timatsorted

Hi guys What should the normal oil temp range be for a VR6? Mine takes about 5 mins to get to 90 and then generally goes up to around 125 for a long motorway journey. Today, it got up to 136, although, by that time, I'd been in a jam on the M4 for half an hour, immediately followed by a thirty mile blast on the M40. Does this all sound ok/normal? I'm a bit worried that I'm running a bit hot when the car is moving fast on long journeys. Cheers

Grat - thanks, guys.

Hi guys I've been told that the C's cambelt needs changing at 60k to 80k miles. But the VR6 doesn't have a cambelt does it? I thought it had a chain instead? If so, does the chain ever need changing and when should it be done? (I'm on 80k miles.) Cheers

Wahey - pics loaded at last. Thanks for the PM tips, Henny!

OK - so I'm so dim. I thought I'd loaded the pics, but obviously not. I followed the instructions in the FAQs... Anyone give me pics loading advice?

I posted a couple of days ago about a leak under the front part of my engine. Here are the best pics I could get - not very clear, I'm afraid. That round thing with the black cap - that's the oil cooler, right? If so, it could be the cooler seal, with the leaking oil blowing backwards. Waddaya reckon guys?

Thanks RB. I'm just about to fit a BMC CDA so I'lll check out the fuel lines/clips/hoses during the process. Your top tips on oil leaks will need a bit more exploration...!

Hi guys. A couple of small probs: I'm leaking some oil from under the front section of the engine. Not alot but definitely happening. Oil looks pretty clean. Garage said the oil cooler seal was a bit ropey last time it was serviced. Hopefully it's just this and nothing more serious. Should I be worried about it? D'you reckon it might be something more serious? Also, I'm getting some petrol fumes when I turn the ignition on, before the engine fires. Goes away after the engines's started. Is this normal? Is it just the fuel pump starting to do it's stuff? Any advice welcome...!

Bl**dy hell. That was quick! And gratefully received, too. Thanks, bigtime!

I'd really like to do this 'quick and easy' mod myself and I checked out g60bv's post of 6/6/04 with pics on how to do it. He makes it sound so easy! Trouble is I'm soooo not a mechanic and i don't really know where to start! I'm assuming you can't do the job from the outside? (I can't see anything to unscrew!) The pics look like you need to take the panel off inside the tailgate and work from the inside? Any top tips anyone can give me, ideally a step-by-step-guide in layman's language (you really are dealing with a total beginner here!) Any amount of advice welcomed, big time! Cheers

Cheers Crazymarcel - I have your pics safely saved and I'm under the letterbox every morning waiting to catch your hosing and clip!! You're a star! Looks like passionmotorsport are the ones to go with...

They list one for a Golf VR6 at £169. Will that fit the 80mm induction pipe on the C?

So if I leave the carbon cannister where it is - just for now - and just fit the BMC in place of the standard airbox/filter, I don't have to worry about valves or anything, then? (I've seen the threads on cc removeal but I'm not under any illusions about my own abilities - reckon I'll save that upgrade until i'm a bit more confident!)

Thanks! 'Keep a valve'? That's a carbon cannister valve presumably? There aren't any valves on the airbox/filter i need to keep are there?

I've seen lots at around the £180/£185 mark, inc p&p and VAT. Fair enough. Just in case I'm missing out, does anyone know of anywhere I can get one cheaper? By the way, I've seen the threads on how to remove a carbon cannister, but what is a carbon cannister?! What does it do (and therefore what won't happen if you remove it?!) Cheers.

How do you get on with that K&N panel filter? That's a straight replacement filter only, without the induction kit, right? Any sound or performance difference at all?

That's great - thanks! I've sent you a private message aboput the pics and hosing...

Hi guys. I was thinking of getting a K&N 571 induction kit fitted to my VR6 but I was told by Stealth Racing that oiled filters sometimes cause problems (something about affecting sensors?) They recommended a new product: the BMC CDA which they'd supply and fit for around £185. Thing is, this is more than I'd wanted to pay so I wondered how easy it would be to fit the BMC myself if I could get the part cheaper. I'm soooo not a mechanic so it would have to be very straightforward! Demon Tweeks stock two types of BMCs (at between £155 and £170) and they've asked me what diameter induction pipe is on my car. I don't know - can anyone tell me? Also, any thoughts on the oiled filter/problems thing, and might I get a BMC any cheaper than DT's price and how easy it would be to fit? Cheers!

That's really helpful - thanks Timo

Hi guys I've got an unmodified VR6 and I'm thinking about lowering it and changing the wheels. I'm thinking about a Koni full kit: springs and dampers, or maybe Koni dampers and Eibach springs. Does this sound sensible? Anything I should be watching out for? If I could pick up a kit privately, could any decent independent garage fit it for me? How much would a set up like this cost? (I've posted a message on the ebay forum too - there's a Koni kit for sale on there now.) Also, if I put 17" wheels on, does this affect the speedo reading? It'll show a too low speed, won't it? If this is true, do you just have to live with it, or can you get the speedo recalibrated for the bigger wheels? Is this a specialist/costly job? All your advice accepted with thanks!

Hi guys Doing around 70, pulling in 4th at 4000 to 5000 revs. Quick but not mental. Very windy outside: bits falling off the trees etc. Hear a very big bang! Scared the sh*t out of me. Slowed and stopped immediately. Checked tyres, body, windscreen, under car and in bonnet. No sign of any impact outside and (to the untrained eye) everything under the bonnet looked undamaged and was where it should be. Pulled off nervously but everything seemed to be working fine, so much so that I gave it a bit of wellie afterwards at high revs. No obvious problems. What do you reckon, then? Did I hit something - a bird maybe? Or has something bust in the engine (it was a very big bang!)

Hi guys Picked up my new VR6 a few days ago after having demo'd it without really putting my foot down. Have now had it fully serviced. Also had two new tyres fitted to the front. Drove it 'in anger' for the first time yesterday. Engine is sweet but I'm getting some vibration throught the steering wheel now. I didn't notice it during the demo but that may be because I wasn't going quick enough! Gets worse the quicker I go. I'm assuming the wheels weren't balance properly when they changed the tyres, although all weights appear to be on ok. What do you reckon: wheel balancing or something worse? Cheers.

So the overall view seems to be that spraying is dodgy MOT and insurance wise. Fair enough - I'll save the pennies and get replacement lenses in a while. Gotta say, though, that looking around, there do seem to be plenty of moderm rear light set-ups with just red and white lenses visible. Counted about five in twenty minutes taking my little girl to school this morning! Worst offender was a brand new Audi A4 Cabriolet which had pretty much exactly the same kind of red/white lay-out that a sprayed C's back end would have! Not a hint of orange anywhere - from the outside anyway. One rule for one... Thanks guys!

Hi guys I'm thinking a bout a temporary face-lift for my rear lights until I can afford a new replacement set and I'm interested (and scared) by spraying. I'd appreciate some feedback/advice: How do you get an exact match to the brake lights' red tint? Anybody know the exact paint type? Or do you need to spray upper and lower lenses? Do you need to prime first (sounds dumb but then I'm a novice so humour me..._ Can they be sprayed while still on the car, as long as it's well masked? Do they look any good when sprayed or will it just look naff?! Any other top tips on this topic? Thanks!

Thanks - guys! Too many top tips in here to count! I'm gonna be busy, I reckon...