MK3 Jetta TD destroyed a mildly tuned MK2 16v

[malone]

Let me introduce my friend's 16v. It's a mildly tuned 1990 Jetta 2.0L 16v that currently weighs 1200kg (2640lb) with driver and 1/4 tank of fuel. That's approximately 200 to 300lb lighter than a standard MK3 Jetta (wet with driver).

The 16v ran 16.1 at Mission Raceway (1/4 mile) last time with 17" wheels (weighs 22lb each with no tire), full interior, subwoofer in trunk, and 1st gear wheelspin. I think he briefly spun the wheels in 2nd gear as well. Our VW mechanic and a few people agree that it's capable of high 15's, which will be attempted soon. The 16v now has 14" wheels and back seats removed.

He's very good at launching the car, but he spun the wheels at the track only because of nervous anticipation. 14" wheels and sticky tires will yield a easy 15 sec. It can stay neck-to-neck with a MK3 VR6. Pulls strong on the highway, too.

Last week we rode in his step-dad's newly purchased 1986 Jetta 1.6D (non-turbo) and he thought it was extremely sluggish. It never occured to him that small diesels would have much potential.

However... this week a MK3 Jetta TD 1.9L driven by an older man just happened to be at his side. There were no cars or pedestrians around so the 16v provoked a race and it failed to keep up with the TD, which consistently stayed at least a car length ahead. After a few more races the TD was still ahead. When the friend gave me the news in a disappointed tone I was grinning ear to ear. They both had stopped to talk and I learned that the 1.9L TD was running 20 PSI boost.

I didn't get the full mod list, so I wonder if the TD owner visits this site...

Lower mainland, British Columbia.

[Dr. Diesel]

nice.   :lol:
too bad for your pal. maybe you can take the opportunity to convince him to swap to diesel!

[malone]

maybe you can take the opportunity to convince him to swap to diesel!

I tried. He has respect for diesels (even more now that he lost to a primitive one :lol:) but he's not interested enough to make the change... he's still planning to add FI to his 16v. The increasing gas prices and further potential of IDI/TDIs may change his mind in the near future though

[felixgtx]

i finally decided that i'll get 1.6TD with bigger turbo and nos too in the future :twisted:  

i though 16V can easy beat 1.6 or 1.9TD but i was wrong and very suprise, emberassing  :oops:

[jackbombay]

Good story, I smoked a ton of "fast cars' in a hill climb with my TDI, the best was the IROC Z something or other with a sticker across the top of the windshield that said "On the gas kicking ass"... I ran the course in 108 seconds while he ran it in 116 seconds . Cleaned up a pantera too. I am very familiar with the road though, home field advantage so to speak.