Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2010 14:49:51 -0800
Reply-To: frankgrun <frankgrun@AOL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: frankgrun <frankgrun@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Conversion? JETTA ENGINE?? Now Some TDi Comments (Shortened
Version)
In-Reply-To: <67f8ac6c1001041106v668bf2ebweea84cc2f73e401c@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format="flowed"
Ok, let me pause here for a second. When I began to write that reply,
I reflected on Scott's questions as well as a number of discussions on
this list. His questions brought my thoughts to the myriad advantages
of chip tuning in customizing the TDi response to the application. Not
just power increases but power curve management. As a case in point,
manipulation of the sensor map can actually minimize or control the
magnitude of the torque peak pulse per firing event. These
opportunities require the full electronic control system. I then
reflected on the apparent wisdom (I personally get rather negative
about a lot of perceived wisdom) that holds that the electronic
controlled TDi system is too complicated for the average DIY. This
wisdom infects parts of the the TDiClub as well. I just wanted to say
that its no more complicated than engineering a properly functioning
vacuum control system. I'm not suggesting that I would personally take
on the software recoding, but frankly, I'll use any tool I can find
that will let me access the end result I need. Again, I'm not trying
to put down any mechanistas. If you have other reasons to go that way,
more power to the victor. Just don't let prejudice about electronic
complexity deter you.
As for my Apple stock analogy, my son had just berated me over letting
Retirement Fund managers manage my retirement accounts. He did this by
sending me a plot of Apple stock prices over the last two years, then
a plot of the ratio of Apple to IBM, then Apple to Dell. He then
plotted it against the TIAA-CREF fund index. I replied that I thought
he was sending me a plot of his wide band oxygen sensor vs. exhaust
gas temperature on his Subaru WRX/STi. After the third email exchange,
I started on the reply to Scott. Seemed appropriate at the time.
Peace, its what I think.
Frank Grunthaner
On Jan 4, 2010, at 11:06:40 AM, "Gary Bawden"
<goldfieldgary@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
From: "Gary Bawden" <goldfieldgary@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Conversion? JETTA ENGINE?? Now Some TDi Comments
(Shortened Version)
Date: January 4, 2010 11:06:40 AM PST
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
On Mon, 4 Jan 2010 Frank Grunthaner wrote,
> Also, on my list of prejudices, I cannot understand the m-TDi
> approach.I=
> have no fear of electronic control systems and modified
> wiringharnesses.=
> I really don't see why anyone who can read a map cannot takeon the
> proble=
> m. Of course you can screw it up, but that applies to ahundred other
> steps=
> along the way to completion. Removing theelectronic controls of the
> TDi=
> design is like leaving a free gift ofApple stock just because you
> don't=
> understand the basics of stockmarket trading.
There could be reasons other than "electronophobia" for going with the
manual TD setup. Your analogy of the Apple stock I don't follow. It
would be more apt to say, leaving a brand-new Apple on everyone's
doorstep may benefit most, but the one on the porch of the successful
novelist who writes exclusively with pen and paper would do no good at
all.
IMHO, "drive-by-wire" is more about averaging everyone's fuel mileage
than it is about improving the mileage of those who learned to drive
by feel and gauge input. I say this as being the one whose fuel
mileage was thrown out as being "too high" in a fuel mileage survey
done a year or two ago. :^)
Gary
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