RoboTuner

Hey everyone, I've been lurking around these forums for some time (almost 2 years now lol) and haven't started my build thread yet, so here it is. I have been a little more active on YSTC but the life there is slowly deteriorating sadly, anyways here we go.

So last January I bought my 08 5 speed with 38,585 miles on her for around $14k and right away started loving every second of owning her. A couple months afterwards I took some pictures while I was out and about...





















That Auction Direct sticker has long since been removed, any suggestions are welcome.

RoboTuner

It been quite a while since I've posted anything on here...so here's a little update about the whip.

Just a couple pics from about 3 months ago..

^Abandoned station near a place I used to live

^Some dirt should be expected after going through dirt/mud to get there lol


^Tiny loading bay


^I did actually get the whole car on the dock...it got too dark for a camera phone when it was all up on the dock though...

^about 2-3 inches from the wall without falling off the side to get on here

I will post some more pics later today if I have time after I pack my place to move.

Irishguy0224

iTrader: (10)

For the love of god get rid of those wheels and lower it lol

TheQuietThings

^agree

ColonelSanders85

iTrader: (10)

I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but I have to agree as well ^^^. The car itself looks great, and best of luck with your build, but those are probably the ugliest rims I've ever seen.....kill them, kill them with fire. Start over and get yourself a set of RPF1's or the TRD 18's

RoboTuner

Well seeing as they came on the car (I'm the 3rd owner) and need a new suspension, they are staying. Not to mention they were covered in brake dust and shine pretty damn well even after 2+ WNY winters. I've been thinking about wheels and would love some Gram Lights...but 3k for shoes isn't acceptable in NY...currently lol. When I move out to Cali then yes, they WILL be mine..AFTER turbo.

RoboTuner

So here are a couple pics I took whilst about around Geneva after I dropped my buddy off at work...






I'm probably going out later today to clean off the chrome so they look nice(er)...I'll post pics if I can get any before sundown.

RoboTuner

So I'm currently playing phone tag with Dunn Tire corporate about having my lugs over torqued the last time I went after I had to take off my front wheels to put new brakes on and a stud snapped, then when I had to go back for free repairs to a leaking wheel, they broke a stud on the rear wheel and didn't want to pay for it or the bad valve stem (which isn't even 4 months old, and seeing it was one of the two new ones they replaced because they BROKE them when I got the tires put on and lied about breaking them, even though the TPMS chip was literally crushed). They also gouged almost every opening for the lugs because they wouldn't listen when I said they would need a thin-wall socket for the lugs and chipped off chrome on all the wheels and gouged them due to trying to use the wrong socket anyways...not to mention they ground off a lot of chrome "due to the leaking valve stem" that was somehow bad, yet hadn't started leaking until over 4 months after they were fine after installation.

Here are a couple pictures of the damage just while doing the brakes, and I couldn't turn the lug even with a 6 foot breaker bar until SNAP!!!..


And here's an upgraded brake kit teaser, more pictures of them in my next photo shoot...


Anyways, to get on a better topic..I just got a steal for an intake and cat-back exhaust for $175...I'll be picking them up and posting pics before/during/after the install, maybe even a video or two Also I found the possible culprit for my bad clutch engagement, the slave cylinder has been leaking and progressively gotten worse over time, I just never thought it was leaking until I saw a 3" wet spot around the whole part. If anyone is good with clutch knowledge please feel free to comment on thoughts about why my clutch gets STIFFER the closer to the floor it is, and has a stupid poor engagement point(s) starting from the halfway point until no pedal depress.

RoboTuner

So I went and picked up the Magnaflow cat-back exhaust in near mint condition for $120, just needs polishing at the axle-back area and has been heat treated from the down pipe to the end of the midpipe. Installing this weekend and you WILL be getting pictures and maybe a video or two :DD

The seller had sold the TRD intake for $70, after we talked for a while he said he felt bad he sold it to the other guy because he had 3 other kids come out saying they would purchase about $250 in parts and only left with $70-80, and if he had known I was serious he wouldn't have sold it.

I also plan on getting my slave cylinder from him and he'll install it and try to help with my TB sticking issue (he suggested Seafoam through the vacuum line at the TB. He owns a newer Audi A4 he has slammed and blacked out, looks pretty damn nice. We're going to be working on my car as he has a shop near the city and hasn't worked on a tC yet but many other sports (sporty) cars, he has a nice mid 00's BMW too.

RoboTuner

So I cleaned the TB and MAF and my rev issue is still here...I'll order the new TB control module sometime when I get to it seeing as it's not entirely unbearable. I'm getting the Magnaflow installed after work tomorrow so I'll snap some shots with my new phone! :D Oh yea..and my new slave cylinder came in today..installing it this weekend hopefully WHOOP WHOOP!!

RoboTuner

So here's the new stuff: I installed the slave cylinder and I can get a lot better feel of the engagement point, not great but definitely much better..I had to have my rear calipers replaced as they seized up one night while driving, auto-zone rotors/pads ended up being mad warped so there's that heat/vibration issue, ordering new pads/rotors tonight/tomorrow..clutch shopping currently so anyone who has upgraded their clutch to a setup that I can DD and use after I go Dezod should definitely put some input in here!

NY weather sucks currently and I need to wax the tC, but somebody has a bday coming up so I think she'll get her sex on starting with a nice wax job

tC2k10

looks good so far! flint mica is my favorite color on a tC (which is why i got one)
I've got a magnaflow catback too, its a great great exhaust and it's got a really nice tone IMO, its deep and the perfect volume, not too loud or quiet. The only issue with it is since the magnaflow midpipe gets rid of the resonator, on a cold start the exhaust sounds fine at low RPM's but gets raspy at around 3k and up. What i've noticed though is once the engine heats up after about a minute of driving, theres no rasp at all and its a really nice tone throughout the whole RPM range. Seeing that you bought it last month, i'm guessing you got around to installing it already so you'll probably know what i mean.
The chrome rims aren't THAT bad, i've definitely seen much much worse. If that's your style and you like them, keep rockin 'em.
IMO it definitely could use a drop. I'm sitting on stock suspension too i HATE the almost 5-finger wheel gap and can't wait to get rid of it.

RoboTuner

Yea thanks man, the FMG is awesome in the sunset when you get to see it's earthy green side.

I know what you mean about the cold start with it, but what about how is sounds about 45min-1hr of driving..do you also hear how deep it sounds or maybe it's just mine? You can't really tell but the chrome is really peeling bad on a couple of them and it makes me want to hurl...so I'm debating keeping them like they are/re-dipping them in chrome/painting/trading them until I get my 18"s for the summer/Cali in a few years. And yes yes, I know I need a drop but between needing a new TB control module, a new clutch/flywheel (bad TOB), and a new suspension (struts blew around 69k) I kinda have to wait for the TB and clutch parts to be fixed...then I'm dropping around 2.5" on either some BC coils or D2rs coils.

RoboTuner

Took a few pics of T after her wash/wax job. I'll be bahc!

RoboTuner

Fun stuff coming in soon... :D

RoboTuner

Teaser...

CSM

Whats in there?

RoboTuner

This should answer your question..


And this will be accompanying it..


I'm currently waiting on the shop to call me back about going to pick up muh baby, the owner called me earlier this afternoon and told me he would try to have her ready around 8/9PM tonight seeing as the mechanic he scheduled to do the work called in sick yesterday after I dropped her off Anyways she will be ready to pick up by tomorrow around 9AM at the latest...as long as there aren't any surprises.

I'll keep ya guys and gals posted as I find out what's going on myself.

RoboTuner

After the weird waiting, I have muh girl running and boy...is she touchy! No room for a clutch stop now. The moment you start to disengage the pedal is the moment you're off and moving! I love how quick she shifts once you get moving and the flywheel really does help with revmatching by requiring less throttle blip.

I've gone about 300 miles into the break-in stage, probably going to wait for 500ish before I start having some good fun.

I have a picture of the old clutch/flywheel and man..it wasn't just toast, more like burnt toast. The clutch material was almost non-existent and the rivets holding the material to the disc were starting to wear into the factory flywheel..which is what caused the unpredictable engagement. The shop was amazed that I got 40k out of it seeing as its been like that since I started driving the car.

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I'm making the 500ish mile drive from Rochester, NY to Danville, Va tomorrow so if you're near Rt.-15 (NY/PA), I-89 (PA/MD/VA), I-64 (MD/VA), Rt.-29 (VA) then hit me up for my number to meet up along the trip! Going to be super boring just getting to know my car and her clutch listening to Pandora for 10 hours..lol I'll be the guy in the Flint Mica tC popping that clutch and cruising followed my a Magnaflow exhaust..speaking of which, sounds really nice..has a nice growl to it and gets good and throaty after a little drive XD

guitarman93

Awesome build, I really like the flywheel & clutch combo. I don't think people give enough credit to how important those critical drivetrain components are, truly giving yourself a performance advantage. Two thumbs up! Is it a lightweight flywheel and if so how many pounds less than stock?