# How far have you pushed stock comp. ABA?



## colovw (Aug 27, 2007)

Assuming fueling and detonation are kept in check, I'm wondering the max PSI I can push. Stock ABA bottom end, C2 stage 1, 30lb injectors. No studs or spacer yet. I'm thinking 15 psi is doable as long as A/F looks good and some good octane.
What have you guys gotten away with?


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

let me know when the lead leaves the block.. im interested in what it takes to kill one of these engines. and with 15 psi & 10:1 compression, it wont be long before you have a hole burnt in a piston or the head blown off. think your gonna be running pump gas? i think not..


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## colovw (Aug 27, 2007)

Def. going to run race fuel. Even being obd II (no forged goodies) I thing the head gasket and pistons are the weak link. 
Right now with 91 octane (I'm at 5000 ft.) I start to get a bit of detonation at about 12 psi. I'm guessing w/ 100 octane, detonation should not be a problem.


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## oilpangasket (Dec 5, 2007)

Its all in the tuning. I ran 15psi for about 10 months on 93 octane before I turned it back down to 10psi. I had to get my fuel from sunnoco because its seemed to be the only fuel that worked. Forget speedway fuel. I was running stand alone though so I cant vouch for a chip tune. The OBD1 crank is probably a little tougher than the OBD2 crank as well since the OBD1 crank is forged not cast like the OBD2. The compression is actually closer to 9.6:1. If you can its best to have a head spacer to be safe.



Glegor said:


> let me know when the lead leaves the block.. im interested in what it takes to kill one of these engines. and with 15 psi & 10:1 compression, it wont be long before you have a hole burnt in a piston or the head blown off. think your gonna be running pump gas? i think not..


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## Little Golf Mklll (Nov 27, 2007)

oilpangasket said:


> Its all in the tuning. I ran 15psi for about 10 months on 93 octane before I turned it back down to 10psi. I had to get my fuel from sunnoco because its seemed to be the only fuel that worked. Forget speedway fuel. I was running stand alone though so I cant vouch for a chip tune. The OBD1 crank is probably a little tougher than the OBD2 crank as well since the OBD1 crank is forged not cast like the OBD2. The compression is actually closer to 9.6:1. If you can its best to have a head spacer to be safe.


Yeah, isnt the comp ratio in a mk5 2.0T like 9.6:1 too?


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## i4turbo (Oct 26, 2006)

lots of ppl boost stock bottom end with stock compression ABAs

I had run 10psi on my mk3 aba for months, with stock computer... never had a single issue...


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## colovw (Aug 27, 2007)

i4turbo said:


> lots of ppl boost stock bottom end with stock compression ABAs
> 
> I had run 10psi on my mk3 aba for months, with stock computer... never had a single issue...


It's not the 10psi on stock bottom end I'm worried about. I've been running that for a while. It's the other 5 psi I'm going to add to it that worries me.


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## Daskoupe (Oct 9, 2006)

you guys ....

14psi on stock c/r for 2 years no problem

If your AFR's are fine it will be fine


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

Daskoupe said:


> you guys ....
> 
> 14psi on stock c/r for 2 years no problem
> 
> If your AFR's are fine it will be fine


Its just not A/F's.... I poped cyl 1 and 4's ring lands on 15-16psi (50trim) on stock compression, A/F's mid 11's... it was wicked


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## colovw (Aug 27, 2007)

GTijoejoe said:


> Its just not A/F's.... I poped cyl 1 and 4's ring lands on 15-16psi (50trim) on stock compression, A/F's mid 11's... it was wicked


Good to hear someone got away with it. joejoe, that exactly what I was wondering about. How long did it last?


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

colovw said:


> Good to hear someone got away with it. joejoe, that exactly what I was wondering about. How long did it last?


Not very long, it basically over boosted a few pulls (cold evening) and that was it, limped it home on 2 cylinders. Keep in mind everyone's experiences will be slightly different. The condition of everyone's engine, elevation, turbo size, accuracy of boost gauge etc.


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

Ok first of all your theory on psi is all wrong. 15psi on a KO3 and 15psi on a GT42r are not the same. That said I run 19-20 psi on a stock aba longblock with 85 and haltech and make 329whp and 273 ftlbs.

As far as OBD1 vs OBD2. Well unless your going for the world record any of them will do just fine. AFAIK all the rods and pistons are the same (forged rods,cast pistons). The only difference is in the cast vs forged crank which your never going to break anyways.

The first thing to go is going to be the stock head bolts and this will cost the head to lift and eventually blow head gasket. The next thing to go will be the stock rod bolts (unless your tune sucks then it will be your ring lands).

I had the head bolts fail already so I now have studs and steel layer head gasket. The rod bolts should be here on monday and then I will bump it up to 400whp for a while and see how it likes it.


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## rweird (Apr 10, 2004)

^agreed

but that being said i ran 14psi from a t3s60 without issue. turbo went and i upgraded to a t3to4e 50 trim and i ran 14psi with that (actually had the mbc set wrong for a day or two and spike my boost gauge a few times 25+psi). never blew a hg. i then put a head spacer in (9:1)with arp studs and ran 22psi for a few months until the 123k mile stock rings on cylinder 4 said no more. the aba is a strong engine.:thumbup: obd2 btw


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## masterqaz (Oct 5, 2007)

i miss my aba, they are tough engines, rev limiter all day long 1st 2nd 3rd and she never quit. i couldnt kill it haha.


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## Agtronic (May 14, 2001)

There are many factors to consider. 

The crank is a non-issue at this power level. Your weakest link is the piston ring lands. 

Some guys get away with lots of boost, with little to no idea where the AFR and ignition timing are. If you're going to be driving the car hard, as in, long runs in boost, highway runs etc ... you cannot run it as agressively. Some people say they run 25 daily, but they barely do 3 seconds of boost at a time. 

It's all relative. If you want it to be reliable, run 10 lbs, and make sure your AFR is in check. Igition timing plays an important role too, but if you have no way of adjusting it, there's no point discussing it. 

Hope that helps!


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## rweird (Apr 10, 2004)

Agtronic said:


> There are many factors to consider.
> 
> The crank is a non-issue at this power level. Your weakest link is the piston ring lands.
> 
> ...


 i beat the piss out of my car. damn rings. :laugh: 

with that being said i agree on stock compression with the stg 1 chip i wouldnt run more than 10psi from a t3 or bigger. sure a ko3 you could push more but boost is going to come on so early youll be eating transmissions.


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

Well if you look at it like that, drag slicks and my turbo with antilag probably isnt very good on them either  12psi at zero MPH


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## danz44 (May 14, 2010)

TIGninja said:


> Well if you look at it like that, drag slicks and my turbo with antilag probably isnt very good on them either  12psi at zero MPH


 you ever going to pm me back the details on tuning obd1 with tunerpro ??


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## colovw (Aug 27, 2007)

Good info guys. Thanks:thumbup:


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## 8valvinsleeper (Jul 13, 2007)

Someone Mentioned before that 15 psi of boost on a K03 and 15 psi of boost on a GT42R are not the same. Those two turbochargers are VERY different so you obviously do not need to compare turbo maps to know that you'll be making more low end torque with the smaller one. 15 psi at 3,000 rpm IN THEORY has the same effective compression ratio as 15psi at 6,000rpm....BUT being that Torque numbers are different, total cylinder pressure is different. a GT17 Turbo tuned for 15 psi will blow up a 4 cylinder engine before a T-66 Turbo tuned for 15 psi will.


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

8valvinsleeper said:


> Someone Mentioned before that 15 psi of boost on a K03 and 15 psi of boost on a GT42R are not the same. Those two turbochargers are VERY different so you obviously do not need to compare turbo maps to know that you'll be making more low end torque with the smaller one. 15 psi at 3,000 rpm IN THEORY has the same effective compression ratio as 15psi at 6,000rpm....BUT being that Torque numbers are different, total cylinder pressure is different. a GT17 Turbo tuned for 15 psi will blow up a 4 cylinder engine before a T-66 Turbo tuned for 15 psi will.


 What? :what:


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

Got the rod bolts in the car today. Tomorrow im going to try to get 400whp on a mostly stock OBD1 longblock.


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## danz44 (May 14, 2010)

8valvinsleeper said:


> Someone Mentioned before that 15 psi of boost on a K03 and 15 psi of boost on a GT42R are not the same. Those two turbochargers are VERY different so you obviously do not need to compare turbo maps to know that you'll be making more low end torque with the smaller one. 15 psi at 3,000 rpm IN THEORY has the same effective compression ratio as 15psi at 6,000rpm....BUT being that Torque numbers are different, total cylinder pressure is different. a GT17 Turbo tuned for 15 psi will blow up a 4 cylinder engine before a T-66 Turbo tuned for 15 psi will.


 i guess you have never heard of compressor efficiency, or learned in school that cold air is denser than warm air... oh well.


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

Im up to 370whp and 300tq on my stock compression and stock internals 8v.


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## danz44 (May 14, 2010)

TIGninja said:


> Im up to 370whp and 300tq on my stock compression and stock internals 8v.


 nice dude thats serious power. 

good for easy easy low 11's w/ slicks and a 2200lb vehicle.


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

danielzeilstra said:


> nice dude thats serious power.
> 
> good for easy easy low 11's w/ slicks and a 2200lb vehicle.


 Its a MK1. With me in it it weighs 2010lbs.


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## danz44 (May 14, 2010)

better fire up the tig and get the cromoly cage in


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## GTijoejoe (Oct 6, 2001)

TIGninja said:


> Im up to 370whp and 300tq on my stock compression and stock internals 8v.


 :sly::sly: PM


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

[email protected] 123.67 And I only got one run out of it because it flung a rod right at the trap


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## Daskoupe (Oct 9, 2006)

well there it is folks


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## Mark Morris (Dec 15, 2001)

Right around 300 wtq is where the stock pistons get iffy. If the tune is good, wrist pin bosses give out before anything else is a problem. A small turbine makes the problem worse with big torque spikes-- avoid that situation at all costs.


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## colovw (Aug 27, 2007)

TIGninja said:


> Im up to 370whp and 300tq on my stock compression and stock internals 8v.


You got a build page or specs somewhere?


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

colovw said:


> You got a build page or specs somewhere?


http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4829923-The-super-slappy-attack-rabbit.


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## colovw (Aug 27, 2007)

TIGninja said:


> http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4829923-The-super-slappy-attack-rabbit.


Sick:thumbup:


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## TIGninja (Mar 21, 2010)

Looks like I am going to try a 3A bottom end and see how far I can push that thing. Pray for it


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## colovw (Aug 27, 2007)

Nice. keep us updated!


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