Is it a Rabit? Or a Golf? 07 GTI Build

Awhile back I sold the Subaru I had as a daily. I had wanted something else and we had a 13 GTI at work. Missed out on a deal with that but undeterred I found this one!

Its a 2007 VW Golf GTI or Rabbit GTI. I'm going with Golf but Rabbit was a name reintroduced around this time. 

Car has 99K on it and needed some love. 
 

List of things needing attention. 

Headliner and door card need reupholstered. Various mechanical attention. To be chronicled in another post. Third brake lamp needs replace ment. Touch ups. Wheels need redoing. PO decided to paint and strip them. Idk if I am going to leave them silver or go black. 
 

Gloss black or silver. 

Stay tuned. Another post coming up. 
 

Nice car 

Can a mod fix my typo in the title please?  Rabbit. Lol

So the car is equipped with a 2.0 DOHC Direct Injection Turbo engine with 10.5:1 compression. 

It is German and fickle. 

First day back to work with the car I developed a coolant leak which required towing the car. A common coolant nipple failed. Fixed

Second day it developed a misfire. Diagnosed and replaced a coil. No pic of that but it's a coil lol. 

The car has a cam follower that runs the HPFP off a lone on the cam. I ordered a new one along with tune up parts. 

Saturday evening I pulled it out and found mine worn through. Asked on the groups and basically as I had no codes or drive ability issues. I sent it. Put a new one in and test drove her. Ran great!

Sunday morning while wife and son were sleeping I roll outside to make some improvements. 

Cleaned the air box. 
 

Replaced the air filter and cleaned the MAF. 
 

It's a AEM dry flow filter. I don't plan on an intake as VW made the stocker pretty damn good!

While in there I replaced the coils with R8 coils

Further a fresh set of NGK plugs were installed. 
 

Various clips and bolts were installed that were missing and a good wipe down of all the bay. 
 

I have a GO Fast Bits Diverter Valve+ and a column mount boost gauge on the way. Also a PCV delete as well. Actually the GFB is here now. Timing belt and water pump is here. Have some days off coming up and I will do that service then. 
 

Pic of the boost gauge from ECS.

And of the GFB. It reacts quicker than the stock unit and replaces know failure parts of the stock unit to minimize boost leaks and maximize throttle response.

Car runs amazing. Torquey and handled amazing. It really feels like a 07 Si (I had a 07 FA5). But with torque. Lots of it. Down low. The engine only revs to like 6500 or so unlike the K20Z3 I had. Which was what almost 8500?  

Little things about the car. Really hard to describe. I love the interior and shifter. I'm in love generally. 
 

 Stay tuned. 
 

In reply to mr2s2000elise :

Why thank you sir!

Put $50 a month (or $100 if you can swing it) in a box for a maintenance fund.  You’ll need it sooner or later.  Trust me on this.

Also, FCP Euro is your friend for OE / OEM replacement parts, as is Deutsche Auto Parts.  Paul at DAP has alot of good youtube content, as does Charles at Humblemechanic on their respective channels.

In reply to einy (Forum Supporter) :

Good suggestion. It's a demanding but rewarding car for sure. Thanks for the suggestions. I have seen a lot of their vids. Thanks!

Picking up a cat less down pipe. Plan on running stock exhaust plus this. 

Some updates. Installed the AutoTech Composite intake. Also replaced the wheels. 
 

Still working out the bugs so to speak. Soon I have to do the timing belt and all that. Then start in the interior. 

Sweet car!

The BPY/BPG 2.0 TFSI engines are interesting. To keep one running well without spending a fortune you will need to be able to turn a wrench. I've gotten far more familiar with this engine than I bargained for:

Forgot to ask, what transmission in your car?

6MT.  Yeah its interesting. Seems a different animal than what I am used to.  Adjust headlights? Gotta program that!  Clean the throttle body? Program that!  

Really?

Im kinda frustrated right now.  My cam follower was shot, which I replaced.

Int. have boost near redline falling to around 5 psi.  Got a code today (no light) for 00135 fuel pressure low.  

Yeah. 

I ordered a fuel rail pressure sensor (low) as well as I have replaced the DV with the latest version as well as a fresh N75 valve.  Hoping the ORIGINAL fuel filter is the issue, having 100K on it. Upgrading to a 6.6 bar filter. After that IDK. May replace the HPFP and cam?

  Sigh.................

Your cam should be fine. It would take a catastrophic failure the follower and then the HPFP eating through the intake cam lobe for your to need to replace the cam. Every single one of these engine has some light scuffing on the intake cam lobe that the follower rides on.

If the sensor doesnt eliminate your code, take a look at the LPFP (your traditional fuel pump).

If you have a scanner that does live data, take a look at your fuel pressure at idle, with a properly functioning HPFP you should be around 550 psi +/- 50 psi. Not sure if a bad LPFP would also lower HPFP readings.

If you need spare engine parts, let me know I likely have doulbe or triples hanging around.

Good call on the manual!

Also, you're fortunate, the transverse set up makes these cars so much easier and less aggravating to work on than the longitudinal set up in the Audi's.

In reply to FatMongo :

Lol I appreciate that!  I went ahead and ordered a HPFP anyways. Cheap enough and worth doing. 
 

I also next weekend or so will do a timing belt a d water pump. Picked up a ECS underdrive pulley( I needed the bolts and a belt and for about 100 I got it all bnib)

Really thanks for that. I've seen so many threads about this whole cam follower issue. Makes me wonder if people who replace the cam. Ever really needed to?

Have a build thread?

In reply to FatMongo :

I'd figure the opposite?  

I'll second having a slush fund for emergency repairs. I have a 2008 Passat wagon with the same engine and 173,000 miles. It has been maintenance intensive and needy. But the wife loves it. 

bonylad said:

In reply to FatMongo :

Really thanks for that. I've seen so many threads about this whole cam follower issue. Makes me wonder if people who replace the cam. Ever really needed to?

Have a build thread?

So when you think about it, the back lobe of the cam does nothing but push the follower. It doesnt need to be perfectly smooth and unless its ground to a nub, you wouldnt need to replace the cam. A little scoring or even some significant scoring wont affect the function of the follower - its a basic mechanical interaction - it doesnt need superb precision like for a bearing clearance or something. I would have no problem re-using a cam like this:

In fact, Im saving that cam to build a spare head with.

I dont have a build thread here but I have an ongoing saga at Audizine. Im still finishing up the build on my A4 and not quite done with it. Im trying to document everything pretty well so I can have a smoother, better flowing build thread here when its all said and done and the car is runnnig as designed.

In the mean time, if you would like to persue the agonizing journey of me tearing into the guts of an 2.0 TFSI, take a look at this:

My painful journey into the world of VAG

Oh and its good hygiene to do the HPFP as its a known trouble spot on these cars. Im too cheap to pop the few hundred for one unless absolutely necessary, but nothing wrong with getting a head of the game.

Please post more detail on the underdrive pulley, I didnt know they made one for these motors. Curious to see if what your thoughts are.

If you are going to the do the timing belt, you might as well do the timing chain in the back of the head and 'rebuild' your vacuum pump and while you're at it, do the coolant flange on the back of the block. While you're at it, throw on a new OEM PCV valve and your motor should be set up for a good long while.

If you are looking for OEM parts, hit up Molle Audi in Kansas City - they have terrific prices when you order online. They are a fantastic deal for me as they are local and I can save 10-20% off of ECS prices by getting OEM right over the counter. Its also nice that the parts guy knows me by sight and name,

In reply to FatMongo :

Ill reply here to all your information.  Yep I agree on the whole came thing. I just see often its "Oh lord you need a cam" here and there with stunning frequency!  I understand the operation of the pump and how its actuated, so when I see the cam always being replaced - it puzzles me. Unless as you stated its so badly worn or otherwise.  I mean case in point. I am running the stock cam with the follower replaced and really have no issues (possibly? IDK) other than what I posted.  I ordered a HPFP as insurance anyhow. Gives me a poor reason to inspect the follower again.  Its got like 3K miles on it now. 

I will check out your thread for sure. Its a parallel to my own experience after never having a European car before. Swore I would never but the GTI just feels SOOOOOOOOO good. 

Ebay and ECS are my go to so far.  Here is the link to the pulley. Its a deal! New bolts which I need for the timing belt anyhow and a new belt!

ECS UDP

I dont know how far down the rabbit hole I will go just yet so far as  repairs and PM go. We will see?

Thanks for all the input! Stay in touch!

EDIT - Im really hoping its a combination of a worn plunger on the HPFP and a FP sensor (low).  Car runs the best, and I have hopes thats all it is.

10001110101 said:

I'll second having a slush fund for emergency repairs. I have a 2008 Passat wagon with the same engine and 173,000 miles. It has been maintenance intensive and needy. But the wife loves it. 

Yeah my paypal credit is hating me right now.............:(

I used to have an A3 with the same motor, fun little car.  Biggest thing is make sure you do that timing belt sooner than later if you don't know when it was done last.  Make sure you do the idler as well.  Once you get it all base lined, a simple tune can add some added fun. 

In reply to Placemotorsports :

Yeah that's my plan. May do it this weekend. I have all the bits. 

Should have got the base with the 5 cylinder motor. No issues at all just nice power. Not able to add power for cheap like a turbo motor but haven't really felt the need. On the motor issues I would replace anything that is hard plastic for silicone. Made a world of difference on my 98 A4 1.8t. Those things would crack just looking at them. Please don't do black rims it just screams fanboy follower.