The Rabbit TDI Project Part 7: Drive By Wire
Or: people fear change
If you read the forum posts on people asking questions about 1.8T conversions,
everyone says "avoid the drive by wire cars: too difficult"
That's a load of crap.
All TDI engines are drive by wire.
It's no big deal. No, really.
6 wires to the throttle potentiometer.
1 custom bracket.
Total time investment for installation: well under 1 hour.
(I was so tempted to do a Mastercard spoof here, but decided not to)
The top bolt goes thru a hole in the firewall, the bottom bolts thru the original
cable pedal mount.
Sorry for the quality of the second picture, but it gives you an idea of the early
stages of wiring...
The only problem is that the pedal sits about 1 inch too far to the left. There is no solution without hacking up the pedal, because on the right it is almost hitting the airbox. I'm debating if I should bother messing with it.
Note: This is a car without A/C. I've never seen an A/C airbox, so I can't say
how everything would fit in an air conditioned car.
If you have big feet, it's easy to hit the throttle at the same time as you hit the brake.
Another addition as part of this project was the pedal cluster out of a Cabriolet.
The reason: Provision for the pedal switches for cruise control.
Basically, a lego swap.
More about Cruise Control later.
summary: DBW AOK
Stay tuned...
-Dave
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Installing the Engine
Part 3: Transmission
Part 4: Wiring 1
Part 5: Speedometer and Cluster
Part 6: ImmobilizerIII
Part 7: Drive By Wire
Part 8: Intercooler
Part 9: Intake and Exhaust
part 10: MFA and Cruise Control
Part 11: The Dash
Part 12: The Little Things
Part 13: The End (for now)
Part 14: 6spd transmission and brake upgrades
One Year Later
Dyno results
Who Needs a VR6
TDI Rabbit
Or: people fear change
If you read the forum posts on people asking questions about 1.8T conversions,
everyone says "avoid the drive by wire cars: too difficult"
That's a load of crap.
All TDI engines are drive by wire.
It's no big deal. No, really.
6 wires to the throttle potentiometer.
1 custom bracket.
Total time investment for installation: well under 1 hour.
(I was so tempted to do a Mastercard spoof here, but decided not to)
The top bolt goes thru a hole in the firewall, the bottom bolts thru the original
cable pedal mount.
Sorry for the quality of the second picture, but it gives you an idea of the early
stages of wiring...
The only problem is that the pedal sits about 1 inch too far to the left. There is no solution without hacking up the pedal, because on the right it is almost hitting the airbox. I'm debating if I should bother messing with it.
Note: This is a car without A/C. I've never seen an A/C airbox, so I can't say
how everything would fit in an air conditioned car.
If you have big feet, it's easy to hit the throttle at the same time as you hit the brake.
Another addition as part of this project was the pedal cluster out of a Cabriolet.
The reason: Provision for the pedal switches for cruise control.
Basically, a lego swap.
More about Cruise Control later.
summary: DBW AOK
Stay tuned...
-Dave
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Installing the Engine
Part 3: Transmission
Part 4: Wiring 1
Part 5: Speedometer and Cluster
Part 6: ImmobilizerIII
Part 7: Drive By Wire
Part 8: Intercooler
Part 9: Intake and Exhaust
part 10: MFA and Cruise Control
Part 11: The Dash
Part 12: The Little Things
Part 13: The End (for now)
Part 14: 6spd transmission and brake upgrades
One Year Later
Dyno results
Who Needs a VR6
TDI Rabbit