My mk1 2001 Leon cupra WIP (now remapped, 251hp/285lbft)

[JamieF]

Hello everyone, this is my work in progress thread for my recently bought Leon, untill recently ive not needed a car, I work as a mechanic in garage with a pretty awesome boss, who owes me sh*tload of favours, and since moving I a need a car for work, so I knew what i was after, ive always been into cars and had some pretty quick cars in the past, but not had my own for 5 years or so now, so wanted something pretty decent, and tuneable, eaisly repirable when needed, so ive ended up with a Cupra, and I really like it, but it has needed some work.

So my future plans with with the car, im not after silly power, just reliable, safe and useable power, along with handling and stopping as well as it goes, so maybe looking for 230-250bhp area, bigger brakes, suspension upgrades, and maybe a diff, I had a quaife lsd fitted to a previous car and it completely trasformed it.

Anyway, enough waffling on, so not even 24 hours of owning the car I had it in the workshop, first thing was a service and brakes and a few other bits i found along the way,

The brakes were shot, massively warped and spongy, so a new set of front discs and pads along with cleaned sliders and new fluid all round.


Also the rod ends and bottom arms were in pretty bad shape, rear bush was detached and the rack ends had loads of play,

The rear bush just pushed out and the out metal was all chewed up


Next was a service, new oil, filter, spark plugs, fuel filter, ive gone for a S2000 air filter just because, if I dont like it, ill change it back, or ill make a decent cold air feed.


Gave it the good stuff, and seeing as we've have had the barrel for 5 months and not used it, id thought it would be rude not to


Also regassed the air con with new pollen filter

Also tracked after all the bits changed on the suspension and steering.

Ive done a few more bits, of which i have no pictures, but ive also done the cambelt and watermpump as the last time it was done was in 2007 with 62k miles, its now on 125k so was past due, also done the thermostat as I was having some temperature problems, which it now sorted, ive fitted some 6k HID's, ive romved the vacuum solonid things on the front of the engine, replaced the crank case breather which was all split and manky with a nice silicone item and the dipstick tube...as I snapped it think thats it think till after new year, im just going to drive it and enjoy it.

Things ill be doing after new year, I have a SAI delete plate and have just ordered the steel to make down pipe and exhaust, after that ill be fitting a fmic with hard pipes, and a map of some sort, so if anyone can a mapper near sheffield that would be great.

Ill keep this post updated with more progress

 

[joehirth]

Good start

Nice to see some older model cars being worked on.

If you find you're looking for any upgrades I am breaking my Ibiza which has a load of things available to purchase

 

[JamieF]

Gave it a good wash and 3 step polish, turned out quite nice

Also sorted out snapped breather and sealed up the passenger doos as I was getting a wet passenger footwell, was going to make a quickshift but couldn't get the gear cable off, so gave up.

 

[ibizaboi]

Looks good mate! Have you got any plans for the outside?

 

[JamieF]

im not really into exterior modding, just more towards engine, handling and braking, if i do anything it will just be something simple like some bigger wheels and lowering springs, but the only reason i would switch wheels is if i fitted some bigger brakes, i quite like the sleeper look, ill be making a start on a 3" down pipe, exhaust and FMIC soon, i intend on keeping the fogs and as much of the bumper as possible and ill be painting some of the fmic black for the stealth look.

which leads me onto mappping/ecu tweaks which ill start another thread about

 

[Hb69]

Sleeper look is best I agree!

Here's my cupra

226bhp and could pass for a 1.4

 

[JamieF]

Today was Decat day, and because it turned up, TIP fitting also, diddnt get many pictures of the build but still got a few

Standard vs my decat

Lambda sensors and spacer fitted

A couple of my welds, getting better every time

V Bands are well worth it

All wrapped and you can also see the centre section too which ive also made,

One the studs snapped when tightening ffs, seems ok though, a smear of exhaust paste has worked well

Also fitted this as i had time,What an ass of a job fitting the TIP is, also, if anyone needs a picture of where the standard tip bolts, here it is as seen from underneath, its the round post just by the head of the jubilee clip and uses a 5mm allen head bolt

Overall it all went well, exhaust is still quiet as its using the stock rear box untill get round to making the rear section, has a bit more of a rasp to it, but not much else, but the overall feel of the engine has changed, it pulls harder from much lower and has also gone from 9psi to 11psi, and peaks at 13psi, so feels much perkier

And also this arrived today, so it will be my next job before mapping.

 

[JamieF]

fmic install

Today was fmic fitting day, diddnt get many pictures but I guess everyone has seen one done before, but this is mine.
Ive gone for a 3" tube and fin intercooler with 2.5" stainless pipework

Cold side with 42draft map sensor boss

hot side with horn junk, when I get time ill mount it properly somwhere

Out of turbo through engine bay

And with bumper back on, stealthy

Not really had a chance to put my foot down but can tell its more eager and revs a bit freer too, over all im happy with it.

 

[ibizaboi]

Looks awesome! Have you thought about getting the non fog inserts ??

 

[JamieF]

Thanks man!! Im not sure, tbh I diddnt even know that you could get them, I plan on using the passenger side one as a cold air feed, again, when I get round to doing it, but battery needs moving to the boot before I do that

 

[ibizaboi]

I might be wrong but I think the 1.6 petrol came without. Looks like good work though!

 

[JamieF]

Ive got round to finishing the exhaust, was well over due, the original box had started to fall apart as one of the tailpipes had fallen off.

I diddnt get many pics, just a few of it all made and on the car, ive gone for just a plain 3" tip so is quite subtle, I can change it at a later date if I get bored

3" is a bit tight going over the beam, but it fits

And quick vid of the sound
http://youtu.be/sWEkrWI46Ug

Its booked in for mapping on the 4th of March

 

[RACK]

Exhaust looks good mate, where abouts are you going for the map?

 

[JamieF]

Booked in at R-tech in Hinckley

 

[JamieF]

Been a while since I updated this, but since last time ive fitted some new tfsi coils, a 10 psi actuator, higer flow in tank fuel pump
Fuel pump from Badger5, quite easy to fit with minimal fuss

Actuator, this was an ass to fit

And coils

Doing the last few things means I could go here..

Car made 239bhp and 276lbft, which is quite respecable, but did highlight some issues, it was running out of fuel at top end, the intercooler was cooling enough and the turbo was slow to spool due to the small TIP, so after mapping, Niki fitted some BAM injectors and adjusted the map to suit, ive fitted a better intercooler and fitted a 70mm TIP, its in for a map tweak next month to make the most of the changes

Heres a video of it at R-Tech
https://youtu.be/Mfwba6aP8cs

 

[ibizaboi]

Sounds lovely! What do you think they can squeeze out when you get a tweet?

 

[JamieF]

Update time again seeing as ive not been on in a wile.

Since last time ive done a few more bits, and had the car remapped.

had the car back in at R-Tech for a quick remap as ive changed the TIP and intercooler, ended up with this

After mapping I fitted some lowering springs along with a front end poly bush set

And finally got round to doing the cam cover gasket, it was leaking across the back edge and dripping down the backof the engine

And thought id give it a paint while it was off

All back together, looks quite tidy now

Liking the way its dropped a bit, and not too low

 

[cupraslayer]

Looking good mate . Nice to see some of the old girls pulling some strong bhp still . Nice tidy example .

Were you pissed when taking the picture of the cam cover , or has your washing line fell down

 

[JamieF]

Ha, the washing line is on the piss, an most likely me also

 

[rockson]

So my future plans with with the car, im not after silly power, just reliable, safe and useable power, along with handling and stopping as well as it goes, so maybe looking for 230-250bhp area, bigger brakes, suspension upgrades, and maybe a diff, I had a quaife lsd fitted to a previous car and it completely trasformed it.

I like the way you think about modding the car. I also like, what and how you've done so far.

I have a 2003 LC with small mileage, which I am using as a daily car (when I'm not using company car), so I'm thinking about the same mods as you. Mine has already Cupra bumpers and sideskirts, so there is really nothing to do on the exterior (appart for some 18" BBS CH maybe). I also need a reliable car, which doesn't need to be much in the service areas, because I don't have the time for that.

So 250 bhp sounds good enough and with a diff it should make all the difference. Can you tell me, what FMIC you installed in the end?

Will be checking in, to see the progress on your car.