LCR AL'S Mk1 leon cupra R progress

LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
This is really a reminder of what I've done to the car. It probably wont be as thorough or impressive as some on here, but here we go.

It's an 05 plate red leon cupra r with bam engine.

Mods list: (items in red I have done)

Pipercross cone filter with heat shield (now J&R)
Cobra turbo back decat non res exhaust
RTECH stage 2 remap
Oversize TIP
Strut brace
N249 delete
EBC dimpled n grooved front discs
Wheel spacers all round (20mm?)
Debadged boot
Tail light tint
PCV delete with catch can
Toyosport FMIC
AP coilover suspension with poly top mounts
Poly bushed front arms
Powerflex dog bone mount (both bushes)
Forge 007 diverter valve (green spring, shimmed)
Superpro lower arm bushes

I will edit the list if/when I do more!
And also add pics.
 
Last edited:

Thai-wronghorse

Self proclaimed Cupra R addict & butcher!
Dec 3, 2015
2,195
1,037
Kent
Always good to see a new mk1 Readers Ride thread pop up.

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LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
Always good to see a new mk1 Readers Ride thread pop up.

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Thanks. I've been watching your thread too, can't wait to see it back on the road.
I would love rods and a hybrid for mine, you always need more power!
 

LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
First job was replace 2 tyres as they were worryingly low on tread.
Over the next few months the car got oil and filter and some new plugs.

The cracked windscreen was replaced under insurance.

The airbag light was on when I got it. Thankfully this was an easy fix, I had the code scanned and it was the module on the drivers side under the trim. It hadn't been plugged in properly. Once connected properly and code erased it hasn't come back on since! However this made me think the car has probably had a prang at some point and not put back together properly.

Next issue was the original dogbone mount. Loads of play in the small bush, so I swapped both bushes for powerflex items.

Both cv boots were split so I bought 2 new shafts from J&R as they seemed good value and less messy to swap the whole unit...let's just say I won't be using them again! So I rebuilt the originals instead.

The top mounts were poking up quite high so I replaced them with powerflex items. A little annoying as I was going to replace the suspension at some point but no funds at the time. Also new drop links were added to eliminate some clunks from the front too.
 

LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
I bought a forge diverter valve as it came up on ebay cheap. No real difference to the standard one fitted so at least I have a good spare if I need it to diagnose any problems.

The car ran fine through last summer, just needing 2 more tyres.

Then with the rain came the flooded footwell issues! Thanks to info and guides on this site I replaced 3 of the door seals with butyl tape and bought a new cabin filter and made sure it was seated properly. I'm not 100% sure the problem has been fixed but it is much better than it was. I got a shock when parked up on a slope to see the rear footwell looking like a swimming pool but not seen it like that since the repair!

Annoyingly, the interior light switch broke when turning it on, it seemed a minor inconvenience at the time. However a couple of days later while driving I noticed the windows wouldn't work, nor the central locking! It turns out the metal part inside the light fitting was rattling around and shorted causing the above issues!
 

LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
My son decided to break his mk1 cupra for parts as it had gearbox issues and he was doing lots of miles in it. So I bought his AP coilovers off him, so far I have fitted the rears but still have the fronts to go on and some bushes for the front arms too while I'm there.

The pcv system had a lot of oily residue on the pipes so I decided to just remove the lot and replace with a catch can. The pipes were very brittle and the car felt much crisper afterwards so definitely a leak sorted there.

Next up was the front mount intercooler. This appeared on eBay 2nd hand from an audi tt 225. It uses a toyosport 600x300 core and 2.5 inch piping. This was so cheap I couldn't say no! It took a couple of afternoons to fit with the help of my son and his angle grinder.
After removing the front bumper we discovered the crash bar had a dent in it, confirming my earlier fears that the car has been in a bump.
After getting the car back together (I hope I'm not the only one to struggle with the front bumper!) The next 2 days were spent re attaching blown off boost pipes! Finally after shortening a pipe it's been good as gold since. Cant say I've felt any performance increase for it but the intake temps are always cool now.
 
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LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
At the moment the car is waiting for its front suspension to be fitted and bushes, then it's on with the long list of things to do:

Oil, filter, plugs
Rocker gasket and half moon seal
Discs and pads all round
Minor exhaust leak
Interior light
Find a slight boost leak
Boot rattles
Slow puncture...it goes on!

I hope this doesnt come across as negative, I accept it needs constant upkeep, but I cant be driving anything modern and boring in comparison. There aren't any other cars like a mk1 leon. Just need a lottery win to sort the bodywork and forged engine!
:drive1:
 

LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
A few pics. Excuse the engine bay...needs a clean!
f54fd1e012f204a82460b0ad1448ac16.jpg
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683cc89dd224675f5f07dce9d3435fca.jpg
770216226d5b904112115ceafb423cce.jpg
f5a2e70bdb6d20f4f75ec1a06b0a4d62.jpg


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LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
New discs and pads all round fitted this week. Along with superpro bushes in the lower arms...well, one of them for now!
Front AP coilovers fitted to match the rears that went on months ago.

Crank sensor to replace tomorrow and re wire of ABS sensor I pulled the wires out of doing the above work!

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bigT's lcr

Delete. Beat. Repeat...
Feb 27, 2016
1,216
731
Leeds
My son decided to break his mk1 cupra for parts as it had gearbox issues and he was doing lots of miles in it. So I bought his AP coilovers off him, so far I have fitted the rears but still have the fronts to go on and some bushes for the front arms too while I'm there.

The pcv system had a lot of oily residue on the pipes so I decided to just remove the lot and replace with a catch can. The pipes were very brittle and the car felt much crisper afterwards so definitely a leak sorted there.

Next up was the front mount intercooler. This appeared on eBay 2nd hand from an audi tt 225. It uses a toyosport 600x300 core and 2.5 inch piping. This was so cheap I couldn't say no! It took a couple of afternoons to fit with the help of my son and his angle grinder.
After removing the front bumper we discovered the crash bar had a dent in it, confirming my earlier fears that the car has been in a bump.
After getting the car back together (I hope I'm not the only one to struggle with the front bumper!) The next 2 days were spent re attaching blown off boost pipes! Finally after shortening a pipe it's been good as gold since. Cant say I've felt any performance increase for it but the intake temps are always cool now.

Was it the 2 lil 8mm bolts under wheel arch u struggled with? I did 1st time when i put my forgw fmic on. Maybe wrong but is the 007 forge dv the old one think ive got the 008p might be wrong im rusty on here lol. Plis how much were the ebc discs? I got mtech front n rear dimpled n grooved plus whole parts sprayed black for corrotion n brembo pads for 280 (-vat, i dont pay Very Atrocious Taxes)
 

LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
Yeah I think it was those 2 awkward to reach ones up through the wheel arch! Hopefully I dont have to remove the front bumper again!

The 007 is the old version dv, 008 is the newer one.

The ebc discs were on the car when I bought it so don't know what they cost. I've had a vibration under braking that's been getting worse so recently put standard discs and pads on all round now and found one seized rear caliper, the other caliper probably needs replacing soon too!

Can't wait to have quiet brakes and test the new suspension. Waiting for caliper to arrive for mot.

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Apr 8, 2021
1
0
This is really a reminder of what I've done to the car. It probably wont be as thorough or impressive as some on here, but here we go.

It's an 05 plate red leon cupra r with bam engine.

Mods list: (items in red I have done)

Pipercross cone filter with heat shield (now J&R)
Cobra turbo back decat non res exhaust
RTECH stage 2 remap
Oversize TIP
Strut brace
N249 delete
EBC dimpled n grooved front discs
Wheel spacers all round (20mm?)
Debadged boot
Tail light tint
PCV delete with catch can
Toyosport FMIC
AP coilover suspension with poly top mounts
Poly bushed front arms
Powerflex dog bone mount (both bushes)
Forge 007 diverter valve (green spring, shimmed)
Superpro lower arm bushes

I will edit the list if/when I do more!
And also add pics.

Is it worth getting a PCV delete with oil catch can?


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LCR AL

Active Member
Jun 5, 2020
82
49
If I was doing it again, I would probably just renew the original system.
My car felt better for deleting it due to several old and brittle pipes obviously leaking, but it's just another thing to check under the bonnet

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