A quick update, a month-and-a-half into the stage 1 upgrades
BHPian velocirpator recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
What’s the update?
I noticed two specific issues: i) I noticed a persistent knocking sound from the engine, and ii) the upgraded front brakes tended to ‘whistle’ at a particular level of deceleration.
On the first, each time I cranked the engine, let off the accelerator, or crossed a bump in the road, there was this soft knocking sound from the engine bay – kind of like marbles bouncing around. I took the car to the workshop and the good folks there zeroed into the issue after a brief test drive – a loose engine mount. A five-minute session comprising jacking up the car and tightening the engine mount bolts fixed it. I guess it’d have been a good practice to tighten these mounts anyway after a stage tune, given the more strenuous operating environment.
The second issue is more persistent though – I did some research, which maintains that performance brakes (especially those that use metallic compounds in the components), tend to make a bit of noise in the heat of things, and that’s apparently normal. Also, I missed bedding in the new brakes after installation, which could have exacerbated this issue. So after a few rounds or properly settling them in, the whistling is less frequent. I reckon it’ll fade over time, fingers crossed.
But overall, it’s a car that continues to put a proper, goofy grin on my face.
Here, a few recent photos shortly after taking her out in a bit of rain. Nothing like a mist of droplets on your favorite car!
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