Grale1 A3 build / project ( slow build )
- Thread starter Grale1
- Start date
I don't know the name of the colour I only have the paint code which is LY3Z, I've never seen another one in this colour so I think it's rare. Anyways pretty much for the first year of me owning this car I didn't do anything too it, there where a few things that were niggling to me like a lack of power, handling and a left hand pull, so in August last year ( 2012 ) I started to think about doing things to it, so I started off by replacing all the lower arms, ball joints, track rod ends and arb bushes, being a noob and all and not really know too much I bought a kind of kit of eBay that had the ball joints lower arms and track rod ends for the sum of about £40, so needles to say I've had to replace them all since.I then went about looking for advice and read a few thread on here and thought I'd join, which then after reading a few things I started to replace replace a few other parts,my first few things to replace we're the tip, I bought a venair tip.
So I went through the stickies to see how had it would be to replace my self, and to be honest was pretty straight forward, can't remember how long it took but wasn't to bad. I also had bought a 3" downpipe and decat which I replaced at the same time.
This made a massive difference, I could feel the turbo spool up faster and you can hear it spool up a lot quicker also, then after a few weeks of driving the car like this I set about finding a comany that had a good reputation for remapping, which lead me to R-Tech seeing as I had an AGU, whilst I was waiting for the day to come along to go up there I bought an 80mm neck jetex.
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So the day came for me to travel up to R-Tech in Hinckley which was about 2 hour drive from where I am in Surrey, I was booked in at 9.30 on a Saturday morning, left my house around 6.30 as you can never tell what surprises the m25 has to offer, I got there an hour early so had a tea and a burger from the little van near them untill my car was ready for them to start, my first dyno run came back at 156bhp so I suppose it was a good base to start from, my end result was 187.9 bhp which I thought was pretty good seeing as I still have the small k03. The drive home was good fun.
As the winter got closer and closer I didn't really do much to it or even drive it, but then around December my clutch started to make funny noises and the it wouldn't select gear anymore so I laid the car up for a while until around two months ago I had a valeo solid flywheel kit put, and a new release fork was also needed,
At the same time I also had ordered some coilovers which were the fk street coilies,,and the red dog bone mount as well.
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So this is pretty much where I'm at for the moment. I have done some small changes on the body work
I also put face lift rear lights on as well. I think theses make the car look new as well
. So my plans for the short term are to get to the bottom of my left hand pull, which I be leave could be either the front subframe or the engine mount on the gearbox side.
More longer term plans are to have the engine overhauled as its getting to 160k on the clock. And to go stage2 which I hope I'd be happy with power wise.
I will be doing this build over time as and when I can due to paying off debts as well. i will get hold of the bits and peaces I need and if I can rope people into help me also.
I hope to be able to put a k03s fmic and exhaust in the next couple of months.
So I went through the stickies to see how had it would be to replace my self, and to be honest was pretty straight forward, can't remember how long it took but wasn't to bad. I also had bought a 3" downpipe and decat which I replaced at the same time.
This made a massive difference, I could feel the turbo spool up faster and you can hear it spool up a lot quicker also, then after a few weeks of driving the car like this I set about finding a comany that had a good reputation for remapping, which lead me to R-Tech seeing as I had an AGU, whilst I was waiting for the day to come along to go up there I bought an 80mm neck jetex..So the day came for me to travel up to R-Tech in Hinckley which was about 2 hour drive from where I am in Surrey, I was booked in at 9.30 on a Saturday morning, left my house around 6.30 as you can never tell what surprises the m25 has to offer, I got there an hour early so had a tea and a burger from the little van near them untill my car was ready for them to start, my first dyno run came back at 156bhp so I suppose it was a good base to start from, my end result was 187.9 bhp which I thought was pretty good seeing as I still have the small k03. The drive home was good fun.
As the winter got closer and closer I didn't really do much to it or even drive it, but then around December my clutch started to make funny noises and the it wouldn't select gear anymore so I laid the car up for a while until around two months ago I had a valeo solid flywheel kit put, and a new release fork was also needed,
At the same time I also had ordered some coilovers which were the fk street coilies,,and the red dog bone mount as well.
.So this is pretty much where I'm at for the moment. I have done some small changes on the body work
I also put face lift rear lights on as well. I think theses make the car look new as well
. So my plans for the short term are to get to the bottom of my left hand pull, which I be leave could be either the front subframe or the engine mount on the gearbox side. More longer term plans are to have the engine overhauled as its getting to 160k on the clock. And to go stage2 which I hope I'd be happy with power wise.
I will be doing this build over time as and when I can due to paying off debts as well. i will get hold of the bits and peaces I need and if I can rope people into help me also.
I hope to be able to put a k03s fmic and exhaust in the next couple of months.
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Snash7
Registered User
Good to see a build thread mate.
Did you put the coilies on yourself. New injecters i see what ones you go for where you get the headlights from.
Looks good mate
Did you put the coilies on yourself. New injecters i see what ones you go for where you get the headlights from.
Looks good mate
Hey grant, yeah I put the coilovers on myself mate, straight forward job tbh, are you buying some?.
the injectors are from a Saab, they are the red top ones, but won't be going on untill I go stage 2. The headlights I came across on eBay I think they were a little bargin at £55 including delivery, I hope to fit them pretty soon and will make a huge difference to the look of the car I think.
the injectors are from a Saab, they are the red top ones, but won't be going on untill I go stage 2. The headlights I came across on eBay I think they were a little bargin at £55 including delivery, I hope to fit them pretty soon and will make a huge difference to the look of the car I think.
That's a huge bargain you got there mate with the delivery included! Cheap at twice the price.
I'm not 100% sure on whether I love or hate the colour....I don't actually think I've seen it on an A3 before- pretty sure I've seen on a few A4s though. Be interested to see what it's like in the daylight in person. Catch can matches it perfectly though
If your going K03s, then I'd definitely get a hybrid from Dan if I was you.
Today I thought I'd put my new hoses on as I got rained off from work, and just have a look under the car to see if my subframe was bent, so I got the car up on stands and had a look, and couldn't really see to much wrong tbh, but I did notice that the left hand side seem as if it was sitting a little lower but this could just be as it was on a slight slope, and where the lower arms go into seemed to be pressed in so may have taken a whack at some point.
Not to sure what to think, can anyone shed any light on what you can see in the pictures?
Not to sure what to think, can anyone shed any light on what you can see in the pictures?Attachments
So started to do the hoses and it straighted to rain but carried on, started with the hose from the charge pipe to DV.
Then the hose on the bottom of the intercooler and the top that goes to the throttle body.
I just need to go and get some jubilee clips so I can put the n75 hose on.
Hope that some hose I ordered for the catch can actually turns up anytime time soon so I can get one and fit it.
Then the hose on the bottom of the intercooler and the top that goes to the throttle body.
I just need to go and get some jubilee clips so I can put the n75 hose on.
Hope that some hose I ordered for the catch can actually turns up anytime time soon so I can get one and fit it.
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Yeah it's def a love it or hate it colour, the 5 peace hose kit was a bargin also at £24.95 including delivery lol.
yes I will be getting in touch with dan once I've got a few other things sorted out first.
Think I may need an engine mount on the gearbox side
yes I will be getting in touch with dan once I've got a few other things sorted out first.
Think I may need an engine mount on the gearbox side
Have a browse through some of the recent threads mate.....there's been a lot of talk about engines mounts recently and I started a thread just the other week with the different options available. Few guys on here have already uprated them in there build threads- so worth taking a look.
I think every 8L owners have decided to pack up at the same time! lol
I think every 8L owners have decided to pack up at the same time! lol
I saw what prawn done to the ones he fitted which seemed a pretty good solution. You find out very quick you do one thing then its something else lol, or chasing your tail with something
Yeah...there is no light at the end of the tunnel once you start modifying- and often not a lot of cash left in the bank account! lol
Found a pic of the car that was with the paper work I got with it, and a couple after I painted. Few black bits to it
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I think I may try and fit my headlights today, has anyone tried using the existing loom in pre face headlights and cut a hole in the back of the face lift lights cover plate and connect it up like that? As I looked at a guide on audi fans.net like that?
Started off the day wanting to do my headlights but it started raining and couldn't get on with how to make the high beam work from a 5 wire to the 4 wires then realised one of the headlight adjusters was broke so I thout instead of messing around I'd leave for anoth day.
afternoon the rain stopped so I thought I'd fit my catch can using the guide in the stickies as reference, got that fit up and started up and it was idling like crap but then realised to block the vaccum source under the inlet manifold, sorted that out and started up agin and seems to be running fine, just hoping that I got the L shaped hose back on the oil filter housing back on properly, ( not sure what would happen of not? )
not the best job in the world but I'm happy with it at the moment, I do intend to locate the can somewhere better soon once I get a better brack.
afternoon the rain stopped so I thought I'd fit my catch can using the guide in the stickies as reference, got that fit up and started up and it was idling like crap but then realised to block the vaccum source under the inlet manifold, sorted that out and started up agin and seems to be running fine, just hoping that I got the L shaped hose back on the oil filter housing back on properly, ( not sure what would happen of not? )
not the best job in the world but I'm happy with it at the moment, I do intend to locate the can somewhere better soon once I get a better brack.
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I think I can stop at stage2 lol, I don't know if I can be bothered to do the k04 conversion lol
needs a good clean but looks good, i think i used the same type of hose as you and found it creases really easy just a heads up
Yeah I noticed it did crease easy so tired to make the hose run where it didn't crease, yes it needs a good clean under the bonnet, I was thinking of having it steam cleaned , it's hard leaks somewhere in the past as the bottom of the engine is quite oily
Hi guys, if I bout a bought k03s would my tip still be good to use? And would it affect the map in any ways?
i think you can still use the same tip not 100% tho and your be making quite a bit more power id imagine you would be best to get another map once fitted
Gone wrong for me today, don't know if I've cut to much out or not enough out but I can't seem to get the light units to fit properly next to the wing, where the indicator should fit, so not to sure how to get over this as I made the mistake in cutting both side at once as I was rushing, so only myself to blame,
my keep an eye out for a pair of 2001 wings
will get pics up to show the problem when I can, I also couldn't get the headlight adjusters to fully extend to get into the clips??
my keep an eye out for a pair of 2001 wings
will get pics up to show the problem when I can, I also couldn't get the headlight adjusters to fully extend to get into the clips??
So you can see the gap that I'm on about from these two pictures, I would say I need to do a little trimming to get them to fit better?
also how do I get the adjuster to come out more so I can put it into the new clip?
Got the lights sorted today, had to trim a little bit more off in places and trimmed a little bit of plastic off the back of the light unit to fit better, I'm happy with it now.
Once it's a bit warmer I will take them off again and paint the edge in the same colour as the car as I just primed it to give it a little bit of protection.
whilst the lights were off I noticed some wires that had been cut
Can anyone shed any light on what they are for? They are in the loom for the lights and I do have a photo of the having fog lights??not to sure about the one wrapped around the horn tho.
Once it's a bit warmer I will take them off again and paint the edge in the same colour as the car as I just primed it to give it a little bit of protection.
whilst the lights were off I noticed some wires that had been cut
Can anyone shed any light on what they are for? They are in the loom for the lights and I do have a photo of the having fog lights??not to sure about the one wrapped around the horn tho.
Managed to sort out the headlights the other day, had to trim a little more off the wing and the plastic bumper guide, happy with how they sit now,
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but can anyone help me with what these wires are for that I found to be cut when I was installing the facelift lights? They are in the loom for the headlight wiring.
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And this one was down wrapped around the horn
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View attachment 16289View attachment 16290but can anyone help me with what these wires are for that I found to be cut when I was installing the facelift lights? They are in the loom for the headlight wiring.
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And this one was down wrapped around the horn
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Thought I'd add a couple of other bits that's I've done and pics that I've found.
so over Christmas time the car was off the road as the release bearing went, so I bought a Valeo Smf clutch kit, when it went into have it fitted it needed a new fork also as it was bent and had a split in it.
At the same time I thought I would buy some coilovers so went for the fk street ones which seem to be pretty good for the money. Whilst fitting the coilovers I got new rubber top mounts and bearings.
i had the front wheel bearings done as well as they were pretty shot and making a right noise. I bought a catch can which I've only just got round to fitting.
quick picture I my rear facelift lights which I got both inc delivery for under £15
so over Christmas time the car was off the road as the release bearing went, so I bought a Valeo Smf clutch kit, when it went into have it fitted it needed a new fork also as it was bent and had a split in it.
At the same time I thought I would buy some coilovers so went for the fk street ones which seem to be pretty good for the money. Whilst fitting the coilovers I got new rubber top mounts and bearings.
i had the front wheel bearings done as well as they were pretty shot and making a right noise. I bought a catch can which I've only just got round to fitting.
quick picture I my rear facelift lights which I got both inc delivery for under £15
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I also had to replace the two hoses under the inlet manifold as they had split
I replaced these with yellow silicone piping, which I don't have a pic of.
just recently my central locking stopped working, I could hear the motor working in the boot but just didn't lock, so done some searching on here which was very helpful. So took to eBay to see how much a pump was going to cost and couldn't be leave how much difference in the prices people were asking, but stumbled along a little bargin with someone steeling one where the electrics in the pump were shot, so managed to get inc delivery for £10.
so spend half an hour making one good one from two broken ones which now works. So I'm happy that I have my central locking back.
I replaced these with yellow silicone piping, which I don't have a pic of.just recently my central locking stopped working, I could hear the motor working in the boot but just didn't lock, so done some searching on here which was very helpful. So took to eBay to see how much a pump was going to cost and couldn't be leave how much difference in the prices people were asking, but stumbled along a little bargin with someone steeling one where the electrics in the pump were shot, so managed to get inc delivery for £10.
so spend half an hour making one good one from two broken ones which now works. So I'm happy that I have my central locking back.
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I know that a few bits are back to front etc so far but I forgot about a few things that I have done and just came across the pictures, when I bought my jet ex filter I had to send the first one back after 3-4 days as I had over tightened it and it broke the neck part which I think is easily done from what I've heard.
I was lucky that the company I bought from sent me out a new one free of charge, didn't make the same mistake twice.
one of the more recent things that have done is to poly bush the wishbones front and back.
They were
tight to get into the subframe, or they were on mine anyway. And now I'm not to sure if I like the ride with the wishbone being fully poly'd so may put my other wishbones back on.
paint the grill surround black before I done my headlights, pretty pleased with it and I prefer it being black also
I was lucky that the company I bought from sent me out a new one free of charge, didn't make the same mistake twice.one of the more recent things that have done is to poly bush the wishbones front and back.
They were
tight to get into the subframe, or they were on mine anyway. And now I'm not to sure if I like the ride with the wishbone being fully poly'd so may put my other wishbones back on.
paint the grill surround black before I done my headlights, pretty pleased with it and I prefer it being black also
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Thought I'd do a very small update on here as I haven't really done much to the car for a long time partly as I was thinking of getting rid of the car after being plagued with a issue that many of you have been helping me trying to get to the bottom of it which I now believe has been diagnosed so I'm going to take the plunge and try the fix and hope for the best that it works.
so here are a couple of things that I have bought recently
Firstly was a gearbox which has been refurb in the last couple of years, I got it for what I think was a good price of £115 delivered the guy needed the cash pretty quick for whatever reason, I'm hoping that it won't bite me in the ****.
i also needed a new subframe as mine is slightly bent, so I went on the search on Ebay and found one from a seat cupra R which was for sale with the steering rack and the anti roll bar on it, I managed to get this and delivered for £80 which I think again was a good price i also bought a poly steering rach bush also.so hopefully once on it won't be a leaky steering rack.
i hope to get this all fitted in the next few weeks once I have the cash to do so then with some luck it with solve my problem. And then onto getting a wellycooler or one that I've seen slightly smaller, and a k03s.
so here are a couple of things that I have bought recently
Firstly was a gearbox which has been refurb in the last couple of years, I got it for what I think was a good price of £115 delivered the guy needed the cash pretty quick for whatever reason, I'm hoping that it won't bite me in the ****.
i also needed a new subframe as mine is slightly bent, so I went on the search on Ebay and found one from a seat cupra R which was for sale with the steering rack and the anti roll bar on it, I managed to get this and delivered for £80 which I think again was a good price i also bought a poly steering rach bush also.so hopefully once on it won't be a leaky steering rack.
i hope to get this all fitted in the next few weeks once I have the cash to do so then with some luck it with solve my problem. And then onto getting a wellycooler or one that I've seen slightly smaller, and a k03s.
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He's back! Thought you just disappeared on us. Good to see your still modding. A Welly cooler will be good and plus its handy if you plan to go bigger than a k03s afterwards. I'm running the smaller core atm and works well
I'm still around just been trying to find out info regarding getting a gearbox which to be honest I feel stupid about as I was concerned about the output flanges being the same, but I've just looked at the one I bought and didn't realise it looks pretty straight forward to change over,
I haven't really been driving it much either, I've only racked up about 3k miles this year in it lol.
my wheels need a good refurb also. I was also wanting to get some spacers but not to sure how big I would need to fill out the ache, my wheels are 215/45/17 on the back and 215/40/17, I will be changing all the tyre in the next month to 45 profile all round agin.
I haven't really been driving it much either, I've only racked up about 3k miles this year in it lol.
my wheels need a good refurb also. I was also wanting to get some spacers but not to sure how big I would need to fill out the ache, my wheels are 215/45/17 on the back and 215/40/17, I will be changing all the tyre in the next month to 45 profile all round agin.
