The 1.9L PD TDI powerquest

[Greg Roles]

Nice work Mr Stainless Steel, awesome to see someone actually fabricating rather than just buying off the shelf. So much more rewarding, when you get the scale correct anyway! : )

[gldgti]

Nice work Mr Stainless Steel, awesome to see someone actually fabricating rather than just buying off the shelf. So much more rewarding, when you get the scale correct anyway! : )

Ineed - its nice when things fit! Thanks Greg.

This is my 3rd exhaust system, and I think now i've got it down pat. Noteable features in this system are each flange joint has one flange floating so that you can align the two pipes perfectly at the joint. This job ended up being more complicated than the one I did on the cabriolet, but it took about an hour less fab time just because I had to do a lot less checking - and it fits better.

I almost did a de-cat, but finally decided just to see how it does. One good thing is that the stock downpipe has a 2.5" inlet anyway, and after the cat is a 2.5" ID flex joint - only after that does the stock system reduce down to 2.25". So, The whole system is still 2.5", and legal to boot.

[Jarred]

Is it just me or does the standard exhaust look pretty decent interms of bend quality?

How does it go (sound) without the resonator in there?

[gldgti]

Is it just me or does the standard exhaust look pretty decent interms of bend quality?

How does it go (sound) without the resonator in there?

I agree the standard exhaust is very good really. The press bends are only marginally 'squashed' compared to the normal pipe diameter. When I'd got under there first, I considered not doing the job at all given that I only went up to 2.5".

But, its a 35% increase in cross sectional area (not including the squashes in the bends, so effectively more) and the new exhaust is lighter and straighter.

TBH the sound is almost no different. You can tell its slightly deeper, you mainly notice this when you start it and turn it off. It also lets more of the turbo noise through, not whine but the whoosh and flutter you get with VNT's. But again, its not all that noticable.

I would say unless you were told it wasnt stock you would think it still was.

It goes a lot better, above 3000 rpm - hugely noticable increase in power up there. Where it used to really fall off at around 3500, now it keeps pulling until around 4000. Understandably I cant really notice any difference under 2500 rpm. I have noticed boost spiking to 1.5bar more easily though.

[gldgti]

Can confirm definite performance increase from the new exhaust - Wifey told me so! If she's noticed it must be real.

[gldgti]

Things are moving a little bit more now - I have ordered a couple of new turbo manifold gaskets and I have taken delivery of 32 new exhaust stud nuts, so a weekend in the near future should see the 1749VB installed.

I will be contacting VIEZU shortly for a new map methinks!

[Mysticality]

Can confirm definite performance increase from the new exhaust - Wifey told me so! If she's noticed it must be real.

I got the "What did you do to it this time" when I planted it with BP premium diesel in... Good to know I'm not the only one here with a test mule-- I mean, observant other half!

On another note - wanna make me a 3" downpipe?

[gldgti]

On another note - wanna make me a 3" downpipe?

I'd be more than happy to... but what about the rest of your exhaust?

[gldgti]

Still waiting to install the new turbo - was really hoping my new gaskets would come this week but no. So, instead I finally got around to trying out my other map, race map, which I have had since I got the V-Box but never tried. Took the car for a good old drive down the old pacific hwy into Sydney and back.

Anyway, midrange is huge, possibly a little less below 2000rpm but thats an area I never use full power at anyway. Overall I quite enjoy the car i this mode - I thin the delivery of power suits mydriving style better.

Wish I'd tried it ages ago!

Anyway, I have been in touch with Viezu again and they are going to help me out with the new map for the new turbo, so exciting times are afoot.... just as soon as I get my new gaskets

[Mysticality]

I'd be more than happy to... but what about the rest of your exhaust?

I already have a 3" catback with a tiny little resonator and a hurricane muffler.
The place that did mine quoted me $900 for the DP! Don't get me wrong, the zorst is awesome quality, but... $900? Really? And they won't put in holes for the sensors...

I'm assuming your "V-Box" is an OBD-II tuning unit?

[gldgti]

I already have a 3" catback with a tiny little resonator and a hurricane muffler.
The place that did mine quoted me $900 for the DP! Don't get me wrong, the zorst is awesome quality, but... $900? Really? And they won't put in holes for the sensors...

I'm assuming your "V-Box" is an OBD-II tuning unit?

Yep, its the alientech controller that is rebranded by Viezu for tuning by the customer.

You still have a DPF in your DP, so you would need to do a dpf delete tune aswell (theres some discussion about this already so I wont go into it here). Either way its a pretty major operation. The fabbing though, thats easy

[kaanage]

I finally got around to trying out my other map, race map, which I have had since I got the V-Box but never tried. Took the car for a good old drive down the old pacific hwy into Sydney and back.

Anyway, midrange is huge, possibly a little less below 2000rpm but thats an area I never use full power at anyway. Overall I quite enjoy the car i this mode - I thin the delivery of power suits mydriving style better.

Wish I'd tried it ages ago!

I gather that your other map is the 'Performance' one. Personally, I prefer this for daily driving with my 1.9 PD Polo and only use the 'Race/Motorsports' map for trackdays as I toodle around well under 2000rpm most of the time (where the Performance map is definitely stronger but tails off earlier beyond this)

[gldgti]

I gather that your other map is the 'Performance' one. Personally, I prefer this for daily driving with my 1.9 PD Polo and only use the 'Race/Motorsports' map for trackdays as I toodle around well under 2000rpm most of the time (where the Performance map is definitely stronger but tails off earlier beyond this)

I can understand that. In the octy, having the same engine and gearbox but a car thats probably 300kg heavier, I find I rarely use a lot of accelerator below 2000rpm because at times I've had clutch juddering/almost slip.

I've found I get also get off the line faster with the race map compared to the performance map.

No idea about economy yet though, but this morning I took delivery of boost and egt gauges, and my exhaust manifold gaskets, so its new turbo time now anyway

[kaanage]

In the octy, having the same engine and gearbox but a car thats probably 300kg heavier, I find I rarely use a lot of accelerator below 2000rpm because at times I've had clutch juddering/almost slip.

I've found I get also get off the line faster with the race map compared to the performance map.

300kg!! FAARK - that's an extra 25% of loading and you run large rims and wide tyres. No wonder you need to rev it to get it to move.

No idea about economy yet though, but this morning I took delivery of boost and egt gauges, and my exhaust manifold gaskets, so its new turbo time now anyway

I'll be very keen to hear how Viezu customise your map - they weren't sure when I spoke to them about big mods.

[gldgti]

In preparation for the turbo upgrade, I spent yesterday installing boost and EGT gauges.

For anyone with an A5 or 6 platform car, you might find the following images useful:

Firstly, you want power for the gauges. To make it simpler and less butcher like, I have taken power from the antenna/amp signal cable on my ANS-810. Any aftermarket AV unit will have this. Since I wanted to be able to 'turn off' the gauges sometimes, I thought its as good a place to take power as anything else. Atleast this way I only need the radio on for them to work.

The gauges I'm using are constantly lit with green backlight so I didnt try to take a signal from any of the dash lights.

For a good earth point, there is a blank M6 tapped hole in the aluminium frame that supports the dashboard just begind the instrument cluster. You could use your radio's earth aswell, but I think if you have an EGT gauge you want to make sure the earth is a nice constant reference signal for accuracy.

Now the problem of running wires.

Well, there is just nowhere convenient to poke wires through - especially multiple wires. When I did my sub/amp install I used the same boot as a major harness thats tucked up in the firewall behind the battery, but its just not practical to use it for multiple small wires.... so, it was drilling time

If you remove the door sill trim and under passenger dash trim you can pull up the carpet to reveal the underfloor sounds deadening...



Then you can lift the matting up to see the metal firewall underneath. There is a spot (on my octavia) as shown where there is no deadening glues to the metal. If you drill through here it comes out in a convenient and non busy place in the engine bay.

Drill a small pilot hole:


Then enlarge to 1/2" and insert your 1/2" OD 10mm ID grommet


I also had to make a cut in the matting near the hole to allow the wires through without bending them too much after everything was run.

I was running short on time after I got this far so not too many other pics I'm sorry, but heres ther gauges (not lit in pics sorry!)





More pics later on when I take them!