Golf TDI MKIV UPGRADES - HELP WELCOME

One other point I want to make:

So much of the forum folklore is carried over from the good ol' days when upsolute was king and 130 hp was a cutting edge out there wild wild OMFG build. It gets repeated and repeated over the years, new generations pick it up as "truth" but no one considers that now people are making nearly 2x the power as back then. (which changes the paradigm)

the big air filter debate came about when upsolute started selling pipercross filters, and everyone piled on to try and determine if it did anything. DBW had dp meters across the filter, dynos, etc. It was a big drama. Of course there was zero gain because the cars were essentially stock at that point. And because of the technical reasons I've stated at length elsewhere. LIKE HERE FOR EXAMPLE

But my point is that stuff that people like to say "doesn't matter" really does matter as you get farther from stock.

Just like for example in a gasser, fuel injectors mean nothing. Adding big injectors adds no power at all to a gasser. HOWEVER... for really big builds they become essential.

Hey OP, any more progress on your build? I'd be interested in a build thread if you made one...

Darkside developments has the same linked SMIC with all the piping for $225.00 w/o shipping.

My apologies, I forgot they are in the UK. I was thinking they used the Euro and the exchange rate is almost even.

Nevada_TDI said:

Darkside developments has the same linked SMIC with all the piping for $225.00 w/o shipping.

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You mean 225 British Pounds, that's roughly $321 US.

Caddy 16v said:

You mean 225 British Pounds, that's roughly $321 US.

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Plus shipping to the states...which is almost $100.

vdubwannab said:

Hey OP, any more progress on your build? I'd be interested in a build thread if you made one...

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Oops..sorry I didn't see your post until several weeks later.


MY PROGRESS
I had Ben @ VWTDIsales.com do a complete timing belt change and camshaft replacement on Jan 20.
We did a Titan stage 2 cam and the 100k timing belt kit.

While I want to get it to the point that I can tune as fast as possible, I also want to do it right. I'm gonna be saving for/spending on a turbo back exhaust and fmic.
Ben stated it wouldn't be a bad idea to replace the intake manifold and throttle body while I'm at it. I have some research to do on stock vs upgraded parts, but at the very least I'll take my intake manifold to a machine shop and have it cleaned real well.

I'm thinking my car will be done next April. I plan on syncing up with Ben again and finding when he'll be through my neck of the woods. Once we agree on a date, I'll have a week or two to replace/clean the intake manifold, possibly the throttle body, turbo, and injectors with upgraded nozzles before he gets to my house and does the chip tune.

And in the interim I'll install my clutch, buy and install the exhaust, and buy and install the fmic.

Hopefully you put in new lifters along with the cam.
Cleaning the intake manifold is pretty easy with only basic tools.
Assuming it needs cleaning, it is practically a rite of passage for new Mk4 owners!

flee said:

Hopefully you put in new lifters along with the cam.
Cleaning the intake manifold is pretty easy with only basic tools.
Assuming it needs cleaning, it is practically a rite of passage for new Mk4 owners!

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Yes. New lifters, new camseal, new bolts, and modified bearing were installed with the camshaft.

I've also thought about doing the cleaning myself. I've read that machine shops can more efficiently clean the intake..but I assume it wouldn't be too difficult to clean up myself.