# fullyloadedcarat buys a TT (A slow build?)



## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

*Backstory*

Cause everyone has to have one right?

It started with a vw, as stories like this often do. Several actually. But somewhere between a slipping clutch and not being able to leave it sitting for more than two days, I fell out of love with my Mk2 Carat. Though it hadn't always been this way. In fact, the car had been clawed from the cold grip of death numerous times. It had endured excessive road trips in the heat of the summer, and braved the unforgiving Canadian winters with a bold face. Somewhere in her heart, I think she knew she was being replaced...

































So as the Carat, laden with trouble as it was, kept chugging along, I began looking for something to replace it. Which brings us to episode 2. 

*Enter The TT*

I had a few essential requirements in mind for potential replacements. 1-Had to be AWD 2-I really didn't want another 4door, so coupe or hatch it was 3-I'd still like to have a VAG ride. 

All three of these narrowed it down for me to one car. The Golf R32. 

Now, being that I'm in Canada, an R32 isn't exactly a car you come across everyday. Or so I thought until the local Volkswagen dealership had two mk5's show up on the lot. (I love my TT, but nothing beats the R32 at WOT) I hummed and hawwed at the cheaper one on the lot for a while and then forgot about them for the winter and decided to save some money and tough it out with the winter beater. Now spring is rolling around and these R's have been sitting on the lot for over 6 months and I start getting the wheels turning. I give them a call after getting pre approved at the bank for a loan and its been sold!

Disappointed I hit craigslist and somehow found myself now looking at TT's. At this time, It was just occurring to me that I could have Haldex and Copious amounts of power in a much smaller, more elegant chassis. Not only that, but for half the cost!

*We've Got a Deal*
Shortly thereafter, I made a move on a TT I had found 7 hours away. 4 days, almost a hundred emails, and bribing a friend to look at the car on my behalf, we had come to an agreement on the price of the car and I book a flight down to Vancouver. I walked out of the airport to a 2001 Aviator Gray 225Q smirking at me. Now, I'm a firm believer in the feeling you get when you know you've made the right decision. For me its akin to butterflies in the stomach. Seeing this car parked down the way did that to me. 
Hours later, I was the proud new owner and started my 600mile trip home. 









*First Impressions*
Unfortunately my first day in the car was miserable. A long day coupled with torrential rain and even worse traffic completely drown any happiness the car had provided. Though I will say, the car handled flawlessly in some very ugly conditions. Even at speed. 
The next day however, was a different story, I was at my fathers place and had the entire day to get acquainted with the TT.
























The bay must have never been washed, because under the hood was filthy. Fortunately that was taken car of quickly and I moved into the interior for some quick wiping down. The PO had smoked in it for a while, so its still lingering, but it needs a good interior and exterior detail anyway so I'm not too worried about that.

Stay tuned!!!


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## 20psi now (Feb 26, 2009)

FullyLoadedCarat said:


> *Backstory* The PO had smoked in it for a while, so its still lingering, but it needs a good interior and exterior detail anyway so I'm not too worried about that.
> 
> Stay tuned!!!


You know that's funny I smoke in mine (try not to) and every one that has ever got in to my car (non smoker) told me it smells like a new car!! :laugh: I smell smoke but they smell lether :screwy:... Congrats on the new car man, love the color.


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## AlaskaTT (Oct 19, 2011)

opcorn:

Congrats! Love the color too!


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## Neb (Jan 25, 2005)

congrats! Nice colour too


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## G'D60 (Mar 11, 2002)

She looks great! Where is home? Northern BC I'm guessing. PG? Also is the car Murican? I dont see canadian tumors on it. Lucky you. Welcome!!


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## PLAYED TT (Oct 17, 2010)

Hey welcome to the Aviator Grey club:thumbup:


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## Converted2VW (Apr 8, 2009)

Beautiful! Enjoy it!

Nice color as well.


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Southern BC in Trail actually! 10 minutes from the border kind of south. 

And yes, the car is US spec. No DRL's or ugly Canadian bumpers for this guy!

Car has been scheduled for a service and checkup and will be getting detailed later in the month!

Plans thus far are pretty limited to enjoying driving it. Flying to Germany/Austria in may for Worthersee so I'll be on the lookout for euro goodies! Anything euro specific I should be looking for while im there?


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Small update: 

The car is currently halfway through another 400 mile road trip and instead of the usual esp and abs light on (speed sensor or something), this morning I get esp and check engine light. 

The car is already going in for a service on tuesday, but any idea what causing this?


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## TheDeckMan (Sep 26, 2004)

FullyLoadedCarat said:


> Small update:
> 
> The car is currently halfway through another 400 mile road trip and instead of the usual esp and abs light on (speed sensor or something), this morning I get esp and check engine light.
> 
> The car is already going in for a service on tuesday, but any idea what causing this?


 Check for codes. Could be the MAF has died.


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

wouldnt that render the car inoperable? It still runs and drives just fine at the moment.


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Well shes back from the from the shop with a fresh oil change and a whole list of codes. Battery is on its way out, cats are below efficiency and the front O2 sensor is dying. Other than that, clean bill of health. So, more pictures! 


































Currently searching for a good turbo back exhaust and mild tune to delete the second O2 sensor. 

I'd like to bag it in the near future, but I'm unsure of the handling. Going low on coils around these parts isnt really an option. Can any bagged owners chime in on how bagging their TT changed the handeling? 

Cheers!


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Well I got a battery under voltage fault, which led to taking off the battery cover, which in turn led to finding a melted power distribution block.










Awesome! 

So off I went in search of a replacement, to the local VW wrecking yard. Luckily, they had a wrecked mk4 2.slow with a strikingly similar distribution block! I escaped the junkyard missing 50 bucks and emerged with what I thought was a direct replacement.

Like I've been many times before, I was wrong. 

Unfortunately I didnt snap any pictures of the differences between the two, but basically, the Audi one snaps in, and the VW one slides in using four feet that make the box sit 3/8 of an inch higher than the original one. Seeing how that was the only difference between the two, and having a snowballs chance in hell getting a used audi PDB, let alone a new one, I figured I would make do, and cut the feet off and glue the PDB right to the battery cover mount. 


























Goodbye lazy tachometer needle!

Still looking for opinions on bags as far as handling is concerned, and turbo back exhaust options!


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

I finally got sick of the CEL, so I took the MAF out and gave it a good spray with maf cleaner. After that I moved on to the O2 sensor, as both of these parts have thrown codes. Couple those with the ESP light on, you've got yourself a pretty normal TT. 

My question is, what now? I've read that the MAF plays into the AWD and if its not functioning correctly disables it. I'll have to get it scanned again tomorrow, but its getting a little bothersome. 

Ideas?


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## chaldowhiteboy (Jun 14, 2010)

FullyLoadedCarat said:


> I finally got sick of the CEL, so I took the MAF out and gave it a good spray with maf cleaner. After that I moved on to the O2 sensor, as both of these parts have thrown codes. Couple those with the ESP light on, you've got yourself a pretty normal TT.
> 
> My question is, what now? I've read that the MAF plays into the AWD and if its not functioning correctly disables it. I'll have to get it scanned again tomorrow, but its getting a little bothersome.
> 
> Ideas?


 I have never heard of the maf messing with the awd but my experience with maf's have been good as far as cleaning goes.. My maf was acting up one day by messing with cold starts, acceleration, and gas levels, so I took it out and noticed it was pretty dirty. I first tried spraying it with maf cleaner, but nothing changed. I took it out again and as I sprayed for maf cleaner, I also rubbed out the sensor metal part with a soft cotton swap for a thorough clean. Popped it back on and bam! Worked again. That's my experience with mafs and my AWD has never failed me. ..but I could be wrong as far as all TT's go. But it has been about 20,000 miles since then without fail for me.


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## Neb (Jan 25, 2005)

FullyLoadedCarat said:


> I've read that the MAF plays into the AWD and if its not functioning correctly disables it.Ideas?


 Where did you read this? This is the first I've ever heard of it..


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## Chuckmeister87 (Nov 10, 2009)

20psi now said:


> You know that's funny I smoke in mine (try not to) and every one that has ever got in to my car (non smoker) told me it smells like a new car!! :laugh: I smell smoke but they smell lether :screwy:... Congrats on the new car man, love the color.


 My uncle was the first owner of my car. He smoked cloves and the interior smelled like that for a couple of months when I owned it. Now the interior smells like crayons and I cant figure out why... 

Nice car  Love how the guy before you put dual exhaust on your 180Q for you. Looks good :thumbup:


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## chaldowhiteboy (Jun 14, 2010)

Chuckmeister87 said:


> My uncle was the first owner of my car. He smoked cloves and the interior smelled like that for a couple of months when I owned it. Now the interior smells like crayons and I cant figure out why...
> 
> Nice car  Love how the guy before you put dual exhaust on your 180Q for you. Looks good :thumbup:


 its a 225


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Airlift slam series struts and rear bags with e-level management purchased!

Stay tuned...


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## l88m22vette (Mar 2, 2006)

Chuckmeister87 said:


> Now the interior smells like crayons and I cant figure out why...


Aren't mk3s supposed to smell like crayons as well?


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## wgriffiths2000 (Jan 19, 2002)

Congrats I just sold my mk2 gti to get into a tt. You probaly saw the one I picked up it was the demon blue one for 7.9k. 2001. It has issues and tumor bumpers but got it for a song do to history and lack of information. In the shop getting all the general maintance and a few issues sorted can't wait to drive it.


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## Chuckmeister87 (Nov 10, 2009)

chaldowhiteboy said:


> its a 225



:facepalm:missed that part


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Little bit of progress! 

Managed to forget to re-insure the car last weekend while I had time so I've been walking to work this week. Pulled out all of the trunk this afternoon though.









Scheduled to be delivered on Monday!

Big thumbs up to John and the guys at Bag Riders. Incredible guys to deal with, wicked customer service and prompt updates on everything to do with everything. :thumbup:


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## Morio (Feb 16, 1999)

You will love it on air... Best mod I did.


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Got package 1 of 3 today. 5gallon skinny tank! The others should be here tomorrow!

On a worse note, almost certain I lost a coil pack driving home from work this afternoon so I pulled the TT off the road and started tearing into the engine bay. I guess its time for an unscheduled sai and pcv delete . Ordered some 2.0TSI coils for good measure! I'll grab some pictures tomorrow.


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Christmas in July!








It begins








Getting there!








Brains and Brawn of the operation








This...








Becomes this!








And as of today.









Got one of the rear level sensors installed as well. Anybody got an easy way of getting the springs out without a compressor or some sort? I can put the rear bags in by myself no problem in the parking lot, but Im at a bit of a loss on how these come out. Will removing the shock absorber and sway bar linkage allow enough extra swing arm movement to pop it out? 

:thumbup:


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Derp... The Airlift instructions say to do that!

If only I had read it for the 7th time before asking...


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Rear bags are in!


















But its not all good news Im afraid. Where i've mounted the level sensors is closer to 3 inches of travel, which equates to one over extended level sensor!!! 

Anyone on accuair got a picture of where they mounted the rear sensors?!










:thumbup:


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## Morio (Feb 16, 1999)

Not accucrap but ridetech









No issues so far!!


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Finding anywhere to mount these level senders with the proper travel is killling me!

Help!


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## veeko (Oct 26, 2005)

FullyLoadedCarat said:


> Airlift slam series struts and rear bags with e-level management purchased!
> 
> Stay tuned...


nice! i've got the same except went with the v2. hopefully get around to installing it in the next couple of weeks. any pics of the entire car aired out? happy with the rears?



FullyLoadedCarat said:


> Finding anywhere to mount these level senders with the proper travel is killling me!
> 
> Help!


that's why i sold my e-level when i bought the TT and decided to go with the v2. i didn't want to deal with the install again. lol


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

The rears are deadly. Easy install, except my drill was really long so I had to drop the trailing arms to get the uni bit in there to drill the hole for the air line.

I even built custom arms for the rear sensors so I could get more travel out of these things... 

I'll hopefully have the install all buttoned up this weekend.


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

I guess you could say these bags go pretty low...


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)

Finally got the 2.0L coils in, 034 motorsport catch can in, evap deleted, sai deleted and she fired right up! But she still seems a little hesitant. Not sure if its because it hasnt been driven in almost a month or if something is wrong. Its ticking pretty good under the hood, though I cant recall for the life of me if it was doing it before. Pretty sure its the injectors. I'll snap some pictures of the finished product tomorrow. 

Any insights on this? 

Also, I gapped the NKG's to .30. Car has stock tune. Anyone object?


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## Neb (Jan 25, 2005)

It shouldn't be from just sitting. I've had my TT sitting for long periods of time and it always fires up and drives


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## FullyLoadedCarat (Nov 20, 2010)




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