New to me GTI

[GTi_User]

Alright everyone, just bought a 07 GTI BWA engine in Graphite Blue, it's done 87k, got to say enjoying being back in a quick car! But I get a funny feeling that mine has been remapped, not sure  Everything else looks standard in the engine bay.

I will be getting a few things done to it to smarten it up, but could anyone help answering the below:

1. Where's the best place to get some mats, preferably carpet in black, mine have the clips (not oval). Is there GTi specific mats that can be bought?

2. Headlight dipped and main beams are p*ss yellow when in use, anyone recommend some decent bulbs to improve things? I remember Osram nightbreakers were ok for straight forward replacements but I'm looking for a whiter/brighter upgrade. Seen a lot of these LED bulbs going around, worth fitting?

3. Been reading about intake kits, don't want to spend too much on a set up, most say go for the RamAir or Evoms? Anything else I should be considering for the price (around £200 max). I do want a bit of induction sound.

4. Should I be upgrading the DV to the latest spec or look at a forge one or something?

5. I'm getting a bit of noise when turning the steering at low speed (like parking the car), almost like a grind and the steering is quite heavy. I've check the tyres, they are fine, any common issues around the steering? 

Thanks

[ROH ECHT]

Alright everyone, just bought a 07 GTI BWA engine in Graphite Blue, it's done 87k, got to say enjoying being back in a quick car! But I get a funny feeling that mine has been remapped, not sure  Everything else looks standard in the engine bay. Boost if stock is usually a peak at about 12 psi...tuned will be 16 to 18 psi at peak...with some saying theirs is 21 psi when just tuned. But I think there is a difference and that may be some are stage-1 while others are stage-2.

I will be getting a few things done to it to smarten it up, but could anyone help answering the below:

1. Where's the best place to get some mats, preferably carpet in black, mine have the clips (not oval). Is there GTi specific mats that can be bought? I always get mine from the dealership. They sometimes have them on their clearance list. I have two sets of Monster mats I got for $25usd/set and two carpeted sets also at the same price. Try a search online. I see them there but costing much more than I spent for mine. You'll need to be sure they aren't the oval hole.

2. Headlight dipped and main beams are p*ss yellow when in use, anyone recommend some decent bulbs to improve things? I remember Osram nightbreakers were ok for straight forward replacements but I'm looking for a whiter/brighter upgrade. Seen a lot of these LED bulbs going around, worth fitting?

3. Been reading about intake kits, don't want to spend too much on a set up, most say go for the RamAir or Evoms? Anything else I should be considering for the price (around £200 max). I do want a bit of induction sound. Just do not go too big of a diameter. Revo and Integrated Engineering have their intakes metered down at the MAF. You can see the tube tapers just prior to the MAF...this is a newer design as experience over time has shown that larger diameter intake tube causes a "false/low mass air" report to the ECU by the MAF. So, something to look for in an intake.

4. Should I be upgrading the DV to the latest spec or look at a forge one or something? People are fans of the GFB DV+ conversion kit...I switched to a Porsche DV...but if were running the oem still, I might convert it to the GFB DV+. If planning to run the stock turbo and tuned...the oem revision -D or -G will work, but there are fans of one or the other. They will say one leaks or the other tears, but they both work.

5. I'm getting a bit of noise when turning the steering at low speed (like parking the car), almost like a grind and the steering is quite heavy. I've check the tyres, they are fine, any common issues around the steering?  Could be the upper strut bearing if noise is only noticeable when not rolling while turning the wheels, CV joints will be noisy while rolling and turning, or might be the steering rack. Read the DTC/error codes...if nothing is there related to the steering, then it may be one of the other two mentioned.

Thanks

Not sure what will be the best sites to visit for you there, I'm in Oregon, US, Awesome GTI once had many options but may be limited due to the age of the MK5 these days. Hopefully another may point you in the right direction for the issues I didn't reply to. Good luck.

[GTi_User]

Thanks for the detailed reply ROH ECHT, very useful, I've been checking out Awesome GTI's site for mod parts and plenty of MK5 GTI parts there.

What ways can I check the boost of the car? Is this only via vag-com? Don't want to install a boost guage. The more I drive the GTI the more I think it's remapped as it's rapid.

I will be ordering a GFB DV+ for peace of mind. Will hold out for the CAI for the moment. Bought some generic mats from Amazon which are just fine.

Regarding headlights, been reading into this and I believe the LED ones (H7, 501) are illegal but everyone seems to run them on their cars. The best non-LED options are MTEC bulbs (HIDs-direct.co.uk) - anyone run these?

Another issue that's occurred it the temperature gauge fluctuating. between 70-90c. Reading into this, it could be down to the temperature sensors x 2 (one near the battery and other near the alternator, mines a manual) and/or the thermostat.

Temp sensor and thermostat near the alternator seems a pig to change (drain coolant, remove alternator etc) but the one near the battery is easy enough. Where do forum members get engine parts for their GTI's from? TPS? Eurocarparts?

If the temp sensor on the battery side doesn't resolve this then I'll have to get the car in to my local garage for the thermostat/temp sensor to be done along with the heavy steering to be looked at.

Nice one 

[muff1991]

for number 5: I would maybe check the front coil springs, had a very similar problem. turned out to be a broken coil spring grinding away. inspect closely top and bottom. as see a broken spring once with only an inch or two snapped off and had somehow seated itself again lol

[GTi_User]

Thanks for your reply mate about the steering issue. My car looks like it's been lowered by the previous owner on springs, so I will get this checked out by a garage in the next few weeks and report back.

I'm hoping it's a suspension issue rather than a steering rack concern!  It only happens below 5mph, with a slight grinding sound, but otherwise it drives perfectly above 5mph and at speed when cornering.

[GTi_User]

Alright people,

Just a quick update as I had my GTi in the garage for the thermostat and temp sensor change, now cured and car getting to 90c within 5-10 minutes.

Also got the steering issue at low parking speed sorted, was the top mount, got both sides done. Car is now sitting standard height  prefered it when it was a bit lower! Looked good but no grinding noise now. That also gave me the impression that the car was lowered!

Also had the cam follower changed as a precaution.

I drove the car home late after work and the car wasn’t revving freely (engine was fine before it went into the garage) and I experienced a turbo surge for a bit, then the engine management light was flashing on/off. I lost the turbo power but it was driving ok, but without the full turbo. The EML went off. Car was drivable with some power, but not full power.

Can anyone comment on what that could be down to? I’m taking the car back to the garage on the weekend, but something to do with the HPFP/when the cam follower was changed?

[pudding]

I doubt it.  Sounds like the classic split DV problem, but a code scan should reveal more.

[GTi_User]

Thanks Pudding,

What I probably wasn’t clear about was that the garage had changed the cam follower (also thermostat) so would have had to take off the HPFP and I collected the car and it was running rough/turbo stutte after I drove away from the garage.

Going back to the garage in the morning to get it sorted, fingers crossed it’s something simple! But will get the DV checked too.

Thanks

[El1M1N8OR]

for number 5: I would maybe check the front coil springs, had a very similar problem. turned out to be a broken coil spring grinding away. inspect closely top and bottom. as see a broken spring once with only an inch or two snapped off and had somehow seated itself again lol

Agreed!

I experienced this going lock to lock stationary.  Turns out OS spring was broken at the bottom and was out of the shock seat.

[muff1991]

for number 5: I would maybe check the front coil springs, had a very similar problem. turned out to be a broken coil spring grinding away. inspect closely top and bottom. as see a broken spring once with only an inch or two snapped off and had somehow seated itself again lol

Agreed!

I experienced this going lock to lock stationary.  Turns out OS spring was broken at the bottom and was out of the shock seat.

Exactly what happened with me, glad you sorted it mate :-)


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[El1M1N8OR]

for number 5: I would maybe check the front coil springs, had a very similar problem. turned out to be a broken coil spring grinding away. inspect closely top and bottom. as see a broken spring once with only an inch or two snapped off and had somehow seated itself again lol

Agreed!

I experienced this going lock to lock stationary.  Turns out OS spring was broken at the bottom and was out of the shock seat.

Exactly what happened with me, glad you sorted it mate :-)


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Turns out both Front Springs were snapped.  I was £289 for both replaced at the garage without the anti roll bar components that sometimes need replacing.

Common fault.