Random request – Polo 6n

[ld50]

ok this isn’t really syncro related, other than it parks near my syncro… but a while back I got the missus a little polo 6n 1.4 8v.

Apart from being a bit like driving a bouncy castle it’s fine, with potential to be quite nippy…and there’s a set of new springs waiting to go on which should sort the handling.

However, try as I might I can’t find anything like a mixture screw … or indeed any actual controls of that type and the mixture is blatantly adjusted for mpg rather than anything else.

She’s starting to have fun on roundabouts so it’s going to need some sorting soon (hence the springs).

The rev range is currently a series of flat spots and whilst I think I can cure some of that by tweaking the ignition timing, the thing is simply going to require more fuel to become fun.

What are the options here? Has anyone had a go with one of these before?

Do I need a certain obd cable/software to adjust stuff like idle speed, mixture etc or is it all hard coded? replacement chip perhaps?

Currently my favourite option towards getting more fuel into it is getting one of those resistors to fool the airflow thingy to give artificial readings and thus get more fuel from the ecu but I wondered if there’s a more elegant solution.

They do quite tasty 4-branch manifolds for them and 1.4 is a fair amount of engine for such a small car so I think there’s some fun potential but this computer thing is doing my head in.

ideas welcome?

[Chris S]

Oh my god, I love it, it actually made me laugh out loud! “a bit like driving a bouncy castle” I am still laffing at
the thought of it 5 minutes later, what a brilliant description, all I have to do now is to translate it into Dutch.

[ld50]

[pvl]

Dutch translation for Bouncy Castle :

Hobbelend Kasteel

Those engines will appreciate ‘breathing-updates’ and a
chip accompanying the breathingmods….

Pascal

[ld50]

So is a chip replacement the only way to adjust the fuelling? Is it an eprom based system?

[Audi Doody]

Just re-reading this and had a thought assuming things havn’t changed…if your (wife’s) polo has a Lambda sensor, disconnect it and take it for a run.
With the Lambda disconnected the ECU will still run the engine but in a safer mode which should mean running it rich….!!!
the downside is it might back off the ignition advance as well losing performance!! worth a try maybe?

other than that get it checked by VAG or with a reader, the Lambda might well be knackered, telling lies and making the mixture weaker than it should be.

mike

[ld50]

good suggestion mike, although t’s actually had a recent lambda so i think it’s running as the factory intended, just that’s kinda weedy. I’d like to be able to run it a bit rich to cover the flat spots. It’s better since fiddlign with the timiing but there are still definite bits where it “falters” and I reckon more fuel would solve that.

I guess they tuned for economy rather than performance. It’s quite a nippy little go-kart for round town esp with the stiffer springs, I’m just missing the “mixture adjustment” screw.

I reckon my best plan is going to be piggybacking whatever sensor decides how much air is coming in like the little add-on resistor jobbies. Once I’ve cleaned up and sold the gti I’ll be working on this car in a bit more depth so will test in more detail then

[no such user]

any blows in the exhaust before the lambda sensor no matter how small will piss the ecu right off

[ld50]

ah good to know danny, cheers. I will check for that too

[repeels_wv]

translation for bouncy castle, springkasteel ;p

nd my neighbour has one in his yard, 1.4 8v, i’ll ask him if i could test some things and let you know

[ld50]

great thanks

[Author]

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