Roger Blassberg

Follow the radiator top hose down to the thermostat housing on the front of the engine. There you will find the three sensors, or possibly two and a blanking plug. Best wishes RB

There may be the odd snigger, sometimes to your face, sometimes behind your back. BUT, there is a small group of VW owners here at work, each of whom has needed advice from me on repairs or sources of parts. When you can help yourself and others, the snide remarks soon fade away. Thanks to all of you who have helped me and, indirectly, my colleagues with advice. Best wishes RB

I have got a spark, but no fuel smells when cranking over with the plugs out. Fuel pump whines/buzzes but for more than 10 secs at zero engine revs. Some pressure in the fuel rail, but not much. Sounds like the fuel pump and/or filter. Incidentally there is a CPS; would it spark, but at the wrong time, if the CPS is bu@@ered ? All further comments/advice/bets are welcomed. Best wishes RB

That might damage the paintwork, but it would certainly raise a smile... Best wishes RB

Is the Hall sender available separately from the rest of the distributor? Best wishes RB

That thought occured to me too --for about 2 nanoseconds. I wouldn't have made it across three lanes, the traffic was very heavy and I decided to stay put. Fortunately the light was good, the traffic was moving relatively slowly (40 ish), and my Guardian Angel was in attendance. Dom , no I haven't checked fuel or sparks yet; by the time I got home I was fed up and it was dark. Local specialist is coming over later with the 1551.

Look under "Suppliers Forum", first Sticky, for the door handle repair kit. Daves16v is the supplier. Best wishes RB

Had instant engine cut-out in the Passat last evening, tacho died, all warning lights came on, just as if I had turned off the key - in the fast lane of the M1 :shock: !! Had to sit there for 15 minutes before the Police turned up to stop the traffic and push me to the side. Now that is a laxative experience. Car trailered home now, but what can it be? The cams are turning, so it's not the belt; engine turns but not firing. I have checked all fuses and checked all relays are good and secure. I had a general rummage aroud and found nothing obviously amiss. Full tank of petrol. My first thoughts are 1) Crank position sensor - where is it on a 2 litre 16V ?? 2)Ignition switch. 3) Fuel pump relay. All thoughts, and a clue as to where the CPS is, are welcomed. Best wishes RB

Oh well, too late but on the right track....................... Best wishes RB

No, I do not believe that you can use DOT 5. The seals in the system will not tolerate it. Best wishes RB

Grey N-reg VR6, parked on the verge in Hatfield Road, St. Albans, Saturday afternoon. Best wishes RB

Is that dent from breaking the egg shell ?? And is the carpark space marked "C" for Corrado?? Best wishes RB

The trouble is that it's sticky; the water evaporates and leaves the glycol behind. This attracts dirt, so the best thing to do is to give the carpets a really good going over with a proprietary cleaner, especially if you have light-coloured trim. 4 hours is a bit optimistic to take out the dash, replace the matrix and put it all back. Best wishes RB

Didn't you once play the Gendarme in, "'Allo, 'Allo" ?? Best wishes RB

oooohh!! What a larf !! I didn't know about that. I must try not to crash on the way home playing with all that lot. How do you get it back to "normal"? Best wishes RB

Dark coloured C, reg J 720 ---, parked, apparently unattended on M25 clockwise hard shoulder, Herts/Bucks border area, Sunday at 11:00. Wasn't there at 18:30, hope you got home safely. Would have stopped to help, but going in the opposite direction.......... Best wishes RB

Better than being proud and joyous when it comes to his fanny. Best wishes RB

This on behalf of a colleague; Vehicle Mk.3 Golf 8v GTI; the threading in number 2 plug hole has failed. The plug is temporarily held with JB weld epoxy steel. Wish to install a helicoil and do this with head in-situ. A US site suggests this is possible providing tap is kept well charged with grease to hold chips, withdrawing frequently to replace with clean grease. Has any one successfully installed a helicoil with head in-situ (i.e. not broken a ring with trapped chippings)? The professional kits from Emhart and Armstrong are £60 to £80. In U.S. low cost DIY kits are available for typically $22 such as the ‘CarQUEST Sav-A-Thread’. Are similar low kits available in UK; if so how much are they and who sells them? Has anybody any experience of these low cost kits? Best wishes RB

I'm afraid that some of that, if not all, will be eaten up by the increase in your insurance premiums over the next 5 years. The only consolation is that your licence will be clear of points when you get it back. Best wishes RB

That's good news ! I just called and they have them. £33 plus vat each side is criminal for what they are, but cheaper than VAG. Best wishes RB

I have just re-sealed a pair of 288mm ATE front calipers, as a precaution before fitting them; the seals cost about £11 per side at VAG. There is a main seal in the bore of the casting and a bellows-type dust seal. Its a fiddly job but requires nothing more than patience. BUT, if the piston is seized because the dust seal was damaged, there is every chance that the surface treatment of the cylinder and/or piston has been damaged by corrosion. In that case there is nothing much you can do except to make it into a tastefully unusual paperweight Sorry if I am asking an obvious question, but are you sure that it is siezed? On a rear caliper you have to wind the piston in or out - it won't just press in. Best wishes RB

Just for everyone's information, today's London Evening Standard (p4) tells us that in the first 5 months of this year, 444 speeding fines, 900 bus lane violations and over 1000 parking violations were recorded against..... (wait for it).......... the Metropolitan Police. One officer was charged with reckless driving and seven with careless driving (no mention of what the verdicts were and no mention of how many innocent bystanders were killed and injured by irresponsibly driven police vehicles). Now the crucial bit; "The Met believes the rise (in offences by Officers) has been caused by the presence of more cameras rather than by worse driving". Presumably that applies to us mere mortals as well. Most interestingly, "The Met. (that's you and me, dear fellow tax-payers) pays when the driver cannot be identified or when the payment deadline has passed". Are we to believe that police cars are being driven by unidentifiable people? Don't police cars have a drivers' log? Best wishes RB

If you turned up for your MOT with even worn ARB bushes, let alone the total absence of the ARB itself, your car would fail the test and rightly so. This next paragraph is guaranteed to raise a few issues with those of us who modify their cars, but here goes!! If you do remove the ARB, you risk making the car officially unroadworthy, with all that this implies (Construction and Use Regs., insurance, etc.). A report from a qualified Automotive Engineer might get you back to legality - a bit like having a kit car properly certificated. If the front of the car can roll more, there will most certainly be an alteration to its oversteer/understeer characteristics which may catch you unawares. You can compensate with higher rate springs and dampers or by reducing the ride height, or both, but it's something on which the manufacturers spend millions to get it right (ish) and I'm a little worried when people start to second guess this process. If you really do know what you are doing, I apologise for presuming to imply criticism. If not, let us know where and when you intend to experiment with this, and I'll be somewhere else that day..... Best wishes RB

Thanks for the reply - no, I particularly want good flappy bits as mine have perished and crumbled.... Best wishes RB

I would be interested in the roof strips if they are good. Best wishes RB