Storm Monkey

It's in at the garage this week. The belt has been off and the noise was still there, so we can rule out alt, pumps etc. It's much more a whine than a clatter. They were going to change the oil this morning and add an additive of some sort with the hope that it circulates and reaches parts that perhaps have been left a little dry following its long layup. If that doesn't work, I'm at a loss. Phil

Well, next time I fired her up all was much quieter again. Still a bit tappety but as it always was. I git the brake swap finished, fixed the door handle, minded the mirror switch and took her for an MOT. She needed a new steering rod boot but passed with no other issues. My fears the exhaust was shot were unjustified. 22 years on the first exhaust isn't bad. All was good for a few days then I noticed an engine whine. It sounds like driving with straight cut gears, but isn't transmission. I dropped in to see my mechanic and he gave the auxiliary belt a quick squirt of WD which made no difference. He thought it sounded like it was coming from the top end, although the alternator was very hot so he was puzzled. Any body had anything similar? It is only just in service after a long layup. It's going in on Tuesday and they are going to start by removing the aux belt to see if the sound goes. Also going to drain and flush the oil system then take a look at the top end. I'm gutted as shes never put a foot wrong before this. Any ideas in the mean time would be helpful though...... Phil

Ok, thanks. I'll give that a go. It makes sense that the chain shouldn't loose tension by doing nothing. Next challenge is the rear carrier bolts whose heads are buggered and skin the cat who has used my open bonnet as a slide. Thanks, Phil

After a lay-up of about 2 years I finally have time and a pressing need to get the Corrado up and running again. I started her up the other day and all sounded ok as far as I remember (I may be wrong). I decided to start with the 288mm and mk4 brakes upgrades as I know it needs brake work to pass an MOT, following which I could look at what else needs done. When I came to move the car to the workshop I got an almighty rattling from the engine. It sounds worse than our tractor and was definitely a damn sight quieter when it went into storage. I've tried to link a video with the sound at tickover. http://vid336.photobucket.com/albums/n341/mulrain/20161011_213829_zpssdvn70ow.mp4 Ignore the clunk every few seconds.... the alarm sounder is shot and does that whenever the battery is connected (replacement is on my job list). From other youtube videos I'm guessing its timing chain slack but have a few questions:- Does this sound like loose chain rattle? Is there any way of checking the tension without dismantling the engine bay? What is the fix? New tensioner bolt, new guides, new chain and all bits? Is a lengthy lay-up likely to lead to this sort of noise? Could it just go away as oil re-circulates or do I need it looked at? Can I drive it? The garage i'd get to do the work is about a mile away. I have no time to do it myself. Anything else I should get sorted if the timing chain gets done? Water Pump? I didn't check the oil level since re-starting but it was ok when put away and didn't leak anywhere. I'll check this evening. The engine is a VR6 with about 70k on the clock. Thanks, Phil

Its insurance time again and this time I'm going to get proper classic car cover. One thing i need to add is an agreed value, but have no Idea what my car is worth. Can any of you kind chaps give some hints as to value? This is the old girl, pretty much unchanged since I got her, only now has Koni/H&R suspension, recently referb'd wheels (originals) and about 69 500 miles on the clock. http://the-corrado.net/.archive/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8406&p=82424#p82424 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qOXr-JRDvIU There are minor stone chips and a few scratches on the bonnet and doors, and a very small scuff on the rear bumper, but apart from that, its in fine working condition, and the interior is in excellent condition. Thanks Guys, Phil

I took a look on Volkszone and was a little surprised to see a few advertised at around £400 :cuckoo: :wave: :clap: :D . There is also one similar on Ebay, about a day from finishing, at £180, reserve not met. Looks like a bit of a "Cash in the attic" type find, so I'm kind of pleased. Cheers for the info, Phil

I thought this would be a good place to start, although not a Corrado question. I know a load of you guys have older VW's aswell. Anyway, to the point. Whils clearing out the workshop at my mother-in-laws, I stumbled over a little gem of a find. I now have an original and complete Hazet in wheel tool kit, which refers to fitting to VW 1200's to 1600. All tools are in place, and in good condition. The only issue is the box, which has flaked paint and thin surface rust, though nothing that 10 mins in the shot blaster and a few coats of paint wouldn't fix. There is no "structural" rust damage whatsoever. As I don't have anywhere to install this kit, the long term plan is to sell it. Question is, how much are they worth? There is one on ebay st the moment for £107 :gag: , reserve not met, but it has the VW logo, and mine has the Hazet logo. Secondly, so renovate and sell, or sell as is? Any help much appreciated. Oh, I've put this here cos it ain't meant to be a selling thread. If this is wrong, then mods, I apologies, and please move. Regards, Phil

Give it time....... The 1.8T is a well supported engine, e.g. loads of tuning stuff available, and being older, is a damn site cheaper. Found several 1.8T engined passats, around the 100k mark, for under £1000, so not a hugh expense. The 2.0 TFSI will become more popular as numbers in the market increase, and more people write off doner cars. Phil

My C sits in my garage most of the time, and comes out once every fortnight or so, in winter, and about once a week in the warm and dry month(s), for the work run (about 30 miles round trip). She only has 69K on the clock, and I intend to keep that down. Touch wood though, all she has needed in 5 years has been a new clutch. The suspension was just cos I wanted to. My daily motor is an 07 Octavia L&K Estate, 2.0 PD Tdi. It isn't that much slower then the VR6, to 60, but is quieter, more comfortable, more efficient, bigger, and a lot more repairable (all spares still available) should something happen. I also get to us the wifes Navara. Now that really is a different kettle of fish :shock: Phil

The 1.9PD would be a cracking choise. Those things tune up very well indeed. Cant remember exactly. but there is a guy on http://www.Briskoda.net who has a fabia 1.9 pd running at about 250-260bhp, and criusing at 50ish mpg still. I think he goes under "Devonutopia". He has all sorts added, including LPG injection, serious gains are easily achievable with a simple remap! Will be watching with interest. Phil

I'm running Kont TA's and H&R springs, and they are really very good. Handling is ecxellent, and the ride is much less wallowy, but still comfortable and reasonably comfortable. It is very sure footed on good roads now. The drop is also very pleasing, and just about puts the wheels in the centre of the arches, without going too low (for my liking anyway). The action of the dampers (hard to press, easy to extend) is about right. If it were easy to press in, the car would wallow/drop over bumps, and return very slowly. IIRC, turn clockwise to tighten, though it should be obviously stiffer at the extremes of adjustment, so you should be able to work it out. As for bump stops, I got the rears from GSF, as they need to be trimmed, and the GSF ones are supposed to be better to trim, and the fronts from VW. The fronts were from a mk k golf GTi, as they are about the right length for the 25-30mm drop. You might want to consider new top mounts and top bearings while your at it, depending on the condition of yours, and for the H&R springs, you will need early VR6 top spring plates, if you have a later car. Phil

Ideally you need a 22mm box spanner, as you need to get an allen key through the top wrench, into the top of the front strutts. I don't have one, and couldn't find one, so cut the top off of a long 22mm socket, and jammed it in a pair of mole grips. It was rough and ready, but worked. If you are lowering, and its a late VR, you may need new front spring discs. You do if you fit H&R springs (which I can recommend, with Koni TA's). Don't forget you will almost certainly need a full set of new bump stops and top mounts. Mine were practically dust when they came off, and if lowering, you'll need to trim the rears, and get golf mk4 GTI fronts (bump stops, that is). I had never attempted suspension before, but it was not difficult, with only the ETOS diagrams and torque figures (sorry, cant remember them, but they came on a sheet of paper with the dampers anyway). With the Koni's, the top plates needed to be drilled out a bit, but not difficult. The only problem we had was that the front top bolts were seized, asd neither WD40 or a blow torch would shift them. :shock: In the end, we drilled the old suspension strutt top thread out, and the nuts fell off. From there it was plane sailing. If you are not practiced, then leave yourself about a day (including cups of tea, shopping for the wrench you just broke etc), and when you have the alignment sorted, make sure you get a full camber and alignment done. Hope this helps, Phil

No help, but me too. My whole car is littered with very minor stone chips and scratches. Sadly it will involve a complete respray, by the time I've connected the dots. I'm guessing some filling and sanding of the damage, then a general sand down of the whole car with some fine wet and dry. Phil

Camber/tracking knocked out of line? Would explain a deterioration of handling, with nothing falling off. A sudden slip due to a speed hump could have made quite a bang. Phil

Didn't have much fun with my clutch replacement at the Loughborough garage. It has juddered since it was fitted. I thought it might 'bed in' after a few hundred miles, but its taken me 2 years to do 800 miles, so don't think I can take it back and complain now! Phil

If your tyres are more than a few years old, then check them for fine cracks, as the rubber will dry out. Tyre dressing will help them last longer. I have a feeling mine will probably crack up before they wear out. Seems a shame to bin tyres with good tread left though :( Phil

Did my fronts a month or 2 ago. Removal involved a 22mm socket with the top cut off, a set of mole grips, an allen key head on a large ratchet, and when that all failed, a 13mm drill bit! Refitting was easier, and the home made hollow socket/mole grip worked a treat. As there was no way of attaching the torque wrench, the top nuts were done up to FT. Phil

IIRC, from my IC angines lectures years ago, diesels are ideally suited to Turbos because of the vast amount of very hot exhaust, compared to a petrol, and the low down torque. Basically, the exhaust energy is captured by the turbo, and shoved into the intake, rather than being lost. Thats why TD's are more efficient (energy in / energy out, not MPG) than NA diesels. A supercharger would sap flywheel power, and waste exhaust energy. A while ago, Honda or Nissan came up with a concept car/mobile office thing using an adiabatic diesel engine, e.g. no cooling system, ceramic cylinders, and very hot exhaust that drovw several turbines, one for the intake turbo, and a couple to run additional altenators, to power the office. On a tangent, the new Golf petrol GT uses a 1.4 engine, with a turbo and a charger, making about 148 BHP, and pretty good mpg. Phil

Glow plugs made a hugh difference to our old 405 too. Three of them were easy to replace, but the forth was a real g1t to get to. Installation might be different on a 306 though, so may be easier. Also on ours, the head went at 90K, but only leaked oil to the outside. Messy, but easily (expensively) repaired. Best of luck Phil

Thought the top of the strut was a T45 torx head. That certainly fitted, and got one off when I did mine last week. The second though, neither heat, WD or hugh spanners would shift it. Ended up drilling down through the top of the strut, to the nut. Not ideal really! Phil

Managed to find time and fitted the Koni/H&R combo to my VR over the weekend. Not too difficult, apart from having to drill out one of the front shocks, cos the top nut was so damn tight! Anyway, got everything fitted, including new top mounts, bearings, spring plates etc, and took it in for a camber/tracking check yesterday, at Jeff Fowkes in Ibstock. I had a look at the print out, and I'm not convinced by the readings, and the fitter told me there was not enough adjustment to reach the stock min limit of -1.4, let alone the -0.8 I was after "because its on after market dampers, and has been lowered". I was sure when I fitted them that there was stacks of adjustment, and I'm pretty sure I could get positive camber, not that I want to try now it has been adjusted. Anybody had this problem before? Any easy fix, or is it more likely down to a dodgy adjustment. :?: These are the final results:- Camber F left -1 36' F right -1 42' R left -1 42' R right -1 30' Toe F left 0.3 F right -0.3 R left 1.2 R right 2.2 :shock: Looks like the rear could use a shim or 2 also! Don't get me wrong, it handles better than then I went in, but then again it was set by eye then. It's still not perfect though, follows rutts and camber a little too much still, but a lot better. :roll: As for the Koni/H&R setup............fantastic :D . Ride is more harsh, but still comfortable, set to about half way on all dampers, and the body roll is almost eliminated. turn in and response is much more crisp, and the ride height is improved, though only by about 10mm so far, though on new mounts, I expect another few mm! Cheers, Phil

My washed does too, but also has a low pressure "soaking" setting, for applying detergent. No water pressure, so I recon it'll be safe to use. I only ever really blast the underside anyway. As for polish, I recently tried some Sonus stuff, and its far nicer than anything elso I've tried. Stays more liquid for longer, and doesn't dry up and bead, so works well with my machine polisher. Also tried, on a friends 4X4, a good layer of megs wax, then AG Extra gloss protection, mainly because I had some lying around. The result was a fantastic deep glossy shine, and the dirt is still falling off months later, despite spending half of its time in a field. Definately something I would do again! Phil

Loads of the Niche market cars like Caterham and Tiger, or any other tuned bike engined car, but not exactly mass produced. The closest is probably the Caterham superlite, @ 210 BHP from a 2.0 duratech, so 105 bhp/l and at 500kg, 420bhp/ton

http://www.proven-products.co.uk Just recieved my Koni/H&R's, and very nice they look too (on my garage bench.... can't wait for the weekend). £515 delivered, which I thought was pretty good. And friendly service too. Will also need early front top plates though, plus all the usual replacement rubber bits, in fact that lot was about £100 on its own! Phil

Just speculation, but there isnt a missing one way valve that stops the fuel draining back to tank is there?