Am I missing something?

[Sunburn]

Have had my LCR a week now, and to be honest a little dissapointed? was expecting it to be a big step up in performance over my lightly modded Clio 172cup, Seems as though my LCR revs far to freely in 1st-2nd-3rd without a noticable translation into forward speed.

LCR is an 04 plate and in all fairness has done a lot of miles 74k (previous owner was rep of some kind of rep doing motorways) Car has full seat history, both inside and out its imacculate. Engine looks perfect all tubing and piping looks in a1 condition no splits or tears or perishing.

I appreciate that the weight difference is a factor but an increase of 50-60BHP over my clio should be noticable at least I have driven it with TC and SC off but still doesnt feel how i imagened it to feel or read on how it drove.

Has anyone got any suggestions? as to why its seems sluggish for what is billed as a fast car?

Cheers for your help all.

Geoff

 

[longman]

Hi Geoff - Welcome firstly!

From what i have learned on this site. The ECU can play quite a big part in the car feels. It learns how the driver drives and the loads that are expected of the engine.

It think, firstly it would benefit from resetting it and re-aligning the throttle body at the same time. Both easy to do. Have a search for instructions as its a very well talked about subject.

It might be woth plugging it in to a diagnostic tool like VAG-COM to make sure all is well and there are no fault codes. Perhaps try the reset first and have a drive to see if you think its any different.

Depending on where you are, if someone near you has VAG-COM, they can log some data from your engine to determine whether there are no boost leaks, or air flow problems, problems with timing or fuel etc... I am in Kent if you need some help in that dept..

The resetting definitely worked for me as the previous bloke only did short journeys and rarely gave it any welly! Resetting it made it learn how I drive instead.

 

[Al_G]

Hi Geoff - Welcome firstly!

From what i have learned on this site. The ECU can play quite a big part in the car feels. It learns how the driver drives and the loads that are expected of the engine.

It think, firstly it would benefit from resetting it and re-aligning the throttle body at the same time. Both easy to do. Have a search for instructions as its a very well talked about subject.

It might be woth plugging it in to a diagnostic tool like VAG-COM to make sure all is well and there are no fault codes. Perhaps try the reset first and have a drive to see if you think its any different.

Depending on where you are, if someone near you has VAG-COM, they can log some data from your engine to determine whether there are no boost leaks, or air flow problems, problems with timing or fuel etc... I am in Kent if you need some help in that dept..

The resetting definitely worked for me as the previous bloke only did short journeys and rarely gave it any welly! Resetting it made it learn how I drive instead.

Is this really the case? I'd like to give this a go but I doubt it will make a difference!

In answer to the first post my best mate has a 172 FF and to be honest 0-100 there is onle a few car lengths in it...After a ton I do pull away quite easily mind!

 

[BCM]

Not much in it with a Clio mate, try doing rolling starts or top end sprints, but its not a BIG diff!
Its nicer to drive, roomier, comfy and easier to use power IMHO,
The power comes in really smooth in the LCR, especially for a turbo, so it doesn;t feel as fast as it is!
but as said, check it on VAGCOM if you can but sound fine to me!

 

[longman]

Is this really the case? I'd like to give this a go but I doubt it will make a difference!

It worked for me. Mine was much more responsive afterwards and seemed to pull better mid range, as well as from standing.

 

[BCM]

Didn't think the ECU on the LCR was like that mate!

 

[RobM]

Didn't think the ECU on the LCR was like that mate!

It is, very much so! Give it a try!

 

[BCM]

My car knows she's gonna get the **** kicked out her!
Soon as its warm, well it used to anyway!
Still tring to get Mrs BCM to adopt my driving stylee!

 

[longman]

Mrs Longman won't drive mine.... I think she knows how much I like it I guess.

I wouldn't mind.... Its nice to see a pretty lady in a sporty car!!

 

[G2232]

struggle to keep are lass out of mine as soon as my back is turned its gone..
I actually let he drive it the other day as i'd been to a bbq and had a few too many.....
lets put it this way it wont happen again...and lets put it this way i was sober by the time i got home

 

[andycupra]

clio is a quick car, but it is light and you might find that the LCR doesnt translate the acceleration as well as its a bit more refined the Clio.

 

[Sunburn]

Thanks for getting back to me guys, having spent a fair amount of cash on the LCR im very close to selling it and try recoupe my losses as best as possible. Other than performace the Car is in A1 condition, interior is like new even with that showroom new smell to it despite my best efforts of a hanging monkey airf-reshener.

The only way forward i see with keeping the LCR is going down the modification route, I assume remaps are the best bang for buck with the LCR however, the information on this site is pretty much everywhere and trying to understand what i need to support one modifictaion is very difficult to extract from this site/info.

Any advice on step 1 to step 9 modifications you have done or would do, would be appreciated. otherwise ill be going back to my go-kart

cheers for you help all!

Geoff

 

[andycupra]

1. remap. you wont be dissapointed.
2. dogbone mount. (engine mount) this will help put power down.
3. suspension

4. ARBs

then you get onto stuff that costs more for less gain:

Exhaust
Front mount intercooler / stage two remap.

 

[skahigh]

1. remap. you wont be dissapointed.
2. dogbone mount. (engine mount) this will help put power down.
3. suspension

4. ARBs

good advice, however, it may be advisable to get an uprated dv like forge 007 or bailey dv30 before getting the remap as the standard bosch unit has been known to fail under extra boost conditions.

 

[Willie]

Thanks for getting back to me guys, having spent a fair amount of cash on the LCR im very close to selling it and try recoupe my losses as best as possible. Other than performace the Car is in A1 condition, interior is like new even with that showroom new smell to it despite my best efforts of a hanging monkey airf-reshener.

The only way forward i see with keeping the LCR is going down the modification route, I assume remaps are the best bang for buck with the LCR however, the information on this site is pretty much everywhere and trying to understand what i need to support one modifictaion is very difficult to extract from this site/info.

Any advice on step 1 to step 9 modifications you have done or would do, would be appreciated. otherwise ill be going back to my go-kart

cheers for you help all!

Geoff

Don't get rid yet, give it a chance!!
I changed from a 106 GTI to a 210 LCR
Like you at first I was dissapointed with how the car felt but once I realised a few things this all changed.
The 106 was fuel injected and obviously the LCR is Turbo'd
With the difference in engines there is a very different driving style that needs to be adopted.
With a fuel injected car the quicker you get the pedal to the metal the quicker you go. Which is very different to a turbo'd car
Try progressively depressing the accelerator to the metal, allowing the revs to build up and follow you.
Also the sensation of speed in the LCR is very different to a Clio or any other smaller car. Wait till you overtake, you will find you build up speed far quicker than your used to, you will find this out when you need big handfulls of brakes to stop you hitting the car in front
With the clio you will have most of your performance from 0-90 ish and then not much after that the LCR is very different and also there is far more torque with the Leon. So from 30-100 you will find the LCR definately feels better than the clio did.
If you practice the gradual acceleration and get it sussed give your mates in clios a race and see how you get on

Hope this helps, I'm not doubting your driving abilities just trying to help

 

[longman]

If you think that its not running quite right. Its definitely worth plugging it in and doing some measuring and fault reading.

I would also be inclined to log and compare air flow, timing, boost values etc to what they should be before trying to modify the car.

You won't get any good results trying to remap a car that has a problem.

 

[Sunburn]

Thanks; I think some of it is placebo, as in when im driving my clio like have stole it the sound of induction kit/ exhaust is fantastic however the std. lcr is quite tame in comparrison.

My head is spinning from all these part numbers and model specs that i cant see the woods for the tress lol

Thanks for the tips Andycupra,

In relation to the DV i assume Dump Valve? how easy are they to install, can a web designer do it? also can you damage you car if done wrong? also despite being very thick! i did manage to find the search facility but have still not worked out what a MAF is? seems to crop up a lot in topics.

Cheers again!

Geoff

 

[Sunburn]

PS. Any one from worcestershire got the diagnostics thingy? or would you recommend going to the SEAT Garage/Stealer in Driotwich?

 

[ICUJEDI]

Don't get it

Did you not test drive one before you bought it??

 

[Sunburn]

Don't get it

Did you not test drive one before you bought it??

Yep, was a good test drive, however, a week or so later, you start to see the limitations etc which you may not have picked up on earlier. Learning process