Being permenantly skint, performace cars have always been a bit of a dream and not a reality.

Untill that is the latest diesel engines have come about.

A seat TDI 130 is well out of my reach and so will the Fabia VRS.

So I was reading up about the normal second hand fabia TDI being chipped too 145HP.

This is more like it, but I have no ideas on the actual speed of a chipped fabia, ie. 0-60, 0-100, 50-70.

Also I can imagine that the rest of the car is'nt up to this incease in speed, so what easy mods can be done to help, cheaply!

:cheers: Grizzly

Originally posted by grizzly in this post

Also I can imagine that the rest of the car is'nt up to this incease in speed, so what easy mods can be done to help, cheaply!

That's assuming that it will actually relate in an increase in speed!

If you just use the extra power to make it more nippy, I shouldn't

imagine anything else will need changing.

If you want to drive it hard, then you might need wider tyres to

get more traction to improve handling, and possibly better

brakes if you're planning on travelling at higher speeds...

Rob.

This is what I want to do... I'm aiming for a 150HP TDI by this time next year.

I'd estimate the 0-60 should go up to the region of 8.5 secs (real guess) - Top speed can also be extended to 130'ish too (I've been told)

But the best remap from Jabba also has a good effect on the torque which will be handy for mid range acceleration such as the 50 - 70. I don't know whether the engine can cope long term with outputting the higher HP and torque. Thats a question for FabiaTDI who has had his TDI "altered"

PS: Its not cheap, but big alloys/low profile tyres do wonders for the Fabia's grip.

BTW: welcome to the group - I just saw this was your first post

Welcome to the site, Grizzly

There's a couple of chipped-Fabia owners around here, so I'm sure they'd be able to give you a good idea of what changed after the work was done...

As Rob said, wider tyres might help in the traction department. Quite a few of us Fab owners have had lowering springs fitted too...

Unless you are intending to drive on the Continent, the top speed of any of the Fabias should be more than adequate for the UK. But having loads more torque, and the resulting benefits to driveability, are what would make me want to chip/tune a Fabia TDi. I don't own one yet, but I will one day.

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

PS: Its not cheap, but big alloys/low profile tyres do wonders for the Fabia's grip.

...but does make it harder to go sideways and "ruins" fuel economy...

Rob.

Yep - no sideways unless induced by yanking of the handbrake, like I did a little bit last night. Yeah.. :( Tell me about the bad fuel economy. I had the "miles to go" down to 5 this morning on the computer... I was damn determined to make it into work where fuel is a few pennies cheaper than where I live.

I'd be interested to know if chipping has a really bad effect on consumption. I would assume YES if you stomp on the gas too much, but I would have thought normal driving would not affect it much? Another point for FabiaTDI to respond to...Matthew, isn't it?

Do you find the whole handbrake effect is spoiled the warning buzzer though? Or is that not

a Fabia feature?

Chipping doesn't seem to have an impact on fuel economy - most of the chipped 1.8T drivers

get better fuel economy than me! :(

Rob.

Just a few things about diesel chipping:

The TDI crank is capable of taking on in the regions of 300Nm, up to 400 (you do the lb ft math ), after which it becomes all very marginal. So I would look to torque first instead of hp.

Overdo the chipping and you'll have a black-smoke bellowing monster. So if you want angry mobsters banging you off the road for obstructing their view, do it at your own peril...

Fuel consumption of chipped petrol engines gets worse (only slightly - has more to do with actually using the extra power!). For diesel engines it should actually improve! (If you don't go to wider tyres, that is.)

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

Yep - no sideways unless induced by yanking of the handbrake, like I did a little bit last night.

Weren't you expressing your surprise at your rear brakes wearing out of something last week?

No wonder if you going to go all novaBoy™ on us!

Yeah, I was but the odd handbrake slide isn't too bad. Plus I only did because I was being followed by my mate in his van, and he's always trying to do them - just let down by the fact its a maestro!

The buzzer thingy never really hinders me because the handbrake is on for such a short amount of time (always low speed) - that the buzzer has no time to kick in. However, my mate as a habit of gently lifting it whilst I'm concentrating on driving, and making it beep at me, and scaring the life out of me too.

Mattijs - I've already gone the wider tyres = worse fuel route. Perhaps chipping will marginally improve things for me?

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

Mattijs - I've already gone the wider tyres = worse fuel route. Perhaps chipping will marginally improve things for me?

It probably will. The trade-off is an effect on environment - as can be witnessed by said puffs of black smoke - but then you will in turn also save the environment by using less fuel!

So the black smoke thingy isn't really a bad sign then? I wonder what the chipping does for the long term longevity of the engine. I wonder how long the engine would last with the way I'll treat it with 150BHP, too? Thinking though, I'd treat it normally, just using it to confuse the odd 325/CLK

I'm waiting for some figures about the diesel engine in the Fabia RS, for comparison.

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

Thinking though, I'd treat it normally, just using it to confuse the odd 325/CLK

A cheaper way of doing this is to attach a sticker to the back

of your car reading:

"Motorways have 3 lanes".

Rob.

I'd need one on the front screen which is reversed so it can be read in the rearview mirror, if they ever use them? Then a normal one for the back just to enforce the message.

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

I'd need one on the front screen which is reversed so it can be read in the rearview mirror, if they ever use them?

Hmm...good point. Blue flashing lights behind the radiator grille then?

Rob.

To answer the question, all in my opinion and answers to suit my needs rather than yours:

1. Lower it, either Eibach springs or go the whole hog and get the KW adjustables

2. Change the suspension bushes

3. Fit larger wheels, either 16 or 17

4. Uprate the brakes, probably full group N as its cheaper than 4 pots

5. Get it remapped

6. Change the exhaust

7. Change the hoses under the bonnet

8. Fit a front mount intercooler

As I say, list applies to what I know I'd do to the car and how it would be (ab)used

Hello grizzly,

145bhp should be easily achievable with the Fabia, but in standard form, you cant really get the best out of it on 14" rims and fairly soft suspension.

I'd recommend the larger wheels and some suspension tuning so you can keep on grinning, even when you come to the twisty bits.

Performance wise, its the torque that really gets you moving as the Fabia is relatively light.

I dont seem to have any more smoke than on a standard setup and economy is usually between 46-49mpg.

Durability wise, I'm a little bit concerned about the gearbox and clutch but I think its all down to driving style. Used sensibly and in the right conditions I cant imagine any problems.

Welcome to the forums!

Matt - what does your car whack out now, out of curiosity?

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

Matt - what does your car whack out now, out of curiosity?

On the recent visit to Jabbasport for the rolling road day, it was around 149bhp and the torque was 330nm (about 243lbs/ft)

Around 310nm is available at around 1600rpm which makes life interesting!

Dont know what to do next - maybe a larger front mounted intercooler.

Sounds nice - Thats where I'm headed, eventually

Originally posted by devonutopia in this post

So the black smoke thingy isn't really a bad sign then?

It is. (Completely forgot about answering this - sorry Jase - but today I stumbled on a good explanation somewhere else.)

As you may know, the black stuff exiting the exhaust is soot, and it's a result of tar build-up within the engine.

Now where does it build up? It all starts in the inlet section which is covered with a so-called EGR valve. The valve's function is to recirculate exhaust gasses into the inlet - for emission reduction purposes! - where in fact it should contain pure clean, filtered and compressed air - for best performance.

The result is tar sediment building up in the inlet manifold all the way up to the valves, leading to a lack of full combustion and hence black smoke out of the exhaust (typically on full throttle). The build-up will only grow worse as long as the EGR valve keeps opening up. As the inlet section's diameter decreases and combustion is suffering, your performance and fuel consumption will also suffer.

So both performance and environment are in fact suffering!

How can you cure this: either disconnect the valve through VAGCOM or close off the vacuum pressure-measuring hose.

Then use some diesel spray cleanser to carefully clean out the inlet. This can be done while running in neutral at 2000rpm, with someone else cleaning out the dung.

Here is a picture of where to locate the EGR valve (1) and the start of the air inlet section (2).

Here is a rather unpleasant picture of tar build-up in the inlet section. (Both pictures taken of a TDI 150.)

Then, paradoxically, empty the soot cat or completely get rid of it and replace it with a simple tube. You will still pass the MOT, as the engine will actually be cleaner and healthier! And no puffs of black smoke...

In Holland, people who have discovered this found that the performance decrease can be up to 15hp with muck build-up, while the increase can be just as big by closing off the EGR valve.

Also, tar build-up in the inlet section is not checked during normal service intervals...

Disclaimer: this is only what I read somewhere else - check it with your local diesel (chipping) expert before DIY'ing! But the story is coming from a TDI buff actually working at a VW dealer, who claims that closing off the EGR valve has become standard practice in their workshop...

I thought any soot produced is only unburnt fuel being expelled through the exhaust, not tar build up in the engine?

Soot tends to be more visible on full throttle as it builds up in the exhaust system and is purged when the exhaust gets a bit of a roasting. i.e when you floor it.

Its worth remembering that the EGR valve only operates at low engine speeds or on "part throttle" (even though tdis dont have a throttle as such)

I disconnected mine by pluging the vacuum hose, but didnt notice much difference in power. Maybe slightly perkier at low rpm. Makes the turbo noisier too!

Apparently you shouldnt get much black smoke on a modern TDi. As the fueling is on a closed loop system, the ECU will cut back the fueling if smoke is produced.

Originally posted by FabiaTDi in this post

I thought any soot produced is only unburnt fuel being expelled through the exhaust, not tar build up in the engine?

Matt, I'm no diesel expert but I can see the reasoning behind the explanation I gave.

Yes, soot is unburnt fuel, but why doesn't it burn up in the combustion chamber? Because of dirty air coming in through a smaller diameter inlet section. So the soot isn't the tar itself, it's the result of it.

Something's wrong at the one end, something will show up at the other end... I might be wrong, but it sounds logical to me.

Mattjs,

I think its caused by the fact that too much fuel and not enough air in the cylinders would result in incomplete combustion. Hence black smoke produced.

I think this is why you sometimes get a little puff of black smoke on hard acceleration in a tdi, as the turbo does not spin up quick enough to compensate for the increased fueling.

I suppose the soot is a seperate thing altogether.. I assume that soot (as it is a product of diesel combustion) does tend to cling to the inside of the exhaust and like i said, dose get purged (cant think of another word!) from the exhaust system from time to time. Especially if the vehicle has been driven in a sedate manner and is then taken for a bit of a blast.

Soot is what also clogs up the EGR (like in the pictures you posted) and the nasty tar like stuff is a combination of soot deposits and oil vapours from the crankcase venyilation system.

I would think that some of this would be burned off when it re-enters the combuction chambers.

So you may be right in saying that apparent some smoke is as a result of a clogged EGR. However i think it is more likely to be black smoke from unburnt fuel, or soot deposits from the exhaust system.

I'm no expert either, but i'll give it a go!

Cheers!