STORM 2

Andy-H - did you have any joy with this? Was it the activator/actuator in the boot lid?

Ok - just a quick update for future reference... Connected up the Optimate 4 - which basically ran through its cycle and determined that the battery 'needs replacing now' - essentially the red and amber lights come on when running through the verification cycle - so I suppose its just not holding any charge. The big question is - was this damage caused by my car or has the battery always been a bit dicky when given to me? MORAL : avoid TAYNA and all its online guises - you'll find that they have multiple websites for the one company as well so don't be fooled.

OK, I've ordered the Optimate 4 I will try that before forking out another 100 odd quid to see if I can salvage what is supposed to be a decent battery. I will let you know if it works. Is it worth getting the alty professionally tested - Battery shows a voltage of 14.5V when the car is running - this drops to 14.3 if the lights+fan+stereo are switched on......?

Kev- I did the load test with a Draper Load tester - crude I know - but I was told they were pretty much accurate: http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/100amp-Bat ... per-BLT100 As for the boot light, that was disconnected the day I bought the car - I'd been through that one before :)

I dont' know - I will check and let you know :)

thanks for that link. Is there a cheaper way of figuring out whether it's sulphation or more permanent damage? I ask cos I already have a charger/maintainer (don't know whether it 'de-sulphates') and if I'm going to be forking out £100 for a battery........... Oh and that OPTIMATE 4 says its only recommended for batteries upto 50 AH :scratch:

Hiya Kev The YTs4.2 is a 55AH battery, but I see your point. The load test was done using a separate load tester not a multimeter- if I understand your query correctly. According to Optima, the battery (from ident code) entered the UK supply chain in March 2007, but was given to me in August 2008. They suspect that a retailer would never hold on to a battery that long before selling it. Optima are unhappy about this but say they can do nothing because they do not suppy the retailer in question -TAYNA- he obtains his batteries via intermediate suppliers and therefore is not an 'official' seller. TAYNA claim the 12 month warranty has expired. From basic testing - the alternator seems to be charging up fine. Do you think there's something else that could kill the battery - like a faulty ignition switch say?

hi dr_mat If I charge the battery fully - the voltage across the terminals will drop to around 10.7V within 24 hours. The battery is definately screwed, but I need to know that a current drain didn't do the damage. Apparently, letting the voltage drop below 10V on any (Optima) battery will condemn it to some extent, causing irreversible damage (official info from Optima). The maximum amount of time I've left the battery is about 10 days (1 occasion) - battery was flat but charged up and seemed OK. So you dont think 80mA is a big deal? And my problem isn't one of current drain? Which means we're talking about a sub-optimal Optima :roll: to begin with?

HIYA all I have a Optima YT4.2S deep cycle battery bought about 13 months ago. It started playing up a couple of months ago - and I put it down to battery drain from somewhere in the system. Being a deep cycle battery I thought it could take a few discharges and charges :shrug: I have a basic sound system, and a Clifford G4 alarm system. The battery itself seems to be dead - I did a load test and it looks like its got one or two dead cells. Anyway I've just done a drain test using an ammeter. On the 10A setting I get the following display (see pic) ---0.08 I assume this means 0.08A drain which means 80mA drain - am I correct? Fuse 22 [radio] is draining 0.03A (30mA) of its own Fuse 21 [ interior/MFI/CL] is draining 0.02A (20mA) of its own Despite removing ALL fuses on the panel - I still have 0.03 A drain? My main question, I suppose, is am I interpreting the meter correctly? Is this a significant battery drain ? Cheers

Hi Andy - that sounds like a switch problem, especially if the spoiler is going up and down at speed. I would take out the switch and checkthe connections and clean it up / replace it. Otherwise check out the (hundreds of) spoiler threads :)

Thankyou for explaining that :clap:

thanks for that Toad. Out of interest what has happened in terms of the gearbox and diff?

Can someone offer a word of explanation here? Refitted the inner CV joint - tightened up the six spline bolts etc. 1. With car in 1st gear, wheels rotate contralaterally - ie one goes clockwise the other anti-clockwise 2. with car out of gear there is no lock - ie wheels do not move together at all - you can rotate one and the other does nothing Does this mean the CV joint within the casing has come loose? cheers PS I haven't decided to start her up and see what kind of drive, if any, Ive got :roll:

Yep, got em off but I cant seem to get the half-axle down to slide the (tripod joint) and boot off. I pushed it out (toward the off-end of the axle) but it still wont slip down, getting caught on the gearbox bit of the CV joint. Do I have to remove the whole half-axle.....taking it off at the hub as well? Just for the boot?

Er how to stop the wheels from turning when your trying to get the spline bolts off? Apart from getting someone to sit in a car on axle stands with their foot on the brake?

Interesting, because I thought once the grease was gone, ingress of dirt could cause premature wear and possible seizing of the driveshaft. For general info, VAG want £25 for a 'boot kit' and GSF want £11 - so the VAG rubber must be a specially good quality rubber compared to the GSF one :wink: MORE importantly, is replacing the boot (rather than the whole joint) easier ? I presume once Ive taken the spline bolts off, the driveshaft should disconnence and the boot slide easily onto it?

Is there a kit for the inners ? I take it loss of grease and ingress of dirt is not as catastrophic as with the outers?

So is this the inner CV gaiter? I can't see any sign of any grease so does that mean the joint will be damaged? Is the metal ring a gasket or a circlip for the boot? :mad2: the test station dude was more worried about the flexibility of my wiper blades than real problems is it a DIY job or will it need a car lift and camber/castor re-aligning? cheers

My front grille was stolen last night, with attached bits of course :mad2: :mad2: Does these people know how it feels when this happens? :( Any ideas on the best way to get the bits replaced? Im now looking for a VW badge, VR6 badge and a grille...... If anyone does get offered the bits from the Bournemouth area ( they are all marked and identifiable) please could they let me know - I'm sure I could motivate the local bobbies to follow up the incident report if they had that information. And sadly, I suppose this means everyone should secure their trim with razor wire or something..

Hi folks Anyone know where I can source the metal side clips that fit into the switches so they sit in their sockets? Specifically the late electric window switch which has 2 of these clips on either side? I'm fed up of the switch dangling on its wiring :mad2: Or do I need the whole switch? cheers

Hi, any electrical geniuses out there able to help on this one? I'm trying to track the gearbox speed sensor (VSS- G2) wiring. From the plug terminal on the actual sensor a wire goes to pin 27 on the instrument cluster as the sensor speed signal in. Pin 7 is the speed signal out. Now am I correct in assuming that the only reason we have a speed signal coming OUT of the instrument harness is for the spoiler /or radio? Can anyone tell me where this wire goes after leaving the instrument cluster? My theory is that it goes to the fuseboard and then to the spoiler control module with a wire splitting off to the radio. Can anyone confirm this ? If this is the case, can anyone tell me whereabouts on the fusepanel I should be looking for it and any clue as to the colour etc? Cheers

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It was the top caliper----->carrier bolt and so the caliper hinged forward on the lower bolt once the impact of the pothole translated into the instability inherent in a single-bolt-system. There are actually some significant gouges on the inside of the alloy. If someone has to raid a roof to get enough lead to balance the wheel, I suppose i'd better replace it. Still, I am grateful that the damage wasn't worse. I was trundling along at about 10mph just exiting the fishery when the proverbial hit the fan.It didn't take long for the wheel to lock fast. I shudder to think what would have happened at 70-80 on the m'way :shock: So I suppose the lesson I take away is to inspect the caliper carrier and rubbers regularly especially after returning from a monkey with a MOT stamp. :roll:

Quick Update Turns out it was the caliper after all - the car failed an MOT due to rusty front metal brake lines and had new ones made up and installed by the same garage 10 days ago. VW found a caliper bolt missing and seem to be of the opinion that it was either not fitted at all or was not correctly torqued up. The only reason I didnt attempt the brake lines because I have no means of liftage. So would the MOT place have removed the caliper in order to replace front brake lines (metal ones) and bleed the whole system? I'm looking at 2 hrs labour+new wheel+new caliper+balancing /realigining etc

thanks for that coolrado...reassuring indeed. I will keep all informed as this saga unfolds - maybe there's a lesson in it all (looking on the positive side :) )