bottom end torque?

[Hammy]

My '91 Golf doesn't seem to have alot of bottom end torque, is this normal? It seems to take forever to get the turbo to spool up. Anyone have any launching tricks, or fixes of any sort?

Thanks

[BlackTieTD]

keep the revs up! switch to smaller turbo? ive wanted to see a supercharged diesel for a while now  :lol:

[vwmike]

It probably just isn't getting enough fuel to make the exhaust heat, to make the boost, to make the torque  

[malone]

My '91 Golf doesn't seem to have alot of bottom end torque, is this normal? It seems to take forever to get the turbo to spool up. Anyone have any launching tricks, or fixes of any sort?

Thanks

Going from a 1.9 TDI to a 1.6 TD, I can see what you mean. It's normal assuming your 1.6 is already in good condition.

When my 1.6 TD was stock I can feel the peak boost at around 3,200 RPM (Garrett turbo) and its torque is still nowhere near a TDI's 155lb-ft below 2,500RPM. If you don't mind a little more smoke in your 1.6, do as vwmike suggested; turn up the fuel. Check out Smog's DIY thread in the FAQ/Tech forum for instructions.

If you want more lower RPM torque (with less smoke) but don't mind losing some upper RPM performance, trade your turbo for a 1.9TD version, which is usually smaller. There may be a few 1.9TD owners who want a bigger turbo from a 1.6TD.

A hot setup would be a VNT-15 turbo from a TDI like yours. It spools up quick and stays quite efficient up until redline. I'm thinking of trying a VNT-17 (PD150 TDI in Europe) for my 1.6. Controlling the vanes gradually will be tricky though.