1.8T MK4 platform weight reduction results

zeusenergy · Oct 19, 2013

Tried posting earlier but we lost power, someone hit a pole and took the whole neighborhood out:facepalm:
My car is a New Beetle, I know... I know.... "MK4 platform? But he drives a bug!?"
The New Beetle was the FIRST MK4 car to be released. While the golfs and jettas were all MK3, in 1998 the New Beetle driver had the newer MK4 platform.

ALL WEIGHTS MEASURED AT THE LOCAL DUMP- they have a very accurate scale (it weighs just me correctly.) The town makes money from mixed trash, they use some of it to have some guy certify its accuracy.

(Fuel used is always 93 octane, although that metric is probably not relevant.. does 87 weigh more or less per gallon? Doubt it.)

Beginning weight, stock: 2950 Lb, 1/4 tank fuel
Beginning claimed OEM power: 150 HP

Current weight, see below: 2500 Lb, almost a 1/2 tank of fuel
Current CRANK HP estimate: 225 HP

I lost a total of 450 Lbs and that's with MORE FUEL in the tank. Take that, Jenny Craig!!:laugh:

Keep in mind:

This was the heaviest New Beetle in production for 2001 with every option.
It had a clamied weight from the factory of just over 3000 Lb.
This 1.8T engine is code AWV, it's really an AWP 180 HP hardware motor, but has tuning for 150 Hp.
I still have power windows, power door locks, and mirrors.
I still have a power sunroof.
I still have the power rear spoiler wing.
I still have working power steering/ brakes.
And the original sport heated leather seats are both installed!

This is what I removed:

Interior panels, all plastics, door cards
Rear seat assembly and seat belts
Spare tire, tool kit, cover and bolt
Carpet and under padding/ insulation
All non-essential brackets on interior shell
All speakers, amp, and stereo deletes (still have to work harness.)
The ENTIRE dashboard.
A/C system, including all lines, compressor, condensor, evaporator core too.
Secondary air system, catalyst, PCV reduced to draft tube
Evap, vacuum line reduction, removed and resistored all non-essential solenoids
Washer fluid tank and motor (Got a small one to install)
Firewall insulation, rain tray plastics, hood seals and gaskets
Half of ventilation system was removed, its on recirculate only for defrost and floor now.
All airbag equipment except the side bags in the seats.

Whoops, forgot I have converted to VR6 clutch with single mass 14lb... lost weight there too.

Was it worth it? To me it certainly was. Although the amount of time and work to delete the dash cannot be counted... that's the big one right there... and it's still not done, I've got zip ties holding stuff in place until a panel is made for stuff to go into, and remove the harness to delete all the non working wires.:thumbup:

zeusenergy · Oct 19, 2013

I missed a bunch of deletes. Like foglights, headliner, dash rebar brackets, etc.... And a pile of screws that weigh in at maybe 8 Lb.:laugh:

leonardodecappiccuno · Oct 19, 2013

We need pics please !!

Regards Lenny

a sneeky spork · Oct 20, 2013

deff some pics

zeusenergy · Oct 20, 2013

Here you go:

zeusenergy · Oct 20, 2013

Keep in mind this car isn't for show.... and the wiring harness/cluster/switches still need to be worked on. They are temporarily held in place with a few zip ties :laugh:

4ceFed4 · Oct 20, 2013

I got my 2002 GTI down to 2545 with a full tank of fuel. List of weight mods is here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?6126117-My-MK4-GTI-Setup-Thread

I had to work within SCCA Street Modified rules so interior paneling and carpet had to stay, but beyond what you've done I have some lighter suspension and brake components, moonroof replaced with aluminum, race seats, carbon fiber parts, and a 9 pound battery. Some of that is negated by a 4-point roll cage and extra chassis bracing.

Over the winter I am moving into a prepared/modified 2001 4 door Golf, which will weigh 2200 flat with a 1.8T and 02J.

zeusenergy · Oct 20, 2013

It seems like 2400-2600 is the limit on MK4 cars, unless you start shaving the chassis and getting carbon parts.:thumbup:
Mine's not a competition car by any means. But the huge dashboard had to go

Jeff@GTS Performance · Oct 20, 2013

What are you doing for a dash? Sheet metal?

4ceFed4 · Oct 21, 2013

Jeff@GonzoTuning said:
What are you doing for a dash? Sheet metal?

Me? I'll probably install the dash skin with the cluster and gauges and that's it. Here's the current state:

zeusenergy · Oct 21, 2013

mine will be a sheet of aluminum in the center bent up to house the stock cluster, switch bank, headlights/markers, fan switch, and aux guages. It will cover a modified stock heater core and fan truncated for small size and light weight. Love 4cefed's race interior btw!

4ceFed4 · Oct 21, 2013

zeusenergy said:
mine will be a sheet of aluminum in the center bent up to house the stock cluster, switch bank, headlights/markers, fan switch, and aux guages. It will cover a modified stock heater core and fan truncated for small size and light weight. Love 4cefed's race interior btw!

Be sure to document your work on the heater core and fan system, I'm super curious what you do with that :thumbup:

Once I pick apart the upper dash skin I'm going to see what kind of weight there is to be had by running sheet metal like you plan on. Running the OEM cluster without a recess and visor is what scares me.

zeusenergy · Oct 22, 2013

My cluster doesn't even have the acrylic glass over it anymore... Call it bald. :laugh:
What I am thinking requires using the blower fan as a puller from the heater core rather than blowing through the core. Where the intake is for the fan will be up against the heater core. Not sure if this is a bad idea since the cage in the fan is plastic.... might deform it. It's either that, or relocate the heater core more rearward and set the fan blower against the firewall. Either way it will need to be custom made up for a housing etc.... I don't care about fresh air intake, that's already blocked on my car. And heater control? Yeah, it's called hot or hot. There's no reason for any other setting. A quick valve inserted into the heater core line can shut off the water flow easy enough for summertime use. My plan is to have only control over defrost or floor vents. All the forward vents on my car are gone and the hole is blocked on my heater box already.

zeusenergy · Oct 25, 2013

Pulled the rear harness out for the driver side. This car had monsoon and a cd changer in it at one time. Took out around 5 lbs of wire and I stopped at the driver side footwell for now, need to take the dash area back apart to complete the trim later... The harness going back there is now 1/4 the diameter it was... Can only imagine how much more will get pulled out of it when I get into the main section of the harness. Thinking about pulling the whole thing out from underhood area on the driver side and getting everything resistored right on the ECU when the time comes, and remove the stuff in the fusebox on top of the battery to put it in the rain tray. This way once the battery relocation is done, I won't have that junk flopping around under hood. And the stuff in the "waterfall" will get reduced substantially. I would like to remove that plastic if possible anyway.

Btw, the time it took to remove the cd changer and amp wiring was around 2 hours, due to the crappy or should I say really excellent wiring wrap from the factory. Its SO DAMMM STICKY.:banghead:

zeusenergy · Oct 31, 2013

By the way, you've got at least 75 lbs in the dash parts, airbags, rebar brackets, steering column cover reinforcement, glovebox, and panels. There's heavy stuff in there... the firewall insulation must weigh at least 8 lbs.
And also, there are some simple heater core and fan assemblies from summit racing (their stuff isn't all bad) made for custom and street rods. Considering this eventually.... and keeping the existing stuff for now.

4ceFed4 · Oct 31, 2013

I'm going to run the top half of the dash skin, chopped just below where the center vents and hazard and defroster switches were, with all the heavy HVAC stuff gutted internally. I'd be weary about removing firewall insulation. The cloth looking stuff isn't flame retardant and can go, but the metal heat shields are good protection from and engine fire.

zeusenergy · Oct 31, 2013

Yeah man. The insulation I was talking about is the internal stuff up against the firewall under the heater box and pedal brackets. My external bay shield is still up in there!

zeusenergy · Oct 31, 2013

Door cards fully removed now, cable operated door releases. Deleted power option of mirrors, really didn't care for extending that harness, never really adjust them anyway. Extended the power window switches, fuel door release, and power lock button, with some of the wire removed from the stereo wiring deletion. Tucked the harnesses on both doors and here is the result:

zeusenergy · Oct 31, 2013

And the back end. Check out the gussets where the back seat used to be. The beetle has very good rigidity front and rear due to the shape and location of A and C pillars, as well as the narrow rear section. I will be adding my own welded K brace between the shock towers and original rear seat belt mounting locations soon. It'll also have tabs for harnesses on it. Thinking of removing the heavy seats and replacing them with plastic shells and padded covers anyway. Probably good money selling the sport leather heated seats, no?

rstolz · Oct 31, 2013

You can cut out probably 30lbs of wiring if you strip it all out and rewire it yourself. There are so many cross paths and junctions, all need for convenience that isn't necessary.

Do you really need a buzzer to go off if the lights are on when you turn the car off?

An alarm for seatbelts? automatic locking doors? All that crap adds a ton of wiring snaking all over the car.

1.8T MK4 platform weight reduction results

zeusenergy

zeusenergy

leonardodecappiccuno

a sneeky spork

zeusenergy

zeusenergy

4ceFed4

zeusenergy

Jeff@GTS Performance

4ceFed4

zeusenergy

4ceFed4

zeusenergy

zeusenergy

zeusenergy

4ceFed4

zeusenergy

zeusenergy

zeusenergy

rstolz

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