No more losing to weenie FWD's anymore!!!

After searching EVERY IC pipe for leaks, I finnally found what was making my car such a piece of wood. Intercooler Swiss Cheese! It's been said thousands of times before (and is probably on Sean's 1000 answered questions site) but it was the last thing I thought of because I had just checked it last fall... The IC outlet was filled with pinholes. I noticed just before the winter I started getting the high RPM stumble that is usually caused by loosing counts... And this spring I noticed that not only could I not get above 6K without stumble, I was also getting FC alittle earlier than usual. And after my pathetic display at London last week I was sure it was lagging alot too. SO: alittle JB WELD and off I went for a test pass. Boost was set at 19psi, second gear pull from 3000rpm WOT. SMACK! no lag and I saw the boost needle swing past 20psi with no evidence of stopping... I think it hit around 25-26 before i was able to get off the throttle. After some minor Hallman tweeking I was off for another pass.. This time it held 18psi right to the dam redline with NO stumble.. Tryed again at 19psi.. Still no stumble! On top of that all, the outlet side of the IC stayed COOL! Incase anyone missed my horrible problems at London last week, see the "announcement" section. So Stevie K, I demand a rematch... Let's see you pass me now buddyboy!

The lesson here is:

If you have an older DSM, CHECK the IC for pinholes!!! Chances are you are not getting NEAR the performance you should be.

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Growing More Bitter Everyday
nineteenpoundsallday
91 AWD tor-pw1.netcom.ca/~lowvolt/specs.html

I've had pinholes in my IC where the upper hose attaches since at least last year. Are you saying that if I dab a little JC Weld on those teeny little holes I'll start doing 12's?

I'm off to Can Tire in the morning!

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91 TSi AWD
Ottawa

Hmmm.. I'm not saying you'll do 12's... I just should be running low 13's or maybe high 12's with all that I have... But due to these holes (and they were BIG), best I could get was a 14.0
Yes, get some JB WELD!

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Growing More Bitter Everyday
nineteenpoundsallday
91 AWD tor-pw1.netcom.ca/~lowvolt/specs.html

Damn.

Glad you found a cheap solution though.. actually, now that you mention it, when I took my stock IC out, I noticed a few pinholes myself..

Ahh, well, I'll always have that 1 timeslip....

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See ya,
Steve.

'92 Eagle Talon Tsi
ICQ # 9622983
www3.sympatico.ca/steve.kinnaird

I wonder if that is my problem also???? I too have the 6k stumble....I know I had pin holes on the intake side a year ago....I guess it's time to pull it out, clean it and jb weld it! Steve, is JB Weld a hi temp product?

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'91 Laser RS Turbo-"Sound Advice" guy.
www.geocities.com/motorcity/speedway/5051
Turbo + Intercooler = The replacement for Displacement

Would that 6k stumble happen at ANY boost setting? factory, 15, 19? Or does it only happen when you're trying to run high amounts of boost?


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My car better run 14's
when it's ready

Chris it could infact be your problem aswell.. You wouldn't believe how much I had to turn the Hallman down to get it to run 19psi. I must of been loosing 5+psi of boost. I took pix of the holes which I'll post tomorrow when I get them back. I think JB Weld is good up to 500deg, but not high enough for exhaust manifold patching. I've heard of people using it to fix holes in blocks and I used it on the valvecover and the tranny of an old dirtbike. Cool stuff!
Jeremiah: I guess if you're leaking enough boost it could cause a stumble at just about any boost setting... It's worth taking a quick look anyway. Just remove the splash cover and look for any dirt that is STUCK to the IC. The oil that bleeded out of the pinholes had collected quite a bit of dirt on it... and hid the holes.

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Growing More Bitter Everyday
nineteenpoundsallday
91 AWD tor-pw1.netcom.ca/~lowvolt/specs.html

For all you guys with Intercoolers with holes in them,I've a spare one for sale.. E-mail me,,,,,,,

And if you want, I can show you an easy way to remove the splash cover.. right Steve?

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See ya,
Steve.

'92 Eagle Talon Tsi
ICQ # 9622983
www3.sympatico.ca/steve.kinnaird

I must be missing the inside joke Hey SK maybe you can take a ride with me on Wed. (are you coming to Mapleview?) and see if that stumble i have is the same.. or if it's another (groan) problem.

See Steve K's post in this section about breaking into the 15's.. or was that the 14's .. can't remember...

Anyway, I said I'd post a pic of my IC holes... here it is. Most of the craters you see go right through.



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Growing More Bitter Everyday
nineteenpoundsallday
91 AWD tor-pw1.netcom.ca/~lowvolt/specs.html

I left a splash sheild on the track on my last run at London... on my way to a 13 sec. timeslip... I'm sure you remember that grin when I passed you Steve.. don't make me post the timeslip...



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See ya,
Steve.

'92 Eagle Talon Tsi
ICQ # 9622983
www3.sympatico.ca/steve.kinnaird

U call those pinholes?? Damn I better check mine.

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"Wheeez"
'90 FWD Laser Turbo

Old thread here, but the rule still applies!

My car has been running stupidly rich, and lacking turbo power. Sure enough, it was the stock intercooler. JB WELD ROCKS!!

For those (with 1G's especially) who haven't, clean & while there, cold weld your stock intercooler. Your car's performance will improve, or at least become stock new again. Mine had some serious pinholes in the outlet pipe! Repaired now with JB Weld, my car idles, accelerates & cruises much better, not to mention my boost is definitely back.
Now I just have to wait to see if my gas milage improves. If it's by alot, I'll be kicking myself for not doing this earlier.


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Judson
92 Tsi AWD

The pic's gone but I think I know what you guys are talking about.

What exactly are the symptoms then for pinholes in the IC pipe? Low boost, high-rpm stumbling, lower fuel-cut level? Anything else?

As for symptoms, in my case I had really bad gas milage (now 100km a tank better), with the boost indicated but not felt. I think I experienced some high rpm stumble, but not that often or too noticeable for concern. Cruising on the highway I had to gear down occasionally, keeping the engine rpm up to maintain my speed while the boost leak took hold.
To sum it up, I'd say if you were to characterize the effects of a clutch slipping (flying rpm & no acceleration), but apply it to the lack of turbo boost instead (flying boost with no acceleration), you'd have had my pinhole riddled intercooler. Which reminds me, got to check it again to see how well my weld job is holding up.

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Judson
92 Tsi AWD