POWER UPGRADES: 4 cyl A3 Golfs & Jettas
=======================================
I collected a bunch of info on engine power upgrades for the
the A3 Golfs & Jettas. See also the other *_Power_Upgrades,
G60_Chip_Specs, the collins files, & the Performance FAQ.
Jan
PS: Any volunteer to clean this up a bit?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Article 35256 of rec.autos.vw:
From: kafka@cats.ucsc.edu (Gary Andrew Yuen)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: Chips for /// cars
In article bor@world.std.com (Alastair M Bor) writes:
>Any comments on the upgrade chips for the new /// style cars (Jetta/Golf)?
>
>Is there a FAQ on this anywhere? Which chips are the best? Do they void
>the warranty? Do they ruin the engine???
I think you void the warranty when you remove the ECU from the car.
They can tell from the paint on the bolts. I have a APS P-Chip in my
Jetta III and it performs quite nicely. I'll probably wait on the P-Chip
for my GLX since i want to make sure that the car isn't a lemon before I
do anything to it, not that it will happen but there's always that slight
risk. Anyway, coupled with the P-Flow air filter, it gives a pretty
decent power increase. One that's definitely noticible when going up
hills or anywhere.
Gary
Article 35281 of rec.autos.vw:
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: jhamill@world.std.com (John A Hamill)
Subject: Re: Chips for /// cars
In article ,
Alastair M Bor wrote:
>Any comments on the upgrade chips for the new /// style cars (Jetta/Golf)?
>
>Is there a FAQ on this anywhere? Which chips are the best? Do they void
>the warranty? Do they ruin the engine???
Yes, they ruin the engine, that's why so many are sold. On a more
serious note, I have the APS chip in my Golf III, and like it. Provides
much more midrange and high end power. The downside to a chip upgrade is
that you must run 92 or higher octane fuel. I have found that all the major
companies making chips (AutoThority, APS, Superchips) seem to put out a
competent product. Look for the best price. The Golf III chip is quite
easy to change too, but you need a small torx scewdriver to get the brain
apart.
I wouldn't worry about the warranty, because a chip alone is not
going to cause the engine to blow up. One great thing about shopping for a
chip is calling one company about theirs, and listening to all the bad things
they will say about brand x's chip and how it won't work. APS has great
things to say about AutoThority . NOT.
Article 35290 of rec.autos.vw:
From: mrkim@apollo.adcom.uci.edu (Michael Kim)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: Chips for /// cars
Date: 9 Jul 1994 19:35:05 GMT
In article ,
Alastair M Bor wrote:
>Any comments on the upgrade chips for the new /// style cars (Jetta/Golf)?
>
>Is there a FAQ on this anywhere? Which chips are the best? Do they void
>the warranty? Do they ruin the engine???
>
>-Alastair
>
WEll, I've got the Neuspeed P-Chip in my '91 A2 GLI, and it's performed
great. A little knocking occurs at times, which gets annoying.
One cool thing just happened this week. My check engine light was
coming on, and so I took it to the dealer, without the chip. I talked
to the mechanic working on the car, and he said I could bring it in with
the chip, so long as I told him it was there. Well, it turned out that
I needed a brand new computer. He took my chip out for me, and swapped
computers, even thought my chip was there, all under warranty. They even
replaced my O2 sensor. I was pretty satisfied. My chip has since been put back
in, and performing flawless!
--
Michael R. Kim Assistant IV
AdCom Services (714)856-4158
University of California, Irvine mrkim@uci.edu
Article 36315 of rec.autos.vw:
From: mbernier@aol.com (MBernier)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: [w] Golf /// Questions
Date: 26 Jul 1994 18:56:01 -0400
In article <313ffg$t4r@darkstar.UCSC.EDU>, kafka@cats.ucsc.edu (Gary
Andrew Yuen) writes:
> It's been so long since
>I've had the chip in that it's hard to tell how much of a difference it
>makes but when I first drove it, it definitely had more power from about
>3000 rpm and up.
Same experience. Very pleased with the P-Chip from APS.
The problem with power upgrades: You get used to them and
just want more, and more, and more......Ha, Ha, Ha, Haaaa.........
From: jhamill@tiac.net (John Hamill)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: [W] Golf/// Upgrades...
Date: Sat, 17 Dec 1994 01:21:07
In article Kenneth.Finnegan@nrlssc.navy.mil (K. M. Finnegan) writes:
>Now that the Golf /// has been out for a while, there should be
>a decent amount of cosmetic and engine upgrades available. I think
>John Hamill was working on something like this, right John? Anyone
>else installed a performance chip, etc. in their Golf ///?
Yes, I never did post all the stuff I did to it.
Parts Summary
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Engine:
APS chip Works ok
P-Flow helped cam
Hor 270 cam didn't work till P-flow
Full Remus exhaust looks good, seems to breath better
Suspension:
Bilstein sport shocks and struts
Neuspeed Sofsport springs - lower 1.5 " perfect for Boston
Neuspeed front upper stress bar
Suspension Techniques 22 & 25mm bars
15" Anterra 101's with Comp TA III 205-50-ZR15's
The engine is now very quick, and the car handles superbly. I can
whip it around corners, control the drifts, punch the throttle and off I go. I
have the stock wheels and tires back on it for winter and it handles just
about the same. The drifts come on earlier now, but it's almost more
fun with the 185-60-14's. The Comp TA's stick more and you can hit
insane speeds before they let go. I don't give a crap about potholes with the
stock wheels either.
I have some problems with pinging with really hard acceleration. I have a
feeling the chip needs to be tweaked for more fuel at high rpm and load. The
engine might make a little more power with a slightly less radical cam, like a
260 perhaps. I want to install a Techtonics modified head, but haven't
called them yet to see if they are doing anything with cross port VW heads.
If anyone has used one for a III series car, email on how well it worked.
I might also consider trying a AMS chip to see what they're up to. I like the
Turbo kit from ND but it's way too expensive, I'll buy a VR6 GTI first
(probably will next year anyhow).
>Windows95 = Macintosh84
Interesting comment... Where does OS2 fit in?
From: jhamill@tiac.net
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: European Car magazine
Date: 7 Jan 1995 02:35:33 GMT
In <3ek16v$oha@hpmos.wv.mentorg.com>, kwatson@wv.mentorg.com (Keith Watson) writes:
>In article <19950105.070026.802@almaden.ibm.com>, ditullio@VNET.IBM.COM (Mike DiTullio Loral FSC (609-485-7828)) writes:
>|> After some of the criticism that the magazine received before Christmas
>|> I thought I'd post some praise for the latest issue. There were some very
>|> interesting articles this month, with my favorite being the 20% solution for
>|> the golf///. Easy bolt-ons to increase performance. Exactly what I think most
>|> of us subscribe to the magazine for.
>
>|> Once again, all-around-good-issue. Thanks...
>Hear, hear! It's nice to see all of the VW articles. This is the first issue
>in quite a while where I haven't skipped over a lot of the articles. I second
>the response that articles like the 20% solution are exactly what some of us
>are looking for. It is nice being shown what enhancements go together, in
>what order, what the numbers are, and what the price is. I noticed they didn't
>include the P-flow though.
An intelligent analysis of the article also reveals how incredibly
useless (and how EC pushes the parts anyway) some of these bolt ons
really are. The 260 cam does almost nothing for the engine until you're
at 5000 rpm. The chip is the one worthwhile bolt on. The TT exhaust was
also unimpressive. The TT exhaust actually loses 1 hp at 3500 rpm, right
in the range a street motor needs its punch. The chip alone gives almost
all the gain across the entire rpm band, until you get to around 6000
rpm, and the other add ons start to help. If you really want more
power, a turbo, bigger displacement, or some head work are really
in order. Given the restrictions of pollution control and cats, credit is
due to the various tuners to get even this increase while retaining
driveability. I think if numbers for the P-flow were also taken, more
improvement might have been found. I have most of these parts (if
not all) on my Golf III and the chip was the biggest improvement.
I did find the "Inside the 2.0" article quite informative however.
From: jhamill@tiac.net
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: European Car magazine
Date: 14 Jan 1995 21:01:05 GMT
In <3f3ne9$8pk@kaiwan.kaiwan.com>, Greg Raven writes:
>> In article <3ekull$t0@sundog.tiac.net>, jhamill@tiac.net writes:
>> |> An intelligent analysis of the article also reveals how incredibly
>> |> useless (and how EC pushes the parts anyway) some of these bolt ons
>> |> really are. The 260 cam does almost nothing for the engine until you're
>[deleted text]
>> |> driveability. I think if numbers for the P-flow were also taken, more
>> |> improvement might have been found. I have most of these parts (if
>> |> not all) on my Golf III and the chip was the biggest improvement.
>> |> I did find the "Inside the 2.0" article quite informative however.
>
>You should have been around earlier. People were carping on EC magazine because
>they only write about "good" products, and never mentioned when a product
>was poor. Now, EC shows some products with, let us say, ambiguous performance
>gains, and it is still not good enough.
>
>Am I correct in gathering that EC should test every part (and combination
>of parts) on the market, report on these tests, and make sure that all parts
>(and combinations) result in improved performance?
OOOOH, you admit they are "ambiguous"? Ok, that's more
realistic. Thank you. As your own article showed on the Golf III ND
turbo car, that's the path to some real power.
EC should state that VW has done a pretty good with the III as
it comes out of the box, and that bolt on's don't do a lot. The chip alone
at $250 gives almost all the performance you're going to get without
some more extreme mods (turbo etc). I have to agree though that I like
the feel of my Golf III with all the bolt on's, I guess the dyno can't measure
that. I'm surprised though that the folks doing the 20% project car didn't
also add a P-flow aircleaner, when I changed the cam in my Golf 3 to a
Hor 270, it didn't work too well until I did change the air cleaner. I
suspect the same would be true of adding the 260 degree supercharger
cam to the Golf III motor (it won't work as well either if it can't breath).
I'm not knocking your article, I am trying to point out that the crossflow
motor is pretty good out of the box.
I think I would leave the responsibility of testing parts to the
manufacturers who make them. It is not unwise to ask for some dyno
figures to make some sort of informed decision. People have to take
responsibility for making their own informed decisions. I do not rely
on EC or any magazine to make my decisions. If you feel that you want
to turn into another Consumer Reports than by all means buy a dyno and
test away. I pretty much enjoy the EC articles on VW's and look forward
to III series articles in particular. I hope you guys in the future will
also try to include more articles about manufacturers other than APS once in
a while (especially the Euro tuners, I love to hear what the people across
the pond are up to - you do provide info on British and other tuners now
and then - keep em coming).
From: jan@camhpp49.ug.eds.com (Jan Vandenbrande)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: [W] ND Turbo Cab Test Drive
Date: 5 Jan 1995 02:23:12 GMT
During my visit up North, I passed by New Dimensions to pick up
a few odds and ends.
I also had the good fortune to say hi to Tim, Joe and a few others.
Tim showed us (my brother in law and myself) around the place
and then offered for us to test drive his new Cabbi where he
added one of their Turbo Chargers.
The Cabbi (red with a hood mounted intake scoop) had APS sport
springs on stock or Boge Pro Gas shocks, APS F&R sway bars, A008R 205/50-15
tires (that's right, R for Race) on specially light rims.
This was my first experience with the new A3 Cabbi, and I must
say that it is a very nice car, very solid despite the lack of
roof.
Tim claims about 190 Hp with the current 10psi boost setting
and the car felt quite powerful yet very smooth.
It probably had less power than my Stage III G60 but the low end
torque seemed a tad better. Power delivery in the G60 is also less
smooth than the turbo cabbi.
The suspension set up was stiffer than shock but alot less bumpy
than the Bilstein Sports I have on my G60. The ride was comfortable
but the car still handled like a champ, especially with those tires.
One thing I did not like were the brakes.
Coming from the G60 or the SLC, these brakes felt weak, and I am
not referring to the feel you get with Mintex or Repco pads
where you first slide a bit before you get the bite.
They just did not stop the car as fast as I am used to, even with
elevated pedal pressures. Is that what you all are complaining about?
All in all, it was a great package! I always regretted that the Cabbi
don't have the VR6 engines but this may be a reasonable compromise!
Jan
--
o ___|___ | Jan Vandenbrande
__0 /\0/ /-------\ [\\] | jan@ug.eds.com
\<,_ O \\ (_________) |
(_)/ (_) // [_] [_] | .sig still under construction
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: [W] ND Turbo Cab Test Drive
In article bwallace@epix.net (B. Wallace) writes:
>In article <3efl6g$nj4@huron.eel.ufl.edu>, jan@camhpp49.ug.eds.com (Jan
>Vandenbrande) wrote:
>
>> During my visit up North, I passed by New Dimensions to pick up
>> a few odds and ends.
...
>> and then offered for us to test drive his new Cabbi where he
>> added one of their Turbo Chargers.
>
>This car sounds very interesting. Is it street legal, and if so, could you
>tell me how to contact the New Dimensions people?
>The local VW salesman told me they haven't come out with a V6 Cabriolet
>because the chassis is not up to handling the extra torque without
>twisting. Did you notice any problems from additional torque?
The car is, or will be, 100% street legal. ND takes a lot of care
for that because they are in California and they do not want to
sell stuff that will fail emmissions tests!
The new cabbi feels very rigid, if I did not know better, I'd
think I were in my Corrado SLC. (Don't forget that the Cabbi
has a 20kg suspended weight in the rear to reduce vibrations).
I did not notice any problems with twisting, and I wonder what
the guy was talking about because all the weight and twisting
is done in the front of the car, and not the rest because the
engine is transversely mounted & FWD.
New Dimensions can be reached at:
Tim Hildabrand | New Dim Del la Cruz | (408) 980 16 91
Jan