I am in the club!!

[fastfun]

Hi all,
have just bought a v reg gti turbo.
A few questions (this will show how useless I am)...
The car is 20 valve... does this mean 5 cylinders?
I have a sparking type noise from a black box on the front left of the engine, any ideas?
Also, when I change gear, I hear a type of birdy tweeting puffing noise, any ideas?
err, what else.... I have to replace the clutch for clutch slip, shall i replace with standard clutch?
One more thing, (sorry) what can I do to make sure I am getting the most out of my car, I have been told to change the boost valve, not ready for total chip upgrade but will a new boost valve help??
Thanks in advance for any answers, would love to meet up at any rallies etc if anyone else has similar car, I am based in kent.
Speak soon!!

[fastfun]

should have said that the changing gear noise is not a dump valve, could it be anything to do with wastegate or is it a normal sound?

[jasonpi]

bird tweeting! couldnt that be the turbo, charging for next gear?

[fastfun]

not sure jason, I am gathering knowledge every day from this forum!! Just wonderes if anyone else with a 1.8 T has noises when they change gear?

[jasonpi]

if its a whistleing noise then im almost certain its the turbo ask jv he should know

[fastfun]

thanks, guess I should not be too impatient, will wait about to see if I get answers to this post first..!! have a nice day!

[papperbear]

Got the same car '99 GTI T.  I've only had the car a couple of months and had a BMW before that.  The whirling noise sounds like the turbo as I wasn't used to it either.
You got any pic's?

Any you guys/girls based in the north west?

[fastfun]

Hi, no pics yet, might shoot some off this weekend after a clean/wax!

[SunnyP]

That chatter noise when changin gear is the wastegate from the turbo...no worries. the spark thing on the front left black box...isn't that the battery (depending on how your looking at it)?

It's not 5 cylinder, it's 4 cylinder but 5 valves per cylinder, the V5 is 5 cylinder.

Has the car been modded at all? the puffing noise could be the dump valve

[fastfun]

Thanks sunnyp but the battery is on the right (looking at the engine) so have no idea what this little black box is! Any ideas?