My air cooled turbo project. (no more E85, just race fuel)

PDU, ECU mounted and more progress on the chassis harness 

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Just need a few answers from AIM about CAN and these harnesses are ready to start shrink tubing.  😄

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So, my engine builder is ghosting me… not completely but texts are curt, he’s had my engine since March and here we are at thanksgiving and I have a really nice car with no engine.  I’m thinking of reaching out to paradise or someone else so maybe I can save next season.  I’m a little miffed. 

 
Your going to need someone to tune that motor as well as build it, Paradise would be a good place to go. Be prepared as soon as you switch engine builder, they won't agree with the last guy and it will cost you money. Nobody will build you a 350 hp VW with junk parts and stand behind it. 

The fact you're not building and tuning the motor yourself makes me think you will be in the shop a lot in the future. VW is a bad choice IMHO.

 
Your going to need someone to tune that motor as well as build it, Paradise would be a good place to go. Be prepared as soon as you switch engine builder, they won't agree with the last guy and it will cost you money. Nobody will build you a 350 hp VW with junk parts and stand behind it. 

The fact you're not building and tuning the motor yourself makes me think you will be in the shop a lot in the future. VW is a bad choice IMHO.
My tuner is all good, and my current builder is outstanding.  But it’s becoming apparent  that my current builder just doesn’t have the time to get to my engine.  He’s already freshened up my heads, measured and magnafluxed my cranks rods, cases etc… none of it is “junk”. One set of super flows have been decked, I won’t be using those heads for this build.  

I’m not going to name my builder, he’’s a good guy and I’m not going to trash him, the only problem is he should have been better able to assess his ability to build my engine 9 months ago when he accepted the job and I gave him the engines.   

 
I spent the weekend working on the AIM PDMs on a class 1 car with MoTeC ECU and I have to say, that AIM PDM is pretty slick.  It has some limitations not found in the MoTeC PDMs like CAN messaging across PDMs but it also does some really nice things like the ability to pair 1/2 bridge outputs and have a reversing polarity solid state output for moving light bars or power seats without using relays.  Also, the AIM peripheral, while not  up to par for the 1000, are plenty good for a recreational vehicle for 1/3 the cost    It was like $200 to ditch my rear view mirror and put in a backup camera.  The GPS is practically free compared to MoTech pricing.     

The AIM PDM32 is physically 2X the size of the MoTech and they use an aluminum housing to dissipate heat which is probably how they sell it for under 1/2 the price of MoTech   The connectors aren’t as good however I do like the power connector better than MoTeC. Built in “soft start” options are nice for various things   Also, complete complement of circuit output indicators (LEDs) is useful in setup and troubleshooting.  Also has built in soft start/ soft stop option for ramping up and down fans, I’m hoping it works on my interior and work lights.     

My tuner had a couple cars that did quite well in the 1000, and my builder had a lot of them that did well.  If I have to change builders, that will suck.  Paradise did quote me a substantially lower price to assemble the long block but I’d still rather have my current guy put it together.  Don’t get me wrong, I can put a type 1 together probably better than 90% of the guys out there but I can’t do it as well as someone with decades of experience.  I’ll use 1211 on everything, these guys have like 20 different adhesives for different parts of the engine.  I don’t know where .010 over or under is a problem or not worth worrying about.   

 
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This is frustrating, my builder just isn’t getting it done 😞. Going on 9 months now.  I’m going to miss at least 1/2 the season 😞

I’ve made an appointment with paradise VW for January.  If he doesn’t have it done by new years, I’m going over there, paying him for what he’s done and picking up my parts.   

 
This is frustrating, my builder just isn’t getting it done 😞. Going on 9 months now.  I’m going to miss at least 1/2 the season 😞

I’ve made an appointment with paradise VW for January.  If he doesn’t have it done by new years, I’m going over there, paying him for what he’s done and picking up my parts.   
I know the feeling my car sat at the engine shop for 5 weeks, waiting on parts because of "covid" I called up the manufacture parts were in stock the whole time. went and picked up my car and decided to just do it myself.

 
I used Paradise for my first motor & they tuned the second one for me.  I was very happy with them.

 
I know the feeling my car sat at the engine shop for 5 weeks, waiting on parts because of "covid" I called up the manufacture parts were in stock the whole time. went and picked up my car and decided to just do it myself.
This isn’t that, he has all the parts and it’s been 9 months.  

Once I get the engine back, it’s off to Greg Holeman with the turbo to get the exhaust built.   Then I need to build the engine harness and then tune and program it 😞

I’m 3-5 weeks out once I get the engine back.  

 
I used Paradise for my first motor & they tuned the second one for me.  I was very happy with them.
The price they quoted me is actually substantially less than what my current builder has told me.  

 
Once I get the engine back, it’s off to Greg Holeman with the turbo to get the exhaust built.   Then I need to build the engine harness and then tune and program it 😞
Greg is the BEST!!!  He built all of the exhaust systems for the Pro Mod I worked on.  His work is amazing & more importantly he he is one of the most awesome human beings on the planet. 

 
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Well, my heads are done…. That’s progress

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My builder caught rohna a few weeks back, now his whole shop is out with the Kung Flu…. I have it on good authority he is working on my long block now and it may be done as soone as the end of next week.   I’ve already paid Greg Holeman to build the exhaust… chassis Harris is almost done and what I have left is the engine harness, a day or two on the dyno and get my ass to the dunes!

 
That sounds like it’s all coming together.  
It does, I just don’k know if I’ll even get a trip in this season 😞

I also bought a boat…. Which means I’m now running low on disposable cash 😞

 
Still waiting for an engine 😞.  I’ve started working on other things now.  

I’m having a new center consul made for the keypad and intercom

old one

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new one

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