traffic on the roads. I have tried a few times and usually fail by the time I get to 6k rpm in third gear. Ideally you would want to do that in 3rd, 4th and 5th. By that time you are well over the speed limit. So book a track day every few months. As above you will love it and your car might too.

[nigeldodd]

This is a bit off topic but I think buyers of all performance cars should be offered a track experience to get to know the handling characteristics of their car near the limit and in safe surroundings.

My uncle, who worked for Esso research labs and whose job was to dismantle engines which had been driven and/or fueled in different ways and look at the parts under a microscope for wear, etc. did say that you should take an engine up to its max revs once a trip or so but only when it was properly warm.

Where can I look for a place near Cheltenham were I can take my new gti for a fast lap or two - don't need to race, just drive fast.

[Splashalot]

The carbon build up in the Mk5 and Mk6 GTI engines is caused by direct injection.  That is, there is no petrol washing over the back of valves/intake area to clean them.  The original patent on the mk5's TFSI engine recommended weekly running at over 3,000rpm for 20 consecutive minutes.  Supposedly this was the optimum heat range for burning off the carbon deposits.

Not sure of the UK spec GTI, but here in Aus the mk7 and 7.5 GTI gets the EA888 in dual port and direct injection configuration.  The addition of port injection means no carbon build up.  I know the yanks get a DI-only version of the EA888, poor buggers.  Hopefully the UK gets the higher-spec EA888.  If so, end of carbon worries.  (Edit:  unless you drive only short distances in heavy traffic using low-ish revs, which will carbon-up any engine.  In which case, see "Italian tune up")

[Sootchucker]

So do we know if UK GTI's are MPI or DI ?

[Gnasher]

We get MPI in the UK. The way to check is there is a set of injectors on the inlet manifold (or not on the US market ones)

[Sootchucker]

Beat me to it Gnasher. 

I've just managed to obtain the self study manual for the engine and it's very interesting. With regards the fuelling system, it says this (for anyone who's interested) ?

The new TSI engines of 2.0 l have a double injection system. This means that the conditioning of the mixture can be done in two different ways. One of them is injected directly into the cylinder with the IST high-pressure injection system and the other to use as injection system multipoint injection (SRE).

Operating Modes
The control concept for executing the operation modes has been standardized using a mapping. The mapping determines if and when the engine
can be operated SRE mode and when it can operate in high pressure mode. It distinguishes between the following operating modes:

- Single injection SRE
- single high-pressure injection
- Double high-pressure injection
- Triple high-pressure injection
The engine switches between different operating modes depending on the temperature, the load and the engine speed.

Starting the engine
In cold engine and a temperature of the coolant below 45 ° C and at each engine start, a triple direct injection takes place during the compression stroke through the high pressure injection system.

temperature and catalyst heating climb
During this phase, a double direct injection takes place during the intake and compression time. The ignition point is shifted slightly towards the "delay". intake manifold flaps are closed.

Engine operating in partial load range
When the engine temperature exceeds 45 ° C and the engine operates in the partial load range, there SRE switching mode. Intake manifold flaps remain largely closed.

Motor operating in full load range
Because of the high power requirement, the system returns to high pressure mode. A double direct injection takes place during the intake and compression time.

degraded mode operation
In case of failure of one of the two injection systems, the engine is driven only with the remaining system by the engine computer. The vehicle thus remains operational. The red light engine in the instrument cluster lights up.

[gasco1]

This is a bit off topic but I think buyers of all performance cars should be offered a track experience to get to know the handling characteristics of their car near the limit and in safe surroundings.

My uncle, who worked for Esso research labs and whose job was to dismantle engines which had been driven and/or fueled in different ways and look at the parts under a microscope for wear, etc. did say that you should take an engine up to its max revs once a trip or so but only when it was properly warm.

Where can I look for a place near Cheltenham were I can take my new gti for a fast lap or two - don't need to race, just drive fast.

Check out castle combe website. Just go careful which event you choose. Forge action day is good as you can book a 20min session. But be warned there are lots of people who attend these events as soon as they get out of the drivers brief completely forget what they have been told. For example no overtaking in braking zone or corners. Over taking on the right hand side if the driver in front is indicating. I usually attend the open pit lane events booked through either castle combe or one of the online trackday organisers. £170 for the day is quite expensive but not as expensive if someone takes you out. Think you can also book half days as well.

[scanesare]

Thumbs up for Gnasher. In fact the only MK7's that I know without DPI are the US ones. Poor spec and trims, less goodies, I mean you have to admire the US MK7 owners for their loyalty...

Regarding the italian tune up thing, even on a track it's hard to reach top rpm in 5th, let alone 6th gear so I imagine the process is indeed assuming a public road and a relatively relaxed police force