Aviator 225 Refinement

[DeckManDubs]

I figured it might be time to start a thread for the members on here to follow the past couple years of my ownership of my TT. I hope to provide the new and old members on here information on ownership woe's joys and general information to better help the community maintain their TT's to the highest level.

Some background for you guys:
I picked up my 01' in June of 2009 after searching for a TT for six months. I checked out several TT's, but felt the need to obtain something with a rare and unique color. I prefer odd colors due to their better resale value, even tho I tend never to sell any cars out of my growing collection. The TT was to replace my current DD (2000 Saab 9-5 V6t) which I was tired of the boring driving experience.

My background:
Coming from owning several Corrado's, I take the same mentality to TT ownership as I did to them. Preventative replacement of worn out components, even when they are still working fine. This may seem a bit rash and expensive, but it ensures that the car is always at 100% of operational ability.

Picture of the Corrado.



First road going cogged VR6 kit. Took me two years to get it done. But in 2007 made it happen and then proceeded to do 11,000 miles in a month on the poor old car to prove out the setup. Everything from desert hear, snowy north east winter to the Bonneville Salt Flats, to the 1/4 mile. So I tend to find weak points in anything! Over-built/engineered is my game, with a back ground as a manufacturing engineer.

Now onto my AG TT!

I found the one on vortex in Charlotte, SC. 97,000 miles. Owned by member "sidekick_tonto"
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...d-Nice-Example



Paid $10,800
Car had the Current mods
Timing belt done @ 95k
New Spec Stage 2 clutch with 7lb flywheel (more on this later )
GIAC chip
H&R Ultralows
Borla cat-back

Got a plane ticket down, with money in hand. Picked up the car and started the drive back. The light weight flywheel kicked my @ss as I drove away, felt almost impossible to get the car rolling. Figured out that there was no first or second gear! Pulled into a Walmart, bought tools and pulled the air box out. Only to discover that the idiot that put the clutch in used the wrong washer on the shifter selector. This allowed slop and no 1-2nd gears. So resorted to buying a toilet o-ring kit and making a home made washer to keep pressure on the selector.

Now with 1-2nd gear back, blasted back to Mass. 21 hours later back at home. Once home, I deleted the N249, air pump and a few other things to make the car more reliable, as I had a Road Rally to do in three weeks.






Put 30,000 miles on the TT over the next year.
Swapped out the Fat 5's for R32 18's.
Tossed in a Forge DV and TIP
Went Maestro
Haldex Filter and fluid change
Transmission fluid flush
Zimmerman front Rotors with HPS pads
VF-Engineering Mounts
New MAF
Shifter Bushings

Cell Phone Delete


Shifter Bushings



R32 18's

Snow Mode w/Blizzak LM22's


Spring 2010
ODO 131,000
Picked up some OZ's and ditched the R32 18" wheels.
CPT Adjustable Control arms (Was going to run Gruven arms but they were very nasty about my suggestion that there needed to be seals on the heim joints to protect against sand/water/salt and snow that we see here in New England. I found the CPT ones that are teflon coated with seals. More expensive but at the time they were the only solution to the problem. MadMax arms are in my opinion the best on the market at the moment, I picked up a set to complement the CPT arms)
Timing Belt and Waterpump
Replaced front CV boots and wheel bearings
New set of tires (Hankook V12's)
Haldex Filter and fluid change
Replaced head lights due to pitting
8k HID replacements and Yellow fogs

Completed the 2010 Road Rally with my new Co-driver Ben Knight. The TT proved to be an awesome rally machine, even with the loss of the alternator en-route to the Team O'Neil Rally school. I was able to find another alternator in St. James VT (An hour away), borrowed another fellow rallier's MK5 and blasted to the autoparts store to get the alternator. There and back in 1.5 hours.

Drive!





Swapped out the alternator in 24 mins, just in time to leave mid pack to the next check point.

Seem to have lost the 2010 rally pictures. I will try to find the back ups of them.

Week later the clutch broke! En-route to go pick up my B5 A4. Spring blew out!




So talked to James @ Four Seasons and ordered a 16lb single mass stage I kit. Installed with new throw out bearing.

At this time did another Haldex fluid and filter change. All was well for the rest of the season. Until the rack blew a seal. So new rack, tie rods and ball joints.


Winter 2010-2011
ODO : 141,xxx
2011 (Track and Rally prep)
Installed 42DD Downpipe and intake
Replaced ball joints, tie rods, steering rack, power steering pump, new ignition coils, Super blue flush.







Back on the road for New Years






Summer 2011
ODO 150,xxx
Haldex Comp controller
Haldex filter and fluid
Haldex precharge pump
Black BBS CH's 17x8.5
3.2 Grille
3.2 Spoiler
CB-Radio
Drilled Dash supports
New Hankook V12's
Made new bushings for the stock lower rear arms
Panzer Plate (Rally prep, good thing because I hit a few things)








Lime Rock Jag Club Track Day

Thread
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...ight=lime+rock

2011 Rally Pictures




En-route to dinner night 1 in the Taxi M5 curtesy of Dr. Crane!





Seems like some one was not happy with us getting to the hotel first that day. The whipped cream was a nice touch However, total PITA to clean off after it baked on in early morning light.



Leaving Kaizen Tuning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK1xf3S9Tzs

No break downs this year. Except for getting sick dirty cabin filter caused me to come down with an allergy attack. Make sure you change your filter yearly!


Dec 2011
ODO 156,100
Raised new coils.
MCPi Control arm bushings
New R32 bushings
New Ball joints
New tie rods
New Strut Mounts
Removed Skid plate


Found a crack in the brake booster vac line...and then pulled all vac lines and PCV piping out to replace and simplify it all for better track and rally reliability. Also discovered a weeping bit of coolant from the outlet off the head. Time for a cooling system over haul.

Ordered
Coolant fitting for the head
New injector o-rings
New PCV
Fan control module to ensure reliability
Low Temp Fan Switch
IE EGR block off
Valve cover gasket
42 DD Catch can (Still waiting to show up 12/25)
New crankcase breather fitting

New Heims for CPT rear control arms, now I can put in the MadMax arms and rebuild the CPT's to allow full rear adjustment.

New Height, no longer tucking 1.5" of tire.



Broken crankcase elbow Discovered prior owner had hacked it up in order to do a band aid fix. I mean to save what $19!


Good bye



A cool little item that I have been meaning to put in for a couple years



Now debating on doing a remote oil filter setup with an oil cooler and battery relocation setup

Finished up the PCV and brake booster line overhaul.

Decided to make a few fittings of my own to eliminate BS cracked plastic hoses.







All back together


New fan control module
Coolant Flush
New coolant flange
New crankcase breather fitting
Oil change
New BRK7E's
New PCV

Spikes and holds 21psi, picked up a good bit of power she seemed to be down. Took her out for a 125 mile drive yesterday. Throttle response is better as are the brakes with the cracked booster line fixed.

MCPi Delrin control arm bushings are amazing! Steering is more on par with my Corrado and A4, crisper turn in without the normal TT pushover (When front control arms are loaded up heavy, the rubber bushings change the steering angle causing more steering input needed to maintain the same line as originally selected)

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=no...3.359,74.969,0

Check out the 3D version to get an idea of the route!

This 18.7 mile section pushes a car harder than even the TOD, total elevation from North Adams to the summit 1465 ft in 3 miles(2172'), then back down to 679'. Temp change was ~18deg F from high to low of 14 deg.

Overall I was very impressed with the new bushings and dialed power of the TT at this point. Not as fast as the Corrado up and down the route, she was close without testing my nerves (Corrado tends to require you to be focused 110% other wise expect to soil some pants) The new MCPi bushings allowed me to drive deeper into the corners without having to back off the throttle to get the rear of the car to rotate back around to navigate the hair pin's.

Next on the list is to put the R32 front calipers and rotors on to aid in later braking. Some correction to the caster is in order to obtain a faster steering response (willing to allow dartyness for faster changeover from left to right corners)



Late Saturday Night: Tyrols are in

Old


New


Gaining some extra air flow




Old vs New




At this current time, cost of ownership is ~$26,800 including purchase (5/31/12)
160,000 Miles (5/31/12)



Lime Rock 2012 Jag Club

Best Recorded Lap Time 1:11



2012 BMW Patroon Div August 17-18
Coming soon!



Current Mods:
Date Updated: 6/11/12

Engine:
Eurodyne Maestro7 Stage 1 93oct file
42DD 3" Down Pipe
42DD Intake
Tyrolsport Dual SMIC's
Borla Cat-Back
MadMaxx Evo Valve
N75J
Verdict Motorsports Billet Injector Cups

Driveline:
Haldex Comp controller
FST 16lb Flywheel
FST Stage I Clutch
Verdict Motorsports Shifter Bushings
Verdict Motorsports Shifter Extension 2"
VF-Engineering Side Engine Mounts
VF Engineering Dog-bone with Verdict Motorsports GT1 Race Bushings

Suspension:
H&R Coil Overs
H&R Rear Sway Bar (Black on soft setting)
CPT Control Arms
Verdict Motorsports GT1 Race Bushings in stock lower arms
MCPi Control Arm Bushings
R32 Control Arm Bushings

Brakes:
Zimmerman Rotors and HP+ Pads (Good for street but not that great for the track)
SuperBlue Racing Fluid
Tyrolsport Brake Stiffening Kit

Wheels:
17" BBS CH w/ Hankook V12 Tires (Street Summer)
17" Fliks w/Blizzak LM-22 (Street Winter)
17" OZ Supperleggera w/ Nitto NT01 R-Compounds (Track)

Interior:
Verdict Motorsports Dash Support Speed Holes
Valentine 1
AWE Boost Gauge

Exterior:
3.2 Rear Spoiler
3.2 Rear Valance
3.2 Front Grille
8k HID's
Yellow Fogs

Sound:
Alpine HU
J&L Amp
Infinity Kappa Speakers



Car Weight Spare out, full tank of gas and some weight reduction

Empty
3062 lbs (LF:927 RF:959 LR:547 RR:602)

With me in the car:

3197lbs (LF:978 RF:981 LR:617 RR:621)



Will keep updating this as I go on with ownership, both of issues I run into or testing out parts and my review of them.

Thanks to Mad_Max, 42DD (John and Evan), Four Seasons Tuning (James West), Eurodyne (Chris Tapp), Verdict Motorsports (Phil & Noah), MCPi, CPT, VF-Engineering, all the guys at German Auto Parts (Dave, Justin,), Tyrolsport (Greg and Chris) and secondgen (Jeremy @ Pelham Auto), Greenfield Imported Car Parts (Steve, Matt and Jonathan)

Redbull, Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts helping me stay awake many long project nights

-Noah

[The_RoadWarrior]

[PLAYED TT]

Glad to see another build thread started. Yours may be the most interesting read thus far

[DeckManDubs]

007 VS Stock DV Valve

I have always had good luck with the Forge 007 DV on 1.8T's, VRT's and even Supercharged VR6's, but I found two things that landed me back in believing in the OEM valve, even tho it should be replaced seasonally or every 20,000 miles to avoid the annoying tear/failure and lack of power at an inopportune time.

My review of the DV's

Forge 007:
Pros: Spring availability and does not tear diaphragm.
Cons:
1.) In colder climates the DV will shrink ~.0005" @ 30 deg F and get stuck open, leaving you without power and could potentially cause you to land in a sticky situation when you need power.
2.) Weird throttle response: Such as shudders. Prevents smooth throttle modulation (Not something you want to experience mid corner on less than perfect driving surfaces such as wet roads or with mid corner bumps, you could find yourself in the weeds)
3.) Turbo shock, the valve goes from open to close in fast succession when maintaining a constant load, boost will spike and drop, can cause premature wear on the turbocharger.

OEM DV:
Pros:
1.) Does not seize up in cold climates
2.) No throttle surges
3.) Lighter weight
4.) Does not cause shock to the Turbo
Cons:
1.) Diaphragm can tear
2.) Shorter lifespan when power output is raised
3.) Plastic becomes brittle over time

I switched back to the OEM valve could not be happier! I replace them seasonally or every 20k. Next test might be to run a Mad_Max unit, perhaps this spring.

[DougLoBue]

Woo Noah

No hybrid turbo designs in your future?

[darrenbyrnes]

So, does EVERY Corrado owner eventually get a TT??

/That was MY route as well.

[PLAYED TT]

That or a MKIII LOL

[DeckManDubs]

That or a MKIII LOL

Meh, started with a MK3 VR6, got bored of it in six months as it had no soul.

So, does EVERY Corrado owner eventually get a TT??

/That was MY route as well.

There was a few of us that made the jump to buy a TT so to lessen the miles our Corrado's see. Mostly round out the sports coupe collection with something a little bit more modern, but with the uniqueness of the Corrado.

Woo Noah

No hybrid turbo designs in your future?

Negative boss. I plan on putting another 150k on the TT over the next coming years and hybrid/BT setups dont seem to last even half that. I am still on my original K04

When I bite the bullet on the 996TT, that will be a different story. I will def end up with all the GT2 upgrades for fun factor and reliability.

[deltaP]

[The_RoadWarrior]

007 VS Stock DV Valve

I have always had good luck with the Forge 007 DV on 1.8T's, VRT's and even Supercharged VR6's, but I found two things that landed me back in believing in the OEM valve, even tho it should be replaced seasonally or every 20,000 miles to avoid the annoying tear/failure and lack of power at an inopportune time.

My review of the DV's

Forge 007:
Pros: Spring availability and does not tear diaphragm.
Cons:
1.) In colder climates the DV will shrink ~.0005" @ 30 deg F and get stuck open, leaving you without power and could potentially cause you to land in a sticky situation when you need power.
2.) Weird throttle response: Such as shudders. Prevents smooth throttle modulation (Not something you want to experience mid corner on less than perfect driving surfaces such as wet roads or with mid corner bumps, you could find yourself in the weeds)
3.) Turbo shock, the valve goes from open to close in fast succession when maintaining a constant load, boost will spike and drop, can cause premature wear on the turbocharger.

OEM DV:
Pros:
1.) Does not seize up in cold climates
2.) No throttle surges
3.) Lighter weight
4.) Does not cause shock to the Turbo
Cons:
1.) Diaphragm can tear
2.) Shorter lifespan when power output is raised
3.) Plastic becomes brittle over time

I switched back to the OEM valve could not be happier! I replace them seasonally or every 20k. Next test might be to run a Mad_Max unit, perhaps this spring.

I'll add a few things since I have a little bit of expertise with DV in general after testing and building so many.

The OEM Bosh 710N is an OK valve ( much better than the 007 if you ask me). It reacts pretty fast and require zero maintenance. If we were all keeping our cars stock, there would really be no point in upgrading because the 710 performs decently at very low boost levels.

The drawbacks are that the 710N can not hold much boost (it leaks pretty bad at only 10 psi). The diaphragm material is also very thin and weak, it won't last long at 15+ psi. Another thing that grabbed my attention is that in normal push orientation, the 710 leaks more when both chambers are pressurized ( simulation of real life WOT ). No wonder the dealers were issued a TSB asking them to reverse the Bosh valve because of "noise". ( I have some YouTube videos of the 710 tested at various psi and configurations, I can Edit my post to add them if you are interested)

Bosh valves cut open show the weak diaphragm material, soft springs and also reveal that the valve is glued together which explains how the body fails to seal properly when both chambers are pressurized


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

The 007 will hold more boost than the 710, when mounted properly in push orientation( BTW push orientation is the only way these 2 valves should be mounted because that is how they were engineered to work). The yellow spring + a 1mm worth of shims is the most the 1.8t can tolerate, more than that and you won't generate enough vacuum to properly operate the valve safely.

The 007 is very slow in reaction, so slow that it is worthless in Motorsport situations that require on/off throttle and pedal modulation when cornering (I said this with you in mind Noah). Besides that, the high friction piston design require frequent lubrication to keep a good operation. Overall, if you are chipped, don't mind the maintenance and can stand the super slow reaction this could work for you ( remember, yellow spring and 1 mm of shimming).

As far as the Madmax valve, I'll let you comment on it when you finally get to try it, but I heard that it rocks!

[DeckManDubs]

This how you save 2.5lbs!

[DeckManDubs]

I'll add a few things since I have a little bit of expertise with DV in general after testing and building so many.

The OEM Bosh 710N is an OK valve ( much better than the 007 if you ask me). It reacts pretty fast and require zero maintenance. If we were all keeping our cars stock, there would really be no point in upgrading because the 710 performs decently at very low boost levels.

The drawbacks are that the 710N can not hold much boost (it leaks pretty bad at only 10 psi). The diaphragm material is also very thin and weak, it won't last long at 15+ psi. Another thing that grabbed my attention is that in normal push orientation, the 710 leaks more when both chambers are pressurized ( simulation of real life WOT ). No wonder the dealers were issued a TSB asking them to reverse the Bosh valve because of "noise". ( I have some YouTube videos of the 710 tested at various psi and configurations, I can Edit my post to add them if you are interested)

Bosh valves cut open show the weak diaphragm material, soft springs and also reveal that the valve is glued together which explains how the body fails to seal properly when both chambers are pressurized


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

The 007 will hold more boost than the 710, when mounted properly in push orientation( BTW push orientation is the only way these 2 valves should be mounted because that is how they were engineered to work). The yellow spring + a 1mm worth of shims is the most the 1.8t can tolerate, more than that and you won't generate enough vacuum to properly operate the valve safely.

The 007 is very slow in reaction, so slow that it is worthless in Motorsport situations that require on/off throttle and pedal modulation when cornering (I said this with you in mind Noah). Besides that, the high friction piston design require frequent lubrication to keep a good operation. Overall, if you are chipped, don't mind the maintenance and can stand the super slow reaction this could work for you ( remember, yellow spring and 1 mm of shimming).

As far as the Madmax valve, I'll let you comment on it when you finally get to try it, but I heard that it rocks!

Well it looks like I need to test the Mad Max valve out ASAP!

[idwurks]

<3 this thread

[speed51133!]

if you still want the remote oil filter setup, i bought one, installed it, and on my first oil change removed it.

decided i just did not need it.

pm me if you are interested in it. hose barbs and push on fittings.

ordered it from jegs.com

http://www.jegs.com/i/Trans-Dapt/969...39#moreDetails

[DeckManDubs]

PM Sent

[Neb]

This how you save 2.5lbs!

Why would you do this?

[The_RoadWarrior]

Why would you do this?

Why would you not?

Most of the structural support is retained, it's lighter, and looks good IMO!

You should see my driver side one, the entire diagonal cross section is removed to allow leg space when racing ( knee pads no longer required to prevent bruising ).

[PLAYED TT]

Just a question, but would the Osir carbon fiber supports save more weight?

[TTC2k5]

2.5lb saving...I can save that much with a good healthy dump. much less effort too.

[The_RoadWarrior]

2.5lb saving...I can save that much with a good healthy dump. much less effort too.

Agree but when you start tallying small weight savings here and there, you'd have to poop a lot to match up though

[PLAYED TT]

2.5lb saving...I can save that much with a good healthy dump. much less effort too.

Hahahahaha
I agree. But a good dump and that is 5 pounds of savings

[The_RoadWarrior]

Hahahahaha
I agree. But a good dump and that is 5 pounds of savings

I'm not the one to brake out the scale for things like that but you seem like above average in that department. 5 lbs is what I'd expect from a national competitor at the hot dog contest?

[PLAYED TT]

Haha I may lose a pound if that. I'm a skinny little bastard. But in all honesty is the weight saving really that critical in small amounts? What will 5 or 10 pounds save you time wise? I realize that removing lots of small things can save overall a ton of weight, but was that 2.5 necessary?

[The_RoadWarrior]

Haha I may lose a pound if that. I'm a skinny little bastard. But in all honesty is the weight saving really that critical in small amounts? What will 5 or 10 pounds save you time wise? I realize that removing lots of small things can save overall a ton of weight, but was that 2.5 necessary?

If you start thinking like that you'll never get big total weight reduction. You need to approach every component by looking at the percentage of weight saving over its initial weight. So, if Noah removed say 50% of the braces initial weight, he's a winner ( think about how much lighter the car would become if he did that to every pieces he touched).

[TTC2k5]

I'm not the one to brake out the scale for things like that but you seem like above average in that department. 5 lbs is what I'd expect from a national competitor at the hot dog contest?

I'll admit that was an estimate, but one made on years of data as my wife (39yrs) never hesitates to tell me I'm full of it.

[The_RoadWarrior]

I'll admit that was an estimate, but one made on years of data as my wife (39yrs) never hesitates to tell me I'm full of it.

[PLAYED TT]

never hesitates to tell me I'm full of it.

[Neb]

If you start thinking like that you'll never get big total weight reduction. You need to approach every component by looking at the percentage of weight saving over its initial weight. So, if Noah removed say 50% of the braces initial weight, he's a winner ( think about how much lighter the car would become if he did that to every pieces he touched).

But why keep the knee brace there at all then? If 2.5lbs makes such a big deal why aren't there racing seats in the car? Get rid of those heavyweight stockers.

[Neb]

Also it looks like there's the shift gate in there. It just added the 2.5lbs back into the car.

I'm all for weight reduction for racing, it makes sense. But not like it's been done here.

[DeckManDubs]

Also it looks like there's the shift gate in there. It just added the 2.5lbs back into the car.

I tried one out. Then ditched it as the way it was machined caused missed shift central. But it did come with a nice leather shift boot

The supports were drilled to compensate for the CB radio that was put in for road rally's.

[The_RoadWarrior]

But why keep the knee brace there at all then? If 2.5lbs makes such a big deal why aren't there racing seats in the car? Get rid of those heavyweight stockers.

Now that the conversation is expanding over everything, you've got a point about the seats ( maybe it's in the "to do" list, who knows?). In my car, although heavily molested, the braces stayed because I still run the stock dash ( required by the racing class ) that needs the bracing support.

I'm sure we all want super light, carbon shell, FIA certified seats with aluminum brackets that cost more than the car's blue book value for the set, but unfortunately the checkbook isn't always compliant.

It's like saying: "why go after 10 HP with and intake when you can buy a turbo kit that gives you 150 HP" - not really in the same league of modifications IMO .

[Neb]

True. But to each there own in that regard. I wasn't sure what the regulations would be for full removal of the brace either..

[DeckManDubs]

Now that the conversation is expanding over everything, you've got a point about the seats ( maybe it's in the "to do" list, who knows?). In my car, although heavily molested, the braces stayed because I still run the stock dash ( required by the racing class ) that needs the bracing support.

I'm sure we all want super light, carbon shell, FIA certified seats with aluminum brackets that cost more than the car's blue book value for the set, but unfortunately the checkbook isn't always compliant.

It's like saying: "why go after 10 HP with and intake when you can buy a turbo kit that gives you 150 HP" - not really in the same league of modifications IMO .

Right on.

They way I have taken to building this car is as follows:

1. I still use for road rallys, so AC/comfy seats and interior need to stay to make 10-20 hour drives not mentally and physically abusive.
2. I attend regular track days but dont want to trailer the car to the events. So tire/brake suspension/wide body is very limited.
3. I want reliable over power. So some little trick engineering deletes and relocation of weight and simplicity makes both working on, maintaining (K.I.S.S.)
3. As I stated prior, a 911 Turbo will be replacing the TT in the next year or two. At that time, out will come dash and pretty much everything for full blown track car that will still pass MA inspection. Unless prices go up on TT's at which point I would most likely sell the car and put funds towards a turn key Track built 911 (1980's with 993 power) and trailer it to and from events.

Plus, thinking out side the box is what I enjoy doing. Been there done that with big unreliable turbo setups. They do not survive road rally events longer than a day or two before weak points are found. Try running a car for 24 hours at 8/10ths of its capabilities, it is a bigger rush than any amount of power If the car survives without anything major happening, you did something right.

[doug@frankenturbo.com]

Terrific thread. I love the car's color.

Since you've got Maestro, let's see logs for some 3rd gear pulls!

[DeckManDubs]

Terrific thread. I love the car's color.

Since you've got Maestro, let's see logs for some 3rd gear pulls!

Thanks Doug! I'll try to nab some this weekend once the ice clears from the road.