H6 3.6R Customer Feedback

Please post your feedback on Xtreme Racing Tuning service to you.
Thank you very much
west_minist
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JasonB - 2011 USDM Subaru Legacy H6 3.6 5EAT - Tuning

Post by west_minist »

http://www.xtremeracingtuning.com/forum ... f=40&t=615
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... ostcount=2
I'm currently on v5 of tuning my '11 3.6R with Ed from XRT. I went with the base DBW tune and the stage 1 tranny tune. The increase in torque/power and reduction of DBW lag is incredible. We have a few kinks to work out, some of which are mechanical issues on my end (afr sensor), but were getting down to the fine tuning now.

Ed is incredibly thorough in his work and his response time in answering questions is ridiculously quick. I was hesitant in doing an etune with someone in another country, but Ed eliminates all worries with his awesome
response time.

So far I'm extremely happy in how the whole process has gone. Its taken about a month so far, but all of that is on me. There was a vacation, a car accident, and I have a 6 month old daughter, so free time is hard to come by. Luckily Ed is extremely patient and works with your schedule.

Stop thinking about getting a tune and just do it!

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... ostcount=6
The power above 3000 rpm is stupid awesome. Its also much quicker on the lower end as well.
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PeterV - 2011 USDM Subaru Legacy H6 3.6 5EAT - Tuning

Post by west_minist »

http://www.xtremeracingtuning.com/forum ... f=40&t=618
--------Message --------
Subject: Re: v2 logs
Date: Sun, 6 Mar 2016 10:06:23 -0700
From: PeterV
To: west_minist

Howdy Ed,

Here's my detailed review, finally...

I bought my '11 Outback 3.6 about half a year ago then had a custom exhaust system made that deleted the resonator...it was nice but the extra sound really made it apparent how very much the 5EAT was gear hunting. I was increasingly annoyed in normal traffic that up & down shifts were happening when not needed, usually just for a second or two. Of course I also really hated waiting 2-3 seconds for down shifts when immediate acceleration was needed, like yellow lights or quick stops for right turns.

Then I found a bunch of folks on SubaruOUtback.org that highly recommended Ed at XRT for not only making the 5EAT shift the way you want it to, but also squeezing more horse power and torque from the stock 3.6. Living a mile above sea level, of course I wanted the most power from my 3.6 as safely possible, and now that Ed has worked his magic, I'm really happy and Impressed!. The 5EAT shifts so intelligently and quickly now, NO MORE GEAR HUNTING, it's awesome. Before Ed's improvements, driving my car annoyed me, I liked it but wished it would perform correctly, shift when expected, jump when asked. Now I just LOVE driving my OB, it's a blast, more & immediate power, plus the 5EAT now does exactly what I want now, it's always in the right gear at the right time and never hunts or waits to shift. The bump in power is across the entire RPM range and really feels great,being naturalluy asperated, the 3.6 felt like it was gasping for air at this altitude, now with Ed's tweaks it breaths much easier, and so do I!

AND After sending Ed only one data log from my car he was able to diagnosis an intake leak...with another XRT customer's help we were able to pressure test my intake, find the leak and seal it. Which is another great thing about XRT, customers have a forum to chat with Ed and each other, sharing advice and knowledge about everything from wrenching to where to get parts, etc...and have fun.

Thanks Ed,

PeterV

Raptor Headers Review
From: PeterV
Sent: Wednesday, 7 September 2016 11:12 PM
To: Edward
Subject: Raptor Headers & ROM v8 Review

Well, it took me over 6 months to get my hands on a set of Raptor headers for my 3.6 Outback, but MAN WAS IT WORTH IT!  I followed the excellent advice of Ed and had Magnaflow Catalytic converters (53956) and a Magnaflow Resonator (10416) installed with the headers, had the AFR sensors installed upstream of the cats, the O2 sensors installed down stream of the cats, and a Magnaflow "Y" between the cats and resonator.  All exhaust piping is now 2.5", my mufflers were previously installed about a year ago and are Magnaflow "knock offs/copys".

Before I even started my car after the install I did a ecu reset with Romraider.  Sounded pretty good, much better than stock, nice growl at idle.  I drove gently for ten minutes, letting the ecu learn and bringing the new parts up to temperature gently.  Then I drove for ten minutes normally, I was in traffic, but I had a few chances to floor it and wow!  Game ON, power!  The sound above 3500 rpms is just awesome, really reminds me of exotic cars like Porsche or Maserati, of course it doesn't sound like either of those really, it has it's own sound.  But it now sounds more like an exotic sports car than any stock Subaru ever, specifically nothing like a WRX or STI, since after all it is a H6 Boxer engine.

Anyway, got near home and decided to get some gas, I was running low.  Hadn't had any check engine lights, thanks probably to Ed's sensor placement advice and resetting the ecu.  As I was threading into the gas station entrance road I shifted to manual mode and kept it in 1st gear to drift the corners a little and push it a little to see what it had...it was FUN, good stuff.  Then as I pulled up to the gas pump, blub, blub, blub...engine was idling a little rough, chugging...reminded me of how my '56 Fairlane ran when it was getting flooded.  Got gas, started it up, ran fine again.

Got home, sent Ed logs of that drive home and within an hour he let me know a new ROM was waiting for me in my email.  Flashed the new ROM, did ecu reset, 10 minute gentle drive, etc...Believe it or not that ROM was "V8" (version 8 of the tunes he had been doing already for my car).  And how ironically awesome it was that that ROM was named "V8" because it made the car feel like it had a small block V8!  What ever torque increase I had felt from the headers alone was now doubled by Ed's ecu magic.  But unlike most small block V8's, my power and torque seemed to just continually build right up to redline, not the usual V8 wimp out when you pass 2/3 of redline.  It took me a bit to notice the exhaust sound had gotten even better too, but I realized later of course it would since the engine is now getting the right amounts of air and fuel.  Which I also found allowed me to drive hard then idle smooth, not like earlier at the gas station when it ran rough after a little playing.  Yup, Ed really woke up my headers and made my ecu happy to have them, I'm really looking forward to seeing how much more power he can coax from them.  I'm happy with what I got now, but I know Ed will tweak the ROMs till they're as powerful as can be safe and reliable.  Because Ed already did that for my car before it had headers, that's just how he rolls, he makes it how we want it.

Thanks Ed, you the best!

Peter
From: PeterV
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2016 6:40 AM
To: <west_minist@xtremeracingtuning.com>
Subject: Re: Minor review

What a FUN weekend I had with v12! Finally had a chance to retorque all my new exhaust when it was cold since I didn't have to go to work & found all my sensors were only hand tight...sounds even better now, what I thought was rasp was those sensors rattling, ha ha. Then found out my skid plates bolted right back on, no spacers or longer hardware required, bonus. Did a couple 1/4 mile & gear pull runs, felt great & fast...but g forces must have caused my logging connection to get loose because I found out later the logs were invalid, dang, got to haul ass again next weekend for logs ;-D Really fun having a wagon that looks stock but sounds incredible & hauls ass any time, v12 is a blast, punch it any time any & GO! Driving normal is great too, plenty of extra power to make traffic easy, down shifts rarely needed. Torque & power with v12 is better again, over all car drives stronger & better.
Thanks Ed!
https://youtu.be/jsH8gmfMMTE
https://youtu.be/NiTLsytGcuI
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GioB - 2011 USDM Subaru Legacy H6 3.6 5EAT - SC Tuning

Post by west_minist »

http://www.xtremeracingtuning.com/forum ... =101&t=657
Subject: Re: v14b
Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2016 23:27:47 -0400
From: GioB
To: <west_minist@xtremeracingtuning.com>

So this has been a much larger experience than most have gotten to enjoy while working with Ed.
We have been talking about taking action for at least a year now, exchanging messages, info and ideas. His guidance and expertise has taken my particular build to heights far beyond my expectations. His ability to explain and teach me while optimizing my ecu is similar to that of a college professor.
He has been extremely patient and understanding with my questions and concerns over the course of this educational and beneficial journey.
His determination and dedication exceeds well beyond that of the average run of the mill tuner. He will spend nights staying up with me working out my ecu coming up and even inventing new ideas to fine tune certain parameters and adding as needed This guy literally does not rest untill client satisfaction is 100% on point with the results he expects to see from his work. If you have a car that you absolutely enjoy and want to enjoy for many years to come, this is the man to consult
2016-05-07
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... tcount=211
So far working with XRT as been extremely fun every little thing he dials in changes the car. The power and transmission feel is dramatic over previous tune. The car feels much more refined the power comes in earlier and just keeps pushing! Since the second day of logging the car to me, and those who know me will testify that i am very sensitive to my car.. the car to me feels like I went out and bought a completely different car. I was nervous at first to beat on the car because of mental blocks i created over time on a bad tune, but lately i sad F-it and i have been driving like ken block stole it and is smooth as can be. no rough idle after spirited driving , no oil burning , no funny ticks from abuse. The car is much more able to put my mods to work now. Its nice to finally feel the difference my investement has made and i am looking forward to one day becoming a tuner myself.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... tcount=213
We all spend so much time and money on our cars things always seem to go wrong most shops make excuses why things wont work or why its doing this or that. What ive learned and can stand by 1000% is that tuning and putting in the proper time to tune under multiple driving conditions and weather conditions makes all the difference. Logging and refinement is key to enjoying your car/investment headache free. This kind of support is hard to find im very happy to have XRT in my corner during this build. Its been very fun but its also far from over. I have many more goodies up my sleeve before this season is over!
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AlexR - 2011 USDM Subaru Legacy H6 3.6R 5EAT - Tuning

Post by west_minist »

http://www.xtremeracingtuning.com/forum ... =101&t=658

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... count=1959
I finally switched over to XRT from an old tuner which I got in July 2015. The car also had upgraded raptor headers, racing cats, a custom midpipe and ultraquiet resonator.

At first I loved the car, mainly because the increase in power was obvious and delightful. Over time though the limitations were quite obvious. The biggest one was global timing was almost always between 55-65% of maximum so power was always left on the table. In addition the throttle was very touchy and I never quite knew what kind of power I was going to get. As I learned more about the car, I noticed the power dropped off of a cliff at 5000 rpm and I ran out of gas.

I switched to Xtreme Racing Tuing after Perscitus convinced me in early November. House obligations pushed me back until April when I was finally able to switch over. Of course even that wasn't easy as I learned my tune was locked. My ECU had to be removed and shipped to a Tactrix who I trusted (and after this trust even more so) so I could have the ECU unlocked, wiped and flashed with XRT.

XRT Rev 0 was uploaded on thursday. Ed's base tune was miles better then the last tune was at its best time. Immediately after turning my car back to life, I heard the super smooth, quiet idle. I knew instantly this was a much better tune with more knowledgeable tuner. I felt the heavier, more precise throttle (same when I drove Perscitus's car) and as I merged onto the highway I felt the power. Smooth, linear all the way to redline. As I drove and logged the car, the power continue to rise as the car kept learning what it could do. The only imperfection I found was a deadpoint in the beginning of the throttle. That might have been from the tune, but more likely was because I was used to the throttle issue before.

V1 was loaded last night and I got to drive her today. Holy crap the car is fast now, she will pull way past 3rd gear (105+) and its much stronger at all RPMS.

Ed is amazing to work with, hes a brilliant tuner who knows exactly how to extract the power from our cars. He will push you to learn, as he is also always learning more and applying it to our cars. (Michal just recently uploaded a new revision after several months, and as much as he loved XRT before, the car just got another gear)

I know there is more work to be done, but I am delighted to be working with Ed on this as he obviously cares about our N/A cars in a way that few do.
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TimB - 2011 USDM Subaru Legacy H6 3.6 5EAT - Tuning

Post by west_minist »

http://www.xtremeracingtuning.com/forum ... =101&t=667
Subject: Re: v3
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2016 04:29:24 -0400
From: TimB
To: west_minist@xtremeracingtuning.com

Okay Ed, here's my review.

When I first bought my car 9 months ago, I said I wasn't going to mod it. Here I am now, writing a review for Ed from XRT Tuning. Just in the last couple of days I've spent logging, re-flashing ROM's and talking with Ed, I've learned a great deal of knowledge. He's been a big help with this whole thing. I had a bit of trouble using the software but I eventually figured it out. I was nervous before, and still am sometimes about re-flashing my cars ECU, but Ed has assured me many times that "Your car will be okay :)" He's helped me pinpoint a few small issues with the car that he found after reviewing logs that I wouldn't have known about otherwise. After every logging event he would ask me input on how the car drove, how was the throttle and explain the changes he had made and what he could do tweak some things. There's no doubt that he knows what he's doing :) I had read the many reviews and talked to a few people before deciding to go ahead with this but I am overall very happy :) I would definitely would recommend.

As for the car, it's much more livelier. The sound of the engine has changed for the better. What used to be a cub with it's tiny growl, is now a grown Tiger, ready for the next Mustang owner to prey on. The throttle is more responsive than before and I'm in love with the torque. I enjoyed the car before but now it just wants to go go go. Like it's being pulled by team of sled dogs. We're still refining the tune but I think it's just about done. I take time looking over my logs afterwards and I can see the changes he's made to each ROM revision. After seeing what the stock logs look like and what they look like now, I know the car is running much smoother and happier than before, based on the numbers alone. This is just the beginning of this experience. I hope to keep working together in the future with whatever mods may happen. I've been slowly becoming more and more of a Subaru fan but now I have a tuner that I trust as much as the brand. Thanks for all the help thus far.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... ostcount=4
I'd also like to chime in. I've been working with Ed for a good two weeks now and it's been nothing but a pleasure. He's quick to respond and the latest small tweaks that have been done to the tune we're back to me within the hour. He's helped me find issues with the car that I never would have thought to be there. It is on my fault for not replacing plugs. I had thought that being 10k miles under the change interval it wouldn't matter but not the case. It's a good idea to replace plugs before tuning, even on a low mileage car. What a difference it made for me.

Ed's been really helpful and supportive with the tuning. I had issues with getting the software to work but with his help and the help threads on the Rom Raider website I figured it out. When it came to flashing the ECU, I was nervous every time. It's not a project car that I'm working on. It's my ride to work everyday and for an issue to arise would be troubling. After learning what to do and what safeguards to take, I feel a lot more confident doing it. He assured me everything will be fine, even if any issues arise.

My car...is now a monster. I'm still with the stock exhaust but the car isn't anything like it was before. The engine sounds more aggressive, the 5EAT shifts quicker and smoother. The throttle lag is greatly reduced and now "twitchy". I don't use anything except the paddle shifters. It's now fun to drive and I want to go out to just cruise around. There's so much more potential with exhaust but for the price, it's definitely worth it. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy.

I've learned a great deal over the last two weeks and always still learning more. I read great reviews before deciding to jump on this but now here's a good review from myself as well. Ed is just like you and I, working for a living and doing what he likes to do. He shares the same passion for cars and does excellent work. The best part is he's always willing to check out the car after so long to make sure the car is running okay. Like a car doctor.

I should also note that there's a group for the XRT guys and they're a crazy, but helpful bunch as well.

I can't say any negatives about the XRT service. I hope to keep working together as time goes on. The car is not done yet. It's never done.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... ostcount=5
Reporting back after two months. Cars now even quicker. I've been working with Ed for the past few days and he's managed to extract a little more power out of the car. She's now running to 60 in 6.9 from the 7.3 back in July, slowly becoming quicker it seems. I'm still amazed that this much as come out of a completely stock car, aside from proper maintenance and some oil additive (Nanotech Lubricants). Once the suspension is sorted it'll be time for the exhaust and possible intake mods.

I just have to say, it's been a pleasure working with Ed from XRT. He's available around most of the clock and has been tuning to near perfection. Has no problem playing with sound and throttle to get the car how you like it. It's not about massive amounts of wheel power but about you simply enjoying driving your car and having it the way you like. My plans were never "because racecar" but a Legacy Grand Tourer, with loads of torque and yet still remains comfortable for long trips. It's slowly coming together. My advice to anyone out there that has worries, just do it. You won't be disappointed :)

Here's a link to my tuning thread:

http://www.xtremeracingtuning.com/forum ... =101&t=667
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... stcount=11
Hello, probably a final post for awhile. Not much else to do until I get an exhaust welded up so the tuning is coming to an end, for now. Ed's been hard at work, sending revisions and I've been out, driving around like "The Stig" (not really) for the last week and a half or so, logging and reporting back with results. Ed's gotten the tune to a very good point. The power is now very linear. She pulls from the point of smashing the gas up until 6000RPM. 3rd gear has always shown more power and now it's a joy to drive around in. I'd be a politician if I said I wasn't happy :lol: I should note, my cars completely stock, include air filter aside from the 93 Octane BP gas that I use and the Nanotech Lubricants oil additive which I've been using since February. Which the additive definitely helps. Oh, I should also say that he does tweak the ECU in a what that indirectly affects the transmission. It's now shifting smooth and firm. As well as the sound of the exhaust is very nice. Doesn't sound like your grandma's Accord anymore, haha.

But anywho, I'd like to send out a big thanks to him for his help and to anyone, especially someone who drives an N/A, give XRT a try if you need an e-tune. The process is a bit time consuming but Rome wasn't built in a day and great things can't happen over night.

I'd also like to stress, a properly maintained car makes all the difference. High mileage plugs, dirty injectors, exhaust leaks, intake leaks, old intake air filters, all robbing the car of potential power and sometimes detrimental to the car itself. It really shows in the results I've been getting since day one.

Here is my latest quarter mile run. Still need to confirm time with a drag strip which I may do soon or springtime next year at the Test N' Tune Thursdays at a strip nearby.

Also my stock vs last ROM comparison. I'm a bit shocked as well. I'm gonna try to get on a dyno to compare the results and to see how 3rd gear looks through out the entire range. BTW, this is 2nd gear. Power is higher in 3rd because of gearing. You may have noticed on the quarter mile image.

Overall, very satisfied customer. Will be returning for a re-tune come exhaust time. I've got tires/wheels/suspension to workout as well as brakes before I start going faster.

Cheers
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AdamM - 2015 Subaru Legacy 3.6 CVT - Tuning

Post by west_minist »

viewtopic.php?f=101&t=696#p2142
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... stcount=43
After reading the various posts in this thread and being in the market for a tune (2015 3.6r), I started speaking to XRT. I started logging data yesterday and I've been sent multiple rom's already. I'm very happy with the results so far. As I told him, when I was testing out the acceleration from a dead stop, I had to laugh when all the contents of my storage compartment right below the Nav area flew out and hit the back of the passenger seat. I'll be installing my Takeda intake this weekend and hopefully start using higher grade fuel in the next week, so I can only assume that the results are going to get better from here.

I think one of the biggest things so far however is that XRT has been available basically whenever I've sent him a msg. I probably have sent him between 50-70 e-mails, multiple text messages, and a handful of phone calls (I'm a huge noob when it comes to cars, I'll admit that). I told him that I wake up early and could start first thing in the morning today, and sure enough I was talking with him around 5:30am EST after speaking with him and ME ending the talks the night before at around 10:00pm EST. This always available mentality has made the entire process a pleasure on my part, although I'm probably a huge pain in the ass for XRT :)

I lurk here all the time, but hardly ever post (only created an account when I tried to get in touch with Throttle as I don't use Facebook, and had to send him a msg via this forum). I'll try to post an update on my experience and results once I make the changes listed above.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... stcount=57
As stated in my previous post, I wanted to follow up with an update. I've been working with Ed on tuning my car now for about 2 weeks roughly. During this time Ed has been in constant contact with me reviewing my log files and responding to my feedback. As shown in the graph he posted of my results, I can honestly say that the car feels completely different (in a good way) then it did stock. The car not only feels faster overall, but the shifting of "gears" is extremely smooth and I am very happy with how the car is able to quickly accelerate. When the car was stock and I went full throttle, I can only describe the feeling as if the CVT would take a few moments to analyze the situation and find the "optimal gear" to put the car in. This resulted in a period of hesitation prior to the car actually accelerating at any decent rate as it hunted around for it's selection. This is pretty much gone now in my situation. When I need to accelerate onto a highway or overtake another vehicle, I can do it with ease.

At this point, based on my current experience personally and what I see written in the XRT chat that he runs, I have no complaints. I am also glad to see as new individuals join the chat and begin working with Ed, I have not been pushed aside or moved down the list of his priorities. I actually received a new ROM today which I will be loading up in the morning and testing on the way to work. Between this and a few other items we've discussed, I hope to fine-tune this tune further.

For anyone interested, these results are with:

XRT Tune
aFe Takeda Stage 2 Intake
Nameless 4" Axleback Exhaust
Handful of other mods such as 20mm rear sway, etc... that I doubt played any part in the results

Feel free to message me if you have any questions.
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MattW - 2017 Subaru Legacy 3.6 CVT - Main Contributor

Post by west_minist »

viewtopic.php?f=101&t=691

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... stcount=35
Hi Ed - you're too kind. But I will take what I can get and keep the wonderful customer title. :lol:

I was able to have Ed live with me in the car while driving on the stock rom, and his modified roms. He monitored in real time my cars ecu via my laptop and team viewer all while on the phone with me listening to the car.

This morning I woke up to a new rom version and i'm :eek: impressed after the driving today! Huge progress made from the first rom and the difference between today's rom and stock rom is, again, :eek: ... Huge improvement in all areas over stock.

Anyone on the fence should not hesitate to let Ed/XRT dial in their 6th gen 3.6.... We're still working on mine but as of where we are at now I can recommend XRTs services with confidence.

As far as canned tunes vs. custom tunes there is no comparison in my 20 years of light modding experience. The custom tune is always much better than the canned tune.

The most modded car I ever had/did was a Mustang 5.0 liter, roots style supercharger, aluminum heads, and the rest of the expected mods one would have at that level. Next on the to-do list was a dyno tune but I had to stop with the car before that happened. Point is, I was on the Kenne Bell (supercharger manufacturer) canned tune and there was so much left on the table. At least a half second in the 1/4 mile. I was running high 12s low 13s and that was a mid 12's car all day long.

Anyways you get the point.

If anyone has any questions for me RE: XRT tuning don't hesitate to ask.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... tcount=491
I just added a cat back exhaust and air filter, plus committed to using 92 octane fuel. Between that and XRT tuning I'm seeing some real good improvements.

One rom back I got a .4 second increase in 0-60. I'm now on later rom, v6a, and without a doubt it is faster than the v6... so... I'm expecting an even faster 0-60 from the latest logs.

XRT also has a lot of my CVT complaints dialed in. It's, upon my command, much more controllable vs. before optimization it was as is named - constant variable - always keeping the engine in efficiency mode. I can still keep the engine/cvt working efficiently without issue, but with the slight adjustment of the pedal the cvt becomes very predictable and controllable. Very easy to keep the car in power with little pedal work. Increments are about 500 rpms with little pedal down adjustments and it holds the rpms/power nicely vs. instantly dropping down gears taking the car out of power.

Huge drive ability improvement. Huge!

Some of the below info is the same as above, but this is what I posted in my thread over on XRT. There's charts with times over there too. http://www.xtremeracingtuning.com/forum ... 2129#p2129

Happy to see these times, Ed. Good job! My butt dyno agrees. The v6a times have got to be better. If not, forget the times and just go with my butt dyno. LOL.

The rom v6a feels much stronger in the 3rd gear pulls, and the there is a good improvement from a stopped WOT run (drag pull). The car is really flying in the top end in v6a vs. v6. Again, 3rd gear pulls are a huge improvement over just the last rom, v6!

Pedal position is controlling where the CVT gearing is almost precisely now, where as before the CVT just had a mind of its own and would shift up to keep the engine in efficiency mode. Now I can still adjust pedal position for engine efficiency, but also adjust pedal position to hold the down shift for a good amount of time. It's the best of both worlds in regards to the CVT. It takes some of the VARIABLE out of constant variable, and gives some control to the driver. This is a huge drive ability improvement in my opinion.

Every version is getting better. As I was typing this I just got a v7. :shock: :shock: :twisted:

Will keep reporting back here as I have good updates.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... tcount=491
Happy to see these times, Ed. Good job! My butt dyno agrees. ;) The v6a times have got to be better. If not, forget the times and just go with my butt dyno. LOL.

The rom v6a feels much stronger in the 3rd gear pulls, and the there is a good improvement from a stopped WOT run (drag pull). The car is really flying in the top end in v6a vs. v6. Again, 3rd gear pulls are a huge improvement over just the last rom, v6!

Pedal position is controlling where the CVT gearing is almost precisely now, where as before the CVT just had a mind of its own and would shift up to keep the engine in efficiency mode. Now I can still adjust pedal position for engine efficiency, but also adjust pedal position to hold the down shift for a good amount of time. It's the best of both worlds in regards to the CVT. It takes some of the VARIABLE out of constant variable, and gives some control to the driver. This is a huge drive ability improvement in my opinion.
Every version is getting better. As I was typing this I just got a v7. :shock: :shock: :twisted:

Will keep reporting back here as I have good updates.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... tcount=496
From what you're describing your take off in s# is how mine used to be in the earlier tunes. Jumpy.

I've really been focusing a lot of my attention and feedback to Ed (XRT) on CVT drive ability and take offs/low speed WOT hits as opposed to overall power, which has been increasing also but to me as the customer doesn't seem like the challenge for tuning my car.

Or in other words, for me and my habits, the tuning needs to be done in the areas we're discussing here (CVT optimization) more so than top end balls out power..... though it does all tie together in the end.

My take off and low speed WOT hits have changed 110% and the best rom I've gotten has only a couple tiny hiccups on a WOT take off from stop.

Here's how I can best describe it using an analogy (and the behavior is normal to other cars).

When I go WOT from a stop or slow speed in auto the car will now act like a human blowing up a large balloon. Think of how you would blow up a balloon and that's exactly how my car is now behaving.

Blowing up a large balloon I would take a deep breath, then release the air with fierce pressure until I had no air left.

That's exactly what is happening now when I push WOT from stop or very slow speed. The car hesitates (in a good way) as if it's take a deep breath, the RPM needle shoots up and power is applied, for the most part, very smoothly. Again, a couple hiccups but they are very minor.

The key here is that the car is taking WOT input and jamming that RPM needle into the power zone to be applied at take off.

If that doesn't make sense I can try to clarify a bit more.
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... tcount=500
Those longer videos were made for XRT to evaluate. They were long and not very clear because they weren't made to show perfection. They were made to try and highlight some positive points and one area that still needs tweaked. They were made for the tuner.

Power delivery from stop to WOT and slow roll to WOT is perfected. It's performing like I never thought it could. Video below to for viewing.

A lot of the tuning work, as I mention above, has been getting the CVT to behave in different ways. Some may like a little more control of the trans via the pedal, while others may like a little less.

I believe, for the ones that want a little less control, the tune for the 6th gen CVT is perfected and will only need to be tweaked per car/location etc. XRT can chime in on that.

I like to have more control over my throttle. This doesn't equate to a 'jumpy' car. Please don't confuse it for that.

Because I've kept mentioning this to Ed he came up with some test tunes and one of them really caught my attention. The behavior is perfect, total control of the CVT with the throttle. But there is still one tiny item that needs ironed out. Ed will get it figured out in no time and it's effect does not impact overall tweaking of the CVT control.

Ed / XRT has been up twice all night on the phone with me perfecting my tune. He is very passionate about tuning and perfecting and this shows in his customer service.

Here's some video that's shorter and really highlights what's been perfected in this venture. Notice how much faster v8a is vs. v7.

WOT take offs -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phuMBWiwWoM

Mid To Top Optomized - This tune is good to go It has the WOT takeoff optimization in it. It only lacks a some better CVT control via the throttle. This is what I mentioned some may prefer. Less control vs. more control.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To3-Iq-zE74

Example of CVT control via throttle - This is several tunes after WOT takeoffs were perfected -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_jkyo-de6c
http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... tcount=513
Thanks Ed. You've been great. Cars running real nice and smooth. And, did I mention it's just a huge blast to drive??

Maybe I should remove my ski box and see how fast the car really is.

Headers and high - flow cats on the way.

Oh yes.... and some 5-40.
west_minist
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RobbieGT - 2016 Subaru Legacy 3.6 CVT

Post by west_minist »

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php ... stcount=42
Well, I have officially begun tuning with XRT last night due to the lack of communication from Throttle happy.

What I can say is, in the short amount of time (weeks) he's been tuning the 6th gens opposed to throttle happy (years) he's already surpassing his tunes.

My previous tune with throttle happy was extremely, well, throttle happy.. The car was jumpy, hyper sensitive, there wasn't much drive ability at all.

My first night with XRT, he loaded a rom into my car, I drove around while he monitored the vehicle, had me pull off into a parking lot, made adjustments, and loaded an updated rom into the car.

Last night there were more roms loaded into my vehicle than throttle happy has loaded in six months.

As PDREALTOR has stated, there is a glorious rom that has some kinks to be worked out, but as far as acceleration it's a really really huge increase than anything I've loaded into this car before.. I'm very excited to continue working with XRT, and encourage you all to do the same.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk
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JayP - 2017 Subaru Legacy 3.6 CVT

Post by west_minist »

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/138 ... sions.html
First let me say that initially I was going to get a '17 WRX 6 speed, however due to having a family and my wife wanting an automatic, we decided to get an Outback. I was not excited at first, but once we purchased our '17 Outback Limited 3.6R I was starting to realize how well built this car was, along with being so luxurious (from previous Subarus I've had), as well as how the 3.6R could sprint fairly well, and handle excellently for a car it's size after I put my 19mm rear sway bar on soon after purchase.

I learned about XRT with the post on here about Ed. First let me say, Ed is a very great guy to work with. He is extremely patient and walked me through the entire process. He went out of his way to accommodate the odd times I was available considering I have rug rats running around me at all times at home.

First I dropped in an AFE Pro Dry S filter in the air box. I immediately noticed that throttle response was better, with a tad more pull through the gears, and a nice "whoosing" intake sound, that's very subtle, but perfect for a car like this.

After I got my laptop setup, Ed was right there to help me via phone (BBM) and remotely to get me under way.

This tune is AWESOME! I was not expecting much considering my car is stock, save for a simple air filter replacement. After two revisions my Outback feels MUCH stronger, sounds better, and shifts like no other automatic I've driven.

You have total control with the input of your foot to get the exact gear, and amount of power you want as you drive. There are no more sluggish shifts, as the car confidently gets into "gear", snaps you back in your seat and continues to pull into the next gear.

Off the line is greatly improved. The weird "CVT" lunge that haunts these cars is gone. I feel that the car has improved so much from a dig than before, that it feels like a different car.

As I did some WOT pulls on the interstate the Flat 6 roared with delight and eagerness that seemed absent before. The car is SO much more fun to drive now. I have owned many cars, trucks, and performance vehicles, and I was mentioning to Ed on the phone yesterday that my Outback is the most BALANCED, solid vehicle I've had the pleasure to own. It does everything very well, and although it's 3800lbs+, it feels very nimble, and handles this amount of power increase just right.

I went with the 91 octane tune. Initially I tried the 87 tune by Ed, but wanted more. He was able to dial in the tune just right, and increased the timing. Now my Outback feels as strong as my mom's 2011 Volvo X70 T6, but handles much better, shifts better, and is far more responsive in the throttle response department.

For anyone that wants their wagon to have more power, and improved drivability should consider talking to Ed about this best mod. Once Ed heard me giggling over bluetooth after the second revision, he knew he had produced yet another satisfied and happy customer.

I'm looking forward towards the car running even stronger as it learns my driving style (spirited x10 LOL). Ed and I are going to do one more revision on the tune today to clean up a few minor things he had found through the log.

Thank you Ed, and thank you Subaru Forums for allowing him to introduce an excellent performance mod for a car, that is clamoring for a car enthusiasts touch and feel. :wink2:
2017-01-28
http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/4597082-post88.html
Well, just when I thought the tune couldn't get better, I bought ecuedit and had Ed dial in the fuel.

What a difference! The car runs so strong and so smooth. The throttle is so responsive with every ounce of force you put on the gas pedal. After each shift the car pushes so much harder, all the way red line. I'll say it again, but I am so happy with my car that it feels like a very quick, capable wagon that drives like a sports sedan.

Off the line the car hauls amazingly! There is no lag, and no lunge like before. The shifts are so crisp, positive and fast. This CVT is the best automatic transmission I've driven. I took my wife out on a date night yesterday and she couldn't believe how much faster the car felt. She is not a car person by any means, but she felt like it drove like a different car.

The engine has a very mean GROWL to it. The flat 6 is a joy to drive, and utilizes all of it's torque very well on this ca, with the new tune.

I can't tell you how much patience Ed had with me. He spent many long nights guiding me through the process, as I was happy to learn more about the car, as well as the tuning software.

Overall I am very satisfied, and would highly recommend anyone getting an XRT custom tune from Ed. It's not just the power, it's the overall responsiveness and driveability that happens when he fine tunes the CVT.

I've had a few custom tunes on other vehicles, but this, by far was the best experience and end result. Now I'm a eager to add more power mods and improve the tune even further. Next up would be a catback exhaust, or muffler replacement that doesn't drone.

Logging was very fun, and it was so great to get a new revision and see how the car performed better and better.

WELL WORTH THE MONEY!
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TylerM - 2012 USDM Subaru Legacy H6 3.6 5EAT - Tuning

Post by west_minist »

viewtopic.php?f=101&t=682&p=2180#p2180
From: TylerM
Sent: Monday, 30 January 2017 9:42 PM
To: West_minist@xtremeracingtuning.com
Reply To: Tyler Martin
Subject: Re: v5b

Okay, wow. That made a difference. The shifting is MUCH quicker. The old version did a bit of guessing with what gear to be in, especially with slow accelerations. It is much smarter in deciding what gear to be in. When cruising along at 55mph and then suddenly giving it a lot of gas, the car immediately knows what gear to downshift to and power is put down incredibly quickly. This new stage 2 is amazing!
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