GTI gets pwnd by SmokinDav - MKV inside

I believe those fasteners are called 'triple squares'. They actually have 3/8 drive bits for them at Lowes under the Kobalt brand last time I checked.

Did a quick fuel filter replacement today. The old filter was only a few years old.

Old:

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New:

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In reply to smokindav: yea on pistol packing auto transactions.....who tagged your grosh?

The King has got some Pipes!

The air cleaner monstrosity that sits on top of these engines is retarded. Designed by retarded German retards. Mine was even worse as the hold downs were all worn/broken so it basically sits on top of the engine affixed by gravity and two meager clamps over by the turbo inlet.

Then this arrived:

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Our own SeStone hooked me up with an EVO Motorsports intake.

First, take off the old garbage.

Take turbo inlet hose off - this is the worst part of the job. It would probably be easier if I would give in and buy some of those spring clamp pliers.

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Remove MAF.

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Put MAF in new pipe:

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Install cold air box thing:

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Install piping:

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All done:

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Now, on to the fun stuff. Dinner! The King's Cheeseburgers with the Works! Delicious!

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Finally got around to finishing up the front brakes this morning. Installed stainless steel brake lines and finished putting new rotor and pads on driver's side.

Update coming soon: preview....

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3" downpipe, Catless

I installed one of those $100 eBay downpipes from China on my GTI tonight. The part quality and welds are fine. It fits fine. Definitely worth the $100.

The install was straightforward - I did have to file on the flange holes a little to get everything to line up at the turbo outlet. The worst part of the job is crawling around on the floor at my age. At least it wasn't hot out as we have Tropical Story Cindy making an appearance, so the temps are down.

The exhaust sounds nice - not very loud. Just right. I couldn't really get on it much during the test drive as it's raining and all the car does is spin through first and second and part of third.

Here's a few pictures:

Yer gonna wanna elevate the car as much as possible during this install.

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Stash the stock downpipe in the back of your garage because you are going to need to reinstall it for yearly inspection.

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Put the front O2 sensor in.

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Exhaust hanger:

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Pretty:

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Next on the menu is a tune.

Do you get a check engine light, since the downstream (after the cat) O2 sensor is no longer happy, or did you do something to cancel that signal out?

I already have a check engine light because I need to change my thermostat (it's a VW thing). But, yes, the CEL will illuminate. The tune should take care of it. Not sure if I can turn it off with VAGCOM?

einy wrote: Do you get a check engine light, since the downstream (after the cat) O2 sensor is no longer happy, or did you do something to cancel that signal out?

Don't think you can turn it off with VAGCOM. The tuners can tho. Having to swap that back and forth every year kinda sucks tho!

Maybe try an O2 sensor extender to potentially clear the code for the missing cat?

AMAZON LINKY

I've had some time to drive the car around a bit. SeStone recommended that I go with a 3" downpipe to the stock cat back as the car could still use up all the stock fuel pump fuel with this exhaust setup and an intake.

He was right- the car sounds like stock when you are just cruising around, but wide open it sounds just right - you can tell it's not stock, but not how much not stock. Great sleeper exhaust.

Now, with a tune, the intake and exhaust the car will be 240-250hp at the front wheels. This is about as far as the stock high pressure injection pump can go. After this point it is bigger turbo, aftercooler, meth injection (maybe), more fuel pump and injectors.

The sweet spot for these cars is just about where I'm at. For less than $1000 you can do the intake, downpipe and tune and go from about 175 wheel hp to 240-250hp. For a fun little small turbo car, it's hard to beat. Good gas mileage - I'm averaging between 23.9 and 24.1 on 93 octane. Zippy little boost buggy that makes me smile and makes the 33 mile to work commute fun.

Highly recommended. All that being said, I do miss rear wheel drive V8's and my next car will hopefully be a Mustang GT350 in another year or so.

GTI Wrenching Session Gone Bad - Consolation Beer(s) Required

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Today's GTI wrenching session was supposed to be an simple oil change and a high pressure fuel pump cam follower replacement. The oil change featured black plasticy gunk in the oil filter- source unknown. The high pressure fuel pump cam follower featured carnage. And incidental damage to a cooling system fitting. Car is currently undriveable.

Guys and Gals - change your fuel pump cam followers. I thought mine would be ok as the car seemed to run ok other than slightly extended cranking time when cold starting. Plus, the fuel filter I changed earlier in the thread was dated 2014 and the car has 141,000 miles. Surely the cam follower has been replaced before and will not be an issue.

Surely I'm wrong:

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Apparently Germany thought it was a good idea to put a dainty little plastic nipple on top of a coolant y-fitting pipe. And apparently that nipple gets brittle and rotten over time. I knocked it off and hardly notice it. Very stupid design.

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You must be my twin. 3 weeks ago I did the exact same thing on my 06 A3 (same basic car). Luckily, the coolant piece was only $13. FYI, I too have a longer cranking time when it's cold, and I'm not on to replacing the low pressure fuel pump in the tank.

Guys over on Corner-Carvers are telling me to replace the high pressure pump and intake cam. :( I guess I'll start putting parts in my cart on ecstuning.com. :(

Once you get that sorted out, I guess it's time to switch to Rotella or some similar oil that the solid lifter V8 guys use?

Is your engine a TSI, or a FSI? Wondering if my TSI has that same cruddy hpfp design ...

einy wrote: Is your engine a TSI, or a FSI? Wondering if my TSI has that same cruddy hpfp design ...

The TSI uses a roller follower.

Ok, I've had some time to cool down and accept my fate. I'm going to rip the whole front of this berkeleying car off tomorrow so I can sit on my shop roller chair and work on it like a gentlemen instead of hunched over from the top like some pavement monkey Neanderthal.

First, I'll have to do a little more research on this washer that is supposed to keep fuel from leaking out.

Second, I've got a list of a bunch of parts that I'm going to buy, including a new high pressure fuel line from pump to rail as it looks like I buggered up the ball fitting - but maybe I just need a washer?

Anyway, some pictures of the cam lob, fuel pump plunger and other bits. There's a lot of E36 M3 on the front of this engine that is going to have to be removed. Fun. :(

Cam scratches on the fuel pump lobe:

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Fuel pump plunger - lots of wear, it's not flat anymore:

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Does the washer go here, in the female fitting on the high pressure outlet of the pump?

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Or here, down in the male nut? Is this ball fitting too buggered up to seal, even with a washer?

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It's not an oil thing - the cam lobe for the fuel pump wasn't hardened correctly. Known issue, but I didn't find out about it until after I bought the car. :(

I run Rotella T6 or Mobil 1.

red_stapler wrote: Once you get that sorted out, I guess it's time to switch to Rotella or some similar oil that the solid lifter V8 guys use?

I have FSI. Car is a 2007.

einy wrote: Is your engine a TSI, or a FSI? Wondering if my TSI has that same cruddy hpfp design ...

I can't see your pictures because I'm at work, but I also had leaking out of that ball fitting and it ended up being the adapter for the banjo bolt had cracked in half.

It appears to be leaking at the area marked in pink.

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I've got $8xx worth of GTI parts on the way. Lock carrier is coming off the front of the car tonight. I hope to get the intake off as well so I can start cleaning the valves.

Parts should be here Thursday. Reassembly might take a night or two. Should be back on the road by next week.