VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: Les on August 31, 2009, 01:23:56 pm

Title: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: Les on August 31, 2009, 01:23:56 pm
My 94 AAZ has a K14 turbo pushing 14 PSI max. I need more HP climbing hills. I was thinking adjusting boost to 18-20 PSI max, adding more fuel and installing an intercooler. The next thing on my list is water/methanol injection.

Does intercooler makes sense for 18-20 PSI?
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: rallydiesel on August 31, 2009, 01:28:45 pm
An intercooler is always a good idea, regardless of psi.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: dts67 on August 31, 2009, 01:37:38 pm
IC is a must for 18-20psi imo, the air gets so hot theres little or no gains, try the water meth first even at 15psi you'd be surprised the difference it makes.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: Les on August 31, 2009, 02:46:47 pm
Is K14 turbo good for climbing hills & pulling a trailer? Would VNT be better?
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: myke_w on September 01, 2009, 06:04:38 am
This probably goes without saying - but before you do anything - add an EGT gauge.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: Rabbit on Roids on September 01, 2009, 09:33:45 am
a K14 is a very limited turbo. imo, a VNT would be a way better setup. whats a K14 max out at, about 20 psi and then its into the grenade grounds? my VNT and intercooler in my rabbit work wonderfully.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: sprstu on September 01, 2009, 11:33:37 am
I have a K03 on my rabbit (which is a small turbo as well) and saw a huge benefit from adding my intercooler. Measuring the temp difference between the two pipes showed a 75f degree drop driving around and 115f drop on hard pulls. I am using a Mazda 323gtx intercooler currently.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: Les on September 02, 2009, 10:16:41 am
So decision is made - I am going to have an intercooler. Thanks for your comments.

Rabbit on Roids, is it VNT-15 what you have? What controller you have on it? There were a couple of topics on electronic ones but unfortunately the threads are dead.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: Rabbit on Roids on September 02, 2009, 11:21:39 am
no, not a 15, its a GT1749VB. i dont run a vane controller. it spools way fast enough without one. and besides, i would have to completely re-learn how to drive it if the boost came on lower. besides, i dont want too much boost down low with a stock 1.5 engine. and as for electronic controllers, why would you want to complicate the simplest engine on the face of the planet? i love that these engines take 3 things to run, fuel, air, and 12v.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: macka on September 02, 2009, 02:51:05 pm
SAAB and Mazda side mount intercoolers are the easiest to get in the engine bay, you just need good flow through the IC. I'm not one for the IC mounted in the front bumper, as a rock or hunk of debris can take it out easy, unless you protect it, then you restrict airflow to it.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: jack's lack on September 03, 2009, 12:25:41 pm
I'm not sold on the SAAB intercooler. I pulled one at the cash and carry the other day, and I ended up putting it back. It is very small and the end tanks are plastic and crimped on. I felt like it would be a liability at 20 psi. I am going to go much bigger and with welded end tanks. I know guys are running them and that they are cheap and readily available it just seemed a little mickey mouse IMHO
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: Rabbit on Roids on September 03, 2009, 02:36:02 pm
i have an old 740 IC in my rabbit, and it regularly sees 25 psi. havent broken it yet.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: zukgod1 on September 03, 2009, 03:32:10 pm
i have an old 740 IC in my rabbit, and it regularly sees 25 psi. havent broken it yet.


That's a front mount no?

I have one of those in my shed waiting for something to come along that it will fit.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: Rabbit on Roids on September 03, 2009, 05:39:50 pm
i have an old 740 IC in my rabbit, and it regularly sees 25 psi. havent broken it yet.


That's a front mount no?

I have one of those in my shed waiting for something to come along that it will fit.

yea, mounted it in front of the rad. it works so good. today was the first time ive driven the rabbit in a couple months, and its amazing the power it has compared to the 5000. it flat out ***z and gitz. is your ic the mid tank in/out or the top tank in out? the mid tank one fits beautifully in a rabbit. the inlet sits right under the battery tray, and my charge piping runs close to the engine mount, but i was able to get a nice tight bend and clear it. but the outlet sits ridiculously close to the alt cooling fan. if i ever lose an engine mount, its gonna be apparent the first time i go for the boost and its not there.

but uh, on another topic, how much are you charging to work your magic on injection pumps? or should i even worry about my fuel pump right now? probably should work on getting my turbo fixed.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: gldgti on September 03, 2009, 05:59:16 pm
a K14 is a very limited turbo. imo, a VNT would be a way better setup. whats a K14 max out at, about 20 psi and then its into the grenade grounds? my VNT and intercooler in my rabbit work wonderfully.

man your negative posts are frequent... VNT's are great sure, but the man has a k14 - thats what he's got to work with.

now to the OP: personally i have an AAZ in a mk3 with k14 and a big front mount intercooler. i run 22psi at the most (drops off over 3500rpm to about 18psi) and the car has plenty of pulling power for hills and overtaking - however, its not much good for towing - turbo is just too small.

on the whole, a nice big intercooler will help your power no end :-)

pics FYI:

(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u139/gldgti/P10002941.jpg)

the old piping... it a little different now but you get the idea...
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u139/gldgti/DSCF1493.jpg)

this is when i was putting in the first cooler - the top pic is of the current cooler which is the same size as this below but goes another 50mm lower :-)
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u139/gldgti/DSCF1477.jpg)

HTH :-)


Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: Rabbit on Roids on September 03, 2009, 08:18:14 pm
Is K14 turbo good for climbing hills & pulling a trailer? Would VNT be better?
a K14 is a very limited turbo. imo, a VNT would be a way better setup. whats a K14 max out at, about 20 psi and then its into the grenade grounds? my VNT and intercooler in my rabbit work wonderfully.

man your negative posts are frequent... VNT's are great sure, but the man has a k14 - thats what he's got to work with.

now to the OP: personally i have an AAZ in a mk3 with k14 and a big front mount intercooler. i run 22psi at the most (drops off over 3500rpm to about 18psi) and the car has plenty of pulling power for hills and overtaking - however, its not much good for towing - turbo is just too small.

on the whole, a nice big intercooler will help your power no end :-)


well, since i was so negative, explain? he asked if a VNT would be better. i was explaining my opinions. ive seen my 1749 pump out over 30 psi before, and more than once. my VNT would blow the socks off your K14 dude, hands down. hows that for negativity?
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: gldgti on September 03, 2009, 08:31:05 pm

well, since i was so negative, explain? he asked if a VNT would be better. i was explaining my opinions. ive seen my 1749 pump out over 30 psi before, and more than once. my VNT would blow the socks off your K14 dude, hands down. hows that for negativity?

hah, well done. im impressed at your bragging. actually your right, OP did ask about VNT's....

...actually, i didnt see where you adressed WHY the vnt might be better - only that it was. i dont have any VNT experience, but i would love to see someone post up their high load experiences with a VNT - like with towing. i determined my k14 to be too small for towing whilst towing a 600kg (~1400lb???) car trailer with the mk3... just too much weight. went fine, but boost through the roof!

I think someone on here has a T3 (as in a van, not the turbo) with an AAZ and VNT. that's a fair weight to lug around. they might provide a deeper insight into this quandry. its a big challenge trying to compare different turbo's under conditions of such high load as towing. a setup that feels just right for driving around the city or racing can fall right on its face when subjected to different kinds of loads.

again for the OP - i'm changing to a MB spec T3 which i hope will be much better for the high load demands of towing... since its an easy conversion if you've got most of the bits already :-)



Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: macka on September 04, 2009, 05:17:23 am
I'm not sold on the SAAB intercooler. I pulled one at the cash and carry the other day, and I ended up putting it back. It is very small and the end tanks are plastic and crimped on. I felt like it would be a liability at 20 psi. I am going to go much bigger and with welded end tanks. I know guys are running them and that they are cheap and readily available it just seemed a little mickey mouse IMHO

if you get one from pre 92 Saab 900 its all aluminium, I have to hit up the wrecker near me as it has a new 90 Saab and an eagle talon tsi.
Title: Re: Intercooler for K14 turbo?
Post by: dts67 on September 04, 2009, 05:20:03 am
The main advantage of vnt over wastegate is the spool time, a vnt can spool much much earlier regardless of its size vs a similar sized wastegated turbo afaik.
Title: More Power from AAZ
Post by: Les on October 25, 2009, 10:53:30 am
So for towing I think I may get a bigger turbo, something like K24. It is OK at higher RPMs but the turbo lag is quite large. Other option is VNT-17, VNT-20 or GT1749VB. More I read about GT1749 more confused i am. There are so many flavours of it.
Can anyone suggest a GT1749 VNT turbo that would mount on AAZ (to replace the K14 turbo)?

Intercooler, EGT, and 1.6 boost pin are comming next.

My 1.9TD IP pump does not have the large LDA screw and starwheel that is typical on 1.6 pumps. Is this a big drawback in "more power tuning"?
Title: Intercooler for K14 turbo
Post by: HoaftNom73 on October 25, 2009, 01:54:56 pm
the water feed i used for my vtr t2 turbo. one pipe was t pieced to the pipe that comes off the botton of the thermostat. then the other was t pieced at the back just befort the bleed valve if that helps mate