In my previous post about upgrading the reverse camera on my Golf, I mentioned that I had ordered a couple of cameras from AliExpress to see if any of them would work with my new…

In my previous post about upgrading the reverse camera on my Golf, I mentioned that I had ordered a couple of cameras from AliExpress to see if any of them would work with my new RCD880 radio. Well, they finally arrived! More importantly, I finally got around to doing something with them. Rather than simply gluing one into place or trying to make something that was just barely good enough, I decided this was the perfect excuse to properly learn CAD. I've been trying to learn CAD for about a year now. "Trying" might be a generous description. Usually, I would open the software, make a box, get annoyed because something didn't behave the way I expected, and then close it again. This project was different. Suddenly I had an actual problem to solve, and that made learning everything much more enjoyable. Instead of following random tutorials and modelling things I didn't need, I could learn each technique as I encountered a real problem. I ended up using FreeCAD, which is completely free and open source. FreeCAD: Your own 3D parametric modelerFreeCAD, the open source 3D parametric modelerwww.freecad.orgIt isn't always the easiest software to understand, but once things started clicking, I found that I could model pretty much anything I needed. I'm sure there are better and faster ways of doing half the things I did, but the end result works, so I'm counting that as a success. As you can probably tell, I'm quite fond of open-source software. I'm happy to support projects like FreeC

Designing a Better Reverse Camera Mount

I have been a developer for many years now, and during that time I have built quite a few projects that use some form of blog-style content. Documentation websites, personal blogs…

I have been a developer for many years now, and during that time I have built quite a few projects that use some form of blog-style content. Documentation websites, personal blogs, project updates and whatever else needed a collection of pages arranged in a vaguely sensible order. I even created my own theme for Ghost once. I eventually discontinued it, partly because I no longer had much interest in maintaining it, and partly because I really did not enjoy writing Handlebars templates. This time, I wanted to try something different. I have spent years working as a developer, and I have also done a lot of UX and product design. Building a new blog seemed like a good opportunity to test both skill sets at once. The idea was simple: build my own small publishing platform with the features I actually use from Ghost, designed specifically for Edition 35. How difficult could that be? Starting with the design I was never especially happy with the appearance of the old blog. It worked, and I had made it my own to some degree, but it still felt like a Ghost theme underneath. There were also plenty of small details I wanted to change that were either difficult to customize or required working around the platform. So I opened Figma and started designing a replacement. The first draft was very simple. It used a light theme, a fairly traditional layout and not much else. I browsed through Dribbble and bookmarked a few designs I liked. I then stitched together the parts that made sense fo

My brand new blog

Last time, the Golf was finally running again. Since then, it has been great. I have only really taken it on one proper joyride with some friends, and other than that I have…

Last time, the Golf was finally running again. Since then, it has been great. I have only really taken it on one proper joyride with some friends, and other than that I have continued driving it carefully. No strange noises from the engine, no smoke, and no new warning lights. So naturally, I decided to start working on something electrical instead: The reverse camera. Testing the aftermarket camera I previously ordered a complete aftermarket flip-camera assembly for the Golf: Flipping Logo Rear Camera for VW Passat Golf ArteonSmarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.comaliexpress.(I chose the dynamic one, non-AHD)This replaces the entire rear emblem mechanism, including the motor and camera, and is designed to work with newer radios such as my RCD 880 Pro (Noname): DE In Stock Noname RCD880PRO Carplay Car Radio MIB Android Auto Player 8Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.comaliexpress.The original camera system was made for the RNS 510, while the RCD 880 Pro expects a normal composite video signal through an RCA connection. The aftermarket camera outputs CVBS, so in theory it should connect directly without needing an additional video converter. Before permanently installing anything, I wanted to test it. The supplied harness replaces the blue camera connector in the Quadlock with one that terminates in a female RCA socket. I connected the camera’s video cable to that, used a fuse tap to provide power, and found a suitable grounding point below the driver-side A-p

Fixing the Original Reverse Camera

Three days after writing about getting scammed, the engine is finally back in the car. That feels pretty good to write. After finishing the engine, the next job was getting it…

Three days after writing about getting scammed, the engine is finally back in the car. That feels pretty good to write. After finishing the engine, the next job was getting it installed, and connecting everything again. Once it was sitting where it belongs, I connected the wiring harness to the engine and spent a lot of time making sure nothing was missing. I probably checked the connectors four times, and I also used old photos from before the engine came out to verify that the wiring was routed correctly. Snapped a photo while working on the wiringAfter that, we installed the front bumper reinforcement and then fitted the front bumper. We also attached the AC lines and replaced a few that were old or damaged. The AC condenser was replaced as well, since the old one was quite beat up and looked like something that would start leaking sooner or later. Before starting the engine, I also replaced all the brake pads and discs. I went with OE Bosch discs and pads, because I wanted something proper and quiet. I am pretty sure running Biltema brakes on a car with around 300 hp is not the best idea, but I am not here to judge the previous owner for their decisions. 0 986 479 058 BOSCH BD997 Bremseskive framaksel, 312x25mm, 9x112, ventilert | AUTODOC pris og erfaringer【SUPERTILBUD❗】⚡️ ➤ 0 986 479 058 BOSCH BD997 Bremseskive framaksel, 312x25mm, 9x112, ventilert ❗ Sjekk ut det store sortimentet hos AUTODOC Norge ✚ gunstige priser ✚ en lang rekke merker.J.Ø. • AUTODOC Norge0 986 479 C2

It Runs Again

So, it has been about a month since the last update. And yes, a lot has happened. Some of it good. Some of it very bad. And some of it so bad that it honestly deserves a huge title…

So, it has been about a month since the last update. And yes, a lot has happened. Some of it good. Some of it very bad. And some of it so bad that it honestly deserves a huge title like this one. Because at some point during this rebuild, I realized something that made my stomach sink a little: I got scammed. Now, before I get into that, let me say one thing straight away: even though this update has a very dramatic title, it does not mean the project is over. Quite the opposite, actually. The engine is now basically done, and the project is very much alive. But to continue the story properly from where I left off last time, I have to talk about what we discovered along the way. Because once the correct bearings finally arrived, things escalated quickly. The bearings were finally correct After all the waiting, all the measuring, and all the messing around with the wrong bearing thickness, the correct crankshaft bearings finally arrived. We installed them, checked the clearance with Plastigage again, and this time it was finally correct. Finally. That was a very nice feeling, because at least it meant we could move on. I also found one of the old bearings, which helped confirm that the colour markings we had used were in fact correct. So for once, we were not guessing. The markings matched, the old bearing supported it, and the Plastigage check confirmed it. So at that point I thought we were in the clear. Naturally, we were not. The moment it all went wrong The next step was 

I Got Scammed

Spoiler alert: No. However, something else came in the mail.

So, it has been about a month since the last update. The engine is surely done now, right? Nope. It is not. Because once again, we are waiting for parts. This time it is not an overpriced timing tool or something weird like that, but bearings. Which is somehow even more annoying, because bearings are quite important if you want the engine to go back together properly. The issue showed up when we checked the bearing clearance with Plastigage. The bearings I had ordered were, unfortunately, not the correct thickness. Not wildly wrong, but wrong enough that they are not going into this engine. On these engines, the block and crankshaft have markings that tell you which bearing thicknesses are needed. The block has the markings for the lower bearings, and the crankshaft has the markings for the upper bearings. On my engine, the block is marked RRRRR, while the crankshaft is marked BGGGG. So basically, I need another set of bearings before we can properly start building the bottom end. Which sucks. At this point, it has been almost two months since the engine came out, and it still feels like there is not a huge amount of progress to show. A lot has happened, but the engine is still not together, and that is the annoying part. Everything is cleaned, checked, measured, prepared, and then put back on hold because one small but important thing is missing. That said, the extra time has not been completely wasted. Since we have been waiting anyway, I have had time to do things properly

Is the engine done yet?

The timing tools finally arrived, the top end is apart, and progress on the rebuild is finally moving again. As a bonus, a fresh set of OZ Formula HLT wheels wrapped in Michelin…

Last time, we were mostly stuck waiting. The timing tools had still not arrived, and progress was moving at the speed of international shipping updates. They did eventually show up, which let us get on with the job I had been dreading most: removing the cam adjuster bolt that holds the timing assembly together. Thankfully, that part went far better than expected. I had seen a hundred videos and forum posts where that bolt stripped, snapped, or had to be drilled out. Ours came out in one piece. For once something went our way. That said, the timing tools themselves turned out to be a mess. The set I ordered cost around 150 euros by the time it got here and the quality was terrible. It snapped in half before we had even put much force on it. Like a lot of cheap tools it was held together with weak hardware, and those bolts gave up immediately. So instead of using the tool I had paid too much for, we welded it back together to make it usable. After that it was just strong enough to do the job. I would not recommend buying from STR Performance based on this experience. The tool arrived in an Amazon box, inside an Autodoc box, then shipped on to me, which does not inspire confidence. With the quality being what it was, it felt like a cheap tool bought elsewhere and resold at a much higher price. After the injector trouble I should have known better than to gamble on a seller I did not fully trust. I would rather wait for stock at a reputable shop than do this again. With the timin

Engine Rebuild Progress and New Wheels

While we're still waiting for the timing tools to arrive, work on the engine hasn't stopped completely. According to the tracking, the tools are apparently in the country now, but…

While we're still waiting for the timing tools to arrive, work on the engine hasn't stopped completely. According to the tracking, the tools are apparently in the country now, but the only update we've had is still just "Shipped from France", which isn't exactly the most useful status in the world. So rather than sit around waiting, we've been focusing on the block in the meantime. response from STR Performance regarding the timing toolsWe're also waiting on the crankshaft bearings to arrive before we can fully assemble the block again. Until those turn up, and until the timing tools are here, we're in that slightly frustrating stage of an engine rebuild where there's still plenty to do, but a lot of the bigger milestones are on hold. At this point, we've removed the head from the block so we could start working on that separately while continuing with the bottom end. It made sense to split the work up a bit, especially while we're still waiting on tools and parts. That way, we can keep making progress instead of just staring at the tracking page and getting annoyed. With the head off, it also gave us a much better look at the top of the pistons and the condition inside the block. Nothing especially dramatic there, but it's always satisfying to get things properly apart and actually see what you're working with instead of only guessing. cylinder head on the workbenchengine block on the stand with the head removedtop view of the pistons and engine blockOne of the more annoying

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

With the engine out of the car, today was about stripping off the extras and getting down to the parts that matter. By the end of the day the engine was down to the cylinder head…

With the engine out of the car, today was about stripping off the extras and getting down to the parts that matter. By the end of the day the engine was down to the cylinder head, the block and the oil pan. Everything else came off piece by piece: intake manifold, exhaust manifold, turbo, alternator, oil cooler, temperature sensor, brackets, hoses, and all the other bits that make an engine look more complete than it is. Here's a before photo of the engine with all the components attachedAfter stripping it downMost of the day was careful disassembly. No dramatic moment, just removing parts, sorting them, checking their condition and keeping everything organised. That last part matters on a job like this. Every bolt, screw and bracket goes back where it belongs or gets stored with the part it came from. It takes longer now and saves a lot of swearing when the engine goes back together. With most of the outside off, we took the valve cover off and looked inside. Everything there looked decent at first glance, which is reassuring this deep into an engine. Cylinder head cover removedThe next area was more interesting. We took the timing chain cover off to inspect the timing assembly. The chain is loose and clearly not being tensioned properly, so the tensioner is done and needs replacing. We half expected that, and we had already bought a new chain and tensioner, so at least the parts are sitting here rather than being one more thing to order. A slightly loose timing chain (air b

Stripping the Engine Down

The GTI is finally in the workshop and the engine is out — but not without a few snapped bolts, broken AC lines, and a reminder that rust never makes anything easy

Today we finally started the engine overhaul properly. We got the car into the workshop, up on jacks, and started stripping it down so we could pull the engine. I have been looking forward to this. The car has had plenty of work already, but this is where it gets serious. After removing the front bumper, ready to begin workingWe started by removing the front end, which went surprisingly smoothly. With that off, we moved to the lock carrier and started freeing everything up to get proper access to the engine. After removing the lock carrierThen the rust reminded us who was in charge. Most of the bolts holding the lock carrier and the parts around it were too crusty to survive removal. Several snapped, but some of those parts are being replaced anyway. Lock carrier down with a small dent in the front. Seems the car was in a small accident?The AC condenser was in bad shape too. That is the big radiator-looking unit with the fins at the front, and this one had clearly had enough. They are not expensive, so replacing it now makes sense. Plenty of its bolts were corroded and snapped as well, which matters less when the part is going in the bin. Two of the AC lines also broke while we were removing them. They were completely crusty, so it was only a matter of time. Annoying, but better now than later. A blurry image of the broken ac lines (sorry for the quality)With the front end out of the way we could start disconnecting everything else: hoses, wiring, connectors, all the usual th

Engine Out: Finally Starting the Overhaul

It’s been a while. The last post went up in August. It's now January. Not because I've lost interest in the golf, quite the opposite, but because life has been busy in ways that…

It’s been a while. The last post went up in August. It's now January. Not because I've lost interest in the golf, quite the opposite, but because life has been busy in ways that don't leave much room for writing. The past months have been filled with work pressure, writing, delivering, and defending my master’s thesis in sustainable web design, while also trying to be present with the people around me. Christmas was spent with my girlfriend and my family, and nearly every visit to her meant fixing something on the car. She lives about two hours away, and I’m fairly sure something has gone wrong almost every single time I’ve driven there. One of the bigger concerns right now is a noise from the suspension. When the car is loaded mid-corner, especially in tighter turns, there's a sharp snap or clunk, like something shifting into place. The suspension otherwise feels completely normal. No instability, no odd behavior, just that sound. Still, it's not something I'm comfortable ignoring. Once the car is on a lift, the suspension is coming apart so I can finally see what's going on. Then there’s the oil consumption... An engine overhaul is no longer optional. I’m currently gathering all the details so I know exactly which parts to order before we put the car on a lift and pull the engine. Worn piston rings are the obvious culprit, and I also suspect the valves aren’t sealing perfectly. While it’s apart, it makes sense to look at engine mounts and suspension components as well. If i

Long time, no see?

Here are a few photos I shot of the golf after giving it a thorough clean

SONY ILCE-6000 + 30mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary 016iPhone 14 Pro Max

Small photo shoot

Today I finally installed the Scorpion resonator delete on the GTI, and it makes a real difference. 📦 It all started with a package at my doorstep.Inside was the Scorpion pipe, ready to replace the bulky factory resonator. 🧑‍🔧 OEM resonator vs. Scorpion delete comparisonAlso had to do some prep-work before installing the new pipe. 🪛 Removing rust from the mufflerI’ve included two clips to give you the full before-and-after effect. 🎥 Here’s the stock exhaust sound before the install🎥 And here’s how it sounds after the installSwapping it in was straightforward and the payoff was immediate. The tone is much more aggressive, and for the first time I can clearly hear the exhaust from inside the cabin. Under load it used to be almost too subtle. Now you know it is there. The DSG shifts are sharper and louder, and in park it spits out pops and bangs that make me grin. So far I have not noticed any drone in Drive. Around town it stays tame, and when you push it, it delivers. I also edited a video if you'd like to listen to a direct comparison

Scorpion Resonator Delete

Photo dump and a few clips from the VW Audi Club Norwegen's car meet

Scroll to the bottom for a compilation of some clips recorded from the track 😄🏎️ This year we made our way back to Vålerbanen for VACN's annual car meet, same place and same vibe. There was a car exhibition, track sessions, and prizes for the best cars in the show and shine. I entered mine for judging, but the competition brought their A-game and I did not make the cut this time. Blue carsThe real story of the day was my friend's car. He has put serious hours into prepping it for track duty and today was supposed to be the payoff. It was not. I came geared up to shoot photos of him on track, and before I even got to the photo spot his car had already given up. Bad wiring harness? Bad ECU? 🤷‍♂️We think it is either a bad ECU or a sketchy harness. The throttle body would not stay steady. It kept jittering at zero throttle, which made the car stall constantly. We tried swapping in an identical throttle body from another Mk4 VW on site, with the same result. Frustrating, especially after all the work he has put in. Porsche 911 GT2Turnout on the show side was lighter than usual, most likely the weather. It started raining the day before and did not let up until midday. A few solid builds still made it out, with a good mix of clean dailies, track builds and show cars. Below are a few stills pulled from the clips I captured through the day.The quality is not perfect. Most are frame grabs from iPhone 16 Pro Max footage, and the first few shots in each set are from my Sony A6000, s

VACN 2025

It was finally time to fit all the parts that had been piling up since the last post. I started with the floor mats. The originals were worn down and the passenger side had a…

It was finally time to fit all the parts that had been piling up since the last post. I started with the floor mats. The originals were worn down and the passenger side had a warped spot that stood out badly. The new GTI mats came direct from VW and are a brighter grey than I expected, though I think they will darken with use and a few washes. The old driver side floor mats. These are the original that came with the car, but I felt it would be cool to have floor mats that reflect the car.The brand new original GTI floor matsNext were the emblems and badges. The car came with blacked-out VW logos, a red front GTI badge, and no badge at all on the rear. It looked wrong for a special edition car. So I took the black logos off and fitted proper chrome OEM ones, with matching chrome GTI badges front and rear. It is a subtle change, but the car looks factory correct again. The last job was the DSG service. Nobody knows when the transmission was last done and it is approaching 100,000 km, so it was overdue. We drained the oil, replaced the filter and refilled with OEM fluid. The DQ250 is fussy about getting the level right, so we followed the proper procedure. Shifts feel smoother now, especially at low speed. The car is starting to feel like a proper Edition 35 again.

Installing Floor Mats, Emblems, Logos, and DSG Service

From a tight-knit VAG meetup to a wild supercar flex-fest, I finally got the GTI out into the world—and got a clear vision of my dream car.

With the brakes sorted, I finally took the Edition 35 to its first meet. It was hosted by the Volkswagen Audi Club Norway and a VW dealership. A true cars &amp; coffee for the VAG crew. Lots of cool cars: classic Audis, tastefully modded Golfs, and enough RS6s to fill a dealership lot. My car? It didn’t win anything (no surprise, with those wheels), but it was great to be part of it. My phone was basically dead, so these were the photos I managed to snap before it emptied itselfThen came the second meet, which was massive and a totally different vibe. Porsches, GT-Rs, Lambos, Supras, the whole catalog of "don't breathe too hard near this car." I wasn't too impressed by the money-flexers, but the 911s were something else. I spotted a gorgeous 992 Carrera 4S, my dream car right now. A black Porsche 911 (992) Carrera 4s CC: https://www.pcarmarket.com/auction/2020-porsche-911-carrera-4s/ Again, phone dead, no photos.My friend however did sneak a video of me admiring the carA car I could actually see myself enjoying on a twisty road, not just guarding in a garage. Someday...

Two Very Different Car Meets

Took the GTI out for a scenic drive with friends and gave the interior a complete makeover—check out the results in the photos!

After weeks of wrenching and troubleshooting I finally got to do the thing this project is actually for, which is driving it. A few friends and I went out for a group drive on some scenic routes, and it was one of the best days I have had in the car. The weather held, the roads were dry, and the GTI felt sharp. It was the kind of day where you forget about the frustration and the rusted bolts. The EA113 under load, the DSG downshifts. Everyone brought something different: some heavily modified, some nearly bone stock. Before the drive I finally gave the interior a proper deep clean. The leather was treated, the plastics polished, the carpets vacuumed, and every bit of road dust and snack debris cleared out. It is the cleanest this car has been since I bought it. I used my usual interior products, which I will go over in a future post. I am planning a dedicated guide on cleaning an interior, which should help if your car has been neglected or daily driven through hard winters like mine. More drives coming soon.

Cruising with Friends & Interior Transformation

Nothing like discovering a brake fluid puddle the day before your first car meet. Time to rebuild (or replace) a leaking GTI caliper—fast.

I noticed a strange puddle under the car, and it was not petrol or oil. It was brake fluid. One of the rear calipers was leaking, and not by a little. GTI calipers are expensive, so I tried a rebuild kit first. Disassembly took some figuring out. The Edition 35 calipers are not like others I have worked on. The retaining ring design made no sense to us, so we ended up whacking the back of the caliper with a hammer, on the theory that there was no retaining ring at all and this was a fine way to get it apart. Then we worked out that all we had to do was twist the brass ring out. As you can see, there's an edge the bronze retainer hooks onto. All we had to do was twist it clockwise to loosen it.We got the piston out and replaced the seals, and that is when the real culprit turned up: a rust path behind the seal. Time was tight, because I had a big group drive the next day. So off to the auto parts store to buy a new caliper. Crisis (barely) averted.

Brake Fluid Leak and a Caliper Headache

After weeks of battling misfires, a dodgy seller, and some painful re-installs, I’ve finally taken steps toward fixing the injector issue for good.

Ever since we installed the new injectors the car has been misfiring at idle. After some back and forth it turned out one of the new injectors was faulty. The seller insisted I ship it back at my own expense, and while I did get a refund in the end, I do not want to go through that again. Stick to trusted sellers. Stay away from this seller. Even if you can't find a part anywhere else, please stay away. I ordered from this shop because they were the only option I had. Now after a few months, other stores have got their hands on the parts I need, and I'd much rather order from the reputable sellers over this shop...So I ordered a brand new Bosch injector from OEMVWShop.com. Finally, some peace of mind. While waiting, I had also ordered a few fun (and necessary) items from the same shop: Original chrome VW emblems (front &amp; rear) Chrome GTI badges (front &amp; rear) GTI floor mats (to replace the worn-out ones) Yellow dipstick tube (Golf R spec, more robust than the old orange one) Exhaust bracket New O-ring for the EVAP tube Wheel center caps (the originals were... let's say "tired") DSG service kit (DQ250, should be serviced every 60,000 km)

Injector Trouble and a Real Fix

Swapped out injectors and battled wiring mishaps while chasing a stubborn misfire

For the past few weeks I have been trying to get my "brand new" injectors to work. One of them was stuck open, so I contacted the seller for a replacement. When he said "customer pays for shipping" I decided to try a different cylinder instead. One faulty injector out of four is odd, so we gambled a little. We installed all four first, and it turned out injector number 4 was bad. Cylinder Injector Type 1 New injector 2 New injector 3 New injector 4 New injector (BAD!) To troubleshoot I swapped it for our original good injector (see my previous post). Cylinder Injector Type 1 New injector 2 New injector 3 Original good injector 4 New injector I may have made another mistake putting the injectors back. I used dielectric grease in the connectors, which electricians use against debris and moisture, thinking it would help with the salt on our roads. Our electrician friend told me afterwards not to, so we tried to clean it out. Since then the engine misfires at idle but runs fine under load, and I suspect the grease. After a few days of driving and avoiding idling where I could, the misfire stayed in one cylinder. So I took the manifold off again, took every connector apart, and cleaned them with brake cleaner and compressed air. Then we put all four new injectors back, this time with the bad one in cylinder 1 to test it. Cylinder Injector Type 1 New injector (BAD!) 2 New injector 3 New injector 4 New injector Cylinder 1 misfired, which confirmed the injector. I pulled it out and p

Injector Trials & Wiring Woes

Found genuine Bosch 0261500037 injectors, but a stripped manifold thread and a persistent vacuum leak are keeping me busy—just another step in the journey to restore this Edition…

I finally got hold of four original Bosch 0261500037 injectors in near perfect condition. The inscription dates them to 2012, and the only thing missing is the VW/Audi logo. Our guess is that they were surplus units never stamped for OEM distribution. Either way they are genuine Bosch. The old ones were dated 2009, which is odd for a 2012 car, but the factory may have been using up leftover stock. The new injectors came with O-rings, but I used the fresher ones I bought a few months back during the engine service. "Brand new" (from 2012) Bosch 0261500037 injectors on the left, and the old original injectors from 2009 on the right.I have not actually installed them yet, because I found a new problem with the manifold. The previous owners stripped the threads where the throttle body attaches, so it sits loose. There is no point fitting new injectors until that is fixed or the manifold is replaced. Given how much questionable work has been done on this car, none of this is a surprise. I also found a small vacuum leak. A few months ago I replaced the PCV with the "N" revision, which is supposed to fix lean idle issues, since some people think the "P" revision causes them. Ever since, the car has idled strangely. I do not know whether the PCV is faulty or whether the loose throttle body is to blame. Until the manifold is sorted I will not know. Living in Norway means a lot of salt on icy roads, which destroys the underside and the wiring. I have been power washing with hot water a

Genuine Bosch Injectors and Salty Roads

With a new ECU, smoother shifts, and winter-ready tires, the GTI feels closer than ever to its original factory perfection.

With the new ECU installed the GTI is finally back on the road, and the difference is night and day. The over-sensitive throttle is gone and the shifts feel smooth. It drives and looks like it is back to factory standard. With the engine behaving, the next job was winter tyres. The old ones had hardened with age, and we live further north than the previous owner, so our winters are harder. Snow melts and refreezes into ice, and the gravel the city puts down just sinks under it. Winter tyres are not optional here. The old winter tires. It is a studless tire, which you probably could guess sucks on ice.I wanted Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10s, but the 18 inch rim size meant no local shop could get them. Ordering online would have added shipping and handling, so I settled on Continental IceContact 3s. They are not as well known as the Nokians, but they will do. Winter driving here means taking it easy on icy corners whatever tyres you are on. With the car stable and ready for winter, there are a few jobs left. The injectors we got back from BAR-TEK in Germany came back with problems: three of them leak. The original Bosch injectors are discontinued, so finding genuine replacements has been hard. After a lot of searching I found a French supplier who claims to have four brand new genuine Bosch injectors in stock, listed as "BOSCH NEW". I am taking them at their word. The first photo of the car after fitting the new ECU. She runs smoother than ever with the stock firmware and tune.Every 

Back on the Road

Winter is here, and after failed cross-flash attempts, I’m replacing my ECU—at least we had some snowy fun while prepping the other cars!

Winter is coming and we are still stuck on the ECU in my 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35. The original ECU will not cooperate. After failed flash attempts with KESS, MPPS, ODIS Engineering and even BDM, we think the previous owners put custom firmware on it. So we bought a similar ECU with the same MED 9.1 version, hoping to cross-flash it with the correct software. That did not work either. Either we sourced the wrong ECU or cross-flashing is not possible on this hardware. Nearly 300 euros in, it was clear we needed a different approach. So I am buying a used ECU that should arrive with stock firmware already on it. It costs around 800 euros, but it looks like the only reliable way to get the car running properly again. Meanwhile the winter preparation is underway. The other cars are stored for the season, though not before we had some fun in the snow first. Cars ready to be stored for the winterGolf "R32" (GTI) 4wd k04 1.8TVolkswagen Bora 4wd k04 1.8T

Winter Ready Cars

After multiple failed attempts with MPPS, KESS, and Odis Engineering, my GTI’s ECU is still stuck with a bad tune—hoping K-TAG will finally restore it to stock

Tuning my 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35 has been a nightmare. When I got the car, the previous owners had clearly been into the engine map. The throttle was so sensitive that a light press of the pedal felt like half throttle, and it popped and crackled constantly. Driving it smoothly was nearly impossible, and I wanted it back to stock. The engine bay or car, with the ECU removedWe started by looking for a stock engine map online. We found a site selling .ori files for $20 and bought one. The first attempt was with MPPS, which we thought would let us flash the stock map onto the ECU. It took 10 to 15 minutes and finished with "ECU write complete". Then we started the car and nothing had changed. The throttle was still too sensitive and the popping was still there. MPPS flashing processWe tried KESS next, with the same result. The throttle was still unpredictable and the car still sounded like it had a popcorn tune. That left Odis Engineering, on the theory that a genuine VW tool would do what the others could not. I called a few dealerships. One reply stuck with me: when I explained that the car had been badly tuned by the previous owners and I wanted it back to stock, the dealer asked, "So you don't want your car to run well?" I said I just wanted the bad tune off. He said they could try, but there was no guarantee the car would start afterwards. They wanted 200 euros to attempt it, and suggested I go to a certified tuner instead. I went ahead with Odis anyway. Seven seconds aft

The Pain of Tuning My GTI

Fed up with the 'riced up' look of smoked rear lights, I swapped them for original GTI Mk6 lights, giving the Edition 35 a more refined and color-matching appearance

The car came with smoked black rear lights. They can look good on a white or black Golf, but on my blue Edition 35 they did not suit the colour and made the car look like it belonged to an 18 year old. So I replaced them with original GTI Mk6 rear lights, which are almost identical to the Edition 35 ones (slightly brighter, since the Golf R and edition cars have dimmed versions). The smoked black rear lights that didn’t fit with the blue color of the car.I started by asking scrapyards for prices on regular Golf rear lights. One quoted 650 euros for worn old lights that were far from perfect. Then Sigurd sent me a Facebook Marketplace listing for original GTI lights in near perfect condition, at 1200 DKK (160 euros), described as brand new. The Marketplace listing for the original GTI rear lights in excellent condition.I got in touch to confirm the condition and shipping to Norway, and bought them. The total came to 254 euros with shipping and import fees, half the price of the scrapyard ones. When they arrived they were used and had a few minor scratches, but they were in much better shape than the alternatives. A polish will bring them back. How the lights came packagedThe rear smaller lightReplacing them was easier than expected, given the mess the previous owners left. Behind the panel there was glue, sugar cubes used as splicing connectors, and other makeshift fixes. The cable management was horrendous, and the resistor for the lights was dangling loose and knocking again

Replacing the Smoked Rear Lights

Restoring the original exhaust on my 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35 has made it quietly refined for commutes while delivering a satisfying growl when pushed

When I got my 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35 there was a list of things to put right, and the exhaust was near the top of it. The car had exhaust leaks that affected both the sound and the performance. With the leaks fixed and the original exhaust back on, the first thing I noticed was how quiet it is in town. It is about as quiet as any normal car now, and there is no drone at low speed. My commute is 45 minutes each way on the highway, and for the first time I could do it without the noise wearing me down. Push the pedal and it changes. There is a deep growl you do not get from a standard car, and it stays on the right side of loud. Enough to tell you what you are driving, not enough to annoy anyone. That is what I like about the original exhaust. It stays quiet until you are on the highway or pushing a bit, and then it has something to say. People who have ridden with me, or just heard it go past, have said the same thing without me asking.

Fixing My GTI’s Exhaust

After a journey of repairs and new injectors, the GTI is finally road-ready—here’s a look at what went into getting it back on track and the results from its first test drive

As the title says, the car is now running. It was not an easy job. Before the details of how well it runs, here is how it went back together. First and foremost, we received the injectors from BAR-TEK in Germany, and with them came a report of their performance. Three of the boxes have "UNDLICHT" written on them, which is odd since that is not a German word. The spreadsheet makes it clear why they were marked: The results from BAR-TEK testing and servicing the injectors. Check out the exact numbers here. (make sure to select the correct sheet in the bottom left "Injector Service BAR-TEK")None of the cylinders passed a leakage test before service, shown by the red "Nok". Cylinder 2 is fine after servicing. The rest are still leaking, which can do real engine damage over time, so they need replacing soon. Even with three still leaking, the before and after numbers are a big improvement. Look at the "Dynamic sec?" row. I would recommend getting your injectors tested at a shop like BAR-TEK. You may also save money if a service fixes the leak, as it did on cylinder 2. What I would not recommend is using the seals that come with the injectors. The ones from BAR-TEK were too thick for our intake manifold. I had already ordered four sets separately, which was lucky. We struggled to get the injectors to fit, and once we tried putting one into the manifold it was obvious the seals were too big. With Elring seals they went in easily. The seals that came pre-installed from BAR-TEK. Brown

Smooth Drive with "New" Injectors

After countless hours and parts sourced from everywhere, the GTI’s engine rebuild is almost complete—here’s what we’ve done so far and what’s next on the journey

Since purchasing the car, we've already covered a lot of maintenance required to get the car running smoothly. A lot of packages have been sent both internationally and domestically, and a lot of old engine parts are now swimming in the bin. While working on the car, we have replaced the following parts: HPFP Cam follower Old battery Vapor canister Evaporation hose PCV breather valve PCV seal Serpentine belt Serpentine tensioner lever Timing belt Timing belt tensioner Timing belt deflections Water pump Inlet manifold gasket Rocker cover gasket We've also removed a rubber dog bone insert that made the car really stiff. The reason we removed it was because the car would shake violently at low RPM's. This was a huge problem, and made driving the car in the city quite unbearable. What's remaining in our current plan is: Replacing: Coolant thermostat Oil filter housing Fuel filter Evaporation hose seal Hood hinges Custom tune with stock tune Installing: The tested and serviced injectors, from BAR-TEK, Germany , with new seals Focal IS VW 165 woofers (plug &amp; play woofers, similar to Dynaudio quality) Performing: Oil change DSG fluid change We also need to visit the scrapyard to find some original woofer connectors. The previous owners replaced the original Dynaudio woofers with cheap ones, throwing away the old connectors in the process. These connectors are universal, and can be found on any VW Golf (and most likely other VW models). The original VW woofer connector, needed to

Breathing Life Into the Engine

Replaced the cheap battery and cleaned the intake valves with soda blasting to improve performance and tackle misfires

With the hood open, the first thing we noticed was the cheap battery. Whoever owned the car before did not care enough to put a decent one in, and the result was poor starts and inconsistent running. It was the cheapest model available, 899 NOK (about 75 euros), and there is no telling when it was last changed. We swapped it for something better. Quite literally the cheapest battery money can buy for this car. Retailing at 899,- NOK, 75€.Next was the intake. We took the manifold off to inspect the intake valves, and as expected they were filthy, with several lines and seals that needed replacing. We also took the cylinder head cover off, and the seals were crusty and had probably never been changed. All of that is part of the service anyway. The cylinder head cover removed, revealing worn-out seals.We did a leak-down test and there were no major issues. Cylinder 3 in particular showed no leakage. Cylinder 3 shows no signs of leakage during the leak down test.Then back to the intake valves, which were filthy. We looked into it and settled on soda blasting, which uses sodium bicarbonate particles to clean surfaces without damaging them. One of four dirty intake valves.Before blasting we closed the valves properly, checking the camshaft lobes were both pointing upwards. Then we sprayed brake cleaner into the intake valve holes, let it pool, and used steel brushes and picks to scrape the carbon off. After about 10 minutes of that we dried everything and got ready to blast. The di

What I Found Under the Hood

Restoring my Golf GTI Edition 35 to stock: tackling mods, rust, and other issues while tracking parts and progress in a detailed plan

I own a 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35 and the plan is to put it back to stock. I am not chasing Stage 1, 2 or 3 power. Norwegian regulations and roads make that impractical, especially on a car with 180,000 km on it. Previous owners modified plenty, so I built a parts spreadsheet to track costs and work out what to do first. edition35.comGoogle DocsGetting it back to stock breaks down into a few jobs: Exhaust leakWe need to get under the car and see how bad it is. EVAP systemA new EVAP canister should sort it, and the parts are on the way. BatteryOld and worn out. Straightforward to replace. ECU tuneThe ECU is running something strange and the mixture is rich. The stock tune should fix it. Rusted hood hingesHeavily rusted and need replacing. Interior cleaningMostly stock, but the seller never properly cleaned it. A deep clean will probably turn up more to deal with. RustSmall spots that will get sorted at a repaint. For now we document them and keep an eye on whether they spread.

From Dream Car to DIY Project

Bought my first Golf GTI, a 2012 Edition 35, with a rough history but endless potential to restore and improve

On September 4, 2024, I bought my first Golf GTI, a 2012 Edition 35. I had been looking for a standard GTI and was considering an eight hour drive to see a 2010 model. Then on the way home from a work trip I found an ad for this Edition 35: 180,000 km on the clock, a "new" engine at 130,000 km, a "new" gearbox at 90,000 km, and a price of 125,000 NOK (about $11,660). It has the Golf R's EA113 engine, which is what sold me. Screenshot of the car's online adThe Edition 35 has a few things of its own: red stitching on the seatbelts, anniversary badges (removed by a previous owner), and slightly lower suspension. Stock it makes 235 hp, and a Stage 1 tune takes it to about 300, which is Golf R territory. Photograph of a blue 2012 Golf R. CC: https://www.fcpeuro.com/blog/mk6-golf-r-vs-mk7-golf-rThe history raised some flags. Seven previous owners, most of them teenagers, averaging under two years each. The mods were cheap, badly installed, and did more harm than good. This screenshots shows the history of the owners, with their age. The previous owner bought the car for his daughter of 19.The door panels had been pried off with a screwdriver during a speaker swap, and the scratches have started to rust. Paddle shifter extensions were glued on and left a sticky mess. The original rims were swapped for something questionable, and the Milltek exhaust leaks. Cheap paddle shifter-extensions that were glued onto the original paddle shifters. I'm not sure what glue has been used, but this