Common weight save items on tdi engines

bhodgkiss

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Location
Banbury, UK
TDI
AFN Passat Wagon
HI guys

Not looking for expensive items like carbon bonnets and bucket seats.....

But cheap or free weight save off the front end of our tdi's
Any weight off the front end has to be good.

Items I have so far:

Engine cover remove 0.75kg
Egr valve delete 0.5kg
Air con remove (mine didn't work anyway) 20kg
Bonnet insulation remove 0.5kg
Battery in boot 18kg
washer bottle in boot 2kg
Decat pipe 2kg?
Ported head ;)
Lightweight airbox heatshield 0.25kg

Things I thought might be good:

Smaller oil filter 0.5kg
Alloy cam cover. Do these exist? Surely they must? 0.3kg?
Alloy front uprights off audi a6 (for my PASSAT) 6kg lighter then steel
Alloy upper suspension mount plates " " 1kg

Sensible thoughts please!

I've probably done the biggest gains already but good to check I'm not missing anything obvious

Thanks
 
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joseluis.17g

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Location
Monterrey, Mexico
TDI
2007 MKIV mexican Jetta 1.9 TDI
I've done almost all of what you have and I honestly didn't feel the difference until I drag race vs a friends tdi same year and everything.

You could also do a lightweight flywheel I don't think you'll mind the extra rattle and could save 10 pounds easy


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bhodgkiss

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Location
Banbury, UK
TDI
AFN Passat Wagon
With rear mods like no back box and no spare wheel etc its easily 70kg lighter than stock so call it 5% or 7HP plus the weight distribution and braking improvements. All good fun and looks stock which is what I want
Oh roof rails gone too for a cheeky 4kg high up save!
 
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VWBeamer

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2009
Location
GA
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
How do you fit a smaller oil filter? and how can it save .5 kg when the stock filter doesn't weigh that much?
 

m1ketdi

Veteran Member
Joined
May 18, 2009
Location
Leam
TDI
Leon BKD
How do you fit a smaller oil filter? and how can it save .5 kg when the stock filter doesn't weigh that much?
On the screw on type oil filters you can get shorter filters. Half the length of the filter saves some weight and you need less oil in your engine with less filter to fill...
 

PeterV

TDIClub Enthusiast, HO5G Doyen & Zen Master
Joined
Aug 17, 2000
Location
So, NH.
TDI
2000 Jetta 5 sp.
Braile has a battery it is small. Indeglobulewagon had a thread going some time back on weight saving. might do a search for that.
 

bhodgkiss

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Location
Banbury, UK
TDI
AFN Passat Wagon
Thanks guys,

- Yes battery is already in the boot, I don't mind it being full size as I need more weight in the back.
- Rear sway bar will go on too to help reduce understeer and add weight in the back.
- Yes the oil fill can be less with a smaller filter :)
- Removing the front sway bar, is this a serious suggestion? surely the whole car becomes a rolling mess (albeit balanced) This can't be good??? Think I'd rather add a rear instead.
- Front undertray removal just allows the engine/ancilliaries to be covered in crap (salt etc) and reduces mpg as the undertray helps a lot with aerodynamics (and noise.)
 

devonutopia

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 1, 2003
Location
Devon, U.K
TDI
PD300 Skoda Fabia
Carbon bonnet is worth having seen how heavy the original bonnet is - in my case it was about 25kg VS 5kg....

Lighter flywheel helps. Not sure what a dual mass weighs - I am guessing about 30lb, maybe 35lb? My flywheel weighs 16lb, so thats in theory over 8kg saved just in the transmission.

You could remove the front crash bar? ;)
 

joseluis.17g

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Location
Monterrey, Mexico
TDI
2007 MKIV mexican Jetta 1.9 TDI
Removing the front swaybar it is a serious suggestion.
I ran with the front disconnected, it balances the car, less understeer and the extra body roll is not that big
And about the front crash bar, well that seems a little bit to drastic for safety reasons but you could always drill some holes.
And if you end up with a light front maybe you could also ditch the power steering


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bibendum

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2012
Location
va
TDI
2009 jetta tdi
I'm sorry, I won't knock this, if its what you want to do, but why? What's the point? A diesel just doesn't seem, to me, like the right car to build out to drag race.
 

joseluis.17g

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2011
Location
Monterrey, Mexico
TDI
2007 MKIV mexican Jetta 1.9 TDI
I'm sorry, I won't knock this, if its what you want to do, but why? What's the point? A diesel just doesn't seem, to me, like the right car to build out to drag race.
I don't think he's building a drag car, I belive for a drag car you want as much weigth up front.
I think he just wants to have a more balance car and as long as is free or really cheap I don't see why not
 

RNDDUDE

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2011
Location
Valencia Ca.
TDI
2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDI
Remove both front seats and drive from the rear seat with blocks attached to your feet......
 

GTiTDi

TDIClub Enthusiast, Macht Schnell! Vendor , w/Busi
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Location
3 Spruce st Wareham, gateway to Cape Cod Massachus
TDI
'91 GTI CJAA swap,'02 Jetta wagon ALH swap, '03 GTI 1.8T rally car, '03 Sprinter 3500
Noise, reliability, diaster preparedness (spare tire delete), emissions compliances?
Things that not every one necessarily gives a $chitt about...

Making a nicely balanced car is what its all about.

Believe it or not, this can be achieved with a FWD platform, contrary to popular belief.
 

Lex4TDI4Life

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 22, 2006
Location
NorCal
TDI
2001 Golf-Ute TDI GLS 5spd Manual
Please dont forget that the spare tire factors into rear crash safety. I have considered ditching mine, but have been squeamish because of this fact.
 

Phantomofheat

Veteran Member
Joined
May 16, 2007
Location
Independence, KY
TDI
02 Golf Manual, 05 Passat
I could see having a spare be a potential hazard in a hatch back especially if the back seats are down or removed. How much force do you think it would take to snap the part holding it down?
 

bhodgkiss

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2006
Location
Banbury, UK
TDI
AFN Passat Wagon
Now that is comedy!
I think I'd only save 10kg with a carbon bonnet
You sure you got 20kg with a small fabia bonnet?
Loads of PASSAT b5 carbon hoods in the US but none in the UK
How annoying! shipping costs prohibitive....
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
It does seem kinda ridiculous seeing that all of the drive train weight is in the front. If you want closer to a 50/50 weight distribution, move the drivetrain to a mid engine location. Just the way FWD is........................
 
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