craigowl

delete - getting one

A good addition! I had those in my tank years ago - one of the most beautiful, modestly priced fish of all, I thought.

Yes, I love those MOT advisories you sometimes get saying "xxxxx rusting" Shock! Horror! exposed metal on underside of 17-year old car rusting in British climate!!

Yes - WE know all that stuff, but someone who has £6k and desperately wants a VR6 will be interested in making an offer. Cant blame the vendor for asking that sum either, it's a free country. I am an old cynic, too - so it's just an opinion from another viewpoint. Been in court too often - looking at things from both sides rubs off.

Kev, must say, love the nose job. Which place in Norwich does them?

Haha! - I keep telling my wife the next door neighbour is "doing the Stepford Wife thing again" when I spot him mowing after it seems like he did it only 3 days ago! He is from Govan, worked in the Clydeside shipyards at one time and went to school with Alex Ferguson. I say to him "fcs, you are a Govan man, what a poor image you are creating! Jimmy Reid* would turn in his grave if he saw how you had turned out!" He retorts with - "I've got to keep up with him across the road." (Dave over there has a flippin' petrol driven thing that makes a hell of a racket and he seems to be at it nearly every other day, too. As a hard worker now retired, he says he gets "cabin fever" sitting indoors!) * legendary, articulate and learned shipyard union leader who organised the "sit in" at a Clyde shipyard in the 1970s IIRC. "...........there will be NO bevying....." was part of the instructions he gave to the massed workers in a famous speech that kicked off the sit-in.

I had two people at the door ask about mine. One was the ParcelForce man who already owned a VR6 van. The other was a farmer from the Borders. His son, a JCB operator was doing work on a big job down the road from us and ogled the car every day when he passed. When the contract was finished, he got his dad to drive here to ask about it. Kids, eh? Anyway, I wasnt selling at the time, but we had a good blether for half an hour. So, no harm in asking - at least you arent trying to sell them roofseal!

I paid that for the storm in 2002 - 95k miles.

I can tell you, the little specks of dust you can never safeguard against in the home environment made me feel most jobs were unsatisfactory. Depends how anal you are. I concluded that the job was for the professional on the bodywork, though I did do wheels satisfactorily, more than a couple of times. The next tyre fitter was always ready to undo your good work, quick as a flash, though! My neighbour finds mowing the lawn and hoeing the weeds therapeutic, too, David. Ah, well each to his own - be boring if we all got kicks out of the same thing.

No. Full of admiration for people who can do this kind of thing. When I was in my 30s, 40s, maybe even 50s, I spent countless hours touching up paintwork, protecting against rust, spraying using aerosols, making a mess and starting again, etc. Then I realised it was mostly a waste of time, because I never had a car longer than about 3 to 6 years. You never got any more money for them with all those hours put into them and the next owners got whatever benefit was created. Soooooooooo. Unless you can promise yourself you will be keeping and showing the car for the next 10 to 15 years at least, I believe it is a waste of valuable time unless you absolutely love doing "this kind of thing." Not wanting to rain on anybody's parade - just passing on some fatherly opinion based on hard won experience and a longer overview of life! Best wishes whatever you do.

Life's too short.- Just my view.

I suspect there may be no sparks, Hasan, but have been unable to check as on my own here last few days. Can smell petrol. Checked all I can. Ignition barrel/immobiliser prime suspect after eliminating relays, crank sensor, ISV, etc. Consequently I have called our great local autoelectrician (details on request) who removed my piggin' nuisance factory-fitted alarm/immobiliser and fitted another. He should come tomorrow. Thanks for all input guys. Will let you know the outcome, of course. All good stuff for the Corrado knowledge pool. I have learnt a few new things in 48 hours, too, thanks to the Forum.

Thanks for offer StueyB - I have ordered them off eBay this afternoon. Turns out I may not need them now as the test I was guided thro' seemed to prove they are OK. Sorry for not making it clear this afternoon that the hunt for relays was off - I have been so busy and kinda confused I had forgotten about this thread doh! Thanks again.

1 - So can the immobiliser (Laserline) allow the engine to turn strongly and illuminate oil/battery light yet not spark fuel (which I can smell after cranking)? 2 - From what dr_mat says, the crank sensor wont put fuel in or spark if it has failed. Clearly, it has not failed then as the fuel is being delivered going by the smell?

OK been into ecu relay - it buzzes to life OK with pp3. Thanks for that helpful info Dox - you learn something new every day. I missed out on electronics for the past 67 years. ---------- Post added at 7:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 5:27 PM ---------- So after a lot of faffing about on this sunny day I have not read all the Sunday paper as intended, but have eliminated the ecu and fuel pump relays as culprits, cleaned the ISV, seen the warning lights come on as the engine turns healthily due to new, well charged battery and can smell petrol, ordered a few parts on eBay I probably do not need-- - but still no firing. Coil is newish - replaced a few years ago. What's left now is the ignition switch? - is that the only thing? Would the autoelectrician that fitted the immobiliser be the best guy to attend to the problem do you think?

On my own this weekend so cant crank car and look under bonnet, Dox. Interested in your stuff about relays, though. Covers can come off, possibly? With the pp3 battery how do you fire a relay - which terminals - can you blow it?

Sensor is this one - I suppose it will be generic, dr_mat? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290653615231&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:GB:3160 Maybe will upgrade to oem if it turns out to be that component that is faulty. Dont have VAGCOM unfortunately. Is late VR6 with coilpack. I had previous owners alarm removed by a top VAG autoelectrician when it became a nuisance and kept coming on - about 11 years ago now. A Laserline immobiliser was then fitted. No remote control opening doors. Kept it simple. Had no problem with anything to do with locking/unlocking/starting/immobiliser until now.

Hi and thanks fla. Not a new ecu relay - just took the original out and reseated it. Can you detail test? I have a multimeter, too, bu know little really. ---------- Post added at 12:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 AM ---------- Hi Timbo Looks a bit too much for me that one - rather pay someone to fix that - you have to remove steering wheel cowling and drill holes, no? I agree with you that it will be a good thing to do anyway. Recent change which may have been culpable, was connecting of new trickle charger. This has replaced old one I had for years but dropped it - doh. New one is good - Swedish, but maybe too much shock for the system somewhere? Fuel pump relay might have failed - it is original though fuel pump is newish from a couple of years ago. ---------- Post added at 1:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:01 PM ---------- Have ordered some relatively low cost replacements to see if they cure problem. ECU relay Fuel pump relay crank position sensor. Thanks for advice so far, guys.

Thanks Rod.

Anyone got relays for fuel pump and ecu? Numbers are ECU Relay - (109) - 1J0 906 381 A Fuel Pump Relay - ( 167) - 191 906 383 C it says on the forum elsewhere. Even if changing them does not help the start ptoblem, they will be replacing the originals from 1995, which can't be bad, no?

Tried the floored accelerator one, RW1, thanks. ECU relay removed and replaced - nice clean terminals, S'charged. Leaving it till tomorrow now - it's pi$$ing down now and getting dark. Cant help focusing on the ignition barrel - this car has done a lot of starting just to move it in and out of the garage or put it somewhere for a wash! WE both need to get out more.

Thanks for that S'charged. I think immobiliser is newer one than original. Will check ECU. Cant remember where crank sensor is - Alex G60 bought my Bentley handbook when he caught a sniff of me possibly selling the C. The Bentley has gone and the C is still here. I can google crank sensor - I think I remember what they look like. Thanks again

Not been out in car a lot recently - decided to see if it was fit for hospital run on Monday. Plenty of turning of engine but no firing. Tank has fuel OK. Some petrol smell in bay. Clue - you know how familiar you can become with the least difference in behaviour in a car you have had for a while? Well, when the key went into starting slot, I thought it felt a bit different initially. Remember reading of failure of ignition lock on these cars. Could that be the problem, guys? Original component from 1995 as far as I know. Any other theories - glad to hear of them. Have checked fuel, etc fuses in fuse box. All electrics run, fine, too.

Yah! - Zis week, DHL - who I used to think were very good - sent the Revox recorder I won on eBay in the Netherlands, to BG, instead of GB. That's Bulgaria, folks. The hifi dealer reckons it will get to me alive soon! I was so amused by this, I could not get angry.

By the way, speaking as someone who first had sticklebacks in a goldfish bowl in the 1950s - Tigerfish - you ARE the man! Absolutely awesome. Clearly, you are doing it right, too, having had your black shark for 14 years - bet he/she knows some stuff. We used to go to tropical fish shops in the 1960s and 1970s and never saw marine setups. They came from another planet at that time. A brown trout and other native fish in your pond? Wow - I would love those, too. Big respect to you.