Table of Contents

Here are the chapter headings and subheadings for the Water-cooled Volkswagen Performance Handbook. This should give you some idea what is in the book. For more detail, follow the "Preview" link on the left side of this page, or check out the "Look Inside" feature on the book's Amazon.com page.

Front matter

Acknowledgements

Preface

  • Philosophy
  • Compromise
  • Caveat emptor
Introduction
  • About your warranty
  • About air pollution, laws, and inspections
  • About dynamometer numbers
  • About hot rodding
  • About those who do the work
  • About your budget
  • About safety
  • Chassis types
Chapter 1: Bolt-on Performance
  • Tune-ups
  • Exhausts
  • 'Recurved' distributors
  • Engine management system chips
  • Mild cam and valve springs
  • Adjustable cam sprockets
  • Throttle bodies
  • Supercharger
  • Carburetors
  • Unplugging the oxygen sensor
  • Breakerless ignition
  • Coils
  • 'Limited-slip' differential
  • Driving school
Chapter 2: Engine Swaps
  • Considerations
  • Choices
  • Costs
  • A1 swaps
  • A2 swaps
  • A3 swaps
  • Diesel swaps
  • Audi engines
  • Preparation
  • Engine mounts
  • Transaxles
    • The Automatic Question
    • Constant velocity joints and axles
  • Electrical
  • Cooling system
  • Fuel system
  • Exhaust
  • Linkages
Chapter 3: Engine Build-ups
  • Replacement engines
  • Tools and techniques
  • Cleanliness
  • Blueprinting
  • Plastigage
  • Leakdown testing
  • Compression testing
  • Increasing engine size
  • Metal Preparation
    • Magnafluxing
    • Nitriding
    • Shot peening
    • Moly impregnation
    • Gun Kote
    • Zirconium oxide coating
  • Blocks
  • Differences among blocks
  • Preparation
  • Crankcase oil jets
  • Bolts vs studs
  • Crankshafts
  • Differences among crankshafts
  • Preparation
  • Bearings
  • Flywheels
  • Rods
  • Choices
  • Preparation
  • Pistons
  • Choices
  • Piston pins
  • Compression ratio
  • Checking compression ratio
  • Clearances
  • Coatings
  • Rings
  • Motor mounts
  • Assembly
  • Start-up
Chapter 4: Cylinder Heads
  • Two-valve heads
    • Carbureted
    • Early fuel injected
    • Heron
    • GTI
    • GTI with air-shrouded injectors
    • Hydraulic
    • 1996 2.0 liter heads
    • Head gaskets
  • Four-valve heads
  • Porting and polishing
  • Using a flow bench
  • Unshrouding the valves
  • Valves
    • Sizing
    • Selecting
    • Cutting valve angles
    • Valve seats
    • Cutting valve seat angles
    • Lapping the valves
    • Valve guides
  • Selecting a high-performance head
  • Camshaft bearing problems
  • Miscellaneous tips and techniques
  • Valve cover studs
  • Oil splash/blow-by guard
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Moly impregnation
Chapter 5: Camshafts
  • Theory
  • Camshaft operating parameters
    • Intake opening and closing
    • Exhaust opening and closing
    • Duration
    • Lobe centers
    • Valve overlap
    • Cam timing
    • Lobe profile
    • Lift
    • Area under the curve
    • Base circle
  • Billets
  • Selecting a camshaft
  • Fuel-injected camshafts
  • Carburetor camshafts
  • Supercharger camshafts
  • Other concerns
  • Cam sprockets
  • Cam belts
  • Installing an adjustable cam sprocket
  • Installing an 8V camshaft
    • Removal
    • Installation
  • Installing a 16V camshaft
    • Removal
    • Installation
  • Checking camshaft specifications
    • Method 1
    • Method 2
  • Timing the camshaft to the engine
  • Valve train
  • Valve springs
  • Valve guide seals
  • Retainers
  • Followers
  • Adjusting the valves
Chapter 6: Lubrication
  • Oil pumps
  • Oil pans
  • Magnetic drain plugs
  • Prelubrication
  • Filtration
  • Oil additives
  • Oil analysis
Chapter 7: Air and Fuel
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Infrared gas analyzers
  • Computer diagnostic analyzers
  • Exhaust gas temperature readings
  • Fuel injection
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Tweaks
  • Black boxes
  • Throttle bodies
  • Intake Manifolds
  • CIS air sensor housings
  • Air filters
  • Fuel filters
  • Hot-start problems
  • Fuel injectors
  • Injector O-rings
  • Repairs
  • Special fuels and fuel additives
Chapter 8: Forced Induction
  • Theory
  • Turbochargers
  • Superchargers
    • Volkswagen G-Lader
    • Advanced Motorsport Solutions supercharger
    • Autotech Supercharger
  • Fuel enrichment
  • Ignition
  • Intercoolers
  • Water injection
  • Nitrous oxide
  • Traditional set-ups
  • Fogger nozzles
  • Individual injectors
Chapter 9: Exhaust systems
  • Pollution control equipment
  • Exhaust gas recirculation
  • Catalytic converter
  • Oxygen sensor
  • Headers
  • Cast-iron manifolds
  • Aftermarket manifolds
  • Porting and gaskets
  • A3 exhaust rattle
  • High-performance exhausts
  • Flex couplings and motor mounts
  • Muffler hangers
Chapter 10: Cooling
  • Water Cooling
  • Fan Switches
  • Thermostats
  • Radiators
  • Water pumps
  • Special coolants
  • Coatings
  • Oil Cooling
  • Calibrating the oil temperature gauge
  • Types of oil cooler
Chapter 11: Transaxles and drivetrain
  • Clutches
  • Reinforcing the transaxle
  • Differential problems
  • Transaxle Swap: Five Speeds in Place of Four
  • Shift Points
  • Gear ratios and shift points
  • Six-speed transaxle conversions
  • Overdrive fifth-gears
  • Limited-slip differentials
    • GTI 'Mini-Slip'
    • Torque biasing
    • Detent
    • Friction Clutch
    • Viscous
    • Antislip
  • Lubrication and maintenance
  • Magnetic drain plug
  • Constant-velocity joints
  • Wheel bearings
  • Front Hubs
  • Linkage
  • Weighted shift rods
Chapter 12: Suspension and Steering
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Shocks
  • Springs
  • Kits
  • Front suspension
  • Anti-roll Bars
  • High-performance bushings
  • Boxing the lower A-arms
  • Front stress bars
  • Rear suspension
  • Anti-roll bars
  • Rear stress bars
  • Steering
  • Weight redistribution
  • Corner balancing
Chapter 13: Tires and Wheels
  • The Plus concept
  • The Plus 1 and Plus 2 concepts
  • Balancing
  • Rotating
  • Tire pressure
  • Tire shaving
  • Selecting wheels
  • Selecting tires
  • Snow performance
  • Miscellaneous tips and techniques
Chapter 14: Brakes
  • Brake pads
  • Brake squeak
  • Slotting the pads
  • Bedding the pads
  • Drilling or slotting the rotors
  • Upgrading the front brakes
    • A1 front brakes
    • A2 front brakes
    • A3 front brakes
    • A4 front brakes
  • Upgrading rear brakes
  • Proportioning valves
  • Master cylinders
  • Braided stainless-covered Teflon brake lines
  • Brake fluid
Chapter 15: Body and Chassis
  • Straightening your car after a wreck
  • Stress bars
  • Body kits
  • Air dams
  • Wind splits
  • A-pillar fairings
  • Rear spoilers
  • Side skirts
Chapter 16: Electrical Systems
  • Ignitions
  • Allison/Crane
  • Perlux
  • MSD
  • Factory breakerless
  • Factory knock-sensor ignition
  • Distributors
  • Spark plugs
  • Engine management chips
  • Wiring modifications
  • Gauges
  • Lights
  • Remote relays
  • Intermittent wipers
  • Roof-mounted antennas
Chapter 17: Accessories
  • Alarms
  • Radio lock
  • Wheel locks
  • Vehicle retention
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Radar and radio detectors and protectors
  • Steering wheels
  • Seating
  • Analysis methods
  • Stopwatch
  • Computers
  • Accelerometers
  • Windshield wipers
Appendices
Index


The 3rd edition
of my VW book
is now available!



The Raven