ALH Turbo Delete: Daily Driving a Naturally Aspirated 2001 Golf

[NarfBLAST]

Update: Minor issue with easy fix!

Remember that bolt that conveniently sealed off the hole were the shaft of the turbine used to be?



I goofed when I put the nut and the aluminum crush washer on the inside of the housing. It did not take long for things to loosen up.

First I could hear a slight exhaust leak,

Then I could hear (what turned out to be a nut that was) rattling in the exhaust system.

Finally the exhaust leak got much louder, and I found this bolt was missing from what was left of turbo housing:



Climbing under the car I found the rattle was coming from the nut, which is sitting inside the exhaust pipe in front of the catalytic converter. The rattle only happened for a couple of days so I am guessing that was the nut working its way down all the ridges of the flex pipe. Once it was nestled comfortably in front of the catalytic converter the rattle stopped, so I don't think it did much damage there.

The crazy thing about this story is that I found the bolt, at the end of my street.

I came up with an idea to make sure this doesn't happen again. It involves mounting the bolt on the inside, skipping the crush washer, and putting the nut on the outside with a retaining pin:



This way, if the nut ever comes loose again, I will hear the exhaust leak and rattle and it could be simple to tighten it back up!

Here is the plan:

1) remove down pipe and shake the nut out
2) reinstall bolt from inside of where down pipe mounts
3) install nut and retaining clip on outside of turbo housing (easily accessible from top of engine bay)
4) reinstall down pipe

The only problem is that I have decided to park the Volkswagen for the winter:





Not to worry, this will give me more time any money to spend on my new hobby which I can work on in the comfort of my heated workshop:



I am trying to take up hiking, I don't have a dog, so I take the 1/10th scale vehicles on my hikes:





We have so many beautiful trails and waterfalls in this area, I hope to visit as many as possible.

The Volkswagen may come out again next spring if I decided I need the challenge of replacing a wheel bearing, injection pump seals, timing belt, etc, etc. Right now, changing wheel bearings on the 1/10 scale radio control models is much more fun.

 

[Growler]

Ok, since you were still driving this until the bolt came out, how was your mileage?

I applaud your determination to continue this experiment.

Those new 1/10 scale trail trucks are very detailed compared to the ones when I was growing up.

can the car get out of its own way like when getting on the freeway, or is it always an exercise in momentum conservation to get around?

Please keep us informed when you get this back out next spring.

 

[Windex]

We have so many beautiful trails and waterfalls in this area, I hope to visit as many as possible.

You got that right - one of the things I miss about not living in the Hamilton area any more - Tew falls, Websters falls - great hiking - the 1/2 hike from Tew falls to the Dundas valley lookout is wonderful, and the view once you get there...

 

[Dwitm]

I don't foresee any changes in the near future so, in summary:

BEFORE the turbo delete:

- RC3, Sprint 520's, 18 lbs Boost
- maybe 130 hp and 200 ft-lbs
- Valeo VR6/G60 SMF/clutch - could be made to slip in 5th gear
- overheating if throttle is held down too long, possible thermostat required, overhearting, puking coolant out the overflow cap (replaced cap, no change)
- spins tires in first thru third when wet if not careful


AFTER the turbo delete:

- RC3, Sprint 520's, zero boost
- maybe 50 hp and 100 ft-lbs
- zero clutch slip
- temperatures stay beween 80-85 deg C no matter what
- very hard to loose traction, even in the wet
- sounds like a tractor

I think I will keep it this way, for now.

Please tune in to The NARFmobile blog for future updates like pictures from the road trip this past weekend, just posted.

Can you take a video of the car sometime in action? I am interested in hearing it

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

 

[bobt2382]

When I read this I thought you should rescue a 1/10 scale dog. Lol.

Still one of the best threads!

 

[NarfBLAST]

Ok, since you were still driving this until the bolt came out, how was your mileage?
I applaud your determination to continue this experiment.
Those new 1/10 scale trail trucks are very detailed compared to the ones when I was growing up.
can the car get out of its own way like when getting on the freeway, or is it always an exercise in momentum conservation to get around?
Please keep us informed when you get this back out next spring.

Hi Aaron,

Mileage was great! It steadily improved as I learned to the limits of the power band and how to conserve momentum. I recorded the mileage from the first four tanks in this thread previously. The car could not really get out of its own way, it was definetly a challenge to be enjoyed if you like that sort of challenge.

It would get up to highway speed like a loaded transport truck, but once you were crusing there was no problem following the changing speeds of traffic, just don't try to overtake anyone.

You bet I will be posting updates.

 

[NarfBLAST]

Can you take a video of the car sometime in action? I am interested in hearing it

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

Maybe next spring... the sound is definitely different without the muffling effect of the turbo

 

[Growler]

did you ever try to switch over to the Auto map on your ECU to see if unplugging the MAF there netted 550 mg/str MAF readings?

 

[ItAintRodKnock]

Have an SCX10 myself, absolutely love it! Cool pics. I have a hard body(yellow) but have to shorten my wheelbase to use it. And if i did that, then i would go ahead and use my sand scorcher body instead.



very interesting thread. I am dissapointed you are putting it up for winter; but you gotta do what you gotta do. I agree, as a fun factor this is cool.
i also agree, why reinvent the wheel? but i am more interested in the results than anything. let us know on your mileage estimates and what not.

 

[NarfBLAST]

did you ever try to switch over to the Auto map on your ECU to see if unplugging the MAF there netted 550 mg/str MAF readings?

Sorry, I never did try switching maps, it was running so good once I upgraded in the intake piping that I didn't bother. I was getting a slight haze at WOT so I figured that any tampering with the MAF would just add black smoke which I can't stand. I think it would still be a fun experiment.

 

[luke.weiser]

do a dino run, It would be interesting too see how much power you're putting out.

 

[jsrmonster]

This was painful to read. I'm sure the worn valve guides are letting a quart of oil in per tank of D2, since they are under vacuum now instead of boost. btw, I have several customers that chose this route and requested special tunes. You can make heat in the cylinders if you wind it out to 5500. Get it up to 88 mph and go back to 1978
Please fix it, or sell it and buy 2 Hondas.
Jeff ;-))

 

[Windex]

This was painful to read. I'm sure the worn valve guides are letting a quart of oil in per tank of D2, since they are under vacuum now instead of boost. btw, I have several customers that chose this route and requested special tunes. You can make heat in the cylinders if you wind it out to 5500. Get it up to 88 mph and go back to 1978
Please fix it, or sell it and buy 2 Hondas.
Jeff ;-))

The only time where the valve guides are truly under a vacuum is when the ASV is closed. But we know that never lasts very long.

Even a naturally aspirated diesel produces no vacuum.

Perhaps a very minor slight vacuum due to venturi effect of the airflow through the port, but nothing anywhere close to like 18" hg at idle on a gasser.

 

[eddie_1]

I would go back to OEM mapping and just alter the boost maps to atmospheric. You could then play with IQ maps a little bit. At least then you have a baseline that is set up properly. Here you can download edcsuite15:

https://vperformance.co.uk/how-to-remap-diy/vagsuite-download-free/

If you are running closed loop MAF with such low HP, IQ will be so low, not sure why you have to worry about getting up to 5500rpm or damaging engine??

 

[flee]

The only time where the valve guides are truly under a vacuum is when the ASV is closed. But we know that never lasts very long.
Even a naturally aspirated diesel produces no vacuum.
Perhaps a very minor slight vacuum due to venturi effect of the airflow through the port, but nothing anywhere close to like 18" hg at idle on a gasser.

What really matters is the pressure differential between the crankcase pressure
and the intake pressure. Thanks to blowby and the vacuum pump exhaust, this
will always be positive in a NA engine and could push oil through the guides.

 

[Windex]

What really matters is the pressure differential between the crankcase pressure
and the intake pressure. Thanks to blowby and the vacuum pump exhaust, this
will always be positive in a NA engine and could push oil through the guides.

Fair enough, but Crankcase pressure in all but the most worn engines I have ever measured would not even register on a standard PSI gauge. Horrible engines would not likely get over 1/2 a PSI (inches of water using a manometer). That and the pressure would relieve through the PCV system unless it was clogged.


You would be much more likely to see oil past the rings in that case.

 

[NarfBLAST]

Engine Coding - Part 1 of 2

yes, just go into ecu>coding>enter 00001 > do it

Thanks for the suggestion about checking the automatic transmission mapping, sorry it took a year to get to it:



That was easy, and it helped me understanding that there are code tables loaded for different transmissions in the same ECU. This really helped me make sense of some things in Engine Coding Part 2...

I did find that the auto mapping was very similar to the manual mapping, except for one very important difference: at low rpms there was a jack-rabbit type shudder. Also a fault code for lack of communication with the auto trans control module.

I switched it back to manual mapping, and checked this suggestion off my list of things to try.

There was another suggestion that had been nagging at me though... [continued in part 2]

 

[NarfBLAST]

Engine Coding - Part 2 of 2

I would go back to OEM mapping and just alter the boost maps to atmospheric. You could then play with IQ maps a little bit. At least then you have a baseline that is set up properly. Here you can download edcsuite15:

https://vperformance.co.uk/how-to-remap-diy/vagsuite-download-free/

"Just alter the boost maps to atmospheric." Brilliant!

I forgot to mention I had brought the NarfMOBILE out of storage for the Great Lakes Mistake Lemons Rally (details here:Lemons Rally: The Winners and More From the 'Great Lakes Mistake')

I enjoyed driving it so much I got to thinking about how it needs to pass emissions in September. I had three options that I could see to get rid of the check engine light:

A) Most Expensive: re-install turbo, and all those pipes, and have all those issues all over again and, what about the timing belt, and, and, nope - not going there!

B) Less expensive: get a stage 0 tune, get laughed at by engine tuner or pay extra to have a flashzilla shipped to me, seems like a foolish waste of money

C) Practically free: just set the boost maps to atmospheric, YES, that should work, no boost request, no boost available, no harm, no foul, no check engine light, right?

Okay, option "C" it is then. Only problem is, how to download the code from the ECU in the first place? After reading a whole bunch of documentation I finally found a mention using the "Galleto 1260 interface" so I punched that it into Amazon.ca and...



$23.99 in stock in Canada and free shipping? I couldn't believe my luck! Could this thing possibly work? It was worth a try...

Two days later I had this super nice quality cable, and more importantly, the software CD, in my hands:



I plugged it in, and tested every button on the panel, including the download button, which is actually the upload button, whatever, IT WORKS!!!



Now I had file I could open in EDC Suite:



And now to "just alter the boost maps to atmospheric"...



Yup, I just hit "select all" entered "999" and "fill" then clicked the little lightning bolt, hit save, saved the file, uploaded it to the ECU by hitting download, and BLAMO! My ECU no longer looks for boost! I am still laughing 2000 km later with no more check engine light.

I can now add "turbo delete" to anyone's engine tune. LMAO!!!

This is the best part:



I had to go back and review the item on Amazon.ca:



Good times!

 

[flee]

Do they sell lottery tickets in your area?

 

[NarfBLAST]

Do they sell lottery tickets in your area?

Haha, they do, but I prefer games with better odds:



This means I can update the registration stickers for two more years of a sweet handling, comfortable ride with ridiculous fuel economy!

Winning!

 

[UFO]

Ridiculous fuel economy? My ALH is stock and I regularly get high 40s, low 50s mpg. Just a little bit of coasting and traffic light timing, along with no tailgating. I'm not sure you can attribute your improved fuel economy to a lack of turbocharging, especially since the turbo improves the VE of the diesel engine.

 

[NarfBLAST]

I meant ridiculous fuel economy compared to our gasoline vehicles.

 

[Windex]

Whispers...

*Timing Belt*

 

[Growler]

Ill be in MI at the GTG in October...

if parts arrive with your car as well, I might could bring my tools... Just sayin.

 

[NarfBLAST]

Performance Improved; Can Climb Hills at Speed Again!

I found out why I was getting a flat spot in power above 2000 rpm, and I fixed it! It is all in the "smoke limit map".

I may be wrong, but I figure The Smoke limit map is in place to prevent smoke while waiting for turbo spool. It controls the amount of fuel allowed at lower airflow readings. These lower MAF readings are usually only momentary, but if there is no turbo then we are stuck in the 450 mg/stroke range for airflow.

At higher naturally aspirated rpms, the mg/stroke actually goes down slightly without a turbo. This is due to increasing vacuum demand on the intake tract (air flow can't keep up with engine speed). So I am only actually using the lower airflow half of the graph (circled in black).

By raising the allowed fuel in that range I suddenly have power all the way to red line! I'm guessing about 60hp maximum vs 40 previously?

The best way I have to measure this performance is my daily "hill climb":
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.2957299,-79.9134758,1350a,35y,39.01t/data=!3m1!1e3

Linked is map of Highway 6 where it climbs the Niagara Escarpment between York road from Dundas to Clappisons Corners in Waterdown. Its a constant grade with 80km/h speed limit. I would consistantly lose speed on this hill and usually fall to 60km/h by the time I reached the top. The speed limit changes to 60km/h at the top anyway.

With the optimized smoke limit map I can now climb the hill at 90km/h. That is a measurable improvement!

Also, there is only a slight haze at wide open throttle.

And, still no check engine light, no codes thrown.

Further to my NA commitment, I cut down my race pipe and ran a shorter section of shop vac hose to it in order to made the 180 degree bend between the intake and the airbox smoother, smaller, and less likely to rub on anything.

Good times!

 

[[486]]

My turbos are so large that they don't wake up until 3k rpm plus, most of my driving around town is more or less naturally aspirated short shifting it at 2100 or so, it's still quicker than a totally stock ALH making boost and all.

The amount of restriction made by the stock intake manifold and turbo is very significant. Once you get the smoke maps rounded out to where you're happy, you'll find it a lot quicker off the line than any turbo car.

Were I doing a n/a build I'd get the exhaust manifold from a 2.0 gasoline golf/jetta from the junkyard. There's a really nice tubular one. For the intake there's less available for cheap junkyard stuff, sadly. Having cut one apart and spent a lot of time welding something together, the biggest bottleneck is where it bends down into the ports from the 'box', each one is the size of a quarter.

Good on you for doing something actually different and therefore interesting!
Always dig simple upgrades to reliability, and it don't get any simpler than removing parts that fail all together.

 

[UFO]

The amount of restriction made by the stock intake manifold and turbo is very significant. Once you get the smoke maps rounded out to where you're happy, you'll find it a lot quicker off the line than any turbo car.

Perhaps quicker in the first 500ms until the VNT turbo spikes. That's typically the driver's reaction time off the line, so practically speaking NA will not be quicker, even to the 60' mark.

 

[NarfBLAST]

For the intake there's less available for cheap junkyard stuff, sadly. Having cut one apart and spent a lot of time welding something together, the biggest bottleneck is where it bends down into the ports from the 'box', each one is the size of a quarter.

So what your saying is that one of these intakes might be worth a try?

Picture stolen from this "for sale" post:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=5443410&postcount=34

100$CAD is like 75$US... and Kitchener is less than an hour away.

Good on you for doing something actually different and therefore interesting!
Always dig simple upgrades to reliability, and it don't get any simpler than removing parts that fail all together.

Thanks!

 

[[486]]

$75 seems a bit high to me, but maybe that's what they go for now? Used to be you could get SDI intakes for about $100 shipped over from ebay.co-uk

 

[BeetlePD]

30 hp? If the turbo generated a boost of 2 atmospheres, then no turbo would basically cut your power in half:

100hp / 2 == 50 hp