STI Rear Differential Fluid Change

Changing your rear differential fluid is a very essential part of your car maintenance. Have a habit of changing your rear differential fluid every 30,000 miles; change it earlier if you track your car, or if you have a frequent habit of pushing your car harder during daily commutes. I highly recommend having some essential tools as shown in the video, especially the fluid pump. You don't need to buy this exact one, but having one will speed up the process; even with my simple to use fluid pump, the Wilmar W1139 Fluid Pump, it took me around ten full minutes to pump to the fluid limit; my arms were very sore by the end of it.
There are a couple of choices when it comes to choosing your rear differential fluid, but I've heard only good things on Motul gear oils, so I gave it a shot. I have been driving with the changed fluid and have had no problems at all; my rear differential seems to be liking this fluid.
A quick note: Depending on the year of your STI, you may not be able to use this gear oil, so please do your research before purchasing.
The whole process should really only take you an hour or two, including set up and clean up times. However, this isn't a competition, so take your time and be careful.

A wrap for the season?

As the weather is getting colder, we are very blessed to have a couple more days of sunshine. However, sunset is approaching sooner, so we are getting ready to wrap up Season 3 of Machine Zealots.

Puyang and I took advantage of our last days of sunshine to film an episode, wrapping the DEI Titanium Exhaust Wrap on our aftermarket downpipe. Of course, this lovely episode is sponsored by our friends at Apex Performance.

The wrapping and filming took around an hour and a half, then another half hour to clean up. It was a fast episode and a simple install. There are some tips and tricks on doing this, but we will reveal them when the episode airs.

Here are some preview close up pictures of the final results:

At this point, the downpipe is ready for the big upcoming Stage 2 install. We are planning out a more efficient method on filming the next couple of episodes, which will be aired in Season 4, so please be patient. Of course, we will continue to post updates on the blog, and the Facebook page, so please check us for updates.

As time draws closer to the end, I'll tell you guys what we have in store; both for the end of Season 3, and the Season 4 breakdown. As for now, stay tuned!

The Cobb Accessport V3

The Cobb Accessport is a great handheld tuning device. Cobb has done a great job making these devices for some of the most popular turbocharged cars to date, including: BMW, Ford, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and of course, Subaru. When you buy an Accessport, Cobb will have already pre-installed some tunes that will make your car crank out more power; they have been thoroughly tested, so you don't need to worrying too much about your car breaking down. However, Cobb does have a disclaimer warning the user that they hold no responsibility in any damages, should you risk installing their tunes.
I have personally been using the Cobb Accessport ever since I bought the car, and it has been a great device. The Cobb Accessport even allows drivers to set things such as launch control, and flat foot shifting. I have been using the launch control feature a lot during autocross events because it gives me a consistent launch every time.
The Cobb Accessport v2 is a smaller device, but ultimately does the same things as the newer v3. The only difference is that the v3 has a larger full colored screen, so displaying real time data is much clearer and nicer to look at. There is also a nice new feature on the v3 that the v2 didn't have, an off button. That's right! I find this function very nice, especially if you plan on never removing the Cobb Accessport off its mount. In the previous version, you had to unplug the OBDII cable from the device every time you wanted to turn off the device. Even removing the key from the ignition will keep the device turned on. However, in this newer version, there is an off button on the top of the Cobb Accessport. It will prompt a message when you hit the button saying something like, "The device will turn off in 10 seconds. Hit any button to cancel."
If you leave it, it will shut down even with the cable plugged in. I found this feature as a major bonus on this new device. A small edition, but an important function in my honest opinion.
Pros and cons? Well, it is a much nicer device compared to the v2, but you'd be paying around $100 more for the v3 just for the bigger screen and the off button. The tunes are identical, so you will not be gaining more performance from this new device! If you are a person who just wants to load the Cobb tunes into your car and never plug your device in, I'd say stick with the v2. If you are someone who wants to have some nicer looking gauges, or if you just like having the latest new toy, then I'd say you'll love the Cobb Accessport v3.

Injen intake for the GTI

Puyang has owned his 2012 Golf GTI for a little over a year now, and we are really enjoying this car. The weather has gotten very cold recently, and we've been thankful for the heated seats that came with the car. The car is fun to drive, and it is very fuel efficient compared to the STI. What about modding fun? Well, we have that planned too!

We got the GTI an Injen intake, proudly sponsored by our friends at Apex Performance, hoping this intake will really awaken the beast within. Although there isn't much power to be gained from a straight bolt on, we are hoping for a sportier driving experience after the install. There are two options from Injen for this intake, bare metal chrome, or this black color. We chose the black color, because Puyang wanted a slightly stealthier looking engine bay. However, this intake is actually extremely well painted; they used black paint that has some glitter in it; sort of like the paint that comes on some cars.

Below are some pictures of this intake:

Puyang recently bought that Batman Domo plush, and he insisted on placing it in the photos for fun.

There is apparently something we have to customize for this intake so that the car will run properly. We will get into this install when we open up some time. Hope you guys stick around for more fun and news as we round up the final episodes of Machine Zealots Season 3.