The Project Pad

I like it, looking good

Thanks guys!

Here's more, it's a 2 1/4 from the down pipes merging into a 3" vband which will reduce to 2 1/2" for a resonator and muffler.

I think that's a great choice

I CANNOT wait to get this thing back, hear it and get the cooling system hooked up.

Then I can -gasp- DRIVE it!

Wow ! I look forward to see this beast run ! Great job so far ! Congratulations !

Got the car back today!

A bunch of stuff to figure out now and first on the list is getting the coolant system plumbed and hooked up.

The radiator has no temperature sensor for the fans. How have you other VEMS guys done this? Should I try to put an Audi style temp sensor in so I can use the Audi controls or should I do some VEMS hookup?

I don't have VEMS, but I am running my fans off a temperature fan controller. I have a sensor that I put in the radiator, near the outlet. It came with a dial on it for setting the temp that the fans come on. It came with a relay. I ran the power out from the relay to two other relays to control two of my fans. One in front on the passengers side and the other in the rear on the driver's side. They come on at 87degrees C.

The third fan is relayed using the switch from the A/C button on the Climate Controller. I no longer have A/C, so I just use this button to turn on the 3 fan, when needed. I rarely ever have to turn it on.

This setup have been working for a number of years. Very simple without having to worry about VEMS or any other stand alone controlling it.

Greg W.

^ I'm doing the same type of thing. SPAL programmable fan controller with a temp sensor in the radiator. Works great. Even has a signal input for AC if you are retaining yours.

Thanks guys. I'll look into the same

Decided on the Hayden 3655 fan controller. It's a single piece unit with really good reviews on Summit. It also has the option of a probe or NPT sensor so I can try it without cutting/welding into the radiator. It's fully adjustable with variable fan speeds too. sounds pretty cool! Cool - get it?

Anyway, I also realize I never showed any final pics of the exhaust...
you've seen the front part - here's the back:

And I need a damn garage!

Exhaust looks nice. Yes, you need a garage.

Greg W.

A few more developments and progress...

Got the snub mount installed. My exhaust guy built it from my foamcore mock up:


Also, I tackled the heater core and overflow bottle plumbing today. The ABH has the coolant bottle on the PS while the ABZ has it on the Drivers side - like the B4 V6 bottle I am using. So I had the ABH installed originally (pictured below and bottom) but hoped to use the ABZ (pictured below at the top). However, to swap these you need both this piece and the water pipe that sits above the valley pan - which I don't have.

I ended up blocking off the long run on the passengers side and installing a T on the other side to hit the bottle.


I used 2 V6 bleeder hoses for the Heater Core. I bought one from the junkyard the other day and when I got home I had two already.
Also got the radiator hoses made other than one silicone 1 1/2" to 1" reducer that is shipping overnight. Once it arrives I can FINALLY let this thing run for more than 30 seconds at a time.

Also, This temp sensor is on the ABZ harness but doesn't show up anywhere on the engine harness wiring diagram. Anybody know what it's for?

To answer my own question, That is the coolant temp sender that the instrument cluster uses. Anyone know what wires the IC uses for this? I can't find it in my bentley

More progress over the weekend and today.

Got the front side plumbing completed and radiator installed for good!


A few clamps but holds up to pressure so far!

Now that I can FINALLY let the car idle for a while I enter into the VEMS craziness. Let me apologize for the mass noob-ness that will commence below...

Firstly, when trying to calibrate the O2 sensor, I get a reading all over the place.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl1dtCscll0[/youtube]

I have never tried to calibrate a sensor before but this seems weird.

Also, When I get the car running it's super rich and idles at about 1300-1400 rpm.
For the first bit I have no O2 sensor reading - it's pegged at 1.83. Then after warming up a bit, It's jumps around low in the .75 range and then settles in at 0.65.
Here's a screenshot of the way I'm idling...


Here's a log of the startup:


and idling where the O2 sensor kicks in:

The O2 sensor takes 20 seconds or so to warmup when cold so that is the part where it's pegged at 1.83, it uses open loop during this time. You are way rich. Reduce the numbers in the VE grid

that heater calibration doesn't look right.

first of all, it has to be done with the sensor removed from the pipe and in free air. did you do that?

second, start the calibration process and let it jump around like that. After about 2 minutes or so, does the tip of the sensor feel warm to the touch? if not, did you forget to install the o2 sensor heater fuse?

Thanks guys,

Marc, the sensor was removed from the pipe.
I'll check tonight to see if it gets physically warm.
During the autocalibrate procedure, it would say warming up for a bit and then not say it any longer for whatever that's worth. It never stopped jumping around though.

I'll see if that fuse got blown or something too.

Fuse is intact - no heat on the tip of the sensor.

I'm kinda stuck until I figure this O2 sensor out. Anyone have any ideas?

Been thinking about this. Clearly I am not getting heat to the sensor which is causing the inability to properly judge lambda. In that second vemslog above I had run the engine for long enough to get the exhaust pipes hot at which point the sensor started reading correctly.
Is it possible to have a bad sensor that works other than the heating element? Would that be a failure in the sensor itself or could it be within the VEMS box?

It could be either of those, or possibly the wiring to the sensor's heater circuit. I would verify the wiring first.

I put 12v directly to that heater wire yesterday with a 5amp fuse and it didn't heat. I haven't used these before so I don't know if it is always calling for heat or if something needs to trigger that.

I'm learning!

Tweaked part of the VE table today to try and get a normal idle.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=_y9OdA1Ciqg[/youtube]

Figured out my wbo2 issue. I had been pulling power from the 87a pin on the underside of the fuse box. Now using the "15" terminal from the ignition switch. The o2 sensor now heats and calibrates!