Malone's MK3 TDI

[malone]

I've never heard of this keystone mod. Can you describe it a little further?

I find many pumps that are getting pulled and rebuilt for no problem other than low case pressure. They can't maintain the proper advance w/o case pressure.

Simply pull out the case relief valve, next to the fuel inlet. It is the strange piece with 10mm flats. The insides begin to walk out over time. Just hammer the retainer back in so it's flush with the bottom of the valve. Be extremely careful not to get dirt into the pump, cuz this is right at the front lift pump. Spray with carb cleaner and use compressed air to blow away dirt before removing the valve. Use a clean hammer too so dirt doesn't enter the valve. This will allow air to enter, but most pumps will be fine and start up ok and reprime, no problem. Don't open or remove this valve with car running or you'll get a good shower.

If you're getting smoky starts, and poor performance, the timing piston isn't working. If it gets real bad, you'll get start of injection faults. If your car dies or runs very poorly w/o faults, it usually means it is running out of fuel.

The middle valve shows the problem. The right valve is fixed.

Also fyi, increasing case pressure doesn't improve performance in any way. The camplate timing solenoid controls the pressure to the timing piston wrt #3 lift sensor and rpms and load request. However, if the piston is scored and leaking badly, increasing case pressure and running bioD, with greater viscosity can make the pump work good enough to get it off the lot, if you're trying to unload a hunker w/a bad pump.

[malone]

Still waiting for the keystones, and a few other bits. In the meantime I got 2008 GTI Intergalos seats and they're extremely comfortable. If I ever get another Mk2/MK3, these seats would be my first modification, even before a TDI swap. Many thanks go to JS Performance for helping install them:



They are heated seats but I have to hook up the wiring, which should be fairly simple to do.

Also pictured are a brand new OEM carpet, new floor mats (weathertech.ca), and Euro MK3 steering wheel with custom leather wrap.

After the holidays I plan to install gauges and dual chamber headlights. I also am going to do something engine/tuning-wise that no one else has ever done with TDIs in history. It'll be even cooler than the twin-charged w/ supercharger idea that I was exploring earlier.

[R.O.R-2.0]

those seats are TITS!!

[410]

Are you thinking about a compound turbo setup possibly?  Maybe the stock k03 with a k24? 

[8v-of-fury]

Maybe the stock k03 with a k24? 

Oooh I like the sounds of that!

[410]

Oh, and those seats are very nice.   

[malone]

While I was tuning a couple TDIs at JSP, a few mods were done to my MK3:

• Evolution Odin MK3 skid plate. It sat way too low with a lot of gap below the engine- it would hit virtually every speedbump before my front tires could touch the speed bump. JSP removed the front spacers so the skid plate sits higher. I haven't hit anything yet.
• Solid subframe bushings installed.
• The Injection pump was too retarded, it's advanced now.
• Keystone installed in injection pump case relief valve.

The combination of the skid plate and solid subframe bushings makes my car vibrate a lot more at idle. Diesel engines, especially older ones, normally shake more, so I'll have to deal with it or get softer bushings installed.

Below is the fuel timing update since my injection pump timing adjustment and keystone mod. I notice a big improvement in mid-high RPM acceleration. I'm still unable to reach 18 degree timing. If my fuel pressure looks OK, then my 300,000km injection pump may need a rebuild. I'm happy with the way it runs for now. I plan on swapping in a MK4 ALH TDI engine with 11mm pump in the near future.

[starrd]

Hey Mark,

Do you think the improvement was from the keystone mod or the timing mod?  Did you notice anything wrong when you installed the keystone?  What pump advance are you running? Thanks

-Don

[malone]

The case relief valve looked OK when it was pulled out. The collar didn't pop out out of the valve much, if at all. The keystone was installed anyway to prevent the collar from popping out in the future.

That said, I think the biggest performance improvement came from advancing the injection pump. My pump timing was close to the red line (around 5#). Now it's set at 70 or 71, just below the green line. I used to have a fair bit of white smoke at cold start, but now it's almost non-existent.

Mark

[G60ING]

Any updates?

[8v-of-fury]

Yes Please! I have just read Part 1, Part 2 and this one.. All this after noon. Holy brain overload.

Updates! Updates! Updates!

[malone]

There's no major update for the MK3 Golf TDI yet. I picked up the car pictured below. It's an original 1997 Golf Variant Syncro (4 wheel drive) TDI!





Drove it 4,155km home in 3 days. A few things happened on the way:

1. Almost got ran off the road a couple times by gangstas in Detroit.

2. Stopped at Chicago VW to pick up a new thermostat - lots of employees were checking out the car.

3. Got scared when I stepped on a poisonous looking snake next to a diesel pump in Butte, Montana. It turned out to be a fake, and a lady working the gas station had a good laugh. I suspect that she put it there to make her dull days more interesting.

For those wondering what I'm going to do next:

1. Full bodywork+respray for both MK3s (make rust-free and ding-free).
2. New suspension+wheels for the Variant.
3. MK5 or MK6 seats in Variant?
3. HFLOX Warp 2 or 3 nozzles and a smoke-free ECU tune in the Variant.

It'll be a while before I do more engine modifications in either TDI. I'm tempted to drop a ~2010 CR140 TDI engine into the Variant and there won't be much worry about traction if I push 400ft-lb torque.. but the original engine is in such perfect shape - it runs like new with no smoke and no leaks.. so it'll be hard for me to chuck that out, for now!

Mark

[rallydiesel]

That's awesome!

[Smokey Eddy]

Great read

[G60ING]

There is a 2011 or 2012 engine and transmission on craigslist in NH with zero miles if you are interested in spending $9k plus shipping.