Grahams81-Leon 4wd, Big Turbo - Back in the saddle :-)

[ReDBull]

Nice to see things still moving forward! Top work as always

 

[grahams81]

Thanks For all the comments

Although i have not updated for a while i have been beavering away in in the garage the last few weeks.

I decided to line up the passenger side doors and put the handles on.

Dropped the rear screen on, mostly to check the fit and get it out the way - I've bought some Adhesive for the screen but haven't plucked up the courage to glue it in yet.

Recently i've started rebuilding the engine bay, Brake Master Reservoir on, ABS / brake pipes / clutch line in / Engine Mount.

Next up i put the loom tray back in and started running the wiring loom in, and after much swearing i ran the 50mm2 power cable for the battery relocation in. I took it through the same hole in the bulkhead as the wiring loom comes through just above the ABS unit.

Did a quick hour on the car today and decided to work on the scuttle area.

I ran in the two separate looms in that plug into the ECU and get the Wiper motor back in -

Hopefully get a few hours tinkering this weekend.... fingers crossed

 

[Mark D]

Get the hard graft bits out the way then see the progress fly. Video the first start up. will be worth a watch

 

[James23Parkin]

looking good Graham. The Hammerite paint in the bay doesn't look too bad at all? Look forward to the next installment as always.

 

[grahams81]

Get the hard graft bits out the way then see the progress fly. Video the first start up. will be worth a watch

Yeh i will be videoing the interesting bits

looking good Graham. The Hammerite paint in the bay doesn't look too bad at all? Look forward to the next installment as always.

Thanks as always James TBH the paint in the bay is ok for now, i'll just get the car finished then if i'm bothered i'll redo it during the winter one year....

Little Update

Last Sunday i did a couple of hours in the garage.

I started off by checking the new hubs i bought from America - the 4wd driveshafts for the car are from a later style bolt type hub. I found it impossible to source some over here..... all the pattern parts i.e GSF, ECP are for the earlier nut on driveshafts.

Just got to order some new wheel bearings and get the front hub carrier's shot blasted / powder coated then i can built the hubs up.
I also need to order up some polybushes for the whole car.

Next up i started to clean up the door / window carrier panels.
The car used to have a lovely water feature and you can see the old cracked sealant / water marks from the inside of the panels -

I ground the end of a screwdriver to a radius to help dig out the old sealant - with one hand easing it up and the other hand scraping the seal off it came out quite nicely. Then i went over the sealing lip with a dremel with a plastic brush wheel.. this took the remaining seal bits out cleanly.
Here is the new VAG sealant, a butyl style which is much bigger than the old stuff and remains soft -

Putting it on the panel -

First panel on

Then i decided to clean the windows up and put them in along with the seals, looking more complete

I think it looks weird with the B-Pillars not black due to the door seals running along the lower part of the pillars, so i think i'll order up some gloss black wrap.

Just the other sides door panels to do next.

It's a big boost for me seeing it like this, everything i do to make it look more complete spurs me on.

So long for now,

Graham.

 

[matt g]

It's getting there! Supreme effort!

Sent from my HTC One X+

 

[James23Parkin]

Looks great Graham. Agree with the decision to wrap the door pillars. Did you buy the sealing cord from vw directly or else where? I'd prefer to use this rather silicone sealant - my doors need doing...

 

[LEE69]

search butyl tape on ebay 8mm is good £10 or less roll will do all 4 doors.

Coming along nicely Graham.

 

[joshy514]

Grahams81-Leon 4wd, Big Turbo - Painting on hold, rebuild time

Definitely need to be black! Is there a part number for that sealant tape and can you remember a price? This thing is unreal by the way!


Sent from my iPhone

 

[RDS]

This is getting better and better

Looks great Graham. Agree with the decision to wrap the door pillars. Did you buy the sealing cord from vw directly or else where? I'd prefer to use this rather silicone sealant - my doors need doing...

Definitely need to be black! Is there a part number for that sealant tape and can you remember a price? This thing is unreal by the way!


Sent from my iPhone

you can get the butyl tape online gents:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_t....A0.Xbutyl&_nkw=butyl+tape&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[joehirth]

Nice!! Graham - are you tempted to top mount the gear shifter like I did with Ibiza? I found that the added heat through the exhaust just causes mahem and melts the linkage. I ended up having to replace them!

 

[Leon1600s]

Easily my favourite car on the forum! Some really impressive work gone into this!

 

[littlejon]

Very interesting read, I'm sure you've had many long & late nights in the garage.

 

[frenkieshenkie]

Superbuild you got there mate!

 

[googujube]

This is without doubt the best/most interesting thread I have read I would love to be able to do all of this!

I attempted to tidy the scuttle area a bit and moved the contents of this to free up a bit of space for a catch can:

Apologies if that was extremely patronising! haha

 

[jonny94]

spent about 3 afternoons reading this build, truly epic mate!

Please update soon to fill my craving for your 4wd goodness

 

[dj_jalland]

Hey graham first I would like to say great work your an inspiration
I found this build the other week and started reading it it was hard not to skip to the last page so I read it like a an addiction lol now I got to page 66 to find its not done lol
I would like to do this build but want to see it done before I start

Brought the main ingredient 2004 lcr 2.5k

Then started buying stupid things
Intercooler + pipes
water meth system
Oil cooling kit
oil press oil temp boost press gauges
gaskets

 

[grahams81]

Thanks for all the positive comments, there much appreciated

Nice!! Graham - are you tempted to top mount the gear shifter like I did with Ibiza? I found that the added heat through the exhaust just causes mahem and melts the linkage. I ended up having to replace them!

Hi Joe, i wasn't going to run them above the tunnel as i wanted to run the standard centre console.... although i have been looking at the SQS shifter, i'd love one but they are mega money for what they do. Maybe in the future i'll get one, like you say probably after i melt the oem cables lol

This is without doubt the best/most interesting thread I have read I would love to be able to do all of this!

I attempted to tidy the scuttle area a bit and moved the contents of this to free up a bit of space for a catch can:

Apologies if that was extremely patronising! haha

Thanks for comments and the info, not patronising at all i was already thinking of pulling it back to mount in the scuttle area / tray as it might get a bit melty from my side mounted turbo.

Overdue Update

Well i have let two months slip by without really doing more than a few hours work in the garage. As always things like family and only getting home for 1 night some weeks doesn't help.... anyhow enough of the excuses, as i have a few days garage time pass from the missus for good behaviour.

Since the last update i put the remaining door accessory panels in and installed the windows / motors and window seals.
I can't really bond the windscreens in yet as the chassis is on dollys at the moment and once i lower onto its wheels the chassis will flex and could crack the screen.

I've ordered up some powerflex black series bushes for the front suspension, i went with the rose joint bearing for the wishbones

So my priorities are as follows -

Strip all the suspension / hubs / subframes down (remove all bearings / bushes) - in preparation for shot blasting and powder coating.

To do this i needed to get the subframe down from the garage rafters as i put it up there ages ago to save space.
To get the subframe down i had to push the car out of the garage

Picks in the daylight -

It was nice to see it in the flesh outside of the garage... looks like its taking shape now

So lifted the subframe down, whilst nearly pulling my back out -

This is one that i bought from a TT so its got a quick steering rack installed

While i was on i decided to bring the engine stand down and build it back up -

I have already decided to rebuild the engine to replace the gudgeon pins in the pistons to the tool steel versions i bought last year..... so i decided to get the ball running on the engine so it can be finished off and installed.

There is an engine under there, i think

Once i cleared all the crap off the engine i manhandled the engine gearbox out of it's hideehole and started to split it ready for mounting on the engine stand.

After trying for 30mins struggling to separate the engine and gearbox i remembered there was a bolt that went the other way under the transfer box. Once i removed that it came apart much easier :roll eyes:

Shot of the Clutchmasters FX400 -

Pressure plate off showing flywheel clamping bolts with steel ring to spread the clamping load -

My mate then dropped my engine hoist back round so i lifted the engine back on its stand -

I then got a bit carried away with the strip down -

Pulled the head off it !!!!!!

Unfortunately the engine has has sat in the garage for so long it's gone rusty again, only on one side which is weird. I will have to redo the paint work

Rusty rusty -

So i then span it round and pulled the sump off -

At least nothings rusty on the inside

Then i decided to drop out the pistons & rods -

Not bad for a few hours work.

I'm off to machine mart this morning to buy a DTI (clock gauge) to check the crankshaft isn't bent. Not the end of the world if it is mind as i have a spare TDI 95.5mm crank.

Thanks for reading and any comments. Hopefully i'll update tonight or tomorrow.

Graham.

 

[alcarp]

Nothing better than getting a pass and getting really stuck into it which you certainly did.

Nice to see someone doing everything to perfection, with dti gauges etc, you will reap rewards of these small things.

You thought about putting a thicker headgasket back on to lower compression for better boost?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

 

[grahams81]

Nothing better than getting a pass and getting really stuck into it which you certainly did.

Nice to see someone doing everything to perfection, with dti gauges etc, you will reap rewards of these small things.

You thought about putting a thicker headgasket back on to lower compression for better boost?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

Thanks Mate.

The pistons are already lower compression than standard. They are 8.5:1 JE Forged ones so should be able to run loads boost