Was Rocco X-mas Gifts, Now Power Fuel Module

[treed2@u.washington.edu (T. Reed)]

> *Actually, since the battery is in the trunk now, the holes are in the front
> of the air box and I have a shield set up that blocks the hot side

Good!

> *Actually, I bought the car on August 1st 2002, and the guy I bought it from
> said he did new OEM Shocks on all 4 corners, and showed me the receipt, so
> the current suspension is only about a year old, will this still be okay?

No, my understanding is that lowering springs + stock shocks (even brand
new) is a bad combo because when you go over bumps the shock bottoms out
before it hits the bump stop, thus beating the shock to death quickly.

You need a shock that is specifically designed to be used with lowering
springs..

Bilsteins and Konis are list favorites..

> But what I was going to do down the road like in the spring was get H&R
> Inserts to use in the stock struts, I've heard this works pretty well.

Huh?? H&R doesn't make shocks..

shock = dampener, with integral lower spring perch and "shock tube"
spring = coily metal dealie
strut = the shock and spring together as a unit
strut bearing = the thing at the top of the strut, with rubber donut
  sandwiched inside
insert = the replacable part of the shock

Note that I'm generalizing here to the front of the car. In the rear, the
shocks are seperate from the springs.

BTW don't attempt to disassemble the struts without a spring compressor.
That's how you get a strut bearing implanted in your jaw..

> *Should I do this when I do the springs, or wait until I do the inserts?

Doesn't matter.. either way when you take apart the struts (whether to
change the shocks or the springs) you have to take the strut bearing off
so you can replace it either time.

Rear shock bushings are probably a good idea as well, although not as high
on the list as strut bearings.

> *well, I already built my own A/F meter for $8, might as well try this too.

Yep.

> > The Autotech module is good but not necessarily worth the money.
> > Marginally better than the TT module, unless you have a 2.0l bottom end
> > where it supposedly works wonders.
> *Actually, I was going to do a 2.0 bottom end in the spring/summer, I
> already have one.

Ah, okay.. well.. do whatever then :)

I just put in a 2.0l bottom end in September and I don't have an Autotech
module.. the car still hauls ace!

I ended up taking out the homemade module I have because it was making the
car buck at full throttle. Instead I tweaked the DPR current 2-3 mA which
hurt my low end but kicks ass at high RPMs. Probably the best "oem
parts" solution here is to go Motronic, but thats expensive and a pain in
the ass for the amount of gain (lots of wiring, fuel line adapter$, etc).

> *I have a set of factory cams from a 2.0 16v out of a GLI, are the cams the
> same and can I use the 2.0 exhaust cam?

I'm 99% sure that all US 16v cams are identical.

So.. yes, you could use the 2.0 exhaust cam. You need to be super careful
about the valve timing though (both cam-cam and cam-crank) because the 16v
is a nasty interference engine.. which means if you mess it up you'll be
buying a new head. If you're not certain you understand how everything
works then don't attempt it!

If the cams are still in a head then be sure you remove them properly to
avoid damage to the head and/or cams.

HTH,

-Toby