Hello everyone,
My name is Jérôme, I'm 35 years old and I live in France.
I've been passionate about cars since I was a kid. I was a rally co-driver when I was 18, and over the years I've restored five classic Mini Austins. I've always done all the mechanical work on my own cars, including timing belts, clutches, dual-mass flywheels, turbo replacements, and much more.
For a long time, I dreamed of owning a Golf 4 TDI 130 so I could learn ECU tuning and build my own Stage 1 calibration. I finally bought one in February, and it's been an amazing project ever since.
I spend a lot of my free time learning and researching engine management and diesel tuning. While searching for technical information, I came across this forum, which looks like an incredible source of knowledge.
At the moment, my map pack is complete, and my Stage 1 calibration is almost finished. My goal is a conservative setup producing around 160–165 hp and 380 Nm. However, I'm currently struggling with SOI, EOI, DOI, and the whole injection timing strategy.
That's the main reason I joined this community: to learn as much as I can, get advice from experienced members, exchange ideas, and hopefully contribute back to the community by sharing both my successes... and my mistakes!
My immediate goal is to finish this first Stage 1 calibration. In September, I plan to install a larger intercooler and a GT1749VB turbo. The car will remain my daily driver, so reliability, smooth drivability, and good fuel economy are more important to me than chasing maximum power. Once the hardware is installed, I'll perform proper data logging and refine the calibration to match the new setup.
I'm looking forward to learning from all of you and, over time, giving something back to the community.
Thanks for having me!