2003 Jetta build V4.1 AKA "Violently Expensive"

[JasoninDLH]

Whew…you put a lot of work into this! Looks great!

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Alright gents, got another update, but nothing major yet unfortunately, life always gets in the way of hobbies. The crazy economy down here in florida and rising home prices kinda put the final stage of this build on hold, but hopefully I'll be making a simple baffle to run the pair of 18's IB instead of the enclosure and calling it good for now. Now, on to the update:

So my alternator caught on fire about 6 weeks ago. It wasn't a very large fire, but seeing the smoke under the hood definitely caused a bit of panic. The insulation on the stator windings melted and started to burn, but a little bit of coffee fixed that right up so I could make it home. Turns out a 20+ year old alternator can't handle charging at full output for hours at a time... Odly enough, the diodes and rectifier were still good, I could have just paid 40 bux and had a new stator thrown in and been good to go with 100a of raw Kraut power!

After that debacle, I pulled the electrical out and decided I needed a revamp and a fire extinguisher. So, in a few days I'll be installing a 400a denso hairpin alt built by SEA Manufacturing, a company 3 blocks from my house. He has rebuilt many starters and alternators for me in the past and he does quality work. I managed to source a conversion bracket from JS Alternators (stupid expensive for 2 Lazer cut 3/16" thick mild steel brackets...) to fit the denso onto the jetta and modified a case so everything fits. At the same time I'm installing the alternator, I'm re-wiring the factory power/ground system in the engine bay and adding new fused connections for the starter wire, factory charging connection, big 3 charging connection, and also adding a second fuse in-line with my lithium bank inside the cabin. All of this will be mounted inside the factory battery tray/cover so things will, hopefully, look nice and neat.

I also laid out an amp rack for the back-seat area. I got it mostly finished, but then a Florida suprise shower got it wet. So I guess I have a template now? I have plenty of power wire and signal wire to tidy everything up once I get a day to put it all together permanently.

I should have some picture updates soon-ish, and I'm hopeful I'll get everything buttoned up and be able to drive the jetta again in about 2 weeks.

Matt

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Got a bit of work done today. It rained until about 11:30 this morning so I only had a few hours to work before I had other things to do. I didn't get to pick thd alternator up yet, but it's finished.

Managed to get the wiring under the hood done and added the fuse in the cabin. So now I just need the alternator and I should be ready to go.


Airbox is still out of the car, but once it's in you shouldn't be able to see the main power wire going to the battery.



Factory fuse panel still in stock location. I couldn't fit a 0 gauge ring terminal on it, so I smashed a pair of 8ga wires into a 4ga terminal. The run is only like 10 inches and it's fused for 100a.


New fuse block from knukonceptz. 200a for the starter, 100a for the factory charging lead/fuse panel, and 300a for the run to the back.



I may end up needing to switch the position of the main power wire to the shared block and add an in-line fuse holder if I pop a 300a fuse. If I start blowing 300a fuses I'll have to look into adding a second run of 1/0 to the back for the battery. I'm fairly sure the knukonceptz 1/0 is good for 450a at 15' and I believe my run is just under 12', but I'd rather be on the safe side.

With a little luck I'll make a small "rack" to mount my amps too tomorrow and try to tidy up some wires.

Matt

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Alt is in, I had to take off the throttle body and inlet hose to get it in place, lol. Hopefully I'll get the amp "rack" wired up on Tuesday and move on to getting both subs installed.

Matt

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Well gentleman, it looks like the time has come to clean house completely. Changed jobs about a month ago and I am in need of a new car to replace the Jetta for my new commute and the stereo will not be transferred. If anyone is interested in the car as well, shoot me a PM and I'll give you details. I'd love to sell it complete and i would give someone a hell of a deal on everything. I'll be throwing up a sale thread sometime this week.

Matt

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Well gentleman, it looks like the time has come to clean house completely. Changed jobs about a month ago and I am in need of a new car to replace the Jetta for my new commute and the stereo will not be transferred. If anyone is interested in the car as well, shoot me a PM and I'll give you details. I'd love to sell it complete and i would give someone a hell of a deal on everything. I'll be throwing up a sale thread sometime this week.

Matt

Haha, get a load of this guy!

Turns out I'm not allowed to strip the jetta and sell it. My wife got REALLY mad when I told her the plan last weekend after looking at a few cars.


This will be getting finished and receiving some upgrades along the way. DQ250 DSG swap and an engine rebuild are in the works for late next year, and I should be picking up the new car Sunday. The car will be dialed back to stock-ish power levels and my daughter will learn to drive with this car once the DSG is in.

Lithium will move to the trunk, and the 18's will live in a small(if you can call 5 cubic foot small) sealed enclosure in the trunk until I can figure out what to do about the monstrosity that will be the back seat enclosure.

Matt

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

Why not buy your daughter a car instead of giving her your project?

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Why not buy your daughter a car instead of giving her your project?

Because she wants to drive this one? My daughter has helped me build this car, she insists I pick her up from school in the project car instead of the new car(s).

The car is going to remain a project, but it will no longer be my project alone. Swapping the manual out for a DSG was my daughters idea, she doesn't want to learn to drive a stick and she likes the DSG in the golf R. Why spend 15k on a car she doesn't want when I can spend 15k and give her a car she helped me build?

Matt

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

Because she wants to drive this one?

Why did you phrase this as a question? Should I have known that your daughter is in charge of your financial decisions, or did I hurt your feelings by asking a reasonable question?

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Why did you phrase this as a question? Should I have known that your daughter is in charge of your financial decisions, or did I hurt your feelings by asking a reasonable question?

Bro, I literally have no idea what's up your ass. And don't flatter yourself, you can't come anywhere near hurting my feelings, lol.

You asked me a question, I gave you an answer. I was going to strip the Jetta to buy a new car and the wife said **** that; there is too much time into it, just buy the new car.

My daughter has nothing to do with my finances so I'm not sure how that's relevant. Your question was reasonable, and so was my answer. She wants the car, so she's going to help me make it something she can drive.

Matt

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

Bro, I literally have no idea what's up your ass. And don't flatter yourself, you can't come anywhere near hurting my feelings, lol.

You asked me a question, I gave you an answer. I was going to strip the Jetta to buy a new car and the wife said **** that; there is too much time into it, just buy the new car.

My daughter has nothing to do with my finances so I'm not sure how that's relevant. Your question was reasonable, and so was my answer. She wants the car, so she's going to help me make it something she can drive.

Matt

You got called out and realize it was petty; got it.

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

You got called out and realize it was petty; got it.

OK, I'm confused. Who called me out and how? How was I being petty? Did someone spike my tea?

Matt

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

Because she wants to drive this one?

Why is this a question?

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

Why is this a question?

Phrasing it like a question seemed like the appropriate response considering the tone of what I was replying to.

Matt

 

[spokey9]

She wants the car, so she's going to help me make it something she can drive.

That's a good enough reason...that's awesome you can make that work out for her