VR6 vs 1.8T

[BigD9146gt]

Alfred, since I'm not a stong suporter of hijacking threads, lets play VR6 over here, and leave Jake-y alone.

The VR6 is a good motor. BUT, lets look at some interesting history. When VW came out with the 1.8T engine with the 20valve head, they didn't want to hurt they're high and mighty VR6 engine as being the top performer. So, they de-tuned it.

Audi also uses the 1.8T, and makes more power than the VR6....

The VR6 has way less performance parts and costs way more than a 1.8T performance parts. Heck, a chip for the 1.8T bumps it up 30hp for under $300.

If you wanna talk cheap HP, and keeping this conversion in the same family, your braking with the wrong motor.

[scotty914]

i would rather go suby powered, so i am. its a flat four boxer engine, that i have heard it was stolen form porsche and vw, so i see it as "in the family". it fits like it was made for it, and my total cost not including motor will be less than 1000 bucks. the 2.5 puts out 165 hp in stock form, and the radiator fits in front of the engine ie no cutting front trunk

[Alfred1]

BigD,

What you say is true but a four will never be as balanced as the VR6 and will not sound nearly as good either. For $2500, I could also bolt on one of these to my VR6 and get around 280 flywheel hp. Btw, I wasn't the first to mention a different motor in the "Raby's new site" thread so I can only accept partial hijacking responsibility.

Kinetic1

Kinetic2

[Bleyseng]

There are several ways to get to 300hp with a 1.8T for way less than $2500. Lots of guys are doing this in Jettas on the VWfixx forums.
I like my 1.8T Passat but need to get it chipped soon.

Geoff

[flyloki]

Hey Scott

How and where are you are you fitting the Rad?

[Alfred1]

Originally posted by Bleyseng
There are several ways to get to 300hp with a 1.8T for way less than $2500. Lots of guys are doing this in Jettas on the VWfixx forums.
I like my 1.8T Passat but need to get it chipped soon.

Geoff

If the criteria you're using to choose a motor to swap into a 914 is the most hp for the least amount of money, then maybe a 1.8T is the best choice, I dunno. I want a powerful motor that's smooth and sounds good and, IMO, that rules out four cylinder motors. I surfed around briefly looking for turbo upgrades for the 1.8T and one that I found was ATP's GT28RS kit with 22 psi of boost that increases hp to 295 Wheel HP. Pretty impressive but it costs $2400 and I'm guessing that the motor is going to be pretty highly stressed at 22 psi. I probably won't even turbo charge the VR6 because my car should be plenty quick with just 200 hp and that can probably be achieved with a chip and a good exhaust sytem.

[Bleyseng]

Lots of guys are in the 240hp+ range witha chip and exhaust for the 1.8T. The TT has a version running 225hp Stock and the basic block is said to be build to run 300hp easy.
Nothing wrong with the V6 just costs more to soup up.

Geoff

[Alfred1]

An interesting thing about the VR6 cylinder head is that it doesn't have combustion chambers. Instead the tops of the pistons have been shaped to form the combustion chambers. I heard recently that the old Pontiac 409 cylinder heads were the same way.

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[Will98D]

All the direct injected diesels I've worked on were designed that way, I believe even the 71-Series Detroits that hark from the 1930s. Sure makes the head look more simple. In conjunction with combustion chamber design, a lot of the intake work now being done is with dual runners and mixture valves that operate to affect airflow. I understand it helps with emissions and power both.

[cruiksdr]

As long as you guys were on this topic....

I have a passat ('03) with a 1.8T. It's pretty nice, but, of course, I'd like a bit more...

It seems that you can get a fair amount just by chipping and a cat back?? What would be a reasonable gain with these mods?

On complaint I have with the stock set up is the throttle response -- it's lagging/ sleepy. Since this is a fly by wire set up, will a perfomance chip fix this. Last time I took it in for service, I aske them if they could reprogram the throttle to make it qicker/crisper. They didn't seem to be able to handle that.

[Bleyseng]

Get the ARP chip, well actually they reprogram the ECU and you can have two programs switchable by the Cruise Control. So when you drive, 225hp when she drives stock 180hp.

Geoff

[Alfred1]

Daniel, you'll get more information on one of the VW Vortex forums like the Golf IV and Jetta IV forum or the 1.8T Engine forum. I see the Golf and Jetta forum even has an "Official 1.8T vs VR6 thread". I haven't read the thread but I'm sure the conclusion is that the VR6 is a better motor.

[Bleyseng]

VWfixx.com is where all the 1.8T hot rod guys are. Ads for the ARP chips and such are there too.

[cruiksdr]

Thanks guys!

[Jake Seidel]

I would d go with the vw 1.8T if you are planning to sup it up because it will be much cheaper

That looks like a flathead ford!

[84porsche]

Before you go with a 1.8T, try out the VR6 at least. I have the GLI VR6 with 200HP and my car really gets up and goes. I have not ran against a 1.8T but I drove both and the VR6 just seemed to have more power through every gear and a beast climbing up the steepest hills. It was also hard to turn the 6-speed. The bad part is definitely the cost. Out the door with everything, my VR6 cost 28k.

[Alfred1]

If you go to http://www.vw.com/gti/build.htm and "build" a GTI, you'll see that a 1.8T GTI starts at $19,510 but a VR6 GTI starts at $22,330 so VW must consider the VR6 to "upmarket" from the 1.8T.

[Bleyseng]

duh! It's a much more expensive motor to build and/or modify. The lighter weight of the 1.8 is nice too in a Jetta, they really take off with either the 1.8T or the VR6. Too bad the rest of the car is shoddy.

Geoff