Israar's Leon 1.9 TDI SE 110 RR Grey (Slow WIP)

Hello guys and gals!

It's that time, I've been asked and I've wanted to do a Readers Ride for a while now, just never had the guts to start one hehe!

Anyway, I've had my Leon for just over a year, it's had a decent bit done to it, first and foremost the original turbo was replaced with a brand new one. It's done 780~ miles. I love this car, I've never understood until I drove my brothers Leon and my Leon how people became attached to their cars, well now I know!

I plan to have a lot done and spent on my car, the money has been going on to things that aren't necessarily seen to the eye, such as turbo, full service, etc. Though I do plan aesthetics!

My car is a 2003 Grey Seat Leon Mk1 (1M1) 1.9 TDI SE 110. I don't know exactly what it is pulling right now but a soon to have power test will be being booked so I can show what it's pulling!

Anyway, please please please don't crucify my on my lack of knowledge or the state of the car at present. Truth be told I've held off on the cleaning of the car due to wanting to get the mirror bodies and door seals done, just not had the weather or money to crack on with this yet! Much love to Ronin225 for the replacement mirror bodies I have from him!

Progress Completion:

• New Turbo
• Super Bright White Rear Number Plate LEDs
• Mirror Bodies Change
• Door Seals Replaced
• Pollen Filter fix

Things I need to get done:

• Windscreen Reseated and sealed
• Engine cleaned

Hopefully all but the engine clean will be done in one day when I get luck of the draw for weather and weekend!

Future Plans:

• Power Test
• New Tyres (full set 205/55/R16 currently on) - Plan on Goodyear Eagle F1 (heard good things about these!)
• Body detailing (this is scratch removal and such right?)
• Alloys (unsure on what yet)
• Vacuum Pipe/Hoses replaced (thinking of sticking with Black)
• Front Wipers Aero
• Rear Fabia Wiper (unless better suggestion)
• Full centre console change (to have double din/satnav fitted)
• Boost Gauges fitted (unsure on vent / pillar mod)
• Roof material replaced
• Boot Tray
• Interior LED Lights
• HID - 6000K
• FMIC or Uprated SMIC (unsure yet as my plan is only to go Custom Stage 1 so far)
• Front Bumper replaced with addition of a splitter
• Custom Stage 1 Remap (Badger5)
• Possible mod to Exhaust for sound (unsure on mufflerectomy or other options not sure on this route)
• New Mirror caps from SERE
• Brake Discs and Pads

I know there is more but I can't think of it right now haha, I'm extremely new to car modifying and this is the first car I've actually ever wanted to make a massive go at!

A little history, you can see the current mileage on the pictures, I've had the car from 64k~ miles, I've drove it relatively normal with the booting from time to time, mostly on the motorway or dual carriage ways. I've yet to give this new turbo a thrashing but I want to have a power test done first before hand so I know everything is in order with power as I'm not 100% sure it's setup right since having the new turbo fitted!

The mirrors got damaged as did the side of the car which you can see by picture, yellow taped mirror (passengers) was punched off, I chased the guy down the road given I was in my boxers as I was in bed as for the blue taped mirror (drivers side) and black scuff on arse end (drivers side) I found that the morning I was going to work EXACTLY a week after the first mirror!

As for the other scuffs, scratches, dents, they where there when I purchased the car and it wasn't until I was going over the pictures properly and taking them that I noticed more damage to the car than I realised when I bought it. As it looks like the car has taken a hit on the drivers side which you can see from a couple of pictures. BouncerBeater noticed the same when I went visiting him!

Sorry for the rattle everyone, lets let the pictures do the talking now since I have 76 in total lmfao! Too much is never enough I say lmfao!

Any suggestions, links, pictures, tips, etc. Are all welcomed and I will discuss with anyone on what they believe could be a possibly better choice over what I have chosen, again I'm new to this so I have very little experience and would like to see what others think also!

Here is the full album to look at all the pictures: Israar's SCN Readers Ride

Pictures!!!







Pollen Filter definitely needs doing and I have a little trouble here, tried to unscrew this screw and it's head screwed right off!!!






So everyone, I hope you enjoyed reading this wall of text and I hope I haven't made your eye lids feel like concrete! Let me know what you think of my ideas and future plans, shout out any suggestions you might have so I can take everything on board and I sincerely thank you all for taking your time to go through my thread!

This is and will be a slow work in progress due to finances but it will be done! =)

--Lee

Thanks Tom!

I'll be glad when I know what it is pulling too, so I know what mark it's at and to see what it's lost over the years. I'm going to get it booked in at Hi Tech Motorsport, though that's only for a power test, I've heard they're pretty good and was recommended by my mates wife, she works at Car Spares (Netherton) and deals with them often for parts.

Ultimately concerning a remap, I'm undecided on either Badger5 / Midlands VW, 1 being on reputation and highly spoken of as to which I've seen some damn good results and the other which has also got a decent reputation but is closer. I just want to make sure I get everything down to how it should be before I go down the route of remapping as I want the car and engine to be in as good a health as it can be!

Where are you thinking about taking yours mate?

--Lee

Aye, that's quite a distance from me haha!

I thought it was the same procedure for petrol and diesel? If not then I'll have to go with Midlands VW instead...

I've read quite a bit on Darkside, they have some nice kit about!

--Lee

Thanks mate, really looking forward to modding the little beauty! I've got many ideas but not sure where to start (obviously needing money to fund it eitherway!), power run and leaks will be my first goal!

Tom, I live in Dudley in the West Midlands mate, I was saying that you live quite a distance from me as I google mapped Sudbury haha!

Not sure where AMD or Darkside reside, not checked though from reading KebabWarrior81's Readers Ride, the bigger two names pointing out to me are Bill at Badger5 and also R-Tech (a guy named Niki is the one to go to there), though I'm unsure personally as of what and where to go when I do go for my remap haha!

--Lee

KebabWarrior81 said:

Hi Lee, Niki is the owner of R-Tech not a revo dealer he writes his own custom maps done on a rolling road. He's in Hinkley and can't reccomend him enough you wouldn't be disappointed with his work.

Here is a link to the website

http://r-techperformance.co.uk/vag/1-8t-20v-tuning-info-golf-audi-seat-skoda/

Best bet is to give them a call, you'll speak to a guy called Ben(niki is always flat out busy) then check they map your car. I'm sure they do.

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Haha, again, I corrected my huge ass mistake! I really should have paid much more attention to this than just have my mind believe it was Revo! :O

I've just had a good read on the link you posted and he sounds amazing!

I'll definitely give him a call and see if they map this car, if they do I might seriously consider it as it's only about 50mins drive from where I'm at currently. I'm going to hopefully get this power test done soon so I can see where I stand!

Also, how come most of you lot hide your number plates in the pictures you put up? I'm curious about that... What reason is it you have for it?

Another one too, how do you suppose I get to my pollen filter now that I screwed the screws head right off haha!?

--Lee

Ahh, well whoever actually does that need to get themselves a life and go enjoy it rather than make themselves out to be someone or something they're clearly not!

Thanks mate, will stay away from drilling out the screw seeing as they're plastic screws, should be able to do get it off and I am going to go and purchase a pollen filter this week as I can believe the one in the car is going to be well and truly screwed!

Looks like the weather is going to be staying too, fingers crossed so I can get the sealant soon to do the door seals and the pollen filter!!

Well, it's finally arrived haha! Will wait until the weekend to do this, will try to grab my pollen filter and a new air filter too for then if the current one is no good!




More pictures up on the Album (5 in total of the fuel filter that's including these two on here now)

--Lee

I can believe that Sean mate, once I'm done sorting out the leaks, carpet replacement will be done at some point so that way it can all be looking fresh inside!

Only trouble for me is I've never stripped down a car from the inside to get to the carpets and from what I gather the seats all have to come out right?

That milestone will be done when it comes to it though hehe! I'm like a kid walking around a candy factory, at least that's what I feel like with the idea's I have and want to do to the car to make it back to it's former beauty!

--Lee

Hey guys, little update will be doing pollen filter and air filter today, got a couple of pictures but having internet issues currently. Can't really do squat which is slightly frustrating haha!

So, will have to update with pictures once the internet lets me stay connected on my PC for longer than 10 seconds!

On another note, taking pictures of the current pollen filter and to the left of it (towards drivers side) looks like there is fibre glass down there? Should there be fibre glass there or am I right in believing there shouldn't be? Sorry for it being a rough description, when I can upload the pictures it should speak for itself! =)

Have a good day all!

--Lee

KebabWarrior81 said:

Hi Lee, hope you managed to sort the filters out buddy! Especially that bloomin pollen filter and screws.

Can't comment on the fibre glass as never changed the filter on my old MK1 myself( garage did it). Hopefully someone will come along and tell you mate

Blast those pesky Internet providers really annoying when it's not working as it should

Makes me wonder what we did before the days of the world wide web

Getting my BCS system fitted tomorrow and getting excited now,I'll update my readers ride with pics when I get back mate.

Cheers

Craig

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Hey Craig, managed to do it quiet easily to be fair! Went so much easier than what I originally thought it would do hehe!

Have to love Needle-nosed pliers! ;-D

Took long enough for the internet to get sorted out, up and running now so I can plaster a lot of pictures hehe! Turns out it doesn't feel or seem like fibre glass, more like a padding, strengthened foam maybe, who knows haha!

What is BCS? Haha, doesn't ring a bell to me

Anyway, pollen filter was as filthy as sin, you'll be able to see by the pictures which I took while it was still in the car, I never took a picture of it standing though if needed I can always do it as I've kept it in the new pollen filter box for the time being, the air filter wasn't that bad but it was dirty and black in parts, you can see where the air filter has filtered out the crap though!

I went from standard pollen filter to activated carbon pollen filter too!

Onwards to pictures, enjoy! =)








--Lee

Thanks man, it's raining at the minute here too, so I'm glad I got those two done yesterday haha!

It's actually really simple, I just thought it would be more work involved for the pollen filter but guess not!

They look pretty sweet, will have to see about them at some point, I didn't know they where in St. Helens, that's not very far from where I'm originally from hahaha! I don't necessarily go that far up to go see my family but again, as I said it's not very far from where my family live

You will have to let me know how it is up there, hopefully get a recording of your new exhaust haha!

Looking at their website they state nothing concerning the Mk1 Leon but I can't see why they wouldn't do it since they offer a bespoke built system.

Hope everything goes well mate!

--Lee