My minor modding thread

[<tuffty/>]

Had a call from the local Police today... they have spoken to the owner of the car that hit mine and turns out he is quite old... he apparently wants to settle outside of insurance which is fine be me so going to get some quotes for a smart repair...

In other news.... I fitted the freshly painted cam cover...

Sanded down the charge pipe...

Primed it....

Painted it silver...

...and lacquered it

...and the clamps of course...

However in my haste there are a couple of runs so decided to leave it all over night to harden more then will attack it with some 2000 grit wet n dry and give it a go over with the DA...

This of course left me with a bit of a problem... so applied a temporary fix

Not very OE I know but I want to make sure the charge pipe is right before I fit it...

Just the inlet to do

<tuffty/>

 

[Prawn]

I'd leave the new one on there.

It lets people know it's modified

 

[<tuffty/>]

I'd leave the new one on there.

It lets people know it's modified

<tuffty/>

 

[Vex182]

I bet it's killing you knowing it's like that!

 

[S3_DAVE]

Would you actual fecking believe it!!!... was at our local Sainsbury today on my way to Bill's in the S3... and some a**hole reversed into the bumper!!! ***!!!

...and the worst bit...

I didn't see it happen but luckily there was a witness who had taken all the details down and waited for me to return... actually reinstated my faith in people... apart from the a**hole who drove into the car of course.. apparently is was a scruffy piece of cr*p Astra that looks like crashing into other cars is a hobby!!... w*nker!!!

I have called the police and gave the details and the insurance company know too... guess I will have to wait and see what happens...

I am massively annoyed that people think this ok to do and tbh I am glad that it was only the bumper and hoping that they can do a smart repair on it rather than take the car to a body shop... if that happens then I am not sure I will pursue it as I really don't want to leave my car with anyone I don't know...

The scuff should mostly polish out but the cracking from the deformation will mean it needs paint..

What is it with people!!!??!!

(rant over).... (ish...)

<tuffty/>

This has happened to me twice now once in a tesco car park and once down a quiet street.... so I now park miles away when i go out in the quiter area's, all my mates think im mad but both times I have had to fork out to get other peoples mistakes fixed, I know your pain.

Glad they owned up to it and are going to pay out.

Couldnt have happened to a nicer car... I follow this thread as its almost like the bible as if you need to know something, chances are Tuffy's done it or has a guide on it .

 

[<tuffty/>]

Had the back end aligned on Saturday...

Car feels much better now the rear wheels are pointing the right way lol

Today I did a few more little jobs...

Haldex filter and oil change... the two bolts for the dogbone/subframe and the track rod end locking nuts as mine are pretty much seized...

Filter off...

Replaced the haldex drain plug and sealing washer... think I got my moneys worth out of these lol

Old (and original) bolts were just over 1mm longer due to stretching than the new ones... 20nm + 90 degrees and job done

Span off the offside track rod end (after marking and measuring up and counting the turns to remove the track rod end)... nut came off with a bit of heat and cleaned up the threads with a wire brush...

New nut on and a bit of copper slip for easing things up for when I get the front alignment done.. I also tweaked this side in a bit as it was toeing out a tad

The nearside was a little more challenging... heat + disc cutter + air chisel and...

Cleaned up but used the thread file to make sure the threads were clear as there was obvious corrosion where the nut had been... span the new one on to check and all is good...

Checked the tracking once the car was on the deck... front and rear is at zero toe so all good there... sadly didn't really get a chance to check it all out properly on the way home but she feels so much better now...

<tuffty/>

 

[Mrharris2]

A good read well done on the car so far. I love how everything is done correct with the right amount of torque and kept all nice.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Not much to report at the moment... went to ADI of course... apologies for not getting around much but was busy changing tyres and fuel pump relays lol

Rather nice shot of the car on the day...

Unfortunately the day didn't go all that well for JoJo as most of you know so after Bill and I recovered his car back to Badger HQ I noticed he has LED bulbs in his fog lights and so asked Joe what they were like... ironically he had not long fitted them and hadn't actually tried them... Joe being the nice bloke that he is said take them and try them... if they work then I could have them...!! obviously I felt a little bad about this... but soon got over it LOL... ;P (thanks Joe)

The LED bulb next to the normal fog bulb

These bulbs aren't really designed to give much light tbh

...compared to the normal bulbs...

Still... they look cool...

In other news... my FIS Control turned up along with a tee adaptor so I can run an oil pressure sender and OE oil pressure switch plus an oil temp sensor that will go in the top of the oil filter housing... the FIS Control supports external sensors such as the oil sensors I have already mentioned and others like EGT and a MAP sensor for boost...

For those unaware of what FIS Control is, watch this...


...then visit here...
http://www.fis-control.de/index_en.html

I will post a mini review on a separate thread once I have fitted it and found my way around it properly..

<tuffty/>

 

[Broken Byzan]

Snake ftw

 

[jojo]

Tuffty was the first vulture, who'd have bet on that? Lol

 

[<tuffty/>]

Had an email last night from Stefan who makes and supplies the FIS control... it appears that his cable manufacturer made a bit of a **** up and a few of the cable sets may be incorrectly wired... he is currently testing them now before sending them out and for buyers of the latest batch (like myself) he is sending fully checked cables sets out for free to replace the supplied one regardless...

Fantastic customer service I must say

<tuffty/>

 

[Broken Byzan]

I'll have the old set please

 

[Prawn]

Be very interested to see what this is capable of and how it works when you've got it in and running PT

Really good to see you Saturday, was a top day!

 

[Mrharris2]

Did anyone get videos of Saturday for us that couldn't make it

 

[<tuffty/>]

Did anyone get videos of Saturday for us that couldn't make it

Probably but they won't be on my build thread... just saying

<tuffty/>

 

[Mrharris2]

I'll take that one. stupid question lol

 

[Prawn]

A few in my thread for you Mr.H but I think you've already seen them

I'll just nip in here to steal some forum traffic my way

 

[<tuffty/>]

A few in my thread for you Mr.H but I think you've already seen them

I'll just nip in here to steal some forum traffic my way

Sod off!... lol

<tuffty/>

 

[<tuffty/>]

Been collecting bits over the past few weeks....

Bi-xenon projectors..

Double DIN stuff...

Camber plates (that will be sprayed black!!)

Soooo.... fitted the FIS Control... I won't bother with to many pics as the fitting instructions are pretty clear

The wiring looms connect up to the original wiring... I lodged the control unit in an available space for now and will remove the lower dash some point later to fix it in place

Decided to scope out the bi-xenons to see what would be needed to get them fitted...

Bought some new clips...

The cut off jobber for xenons that halogens don't have...

As you can see the b-xenon projector is much larger than the std S3 projector... I did do a test hook up and the bi-xenon produces so much more light...

...however its obvious I will need to dismantle the headlight to stand a chance of fitting these so rather than potentially ****** up my lights I have ordered a single aftermarket headlight and see how I get on with that...

Really looking forward to sorting these though as it should sort out the really poor std xenons

Next... this happened!!!

...so I could get to the oil filter housing...

...and remove the bung...

...to fit the oil temp sensor...

..and then removed the oil pressure sender to bung in this...

...and fitted it here...

Ran the wires back to the cabin... Need to get the wires through the scuttle cover here...

...so removed the wiper mech...

...and drilled a hole for a grommet to run the sensor wires through to hook up to the FIS control...

Last job of the day was to finally get rid of my magnadisc tax holder

Productive day

<tuffty/>

 

[superkarl]

No downside to removing that oil pressure sender?? I was looking at mine the other day looking to attach an oil temp and pressure gauge

 

[<tuffty/>]

No downside to removing that oil pressure sender?? I was looking at mine the other day looking to attach an oil temp and pressure gauge

Not removed it mate just moved it to the end of the adapter.. dash would have a hissy fit if the sensor was binned

<tuffty/>

 

[superkarl]

Ahh i see.

where would one find said adapter?

 

[Crazypete00]

Where did you get the plastic xenon clips from?

 

[<tuffty/>]

Ahh i see.

where would one find said adapter?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=221563469742&alt=web

<tuffty/>

 

[<tuffty/>]

Where did you get the plastic xenon clips from?

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=221561278111&alt=web

<tuffty/>

 

[<tuffty/>]

Headlight turned up today...

Was missing a couple of the metal clips which I have sent a message about... will see what happens..

Internally looks ok... obviously not up to Hella/OE quality but not too bad all the same

...compared to my OE xenon...

Will have a go at pulling it apart in the next few days and see how it goes...

<tuffty/>

 

[A3-Lee]

It's because they are a3 lights mate that's what mine are like

 

[<tuffty/>]

It's because they are a3 lights mate that's what mine are like

Yeah mate... I know ;P

No aftermarket S3 replacements available hence buying these... as I am replacing the projector anyway so not really an issue

<tuffty/>

 

[lorryz]

Yeah mate... I know ;P

No aftermarket S3 replacements available hence buying these... as I am replacing the projector anyway so not really an issue

<tuffty/>

I used a set of these and just swapped the plastic/glass over to my OEM xenon units, massive improvement over lens polishing.

Interested to see how you go with the bi-xenons. I had a look into it, and it looked like the stock projectors are quite shallow iirc.

I wanted to use a Mercedes projector as there plentiful and cheap, but it just seem a bit too big to work.

I guess you could shove the new projector into the hi-beam slot and convert the old low-beam into a sidelight or something. Might look cool pretty cool.

 

[<tuffty/>]

...I guess you could shove the new projector into the hi-beam slot and convert the old low-beam into a sidelight or something. Might look cool pretty cool.

You clearly don't know me that well lol...

The bi-xenon projector will replace the old projector in the unit in this case... the extra light it gives on main beam is more a filler but its the overall increase in lighting output and efficiency thats driving this mod tbh..

<tuffty/>

 

[Vex182]

Is it just me or do I not feel that the light output is that bad from the standard lights with standard bulbs?

 

[A3-Lee]

I guess you could shove the new projector into the hi-beam slot and convert the old low-beam into a sidelight or something. Might look cool pretty cool.

The quote you could just shove it in will not wash with MR OEM I'm afraid it's probably hurt him a little bit reading it tbh lol

 

[<tuffty/>]

Is it just me or do I not feel that the light output is that bad from the standard lights with standard bulbs?

Compared to my A2 lights which are halogens mine are pants... from what I understand the reflector bowls go dull and the projector lenses go a bit milky... when I looked through my S3 projector it was certainly not optically clear... no idea if that is fixable at this point... would need to take them apart to see if the projector is toast or not...

<tuffty/>

 

[lorryz]

You clearly don't know me that well lol...<tuffty/>

Haha... I'd be surprised if there was somebody on here that didn't. I know your all about the OEM+ look.

Is it just me or do I not feel that the light output is that bad from the standard lights with standard bulbs?

Yeah, I kind of agree. The s3 has the best light output I've ever had on a car.

 

[limbo118118]

that FIS thing looks cool! like the next oem step up from a liquid gauge! hah

 

[<tuffty/>]

Todays mission was to see if I could get these bi-xenons in....

First of course was to remove the lens... sooooo much fun... not!... careful use of the hot air gun and worked my way round the lens with a plastic spatula.....

...and eventually...

Next remove the reflector...

I removed the halogen projector unit and offered up the bi-xenon unit...

The bi-xenon unit is a little shorter so decided to mod the standoff pillers and make some brackets...

Reassembled the unit... had to use mole grips and heat of course to pull the lens into the sealant nicely...

What is interesting is that the std halogen projector is larger than the S3's OE xenon projector... verified this on an A3 Bill has in for some work too... the bi-xenons are the same size as the halogen/A3 ones too so hoping this should help.

The other headlight should be arriving this week so will crack on with that one too then I need to wire the bi-xenon flap solonoid to the main beam for the 'bi' bit to work and obviously transfer over the xenon bulb/ballast

I was tempted to fit the headlight but my OCD wouldn't let me have just one new headlight fitted lol

<tuffty/>

 

[azzzah]

Just read the lot! (Not in one go lol) and the car is a true credit to you! Fantastic work, and you make it all look so easy!

 

[Prawn]

Interesting stuff on the lights PT!

My lights are absolutely AWFUL on the track car, to the point where I can't drive it at night!

WIll be following this one closely

 

[george_seamons]

I have these same bi-xenon projectors retrofitted in my Leon headlights. The light output is 100000x better than the crappy standard halogens. I did originally have an HID bulb in the original main beam too, but with the HID from the bi-xenon too, it was so bright it hurt my eyes at night! I have 35w 5000k bulbs, so can imagine a 55w kit is going to be insanely good light output.

Not seen anybody else do the same on a Leon either, which is always a nice feeling. Seen a couple with retrofit projectors, but they are all angel eye types, and they always look a bit tacky in my eyes, because the actual lense is too small, so all looks a bit out of proportion.

I get lots of people ask what lights they are, because from the outside, the look totally stock.

 

[<tuffty/>]

I didn't go for the 55w setup when I replaced my ballasts due to mixed reviews... will see how my current 35w ones go and might try the 55w if I am still not happy...

From what I have seen so far I am not sure I will be disappointed as they are tbh...

<tuffty/>