Hi, bought myself an Octavia vrs yesterday. The car has been modified by the previous owner and I have a few questions, any help is greatly appreciated.

1. First of all, what grade of oil is most widely recommended? I have searched briefly and seen 5w40 and 10w40 mentioned but these were old posts. Would a 5 or 10w30 not be a better option?

2. Moving on to the mods the car had, I am not very mechanically gifted to say the least... First of all can anybody tell me what this is and what purpose it serves? http://i51.tinypic.com/1qsec4.jpg

3. There's a massive head sized cone air filter on the end of what I assume is a custom made hard pipe sitting behind the bottom of the bumper with the grill bit presumably being used as a cold air feed. Difficult to take a picture of this one: http://i56.tinypic.com/24vmis7.jpg My question here... Is this actually going to aid performance? I know in many cases it is better to keep the air filter stock, just replacing the filter with a high air flow one.

This is the hard pipe to which the cone is fitted at the bottom. Nothing out of the ordinary I hope? http://i56.tinypic.com/rr0ex5.jpg

4. Next up, the car has been fitted with a dump valve which doesn't sound especially loud or anything. Just wondering if this seems to be set up ok and if this can cause any problems at all? http://i51.tinypic.com/2hcknyu.jpg

5. This looks to me like a boost controller, which is of concern as the car is not fitted with a boost gauge. Am I right? http://i54.tinypic.com/2wd3arb.jpg If this is a manual boost controller it is fairly seized as I can't turn it either way. Also, is a gauge easy to fit?

6. And finally... I have what sounds like quite a big air leak coming from whatever this is: http://i51.tinypic.com/rtewip.jpg When I push/move it the sound of air either lessens or worsens. Can anybody tell me what this is and how I would go about fixing the problem?

I realise that's quite a lot of questions all in one post so thanks for taking the time to have a look and any help is greatly appreciated.

Edited 17 August, 201114 yr by JTG

Ok the 1st pic is part of the Secondary Air intake system which would have terminated to the OEM air intake, but because a CAI has been fitted a small filter has been attached to the SAI pipe. The DV looks like a Forge 007p or clone which looks to have been installed ok. Looks like a boost controller to me. (Not a fan of that mod). Lastly sounds like you have a split pipe under the intake manifold, very common problem. There are several pipes under there that are prone to splitting.

BTW Welcome to the forum.

10/40 fully synth oil is the best to use, stick with VW oil as well.

I use 5w30 and its been fine

I use 5w30 and its been fine

+1 and Welcome

Thanks for the help so far guys and cheers for the welcome.

Is a custom air intake generally considered the way to go with these then? If that's the case I will just give the filters a clean and keep it as it is.

Ordinarily I would assume the easiest way to tell if the car has been remapped would be to fit a boost gauge and see what it's boosting, but in my case there's a manual boost controller so that wouldn't necessarily prove anything. Any ideas how else would I find out if the car has been remapped?

Final question (for now, at least)... I have always allowed time for the turbos to cool down before turning the engine off, is that necessary to do on the vrs?

Thanks again guys.

Hi and welcome.

I always let it cool and idle for about half a minute or so.

Mind you,if I was the first owner of the car I'd probably not

Ok, it turns out that the boost controller was closed entirely, so there's a good chance I could actually be under boosting, though it feels too quick for this to be the case. Also, with the boost controller in the pic in question 5, is something supposed to be connected to the bottom part of it? Is this maybe where the hosing could go for a boost gauge?

If I want to remove the boost controller, what do I need to replace it with and would this potentially affect any remap that the car could have had?

And finally, is there any way of telling whether or not the car has been remapped already?

Thanks.

Hi there welcome to the forum and congrats on your VRS.

Here is some answers to your questions.

1. First of all, what grade of oil is most widely recommended? I have searched briefly and seen 5w40 and 10w40 mentioned but these were old posts. Would a 5 or 10w30 not be a better option?

Bowders1 wrote: std oil on these cars is 5w40 on regular servicing intervals but some folks use 10w40 and 5w30. castrol edge 5w30 being a very good choice.

2. Moving on to the mods the car had, I am not very mechanically gifted to say the least... First of all can anybody tell me what this is and what purpose it serves? http://i51.tinypic.com/1qsec4.jpg

Bowders1 wrote: As folks have mentioned that is a extra air filter needed to be attached to the end of your secondary air system. The pipe normally plugs into the std airbox. The little filter comes with the CAI(cold air induction) kit as it all replaces the std airbox.

3. There's a massive head sized cone air filter on the end of what I assume is a custom made hard pipe sitting behind the bottom of the bumper with the grill bit presumably being used as a cold air feed. Difficult to take a picture of this one: http://i56.tinypic.com/24vmis7.jpg My question here... Is this actually going to aid performance? I know in many cases it is better to keep the air filter stock, just replacing the filter with a high air flow one.

This is the hard pipe to which the cone is fitted at the bottom. Nothing out of the ordinary I hope? http://i56.tinypic.com/rr0ex5.jpg

Bowders1 wrote: That is the CAI pipe and big cone filter. This question will gets lots of mixed responses regarding it's performance. The std airbox is considered well made and does the job well. A bolt on cone direct to the MAF(airflow meter) is a no no due to heat around engine causing heat soak and loss of performance. The CAI as you have may not give more performance but makes a nice sound it you like that. I have a ABD CAI using a good quality K&N cone as some of these CAI's come with a crud cone filter. Yours seem rusty and could well be clogged up based on the look of it as it must of been on car some time to get that rusty. So i would certainly clean it using airfilter cleaner and re oil it(go easy on the oil spray) My car has been custom mapped with my CAI and it works well on my set up.

4. Next up, the car has been fitted with a dump valve which doesn't sound especially loud or anything. Just wondering if this seems to be set up ok and if this can cause any problems at all? http://i51.tinypic.com/2hcknyu.jpg

Bowders1 wrote: That is a Forge DV which are top quality and good. They are more robust than std DV and certainly more reliable on mapped cars than std DV. They also have the ability to have their internal springs changed for custom mapping when more boost is used.(replace for stiffer DV spring)

5. This looks to me like a boost controller, which is of concern as the car is not fitted with a boost gauge. Am I right? http://i54.tinypic.com/2wd3arb.jpg If this is a manual boost controller it is fairly seized as I can't turn it either way. Also, is a gauge easy to fit?

Bowders1 wrote: Yes that is a boost controller, I am also not a fan of those as you have to be careful not over boosting with them. I would not run one without a boost gauge to check what was going on. Also if it is wound in then this could be a under boosting issue. I would remove it and let the ECU take control of the Boost. If it has a decent Map that should of given good boost.

6. And finally... I have what sounds like quite a big air leak coming from whatever this is: http://i51.tinypic.com/rtewip.jpg When I push/move it the sound of air either lessens or worsens. Can anybody tell me what this is and how I would go about fixing the problem?

Bowders1 wrote: Your air leak is probably not coming from there. Probably coming from the pipe that rund from the elbow underneath that pipe to the inlet manifold. This is a common pipe to slit. When you push down that pipe it is probably pressing on the small pipe that has the leak.

This is the pipe that i think is your problem.

one in the bottom of the pic(with the green/black one way valve in the end.

I have a spare new one if needed, as i modded the EVAP and breather system.

hope this helps

My advice is if you can get a standard airbox cheap enough I would change the filters back to standard. VAG group spent a lot of money tring to make a fast car and no doubt invested a lot in airflow, so I find it VERY hard to believe that fitting a cheap nasty induction kit (k&n, igt, can't remember the other ones) will make it any faster at all. I know for a fact that on a standard normally aspirated fiat grande pinto it slowed it down considerably. As for the boost etc I don't really know as I've only had 1 petrol turbo and it was a old clapt out rover, diesels are better

Also the dump valve makes a cool noise But does nothing for performance.

Edited 18 August, 201114 yr by mdon

My advice is if you can get a standard airbox cheap enough I would change the filters back to standard. VAG group spent a lot of money tring to make a fast car and no doubt invested a lot in airflow, so I find it VERY hard to believe that fitting a cheap nasty induction kit (k&n, igt, can't remember the other ones) will make it any faster at all. I know for a fact that on a standard normally aspirated fiat grande pinto it slowed it down considerably. As for the boost etc I don't really know as I've only had 1 petrol turbo and it was a old clapt out rover, diesels are better

Also the dump valve makes a cool noise But does nothing for performance.

Sorry buddy if you have only had a Fiat grande not the same car at all. As mentioned, replacing DV is not for performance but relaibility on these turbo cars. And does not make any difference in noise on these Turbo's. The VAG group turbos are using a recirc valve and not a atmospheric one that dumps chavy noise to the air. The std 1.8t DV is not that relaible and on a mapped car that will take more boost from the turbo and engine, a reliable DV is a must.

Sorry buddy if you have only had a Fiat grande not the same car at all. As mentioned, replacing DV is not for performance but relaibility on these turbo cars. And does not make any difference in noise on these Turbo's. The VAG group turbos are using a recirc valve and not a atmospheric one that dumps chavy noise to the air. The std 1.8t DV is not that relaible and on a mapped car that will take more boost from the turbo and engine, a reliable DV is a must.

The fiat wasn't a turbo, I don't really know that much about performance turbos as I have said above, the main thing I was saying is these stupid induction kits are a waste of money and to be honest I wouldn't buy a car with one on as it shows it's been thrashed within an inch of it's life.

Oil wise, I was recommended to use: http://www.vwspares.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1354

Thanks for the help Bowders1, I will probably take you up on the offer of that pipe. Don't think that's something I'll be able to do myself though, unless it's literally a case of just a few screws.

I will be taking the boost controller off then, but can anybody tell me how I go about doing this? What do I put in it's place (if anything)?

Thanks for the oil recommendation wayned, I have some 10w30 Amsoil sitting in the garage but I think I'll go with that Quantum stuff, only from ebay because I'm cheap like that. :yes:

Thanks again, this is all really helpful.

Thanks for the help Bowders1, I will probably take you up on the offer of that pipe. Don't think that's something I'll be able to do myself though, unless it's literally a case of just a few screws.

I will be taking the boost controller off then, but can anybody tell me how I go about doing this? What do I put in it's place (if anything)?

Thanks for the oil recommendation wayned, I have some 10w30 Amsoil sitting in the garage but I think I'll go with that Quantum stuff, only from ebay because I'm cheap like that. :yes:

Thanks again, this is all really helpful.

Worth checking with your local TPS (Trade Part Specialists) for Quantum oil. Ebay isn't always cheapest place for things.

Thanks for the help Bowders1, I will probably take you up on the offer of that pipe. Don't think that's something I'll be able to do myself though, unless it's literally a case of just a few screws.

I will be taking the boost controller off then, but can anybody tell me how I go about doing this? What do I put in it's place (if anything)?

Thanks for the oil recommendation wayned, I have some 10w30 Amsoil sitting in the garage but I think I'll go with that Quantum stuff, only from ebay because I'm cheap like that. :yes:

Thanks again, this is all really helpful.

Can anybody help me out with the boost controller removal as above?

Thanks.

if it is just two pipes connected either side of the controller you just need a plastic pipe joiner and reuse the clips that are on the controller. Job done

Can anybody help me out with the boost controller removal as above?

Thanks.

Pretty simple really the original pipe has been cut to add in that controller, so you just need to take controller out and either replace that pipe with a new one or add in a 2 way connector to join the pipe ends together. (get them in halfrauds or like)

No fancy stuff needed. The car will then just revert back to it's ECU control. You do not have to program anything.

Excellent I thought I read somewhere about a controller replacing the N75 (not that I know what that is!), that's why I asked. Thanks again gents.

And is there I guide on here for installing a boost gauge? I have looked but struggle to find the guides people say are on here.

Is that big air filter one of the mesh types or a proper cotton/foam filter? The steel mesh types do not give good filtration and if so Id be removing it ASAP.

Is that big air filter one of the mesh types or a proper cotton/foam filter? The steel mesh types do not give good filtration and if so Id be removing it ASAP.

That was a heavily soiled, rusted steel mesh one. I replaced it with a pipercross yesterday but I am not happy with the cold air feed to it so will doing something with the passenger side bottom grill bit do increase airflow.

That was a heavily soiled, rusted steel mesh one. I replaced it with a pipercross yesterday but I am not happy with the cold air feed to it so will doing something with the passenger side bottom grill bit do increase airflow.

Better choice than those steel mesh types.

Mine is the K&N filter on my ABD intake pipe.

I also cut out the bumper recess(bit in the grill corner) to get more air

Then fitted Milotec grills which let the air in better than std grills, although you could drill out the std grills.

Looks good Bowders.

How much would you want for the pipe that you believe to be my problem with the air leak, which sounds quite severe by the way so I want to try and get it done as soon as possible.

Also, I tried to have a look under the plastic cover today and I'm really not any closer to knowing which pipe it is, though the following one looks similar. Can you tell from the pictures if this is the pipe? Also, any reason why it is completely covered in oil/grease while others aren't?

Cheers.

That is indeed the pipe i have, and by the look of yours i would say that is the problem area.

The oil around it could be from the leak or more likely coupled with messy oil changes, as the oil filter and pump is just below that area.

I will PM you with details of pipe.

cheers

Mark