Topic: Woes of 1.8t mk1 ownership (Read 527 times)

rotundapig · « **Reply #50 on:** April 30, 2011, 08:48:12 AM »

Passed the compression test with flying colors, so I'm going to assume it isn't the head gasket.

I hope it isn't the turbo. I can just pinch that line to check, since the coolant goes fro the heater core to the turbo. I totally didn't think of the oil cooler. I couldn't think of where else the oil and water would meet.

scurvy_bandit · « **Reply #51 on:** April 30, 2011, 12:04:18 PM »

I know it has that metal canister above the oil filter. Some people Ive seen delete that and use a shorter threaded stem for the oil filter then run an external oil cooler. That could be it (if it has one) You might want to look into seeing if its possible to run just oil feed and return and bypass the coolant (plugging the coolant feed and return)

Maybe....

rotundapig · « **Reply #52 on:** April 30, 2011, 03:17:52 PM »

I have a sandwich adapter and air/oil cooler. I'll use that if it looks like the oil cooler is at fault. I just need to be sure there is only oil in the coolant and not coolant in the oil before I drive it. I can't seem to find my drain pan, though.

scurvy_bandit · « **Reply #53 on:** May 01, 2011, 09:33:58 AM »

Good luck man!!! I hope you get it running good by next month, Id like to see how my little truck compares to it!

rotundapig · « **Reply #54 on:** May 01, 2011, 09:49:26 AM »

I drained some oil, and it doesn't look like there's any water in it. I flushed the cooling system and it didn't look as bad as I thought it would be either. There was just a bunch of oil/grease in the radiator filler neck. I guess I'll drive it around and see if the coolant gets greasy again, or if maybe the oil was just got in there when I swapped the head.

rotundapig · « **Reply #55 on:** May 20, 2011, 10:28:17 AM »

Well, since I have a job now, I am a bit less worried about breaking something in the rabbit or getting a ticket, so I have been giving it some on-ramp butt dyno runs. It feels pretty good, but I am only getting 6psi, even at WOT. I don't know what spring is in the wastegate, but it has an open dump and I didn't hear it open.

If it were a boost leak, what would be the best way to track it down? I assume it would be a pretty small one since it can hold 6psi. Is there a way to pressurize the intake, or do I need to just visually check everything and re-tighten all the clamps?

scurvy_bandit · « **Reply #56 on:** May 20, 2011, 12:04:37 PM »

start with the checking, then after that you might be able to get a pressure test done.

rotundapig · « **Reply #57 on:** May 21, 2011, 09:20:34 AM »

intake looked good, and I noticed some blackness inside the dump tube. I devised a highly scientific test to see if it was the wastegate opening. I stuffed a paper towel in the dump tube and floored it on the on-ramp. As soon as boost hit 6psi, i saw the paper towel out the rearview.

So, it looks like the previous owner only wanted 6 psi of boost. Now I just have to decide how much boost I want.

SwiftMKIII · « **Reply #58 on:** May 21, 2011, 09:47:23 AM »

With a manual boost controller, you could easily get to 10-12psi. I have one I built that I'd be willing to offer you.

Oh, and your highly scientific test is awesome!

rotundapig · « **Reply #59 on:** May 21, 2011, 09:55:11 AM »

I'd love to see the one you made. I was just shopping around for one and thinking how simple yet expensive most of them looked. I'll be at the GTG today

SwiftMKIII · « **Reply #60 on:** May 21, 2011, 10:10:28 AM »

I don't think I will be. I might show up late.

Smokestack · « **Reply #61 on:** May 21, 2011, 01:00:42 PM »

Most of the manual boost controllers I've seen are stupid simple in design. A spring keeps tension on a ball that plugs a hole. When boost pressure exceeds the amount of force the spring applies to the ball it moves back causing air to move past the ball into the waste gate. Easy enough to make, but without some basic metal working tools the end product you might end up with something kinda clunky looking.

rotundapig · « **Reply #62 on:** May 25, 2011, 11:33:23 AM »

Gave the boost controller a few turns. Made the transition from "pretty quick" to scary fast. I need to dial the boost controller back a bit. It made 15 pounds at 3000 rpm and quarter throttle. It startled me so much I forgot how to shift

SwiftMKIII · « **Reply #63 on:** May 25, 2011, 04:20:33 PM »

Glad to hear it was fun. I found that at the point it was set when I gave it to you, all you needed was about 1/2 turn to get to much more power.

greggearhead · « **Reply #64 on:** May 26, 2011, 10:29:52 PM »

Must. Get. Boost.

scurvy_bandit · « **Reply #65 on:** May 28, 2011, 12:51:25 PM »

I concur with Greg.... I will have it soon enough!!!!! Just gotta buy my daily first.

I cant wait to see (or ride) in the 1.8tteeeeeee

rotundapig · « **Reply #66 on:** May 29, 2011, 07:10:31 AM »

Had a bit of a scare last night.
I came up to a stop light, right as the car was warming up and when I glanced at the oil pressure gauge it read zero. It had about 10 psi at 1100 rpm, so I kept it there while it was in neutral.
The voltage drops pretty bad when the headlights are on, so when I could pull over, I turned off the lights and I gained 10psi! It was chilly out and I had the heater on full blast and when I turned that off I found another 10psi, so I really had 20 psi (if the gauge is to be trusted). Looks like it's time to clean up all that messy wiring from the swap and maybe buy the rest of the gauges I need

scurvy_bandit · « **Reply #67 on:** May 29, 2011, 11:21:19 AM »

yessir!

rotundapig · « **Reply #68 on:** June 01, 2011, 07:15:07 PM »

got the grounds sorted out. Oil pressure is OK.

On an unrelated note, some asshat almost ran into me on the way home from work today and when I honked at him, he flipped out and started honking at me. At the next red light he started yelling (trying to get me to fight him in the middle of traffic or something). He was also driving right up my ass after that. Seeing as I was really close to my house, and it seemed like the dude was following me, I deployed a smoke screen (at the expensive of my tires) and took evasive action.

I think this the first time I've encountered road rage here, and it seems much worse than in the south. I've had people try to intimidate me by driving too close or trying to run me of the road, but never try to start a fight in traffic. Is that level of road rage the norm here?

greggearhead · « **Reply #69 on:** June 01, 2011, 08:07:06 PM »

That sucks. Not the norm, but it can happen anywhere. Back when I had a 2.0 16V Jetta, I had a dude and his girlie in an old rusty Ford pickup flip me off, yell and scream and all sorts of stuff, and for the life of me, I don't remember doing anything to them at all. CYA and remove yourself from the situation.

scurvy_bandit · « **Reply #70 on:** June 01, 2011, 08:23:59 PM »

Damn... I hope that isnt the new norm... I'll have to upset someone.

Smokestack · « **Reply #71 on:** June 01, 2011, 08:40:59 PM »

The norm is people think that they're always in the right and you're wrong, regardless of what dumb thing they do. It is rare that someone will go beyond just flipping the bird, but this is the second time I've heard of some asshole recently going off on someone that wasn't doing anything wrong. My sister just had someone in a Lexus the other day go ballistic on her because she wasn't tailgating the person in front of her.

scurvy_bandit · « **Reply #72 on:** June 03, 2011, 08:41:14 PM »

Seen my first nut-job yesterday! She was driving an older Chrysler 300 and was crying sewing traffic with her flashers on.

rotundapig · « **Reply #73 on:** June 20, 2011, 07:24:09 PM »

I've been running the car on the stock radiator and it's been running kind of warm. I've had to run the heat if I get in traffic on a hot day. So, I ordered a bigger aluminum radiator from Summit. The one I ordered was 13x22x2.5. The one they sent is 13x24.5x3. It's huge!

It's more expensive than the one I ordered and I think I can wedge it in there so I think I'll use it and not bother with any ducting or fan shroud

scurvy_bandit · « **Reply #74 on:** June 20, 2011, 07:39:02 PM »

You should be able to fit it in there. I remember from my caddy that I figured without AC crap you have enough room for a fat radiator and intercooler. The only thing that gets in the way is the middle support for the hood. If you want Id be interested in a possible trade from my fiberglass hood for your metal one? lmk...

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Author Topic: Woes of 1.8t mk1 ownership (Read 527 times)