Install turbo in stock MK4 2L 2002

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C17H3R
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Install turbo in stock MK4 2L 2002

Post by C17H3R »

Hi,

I'm new to this forum and hoping you awesome peeps can help.

I wanna put more kick in my car, but love the look of my MK4. So I was thinking of installing a turbo to speed it up and later do some sort of body kit.

In terms of the cars power, would I be able to simply install a turbo or would I need to get a whole new engine? I don't wanna go overboard with the power but an increase of 10-20KW maybe even more if the price is right.

What kind of things would limit me from doing this?

What would I need to consider in terms of changing the car and how much would I need more or less for this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance :driving:
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Jetta2
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Re: Install turbo in stock MK4 2L 2002

Post by Jetta2 »

It is NOT a case of "simply" installing a turbo.
Ryan Demoser

1996 Mk3 Golf VR6
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missioner
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Car Model: '87 MK1 Golf Citi

Re: Install turbo in stock MK4 2L 2002

Post by missioner »

To achieve 10 to 20kW isn't very hard on your engine, it's very mildly tuned to start with.

Here's a list of recommended mods that will get you to the desired power numbers:
1. Exhaust and decat. Manifold flows fine so a 57mm Freeflow system will open up the motor nicely.
2. Induction system. Stock is not very restrictive, but a few ponies can be had by reducing the complexity of the air inlet system (before the throttle). Getting more cooler air is better, so boxing in some of the engine bay behind the left headlight and mounting a filter there will provide a small gain.
3. A "Hotter" camshaft. The camshaft controls the opening and the timing of the valves, this also controls how air is drawn into the motor. More lift and longer duration will improve airflow dramatically, the down side is rough idle and poor cold start in winter. Different "Degree" cams will perform differently, depending on the required application. A maximum of a 276deg cam is ok for a daily car, but I'd rather go with a milder cam perhaps 272° or 267° to preserve some torque at lower rpm.
4. Aftermarket engine management. OEM systems are tuned according to averages and mass production principals, a piggyback or stand alone system will let the tuner have a much greater control over the fuel and timing, which leads to better power and efficiency. This is where the real gains will come from and can better take advantage of the 3 previously mentioned changes.

All 4 upgrades combined should happily get you to the power you are wanting. These mods should come in at about R25k or so depending on some factors and excluding any DIY. Most are also needed when doing a turbo build, but a turbo motor would set you back at least a further R60k. The difference would be the resulting power numbers.

Spending rule of thumb for power: R1000/kW gain.

Sent from my ***-L22 using Tapatalk

'87 Golf 1 Olde Skewl OEM+
C17H3R
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Re: Install turbo in stock MK4 2L 2002

Post by C17H3R »

Wow @missioner

This is such a great response. Very informative and even though I don't know cars that well, this is easy enough to understand and I now know what I am getting myself into.

I will be looking into this plan when I can get enough cash for this operation, butthis definitely helps the planning process.

Thank you so much for the amazing response!
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