Cupra R ABT issues

[bgb]

well yes, a lower quality fuel than what they recommend would obviously impact performance... it is people’s choice what grade fuel they use.... a £500 option that only works properly in certain conditions is slightly different.

The ABT module it seems has issues, which are far deeper than fuel quality.

My post, (albeit not about ABT), was that a statement on fuel RON not effecting power output is even stated as the exact opposite within the owners manual.

Bringing it back to the ABT, I would be peeved to not achieve the stated horses 100% of the time.

 

[Slickric21]

I’ve also been doing some digging around regarding the ABT modules, well as much as I can be ar**d whilst sat on a beach in Thailand anyway... I’m half considering having mine taken off and getting a proper remap.

I can’t believe the lack of decent information on these ABT tuning kits, especially dyno results and before and after comparisons.
There is a few bits and bobs on some Audi forums, some positive some negative but nothing that information wise.
I did stumble across an Aussie Audi forum thread where a tuner did a tear down apparently on an ABT module and found it didn’t do anything like ABT claimed it did power wise and that it also produced dangerous ‘timing pull’.

What does seem evident is these kits are VERY temperature sensitive, apparently they don’t give anything over stock power until all temps are up to safe levels and then also ramp power down to protect engine/components when temps get high.

One thing I have taken heart with is the recent dyno results I mentioned the other week on the Facebook Cupra group where an ABT R ST was dyno’d at Ecotune Scotland at 331bhp.
This dyno was running a negative 4% correction apparently due to cold ambient temps....... 331hp plus 4% is........344hp....... pretty much bang on what ABT claim ?

I have also seen the MAHA dyno ABT use (on a YouTube video) for testing and it comes with a special fan that delivers wind/air into the front of the car with the same force of actually driving at 120mph, can’t remember the volume of air but it sounded impressive lol

 

[Nora2004]

The ABT module it seems has issues, which are far deeper than fuel quality.

My post, (albeit not about ABT), was that a statement on fuel RON not effecting power output is even stated as the exact opposite within the owners manual.

Bringing it back to the ABT, I would be peeved to not achieve the stated horses 100% of the time.

As I stated earlier, take away the 2-3 months of hot summer weather a Cupra will make 300hp on 95ron, I've seen and have the data, 95 can provide enough octane to run full ignition advance, well as much as a stock ECU will allow, with stock intercooler I've found 15-17° ambient temperature is the limit for advance on these without taking humidity into consideration!

 

[cra19n]

Hi guys bit late on jumping Into this post. I was my car that was dyno at ecotune and made 331bhp with the ABT, the car also had MST intake and elbow along with Forge carbon intake.
It is a bit of a shame the ABT don’t seam to be quite what they where advertised as. They make a little difference to the car but it seams that potentially when pushing the car (and you want all its power) and if it gets a little hot you are basically back to a standard car. Makes you think what’s the point. I do hope to get the car RR again and see if it’s the same under different weather conditions.

 

[Damo H]

Hi guys bit late on jumping Into this post. I was my car that was dyno at ecotune and made 331bhp with the ABT, the car also had MST intake and elbow along with Forge carbon intake.
It is a bit of a shame the ABT don’t seam to be quite what they where advertised as. They make a little difference to the car but it seams that potentially when pushing the car (and you want all its power) and if it gets a little hot you are basically back to a standard car. Makes you think what’s the point. I do hope to get the car RR again and see if it’s the same under different weather conditions.

It does seem very odd, especially when tuners like Revo who tune to protect the car from a longevity point of view, still manage 370, the same figure ABT claimed on the non PPF Carbon Edition sold in Switzerland. (Which is what Seat UK went off of when they first announced the ABT module for the R ST)

However, as I have recently found out, these cars may look the same, but not all their ECU’s are and require different software to get the best out of them.

 

[KernelOkey]

It does seem very odd, especially when tuners like Revo who tune to protect the car from a longevity point of view, still manage 370, the same figure ABT claimed on the non PPF Carbon Edition sold in Switzerland. (Which is what Seat UK went off of when they first announced the ABT module for the R ST)

However, as I have recently found out, these cars may look the same, but not all their ECU’s are and require different software to get the best out of them.

Yeah, opf cars have different engine management and no MPI

 

[cra19n]

I think what might let the ABT down is that it’s a plug in box not a flashed software change. So it will only change certain values to achieve the power increase and can’t unlock the full potential that mapping the ECU can. That’s just my thoughts.
Also personally think that the ABT box looks a little $#!7 in the engine bay and doesn’t look like the quality of a RRP £2k product.

 

[Jenko]

Hi guys bit late on jumping Into this post. I was my car that was dyno at ecotune and made 331bhp with the ABT, the car also had MST intake and elbow along with Forge carbon intake.
It is a bit of a shame the ABT don’t seam to be quite what they where advertised as. They make a little difference to the car but it seams that potentially when pushing the car (and you want all its power) and if it gets a little hot you are basically back to a standard car. Makes you think what’s the point. I do hope to get the car RR again and see if it’s the same under different weather conditions.

That makes much more sense now I know what mods you had done already. Just a turbo intake and sports filter made 15bhp difference on mine. So the kit alone is probably giveing you somewhere around the 10bhp and 15ftlb it was giving my car. (When it worked) be interesting to see if you disconnected the ABT kit for a run what your car would put out.

 

[cra19n]

That makes much more sense now I know what mods you had done already. Just a turbo intake and sports filter made 15bhp difference on mine. So the kit alone is probably giveing you somewhere around the 10bhp and 15ftlb it was giving my car. (When it worked) be interesting to see if you disconnected the ABT kit for a run what your car would put out.

that would be interesting to see if unplugging the box would make much of a difference. And would that affect the box in anyway (unplugging then plugging back in) i know the box is supposed to be ECU specific and can’t be swapped between cars.

 

[Jenko]

Apparently not, when they were looking at my car they unplugged it and put it back in a couple of times. It’s just a piggy back system so no reason why it should have any adverse effect.
I think there’s a couple of different ECUs they use, I remember them saying something about the one in mine being the same as used in a clubsport.

 

[motty225]

It is odd that it's so poor for the price! Saying that people like dtuk are around £400 with a code, and they get very close to claimed figures, even more odd that the abt seems to shut off when it gets hot yet its kept in an engine bay!

 

[BigJase88]

I think we need to get sensible here

this is an ABT package that has been designed in conjunction with SEAT that is available on the Cupra R?

so this is still covered by SEAT warranty then?

that to me makes it obvious, yes a revo can get 370bhp all day long, but your car is not covered in case of a breakdown and the longevity of the parts are in question (how many mapped stage 1 revo cars have blown the clutch?)

the ABT is a mild increase over stock that protects the engine when it gets too hot, which is what it is supposed to do, i don’t understand why every1’s twining on about it, of course SEAT isn’t going to sign off on a product thats running the turbo full whack.

 

[motty225]

I think we need to get sensible here

this is an ABT package that has been designed in conjunction with SEAT that is available on the Cupra R?

so this is still covered by SEAT warranty then?

that to me makes it obvious, yes a revo can get 370bhp all day long, but your car is not covered in case of a breakdown and the longevity of the parts are in question (how many mapped stage 1 revo cars have blown the clutch?)

the ABT is a mild increase over stock that protects the engine when it gets too hot, which is what it is supposed to do, i don’t understand why every1’s twining on about it, of course SEAT isn’t going to sign off on a product thats running the turbo full whack.

I think the main issue people have is that most of the time it's doing nothing, and that when it is doing something it's making nowhere near the claimed figures

 

[cra19n]

I think we need to get sensible here

this is an ABT package that has been designed in conjunction with SEAT that is available on the Cupra R?

so this is still covered by SEAT warranty then?

that to me makes it obvious, yes a revo can get 370bhp all day long, but your car is not covered in case of a breakdown and the longevity of the parts are in question (how many mapped stage 1 revo cars have blown the clutch?)

the ABT is a mild increase over stock that protects the engine when it gets too hot, which is what it is supposed to do, i don’t understand why every1’s twining on about it, of course SEAT isn’t going to sign off on a product thats running the turbo full whack.

the main issue is the fact Seat sold it as being 370ps then they change to 350ps with the GPF. But any one that has been tested hasn’t seen anywhere near this. It’s seams that it’s “protection” is a little too sensitive for a car this is the ‘R’ spec. You would expect it to perform a little better, as most people know these engines are more than capable of a reliable 360-370bhp. And with the R being DSG the clutch issue doesn’t come in to play.

 

[Blade]

Is there any point asking ABT to re programme these units. Under consumer rights act if they are not doing what’s on the tin everyone can contact Seat and ask for their money back.....if we all did that maybe our voices would be heard.


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[cra19n]

Is there any point asking ABT to re programme these units. Under consumer rights act if they are not doing what’s on the tin everyone can contact Seat and ask for their money back.....if we all did that maybe our voices would be heard.


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Abt can’t reprogram the unit I asked when I first got the car as I was asking about if I modified the car could the abt be adapted to suit. (I asked abt not the stealership btw)

 

[Slickric21]

iirc ABT have said that the box needs to be tested on a Dyno like theirs in Germany, this is because it’s got a very powerful fan that makes something like 90,000 cubic meters per hour (52,972 CFM), this is airspeed at 120mph.

Could be legit who knows ? Maybe it does perform in real life.... well for a short time at least before whatever sensor gets too hot and the ABT reverts to stock power.

 

[Blade]

Abt can’t reprogram the unit I asked when I first got the car as I was asking about if I modified the car could the abt be adapted to suit. (I asked abt not the stealership btw)

So no capacity to adapt for any other mods? Fair enough.


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[cra19n]

So no capacity to adapt for any other mods? Fair enough.


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Nope it is not “future proof” it basically is what it is.

 

[AndrewJB]

I did quiz SEAT UK why they didn't go with Racingline for example, VW UK/SEAT UK have a really good history with Volkswagen Racing (Racingline now) but was told they went with ABT as it was tried and tested in other markets.

Despite the fact Racingline are authorised dealers for Cupra Racing/ Volkswagen Motorsport in the UK as well now supporting TCR sales.