[halfbytecode]

Update - Knocking sounds from front end of the car. Worn sway bar bushings are suspected to be the cause. I will have them replaced.

The correct ones are 6Q0 411 314 P, having the inner diameter of 16 mm. There are other variants available too, such as 6Q0 411 314 R, which has the inner diameter of 18 mm.

Aftermarket equivalent: Lemforder 35886 01, for the 16 mm variant. Seems like the OEM for this part, not 100% sure though.

[halfbytecode]

Update - Changed the sway bar bushings. As per the information in the service manual, the brackets and bolts, holding the bushings, should be changed as well.

The bolts should be torqued to the specified torque (20 Nm + 90°). It feels really, really high, when torquing the bolts down. Anyhow, the correct torque setting has translated into substantial reduction in the body roll, and hopefully will also ensure longer life of the bushings.

Due to space constraints, getting a torque wrench in there was a tough task, without dismantling other components surrounding the bushings, that is. With the car upon on jack stands, and jacking up the control arm and steering the car, to make space, ensured a job well done without undoing the drive shafts and/or the sway links.

[halfbytecode]

I have had the now worn out Yokohama C.drive tyres, replaced with Vredestein Sportrac 5. The tyres are 195/60 R15 88V, same as the C.drive tyres.

Initial impressions after driving for about 60 kilometers.

Dry grip - seems good.
Road noise - barely noticeable on low speeds, a little on higher speeds.
Comfort - seems alright; with the central part of the sidewall being softer than the rest.
Cornering abilities - seem good; but the slightly softer sidewall adds unpredictability/"floaty" nature to the drive.
Steering feedback - is improving as the tyres are breaking-in; poor earlier.
Braking - seems alright; post break-in and further run-in, I expect C.drive levels of braking.

I would have considered C.drives, had they been still available. My only concern about the C.drives was their short mileage.

[Ramsagar]

Look out for oil leaks near engine head or oil spread in your parking area. This is common for all 1.6L TDI's. I also had the same problem and changed the engine head gasket. Have you changed your clutch yet?

[halfbytecode]

Originally Posted by Ramsagar

Look out for oil leaks near engine head or oil spread in your parking area. This is common for all 1.6L TDI's. I also had the same problem and changed the engine head gasket. Have you changed your clutch yet?

Thanks. Fortunately, I have not seen any oil drops/stains in the parking area. I will take a look at the engine too.

As far as the clutch goes, I am still running the factory fit clutch. It has been good for over 1,12,000 kilometers so far.

[halfbytecode]

Update

I got Lemforder stabilizer links, as the knocking sounds did not go away after replacing the sway bar bushings. Additionally, there were "swooshing" noises seemingly originating from sway bar bushings, heard while cornering or driving through potholes. Apparently, bad stabilizer links consequently resulted in this.

With the replacement of stabilizer links, these noises are history. The car feels great with these. The suspension behaves just as on the first day of purchase of the car.

Lemforder part number: 25463 02
VW equivalent part number: 6Q0 411 315 N

Earlier, I had TRW JTS393 stabilizer links with the same equivalent VW part number. TRW ones did not seem to be of great quality, and they developed play in just ~12,000 kilometers of usage. The driving pattern was pretty much as earlier, and the VW factory fit ones lasted for about 55,000 kilometers.

P.S. These sway links are different than the ones in recent Polo/Vento cars in India, having part number 6R0 411 315. However, these Lemforder/TRW ones can be used in the newer cars too.

[halfbytecode]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

I have had the now worn out Yokohama C.drive tyres, replaced with Vredestein Sportrac 5. The tyres are 195/60 R15 88V, same as the C.drive tyres.

Initial impressions after driving for about 60 kilometers.

Dry grip - seems good.
Road noise - barely noticeable on low speeds, a little on higher speeds.
Comfort - seems alright; with the central part of the sidewall being softer than the rest.
Cornering abilities - seem good; but the slightly softer sidewall adds unpredictability/"floaty" nature to the drive.
Steering feedback - is improving as the tyres are breaking-in; poor earlier.
Braking - seems alright; post break-in and further run-in, I expect C.drive levels of braking.

I would have considered C.drives, had they been still available. My only concern about the C.drives was their short mileage.

I have driven for over 1500 kilometers with these tyres (Vredestein Sportrac 5) now.

Road noise is higher than during my initial impressions. Comfort seems just okay, as the vertical movement becomes tiresome. Handling is a little sloppy as of now, and the cornering abilities are not as good as with C.drive. Steering feedback has become better than what it was with C.drives. Braking is alright, but it is compromised due to the soft nature of these tyres. I had to be careful I did not "over-brake" with C.drives.

The planted nature of the car is compromised, keeping the heavy-duty suspension in mind.

I hope handling on highway speeds and emergency braking improves as these tyres wear. Having said that, I miss C drives every time I drive my car. With C.drives now discontinued, I think I chose the best of the tyres available in this size, in our market, considering I did not want tyres like S.drive with this suspension.

EDIT: Do read the next post containing an update as well.

[halfbytecode]

I tried out driving with different tyre pressures, and I have concluded that these being softer tyres, the bounciness increases as the tyre pressure is increased. The ride with C-drive just got harder, not bouncier as tyre pressure was increased.

The handling is better with 32ish PSI of tyre pressure, and the bounciness is noticeably reduced too. There was substantial under steer too, that is now gone for the most part. The remainder of it should go away as the tyres gradually and normally wear from the inner side, due to the 5" of toe-in each side at the front.

On a side note, I got myself access to VW Erwin today, and I ended up downloading the service manuals and other documents from there. Not that I did not have access to the workshop manual earlier, but official PDFs are nice to have.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

The handling is better with 32ish PSI of tyre pressure, and the bounciness is noticeably reduced too.

What pressure were you running before?

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

On a side note, I got myself access to VW Erwin today, and I ended up downloading the service manuals and other documents from there. Not that I did not have access to the workshop manual earlier, but official PDFs are nice to have.

Nice! Any chance you could share this info in the relevant thread? LINK

[halfbytecode]

Update

I went ahead and got new control arms for my car. The bushings were binding, due to previous incorrect installation. The suspension needs to be at normal height, that is the car in unladen position, just as on the ground. There is a way to emulate this height with the car on the lift as well, by jacking up the tyre to achieve the normal height at the front (381 +/- 10 mm, for my car; highly likely different for newer cars). The height is measured from the center of wheel bearing hub, vertically above, to the center of the fender.

We did that, and used new control arms. The handling is improved massively. The car feels so nice to drive, and feels just like a new car, in terms of the suspension performance, at least.

The control arm fasteners are stretch bolts/nuts, and should not be reused. Correct torque for new nuts/bolts: 70 Nm + 90° turn.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

What pressure were you running before?

I was running 34 PSI earlier, which felt good with C-drives. With drop by every 1 PSI, the difference in tyre's performance is greater, in case of Sportracs.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Nice! Any chance you could share this info in the relevant thread? LINK

Oh, I thought that thread was about owner's manuals. I can post in there, but I was referring to the service/workshop manuals.

[torque18]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

Oh, I thought that thread was about owner's manuals. I can post in there, but I was referring tk the service/workshop manuals.

It would be a great help if you could post the manual here. Thanks!

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

Oh, I thought that thread was about owner's manuals. I can post in there, but I was referring tk the service/workshop manuals.

Sorry, this is the correct link :

Service manuals for Indian cars - top secret? (Available for download here!)

[halfbytecode]

Originally Posted by torque18

It would be a great help if you could post the manual here. Thanks!

Sorry, I do not think I should post the manuals, as they are likely copyrighted by VAG. However, you are free to obtain them. I will post the details in the service manual thread, that Rehaan mentioned above.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Sorry, this is the correct link :

Service manuals for Indian cars - top secret? (Available for download here!)

Alright, I will post the details in there.

Edit: Done. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post4184815

[halfbytecode]

Originally Posted by halfbytecode

I tried out driving with different tyre pressures, and I have concluded that these being softer tyres, the bounciness increases as the tyre pressure is increased. The ride with C-drive just got harder, not bouncier as tyre pressure was increased.

The handling is better with 32ish PSI of tyre pressure, and the bounciness is noticeably reduced too. There was substantial under steer too, that is now gone for the most part. The remainder of it should go away as the tyres gradually and normally wear from the inner side, due to the 5" of toe-in each side at the front.

Another update, and a significant one.

I had the tyres filled with nitrogen, and I must say the difference is tremendous, in case of Sportracs, although there also used to be perceivable difference in case of C-drives.

Anyhow, with nitrogen in Sportracs, the ride is transformed. The dry grip/traction is now impressive, as the tyres stick like leeches to the road. The cornering abilities are improved, and handling is better too. The bounciness of the tyres has further reduced with nitrogen, and the ride has become absorbent rather than being bouncy.

The tyres also remain quite cooler, even after long drives. With air, the tyres used to remain hot, even overnight.

To conclude, I would say I have found that the advantages of filling nitrogen in tyres are more pronounced, in case of "softer" tyres, like Sportacs, than relatively firmer tyres, such as C.drives.

[halfbytecode]

Just had a coolant change done. Threw out the old G12 coolant, and added the new G13 coolant.

Additionally, I also had the gear oil changed. The gear shifts are much smoother now. The prior loss of smoothness raised a red flag. So much for a "life time" oil, more like the life time of the oil, rather than the car's.