VW/Audi VAG 2.5 R5 TDi Tuning

"All you need to know about performance tuning the VAG 2.5 R5 TDi engine!"

If you own a vehicle with the 2.5 TDI engine and are looking for the best mods for it, this article provides in-depth information about this topic.

The VAG 2.5 TDi is not an obvious tuning project but it is often overlooked having much potential in the hands of someone who knows which mods work well, and which to avoid.

The VAG 2.5 R5 TDi make a good tuning project and with the right parts like a remap, turbo improvements and supporting mods you will really increase your driving fun.

History, Power & Specs of the Engine

The engine has 5 valves per cylinder and came as a PD Pump Duse and CR common rail version. The latter CR version offers more flexibility to the tuner and is generally more reliable.

It is an inline 5 cylinder diesel engine, not to be confused with the 2.5 TDi V6 which we will cover in another article which replaced this model.

2.5 R5 SDI 40-55kW

This early non turbo variant does not present much in the way of "easily tuneable" upgrades. It can be tuned but most will find the cost of even modest power gains prohibitively expensive. Turbo engines offer so much more for your money, so an engine swap to the TDi version will present a better base and be more cost effective in the long run.

• 55kw 74 bhp 160nm 118 lbft @2,250 rpm — Volkswagen LT  LT28 & LT35 AGX: 05/96-04/01

This article will focus on the TDi versions and address upgrades that are suitable for the PD and CR engines.

2.5 R5 TDI 65-121kW

• 65kw 87 bhp 195nm 144 lbft @1,900 rpm — Volkswagen Transporter T4
• 75kw 101 bhp 250nm 184 lbft @1,900 rpm — Volkswagen Transporter T4
• 80kw 107 bhp 280nm 207 lbft @1,900 rpm — Volkswagen LT
• 85kw 114 bhp 265nm 195 lbft @1,900 rpm — Audi C4 100
• 88kw 118 bhp @3,250 rpm 275nm 203 lbft @2,500 rpm — Audi C3 100, ANG: 02/02-
• 103kw 138 bhp 290nm 214 lbft @1,900 rpm — 1994 Audi C4 100, Audi C4 A6, as Volvo D5252T: Volvo 850, Volvo S70, Volvo V70, early Volvo S80s
• 111kw 149 bhp 295nm 218 lbft @1,900 rpm — Volkswagen Transporter T4   AHY, AXG: 1998-2003

2.5 R5 TDI CR 65-120kW

• 65kw 87 bhp @3,500 rpm; 220nm 162 lbft @2,000 rpm — BJJ
• 80kw 107 bhp @3,500 rpm; 280nm 207 lbft @2,000 rpm — BJK
• 100kw 134 bhp @3,500 rpm; 320nm 236 lbft @2,000 rpm — BJL
• 120kw 161 bhp @3,500 rpm; 350nm 258 lbft @2,000 rpm — BJM

2.5 R5 TDI PD 96-128kW

• 96kw 129 bhp — Volkswagen Transporter T5 128kw 172 bhp @3,500 rpm; 400nm 295 lbft @2,000 rpm

How Much Power Can The Stock Engine Handle?

Tuning the Audi 2.5 R5 TDi and best 2.5 R5 TDi performance parts will depend on the strength of your block but it helps to know the upper limits which varies wildly depending on who you are talking to.

There is no final definition to the maximum power a VAG 2.5 TDI engine can handle with stock internals because it depends on several factors such as engine condition, engine age, and driving style.

However, a well-maintained 2.5 TDI engine with stock internals can handle up to 180-220 horsepower. We have seen projects raising power to 300hp but at this point the engine needs to be in a really good condition and will typically have been rebuilt.

The fuel system is generally good for around 200hp and the head will flow to around 220hp before you start getting a restriction holding you back.

Differences between variants

The higher powered variants generally have better fuel systems and turbochargers with a higher compression ratio.

For example the 65kw version has a 16:1 compression ratio compared to the 18:1 ratio of the 120kw version, it also has a smaller fixed geometry turbo against the larger variable geometry turbo of the 120kw version.

It's important to remember that exceeding the engine's designed power limits can result in premature wear and tear, decreased engine life, and potential catastrophic engine failure.

Before making any modifications, consult a qualified mechanic or tuner who has experience working with VAG 2.5 TDI engines.

Popular Upgrades & Mods

It is vital to any tuning job to force fuel and air into your 2.5 R5 TDi. The intake manifolds flow rates are important because this channels the air from the filter and allow it to be sucked into the engine and mixed with fuel this is not as vital on a lower RPM engine like the 2.5 Diesel but it can be a factor when you are seeking the maximum possible gains.

Most people will just focus on the intake & Air filters.

Air Filter Upgrades

The air filters installed in stock vehicles are restrictive in nature and by replacing them with high performance ones, the flow of air to the engine can be considerably increased.

Generally speaking you won't see massive power gains on a stock engine with intake mods, but you will appreciate the faster spool up of the turbo and will see around 5%-7% more power at the top end.

High performance air filters for the VAG 2.5 TDI engines are manufactured by the following companies:

• K&N;
• aFe;
• Torxe;
• Spectre Performance.

Cold Air Intake

The combustion process burns air and fuel to produce heat so if you increase the quantity of the air and fuel mixture, the heat produced as a result of this will also increase.

Cold air intakes are highly sought after and are usually one of the most preferred mods on any engine.

If you are looking for a cold air intake for your 2.5 TDI engine, you can choose the following option:

Performance Air Intake RAMAIR for VW T 2.5 TDI;

The best part about this cold air induction kits is that it is a direct replacement for the stock part and thus installation can be done in relatively less time.

Best 2.5 R5 TDi parts

The best 2.5 R5 TDi upgrades on an engine are in our opinion the ones that give the biggest return for your cash.

We won't be swayed by popular 2.5 R5 TDi upgrades, they need to be cost effective.

The turbo ECU map and injectors and fuel pump also will make differences on the power gains you'll make.

We'll discuss the popular mods in this article and reveal the most cost effective upgrades for your 2.5TDi.

Please watch our video which covers the 5 principles of tuning your car. Be sure to keep up with our latest YouTube content and subscribe.

Best Engine Mods for your 2.5 TDI

1. Engine Tunes - engine tuning/remapping provides the most advantage in terms of cost savings, typically offering gains of 20-30% more power on the 2.5 TDi.
2. Intake and Exhaust - Note that on their own these mods will NOT ADD POWER in most cases, but they can help enhance power after other mods by removing the restriction.
3. Exhaust mods - focus on the EGR & Catalysts to release power if legal to do so in your area or region. If removal is not possible see if you can fit a performance alternative that flows better.
4. Upgrades to turbochargers and superchargers - forced induction is the most efficient approach to increase air supply, allowing you to burn more fuel and make more power. It is one of the most costly upgrades but provides the best gains.
5. Intercooler upgrades will help resist heat soak and deliver your power for longer periods of time.
6. Camshaft upgrades - a performance cam will totally change the power delivery and will help you make the higher power figures when combined with other mods. But choose your cam profile carefully and make sure the fuel timing is setup to maximise the valve durations the cam offers.

2.5 TDI Tuning Stages

Typical stage 1 mods often include: Intake manifolds, Remaps/piggy back ECU, Fast road camshaft, Panel air filters, Sports exhaust header/manifold, drilled & smoothed airbox.

Typical stage 2 mods often include: Ported and polished head, Sports catalyst & performance exhaust, Fast road cam, fuel pump upgrades, induction kit, high flow fuel injectors.

Typical stage 3 mods often include: Competition cam, Crank and Piston upgrades to alter compression, Twin charging conversions, Engine balancing & blueprinting, Adding or Upgrading forced induction (turbo/supercharger), Internal engine upgrades (head flowing porting/bigger valves).

Remapping

With engine tuning the end result will depend much on the tuning mods you've done and the condition of your engine.

2.5 TDi Fast Road Camshaft

Camshaft upgrades are possible on the 2.5 TDi. This will adjust the valve timing and lift and allow an improvement, mainly in top end power.

Note that a performance cam will totally change the power delivery and will help you make the higher power figures when combined with other mods. But choose your cam profile carefully and make sure the fuel timing is setup to maximise the valve durations the cam offers.

Altering the cam profile on these diesel engines is a bit of an art and it is not just a drop in mod, you really to need to make other upgrades to see a return on them.

Camshaft lifters and upgrades valve springs are an essential upgrade when replacing the 2.5 TDi camshaft.

A camshaft will deliver better power between 3000 and 4500 rpm, but the low end tick over may struggle a little if you go too aggressive with the profile.

Turbo upgrades

There are many mechanics spending a lot of money on turbocharger upgrades on the 2.5 R5 TDi only to suffer the indignity of watching the motor throw a rod just after it's first rolling road session.

Big turbochargers will usually experience low end lag, and little turbochargers spool up much more quickly but won't have the high rpm bhp gains. The GTB2260VK crops up a lot in our research and has been used to good effect on the 2.5 TDi with power approaching the 300hp region.

In recent times the choice of turbo chargers is always developing and we now see variable vane turbo chargers, permitting the vane angle is altered according to speed to lower lag and increase top end performance.

Twin scroll turbo chargers divert the exhaust gases into two channels and push these at differently profiled vanes in the turbo charger. They also improve the scavenging effect of the engine.

It is not unusual that there is a restriction in the air flow sensor MAF/MAP on these engines when loads more air is being drawn into the engine.

You'll see that 4 bar air sensors coping with quite large power gains, whereas the OEM air sensor sapped bhp and torque at a much lower level and led to error codes in many cases (overboost/underboost conditions) or just running lean or rich at certain points in the RPM range.

Adding a supercharger or additional turbo will make large power gains, although harder to configure. We have this article covering twinchargers if you want to read more.

Intercooler Upgrades

If you have a stock vehicle, there is no need to change or fit an intercooler in it. However, if you own a modified vehicle that produces a lot more power than its factory design, it will also generate more heat.

In order to ensure that the vehicle continues to deliver the higher power for a long duration, getting an advanced high performance intercooler is highly recommended.

While selecting the intercooler, you must focus on high quality so you don’t have to suffer Heat Soak, which is the condition in which the intercooler itself becomes hot and thus its performance is affected.

It is also pertinent to mention here that the intercooler itself does not add power to your vehicle, rather it ensures that the vehicle is able to perform better for elongated periods.

You can choose the following intercooler for your VAG 2.5 TDI engine:

• Wagner Tuning Competition EVO2 Intercooler Kit for VW 2.5TDI;
• FORGE Motorsport Intercooler Kit for 2.5 TDI.

Locating and fitting the intercooler is often the biggest challenge with most 2.5 TDi engine bays very cramped, especially on the VW transporters.

Fuelling

You will need to ensure that the engine is not starved of fuel so need to uprate the fuelling when you start exceeding 20% of a bhp increase.

Much of a diesel engines power comes from the fuel injected, especially since this has a direct bearing on the flame front and propagation within the engine, so both the spray patterns and flow rates should be considered in your tuning project.

It makes sense to over specify your flow rate on the injectors.

As a rule of thumb add 20% to the flow rate when specifying an injector, this accounts for injector deterioration and affords you some spare capacity should the engine require more fuel.

As we have already discussed, fuel is one of the two inputs to the combustion process, the other being air.

So, if you want to get more power from your vehicle, you need to upgrade the fueling components such as injectors to upsurge the amount of fuel that gets to the engine.

You can use the following option for upgrading the fuel injectors for your car with the 2.5 TDI engine:

• Tuning Injector +100% Flow For VAG 2.5TDI V6 150 155 163 180 HP;

With the increased fuel flow, your will be able to see a considerable difference in the power output of your vehicle.

Besides this, you can also go for:

• Tuning Injector Nozzles from STR Performance.

These nozzles are available in various diameters such as 0.230mm, 0.250mm, 0.280mm, 0.320mm 0.360mm.

These nozzles can be used with the original 10mm pump but if you upgrade the pump to 11mm or 12mm, you can expect a power bump of around 20 to 50 hp.

If you are aiming to hit power figures of around 320hp, you should go for the following option:

• Mec Evo 2.5 TDI HIGH FUELING PERFORMANCE FIRAD NOZZLE KIT.

Availability of parts varies from area to area, and we do not endorse or particularly recommend any brands unless we have personally tested them (which will be noted by the recommendation). Your part selection will vary depending on the engine type and injection system.

Exhaust Upgrades

You only need to improve your exhaust if the current exhaust is actually creating a restriction.

On most factory exhausts you should find that your flow rate is ok even on modest power gains, but when you start pushing up the power levels you will need to get a better flowing exhaust.

Note that with the largest exhaust you can source you'll reduce the exhaust flow rate - the best exhausts for power gains are usually between 2.5 to 3 inches. Bear in mind the stock exhausts on these flow well and we are not dealing with a high RPM engine, so catback exhaust mods do not really generate much of a power gain.

The stock exhaust system is well designed to handle the exhaust gases of the engine. However, when the vehicle is modified, it produces more heat & power. So, you might start facing a restriction in the exhaust.

Some of the options that you have in this regard for your 2.5 TDI are:

• Supersprint Rear exhaust RS OO90 STEEL 409;
• Skunk2 MegaPower™ Stainless Steel Silver Exhaust Muffler;
• SLP Loud Mouth II™ Stainless Steel Round Bullet-Type Silver Exhaust Muffler

Usual exhaust restrictions can be located the catalyst installed, so adding a higher flowing high performance aftermarket one will improve air flow, and rather than doing an illegal decat, will keep the car road legal.

Weak spots Issues & problem areas on the 2.5 R5 TDi

The 2.5 R5 TDi engines are generally reliable and solid units, as long as you follow the manufacturers service schedules, and use a good quality oil to ensure longevity. Few problems should happen as long as they are regularly serviced and maintained.

We will move the problems section into a more detailed article click here to read it.

Carbon build up in the head, particularly around the valves which will sap power or create flat spots, this is a larger issue on direct injection engines but should be looked out for on all engines. We have tips on removing carbon build up.

Some of our members have had issues with flat spots or glitches after applying mods and upgrades or tuning, this is not usually related to this engines design, so instead see our article on diagnosing flat spots and problems after tuning which should help you get the bottom of this issue.

Regular oil changes are vital on the 2.5 R5 TDi, especially when tuned and will help extend the life and reliability of the engine.

If you would like to know more, or just get some friendly advice on Tuning your 2.5 R5 TDi engine please join us in our friendly forum where you can discuss tuning options in more detail with our 2.5 R5 TDi owners. It would also be worth reading our unbiased tuning articles to get a full grasp of the benefits and drawbacks of each modification.

Please help us improve these tips by sending us your feedback in the comments box below.

We love to hear what our visitors have got up to and which tuning mods work best for you on your car. Which helps us keep our guides and tips up to date helping others with their modified car projects. Your feedback and comments are used to keep this page up to date, and help improve the accuracy of these 2.5 R5 TDi tuning guides which get regular updates and revisions.

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This article is flagged for an update, so please pass on specific tips below that I can include. All articles, and content was written by me, Waynne Smith TorqueCars founder. Some outlines are just too general so I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. This entry was filed under Audi, Skoda, Volkswagen, Volvo. You can leave a response below or join our forum to discuss this article and car modification in detail with our members.

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