Friday, April 30, 2010

Thorough refreshment buffet for Pocong

The Polo GTI or VAG 1.8T’s stock clutch in general, won’t last long once the car has been reflashed. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, burnt clutch has already started to occur as early as 20k kms on some cars. And having just surpassed 45k kms, I wouldn’t want to wait till it slips and burnt and that’s why I can’t wait any longer to get it replaced.

Last Thursday morning, I managed to take some time off and have the car sent to Kawa Koshi Auto Air-Cond Service in Kepong at 11.00am, gave Peter (the owner) all the parts and fluids to get the job done; and then shoot back to office using taxi.

Kawa Koshi is highly recommended by Jed (Polo GTI owner) given their fair share in handling Polo GTI from simple oil change to upgrade works including clutch installations. While they’re not VW specialist from my point of view, their attention to detail and TLC surpass any mechanics I’ve seen and majority of car owners that I knew (and I’m one of them!). Hence you can imagine all the hype.

After getting some things done at my work place, I came back to the workshop around 5.00pm and found out that clutch installation just completed and they’re proceeding on the rest. Unfortunately, 10 minutes past, heavy thunderstorm rain just came down and that delays the progress. Oh well….

Somewhere around 7.00pm-ish, they restart the works. Everything went smoothly except lots of time taken on the steel braided lines. Plugging out the old and in the new ones is not exactly “plug & play” and this took them closed to 2 hours. And the one I though is tedious, injectors’ o-rings job took merely 5 minutes. As needle passed 10.00pm, all is done!

For the amount of works done on the car, you just wouldn’t believe the amount I had to pay. 6 hours job for the entire works with 4 foremen including Peter cost me less than RM400. Yes, it’s not exactly pocket change money but honestly I certainly feel it’s bang for buck given their positive approach during the entire process. And although I live somewhere 40kms up north, I wouldn’t mind sending the Pocong there again and again.

Upon getting back the keys and crank it up, I sensed that the gear chatter noise (because of lighter single mass flywheel) is more prominent inside the car than from the outside. Weird but that’s all that I can whine about as the rest of it feels rejuvenated, energetic and much more responsive from low-to-mid range and I haven’t fully nail the throttle yet! Even so, the ESP was awkwardly busy toning down the power on 2nd and 3rd!

While I realise these sort of refreshments doesn’t come cheap but in motorhead’s way of thinking, it’s well worth the pain! And I can wait to go out for shiok sendiri sunday drive tomorrow :)


Stock clutch disc seems ok though

Stock dual-mass flywheel. 15-18kg easily...

New slotted rotors for the rear

Old plained rotors (skimmed) vs Slotted/Drilled rotors

Stock PFR6Q plugs, Pocong better off with BKR7E even though it's copper base

ECS Steel Braided Lines is shorter than original, need to use the inside route to make it fit

Rear brakes after Peter's detailing job done.....

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Leaks around fuel injectors

Upon checking my engine this evening, I spotted strange leaks of oil/fuel around fuel injectors which attached to intake manifold. From what I managed to dig out from the net, it's mostly because of the injector seals/o-rings getting harden over time due to heat and boosting (that's where it got leaks). In my case, the leaks are not as severe image below. Nonetheless, I'll call AVS Auto first thing Monday morning to get it and have it replaced together with the clutch next Saturday.

Don't want to wait for things to turn like this

If only I can stretch further for Genesis 380cc injectors and 4 bar VW FPR


Friday, April 23, 2010

ECS Tuning package finally HERE!

Alas after extensive ding dongs on parts arrival from factory and flight delays due to infamous Icelandic’s ash clouds, my ECS Stg1 Clutch and ECS steel braided lines finally reached my doorstep last friday.

The journey from Wadsworth Ohio to Petaling Jaya is still not without additional drama though. This week smarties from UPS tagged 30%+10% tax on, then toned done to 5%+10% (same structure being charged to other Polo owners previously), then shoot back up to 30%+10% because of so called automotive parts and when it reached my doorstep that afternoon, nothing needed to be paid! Either the Customs got so much workload to clear sudden influx of cargo or UPS within themselves aren’t communicating properly. Either ways, I’m darn lucky.

Let’s see what that I’ve been messing about on this Stg1 Clutch kit:

Sachs Clutch Pressure Plate for VR6 (x 1) USD90.65
Sachs Clutch Disc for VR6 (x 1) USD128.00
Rein Release Bearing (x 1) USD21.04
ECS Flywheel 228mm 14lbs (x 1) USD61.03
ECS 228mm Clutch Alignment Tool (x 1) USD5.13 (not in the box)
Flywheel Bolts (x 6) USD18.62
Pressure Plate Bolts (x 6) USD3.97
ECS Steel Braided Lines - Front (x 1) USD50.99
ECS Steel Braided Lines - Rear (x 1) USD43.46
UPS Expedited Courier USD136.57

Colourful they may be, I’m going to “peram” the package till next week Saturday for installation. Hoping it to be smooth sailing, darn seriously hope so!

Made the order last Mar 31st, it set sailed on Apr 13th, got stucked in Cologne for 7 days and Shenzhen for a day *sigh*

Good day Mr Firdaus, attached in the box are parts we’ve managed to ripped off from your almost dry wallet and thank you for reluctantly agreed on chosen UPS Expedited service

Hope this pressure plate can stand up to 275bhp as claimed

Nothing fancy about this disc though

14lbs still heavy to carry, it’ll encourage the Pocong to chatter though.... errr not like dry clutch chattering like the Duke, more like diesel-fed lorry

Even the bolts needed to buy, just missing the alignment tool, need to borrow from Jed

ECS steel braided lines is as solid as the AP Racing but more “red”

The rest of it, still missing “oel filter”

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

For Sale: Apexi NA/Turbo Timer

Item: Apexi NA/Turbo Timer
Description: Black, pen type. A/F ratio, battery volt, O2 & timer display.
Condition: Good condition
Price: RM200

Interested? Contact Zaid @ +60129787811


For Sale: Evo 3 Intercooler (Original)

Item: Mitsubishi Evo 3 Intercooler (Original)
Condition: New core and fins in excellent condition
Price: RM500

Interested? Contact Zaid @ +60129787811

If the inlet piping doesn't clash with the Pocong's oil cooler, I'd have taken it :(

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Parts for the Waja

While waiting for my ECS clutch and braided hoses to reach my doorstep (3 weeks of waiting for the clutch alignment tool to be stocked, 3 days got stucked in Colongne due to Iceland's volcano eruptions and 1 day stucked in Shenzen due to bad weather and so the excuse counting up and up), my brother and I went to PH Auto yesterday to buy replacement parts for the Waja:-

- Sachs Super Touring dampers for RM370 a set
- Top mount RM110 a pair
- Tie rod end RM50 a pair
- Don brake pads RM100 a set
- Radio antenna RM35
- Bendix Dot5.1 brake fluid RM20
- Revised aircond vent RM65

We got most of the parts installed at my old mechanic place, RCT Autoworld in Wangsa Melawati. Pretty well done up as usual with these guys. Having said that, I was thinking of getting them to replace my Pocong's clutch. Might not be VAG specialist but they've had fair share in doing lots of Bimmers, Mercs, Jags and Japs, so Pocong could be another car they can do, hopefully.....

Things I like about Proton, they're cheap to maintain!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Skyfiro is BACK!

After months of hibernation, finally the Skyfiro has come back to light up the tarmac of Shah Alam. Aside from turbo upgrade (which is still pending), it now has fresh coat of paint, new wheels & rubbers and screamer pipe! Unfortunately the owner is buzy this weekend because I can't wait to have a go again and again!


Matte black was self done mind you.

Pancung Auri! Pancung! hahaha