90bhp mods

Nath98

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Joined
Apr 18, 2019
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UK
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Seat cordoba estate
Anyone know what sort of power figures the VE 90 tdi will make before it would need pistons/rods etc? Spent so many hours searching but so far no answer.

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BleachedBora

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Oct 16, 2003
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Gresham, Oregon
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'81 DMC-12, '15 GL350 CDI 275 hp/448 tq - '81 Caddy CJAA, '05 E320 CDI 250hp/450 tq, '23 ID4 AWD Pro S Plus
While there are those that have gone over without issues, I generally tell customers if you're pushing 200 hp you need to have supporting mods. In other words, the probability of major engine problems is much higher once you've hit 200 hp.

A limited slip differential is very nice to have at that level too as it cuts down on torque steer considerably.

-BB
 

Nath98

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Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Location
UK
TDI
Seat cordoba estate
Thanks BB! I finally have a figure to work from. I started the project 3 months ago and wanted to keep the engine simple just to get the project done this year. I can live with being safe around 200 and once the car is on the road I'll be getting my hands on another block to build. Lsd was on the cards but I'm not overly sure when the car in question is a bus.

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Yourbuddysatin

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Oct 28, 2016
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Pennsylvania
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2013 Jetta tdi
There are claims that if you keep the fueling low at peak torque that stock rods will last longer. Not sure about any proof of that.
 

Nath98

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Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Location
UK
TDI
Seat cordoba estate
To me that would only limit the amount of smoke that's output, as well as a drop in the figures at peak?

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Nath98

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Apr 18, 2019
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UK
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Seat cordoba estate
True, I'll probably just keep it at a safe limit just to get the car on the road so I can daily it again, then just build another engine capable of holding more, every part of the car is being redone and I'm pushing to get it done before the end of the year but the extra cost of building an engine capable of 300+ would make it impossible, attached a picture of the money pit in question.


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Nath98

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Apr 18, 2019
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UK
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Seat cordoba estate
I'm a sucker for unusual cars and this one is one of 20 or so left here in the UK, plus I've always been keen on running power in cars that no one would expect to ever see go over 30mph haha. Long term plan is to have minimum 350 once the second engine is built.

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Nath98

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Apr 18, 2019
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UK
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Seat cordoba estate
They're about 2hrs from me, yeah they do have some serious cars over there but it's mainly PD focused. Hopefully when my car is near complete I was thinking of taking it to them to be tuned and get the once over by them. But that won't be on the first engine as I won't be so worried with this one

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Yourbuddysatin

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Oct 28, 2016
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Pennsylvania
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2013 Jetta tdi
I got a lot of my parts for my alh and a lot of info from them though. If I was on your side of the pond I def would have them tune mine.
 

Nath98

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Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Location
UK
TDI
Seat cordoba estate
A lot of my parts will be directly from darkside too, I'm thinking of fabricating a gearbox mounted turbo setup purely for aesthetics, plus the larger open space around should help with cooling the turbo a bit more, no kits for this but luckily darkside sell the manifold flanges for pennies so it's worth a try.

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Nath98

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Apr 18, 2019
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UK
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Seat cordoba estate
I'll definitely post some updates as the project goes along,planning to incorporate a lot of forgotten/rarely used ideas in the hopes it doesn't blow up in my face haha. I suppose having the waste gate turbo tdi over the vnt model gives me a bit more for options

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[486]

Top Post Dawg
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Mar 1, 2014
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MN
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02 golf ALH
You've got it nice in that the junkyards are overflowing with VE and 8v PD motors over there.
You all can treat them like we over here treat GM gen3 small block V8s.

ETA: which is to say, guys here can make a thousand hp on a junkyard 6.0L long block for a little while at least. You guys can make 350hp on a stock long block for a while, just set your torque limiter to something reasonable like 500n/m below 4k RPM and actually spend time making the timing maps proper to keep the rods in there.
 
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adamss24

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Nov 2, 2005
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Great Britain
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audi a4 2.5 tdi 98 quatrro 6speed
You do have a few options but to make a VE engine last a while you need to start with a stronger block, a golf/passat AFN engine will be nice. Add a 11mm pump, throw a set of bosio race 520 nozzles, a VNT turbo and fit sockets on your ECU and it will shift nicely !
Personally i would go PD for ease of tuning however i like VE power delivery more. With the price the maxspeeding rods are at the moment it will be rude not to fit a set- throw a 3 hole head gasket and ARL/PD150 cut headbolts and you should keep the head on the block without much bother.

Keeping VNT is far better option as far as tuning is concerned, a gtb1749vb/vl should slot in nicely !

I have fitted BV43a/b to 110 Bhp engines a few years ago and a couple on pd100, they went like stink !

200 Bhp in a light chassis is the dogs danglies, i had a 1200 kg audi a4 FWD with almost 300 bhp and that would see of corrado vr6 and the like ! Up to 100Mph it was a hoot !
 

Nath98

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Location
UK
TDI
Seat cordoba estate
You've got it nice in that the junkyards are overflowing with VE and 8v PD motors over there.
You all can treat them like we over here treat GM gen3 small block V8s.

ETA: which is to say, guys here can make a thousand hp on a junkyard 6.0L long block for a little while at least. You guys can make 350hp on a stock long block for a while, just set your torque limiter to something reasonable like 500n/m below 4k RPM and actually spend time making the timing maps proper to keep the rods in there.
You're definitely right, they're ten a penny and only cost around £100 for a replacement depending on type. Only issue being the VE engines aren't exactly cheap to modify, everyone goes with the PD that's why I'm not because everyone does it, the VE to me is definitely like the older generation v8, tonnes of tuning options.

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Nath98

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Location
UK
TDI
Seat cordoba estate
You do have a few options but to make a VE engine last a while you need to start with a stronger block, a golf/passat AFN engine will be nice. Add a 11mm pump, throw a set of bosio race 520 nozzles, a VNT turbo and fit sockets on your ECU and it will shift nicely !
Personally i would go PD for ease of tuning however i like VE power delivery more. With the price the maxspeeding rods are at the moment it will be rude not to fit a set- throw a 3 hole head gasket and ARL/PD150 cut headbolts and you should keep the head on the block without much bother.

Keeping VNT is far better option as far as tuning is concerned, a gtb1749vb/vl should slot in nicely !

I have fitted BV43a/b to 110 Bhp engines a few years ago and a couple on pd100, they went like stink !

200 Bhp in a light chassis is the dogs danglies, i had a 1200 kg audi a4 FWD with almost 300 bhp and that would see of corrado vr6 and the like ! Up to 100Mph it was a hoot !
Yeah I've already got my parts list laid out, and I've got more options for turbo because mines the non vnt model. And yeah a PD would be easier to get to those numbers but the cost and work involved in PD converting the car would be the same for me as building the VE. Checked the s/n on my ecu and it's the tuneable software version so I'm lucky there. I'm only going to be doing the building and hopefully it will be shipped off to professionals who race vw diesels for a living when it's up and running. For me I hate being the guy that had a PD remapped and made 200 immediately like every other vag tdi owner in the UK.

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p0wer

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May 21, 2009
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Jyvaskyla, Finland
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Golf 3 -94 1Z 377hp, Golf 3 Cabrio 4-Motion 1.8T 620hp, Golf 3 Syncro 2.9 VR6 HX52, Bora AJM 4-Motion 2260vk +120% Firad, Passat 3B Syncro AFN 2260vk
Anyone know what sort of power figures the VE 90 tdi will make before it would need pistons/rods etc? Spent so many hours searching but so far no answer.
Unmodified bottom end is good to 300-350hp. If you lower CR from stock pistons, you can make 400hp readings and even over. I´ve had one for many years.
 

Nath98

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Location
UK
TDI
Seat cordoba estate
Unmodified bottom end is good to 300-350hp. If you lower CR from stock pistons, you can make 400hp readings and even over. I´ve had one for many years.
Well I'm going with a built head with a thicker gasket to lower the CR slightly, was looking at a decompression plate but I can't justify the cost at the moment for what will be a daily driver so hopefully the gasket will do the job, and I'm not planning to go crazy with this engine as I'll have a second engine to forge. I'm just looking for a reliable daily that makes decent power for now

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adamss24

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Nov 2, 2005
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Great Britain
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audi a4 2.5 tdi 98 quatrro 6speed
You dont want to do that, too low CR and the engine will be hard to start and smoke a lot...
 

Nath98

Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2019
Location
UK
TDI
Seat cordoba estate
You dont want to do that, too low CR and the engine will be hard to start and smoke a lot...
It'll be fine, a thicker headgasket won't take it low enough to cause an issue, it's mainly for lowering the cylinder pressure under load, once the other engines done it'll have 18:1 pistons so won't need the thick gasket anymore

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p0wer

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May 21, 2009
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Golf 3 -94 1Z 377hp, Golf 3 Cabrio 4-Motion 1.8T 620hp, Golf 3 Syncro 2.9 VR6 HX52, Bora AJM 4-Motion 2260vk +120% Firad, Passat 3B Syncro AFN 2260vk
Changing thicker OEM gasket will not affect to compression ratio quite much at all, you only make your squish area go to unwanted direction. Changing gasket with "extra hole" will not affect to engine starting or smoke. If you want to lower CR, do it by modifying bowl, NOT with decompression plate ever. It´s really really easy, and good update for any tuned engine for more reliability. But with slightly tuned 200-250hp engine or so, its not yet an really needed but reduces stress from head bolts and gasket though, so they may not need to update that early like with stock CR. Also you may want to add bit more injection timing with lowered CR.
 
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