upgrading stock 97 Jetta

[fbirex]

I have little know how on how to work on or fix a car. And I was wanting to know what would be a good way for me to upgrade my car to get more HP and that wouldn't be that hard for me to do or cost too much $$$. I was thinking a performance header and new exhaust. IF that is the way to go what are some cheap but good quality parts? What do i need to look for?

[Dr.Gonzo]

Hey what's up? Well don't bother with a header bosal, genie, supersprint, and OBX all make headers for VR6's and they have proven to either give no hp or lose hp.
Exhaust, Chip, and Cold Air Intake would be a simple and relatively inexpensive way to go about getting a few more hp's out of the bullet proof VR6. Do you have a manual or Auto?

Turn2 and KCD both sell motor and tranni mounts relatively cheap.
The VR6 is kind of expensive to modify so I'd save quite a bit between each purchase.

I would go for a
1.Turn2 Cold Air Intake 250.00
2. Exhaust-GHL,Bosal, Remus,Borla, Magnaflow or Neuspeed. I believe the Magnaflow and Boral are around 400-500.
3. For a performance chip. GIAC, Techtonics, Autotech Qchip, AMS makes a chip, Upsolute, wetterauer, and Neuspeed. The Neuspeed makes the least hp but is the least expensive also.
100-250 is the price range.
Motor mounts. Don't really make hp but they do keep your engine from moving and so they help put more hp to the ground.

www.supremepower.com
www.neuspeed.com
www.techtonics.com
www.autotech.com
www.Matrixmotors.com

All these websites will have the items I just mentioned. All have good customer service and will help you decide how you might want to go about modding your VR6. I don't know if the Techtonics web address I posted is exact so just go to a search engine and type it in and you will get there also.
Hey good luck the VR6 once opened up a little with and exhaust and Cold Air Intake is awsome sounding. One thing don't buy an open air filter b/c it will get what's called the hotbox effect. The intake is next the the engine which gets really hot so the hot air going into the intake will cause heatsoak and thinner air to go into the intake.
A Cold Air Intake is by the lower right fender. This will get the air right at the fender and it will be colder hence a thicker Intake Charge hence more hp.

The Intake will get you between 6-9whp
Power increase noticeable at 2800rpms-45000

The Chip dending on which you choose 8-12whp
Power is noticeable around 2000Rpms-72000rpms

The exhaust 3-5whp
Power noticeable around 4500rpms-72000rpms.

I hope this helped.

[fbirex]

Well I guess I should have mentioned this, I have a 2.0 not the VR6, But thanks for all the info. Does it still apply to the 2.0? And I also have a manual.

[Dr.Gonzo]

Well the sites I posted you can get stuff for the 2.0 like at Neuspeed there's a super charger but that's like 1200. There'a also cam gears, a cam, a chip, and some other stuff like headers. it's sort of hard to upgrade the 8v 4cylinder to make large hp gains. Also yes CAI

[fbirex]

Thanks for the post back. But whats CAI?

[Mybrainisawaffle]

Cold Air Intake.

Runs cold air from the outside for intake. Colder the air = better combustion = Slight HP gain. Short ram intake just sucks hot engine bay air in. But Cold air can be dangerous in a really wet climate, 'cause if your CAI sucks up just some water into the engine, your engine is fuxxored. I think just swiss cheesing your stock airbox would be safe and you'd still get better air flow.

[Dr.Gonzo]

You have to literally have your front end submerged in water for your car to suck up the water to hydrolock your engine. I live in Omaha Nebraska where the winters and springs are really wet, and I haven't hydrolocked my car nor has anyone I've known hydrolocked their car. Also look up and see how many times that's happened.