Prawn and BigAls A3 Track Car

antwan64og said:
4 Meyle bolt down coils are like £90, replacement ICM is £70, same ICM is used across numerous models of cars.

Emerald ecu won't care if you have an ICM or smart coils, it wil just sent out the logic level signal and fire them.

And don't be blaming the ME3.8 ECU again, its not the ECU's fault you couldn't be assed to change the hose :playful: haha.
Me3.8 works great if all the hardware is working 100% unfortunately cars don't stay like that so feedback loops are nice for trouble shooting.
Click to expand...

Does the K6/conversion loom use the cars ign amp at all or does it drive the dump coils from its own ign amps?
External amp coils setting vs internal amp coils in ecu drive wise I believe - get that setting wrong and damage is likely to a component
 
superkarl said:
So this new ecu, it utilises all the sensors of the old me3.8?
It doesn't need anything adding to make it wideband? I thought wideband conversions consisted of a lot more like peddles, instruments, throttle body etc etc.
Or is this something you're planning before fitting the emerald?
Click to expand...
wideband on Me7 etc is also changing to dbw... so more than just "wideband"

K6 takes inputs which include 0-5v lambda from an external gauge/controller so the scale is put in and you can decide how you would like your afr controlled, or not
 
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superkarl said:
So this new ecu, it utilises all the sensors of the old me3.8?
It doesn't need anything adding to make it wideband? I thought wideband conversions consisted of a lot more like peddles, instruments, throttle body etc etc.
Or is this something you're planning before fitting the emerald?
Click to expand...


'Wideband conversions' as known on here do require all those things Karl, you are correct.

That's actually refering to an ME7.5 conversion though. Wideband simply refers to the way in which an ECU receives fueling information.

The Emerald uses all the AGU's basic sensors, such as crank speed sensor, cam phase sensor, throttle position sensor, AIT and coolant temp etc, which are all the same sensors as used on the me7.5. it doesn't use the MAF though, which is one of the huge bonuses. No more MAF for me. It uses the factory output sensors too, such as the N75 to control boost

I will wire up the 0-5v output from my AEM wideband controller to give the ECU wideband fuelling capability, and as part of the kit I have a remote mounted map sensor the emerald uses which takes a simple 3mm vacuum feed.

Instruments are all still fed as normal and all work, and the Emerald uses a cable throttle rather than DBW, which I personally much prefer.
 
badger5 said:
Does the K6/conversion loom use the cars ign amp at all or does it drive the dump coils from its own ign amps?
External amp coils setting vs internal amp coils in ecu drive wise I believe - get that setting wrong and damage is likely to a component
Click to expand...

It uses the cars ignition amp still Bill.

My thinking being, the ecu simply says 'amplify coils now' to a signal wire.

Whether that is a separate amplifier, or build onto each coil, makes no difference to the stock AGU ecu as the ICM delete is often done successfully, so my thinking being if the stock ECU needs no change, why would the Emerald?

In the ICM delete, the signal wires to the ICM which fire each coil are simply joined to the individual signal wires to each coilpack, and the car runs as normal with no mapping changes.

There is an option within the Emerald software for 'coil per plug' ignition, although until I get mine fired up I won't know what's on the pre configurated file I have, although of course that can be changed to suit, I'm just keen not to fry anything like Bill saw recently!
 
The rain stopped and the sun came out for a rather brief moment yesterday, so I took the chance to nip out and swap the plugs over:



Old coppers, not in bad shape, gapped at 0.8 originally, but oddly measuring at over that when they came out:



The tips look an OK colour, but they look quite fuel fouled around the base.

New iridium BKR7EIX to go in, gapped at 0.71mm:



Misfire gone :racer: Car feels very good. Boosting higher than it's done in a very long time. Fuelling OK too. I'm shocked :laugh:

Will probably still go down the route of new coils before the Emerald goes on, we shall see how things go :)
 
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Tip for when installing the ECU, if unsure of the coilpack setting: first install using old coilpacks, if they don't blow up, fit new ones :)
 
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So basically, because you are a plonker, you gave away your Curby crown. You should have stayed at home and saved the petrol.
 
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No fallout, just to say again, if you (one) can't spend two minutes changing a split turbo intake pipe, the word plonker springs to mind.

if it's a blast down to the cafe at West Meon, that's one thing. If it's a Curby crown to defend, (plus some 250+ kg's of extra ballast compared to the others) that is serious. That is my take on it.
 
Nick - I need to drop your TFSI internals back to you after taking a different route with the DIYbrid - about Friday afternoon at all?
 
One day Bill, when funds allow. I'd like to think I'll at least enter 'something' proper next year, whether that be a proper MSA organised Sprint, or a round or two of the classic VW challenge. I'd certainly like to do my ARDS test shortly.

Until then, I can dream!

:racer:
 
Go for it

Have good read of the relevant section of the blue book, can save money down the road

"The best way to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a large one and work down from there"
 
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Went out to the pub with Rob last night.

arrived at carpark, went to put drivers window up.

Crunch crunch, moan moan, stopped half way.

******.

Door card off, cables frayed and plastic clip broken. Nothing on earth was getting it to lift up, even trying to pull manually.

Only had a leatherman, so had to cut the cable to release and lift it up. it whistled all the way home and I got a cold ear.

Silly cars.
 
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Prawn said:
Went out to the pub with Rob last night.

arrived at carpark, went to put drivers window up.

Crunch crunch, moan moan, stopped half way.

******.

Door card off, cables frayed and plastic clip broken. Nothing on earth was getting it to lift up, even trying to pull manually.

Only had a leatherman, so had to cut the cable to release and lift it up. it whistled all the way home and I got a cold ear.

Silly cars.
Click to expand...

Rip out electrics and fit manuals?

<tuffty/>
 
Prawn said:
One day Bill, when funds allow. I'd like to think I'll at least enter 'something' proper next year, whether that be a proper MSA organised Sprint, or a round or two of the classic VW challenge. I'd certainly like to do my ARDS test shortly.

Until then, I can dream!

:racer:
Click to expand...
What about time attack? I would have thought your car would be perfect for that
 
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I did actually look into TA, and it looks fun, but lots of the builds, even in club class are tuner backed with MEGA monies and silly bhp numbers all starting with a 4 or a 5.

You don’t need a race licence for TA, but entry costs are very high, and if doing anything other than a one hit wonder guest entrance, they specify list 1b tyres bought only from approved sellers etc, meaning you’re forced to buy tyres new and such things.

I’m not spending £800 on some list 1B semis to enter a round of TA when you can race in the Classic VW Challenge on ex-btcc slicks for £150 per set, for a lower entry cost, and get more track time, and proper wheel to wheel racing.

As said before, it’s all a bit of a dream at the moment, but it’s certainly the route I’d like to take when time and funds allow.
 
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Prawn said:
Manuals?

Never seen an a3 with windups!
Click to expand...

Maybe not... but... the parts catalogue suggests there maybe a part available
http://www.partsbase.org/audi/audi-a3-s3-sportback-qu-a3-eu-2001-83760-window-regulator/

Would need to look on the Golf 4 and Leon 1 pages too as you might be able to adapt something from one of those... VAG are fairly good at re-using stuff across the range of cars they make and just change the part numbers occasionally for the same part

<tuffty/>
 
...incidentally it looks like the only weight saving would be the motor itself as the cable mech will be the same

<tuffty/>
 
Looking at that, they still retain the whole frame, and only remove the motor itself.

I think weight wise there's so little to gain from that it's hardly worth it.

I'm still quite keen on going plastic all round at the moment, subject to adding a roof vent to keep us cool.

Much to consider there!
 
Prawn said:
Looking at that, they still retain the whole frame, and only remove the motor itself.
I think weight wise there's so little to gain from that it's hardly worth it.

I'm still quite keen on going plastic all round at the moment, subject to adding a roof vent to keep us cool.

Much to consider there!
Click to expand...

Wiring, doorcard removal for lighter material... chop door about to save weight... depends where you want to go I guess..

Getting a drive through maccies would be interesting through a sliding window ;)

<tuffty/>
 
Maybe.... We'll see. That depends on interior ventillation.

Currently weighing up options, the amount of time we seem to end up sat still in the car I need more than a roof vent.

12v bilge blower to the dash vents seems like a tempting idea at the moment, and one of the micro heaters for if / when we need to warm it up inside slightly. Both of those would come in around 1500g, vs I think @jasongtr said 10kg + for the complete heater / fan unit that lives behind the dash?

For now, I've just picked up a new frame and regulator from Silverlake, will fit that this evening :)
 
New frame acquired for the agreeable sum of £18.50 :)



Door stripped:



Old one was very much screwed:



New frame ready go to in:



Annoyingly, the bare frame is actually pretty light! Most of the weight is in the glass :(
 
Yea, The doors are ****** heavy, I was just annoyed that lots of that weight isn't in the window frame as I expected it would be.

Door cards are weighty, glass is weighty, and I'll have to lighten what I can from the window frame and inner skin. Would be nice to shed 5kg+ from each door.
 
Update time!

I spent so long working on this at the weekend, that I was simply tired to spend an age writing it up on here, yesterday I was in Wales for work, so I'm now finally settling down and finding the time to upload a few photos.

At the end of the last update I think things looked like this:



The following friday evening I got the noggins finished along the other side:





I then had a bit of a weekend off the garage, and went to watch Samoa vs USA in the Rugby World Cup in Brighton:





After a long week at work, I finished up Friday afternoon on the roof of an Aldi store in Portsmouth:



Then went home, ready to start on my own roof Saturday morning!
 
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I started by laying the first firring pieces. These taper from 50mm out to nothing to go be a fall to the roof for drainage.





With these down I started nailing down the OSB 3 decking:



A few hours later, we appear to have a roof!



It suddenly felt quite dark inside!





I'm quite glad I've got some roof lights to go in!

To be continued.......
 
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Obviously the ply isn’t going to be the final finished surface, so as a temporary I’ve covered the whole lot in a plastic monarflex membrane to keep it water tight:



With that done, and still a few hours left in the day, I roped in help from my glamorous assistant, and made a start on painting the back wall. Victoria did the door and window appatures, and I did the main wall.



Sunday morning, and it was time to fit some of the windows and doors that have been ting up so much space home for the last year!

Andy popped over for an hour or so and helped with the first window:



It was a bit of a learning curve, getting it all central and fitting snuggly with shims around the frame, but it went in OK.

Next up, it was time to tackle the door frame.

I started by fitting my nice chequer plate sill, plenty of mastic on the step then bedded into place:



I then split the door from the frame and offered the frame into place:



An hour or so later, and LOTS of fixings, and the door was on!





The final window was pretty easy after the door, and that was that done:



Another quick coat of paint on most of the back wall to use up the can, and it was looking vastly different to how it did on Saturday morning!



It’s also made the garden feel far brighter at night, as the outdoor light reflects off the white wall now, which makes it a much nicer place to be than sitting looking out onto darkness



And finally, the standard pic that’s needed after every major garage update, the car looking happy that it’s now spent it’s last winter outside!

 
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