Piping a common rail like the good ole days

[KHCRTDI]

Has anyone on here gotten rid of all of the extra gizmos and gadgets in a common rail? I’m talking deleting all after treatment, all EGR, swirl flaps, exhaust flaps, dampeners and whatever else there is crammed into the engine bay. Just some smooth piping from air filter, to turbo, to intercooler, and to intake? Nothing else. I’m curious to know how much better fuel economy would be. I already know that “that stuffs is there for a reason” but that reason was to try and hit a mandate so they could sell cars in America. I want to know what it would take to get rid of all the extra stuff, and how well the car ran with it all deleted.

 

[DivineChaos]

Has anyone on here gotten rid of all of the extra gizmos and gadgets in a common rail? I’m talking deleting all after treatment, all EGR, swirl flaps, exhaust flaps, dampeners and whatever else there is crammed into the engine bay. Just some smooth piping from air filter, to turbo, to intercooler, and to intake? Nothing else. I’m curious to know how much better fuel economy would be. I already know that “that stuffs is there for a reason” but that reason was to try and hit a mandate so they could sell cars in America. I want to know what it would take to get rid of all the extra stuff, and how well the car ran with it all deleted.

fuel econ doesnt change greatly. if i run 65 mph i can get 43mpg pretty reg. also depends what model you have. Deleting the swirl flaps will only improve top end power, they help with low end. you dont need to change the intake aside from exchanging the egr for a race pipe. the factory intake flows enough air, so its best to keep the asv. Removing the after treatment hugely increases the reliability of the engine. It also lets you run a better and cheaper iol.
I have never had my car do the odd long crank when its warm out like many of the emissions cars have. Yes you can still have the cp4 grenade: but for another thousand dolllars and some time you can change that out. When its tuned properly and your not wanting to run crazy power. the exhaust is clean.
If you plan on keeping the car, its worth it.

 

[KHCRTDI]

Right now I’m completely stock. Got a malone stage 2 and rawtek exhaust I need to install once I find a timing belt. I have seen a couple guys saying doing the intake swirl flap delete can add a couple mpg. I’m only getting 36-37 currently. Just want to get her up higher during these high fuel prices. And cutting out all the extra do dads I figure makes it more reliable. Not so much stuff to break. Not looking for crazy power, just a smile here and then when I hammer down.

 

[KHCRTDI]

@DivineChaos, does your current car have a bigger turbo? Does that help with mpgs? I plan on keeping the car until it rots away.

 

[DivineChaos]

@DivineChaos, does your current car have a bigger turbo? Does that help with mpgs? I plan on keeping the car until it rots away.

yes. i have the biggest turbo malone offers. cruise set on my jsw, with my wide 17s. I get 40-43mpg. driving normally i average 38. you have the dsg? then you will need a trans tune as well to go stage 2. Going further than stage 2 it is a loosing battle and becomes just for fun. i got better mileage on stage 2 than stage 4.
so you already have the offroad exhaust. stage 1 youd get the best return and wont have to spend the extra for a trans tune.

 

[KHCRTDI]

I have a manual. Ya I was just adding some stuff in the cart at darkside and things got expensive. I’ll have to settle with just “mild” enhancements for now.

 

[DivineChaos]

I have a manual. Ya I was just adding some stuff in the cart at darkside and things got expensive. I’ll have to settle with just “mild” enhancements for now.

Ah. Then you'll get a little better Fe than I can. Then go stage 2 and leave it be. Eventually get a cp3 kit and your golden.

 

[turbobrick240]

The egr system actually improves fuel efficiency, but it is extra gizmos.

 

[DivineChaos]

The egr system actually improves fuel efficiency, but it is extra gizmos.

improves warmup. the high pressure egr can stay. but the low pressure has to go.

 

[turbobrick240]

E

improves warmup. the high pressure egr can stay. but the low pressure has to go.

Exactly. Faster warmup means greater fuel efficiency. The commonrails also don't pass nearly as much gunk through the egr as some of the earlier TDIs.

 

[DivineChaos]

E

Exactly. Faster warmup means greater fuel efficiency. The commonrails also don't pass nearly as much gunk through the egr as some of the earlier TDIs.

Very true. But if your tuned and deleted .. that's more soot to build up.

 

[burpod]

Theres other ways to warm up the car faster that also make it more efficient than egr I have a hard timing believing there CRs could not be easily getting 50-55mpg with ease as a well tuned alh or pd can

 

[turbobrick240]

They definitely can. Peak thermal efficiency is higher on the CR diesels after all. The problem with having more power is you tend to use it. I can definitely relate to the OP wanting to simplify things though. I eliminated high and low pressure egr on my cjaa as well as the asv- never was concerned about a runaway. One less gadget to fail in my view.

 

[DivineChaos]

Theres other ways to warm up the car faster that also make it more efficient than egr I have a hard timing believing there CRs could not be easily getting 50-55mpg with ease as a well tuned alh or pd can

Well my jsw is much larger than the older Jetta..

 

[adjat84th]

Theres other ways to warm up the car faster that also make it more efficient than egr I have a hard timing believing there CRs could not be easily getting 50-55mpg with ease as a well tuned alh or pd can

I could easily get 50+mpg with my 2260vklr setup on the stock motor/injectors, CP3 pump, 18" Enkei PF01 (17lb wheels). I realize these are slightly different, but with the right setup you can absolutely get 50+ on the CRs. @KHCRTDI , whatever you do...DO NOT go with a SMF clutch setup if you do intend to upgrade.

 

[KHCRTDI]

EGR is overrated. Your putting corrosive gasses back in the engine as a “filler.” The Big diesel manufacturers are actually trying to get rid of them on new engines. And thanks, @adjat84th, I was wondering about that. I heard the 02Qs do not hold up to a single mass? Do stock DMFs stand up to power enhancements like yours?

 

[adjat84th]

@KHCRTDI it's all about where you make the torque. 300+ft-lbs below 2k RPM is abusing it. Larger turbo solves that problem