Lowering, bottom out help

Hi all, Just got my GTI back from the garage and been having a few problems and need some advise.

I'm running 13" classics and 45 tyres profile + FK coilovers. I lowered it to where i figured it looked right and the ashley manifold was about 1.5 inches from the tarmac. The sump is low too and the exhaust center section as well. I've got a 1.8 8v GTI engine and the sump is a lot lower than the 1.1 that was in it last summer and i'm worried it may get ripped off on a pot hole.

Anyway, if you've had these troubles, how have you got around them? I can get a new exhaust. Can I get a shorter sump? Can I have the manifold modified to be slightly higher? It just looks silly at the mo and I don't want to get bigger wheels. It's been said that air ride is for gays but is this my only option?  lol

I just want to get things tucked up a bit so i can get lower.

Any advise would be great…

Greg

A pic for ya…

You could raise the car up a bit…..

Having said that, it already looks like its on stilts - I think you overdid the smaller wheel circumference thing. My car is very low, and the exhaust centre section is the lowest part. Obviously, you need to mount the exhaust system properly, not have it hanging underneath too much.

Other than that, if its a triangular joint, you could turn it so the triangle points upwards, that would give another 1/2" or so.

Stilts is about right! lol

Thanks for the thoughts Paul, my center section is the lowest point too. I think the exhaust has to be swapped out. It hits the body and is massive! Any advise on a good system would be great, something thin, light and stainless… The offender on there at the mo is a magnex.

The wheels are small but I really like em. I just don't get how some cars are sooo low on 13's! They can't all be air ride…

Can the sump be shortened? Can I put a dry sump on and what will that entail? Can I raise the engine up inside the bay without chopping the mounts and spoiling the new paint, there is about 3.5" clearance between the top of the engine and underside of the bonnet… Some sort of custom made brackets and rubbers might work but how would this effect handling, drive shafts gearbox linkages etc????

Anymore ways around other than copping out and getting some 15" BBS or something…

Greg

tk motorsport make a modified sump which is 15mm shorter in height than standard, but holds more oil as well

http://www.tk-motorspo…racing&subcat=engineparts

as for the exhaust, search omp inox on ebay, there was someone doing a group buy for them on e38, i think it is still open, ?212 for the full system delivered.

don't think they have a centre section, so that would give you some more clearance.

cheers

john

The centre section isn't the problem, its the join in between downpipe to centre.

Check if it has a later (like, 88 on?) sump on the car, its base will be flatter than the earlier ones. So you could swap it to an early sump and gain a bit more clearance.

Still think its the fact you're running 45 profile tyres on 13" wheels though!

Thanks MK1john I've just tacked myself on the end of that group buy so that should sort the exhaust out.

The sump is a great suggestion but 200 Euros plus P+P is a bit pricey. I have two sumps and was wondering if anyone had ever chopped a bit out and made the sump shorter?

I really really don't want to change my wheels. There are a few guys running my set up but have 1.1 and 1.3 engines and seem to be getting away with things but there must be peps out there that have modified to get around these issues.

Air ride here i come.  

Greg

I'll get some pictures of the problem underside to show what I mean.

The sump is lower than a credit/RAC card. Can anyone see a way of making this higher? Can anyone recommend a firm that can help.

Air rides going to cost ?2000. I can put a new 1.3 G40 engine in for that with a custom exhaust and a tiny sump and i'm pretty strapped for cash now at the end of my project…

Any ideas…

Bigger tyres.

The bolt holes on the standard engine mounts are off centre arn't they?

How about knocking out the rubbers, turning them and reinstalling so the engine is lifted a little?  :dontknow:

Cheers

Rich

Awesome looking car, really like the colour

As for raising the car

paul_c said

Bigger tyres.

I have to agree.  Small wheels and low profile tyres have dropped to the ground. Then lowering too just keeps it heading for the ground!

Out of interest is your speedo correct? Hasn't the circumference of the wheel changed? So now you are traveling slower than your speedo readout???

To get that front arch/tyre gap looking good it looks like it needs to come down another 2 inches which aint possible is it? So after all your work as already mentioned it looks on stilts.