TJD's Build

[tjd_tdi]

I thought I?d start a build thread early, as much for my own purposes as anything else. It probably won?t be terribly interesting, but I like documenting things over time.

Car is a Tuxedo black, base-as-base-gets 2015. I was wholeheartedly expecting to get a 2015 Golf TDI, but for a variety of reasons, I was disappointed by the Golf and absolutely loved the Fiesta. In particular, I was surprised by its interior size (or how it wasn?t nearly as small as I expected).

With 600 miles and a decent break in done, it?s time for some mods.

Current:

• Hard-wired dash cams--Street Guardian Panorama G (front), Mobius (rear)--and micro-USB for phone
• CFM Valve Cover Breather
• Mishimoto Compact Baffled Oil Catch Can
• Cobb Accessport - Stage 2 93 Oct v201
• 2J Cowl Intake
• Boomba Sound Symposer Delete Kit
• Sparco Assetto Gara Wheels
• no-pistons pedal spacer
• no-pistons dead pedal
• Ford ST all weather mats
• Mishimoto J-Line Intercooler

Planned (in rough order of priority/timing):

• RMM
• Downpipe--Leaning towards 2J catless
• Cat-back--Haven?t heard anything that I love, and since the stock system isn?t super restrictive, this is my lowest priority

 

[tjd_tdi]

Dash Cams​

I learned the hard way that without a third-party witness, insurance companies rarely find a driver at fault, unless it?s something egregious. So, front and rear dash cams were the first thing I did when I got home from the dealer.

Unlike most cars I have driven, Ford (and I believe American manufacturers in general) leave the 12V outlets powered all the time. This doesn?t work for most dash cams, since you want the camera to turn on and off with the ignition.

So, first step was to use a fuse tap on a circuit that does turn on and off with the ignition (I used the windshield wiper fuse) and 12V adaptor to create a switched outlet.

I then used a 12V splitter and ran the wires for the two dash cams and the micro-USB. All the wiring/connections live behind the glove box, so all you see are the last 6 inches of the wires when they get to their destination.

Front:

Rear:

Micro-USB:

 

[tjd_tdi]

Crankcase Ventilation​

Next up was improving crankcase venting to try to head off carbon build up on the intake valves. After a lot of reading, I landed on a two piece approach, similar to what [MENTION=1333]BoostBumps[/MENTION] is running.

The first component is the CFM Valve Cover Breather. Basically, this replaces your oil fill cap and allows the crankcase to VTA under pressure. It has a check valve so that under vacuum, it is closed. It also has baffling to prevent oil from splashing up and out of the valve and into the engine bay.

The breather should significantly reduce crankcase pressure, thereby reducing what the PCV system pulls out of the crankcase and into the intake. But, CFM doesn?t recommend deleting the PCV and instead recommends running a catch can.

So, the second component is this Mishi baffled catch can. I really like Mishi?s catch cans, since they are (over)engineered with baffling to liquify oil vapor and a 50 micron bronze filter on the outlet to further reduce oil getting through.

The trickiest parts were plumbing it into the PCV line (the one that runs from the crankcase to the IM) and mounting. Following the lead of others, I bought a spare PCV hose (MOTORCRAFT KCV-279) to be able to easily go back to stock, and then I cut the stock fittings off my original PCV hose. So, with a couple lengths of 5/8? hose, the whole system is basically plug and play--from stock crankcase fitting to inlet and from outlet back to stock connection to the IM. (Note: Hose clamps added all around after pictures were taken).

Mounting was probably the trickiest part. After a while of searching around the house/garage, I found an L-shaped bracket made for hanging curtains, which fit the bill nicely. The long end of the L fits to the top of the strut tower and the short end hangs over the tower where the Mishi bracket is attached.

The one thing you?ll notice in the pictures is that I had to use a capped T since I didn?t have a 5/8? elbow. I was caught off guard by the angle of the outlet from the crankcase, which makes routing the hose toward the strut tower impossible without an elbow. So, I have a brass 5/8? elbow on the way to replace that T.

Also not pictured, I have a brass 5/8? check valve on the way that I?m going to add just before the IM to keep the can from getting pressurized, as a bit of insurance.

 

[CanadianGuy]

The setup for the OCC is exactly what I want to do. Nice job.

 

[tjd_tdi]

The setup for the OCC is exactly what I want to do. Nice job.

Thanks! I'm definitely curious to see what kind of accumulation I get.

 

[Hijinx]

[*]Intake--Love the look of the 2J cowl intake, but thinking I need to hear just how loud it is in person

Have you ever ridden in an airplane right next to the engine, or tried talking over a fighter jet passing overhead? If those things didn't bother you, I have a deal you're gonna like.

 

[tjd_tdi]

Have you ever ridden in an airplane right next to the engine, or tried talking over a fighter jet passing overhead? If those things didn't bother you, I have a deal you're gonna like.

Ha! Yeah, I think I can handle that. The real test will be the wife. Only one way to find out though...

 

[Hijinx]

Ha! Yeah, I think I can handle that. The real test will be the wife. Only one way to find out though...

I went on a 14 hour road trip. As soon as I got home, I removed it. It's pretty difficult to have a conversation. If you want it though, PM me and we'll work out the details. It'll be cheap.

 

[tjd_tdi]

2JR Cowl Intake​

Thanks to [MENTION=759]Hijinx[/MENTION], I decided to try out the 2J Racing intake. This kit significantly shortens the length of intake piping and draws cold air from the cowl, isolated from the engine compartment.

Coming from the stock intake, the biggest pain in the ass of the whole install was loosening the connection from the stock intake pipe to the turbo. You?ll see many people use a shorty flat head. Since I didn?t have one, I tried to improvise one to no avail. But, realizing it is also a hex, I used a 7mm socket and it came off in no time. Definitely wouldn?t recommend screwing around with a flat head, if you have a socket set.

I started by more or less following [MENTION=636]RAAMaudio[/MENTION]?s guide for using RAAMat and Ensolite to try to deaden some of the noise. A layer of RAAMat and then a layer of Ensolite. The duct in the picture below is the HVAC intake, which is what draws so much of the induction noise into the car. I still need to play around with building a barrier or chambering the intake away from that duct.

Having never done sound deadening, it was a learning experience, and I?m sure a pro could do a lot better. In fact, as with most things, I?m sure I could do a lot better the second time around. But, it looked good enough for me. The one thing to call out (which RAAM does in his thread) is that you need to be careful to cut out the drainage ports and not just leave them covered with Ensolite or RAAMat.

Fitting the new intake wasn?t terribly difficult, and I think it helped to have the Ensolite protecting the paint and the intake pipe, otherwise I could definitely see scuffing up one or the other.

I did remove my catch can for install, but it fit nicely back in its original spot, just to the left of the intake and MAF sensor. You may also notice in the picture above that I replaced my jerry-rigged capped T elbow with a legit brass elbow.

You?ll notice in the picture below the large PCV hose that now runs from the new intake to the PCV port (also known as the right side PCV pipe). I?m planning to add elbows to either end, since the hose has to kink a bit to make the angle. Also, the hose blocks the engine cover knob for now.

Cutting the lower cowl piece to fit the new intake was an iterative process. I started with 2J's measurements (12" from trailing edge and 3 3/8" wide) and increased depth until it fit snuggly around the intake pipe. I also sealed the open areas around the intake pipe with Ensolite to try to keep the engine compartment sealed off.

And here?s one more with everything buttoned up?the red pre-filter just visible through the cowl vent.

That was the install. I haven?t had a chance to drive it enough to see how it affects intake temps, spool, cabin noise, etc. The one thing I will say is that when I first drove my wife in the car with the new intake, she said, ?It sounds like you put a vacuum cleaner in the glove box? (while opening the glovebox lol).

 

[tjd_tdi]

2J Cowl Intake Review​

After nearly a week with the intake, I'm simultaneously impressed and ready to take it off and go back to stock.

First the good. The car feels like it spools faster and looking at AP, it does hold boost higher into the rev range. Cutting the amount of piping from intake to turbo definitely has its advantages. Temps are equally impressive. Intake temps never get much higher than ambient. The one exception may be when the intake isn't sucking in a lot of air, for example idling at a light. Since the intake tubing itself is metal and sits right behind the engine, it does heat up. This doesn't seem to be an issue, when you get on the throttle though, since I think it's taking in a larger mass of cool air. Wrapping the intake tube itself may cut down on this.

Now the not so good. The noise it makes isn't necessarily too loud, it's just not exactly what I want to hear. The blow off sound is addictive, but the induction sound reminds me of a dentist's office. I think part of the issue is that the noise comes through the HVAC vent, rather than from under the hood, and thus it sounds almost artificial. In a lot of ways, it's akin to the sound symposer, piping in noise. Also, while I never found it too loud to carry on a conversation in the car, it does make conversations by Bluetooth difficult.

At the end of the day, I think this intake is well worth considering, but I would recommend hearing it in person before you jump in. I don't regret getting it and may leave it on for a while longer; but I don't think it's my long term answer.

 

[tjd_tdi]

New Wheels​

Just picked up new wheels: Sparco Assetto Gara 17x7 in Matte Graphite Silver. Cheap, lighter than stock, visually appealing. Sort of wish I went 16, but I got a good deal on these.

 

[ryan15]

Have the same ones. Looks good!

 

[tjd_tdi]

Have the same ones. Looks good!

Nice. Have you looked at replacement center caps at all? Not sure I like the ones that come on the wheels.

 

[ryan15]

No I havent, they don't bother me

 

[JasonHaven]

I really like the look of those wheels, I might be copying you in that regard haha

 

[tjd_tdi]

I really like the look of those wheels, I might be copying you in that regard haha

Yeah, as ryan's post demonstrates, you'll be in good company. I believe airjor is running them as well, at least he was in the RFD video: https://youtu.be/1aklHLePTro?t=310

 

[BoostBumps]

Nice wheels!

I really like the Matte Graphite....

 

[tjd_tdi]

Nice wheels!

I really like the Matte Graphite....

Thanks. Forgot that you're also running them in black. Love that black painted against race red. I thought black painted would look a little over the top on tux black.

 

[Brendan_E]

I like what you've done so far mate! Thanks for the info and pics.

 

[5nowman]

Nice build thread. Those wheels are tempting too...