2013 GTI - K04 Build

[Roadrunner_GTI]

I am really considering these belts. Please do post your thoughts. Do you plan on using a HANS Hybrid with it?
Where are you running? I hope to get to VIR later this year.

Will definitely post once I get some seat time with them. I got the Quick Fit Pro vs the less expensive standard Quick Fit so I have the option to run a HANS device later. Here’s my schedule so far:

Mar 22-23 VIR Full w/Trackdaze
April 17-18 VIR Full w/Trackclub
May 22-23 Summit Point Shenandoah Trackdaze
June 21-22 VIR Full w/Trackdaze
Aug 20th VIR Full SCCA Track Night
Sept 16th Dominion SCCA Track Night
Oct 2 Summit Point Main VW Fastivus
Nov 4-5 VIR Full & Grand w/Trackdaze

Let me know if you plan to be at VIR.

 

[3rdOne]

Nice schedule. Just to give some props to the local club, Tar Heel Sports Car Club runs a nice HPDE event at VIR. The two events there for them this year are 5/29-30 and 9/11-12, both the Full course. I'm shooting for the 9/11-12 event. Would love to do others and would certainly let you know if I do.

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

Nice schedule. Just to give some props to the local club, Tar Heel Sports Car Club runs a nice HPDE event at VIR. The two events there for them this year are 5/29-30 and 9/11-12, both the Full course. I'm shooting for the 9/11-12 event. Would love to do others and would certainly let you know if I do.

Oh nice, yeah I’ve signed up for the Southern Fried HPDE event in the past, and I believe it was cancelled. I’ll keep the Sept VIR in mind and may try to make that.

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

Hit 100k yesterday after 8yrs of ownership. Still love this car.

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

Picked up a spare set of track wheels so I can swap wheels/tires as needed. These are Motegi MR145 Traklites, 17x8.5 ET42 with 225/45R17 Nitto NT01s.

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

First track event of the season is in the books. Car just did phenomenal. The ST40 BBK is a game changer and I found myself threshold braking much later, and I also had better pedal modulation for trail braking. The added camber of the GC plates allowed me to carry more speed through the climbing esses, with stability control fully disabled.
Lastly the Schroth Quick-Fit harnesses kept me planted and I could focus on driving, not bracing myself.

Here’s a lap around the Full Course at VIR, chasing a C6 that we took turns lead/following the entire session. All in all a great time, and I’ll be back next month to chase my virtual best of 2:14.

 

[torga]

Gonna bookmark that vid to watch during my lunch break!

 

[torga]

Really sick video, dude! Very exhilarating. That C6 could NOT shake you.

 

[3rdOne]

Nice weekend to be in VA. Great drive also. Glad to know you liked the Schroth belts. Any negatives to them?
Also, how do you like the window deflectors? Do they make a difference in buffeting on track with the windows open? My car has horrible buffeting and thinking these may help?

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

Nice weekend to be in VA. Great drive also. Glad to know you liked the Schroth belts. Any negatives to them?
Also, how do you like the window deflectors? Do they make a difference in buffeting on track with the windows open? My car has horrible buffeting and thinking these may help?

The only negative I can think of with the Schroth Quick-Fits would be that you have to tighten down the lap belt portion pretty tight to keep the shoulder belts from pulling on it. This is simply inherent to the 4-point design, where you don’t have a 5th or 6th belt to pull down. Honestly, this never became an issue for me because I would always tighten the lap belt as much as I could, then tighten the shoulder belts.

As far as the window deflectors, I’ve decided to run them to help divert water on the occasional wet track day. I run with only my front windows down, to cut down on wind buffeting. When I open my rear windows, I still get buffering, so I avoid that if I can.

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

Few shots from the 2nd event of the year at VIR. Set a new PB at 2:14:90.

Next event will not be on the stock turbo if everything goes as planned.

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

Finally took the plunge and decided to upgrade to a k04. Went with APR, as I wanted something track proven and reliable.

Install proved to be challenging, after the coolant inlet banjo fitting didn’t hold vacuum before coolant refill. Ended up pulling the turbo back out because the fitting is nearly impossible to access with it installed. Found the copper crush washers were not sealing, so I bought new ones, annealed them, and that fixed the issue. Bench pressure tested the turbo housing and it held 20psi fine. Reinstalled in the car and coolant system held vacuum.

Took the car to Race Werks in VB to get the APR k04 tune. All I can say is I can’t wait to get this thing back on track.

 

[Cal2000]

K04 FTW! Looking forward to checking out your onboard video of your track runs w/ K04!

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

First track event after k04 install was at Summit Point Shenandoah, which is notoriously hard on both car and driver. With ambient temps ~90*, had issues all day keeping oil temps in check.

Decided to try relocating my oil cooler away from the intercooler/radiator, to its own dedicated air stream on the passenger side. Also took the opportunity to rotate the cooler so the ports were on top, which apparently is the correct orientation per the manufacturer.

To provide more airflow to the oil cooler, the fog light was a casualty, but if it keeps me on track for a 30 minute session...I’m ok with it.

Next up is a two day event in June at VIR, so hopefully my oil cooling issues are resolved.

 

[Roadrunner_GTI]

Got the car buttoned up and back on the ground. Decided to open up some additional vents on the skidplate to increase cooling. Driving around town I noticed the oil temps cooler than before. Especially going from sitting in traffic to moving, the oil temps drop faster than before.
Hopefully this translates to lower temps on track. I’ll find out later this month for a 2 day event at VIR in the heat.