Jasons RS4 Avant / Allans MR2 new wheels / Golf Edition 30 MPG

1st pics :
sickening , Jason turned up at the weekend after picking up his RS4 avant from London.
Swine! Absolutely lovely , the noise when you fire it up is WOW
I think thats the dream driveway for me , RS4 and Edition 30 , wonder if Amy would approve?!?


2nd pics :
Allan , like hot dinners , gets a notion and changes his wheels more often than most.
So heres a pic of the new set , along with some new F1 tyres yum
Looks cool I reckon , totally different look to the OZ wheels.
He's off on a highland drive soon , so I reckon he needs to get the F1's scrubbed in , they are always cr*p for the first 100 miles!

3rd pics : Edition 30 MPG last tank
26.6 MPG (lower than normal so i must be driving faster :-) )
5934 miles now covered , with that tank lasting 311 miles (showing 0 miles to go and guage below empty!)

PVW : ED30 vs S3 vs Cupra : 2.0TFSI shootout

Performance VW , scanned in article from this month.

golf GTI Edition 30 vs Audi S3 vs Seat Leon Cupra vs Audi R8!

Right Click over PDF below and "Save Target As"

PDF

Enjoy

Wii picture quality

Theres me happily playing Super Mario Galaxy , when a usual web surfing night takes me down the route of picture quality from the Wii !

Funnily enough I always though it was a bit 'soft' but reckoned that was just the way the Wii was!

setup =
std Wii
42 inch Pioneer plasma PDP-427XD

It turns out using the standard supplied 'composite' cable (3 plugs , 1 video , 2 sound either with or without the SCART adapter), the only 2 options available in the Wii Menu picture settings are 576i[50Hz] or 480i[60Hz].

Using the std cable I got the best picture using the first setting 576i

However the 2 links below show the difference that may be achievable using a 'component' cable (5 plugs , 3 video , 2 sound)

picture comparison 1
picture comparison 2


There are various versions of the cable but I bought the one from here

Wii Component Cable from Game UK

£9.99 delivered , 12.99 in the shop and they wouldnt price match their own product! go figure!!!


You MUST have a TV that supports component in , so check that first.
Its dead easy

1. Swap the cables over

2. Plug the 3 component picture leads into your component in plugs (for pioneer that was Input2)

now at this point I incorrectly plugged the other 2 leads into the 'output' connections on the back of the tv!!! NO SOUND obviously , it didnt seem obvious so I did some surfing....and the solution is...

3. In order to get sound you also need to use the SCART adapter supplied originally with your Wii and plug the 2 audio leads into that then plug the adapter into the SCART input for the same src channel (for me that was Input 2)

[note if you use surround sound or a system be aware you may need another make of cable(madcatz etc) that has longer runs for the audio cables to reach something other than the TV inputs!]

4. Ensure the settings for the TV are correct , for the 427XD , I needed to adjust the src to be 'component' otherwise there was no picture.
It should also be noted the TV does not seem to 'auto' switch channels using this input method.

5. Switch on the Wii and enter the menu.
With the component cable connected the additional option of '480p[EDTV]' is available , select that.

Now sit back and enjoy a better picture.
Personally I could definitely see a difference and reckon IT IS worth it.
Remember its still not true HD , just better.
The 'perspective' and 3D feel within Super Mario Galaxy is just sooo much better.

without the web I would never have known this option even existed!

roll on Mario Kart to be released April 2008 .................

Edit 1 : and heres another thread.
AV Forums cable comparison thread

You can actually buy an RGB Scart cable too which is better than composite but not as good as component

5600 miles

27.3 MPG average over 318 miles (needle was below empty! 0 miles to go on dash)

Car now at 5600 miles , filled up with 99RON Tesco fuel and the car loves it.
And appears to pull more psi boost as well :-)

allan visits / front grilles

Allans Mk2 MR2 Turbo last weekend



visited Awesome in Irlam as well , so some modding to start soon :-)

also ordered some front fog light grilles Fischer Motorsport in Germany
that have the vent holes cut out.

Used to be on earlier DSG cars for cooling, but no longer needed.
They need further work to ensure all the holes are cut out , but its a great head start from the OE grilles which have no holes

DEFI 52mm Blue Racer fitted!

At last ! after weeks shying away from taking my new car to pieces I have now fitted the boost gauge.

Parts bought

1. OSIR RHD opod mono gauge pod
2. DEFI Blue Racer 52 mm Boost Gauge
3. Forge Motorsport Boost Guage Fitting Kit

1+2 from TT shop , 3 from forge direct.

Number 3 is useful as it is very neat and provides 3 feeds as required , all tubing etc is supplied. Its not cheap but in my opinion worth getting.

Boost sensor is currently fixed to one of the air intake screws
Electrical connection runs through main bulkhead behind battery into passengers footwell, inside car running to drivers footwell and up to RH airvent.

I have chosen to only use the switched 12V from the spare terminal found at top row of fusebox behind the dash panel on RHS.
Not using a permanent 12V , and I have also chosen to run the gauge with a constant on 12V feed to the illum wire.
Therefore the gauge runs in 'night mode' all the time.
Prefer it this way.

I have also removed a black cover that sits on outside edge of gauge , it has some slots plus a red marker. However I feel it all looks better without.

Boost wise the ED30 runs

Vacuum
22 inHg idle
24 inHg in gear decel

Boost
12 psi peak
3rd gear runs to 6.5 k rpm = approx 7.5 psi (0.5 bar)

fyi
Audi S3 is 1.2 bar = 17.4 psi for 265 hp
ED30 rempa Oettinger runs to 1.55 bar for 330 bhp!

Interestingly it highlights what I've always felt , that under some conditions the car does not deliver the full 12 psi on full throttle. Often backing off and re-applying it then delivers 12 !
Seen this in other cars where progressive application to full throttle rather than slamming pedal down achieves more accel!

Car also seems to never deliver 12psi when applying WOT in 6th.

Also another tankful 27.4 MPG and 322 miles , filled up with Tesco 99RON this time.