Do it all Sportwagen - street/hoon/track/drag you name it....this is the way...

[Dog Dad Wagon]

A st1 87 is pretty mild power and torque increase...I don't think it adds much value.

While it’s not like an IS20 or IS38, it’s still 100 tq and 70 hp (170HP/184TQ > 240HP/280TQ). That’s a 52% increase in torque. If the haldex is still doing the same thing as 184 TQ then I imagine there was some increased wear going on with the haldex clutch. Strange it isn’t simply based on requested ECU torque - send equivalent request to Haldex clutch (whatever that equation comes out to).

 

[ClancyMcCintock]

Is there any logical way to compare your VIR numbers to Car and Driver’s Lightning Lap numbers? Or might you have the numbers for the same loop?

I’d like to see how this compares.

Also, I see you had timing chain tensioner hardware failure. That sounds worrisome.
is that something we should check?

 

[tigeo]

Is there any logical way to compare your VIR numbers to Car and Driver’s Lightning Lap numbers? Or might you have the numbers for the same loop?

I’d like to see how this compares.

Also, I see you had timing chain tensioner hardware failure. That sounds worrisome.
is that something we should check?

Sorry I missed this post.

No way to compare the Grand Course to Full Course...but next year I plan on attending the Track Daze event in Nov that runs Grand Course the first day so that will be it!

Timing chain tensioner...things happens sometimes, no there it nothign you need to worry about or check on MK7. This was just "shit happens" deal best we (shop) can tell.

 

[tigeo]

A bit of an update....

Car is nearly at 97K/5 years old. Did/will do a bunch of maintenance over the next few mos. beyond oil changes with the High Performance Lubricants Euro 5W40 "super oil" namely:

• DSG service (Liquimoly) - done, waiting on analysis results to plot with my other 2 changes so 3 changes in 100K miles but I'm dropping my interval as I do more track; this time was just ~23K miles.
• Plugs (APR) - done, look fine at 13K miles/1 year, gap opened to 0.022" from how they come at 0.020".
• Haldex (Febi) - will do in December, will be 3x changes in 100K miles.
• Bevel box (Redline) - December, will add a mag drain plug, second change so really every other DSG/Haldex is what I plan on doing which is overkill TBH....same with the r. diff.
• Rear differential (Redline) - December, will add a mag drain plug.

Also did a compression test today when I did my plugs, ~180 across all 4 so well within normal range per VW/no low cylinders/only small differences of a few psi...makes sense as I'm not down on power.

Tried the EBC RP-1 track pads (buybrakes.com, coupon code, ~$200) at Summit Point Shenandoah last weekend for Fastivus. Brilliant! Lots of pedal modulation vs. the APR Advanced Track Day pads. EBC Bluestuff NDX out back continue to be "no drama" but are at ~backing plate thickness (~4-5mm) so may change those out before VIR so that's . At ~$95 a set (buybrakes.com), not really worth having to risk doing it at the track (not really a big deal I guess...I rented a garage for both of the upcoming VIR events in Nov (Audi Club) band Dec (Tidewater). 5 track days/2 auto crosses/8K street miles....I think they'd be fine for the first 2 day event but not past that. Shenandoah is brake-intensive vs. VIR. My front APR 350x34mm rotor rings are now 32mm which is the min. thickness so I ordered a new set of those from NGP...backordered so hopefully will be in by end of Oct. At this point I'll send one of my old rings to Coleman Racing to have them make me up some at 50%+ of the cost of the APR ones plus won't get caught without spares again!

Retired my Accelera 651 Sport "bo-bo/Indonesium" 200tw tires....and picked up some Nexen N'Fera Sport Rs. 245 Nexens are actually wider than the 255 Acceleras so always do your research/look at section width when comparing tire sizes between brands! These were killer at Summit Point and I'm happy that I moved up to a grippier tire but keep in mind...they were 2x the price of the Acceleras. I'll say it again and again...if you want cheap lapping tires, the Accelaras were great; I have some on my son's Ford Focus for autoX. At $420 delivered, unreal deal again....if you aren't chasing lap times where clearly they can't keep up with the more popular faster tires on the market. I corded the Acceleras on the left rear with lots of tread across the rest of the tires left; 8 track days/2 autoX/1 year on those tires pluse quite a few '000 street miles (loud AF BTW). If you want the cheap tires, tirestreets.com and use EASTHOOD code for 20% off. These are listed as 200s but they are likely more like a 300 so grip levels similar (less!) than a good street summer (Michelin PS4S/Conti ECS) but will last/be consistent over a 20 min+ session without getting greasy like street tires will do plus you aren't destroying a ~$1000 set of tires! I got the Nexens from True Performance Motorsport in CA.

Lots of new videos on my YouTube channel so please....watch/like/subscribe...over700 subscribers now!!!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmWdUJoeOcZYSP1Ei5n4pog

End comms.

 

[tigeo]

 

[tigeo]

And finally....I got a top-10 at Fastivus (show)!

 

[Dog Dad Wagon]

Lmk when You wanna sell it

 

[tigeo]

Lmk when You wanna sell it

Ha. Never happening. Bought it to keep as I should!

 

[golfdave]

@tigeo You're not running a rear brace (rear seat/boot area) are you??......You might remember I got the VWRacingline one but sent it back as the bar was too long & the clips too short as its mainly made for the Hatch, & our estate boot trim is different in the area around the rear seat clips/hooks.

I have noticed the new-ish ECS tuning brace which has an adjustable length bar (via the ends) & in the instructions they acknowledge the difference of the trim between the hatch & the estate, & have a solution. I've had a good look at it & I think its way better than the VWracingline one, I also like the usage of rose joints at the bar ends, much like the MK5/6 Golf one made by Tyrolsport (who still haven't made a MK7 one). Also ECS sell just the top bar on its own...which is what I'm thinking about getting if they come up on "Black Friday" deals....Just to stiffen the rear bodyshell up like a conventional saloon with a fixed rear window.

 

[tigeo]

@tigeo You're not running a rear brace (rear seat/boot area) are you??......You might remember I got the VWRacingline one but sent it back as the bar was too long & the clips too short as its mainly made for the Hatch, & our estate boot trim is different in the area around the rear seat clips/hooks.

I have noticed the new-ish ECS tuning brace which has an adjustable length bar (via the ends) & in the instructions they acknowledge the difference of the trim between the hatch & the estate, & have a solution. I've had a good look at it & I think its way better than the VWracingline one, I also like the usage of rose joints at the bar ends, much like the MK5/6 Golf one made by Tyrolsport (who still haven't made a MK7 one). Also ECS sell just the top bar on its own...which is what I'm thinking about getting if they come up on "Black Friday" deals....Just to stiffen the rear bodyshell up like a conventional saloon with a fixed rear window.

I do not but do know the RL doesn't fit the wagons. I just don't think these have a measurable benefit which to me is lap time. I do concede that many folks have noted less body creak so it's doing something! Agreed on the ECS one looking good.

 

[golfdave]

I do not but do know the RL doesn't fit the wagons. I just don't think these have a measurable benefit which to me is lap time. I do concede that many folks have noted less body creak so it's doing something! Agreed on the ECS one looking good.

I'm not "racecar", so no point in making the car really rigid. However with a solid bodyshell, the suspension can do its work without the bodyshell twist adversely affecting the angles of movement of the suspension. Just running the ECS top bar should be like converting the bodyshell (partly) to a saloon car with a fixed rear window & separate boot lid. These usually having the fixed metalwork behind the top of the rear backrest. I note ECS mention in their thorough install manual that you can file the welds down a bit on the seat back hooks to get a "hella flush" fit, & also have an option of drilling a hole in the middle bar & placing a securing screw in that. Yes a bit of "optional" work if you want to (not required), but it should make for a more solid connection of the bodywork to the brackets. Plus by runing just the top bar its more like a conventional front top strut brace, & you can still get most long stuff under the bar if the rear seats need to be folded down!

 

[19birel]

I had never heard of coleman racing before, cost of replacing rotors is one of the big drawbacks to most bbks for me, their prices appear to be wayyy more palatable!

If you end up using them let us know how it goes!

 

[tigeo]

Coil grounding kit installed. I got the $65 one from the fellow on FB Marketplace (MQB classifieds). Nicely made, no issues. I got a cheap de-pin kit from Amazon. I went with the grounding point behind the battery vs. by the coolant reservoir. This will make plug changes so much easier/less risk of stripping from the double-nutted non-round studs! I actuallypulled some of the slack out and have it looking a little more neatly routed since that pic.

 

[tigeo]

98.6K miles/5 years this month. '18 GSW S w/4mo and DSG purchased new in November 2018 for $19.1K before TTL. General hard driving, hundreds of launches/drag runs, 15 track days. The rest is highway commuting/general daily use. Car consistently returns 30 mpg on highway trips and runs/drives “like new” with no current issues, leaks, etc.

Tuning:
Unitronic Stage 1 at 3K miles/Jan 2019
Unitronic IS20 at 21K miles/Oct 2019.
Unitronic IS38 at 47K miles/Oct 2020.

Warranty repairs (6yr/72K warranty):
HVAC recirc door motor (twice).

SAI combi valve + wiring harness repair…I think this was always just a loose connector not the valve itself or the wiring harness as it’s come back a few times and just unplugging/plugging in the connector fixes it.

Water pump/thermostat at 74K/Feb 2022. This was approved for reimbursement of $1,150 per the class action lawsuit….got my check so we’ll call that a warranty covered repair.

Repairs outside of warranty:
Timing chain tensioner/all the related bits on the f. of the engine at 84K/Oct 2022. Shit happens….no clue on this one, lightweight aluminum bolts (shop thought they were the wrong bolts?) that hold tensioner to block snapped. I drove it like that for ~6 mos. Including a trip to Helen GA/mountain runs as well as 2 drag events with probably 40 drag runs. Noise and increased aluminum in my oil analysis said something was wrong.

Maintenance:

19 oil changes (doing one at 100K)
3 DSG services
2 Haldex services (doing one at 100K)
1 bevel/r. diff services (doing one at 100K)
9 plug changes

Details of my car and all the mods can be found here in this post or my YouTube:
https://youtube.com/@karstgeo7290?si=-y6jzSIFUQntDCy6

 

[mwoodski]

i love your car so dang much.