xnox202's: AMK 2003 1M Leon Cupra R Build Thread

[xnox202]

Hi there everyone. Just another RR thread of mine, and hopefully a good journey to achieve another good LCR build.

First when I just got the car, obviously it needed a few TLC. Only mods/restore job that it never came with car which I did after I got the car for just a few days:

- Replaced Master Pump Cylinder
- Replaced Thrust Bearing/Clutch Pump Slave Cylinder
- Replaced some vacuum hoses that broke/missing
- N249 Delete (w/ Resistor)
- Installed an Open-cone K&N air intake
- Removed middle pipe resonator
- Genuine R8 Oilcap
- Installed Relayed HID 6000k for Headlamps & Foglamps
- Front Boser-look Eyelids
- SEAT Wheel Valve Caps
- Heatwrapped Charge Pipe
- Installed Oil Press Gauge/Boost Gauge
- Plastidipped Rear/Front "S" Emblem, "L E O N", and "Cupra"
- Reflective Red "R" sticker inlay as replacement for the faded original Reds

How it looked like when I first got the car:

Car as it stands for now:

I can list in the future side of things.. but as of right now, it's more probably to be done as "slowly but surely":

- Repaint OEM LCR Wheels to Gloss Black.
- Repaint Emblems to Gloss Black.
- Replace all 4 door/fix regulators
- Replace all 4 window/fix regulators
- TeamHEKO Window Visors
- Engine Dressing (Cover, Hoses, etc)
- Complete Polyurethane bushes in suspension system
- Coilover Suspension, Front/Rear ARBs
- Stainless Steel Braided Lines, Brakepads and Slotted Rotors

And into the engine side of things:
- FrankenTurbo Hybrid F23 K04 Turbo
- AGN Intake Camshaft
- SEM Intake Manifold
- Relentless V3 Exhaust Manifold
- 3" De-cat Downpipe
- 630cc Injectors
- Water Methanol Injection
- Valvetrain Components, Rods

Hoping to get circa 300~310bhp out from this thing or more while I hope I can turn the car on corners on fast road days.

Last updated: 26-August-2013

 

[tony_burrin]

Sounds nice mate any pics


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[xnox202]

As when I first got the car, last owner mentioned that the Clutch Pump were on it's way out so I ordered Both Master and Slave Clutch Cylinder Pump and to tackle em as DIY in my workshop. Didn't had any Flywheel/Clutch to replace while the gearbox was out. Oh well.

The only tools access + Impact Wrench + Hoist + Tranny Jack:

Here's some pictures:

Clutch Pumps were done at that point, next to tackle the HID Lights installation. Did this for both my Seat Toledo and my Audi A3, well why not for the LCR too?

Some pictures of trying to HID a relay-ed HID wiring mess. Ballast are hidden from the engine bay:

N249 Delete, loving this freebie mod. No CEL on dash so far. Though scanned with VCDS code as "N249 open circuit" came up though:

More to come!

 

[xnox202]

Still trying to float the boat on these, thoughts?

 

[xnox202]

It's been awhile that I hardly updated anything here on my RR thread. To kick off back a few things, there's isn't much progress happened since the last update.

For about a month (or 2) ago:
- I got around to purchase a Universal 10-Row Oil Cooler kit and a few Ultra Racing undercarriage bar from Malaysia a month ago. I haven't got around to wire in my oil press signal to the oil sandwich plate but did installed the oil cooler.
- I also repainted some red parts back to black as I wanted the engine bay to look not too much of the "in-your-face" look when opening up the engine bay.
- Installed an oil catch tank and PCV Delete.

Current engine bay:

Ultra Racing Bar installed:

I was on the fence on getting the rear boot bar although they advertised them as Mk.4 Golf Rear Boot Bar. Can anybody shed some light if this bar fits? I doubt so though. Then there's the front strut bar which I probably getting sometime later.

Although, I'm having hard luck the LCR's ranking up the bill numbers as time passes.

I need to sort out:

1) Engine currently leaks oil on the front side of the block. Certainly not coming from my recent Oil Cooler kit as it was leaking beforehand but progressively getting worse now. Also noticed that the dipstick always pops out and spew oil, but not at all dramatic consumption. There's also a fair bit of oil around the oil. I'm yet to discover what causes all these things. Top rocker gasket is fine. I thought the previous owner had installed the PCV system incorrectly would cause this but after cleaning up the block and decided to do the PCV delete and install an oil catch tank, it didn't escalated the problem. Possible causes: Camshaft Seal, VVT, Half-moon Gasket?

2) After driving the LCR for quite sometime, I believe the lower wishbone bushes, ball joint and front shocks needs to be replaced. I practically destroying the bumpstops at some unexpected speed bumps with the current shocks. It didn't sound pretty when the shock travels right up there. To replace: Front and rear arm/suspension bushes, every bit of it (might aswell), ball joints and the shocks. Might go all-out on Polyurethane bushes and Coilover Suspension if funds permit.

3) Oh, remember those moments when you had to deal with pesky 1.8T Turbo-to-manifold gasket problems? The bug got me and it's nothing but hell to me. Three bolts holding the turbo to the manifold keeps backing out. Now, one of the bolts broke and left the remaining bolt of the thread in the manifold. I need to reach out the exhaust manifold and possibly re-thread. There's DIY to remove the manifold but I need to source out some gaskets before I can start removing things. Also because of the leak, I think my Lambda Pre-Cat Oxygen sensor died too. It catches revs only after few seconds. My options: Remove the stock manifold, re-thread and install back stock manifold. Again, might consider replacing the manifold with an aftermarket one but I never came across reading through the threads if a different manifold would solve the problem. I haven't seen up close, but which of the 3 bolts holds the turbo to? The manifold or somewhere on the turbo? O2 Sensor? MAF?

4) I need to source out new bushes for the shifter as it's hard to push down to get into reverse without literally "smacking" it down hard. Not sure which to look at, opened up the gaitor and I did notice some rubber/poly broken bits. Also not forgetting to mention that the clutch system as the clutch pedal at rest doesn't depress fully. I power-bleed almost more than twice, and down after few days kept redoing and refilling it still doesn't depressed fully. I would literally shoot myself in the head if the new Slave Pump is probably causing some problems. Possible causes: Bad shifter bushing (Interior), Slave Pump, Bleed Method?

5) Onto a few less dramatic side of things, I need to replace my roof Spoiler (Lost it on the highway), replacing my HID kit ballasts as some of it decided to die out early, front O/S locking nut decided to thread-out (Go figure!!) when I was about to replace the tyres and I need to refurbish the brake calipers.

That's all for the not-so-exciting updates!

 

[ReDBull]

I've been looking at the ultra race bars. When I contacted them I was told they would not fit!!! Back on my list know then

I've got a unibrace copy at the rear. It fits between the rear seats
eBay part number 350628542081

I trimmed it in acoustic cloth

I've since sold the Hughes engineering upper brace.

Has the underbody bracing made much difference?

 

[xnox202]

Well that's a bugger but was wise enough not to take the chance. In your pictures, would the upper brace be better than the Unibrace?

As for the Ultra Bars, I can't say much about how much they improved the handling as I've yet to take the car through it's paces but initial impressions, there's less of a chassis flex. It's noticable when I get over speedbumps at an angle as there's almost less to no creaking sounds so I think the bars are doing their job when tackled at corners. The rear upper bar + front strut bar, some ARBs and bushes finished with some coilovers would probably make the car turns on corners as if they're on rails I hope!