MrP's GTI - Weekend of fail...

[6N2 GTI 00]

You have put that number plate holder in backwards the pattern isnt round the right way lol

I vagcom'd the gti. Was getting 100% on load so everything seems well on mine

I thought that too reference the plate holder

[MrP]

You have put that number plate holder in backwards the pattern isnt round the right way lol

I vagcom'd the gti. Was getting 100% on load so everything seems well on mine

Sweet, which measuring block was it in the end??

Which one is the wrong way around? The old bulb or the new bulb? The old one is the wrong way around as I re-fitted it quickly to show the difference.

[MrP]

b*******s..

Just spoke to VW and the GTi rear car mats are now obsolete and discontinued. They have no more in stock.. I don't want normal ones in the rear of my car so looks like I'm on the hunt for some used ones..

Bad times.

[alexperkins]

23rd of august mate it sucks I missed out too!

Umm 2 I think lol maybe 3 on Engine 1

[alexperkins]

Umm the old one I think...ill check mine lol

[MrP]

Changed my cambelt this weekend..

What a ball ache of a job.. Snapped a waterpump bolt, couldn't find a tool for removing the crankshaft pulley and just took so much longer than expected..

At least it's all done now.. Only took about 16hrs

Photo's up soon...

[alexperkins]

ouch mate how did you snap a waterpump bolt!

Ye the tool is a bit of a PITA. Theres a proper one you can get, or you can manufacture one but if you havent much time and its a sunday its pretty impossible to do either lol

[MrP]

ouch mate how did you snap a waterpump bolt!

Ye the tool is a bit of a PITA. Theres a proper one you can get, or you can manufacture one but if you havent much time and its a sunday its pretty impossible to do either lol

I have no idea, I was putting the new one in, hand tightening it up, they both went in easily and straight etc, I was torquing it up to 20nm as per paynes manual, I didn't even reach that and it just gave way, it was stuck out about 10mm out of the head too..

Eventually I had to weld a nut onto the protruding bolt.. took 6 attempts at welding a nut on too as the bolt kept shearing off on the weld surface.. Must have just been a really crap bolt.. Ended up using some really hard zinc plated bolts I had lying around, which were the same size.. Thanks VW

I also ended up undooing the crankshaft bolt by putting it in gear and having a mate stamp on the brakes.. Worked a right treat and came off in about 5 seconds!! I had a universal tool but the crankshaft holes were way too small!

[alexperkins]

The VW bolts are coated and are a bugger to weld onto

Thats very wierd normally things just fit back in first time perfect on OEM parts!

Lol thats an interesting way. You checked the timing was right after you put it all back together?

[MrP]

The VW bolts are coated and are a bugger to weld onto

Thats very wierd normally things just fit back in first time perfect on OEM parts!

Lol thats an interesting way. You checked the timing was right after you put it all back together?

Yeah, Thats why I always use OEM stuff.. Everything else went in perfect, it was just that one bolt.. Must have been a bad one.

The crankshaft bolt was a pikey way really , but after spending 3 hours on the hunt for a tool as VW didn't stock it I thought it was worth a try as i used to do that on all my mk3's... worked a treat and literally came straight off with no issues.

All the timing was spot on, tensioners were tightened properly etc.. Also removed the camshaft carrier and re-painted it and re-sealed it. I checked, doubled checked and checked again.

The car was a little tapetty when first started but calmed down once it had warmed up, everything was just settling in place etc. I've done 50 miles in it since and it's fine. The engine feels tighter and smoother, it's also quieter as the car was sounding a little on the electric side before..

Thing is, the cambelt (genuine VW) was 5 years old and had done nearly 50k and all the pulleys were mint, even that crap plastic one!! I think it could have done another 20k easily if I had re-tightened it all.

[MrP]

It's staying!!

As some of you will have seen my GTi was up for sale, I had crap interest, timewasters, test pilots and tyre kickers... I'm fed up with it and going to stick with the car for a while longer... Until early next year at least. Depends how my plans go...

And in hind sight I'm an idiot for trying to sell this car.. Everybody and I mean EVERYBODY comments on the car, from enthusiasts, rude boy's, chavs, grannies, middle aged people etc etc... Plus even fellow GTi owners comment how well it pulls compared to their own... It's truly a keeper..

I'm getting some cheap-ish coilovers next week (temporary until I save up for some good-uns) , some 16" wheels as soon as I find some I want... I was thinking some BBS RXII's in 16" and go for that OEM+ look, but I was helping my mate fit some motorsport wheels to his E36 328i - Compomotive MO's 8x17 with racing wet's.. 100% Genuine BTCC wheels and tyres by the way... I wouldn't mind some in 16" - But anyway, it got me thinking.....



I have always wanted to get into track days and racing cars... I practically fix everything on my cars and I love geometry, car set ups, anything engineering and getting cars performing to their optimum,, What a waste doing this to a car and not utilising it.... So.. Why not track day this GTi? It's light, nippy and a 1600 so would be good for the sub 1600 n/a class... it'll take some work and a good few thousand pounds to get it ready.. but meh... why not.. I could go out and spend it on other usless stuff, why not on something I enjoy.. The car isn't worth a great deal in hind sight and potentially I will be getting a brand new car in the next year-ish meaning the GTi can become a real track weapon/toy... Something I have dreamed about since I fell in love with cars as a young boy...

So, I'm preparing the GTi for track use early next year.. All bearing are getting replaced, brakes upgraded to 280mm, grooved and drilled (same goes for rear) including braided hoses and some good pads.. New bushes and engine mounts all around... Rebuilt gearbox is a must with upgraded diff rivets (read high-tensile bolts) and 5th gear bearing with new CV joints all around.. Maybe a Quaife diff could be in the pipeline...?

I'm already in discussion with a mate who used to work for a certain VW performance tuning company doing their CAD models for intake and exhaust manifolds and he has experience with 600+bhp 1.8t's... So a little 1.6 polo should be easy enough to play with... A fully custom 4 branch (similar to the KAM racing Lupo one) and matching exhaust system with a high-flow cat is in the pipeline.. Obviously a group buy batch will be on offer... I'm hoping for figures of 10bhp+ with this... A re-map will follow suit...

Cams + port and polished head is a must when I finally get my well deserved pay-rise... I'm hoping for figures of 170bhp+ This will be a lairy ass cam.. I love lumpy cam induced idles...

And yes.. I know 1.8t's have more power, tune-ability and stuff.. But realistically it's a £3,000 conversion for a boring 1.8t. Give me a screaming, light, 16v anyday of the week. Spend the same amount on this engine and your onto something truly special. The last rev happy 16v engine VW made in my opinion, someone needs to do something with it...

Everybody, discuss...

[Bradley]

Plans sound superb mate.

Im sure everyone will be behind you on this one and looks foward to all the progress to come.These cars are great and it's nice to see someone taking it down a different route.

Good luck buddy and s**t happen.

[emma_88]

Plans sound awesome!

Look forward to reading your progress Rich

[6N2 GTI 00]

Sounds like some good plans, similar to what I had in mind bar the track days.
You should be able to achieve 170bhp realistically but getting anymore than that is where the mega bucks start coming in.

Its probably going to set you back about £3000 if you can save on labour costs by doing it yourself.
You will want the Schrick 256 Duration Intake & Exhaust Cams and they are not cheap, with a custom Phase 2 map your looking at around £1300.

I am sending Kam Racing some pictures of the GTI manifold set up and hopefully they can produce something similar to the 4-1 Lupo Manifold.
Not sure what the fitment difference is between the two cars though? i'll let you know how I get one with that one.

The Raceland manifold seems to make very little difference performance wise compared to what Kam Racing have achieved with the 4-1 Lupo GTI manifold.

[MrP]

Sounds like some good plans, similar to what I had in mind bar the track days.
You should be able to achieve 170bhp realistically but getting anymore than that is where the mega bucks start coming in.

Its probably going to set you back about £3000 if you can save on labour costs by doing it yourself.
You will want the Schrick 256 Duration Intake & Exhaust Cams and they are not cheap, with a custom Phase 2 map your looking at around £1300.

I am sending Kam Racing some pictures of the GTI manifold set up and hopefully they can produce something similar to the 4-1 Lupo Manifold.
Not sure what the fitment difference is between the two cars though? i'll let you know how I get one with that one.

The Raceland manifold seems to make very little difference performance wise compared to what Kam Racing have achieved with the 4-1 Lupo GTI manifold.

Yeah boi!!!

I'm doing everything myself.. I noticed your post on Schrick cams.. Where did you get you're information from regarding cost and fitting? I could happily fit myself unless they do something special with the cams.. It would only take me a couple of hours, sod paying £350 labour for some underpaid grease apprentice to f**k something up. I've never had a good experience with mechanics.

Well, the KAM racing one looks gorgeous, well made and truly up to it's job.. But at around the £600-700 mark, I don't think so for 10bhp.. If I make my own it'll be just as good, cheaper and something I can be proud about.. Plus I've been needing to pull my finger out and start a side business for car parts.. This should get the ball rolling... Polo Gti Performace!!

I was tempted to get a raceland one.. But your still looking a £300 by the time you cut and shut all the un-needed crap off.. for what 2bhp if that?? Although everytime I open my bonnet and see my poo brown Mcdonalds straws of a manifold I get sad...