Here’s a thread on the vortex with a used oil analysis and discussion regarding the newer version of Lubromoly 5W-40. I promise, last post about this stuff…
The UOA does look good though, so maybe the new stuff isn’t so bad.
Linky linky <click here for the thread
Out with the old, in with the new-
So I waltzed over to the local NAPA Autoparts sometime during the weekend to pick up a spare liter of oil and also to check out whether the rumors of the new lubro were true. In case you haven’t heard (jeez who wouldn’t right?! I know! Those guys, totally out of the loop), the new stuff is group III stock and seems to not have 502 approval? Instead of saying 502 under approvals, it states them under “recommended” for 502 and a few other standards. I have no idea if this stuff is as good or better than the old stuff, not until someone releases an oil analysis. It does smell considerably more chemical like than the older stuff.
Too bad, I really liked the older stuff too. If anyone has tried it out, please do tell.
Wheee!
I finally got off my lazy ass and decided to start the intake section under the Modifications page. Check it out! Tell me what I messed up on, I’m guaranteed to have done something…
Intake Guide (sort of) … Click that on the left. Or go to the modifications page. Do it, do it.
I’ve updated the oil change page a little bit. The old page was doing weird things that I just could not figure out. Hopefully it’s a little easier to read now. Link in 3…2…1…
Or look up at the top of the page under maintenance.
I’ll try to have the cam follower DIY out over the weekend.
Prothane Super Grease
Squeaks got you down? Nobody likes to hear the squeaks coming from a dry poly bushing. It’s irritating and for some reason manages to bypass any sound insulation that your car has. Regular grease usually just washes out after a month or so and may even be harmful to the long term health of your poly bushings. I’ve never experienced regular grease attacking my poly bushings but there are a few accounts of just that floating around the interwebs. I can’t exactly say if it’s fact or fiction. Mobil 1 synthetic seems to be commonly recommended but Mobil 1 in my experience doesn’t seem up to the task of staying on sway bar bushings and such. One good hit with water and the squeaking starts. Either that or it eventually gets all squeezed out.
After some searching, I found that Prothane sells a silicone based lube with PTFE for use with poly bushings. I have a hunch that it might be silicone lube from a company called Super Lube. But I can’t confirm it. The Prothane grease (appropriately called super grease) is really tacky and thick. It’s kinda pricey at 25 shipped but if it’ll save me from having to regrease my bushings once every few weeks, then it’ll be worth it. You can find it at several vendors online, just search for Prothane super grease. It comes in either a cartridge or a few small packets. I bought mine from Summit Racing.
So far so good, although I’ve only been using it for a week. It looks like this will hold up to water, it’s incredibly sticky compared to other multipurpose greases I’ve been using. Oh, and it’s not supposed to attack anything rubber or poly. Good stuff. I’ll update if anything changes (like more noise).
Tyrol Sport Bushings
I installed these puppies about 2 weeks ago. If you want any kind of consistency in your brake pedal, you MUST get these. They help get rid of the vague feeling of the stock brakes. After installing these, I can feel exactly where my brakes are and how much more or less pressure I need to apply. They really are that great. It’s subtle but very satisfying.
Overview
These bushings are are available to other cars as well. I know BMW’s and Mini Coopers have companies producing similar products for the brakes. These replace the rubber caliper bolt bushings in the stock brakes. By doing so, it removes the flex inherent in the rubber bushings and improves the brake feel and feedback. The bronze bushing keeps caliper flex to a minimum and keeps the brake pads flat along the rotor.
VS Stock
The stock brakes are well known for their mushy feel and absolute lack of feedback. If you are switching pads to get better feel, try these out first. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. A few others also commented that switching to braided lines did not improve feel as much as these bushings did. Things improve a little more after switching out the stock brake pads. Pairing these bushings with a high performance brake pad such as the Hawk HPS pads makes for a nice street setup.
The downside to removing the rubber bushings is that you’ll have to grease these up once in a while. If you aren’t so keen on doing the required greasing, you might not want to get these. Greasing isn’t difficult, just 20 minutes a side if you’re taking it slow. I live in California and can get away with greasing them every few months. More difficult weather or heavy track usage will increase that interval. I would not skimp on the greasing maintenance. The clearances are tight and there isn’t much room for grease. I haven’t felt any increase in noise or vibration after installing them.
Installation
You’ll need to buy snap ring pliers to install these. Grab them from your favorite local hardware store. To get the bushings themselves, head over to this site: www.tyrolsport.com
As I can’t really explain better than their own installation instructions, here they are: TyrolSport Caliper Bushings Installation
The damage came out to about 120 dollars after I bought the snap ring pliers. Installation is easy and painless. You pull out the stock rubber bushings and caliper pins and replace them with the Tyrolsport units. Just make sure you take your time as you are dealing with the braking system.
Overall
This is a great mod for those looking to maximize the braking performance of the stock system. It’s cheap as far as modifications go and functional. If you aren’t afraid to regrease them once in a while, go ahead and grab a set for your car.
markFive GTI 