AlanG

Anyone been filling up with Shell V-power in Glasgow and surrounding areas? My local station still has Optimax but has only 10,000litres left and is due delivery of V-power next week, but has anyone been using V-power yet? And have you confirmed that it is V-power in your chosen petrol stations tanks? What price are you paying just now? Ta muchly. []

An engines an engine... so don't see how Andy couldn't map it. Two options then Andy Forrest or Sam Ellassar

Yeah, i'd like that Peter, sounds like a well sorted car. I'll drop you a Pm next time i'm in your area. []

On my car with the different spec over the years, i've always found GEMS to have very good boost control. I'm wondering if you have a different type of issue Peter in which case a different boost controller may not actually help you. Can you give more detail on what is actually happening on your car as it is just now? With regard to an Apexi solenoid, Steve Simpson sells solenoids which look identical to the Apexi unit. We tried his version on my car as he thought it may give an even better resolution and hence better boost control than the Apexi unit. The result was identical. I'm not sure of the exact price but i think it was in the region of £45-£50, which may be cheaper than trying to source an Apexi solenoid (if indeed needed) and a lot cheaper than an AVC-R which may not be needed in the first place! If you're working tonight i can pop in and see you as i will be in Paisley.

Here's the other bracket drb5 refers to.

That silver coloured boost pipe is actually a water pipe with heat protective covering over it. Most likely you have a rocker cover seal leak which is dripping the oil onto the up-pipe and burning off. There is a D shaped seal near the top of the rocker cover as well and probably the source of the leak.

Hi Peter. You've had your GEMS for a while so will probably be the 16 bit processor as i did. The later 32 bit versions have numerous additional features i'm told, one of them being "in-gear" boost control, though i don't know of anyone running this new version. When we mapped my car on the GT30R we couldn't get a flatline boost control using the Subaru 3 port solenoid. It was okay ish but felt it could improve with either a better solenoid or air injectors, so we tried the Apexi solenoid. Boost control after that was spot on and basically held a flat line when it spooled up to it's peak of 1.9 bar and stayed there, whereas before i would get overshoot. Good thing too cause i didn't fancy having to fork out for air injectors! They're so expensive. The GEMS has the ability to regulate the frequency the solenoid runs at rather than a set figure, yet despite also trying the original solenoid in a different frequency, the Apexi was far better.

Is it for your own car Peter? Just a thought but I found when i had the GEMS ecu, i had better boost control just using the Apexi solenoid and letting the ecu control the boost. The AVC-R is nice to have the "in-gear" boost control though, yet i'm led to believe the latest GEMS software also has "in-gear" boost control in them.

Assuming it's a 4 door saloon use a 12mm socket to remove the two bolts which hold the seat base. The seat base then unclips in the centre, just push the seat base down and towards the rear of the car a little to release it. Using same 12mm socket, remove 3 bolts for the seat back which you'll now see after removing the seat base. One at either end and one in the middle. The top of the seat back now just lifts upwards to clear the retaining lugs. No need to remove parcel shelf. Top of strut is held by 3 nuts (10mm socket and/or ring spanner) and the bottom strut bolts are removed with 19mm ring spanners/socket

I've experience of driving a car with jacked open throttle for anti-lag Peter (this is on GEMS) and although you can drive on the road with it, it's tiresome, especially in any form of traffic. I don't see how you can make it switchable, since the throttle plate will be permanently open, unless you can find some form of motorised throttle body to allow the throttle plate to be set in an open position for anti-lag use and closed for normal road use.

"Nope...the mapper needs to spend a whole day to get it working PROPERLY.....(jacked open throttle and such likes)and not the kid on ones that most folks have got." If done properly, that's going to be a pain in the proverbial to drive on road as it means you will always have to drive "on throttle" to maintain smooth progress. You won't be able to drive well on a constant throttle... well.... you can try... but i bet you soon get peed off with it...

"So thats means you're surfing the web on the company's time, shame on you." LOL. Guilty, your honour! []

Have you had a chance to draw temp comparisons over what you had to what you have now John? What shift are you on today so i can phone at a convenient time (i missed your call earlier in the week) I've been nightshift this week, so everything topsy turvy at my end and didn't get back to you.

Yeah, they are there to stop the pistons from bottoming out and causing damage to the strut. I wouldn't do it all the time tho'!! []

More than likely you'll have hit the bump stops on the struts. Don't know what you have on your year of car whether they are internal or external.

If the aircon doesn't work at all, you're better off having the system vacuumed out first and then re-charged. The Halfords kit is only really useful if you feel the aircon isn't operating at its' best i.e. the air con is low on charge (not empty) and in need of a top up. Can vouch for the more expensive version being good enough for top ups (used it myself) but if your aircon isn't working, forget it. Go to a professional to have the system rid of any air (vacuumed) and then re-charged, though be aware, you may have a leak and so you could have additional repair costs before a further re-charge

I know what you're saying Davie, but i can stick my head under there after a thrash and no' singe my eyebrows though, so must be doing some good. [] Heatwrap is a good thing, but it doesn't get rid of all the heat. You'll still have heatsoak if the engines running for a few minutes when stationary. Touch the inlet manifold after a few minutes idling, bet you can't keep your hand there for long! Once up and moving, the temperature comes down *fairly* quickly though..

Why not keep using the original one? Even now with a sizeable Garrett i still use the original.

It'll default to the original settings Rab, which depending on what it's history with fuel is like, may actually increase timing over what it was before you reset it. i.e. if it had been detecting det it would have retarded the timing to ensure engine safety. Wouldn't worry about it.

Re-read your reply.. if you're talking about the bolt i just mentioned which needs a socket to remove, then try and insert a flat blade screwdiver behind the head of the bolt. When you unscrew the bolt apply pressure with the screwdriver to help it on its' way. It's more of a self tapping screw than an ordinary M6 threaded screw, so if you want, you can try and pull the bolt down with pliers as you turn a bit at a time. You don't *really* need that screw as such as far as holding the arch liner in place

Prise a small flat blade screwdriver between the screw and the surround and peel it down. They're not really screws as such though they have a crosshead on them for a screwdriver. When you put them back in just press the "screw" back into the hole. If you're taking all of the airbox assembly out, then yes, the arch liner has to come down to make way for removal. Also notice that there is a 6mm screw up inside the arch as well. Use a 10mm socket to take it out.

Just use a small (thin) flat blade screwdriver Frank to prise it down and out. When putting them back in, fit the socket part into the liner and press the plug part (screw bit) into the socket. I've never used a screwdriver to screw them out. The retainers are only cheap bits of plastic. If the retainers are the flush type that look like pop rivets, press the centre part straight through the hole then spend 10 minutes trying to find where it went if you've popped it out too hard.. ... Don't bother trying to prise them out towards you, waste of time.

Not sure but is the wonder wheels stuff not made by Comma?

How much is the Silkolene Pro R wrxmania?

I've used the Comma alloy wheel cleaner for a few years now and has always managed to clean all gunk off the insides of my wheels. It comes with a brush to stipulate the cleaner into the grime. Takes a bit of time, but you can see it removing the black deposits as you work the cleaner in. You can also use one of those brushes you use for cleaning dishes for the insides of wheels.