VelocityAP Tune, Pulley, Full Exhaust, (Sport Cats, X-Pipe, Resonators, SuperSport Mufflers)

Hello all,
Some of you have documented your travels obtaining excess Horsepower; I thought I would do the same. I have been working on this since January 12, 2015 and have just now completed the modifications. I purchased this 2011 XF Supercharged with 18,000 miles in January. In researching the Jaguar line I discovered the Base Supercharged, the R and the R-S have the same engine. And, conventional wisdom is the tune and exhaust are the only differences, Jaguar essentially de-tunes the lower priced model. I initially wasn’t after the full exhaust, just wanted better sound and was going to do a pulley and tune along with mufflers.

Exceptionally glad I did the complete system, as I now have close to the R-S horsepower at a fraction of the cost. When I started this a year ago there were countless claims out there by various tuners, and not many backed up by data. I wanted to see for myself.

First off, I have no affiliation with VelocityAP and did not know they existed until Stuart contacted me in January. I was posting on the board here, reading all the posts by 2010 Kyanite XFR, WRXtranceformed, DGL, Big Will, allenman85, mchXFS, BigCat09, Matt in Houston among others.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...y-combo-98134/

I was ready to move forward with Eurocharged and Mina Mufflers when Stuart at VelocityAP contacted me. He wanted me to consider his products. We discussed my plans and he urged me to go with a complete system for the best possible outcome. He already had the sport mufflers for our cars, but had not done an XF S/C full exhaust. And, he had tuned other Jaguar models with our AJ133 engine. (They are big in the Aston Martin area also) In full disclosure he did offer me a discount if I would document my journey with dyno runs. Stock, after Exhaust, then after Tune and Pulley. And, I would need to send him my cats and center section for jigging.
I decided to proceed with VelocityAP.

I scouted out a dyno operator in my area. DB Performance | Performance Installs | Dyno Tuning AWD/RWD/FWD | Performance Part Sales Not the closest, but the best reputation I could find. They have two dyno’s the DynoJet and DynoDynamics. I used the DynoDynamics (Heart Breaker) for all three, (actually four separate Dyno runs). I explained to the operator we were after consistency so I could see the gains after each modification. Each run was four or five good pulls in 4th gear. We ended up with some 27 runs in all.


SPORT CATS, X-PIPE, RESONATOR, MUFFLERS.
Removal of the stock exhaust was easy. Exhaust is three sections, Cats, center section, mufflers. (actually five parts, each cat, center section, each muffler) Removed them and sent them off to VelocityAP. Received the new system back also in three sections, fitment was without issue. Full stainless, of course, and a real work of art. Sound is fantastic! Could feel the bump, seat of the pants, right off. And of course with the sound the car feels even faster yet. I asked for the resonators as I didn’t want a full blown race car sound. This is just right for me. In fact, my wife thinks it’s a little too loud, so that goes to show - It’s Perfect. Raspy if you get on it, quiet at highway speed above about 60. I slight drone at 55 but only before the tune was put on. 70 to 80 mph cruising is only slightly louder than stock. With the radio on it’s no real difference. Around town, stop light to stop light, heads turn if you jump on it. After the tune the exhaust is that much quieter, more on that later.



PULLEY AND VELOCITYAP TUNE
Pulley swap was a challenge, getting the old one off takes patience, but as others report, it can be done. New pulley was heated to 500 degrees and slipped right on. The tuning also was not an issue once we got the right tool for the job. My car did not report the VIN to the scan tool so the hand held tuner would not suffice. VelocityAP sent a different tuning tool. Scan the ECU, send it off by email and the new tune is back in 24 hours. Oh MY Word – what a difference. Only way to put it is the engine PURRS!
With what I know now, I would not do the exhaust without a tune also! It took the slight drone out of the 50 to 60 mph range. It’s like you can hear each pop of the cylinder. The pop on decal is reduced by half I would say and the tone of the exhaust is raised a few notches, not the loudness but the tone. It provides a sharper and high pitch to the note. I did the pulley about a week before the tune and could feel no difference in the performance; you need the tune with the pulley. (When I say pop on decel, it does not do it under normal driving. Slowly lifting throttle = no pops, quick release and you can get a few burbles and pops; it’s up to me, its textbook perfect).



Bone stock car made 394.5 RWHP, with Exhaust 420.4, with Tune, 457.2 RWHP
Jaguar claims 470HP for this engine, I experienced a 19.1% drive train loss then. So the finished product could be 545 Crank HP. But the real number is the gain of 16%. It’s a different car by the seat of the pants to be sure! And bottom line is I am a more than satisfied customer.

Took it up to Brainerd International Raceway BIR for a track day last week, more on that later....155 mph at the end of the long straight.

 

Something I have been thinking about, is it possible to remove the rev limiter when in park or neutral while tuning or does that require the jag tool?

 

You don't want to do that. It's there for a reason. Revving an unloaded engine to rev limiter can do really bad things to it. The limiter keeps it to a range where it's safe.

 

I wouldn't rev it to red line but it would be nice to hear the engine and not cut it off just as it starts to sound good.

 

Nice write up! Glad to see another MN owner on here. I have been out to DB Performance a few times to get cars tuned. They seem to do pretty good work.

 

Thank you for documenting your results thoroughly!

It's really the only way to know what you are getting.
I am in the market for an XFR but now have some interest in the SC models.
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very nice write up I have an XFR and want to take the same journey you did. i'm in Wisconsin so not a lot of JAG zarrs here

 

How's it running now, if I might ask? Not sure if OP is still active.

 

All,
Yes, still around and check the boards occasionally....
Jag is running GREAT, 60,000 miles or so. It is put away now as I do not drive it in the winter.

NO issues with the car, NONE. (except the bubled dash)
I suppose I should get it to the Dyno again and see what the loss will be as it starts to carbon up due to the blow by others have documented in the intake. I think I will wait for 100,000 miles..
Thoughts from others on that?

for your viewing enjoyment...

 

We have not seen bad deposit from the DI like the Audi's suffer from.
But it would be interesting if you could measure any power loss as the miles build up.
My 2014 XJR makes 530HP and 540 TQ at the wheels on the dyno.
Man what a sound it makes when doing a pull!
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That's awesome. My 09 XF Supercharged has almost 100k. I'm getting a bit bored with it so thinking of exhaust and a tune but probably not the smartest thing to do with a 100k mile car.

 

Pulled my Manifold to do the supercharger coupler and valves looked quite clean (92K miles) The shop I went to was quite surprised, they do walnut shelling and told me to come back in 60 k miles.... Siad Audi look destroyed by that many miles....

 

I have 92 k on mine and just added a pulley and a tune . Only time will tell

 

That's encouraging!
Was it a noticable change?

 

OMG yes, Tune wihtout the pulley for sure but with pulley and new tune, the thing flys from a standing start. Its an AWD with the 6 cyl and it burns all 4 wheels from a standsitll

 

Did you have a Jag specialist do the pulley and tune or is it something any high performance shop can do?

 

The tune I did myself, ( I meant to say uploaded a Velocity AP tune using their handheld unit) I had a performance shop do the pulley. Make sure they have the correct tool, ti will save a boatload of time and you money. (1/2 the time in my case total of $250)

 

To resurrect an old thread...it's been ~2.5yrs since you last posted. How has the reliability been of your VelocityAP tune? How many miles on the car now?

 

Tune is good. Car has issues (leaks oil like a seive)