DTA Engine management

Using the standard Golf Mk1 GTi engine management was impossible with the planned engine upgrades.

The DTA kit at the time was the cheapest and most accessible option. Not many changes are required, with only the crank sensor and the water temperature sensor needing any fabrication. 

The 6a/9a engine block has two mounting points next to the crank where a bracket can be mounted to add the crank sensor. There are various examples of brackets on the internet for this setup. 

The one that was the best-looking is below. 

I used the crank sensor from Ford OE No. 6740816, which was used in the Escort Mk3/Mk4/Mk5 and the Mondeo Mk1. I used the mounting points on the back of the engine rather than the side to mount the bracket and kept it really simple, Just an L-shape with a hole on the short part of the L.

For ignition, I used a  VALEO 245041 Ignition Coil. You can find these on the Peugoet 106, 205, 206 & 405. For the air temp and water temp sensors, I used Bosch 0280 130 039 &  Bosch 0280 013 026. 

The throttle position sensor is 

• Logarithmic Throttle Potentiometer
• Type PF4B - anticlockwise. (Part Number WTP069).
• Shaft drive: Requires 4mm double ‘D’ drive.
• Resistance: 550 Ohm

These were used by various car manufacturers over the years, including the Ferrari F40 1992 (Part No 137206), and once were £50 each, but now, if you can find one, they are expensive (£400-ish). If I had to do it again, I would use a Bosh 0280122001. These came in the Peugeot 106, 306, 405, 605, 805 and  are around £25 or the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 & Escort RS Cosworth  throttle position sensor, which used the PF09

I mounted the ECU behind the scuttle panel behind the plate where the original electronic ignition control module was located and put some stainless plate over the top to help keep the water away from it. I doubt water can reach it, as the electronic ignition control module was moisture-free. 

The DTA E48 ECU has a digital rev counter output, which does not work with the MK1 Golf tacho as it expects a voltage pulse. I found that the Golf Mk1 & Mk2  1.8T conversion had the same problem as the 1.8T engine also has a digital rev counter output. The guys on the forum used the MSD Tach Adapter to get the old Golf Rev counter to work. In the diagram below, the TACH OUTPUT is the Tach output from your ECU. The Violet wire is the feed to your rev counter in the dash, this is the wire that usually comes from your coil. 

The MSD Tacho was louder than expected and made a ticking noise, which was too loud for inside the car, so I mounted mine in front of the ECU under the scuttle panel in the engine bay where the electronic ignition control module was located. 

The car was originally mapped by John Noble Motorsport when they were in Chesterfield, then again by Chip Wizard when he was in Minlrow Shaw. 

The original power output from this engine was:

• 134 hp @ 5800 rpm 
• 180 nm @ 4400 rpm

After the mapping, the output was: 

• 174 bhp @ 6760 rpm
• 193 nm @ 4729 rpm