Rotten Passat

[gizzardgulpe]

I used to have an electric fan hooked up to an ignition toggle switch on the dash. That should be able to handle the current. Something like this should work.

[deejaaa]

i have several of these in the shop. i salvage them from appliances that have been discarded. they will deff handle the current.

[dfeldt91]

Does anyone know if the current from the ignition is a lower amperage than going straight from the battery? I ran my fan with a switch in line in a loop to the battery.

I have a few switches still but the problem is the wire itself is getting so hot and melting the plastic that surrounds the wire.

[dfeldt91]

Going to buy some Coroplast to do a full under tray. The front under engine tray I had a long time ago gave me a significant measurable increase in MPG so I'm hoping doing the exhaust channel, which is now empty since I'm only running a downpipe after the turbo and catalytic converter, will cause the MPG to go back up. I'm down to around 35-41 MPG(not drafting vs drafting) on highway with the car being lighter because of the increase in drag from the extra space in the wheel wells as well as the open space under the car.

I'm headed on a 70 mile trip tomorrow so I'll see what effect a full under tray has on this car.

Pictures to come..

[dfeldt91]

I was thinking about the possibility of getting the 4Motion rear drivetrain and making this thing a hybrid with electric RWD and gasoline FWD. Or maybe use the engine to charge the batteries and have it electric RWD. That would be really cool and with the car being gutted it could be as simple as cutting out the floor behind the seats and creating a mount fo rthe motor and getting a custom driveshaft and electronics/batteries.

[elhigh]

^^
That would be weird and awesome, especially if you can get the RWD motor to contribute enough to show dividends despite the added weight. Granted you've built in some room with your extreme weight reduction.

I wonder: how much is too much power? At Jalopnik they will shake their heads at me and say they don't understand the question. But in terms of autocross you can overpower the tires and there you are, transforming your car into a Slip 'n' Slide. I was thinking one option would be to keep things super simple and just run the rear axle as an ON/OFF option, a switch on the floor below the accelerator pedal that activates a contactor only under WOT. All four wheels pulling hard on the straights so the transition won't unsettle the car, but FWD when you're still looking for modulation in the turns. It would be stupid as car control systems go, but stupid cheap too and, I think, effective in this limited context.

[freebeard]

...4Motion rear drivetrain...

I don't see what that would gain you. 4Motion is driveshaft driven. Consider the Toyota MGR — it's a 68hp and 98lb, 10,000rpm BPM AC motor. Looks like this next to a 36hp VW engine case:



There are newer pieces in the OEM pipeline with torque vectoring. The Toyota/Lexus MGR has an open diff.

[Phantom]

Great project I just have a few comments.

1. The CV joints rebuild them with OEM parts. I know on the TDI Passats (I have an 05) most of the time replacing the cv with aftermarket results in excessive vibration at idle.

2. Grill block on my Golf TDI Blocking the upper and side grill (non inter-cooler side) helped reduce drag and did not increase engine temp actually it reduced it a little. When I block the lower portion of the grill that is when the temp increases. It might be a little different for you since diesel produces less heat and i have not tried it on the passat.

3. For the wheel gap try spring compressors they usually have them at auto part stores it is a bolt with two plates that you tighten down on the springs to lower the car a bit.