Vanbcguy's M-TDI Build

[vanbcguy]

Nom nom nom nom nom.....



Found a good price on a rebuilt GTB1756VK with warranty.  Should be shipping out this week!!

Also the LSD is just too pretty to only have a picture of the box......

[ToddA1]

Ah, I totally missed the size perspective of the diff box.  I've used several Quaifes in the past and the Peloquins work the same, from what I've read.  I'm temped to pull a 02A apart.  it looks more simple than an 020.

-Todd

[vanbcguy]

Yeah everything I read said the Quaife and the Pelloquin were basically identical in terms of longevity and performance.  What it came down to was the Pelloquin included the bolt kit already versus buying it separately for the Quaife.  Final cost was about $50 cheaper.

The other BIG thing was that Pelloquin identified that the CTN 02A has an 02J style differential.  The CTN (which is what I'm using) only came in a few years and only behind TDIs, apparently the axle flanges attach 02J style, so most 02A LSD's won't fit.  Just the fact that Pelloquin was aware of that and mentioned it on their site made me more willing to go that route.

[ToddA1]

Add the fact that the diff bearings are included and there's a lifetime warranty on it, only sweetens the deal.  The warranty is transferable and no questions asked. 

Quaife has a limited warranty and when I thought I had an issue with one, they wanted me to ship it back to England.  Peloquin is located in the USA, and although not your home country, I would still imagine cheaper to ship.

-Todd

[vanbcguy]

OK, let's talk connecting rods...

I'm PROBABLY going to get new ASV pistons (they have the oil cooling gallery in the piston which is a good thing to have with higher HP).... Next up is connecting rods.

There's basically 3 options:

- Keep my stock rods (they all appear to be fine), possibly get them resized by the machine shop or at least measured out
- Go for the ICE Tuscan rods (About $600)
- Go for the Rosten rods (about $900) and have to get my IM shaft clearanced

I've seen folks running around the same HP as I'm looking at on stock bottom ends, but there's also been more than a few AAZs around here with holes punched in the side of the block, and the AAZ uses the same rods as the AHU.  I don't think we ever really conclusively figured out whether the issue was rod bolts or the rods themselves, either way that makes me nervous.

So the question is... do I spend the extra $600 on the ICE rods, they come with new ARP rod bolts already so that part is taken care of, or do I spend money getting my OEM rods checked out, then buy new bolts... In the end I'm not sure I'm really saving all that much?

[vanbcguy]

MOAR GOODIEEEZZZ!!!!!!





Nomnomnomnom.... Put my meter on the TPS too - realized I never even looked up whether it was a true TPS or just a part throttle switch or something like that.  Thankfully it is a proper TPS, goes from 1Kohm to 2Kohm in a nice linear progression.

This is officially the single most expensive car part I have ever purchased.  My poor LSD didn't even get to hold the record for a week!

Thought... I'm planning on using my stand alone VNT controller to handle the LDA as well.  Looks like it would be pretty simple to convert the LDA to vacuum operation rather than pressure, I could just swap the vent fitting from the bottom of the LDA to the top.  I've got a second N75-type valve for it already, so why not just drive it off my vacuum pump?

[libbydiesel]

I wouldn't.  A well-tuned mechanical LDA works extremely well as is.  I would not want to complicate it's function by making it depend on the whole electronic subsystem.  I suppose there might be a slight gain from tuning the LDA to less-than-optimal fueling and then use your N75 combined with an EGT feedback loop to bump the fueling up to optimal.  That way, with failure of the system, your vanes would default to open and your LDA would default to a slightly under-fueled  mechanical control.  I don't think I'd go to the bother, tho, personally.

BTW, nice pump. 

[vanbcguy]

Thanks!!  Can't wait to hear it run...

My thought was more that I will be adjusting the boost through software so it sort of makes sense to be doing the fuel enrichment through software as well.  In the event of an electronics failure it'd be in "limp mode" with the vanes fully open and no fuel enrichment.  Not fun to drive but still solidly reliable...

If I do it with electronic control I basically don't have to touch the LDA settings (preserving the warranty on my pump)... But yeah I mean I've played with the LDA on my 1.6 for the last 5 years so I'm totally comfortable keeping it mechanical.

[theman53]

The rods were not the cause of the block failures it was the mains. I cannot tell but I think the 65mm long mains were too short and the later aaz had 90mm mains. What has happened is the mains let go and let the block window. I think the tonytdtruck had the 90mm mains but I am not for sure on that, but his did not window either.
Also I do not know if the aaz has the same exact rods as the AHU. Same size but I do not know if they changed anything or not in the metallurgy. I have also found better pricing on the rods than what you have as I think you should be able to get the ones you were looking for for under 600. IMHO if you are shelling out the coin go for the x beams. I think they are around 1100.00 but I don't see the H beams being a huge upgrade to a well done stock rod. A slight upgrade yes but if you are not going for mad power I would say the stock would be fine. Many have done lots of power on a stock bottom with these.

[vanbcguy]

Yeah I'm unfortunately at the point where I'm having to do stuff on credit, so some savings where possible are desperately needed.  Still I'm a firm believer in "do it right the first time"...  And putting a hole in the side of the block just puts me back at the beginning again, so I'm pretty willing to spend a little to save a lot if you get what I mean.

I'm really on the fence though.  ASV pistons sound like a great way to go - stock bore but with oil cooling galleries.  They're apparently a bit shorter than the stock pistons though (not a lot, just a little).  Apparently the IE rods are slightly longer, so if you use the two in combination everything is perfect.  

I'm going to do the pistons either way I think.  It's more "do I upgrade the rods" or stick with the stock ones.  $1100 for the x-beams is out of reach, I'm in pretty deep already.  I figure I'd probably be in about $200 for the stockers by the time I got them reconditioned and bought new hardware so really it's not a "$0 or $600" question so much as it is a "$200 or $600" question.  And a rod through the side of the block would cost a lot more than $400.

I guess in writing this I've answered my own question.  IE Tuscan rods it is...  Haven't managed to find any better than $569 yet though.

These are the ones in case anyone else is looking: http://idparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3024

[vanbcguy]

Another day, another $1200+ parts order :-/

Rods + a whole ton of small parts are on their way!  Amazing how much all those little things can nickel and dime their way up to hundreds of dollars... $80 for an alternator pulley, $30 for a PCV vent hose, $20 for a valve cover gasket, etc etc etc....

[vanbcguy]

My turbo is actually here now...

[One_punchmachinegun]

What turbo is that?

[One_punchmachinegun]

Nvm, missed it on the last page. Curious to see how it works out.

[vanbcguy]

Nvm, missed it on the last page. Curious to see how it works out.

You and me both!!

Yup, GTB1756VK....

Dropped my block / crank / head at the machine shop yesterday afternoon. They're going to measure / clean / check it all and give me a shout, thinking I'm going to have them build the short block.

They actually had another TDI block just delivered by someone else when I was dropping mine off - this definitely isn't the first one they've done. :-)