Golf FAQ
Posted
#633970
(In Topic #76333)
Newbie
Golf FAQ
for
Water Cooled VWs
– Performance –
rec.autos.vw
Date:
Version:
1 Feb 94 = Creation and copy from tech faqs.
1 Mar 94 = First posting.
1 Apr 94 = Conversion to MsWord for easier maintenance.
1 May 94 = Solo I & II added. Books to read.
1 Jun 94 = Relocating batteries, shock stiffness table,
lights, alignment
15 Jun 94 =performance updates, Sound insolation.
Moderator:
Jan Vandenbrande
j…
ug
.eds.com j…@lipari.usc.edu (school address)
See also the list of contributors at the end.
Please feel free to submit any additional info.
————————————————————
—————
Copyright Notice © – 1994: All Rights Reserved
The information contained here is collectively copyrighted
by the authors. The right to reproduce this is hereby
given, provided it is copied intact, with the copyright
notice inclusive. However, the authors explicitly prohibit
selling this document, any of its parts, or any document
which contains parts of this document.
————————————————————
—————
Index:
======
General issues (Auto-X, )
Chemicals (Rain-X, Lubricants)
Engine (Power improvements)
Electrical (Lights)
Transmission ()
Brakes ()
Tires/Rims/Suspension (shocks, tire widths & rim upgrades,
performance)
Body/Interior ()
Miscellanea ()
————————————————————
——–
GENERAL
Editor's Foreword: This FAQ is geared at improving the
performance of watercooled VWs based on the Golf Chassis (A1-
A3: Golf I/Rabbit, Golf II & III, Sciroccos, Corrados,
Jettas, Vento, Convertibles) using the "1600 type" and
larger 4 cylinder engine block and the new VR6 2.8/2.9l
engine. Because of this FAQ's origine, most improvements are
aimed at the US/Canadian market. The above cars also share
many components with Dashers/Passats/Fox's (e.g., engines),
though they differ in many other aspects such as suspension
and exhaust system. Some of these cars may actually have
more in common with Audis.
Performance improvements encompasses a wide field of
subjects, most commonly referred to in the context of
increasing power and improving handling. This FAQ intends to
go beyond these traditional meanings and include changes
that improve upon the stock design. Performance often is
achieved at the expence of something else often not
mentioned with the advertised component such as fuel
consumption, harsher ride or noise. This FAQ intends to
reveal some of these as well.
One of the things to keep in mind is cost. In some cases the
improvements will costs as much as a new stock part from VW,
but in other cases it costs more. Generally you will never
recover the cost of these improvements. Unlike real estate,
most cars are not investments and therefore the reason for
spending money is for pure pleasure. For that reason, you
need to make a decision on whether it is worth it to you for
the amount of time you want to keep the car. Also, it makes
little sense to buy the most expensive suspension system if
your engine is about to blow. Fix the rest first perhaps
with better components.
Not covered in this FAQ are the engines/fuel systems
available outside North America such as engines less than
1500 cc and carburetors/mono-throttle FI systems.
Another good thing to keep in mind is: "Speed costs money,
how fast can you afford to go?" [?]
Q:I want to improve my driving performance? Where should I
start?
A:Yourself. The average person only utilizes a small
portion of their car's capabilities, and often do not
know how the car handles under emergency conditions.
Taking a performance "Driving School" from one of the
local clubs (e.g. SCCA, ~1/2 day, inexpensive, fun) or
from a performance driving school (e.g. Bob Bondurant,
expensive, fun) is probably the biggest single
improvement you can make. In every day driving it may
make the difference between an accident and avoiding one!
The next question you need to ask yourself is *why* you
want to improve your car's performance. Do you want to
impress your friends? Do you want to blow away other cars
on the street? Do you want auto cross your car in a club
and if so what type of racing do you want to do? Will you
be using this car for your daily commute or will it be
purely used for off-track racing? Depending on what you
want to do, you may want to follow a very different path
to enhance performance.
What runs well on a track may not be acceptable or barely
drivable for a street car (clearance, noise, hard ride,
rough idle, bent rims, the law…). Additionally, if you
want to race in a club, cars are categorized depending on
their power and handling, and to what extent they have
been modified. For example, it may be better to leave
you car stock than to make certain mods (e.g., different
rims) that will put you at the low end of another
category (e.g., Street Prepared) and be totally out
classed by all other cars in that category that exploit
the allowable mods better.
Q:I'm interested in moving up from autox slowly to obtain
the SCCA Competition license later on and do some amateur
weekend racing?.
A:I'd suggest starting out in a Stock vehicle. An option,
if you really intend to eventually go road racing, is to
look for an inexpensive road racing vehicle like a Vee or
an IT car, and run it as an autocrosser while learning;
then when you're ready for SCCA racing school, you should
already have a reliable, well understood vehicle in your
possession.
Q:What type of car racing are available (for normal
mortals) in the US?
A:The SCCA defined several types of racing, open to the
"public":
Solo I is a high speed event, using cars prepared to road
racing safety standards; it covers both hill climbs and
race track based events. Solo I (and Solo II) are time
trials; there is no wheel-to-wheel action involved.
Solo II is a moderate speed event; it corresponds roughly
to what other clubs call autocross. Safety equipment is
not mandated, except for roll bars in heavily prepared
convertibles (stock convertibles do not require roll bars
in Solo II.)
Q:What is autocross (Solo II)?
A:Autocrossing (or, Solo II) is timed racing in a
controlled situation where the agility of your car, and
your ability as a driver, are more important that raw
horsepower. Autox courses are usually setup in large
parking lots with orange traffic cones. Unless the course
is pretty long, only one car is allowed on the course at
any time, which means that there's no possibility of
going fender-to-fender with another car. Cars are
classed, either by the local group (if they're
independent) or by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA),
according to their level of vehicle
preparation/modification called categories (Stock, Street
Prepared, Prepared and Modified, or S, SP, P, M) and by
their performance characteristics, i.e., class. There are
9 stock classes from SS (Super Stock) down to H Stock, SP
and M go from A-E, but P goes A-F.
There is a new category that some SCCA regions are using
called SM or Street Modified (aka "Open Street Prepared"
in some regions). This is for cars that do not fit in
Street Prepared but are not competitive for Prepared
class.
Stock class was originally intended to be a place for
novice autox-ers to "run what they bring", and many
local clubs have special classes for novice competitors
to compete in for their first year. The current
situation for the Stock Category is that it has become BY
FAR the most intense competition is in Stock Category,
followed by Street Prepared.
The two other categories are Prepared (mostly race-
prepped production cars) and Modified (open wheel cars
and production cars with major engine transplants, etc.).
The preparation allowances for Stock Category are
somewhat more liberal than one might guess: any front
swaybar may be used, and adjustable suspensions are not
required to be adjusted to factory specs. As an example,
the VW GTI that I run typically is set to 2.25 degrees
negative camber and 3/16" toe out at the front. In
addition, you need autocross tires to be really
competitive, and these tires are worthless for any street
use. Most serious competitors in Stock Category buy a
second set of wheels and mount autocross tires. The above
notwithstanding, autocross competition is amazingly
challenging and fun, as long as you understand that you
won't be winning any trophies until you get some "seat
time". I highly recommend the activity.
At the beginning of the autox season most clubs also hold
novice driver schools which teach you the basics (how to
follow the course, how cars are staged on the grid, how
to be a course worker, safety issues, etc.). All you
need to compete in most places is a street-legal car that
can pass a basic safety inspection and a valid drivers
license; you're required to wear a helmet (DOT or Schnell
75 approved) when you race, but there are usually loaner
helmets available for you to borrow when you're first
getting started.
There's an Internet-based group of autox-ers called
"Team.Net" (the "dot" is pronounced) who have a mailing
list and an ftp archive to promote discussion of autox-
related issues.
Send email to "autox-requ…@autox.team.net" or in case
of failure, use autox-requ…@triumph.cs.utah.edu (the
former hoosier address has been decommissioned) to be
added to the list. Also, call the SCCA ((303) 694-7222)
and ask for the Solo II contact person in your region;
they should provide you this person's phone number, and
you can call this person to find out when events are
scheduled.
Contributors:
[Blake Sobiloff <sobil…@lap.umd.edu>]
[jay.mitch…@the-matrix.com (Jay Mitchell)]
[Jonathan Dove <j…@gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu>]
Q:What are the allowable mods for each auto-x category?
A
tock: Cars must run "as specified by the manufacturer," with
the exception of specific allowances. These allowances
include [jay.mitchell]:
1. The use of any front swaybar.
2. Any suspension adjustment IF the manufacturer makes
provision for adjustment for non-competition purposes.
3. Any shock absorber that is does not change suspension
geometry or alter the range of travel (i.e., must use
original mounting position). I [jay.mitchell] use Konis
on my A2 VWs, and the Nationals-winning cars have all
used Konis as well.
4. An aftermarket steering wheel within 1" total diameter of
the stock wheel. Wheels with airbags may not be changed,
and cars made after model year 1990 must retain the stock
steering wheel.
5. Road wheels of the stock diameter and width with offset
within +/- 1/4" of stock. This is a useful allowance, as
it allows wheels with 32mm offset on 8V GTIs and Jettas,
widening the track by a total of 1/2".
6.Any brake lining material.
7.Certain engine "blueprinting" practices, although these
are rapidly being phased out. Cars model year '92 and
newer may not overbore/balance, and all cars starting in
1/1/95 this is not allowed.
8.The use of any DOT-legal "street" tire. The hot setups
are BFG COmp T/A R1s or Yokohama A008RSIIs, and these
tires are stickier than pure racing rain tires were five
years ago! [Jonathan Dove]:
9.Ignition timing must be within factory setting
10Can change the exhaust system behind catalytic converter
(if equipped) or exhaust manifold.
11Allows the use of roll cages.
Other than the above modifications, you have to leave
your car pretty much as it was manufactured in Stock,
including the original driver's seat, body trim (you
could add non-aerodynamic appearance bits, but you could
NOT remove original trim), battery location and size,
except for loose items, such as the jack and spare tire
which may be removed.
Street Prepared:
================
(Basically the same as stock except for these)
Street Prepared was originally intended as an incremental
step beyond Stock prep levels. As it now stands, a really
competitive Street Prepared car will neither be legal nor
practical for street use. Tires must still be DOT legal. In
addition to Stock allowances, Street Prepared allows the
following:
1.Replacement or modification of stock springs. Replacement
springs must be of the same type (coil, leaf, or torsion
bar) and in the same location, as original, but the rate,
free length, and coil diameter may vary from stock.
2.Installation of camber plates in strut suspensions.
3. Installation of body stressbars. There are strict
limitations on the type of "strut brace" that may be
installed, but some of the most common ones (Neuspeed
front bars, for example) are legal.
4. The use of any wheel size and/or offset.
5.The use of any intake and/or exhaust system that will
attach to the original, unmodified engine, i.e., the
cylinder head may not be mcahined or drilled to accept a
non-stock manifold.
6.The alteration or removal of emission control devices.
7.The installation of any fully padded and upholstered
driver and front passenger seat.
8.The installation of any steering wheel.
9.The use of a limited slip differential.
10The use of any flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, etc.,
that will bolt to the stock crankshaft.
11The use of any ignition system, including a crank fire
system on a car not originally so equipped.
12Ignition timing can be set outside factory specs.
Prepared:
========
Prepared Category is structured around SCCA club racing
preparation allowances for Production and GT class race
cars. Prepared cars typically have all interior trim removed
(not allowed in Stock or Street Prepared), roll cages, full
racing suspensions, highly modified engines, and they can
run on racing slicks. A list of allowances would be far too
long to itemize here, and you have to have both a Solo II
rulebook and the General Competition Rules to determine the
legality of any particular modification to a car.
The following was supplied by Richard Welty:
Production is a road race class; although stagnant for
many years, there is now change occuring here. the cars
in production are substantially
different from their road-going cousins.
GT: these are generally tube framed cars with sheet metal
that resembles a road going car; there are 5 classes, GT-
1 through GT-5. GT-1 contains corvettes, camaros, etc.,
and GT-5 contains things like Minis, and there are
various cars in between.
Sports Racers: these are single-seat, closed fendered,
special purpose race cars. there are a number of
subclasses which are quite different from each other:
Sports 2000, C Sports Racer, D Sports Racer, Spec Racer,
Shelby Can Am, and so forth…
Formula Cars: these are the single seat, open fendered,
special purpose race cars. like sports racers, there is a
lot of variation in the subclasses, which include:
Formula V (based on air cooled VW parts), Formula 440
(based on 2 stroke motors and CVTs), Formula Ford (based
on 1600cc Ford motors), Formula Continental (a
conglomeration of various older winged Formula cars), and
Formula Atlantic.
Showroom Stock: a class where theoretically stock
vehicles of recent vintage come together and do
experiments in clever, difficult to detect cheating.
Supposed to be cheap, but ends up being expensive.
A more elaborate entry by Bob April: SCCA has a form of
racing, Showroom Stock, that purports to be exactly that.
Outside of a roll cage, fire extinguisher, and
competition harness, the car is supposed to be dead
stock. Even the adjustments (such as front wheel camber)
must be set to factory specs. Cars must be relatively
new. In my experience (some years back) 1/3 of the cars
were legal, 1/3 had fudges which probably didn't matter,
and 1/3 cheated like hell. You can be in the first third
(I was) and still have fun. You get to race at places
you see on TV (Watkins Glen, Road America, etc.) I drove
the car to the track, put numbers on with contact paper,
and had a ball. In circa 50 races I had to get the car
towed from the track three times (one head gasket, one
destroyed clutch, one large hole in engine block with rod
sticking out), although I also once drove an X1/9 back
400 miles in 3rd gear (only), towing a small trailer with
race tires and tools. The driver must join SCCA, have a
routine physical, and have a helmet, firesuit, and
gloves. Figure $1000-$2000 to prepare car and driver.
Major maintenance costs are tires and bodywork, and you
have some control over the latter. Totalling the car is
rare, but it happens. Getting hurt is much rarer, but it
happens. You go through two weekends (schools) of
supervised practice and mock races and get to enter
Regional races. Successfully complete these and you get
to enter National races. Once you have the license, you
can show up in a Formula Atlantic (the worst safety flaw
in the whole thing).
Improved Touring: a class where battered, rusty sedans
built between 1968 and about 5 years ago come to trade
paint. Everybody is sure that the guy who just beat him
is cheating, but nobody can afford to post the tear down
bond. loads of fun, actually, but watch out for Volvos
from Hell.
Improved Touring allows for typical (wheels, bars, etc.)
mods. The drawback is you'll work on the car, and not
learn racing nearly as fast. Be like a Formula 1 driver;
just show up and drive. For more info, call SCCA. If
you can't find the number, you don't have the proper
attitude to do this; it takes a _lot_ of perseverance.
American Sedan: Big bore version of Improved Touring;
Five liter Mustangs, Camaros, and Firebirds trade paint.
Modified
=======
Modified Category has five classes, including three intended
primarily for open wheel race cars and two for production
based cars that have been modified beyond Prepared
allowances. In this class, the sky is the limit (almost). In
my region, we have two Datsun Z cars with Chevy V8s and a
heavily turbocharged Miata in Modified, as well as a
fiberglass GT-40 lookalike kit car. Popular Modified cars
include Formula Fords, Formula Vees, and F440s.
The SCCA publishes the Solo I and II Rules in a book that
costs about $10 (for nonmembers, less if you are a member).
The rules are updated annually and the current year's rules
are available beginning in January. The above descriptions
are general and NOT comprehensive: if you are contemplating
modifications to your car for Solo competition, I strongly
recommend that you buy a rulebook. Happy conehunting!
Q:What are the Solo II Classifications for VWs?
A:Here is a list of popular VWs, along with their Solo II
Classifications:
Car Stock Street P Prepared
Rabbit/Jetta, GTI (A1) ES DSP EP
Rab PU/Fox HS ??? ???
8V Golf/Jetta, GTI(A2) ES DSP EP
All 16V ES CSP EP
Corrado G60 DS ASP EP
Corrado SLC CS ASP EP
Passat GL HS DSP EP
Passat VR6/GLX GS DSP EP
Golf/Jetta III, HS N/A N/A
Q:What are the addresses for some of the performance
related clubs?
A:
Sports Car Club of America, SCCA, (General Car Club),
USA, (800) 255 5550
SCCA Cal Club, LA/OC area, Hotline (818) 988-RACE, or
contact:
Lin Jensen (818) 309 95 91
Renee Angel (909) 947 06 44
Ric (310) 496 39 50
Solo (714) 539 22 57
SCCA Cal Club, San Diego, Hotline (619) 441 13 33
Q:What are the some of the performance driving schools?
A
ome testimonials from Ed Priest: If you can afford it go to a Track Time driving school.
Cost approx $500 for two days of instruction and time on
the racing track of your choice. You learn a lot and it's
a hell of a good time. I've gone twice at Road America
and am going to take the class at Laguna Saca this fall.
The cost is a lot less expensive then Skip Barber and the
rest because you drive your own car - which is what I
wanted anyway. It's really good to find out what your own
car feels like and does at the limit. The good news is
that most of the insurance companies cover you during the
class for no extra charge.
CHEMICALS
Q:What is Rain-X? Does it work?
A: It's a chemical to treat your windshield to repell water.
Above certain speeds raindrops will just slide off the
windshield making wipers almost redundant. This product
is used on airplanes. Peoples experiences vary with this
product. It works well on some windshields or types of
glass (most VWs seem ok) not too well on others (for
example, it will have no effect on headlights). In all
situations, it will only last for a couple of thousand
miles. Some have reported that it forms a haze on the
wildshield. I believe that part of the trick to apply
this product right is to start with a very clean
windshield (use alcohol as a final degreaser), at
temperature (18C or 70F) and use extremely clean soft non
greasy cotton cloth.
<Synthetic lubricants, etc>
Q:Can and should I use synthetic motor oils?
A: First have a look at the archive on this. In short,
synthetic motor oils are superior in all respect to
mineral based oils. However, with regular oils being very
good already, the chances of you experiencing engine
failure because of oil viscosity breakdown or other
factors have become extremely rare under normal driving
conditions. Usually, the rest of the cars wears out
first.
However, under higher stress conditions, synthetic oils
will provide you with better protection. Because of
their better flow properties, synthetics are also better
at start up, better in colder climates, and consequently
provide a bit more power (measurable, possibly not
noticable). One of the major concerns with synthetic oils
is compatibility with seals. The newer cars definitely
have seals which are compatible, with older cars this is
less certain. The general recommendation with oil change
intervals is to remain with the car's recommendations.
With current VWs this is every 7500 miles or 12 000 km.
The extra cost of synthetic oils is negligable when
compared to other vehicle operating costs including fuel,
insurance, maintenance, and depreciation. Mobil claims
that the superior engine protection, and reduced strain
on batteries and starters, synthetic oils will easily
pay for itself over the life of the car.
REFERENCE MATERIAL
A nice contribution by Bob April [Edited]:
The following books have been worthwhile to me. In general,
they are like a college education; after you have read them
you will be better positioned to make specific decisions.
"Volkswagen Water-Cooled, Front-Drive Performance Book" Greg
Raven, Available from US mailorder houses. Probably the most
relevant book for Water Cooled VWs.
"How to Make Your Car Handle", Fred Puhn. Explains the
basics of car dynamics, why you would want to make certain
modifications, and how to do some of them.
"Prepare to Win", "Tune to Win", Carroll Smith. After
reading "Prepare to Win" you will know how to modify your
chassis safely, i.e. why banging bolts in place with a
hammer is bad, and what to do instead. You will also learn
to recognize quality performance parts as compared to cheap
junk. "Tune to Win" is the postgraduate follow up to the
Puhn book. I never would have considered accelerating a
rear wheel drive car to get out of an oversteer situation.
Learn why a Formula V race car has a rear roll bar where
your car has an _anti_roll bar.
"Racing Engine Preparation", Waddell Wilson and Steve Smith.
Old, and discusses V-8s, but there's a lot of stuff you can
use. Waddell's engines have been around Daytona many
thousands of times.
"Bosch Fuel Injection & Engine Management", Charles Probst.
Incredibly clear descriptions of the systems, way too
conservative in describing and valuing modifications.
"Brake Handbook", Fred Puhn. If you're going to do more
than change fluid and pads.
"Clutch and Flywheel Handbook", Tom Monroe. In conjunction
with the shop manual, explained why it was a really bad idea
to speed shift my X1/9 at autocrosses.
"Secrets of Autocrossing", Watts.
"The Front-Wheel Drive High-Performance Advantage", by Jack
Doo, ISBN # 0-87938-298-8, Motorbooks International,
Osceola, Wisconsion
Monthly/Quaterly Publications:
European Car (formerly VW Porsche): Argus Publishers Corp,
P.O. Box 452, Mt. Morris, IL 61054-0452 800-877-5602. Most
relevant mag in US, [W-VWs & other European cars] Addressed
from here on as [EC].
EuroSport Car, McMullen Publishing, 774 S. Placentia Ave,
Placentia, CA 92670, (714) 572 22 55, fax (714) 572 1864.
New magazine. First issue published in fall 93, published
quarterly. A direct, though less refined (busty babes),
competitor of [EC]. Many articles are almost direct
duplicates of what appeared in [EC]. Addressed from here on
as [ESC].
ENGINE
Q:How can I get more power out my VW?
A:Buy an SLC :->. It's an FAQ that's worthy of a book, and
that's probably where you should start. After you go
through this FAQ to give you some general idea, look at
the following archives:
Corrado_Power_Upgrades = Summary of available G60/SLC/VR6
Power Upgrades
Fox_Performance = Fox performance upgrades.
Passat_restrictor = Remove air intake restrictor for more
power (G60/SLC)
Repco_MetalMasters = Experiences with these brake pads
Suspension_Mods = Experiences & explanations.
Synthetic_Oils = Technical papers on oils
VR6_Variable_Intake = Description of the VR6 variable
intake manifold.
collins_1 = R.Collins (ex Drake employee) on VW
performance
collins_2 (mostly A1 & A2 GTIs)
collins_3
collins_4
collins_5
collins_misc1 = Misc. R.Collins communications.
collins_misc2
faq.radar = You'll need it.
faq.tires.sizes = General info on tires (sizes mostly)
faq.tires.survey = General info on tires (net survey &
summary)
Following are a couple of old known modification which are
easy & relatively inexpensive that will increase the power
of the car. In general, the older the car the more room for
improvement. Newer VWs have much less room for easy
improvements because many of the components are already
near optimal.
One easy upgrade path for older VWs is therefore to look at
newer VW (Audi) models, see what they did, and see if you
can swap parts. For example, older VWs have the restrictive
exhaust systems, swapping it with a large diameter one from
a newer model (if possible) or using the catalytic converter
from an SLC will help.
Also be aware when buying "performance" components on their
true benefit. Usually the top horse power gain is quoted
while ignoring the rest of the power band. Your car may
have more top end (high RPMs) while sacrificing power at the
low end (low rpms) which is where most street driving
occurs. The over all effect may therefore be that the car
may actually feel slower off the line, but be great when
passing another car.
So first decide where you want to improve, then research
whether the component in question really achieves that. Also
select performance parts that fit in the stock position over
those that do not. This is probably more true for suspension
components than engine components, but is a good general
rule to follow. Parts that deviate too much may require
extensive modifications, sacrifice reliability, make more
noise, or may even render you car unsafe.
In general: Reduce the exhaust backpressure (performance
exhaust) Advance the timing (recurved distributors,
chips…) Improve breathability (K&N Filter, head port,
throttle body, compressor) Add a hotter cam Enlarge the
engine (change head, pistons, crank) Replace the engine with
a more powerful one.
All cars: Use a K&N Filtercharger air filter element (some
will argue whether this makes any difference). High end
improves a bit. Corrados: 3 HP gain at top. Replacing the
airbox with a filter at the end of the air intake also
provides some additional gain (but you'll also hear more
engine noise…).
Use synthetic oils (motor and transmission).
83-84 GTI:
Change throttle body with a bigger one (Audi?).
[From Peter Tong]: You can get one from a later Audi 5000
of the aerodynamic body style. I think 82 and up.
Another good donor car is the '85 Golf or a Golf that had
CIS-lambda. You have to seal/cap off a vacuum line
coming off it, and in almost all cases transfer your
throttle linkage from your '84 TB to the new TB. Just
make sure that the newer throttle body has a screw
adjustment for the idle speed. You also want to purchase
a really small l screw driver/flat bladed screwdriver bit
to adjust the idle. On the 84s the idle adjustment was a
hex that was easily adjusted on the newer TBs its a screw
and with the TB mounted on your current manifold its
harder to adjust the idle. You also want to make a plate
to put between the new TB and your old manifold to smooth
airflow (your 84 manifold has a TB opening that doesn't
match the newer larger TB). Buy an old style TB gasket,
and a newer style gasket, perhaps new 6mm allen bucket
bolts to attach it, and make the plate to go between it.
If you want a plate cheap just send me $5 and I'll send
you my old one (I had my intake manifold ported and the
opening opened up).
BTW, even with a Fox manifold the TB is good for at most
4hp.
84-87 Scirocco (US):
For the JH 1.8 big-valve engine, use a dual-outlet
exhaust manifold from any early car up to '81, get the
short TT's downpipe (retain cat) for 10 HP, with a 17%
gain at 4200 rpm and more torque Optionally: replace
exhaust system from the cat back (US$150) & factory VW g-
grind camshaft (Autotech, $99)
[From Peter Tong]: What is the difference between the TT
downpipe and the downpipe that come stock with the dual
outlet manifold on earlier cars?
The length is different. The diameter is smaller. The
bends are slightly more abrupt in most cases (some
aftermarket replacement downpipes aren't mandrel bent
even with inner side radius' slightly pinched in). On
most of the earlier cars with cats the stock downpipes
mated before the cat with a flexpipe. The flexpipe
doesn't hurt flow much but is of smaller diameter. Also
the position of the collector on the stock pipe is such
that it would help at higher rpm - the problem is the dp
diameter is too small to support the flow at that rpm
(this is from my experience). In the end count on the
stock dp getting really restrictive around 115hp. When I
first put my 2.0 in and was really revving it - the back
pressure from the stock dp combo was so much that I blew
a nickel sized hole it it! This happened even though I
was running a 2" exhaust and supertrapp rear of the cat.
Kind of funny but it happened to seak out the weakest pt
on my stock dp and took it out. The stock dps also
have two welding methods that I've seen holding the
exhaust manifold flange mating surface. One uses a small
metal "brace" the other type is just welded to the pipe.
The TT downpipe is nicely made and has worked well on my
car. It is stiff in many ways compared with the stock
system, and tends to transmit more vibrations than the
stock system (perhaps due to the stiffness). The
collector joins about 2.5-3" before the cat and is 2"
diameter pipe. Tubing is mandrel bent and the angles
aren't quite as severe as on the stock dp. Also you
eliminate the flexpipe with the TT cat dp. What did it
do? When I installed it - the midrange really improved.
Top end also to a lesser degree.
As for actual #s for what they did on my car:
40-60 in 3rd gear: 4.6s before and 4.3 after. This
tests 3k to 4.5k rpm.
50-70 in 4th gear: 7.9s before and 7.5 after. 3rd
is 1.29 and 4th is .91.
r&p is 3.89.
So you can see it improved the midrange by about a 6%
average. Is it worth $115? It is I guess - it depends on
if you are a geek like I am at trying to extract as much
out of your engine as possible. As it is that pipe, the
G-grind and the TT adjust cam sprocket are the only
aftermarket items that were necessary for me to purchase.
Oh BTW, fuel economy should improve slightly as well.
Fox:
Remove exhaust restrictor (see also further and EuroCar:
April 89, Aug. 89, Dec. 89, Apr. 90, Aug. 90)
90-92 Passat (4 Cyl):
Remove air-intake restrictor, APS Chip, cam. APS chip for
automatics that is supposed to do wonders for low end and
shift points. Applicable to all cars with 9A engine (inc.
16V GLI).
85-92 8VGolfs/Jettas:
The biggest gain can be had with a better down pipe and
exhaust system.
85 GTI:
Change ignition map by cutting wire #11?? on the ignition
control unit and grounding #3 (which was connected to
#11). Yields 2 HP additional, torque peak occurring at a
lower rpm. See also 85-87 GTI for additional power.
85-87 GTI: KE-Jetronics:
Advance ignition idle timing to 12 degrees BTDC or until
knock. (factory specifies 6 degrees +/- 2). Gains 5-8 HP
with >= 92 octane fuel, very noticeable at the low end.
Note, it may reduce the life of your catalytic converter.
90-92 16V GTI/GLI:
Motronic Power chips from Autothority & APS.
Corrado G60:
Stage 1, 2 & 3 chips/packages from APS & Autothority (&
others).
Stage 1/P-Chip: Chip swap, improves low end by torque
18%, high end by ~5%. Gas consumption
improves but you do need Super Unleaded. One of
the BEST improvements you can make to this car.
Stage 2: Pulley change, chip & fuel pressur regulator
(AT) or exhaust (APS) => Power boosted to 180 (APS)
or 200 (AT).
Noisy, too powerful for the car, APS is more
drivable,
AT's not CARB approved. Gas consumption near stock.
Stage 3: Like Stage 2 but with a cam, affects mostly high
end.
Remove cold air snorkel (too restrictive) => 1-2 HP gain
at the top end (Note: WAY too noisy).
See also archive Cor_Power_Upgrades or something.
VR6 2.8l & 2.9l Models (Corrado SLC/VR6, Passat GLX, Golf
III, Jetta/Vento):
Power chips available from both APS & AutoThority &
others.
Stage I/P-chip: Gain of 7-10 HP at the top end. Most
people reported little or no gain. AT's chip seems
to produce knock. Replace throttle body w/o
internal air ramp (10% more airflow).
K&N P-Flow filter. APS recommends the above 3 combined to
produce the best effect to produce an additional
30 HP.
Remove cold air snorkel (too restrictive).
Use VW Motorsport's Variable Inlet Manifold (VSR). See
archive on this. An alleged gain of 30-50 HP at
3000 rpm! Expensive (2300US$), but chances are that
certain shops may produce a low cost immitation.
>>>Probably LOTS MORE…
Caveat: Most of the above are merely small fixes that do not
require replacement of a major engine component such as the
cam or the exhaust system, which is usually the next step
towards major engine improvements. Those enhancements
require a lot more work and expertise to install.
Caveat II: Most of the above improvements are approved by
the air resource boards for street legal use, but some are
not (Stage II, Corrado). Before you install any equipment,
make sure that you understand the full implications.
Tampering with pollution control equipment is a serious
crime, punishable with a 20 000 US$ fine in many states of
the USA.
Q:What's a K&N air filter?
A: It's a washable (i.e., reusable) air filter made out of
an oiled cloth like material over a wire mesh matrix. It
is supposed to let through more air while retaining the
same filtering capabilities. More air => more power,
especially at higher rpms.
In practice however, the reviews have been mixed. Hot VWs
(Dec 92) reported a 3-5 HP gain on the high end in a
Jetta. Others have reported no difference or even a
slight degrade in performance. My *speculation* is that
some cars require to see some vacuum to get the right
amount of fuel, kind-a like a choke (e.g., carbureted
cars). The same is true with some FI cars (measure
vacuum) while other FI cars measure air flow. By the way,
a 3-5 HP difference is within normal daily variance of an
engine because of external factors such as gas quality,
viscosity of the oil, ambient temp, etc. You can probably
gain as much from pumping up your tires harder to reduce
rolling resistance (but increase wear).
Q:How do I service a K&N air filter?
A: You can buy the K&N chemicals (cleaner and reoiler) or
you can use a detergent called Formula 409 (used for
cleaning kitchens in the US) to save some money (the K&N
cleaner is rumored to be the same as Formula 409). You
should always use their oil though. Also do not rinse the
filter in hot water. It'll shrink the cloth.
Q:How do I keep my engine cool?
A: Keeping your engine sufficiently cool is needed for all
the obvious reasons. VW engines like to run hot, and are
more efficient that way. However, under high stress or
race conditions, the factory system may not be
sufficient. If you run too hot your power is reduced due
to engine knock.
There are several ways to aleviate this problem: 1)
Increase heat transfer with a different cooling fluid or
wetting agent. 2) Increase the cooling capicity of your
car with a larger radiator.
The reason why I do not mention changing the thermostat
to a lower temp one is because it merely reduces the
average operating temp (which may be too high), but does
not change cooling capacity. In extreme conditions the
temp rating on the thermostat is not going to matter
because they will all be fully open. It is however a good
idea to make sure that your thermostat still is capable
of opening fully at the intended temp.
Q:How can I improve heat transfer/what are alternative
coolant fluids?
A: Redline sells a "wetting" agent as an additive that
improves heat transfer. It comes in two forms solid,
which contains phosphates, and liquid w/o phosphates
(OK). People who have used it can't tell any difference
under normal driving conditions.
Under normal street use you will not see any change
because the thermostat is regulating the temp. It's only
when you exceed the capacity of your system and the
thermostat is all the way open that the wetting agent
will have an effect. The wetting agent is supposed to
improve heat transfer by reducing surface tension. This
is important near the head where the coolant my locally
boil. The little gas bubbles however impede heat
transfer, which in turn may lead to knocking and reduced
engine performance. Redline claims it can reduce engine
temp by as much as 30F (depending on the anti-
freeze/water ratio, for a 50% mix it's closer to 10F I
think). The performance shop I bought it from said that
its good insurance when your car is put under heavy duty
(stuck in traffic on a hot day, making a desert run,
autocross).
An other alternative described in European Car (Oct 91)
is to use !pure! propylene glycol that has a higher
boiling point than ethylene glycol though worse heat
transfer properties. [borow…@hpspkla.spk.HP.com] The
higher power VW engines have a problem with pinging under
heavy load. This is due to the coolant boiling inside the
head. Coolant vapor is a very poor heat conductor. This
loss of cooling causes hot spots to form on the
combustion chamber side of the head, causing pinging. The
propylene glycol does not boil, and this cools the hot
spots better. Thus, pinging is avoided, and more power is
available if the timing is set to take advantage of the
reduced chance for pinging. The cooling system is NOT
pressurized, but vented to boil residual moisture away
(which lowers the boiling pt). A kit to make the switch
is available from: MECA Cooling Company [See the first
general FAQ for address]
Q
o "Split Fire" (= name of a plug sold in the US, not a type of plug) plugs live up to their advertised claims?
A: Responses from the net & tests by TT indicate: NO, they
are actually worse than the recommended Bosch plugs. Note
that VW recommends the use of tri- cathode Bosch plugs
for some of their cars…so this split-fire idea is
rather "old". Apparently it's covered with Techtonics
"Amazing Dyno Stories: Parts to get and parts to forget".
Q:What net wisdom exists on exhaust systems?
A: Gilette: Good balance for street and autocross & last
LONG. Some will debate that this is the best (stainless).
OEM supplier to VW. Leistritz: Good balance for street
and autocross. Galvanized. Note: Stock on VR6 Corrado &
Passats. Supertrapps: GREAT for road racing and
autocrossing but way too loud for everyday life
(rgo…@UMASSD.EDU) OEM: More recent VW mufflers have
improved to the point that little can be done to improve
them in street legal performance or durability. Also keep
in mind that VW now offers lifetime warrantee on their
replacement mufflers. Avoid Midas, contrary to their
commercials.
See also the archives on this!
Q:Removing the restrictor in a VW Fox to get more power?
A: There is a steel doughnut going right before the cat.
This stock doughnut has a two inch (approx) hole in the
center for the exhaust to flow thru. It can be replaced
with a doughnut with a 2 1/2" (approx) hole to make the
exhaust breathe a bit easier. Not a significant power
increase, mind you. [m…@royko.Chicago.COM (Marty
Masters)]
Q:What is the relationship between torque and horsepower?
A:
RPM * torque(ft-lb)
HP= ———————-
5252
Anyone have the metric version? I am too lazy (i.e., kW =
Nm * RPM / 60?)
Q
hould I remove the catalytic converter? A: Not if you want to remain street legal, and unlike in the
early 70's, these devices have improved so much that the
loss because of it has become minimal. Note: The
Catalytic converter on the SLC is rumored to be one of
the most free flowing of any VW, and will provide gains
when used on a Passat (or possibly other cars). New
Dimensions is toying around with this.
Note: In the US there is 20 000 US$ fine for messing
around with emmissions control equipment. Of course the
chance of being caught is rather minimal.
ELECTRICAL
Q:How can I improve night visibility/increase light output?
A: >>>>Need contributions here!!!!! It all depends what you
are starting from, and in what country you live. USA:
Sealed beam units till 84 required, "aerodynamic" allowed
thereafter but must still conform to a rather pointed
spread. 3 DOT nipples for alignment required. Canada:
Same as USA. Northern Canada has slightly different
regulations. Europe: Sealed beams forbidden. Light is
more evenly distributed. Some countries require yellow
lights, and different settings for city, highway and hi-
beam lights.
Beware that whatever you do, you must NOT blind on coming
traffic. Some of the suggestions below are actually
illegal for street use in the US. However, judging from
the large number of misaligned lights in the US, your
"illegal" mods will be less blinding than a normal but
badly aligned set of lights. However, oncoming traffic
may automatically assume that you are blinding when they
see more than 2 lights on at once (+ it may be illegal in
some states/driving conditions). EuroCar had several
articles on lighting in 91/92.
To improve visibility, try the following:
- Align your headlights. See Bentley or your local code
blinding.
- Change to halogen lights (yes, some of the sealed beam
- Clean the inside of your non-sealed beam units with
wire/stick. (Pretty tricky.)
- Add fog lights (very wide, low, but not far reaching).
definition. Don't buy generic brands, but minimally go
for Bosch, Hella, Cibie and others.
- Add driving lights (narrow and far reaching). Set up
often be set up lower so that blinding can be almost
entirely eliminated. - Change to one of the non-sealed
aftermarket units, which are usually the European style
lamps.
- Change to the equivalent European "aero-style" units
sources and have much better beam characteristics than
DOT approved lamps provide. Your ability to use them
will be a function of the level of detail your state
motor vehicle inspection requires. In NJ, they have to
come out to pass inspection [Tom Coradeschi].
- Change to poly ellipsoidal, high-energy, "DE" lights.
more commonly found on newer BMWs (though BMW uses an
arc lamp rather than halogen). EuroCar had several
articles about these in 91/92.
- Change the wattage of your bulbs. This is actually not
because of heat build-up, moisture accumulates faster,
wiring may not be able to carry the load, may blind, may
not fit in all non-sealed units [According to Andy, you
cannot not put higher wattage lightbulbs into the stock
North American light lenses.
[Unverified…jan] The 70/90 Watt versions of the H4
can be bought at off-road places such as Competition
Limited, (313) 464-1458 according to Dilmore. There are
also 45/100W versions of the standard 45/65W lamps. Some
lamps require you to trim a metal tab that would normally
prevent their use for street cars.
From Michael R. Kim: I've got 80W low beams on H4, and
haven't had any problems being pulled over. I drive with
friends a lot, and ever since installing the lights, I've
asked them about glare, for fear of getting a ticket.
They told me that since I've angled them down just a tad,
they don't notice any more glare than a car with factory
lighting. Mind you, if you've ever seen one of those
Ford F150 trucks, with their lighting, you'd question
about proper light angling. I've had the lights in now
for almost 5 months now, and have yet to even get a flick
of the high beams from someone else for blinding them
with 80 W beams. I would definetly recommend upgrading
lights, it can do wonders for your driving, but PLEASE
double check your alignment and light pattern before
going off to test how well they work.
TRANSMISSION
Q
hould I change to a racing clutch? A:In most cases a racing clutch ("4 puck") is really not
needed for street or Autocross uses. VW clutches can
easily handle well above stock power. Furthermore, racing
clutches are very harsh (like, all or nothing) and much
stiffer to depress. One of the more agreeable changes is
to use a stronger pressure plate with a stock clutch
disc.
Q:What transmission fluid should I use (manual cars)? Why
is it important for racing?
A:If you use a transverse engined car at a track for speed
events (as opposed to a parking lot autocross), you may
actually be in a corner long enough to slosh oil clean
away from the pickup, with possible bad results (please
don't ask how I know). The real solution is to get a
baffled oil pan, but synthetic oils will do better than
dino oils in this situation.
As far as I know, most/all water cooled VW transmissions
require gear fluid with an API rating of GL-4 (MIL-2105).
The recommended GEAR viscosity hovers around 80W, 75W-80
or 75W-90 Note that 75W-80 GEAR oil is equivalent to
10W30 MOTOR oil, but it is NOT recommended to use motor
oil in gear boxes, even though some Japanese cars do so
any way (has to do with shear strength). GL-5 oil is made
to lubricate gears (like in a differential) and may cause
premature wear on brass synchros.
NOTE that GL-5 is recommended for the *differential* on
some AUTOMATIC VWs and on some manual transmissions.
However most VW *Manual* transmissions need GL-4. Check
your user manual or VW.
Quality of the gear oil makes a HUGE difference in
shifting. I have personally tried Castrol (HORRIBLE),
SWEPCO (Better), VW gear oil (good, I suspect that they
use a synthetic in some cars), and Redline MTL (best so
far). Others seem happy with Mobil 1, Synthoil, Spectro,
etc. How these oil affect transmission life is unknown to
me. Note that MTL is rated 75W80, while their newer
product MT90 has a rating of 75W90 which may be closer to
the required viscosity of your transmission.
VW also sells synthetic transmission oil (at US$20/liter)
which is rumored to be very good as well.
Most VW transmissions use somewhere around 2-2.5 liters
of oil. Before you drain, make sure you have something to
catch the oil (an old jumbo coffee can is perfect). Open
the side fill hole first, because you'll have to fill it
up to either the fill hole or BEYOND. You'll therefore
either have a little bit leak out or 1/2 liter gush out.
To drain (the rest), unscrew 17 mm allen plug at the
bottom of transmission. To fill, either unscrew
speedometer cable or use the fill hole on the side. Some
VWs require the level of the oil to be just so that some
drips out of the fill hole, others (some A2 Golfs/Jettas)
require an additional 1/2 liter on top of that. That's
why it's a good idea to catch the old stuff and check the
fill hole first.
[NOTE: Some VW User's Manuals apparently do recommend GL-
5 in some transmissions, so check first! b…@cellar.org
seems to be doing ok with Redline GL-5 after 100kmiles in
his car.]
[NOTE: One recent posting by (Paul Keller) blames his
transmission failure on MTL, and claims that Redline
recommends MT90 only for VWs. At this point it is unclear
to me whether MTL is to blame, and whether using MT90
would have made much of a difference. Keep in mind that
he is one of two so far which blame Redline out of many
who have had no problems so far.]
TIP: Glue a small round magnet on the outside of the
drain plug. They can be bought cheaply at electronics
stores, and it will attract metal particles that may
damage the transmission. Older VWs used to have magnetic
drain plugs, but VW stopped using them for some reason.
Some newer VW trannys now have this magnet BUILT in
permanently.
Q:What's the difference between the normal wheel bearing
grease and Spectro SPL grease?
A: The front bearings on VW's tend to take a lot more abuse
than on other makes, so many people recommend that you
use a synthetic like Spectro to help them last longer.
However, there also seems to be some confusion on the
matter: most normal drivers are easily able to get 100K
mi. out of their front bearings. This is in contrast to
racers, who may have to change bearings every race or
two, and to GM products, which are supposed to have new
bearings every 50K mi. (according to a sign on the wall
of a local dealership). [sobil…@lap.umd.edu (Blake
Sobiloff)]
BRAKES
How to improve/vented/cross drilled/pads
Q:What and why vented rotors?
A: Braking converts motion into heat. Heat needs to be
dissipated. The faster you can dissipate heat the better
you can stop, and less fade. Vented rotors essentially
have two parallel "discs" with an airspace in between to
increase cooling. Many of the Kesley-Hayes non-vented
front rotors can be replaced with vented ones and thinner
pads without replacing calipers for a slight gain in
braking power.
Q:Why cross drilled rotors?
A: Braking produces gasses, and cross drilling give the
gasses a way to escape, thereby increasing contact
pressure. Personally [Jan] I do not advice cross drilled
rotors because of the increased likelihood of cracking.
DO NOT CROSS DRILL ROTORS YOURSELF. It's usually done on
an NC machine at calculated positions followed by stress
relieving.
The comments from people on driller rotors are that they
improve braking under competitive situations, but only
provide a marginal benefit under normal street use. The
also feel more uneven when you brake (esp. the slotted
ones) and are also noisier (they humm).
Q:Is it worthwhile changing my rear drums to disc brakes?
A: For normal purposes: NO. For racing and other purposes,
maybe. Considering the high cost of this swap and
considering that only 30% of all braking power comes from
the rear, it is usually not worth the effort. Concentrate
on the fronts instead.
Q:What are the benefits of steel braided brake lines?
A: The reports I have received is that it improves brake
feel marginally (less expansion of the tubes) but that
the steel is also subject to more corrosion.
[According to Volney.Spald…@Corp.Sun.COM]: They are not
recommended for street use. Reason: Lines are rigid and
will not flex with the body as it turns and reacts to
road imperfections–rubber hoses will. As a result, the
lines can often get pinched and fail. Stainless lines are
OK in racing applications because race cars are subject
to constant inspections/bleeding/maintenance. If there is
an alignment problem it will likely be discovered. Most
people probably are not as disciplined in street
applications making the this mod impractical.
Q:What pads should I use?
A: See the discussion in the technical FAQ and also in the
archives. It is important to realize that "race pads"
(e.g., Ferrodo, to some degree, REPCO Metal Masters) only
work well when HOT, and are therefore not well suited for
calm city driving. You WILL slide through your first
intersection in the morning with these pads.
>>>>VOLUNTEERS>>>>????? Needed: diagnosing problems
TIRES/RIMS/SUSPENSION
Q:I want to improve the handling of my VW? Where should I
start?
A: Start reading back issues of EuroCar & VW Performance
books. It all depends what you want and for what purpose
(street, autocross, etc). In general people follow the
following road to better handling: Tires and rims,
shocks, sway bars,stress bars.
Tires & Rims:
————-
Probably the biggest single improvement you can make is
by changing the stock tires, and in some cases the stock
rims. It all depends how much money you have, and what
you have as stock equipment. If you want to keep your
original rims go to a stickier tire in the stock size.
Next step up is a wider tire with a lower aspect ratio
for the same rim, e.g., 165/80-13 to 175/70-13 (this is
called plus ZERO).
To make a more significant impact, you will have to
change rims (but be aware that it may put you into a
different auto-x category). Generally, you go with larger
rims (in diameter) with lower profile tires (=> less tire
flex => better handling) and also with wider rims (=>
more sidewall rigidity) and wider tires (=> larger
contact patch on dry roads, more hydroplaning on wet).
Most FWD VWs are made to be run with tires around 1816 mm
circumference, so each time you go to another combination
you try to stay within a few percent of this
circumference so that your gear ratios and speedometer
readings remain the same. Odd as it may seem, rims are
still measured in inches eventhough the rest of the car
is metric…
The upgrade gategories are called PLUS ONE, PLUS TWO,
PLUS THREE, and so on, with each "+" referring to an
additional inch in rim diameter starting from a 13" rim
as a base. Note therefore that many of the VWs you buy
nowadays are already at +1 or +2.
Here's M. Sirota's extensive list of NOMINAL sizes.
Actual sizes vary:
Spec. Side Radius Diam. Circumf.Revs/Mile Difference
wall
BASE:
155/80-13 124mm 289mm 578mm 1816mm 886 0.0%
165/80-13 132mm 297mm 594mm 1867mm 862 2.8%
PLUS ZERO:
175/70-13 122mm 288mm 575mm 1807mm 891 -0.5%
PLUS ONE:
185/60-14 111mm 289mm 578mm 1815mm 887 -0.1%
195/60-14 117mm 295mm 590mm 1852mm 869 2.0%
205/55-14 113mm 291mm 581mm 1826mm 882 0.5%
PLUS TWO:
195/50-15 98mm 288mm 576mm 1810mm 889 -0.4%
205/50-15 102mm 293mm 586mm 1841mm 874 1.3%
PLUS TWO (MUD AND SNOW):
185/55-15 102mm 292mm 584mm 1836mm 876 1.1%
PLUS THREE:
225/40-16 <someone?>
Going from 165/80-13 to 205/50-15 will make an enormous
difference, however going from 195/50-15 to 205/50-15
will provide less of an improvement (see other FAQ).
There are also additional factors to take into account.
The first is that tires can only be fitted on rims with
certain rim width limts and secondly, there is a limit on
how wide a rim AND tire will fit on your car to avoid
rubbing with the struts/shocks and fenders. The last is
that you also need to get a rim with the correct offset.
These are all explained further below:
TIP: [From Roy Kao] DON'T SKIMP OUT ON CHEAPER TIRES!! An
investment
in good mags is useless with cheap tires.
Q:What are the rim width ranges per tire size?
A: The rim ranges per tire width (from a Euro-Tire's
Catalog) are:
TIRE RIM RANGE Diameter
185/55-15 5"-7" 23.03"
195/55-15 5.5-7 23.43
195/50-15 5.5-7 22.72
205/50-15 5.5-7.5 23.11
Q:What is the largest rim/tire sizes that will fit on my
VW? A: It depends from model to model. Also, make sure
you get the right rim offset or your handling may
degrade.
Scirocco I: Front: 185 or 195 mm wide depending on model
Rear: 205 mm (?) Max Rim: 15"x6"
Scirocco II: 205?
Rabbit I: 205/60R13 will fit fine.
Rabbits/Jetta: Usually > Scirocco!
Golf/Jetta II: 215/45R15 fits, at least on a GTI with
flared fenders. 15 x 6 & 195/50/15 fit also, =? GTI/GLI
GTI/GLI: 215?
Corrado: Lower rim limit are 15" rims due to brake
calipers
16x7.5" rims with 205/45/ZR16 work fine.
Tire limit =? 225
EuroTire sells 15" steel rims for mounting snow tires.
17" rims may rub and require to roll the fenders
Passat: ?
A3 Golf (EC March 1994): 7x15, 205/50, 35mm or better, 38
mm offset. 16" rims: 215/40 R16. 225 are TOO large.
Remember, offset is very important in determining tire
fit!
>>>ADD MORE ENTRIES>>>This needs to be improved [jan]
Q:What is rim offset? [D="EinpressTiefe" or "ET" Value]
A: The distance between the rim's center line and its
mount
Posted
Old Timer
looks like some good info in there, but would be useful if you could edit it up to seperate posts etc.
Good thinking though
, i'm working on a Mk1 16V conversion FAq at the moment.
Mk1 Golf 16V Conversion FAQ Zip, now located at in the Forum WIKI section: http://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/index.php?page=cedi&type=misc&id=42%2F26%2F3
0 guests and 0 members have just viewed this: None.