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2017 GTi PP at VIR

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Rear Main Seal

As regulars may know, I posted that I have a small oil leak from the weep hole in the gearbox bellhousing.

Decided to go with an iBED RMS. Appears to be a quality piece. This means that the tranny is coming out to get his done,

Which means..........

Sachs SMF/Clutch kit is going in. Which means.............. an ECU tune is in my future......

I have two DE’s in November. I will be running my Audi event on stock power so I can provide an objective assessment of the Öhlins upgrade and the impact on laptime.

2-weeks later will be a 3-day DE with Carolinas PCA. Still deciding between Unitronic or a low torque APR tune. If I go APR, I will likely run Friday to get warmed up and dialed in. Sat & Sun will be at +70hp. GMP Performance will be there so I can do the tune at the track. If I go Unitronic, I will get DAP to do the download and I will run all 3 days with more juice.

So the plan is to provide feedback on the suspension upgrade and the impact on laptime. Shooting for a 2:15 at VIR on 220hp consistently. I could also do a comparison on 255 NT01’s and my 255 MPS4S.

I’m curious on the time gain a tune will make. Instructors like to say that VIR has 3 straights. I’m expecting to see 1-second gains on the back and front straightaway. Fractional improvement in sector 3 going up the esses. My biggest challenge will be grip management with the extra power. I will be upping the load on the brakes with the extra speed.
 

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Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
The diameter of the springs aren't gong to let you get that much camber up front. I'd expect you'll be about where I am - 2.2 currently, and probably back to 2.4 once we lower the car a bit more after the Eurocode RSB endlinks arrive (preload issue with the rear sway has me at stock ride height right now).

Cliff, thanks for the heads up.

I would have expected the swaybar tab to make contact with the inner fender tower before the spring.

Do you have wiggle room to lower with the 265 section tires? I recall you saying that you had a minor rub at 25-ish inch ride height. So you have about a half inch lower ride height option.

Any feedback on the wavetrac on performance?
 

Cliff

Drag Racing Champion
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Car(s)
2015 Cayman GTS
I didn't have any rubbing up front with the 265/35R18 tires mounted, it was all in the rear. You might remember that we raised the front of the car about 3/8" after I experienced the DCC failures at Willow Springs in December.

The front ride height measured from the floor to the top of the fender was previously 25.375 on the left and 25.5 on the right, while the rear was 25.25 left and 25.3125 right. Current measurements are: LF: 26; RF: 26; LR: 26.125; RR: 26.125. I want Griffin to target the previous measurements up front, and add 1/2" to the previous rear measurements (assuming no rubbing in back, otherwise bring it up a bit more).

I need more time with the diff, but I feel as though I can feed power to the car while turning without it plowing. So far I only have 6 minutes of performance driving time on it. I'll be at an event this weekend with no run groups and essentially unlimited track time so I should have a better assessment after I get home next week.
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP

replicate

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Downunder
Yup! This guy can drive. I would like to see him co-drive a V8 Supercar in the Bathurst 1000.

There is footage of him at the Adelaide street circuit going up against a more powerful AE86. Close racing. Great race to watch.

Great illustration of a lightweight momentum car driven flat out.

That would be great if he can get a drive. His tussle with the 86 is ledgendary.
That category, IPRA, or Improved Production. Is a really good race series. Unfortunately costs have gone through the roof in recent years. You need a big dollar car to be competitive. Lots of people now competing in two new spec series we have which are super popular. Nissan Pulsar and Hyundai Excel. Excel series is getting huge grids and turning cars away.

Bathurst is still on my bucket list. It’s not an operating race track so events are rare and very expensive. There is a Supersprint competition in November, entry fees are about $2600 for the weekend ? maybe next year.
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Just checked the entry-list for the PCA event at VIR on 11/22-24 and it looks as though I will have a fellow GTi driver at the track which will be cool. Looking forward to some MQB company.
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Alfa GTA

This is one of my bucket list cars. I grew up in a large Italian community. So was surrounded by Alfa GT Juniors and Gulia’s. There a few GTV’s running around. Italians being Italians, are very proud of all things Italian. :D

Twin carb induction noise is so badass in todays sanitized car world. No power steering. No brake assist. Pure analog driving experience. Driving my Civic rental car while my car is in the shop made me think of how vanilla cars are becoming. Void of steering feel. Everything is so dang safe. I’m not knocking the Civic. It’s a decent car. Comfortable. Does what is required to do, but it is not fun to drive.

https://youtu.be/tI-WKde8Jgo
 
Always fun to play with other VW's.

I should be in a much better place financially next year with our rental in GA selling, getting the equity, and FINALLY being able to take the massive losses we incurred over the last 7 years, so I'm planning a full year of autocros,, track days, Time trials, anything I can get to.

I only hope VW figures out the issue with the 2019's soon, it's starting to get annoying and I can't slap a tune on it until they do.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
I only hope VW figures out the issue with the 2019's soon, it's starting to get annoying and I can't slap a tune on it until they do.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

So I have obviously missed something regarding tunes & 2019 GTi’s. Been doing research on APR and Unitronic tunes.

APR has released updates to their tunes recently. Reducing onset torque to improve drive ability. What is the issue with 2019’s and getting them tuned?

My car should be ready tomorrow evening. Rear main seal and Sachs clutch kit is going in.
Got to make a decision between APR - low or high torque tune vs. Unitronic.
Road course power delivery requirements is a little different to what 1/4-mile racers are looking for.
 
For 2019 VW treated us to a massive 8hp gain. Did they tweak timing and call it a day? Nope.

They switched to 0w-20, added a tooth to the oil pump, and changed the tune.

For some reason on the manual car's and a few DSG's, the valve timing system isn't able to provide the timing values requested by the ECU.

It causes one or several symptoms, from rough idle, bogging and surging under acceleration, stalling when coming to a stop, poor fuel mileage, and/or o2 sensor failures.

NHTSA has opened an investigation, so VW is working to solve it. My car is running decently now after a switch to thicker oil, but it was stalling, idling rough, had a failed O2 sensor due to running rich, and still doesn't accelerate 100% correct.

I don't want to tune the car until VW solves the issue.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
For 2019 VW treated us to a massive 8hp gain. Did they tweak timing and call it a day? Nope.

They switched to 0w-20, added a tooth to the oil pump, and changed the tune.

For some reason on the manual car's and a few DSG's, the valve timing system isn't able to provide the timing values requested by the ECU.

It causes one or several symptoms, from rough idle, bogging and surging under acceleration, stalling when coming to a stop, poor fuel mileage, and/or o2 sensor failures.

NHTSA has opened an investigation, so VW is working to solve it. My car is running decently now after a switch to thicker oil, but it was stalling, idling rough, had a failed O2 sensor due to running rich, and still doesn't accelerate 100% correct.

I don't want to tune the car until VW solves the issue.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Talk about over complicating the bump in hp. I wonder whether that was R&D for the upcoming Mk8 and the search for improved mpg.

Heck, It makes me feel better about sucking it up and getting my rear main seal replaced. Plus upgrading the clutch vs. getting a 2019.
 

3rdOne

Go Kart Champion
Location
NC
Just checked the entry-list for the PCA event at VIR on 11/22-24 and it looks as though I will have a fellow GTi driver at the track which will be cool. Looking forward to some MQB company.

Have you participated in a PCA event before? A friend is instructor level driver and works with a bunch of clubs. He said that PCA and BMW were good clubs to drive with. I had been considering Chin Motorsports but now PCA at VIR is tops for me. Next year though.
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Have you participated in a PCA event before? A friend is instructor level driver and works with a bunch of clubs. He said that PCA and BMW were good clubs to drive with. I had been considering Chin Motorsports but now PCA at VIR is tops for me. Next year though.

I really like running with CArolinas PCA. They are a great club. I’ve run with Zone 2 PCA and Norther New Jersey PCA. All the events are run well. The Northern New Jersey PCA was a little wild. Black run group had some car to car wrecks. Not normal for any HPDE. Drivers are/were pretty aggressive. I was running in my Mini and it was tough getting point bys through the corners.

I also like running with Audi at VIR. Made some good friends and looking forward to seeing everyone again in November.

I have not run with Chin, but hear good things about them. Smaller run groups means less traffic on track but at a higher price point. BMW CCA runs a tight ship as well, but I prefer to run with PCA.
 

Cliff

Drag Racing Champion
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Car(s)
2015 Cayman GTS
I have not run with Chin, but hear good things about them. Smaller run groups means less traffic on track but at a higher price point.

A friend of mine used to instruct with Chin when he lived in New Jersey and thinks highly of them. From what I can tell they are on a par with Hooked on Driving, another solid commercial track day provider.
 

Mini7

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Car(s)
2017 GTi Sport PP
Pagid RSL19 rear PP brake pads

Here is a log of some of the consumables I keep track of on the GTi

245-40-18 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires 6-track days + 17,400miles: Needs Replacement

Front PowerBrake Rotors 11,500 miles 5-track days (200-laps)
Front PB13 5-track days: need replacing (200-laps)
MPS4S 235-40-18 tires have 21,330 miles + 4-track days: need replacing
Rear Pagid Rotors have 11,500 miles 5-track days
Rear RS19 Pagids have 39,200 miles + 18-track days (12mm pad left)
Rear OEM Rotors had 46,500 miles + 13-track days at time of replacement (no thermal cracking)

PP front rotors needed replacement every year 6-7 track days + 15-20,000 miles due to thermal cracking

So here are some photos of my rear Pagid pads. I will need to check the inner pads. From experience these tend to wear faster. The are kind to rotors and are streetable. I like the convenience of not having to swop pads back and forth for track/street.
8CA0599A-3525-4558-8D08-0035A62AAEEC.jpeg
D18B94D7-D557-42F6-AB01-B00C08BF3911.jpeg
E017C0CB-DCD5-496E-B2C4-BFA5630D7ACD.jpeg
 
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