gradeAfailure

This is what I kinda like about having the 'Rat - pretty much anything that I do is improving it! :lol:

Anyone know if the distributors used on the 2E engine (as fitted to my Passat, the MK3 Golf/Vento, and AFAIK some of the 8V 'Rados) was the same as the one used on any other VW engines, such as the 1.8 8Vs or anything, as mine's seized in the block, reckon it might get destroyed in the process of freeing it, and can't seem to find a replacement from a 2.0 8V engine...? Cheers guys!

PM Phil K, he's got a set of tinted plates for his, and should be able to tell you where he got them from...

Well, VW use brown to designate a wire going to earth AFAIK, so that looks like where it should be connected to... If the fan runs when you do this, then maybe there's something up with the fan temp switch?

What engine is it? I can post you a ready-made "hot-wire" lead if you like - trick is not to electrocute yrself whilst checking... ;) Starter is usually at the front right-hand side of the engine as you look at it - just in front of the gearbox IIRC, with the solenoid on top of it... Ignition switches are a PITA, mine was changed just before I bought the car (Jan) and it's already dead... Gonna get me a genuine VW one this time...

Don't think the brown wire's connected to the car not starting... My first check would be to get a length of decent gauge wire with a female spade terminal on one end and twisted wire the other, turn the ignition on, remove the red wire from the starter solenoid, plug your length of wire onto the solenoid terminal and touch the bare wires onto the positive terminal of the battery. If the starter turns, then the problem could be the ignition switch; if it doesn't, then yr looking at starter or possibly the solenoid's seized - give it a "tap" with a block of wood and a mallet!

Yeah, I'd have said check the brake pads...

Swore lots after breaking down yesterday evening and finding out this morning that VW alarm fitters obviously couldn't find their arse with a map back in 1992... Swore more today after having a hissy fit at a rear electric window switch that wouldn't come apart, then destroyed it in a fit of immature rage...! Realised that spare ones are particularly hard to find, so swore some more for good measure... :lol: Gotta love 'em...

http://www.gtiinternational.co.uk 12V 3mm red LEds - CJ70 @ Maplins 1.87V 3mm red LEDs - WL32 @ Maplins Bout 12/16p each, get about ten of each, shorter leg is -ve, longer is +ve. Pop to a scrappy for a red cigarette lighter out of a Seat Ibiza/Toledo/Cordoba, or one of the newer VWs. Any good arts&crafts shop should sell coloured plastic sheeting, or try a local theatre for some spare gel sheets if they have any. Edit: Also, you'll need to grab a heater panel off the Seat too, for the red spider for the heater controls, and the red plastic heater knob inserts. Remove the green plastic section in the centre of the Corrado heater control panel trim, and use a red-painted bulb in the centre knob if necessary. Think that's covered everything! :lol:

Use 3mm LEDs, standard voltage for the electric window/sunroof switches, 12V for the dash switches. Keep the existing bulbs for the instrument panel illumination and get some red lighting gel sheet to replace the existing green filter, and whatever colour gel you like for the LCD screens. Peasylicious! Just gotta finish mine before Inters now! My excuse is that I have two extra doors to do...

Yup, as Phil K said, I recently had my engine bay professionally steam cleaned for the princely sum of £15, and it was well worth it - the engine bay is almost like new! I'd say worth phoning a few car valeters in your area to see if they'll do it for the same sort of money; it only takes about 20 mins and the industrial cleaning products they use are really rather good, plus they use superheated steam which is better for getting oil and grease off than just water. Only things we covered up were the alternator and the alarm, and I've had no electrical problems since at all... HTH!

Awww, bless....

Fnarr fnarr...

Red valver, M** XEX, early afternoon today, I was about two cars back, heading south out of Guildford on the A281 all the way to Horsham...

I know they're rice, but the MX5s door handles are very cute and chrome...

Errr, gradeAfailure already knows...! ;) Heheh... Today, oi have mostly been getting hot and sweaty trying to get a dizzy at the scrappy (failed), and getting hot and sweaty swapping a set of wheels over in double-quick time (succeeded)! Anyone know of a scrappy near them breaking a Seat Toledo, around N/96, with aircon (or even without)? Despeartely need the heater control panel... Tomorrow oi will be doing more interior switches and inhaling copious amounts of solder fumes; mmmm, cancer - beats smoking... ;)

Yeah, the Merc; nice set of AMG wheels and you're set... I'd personally never buy a brand new car unless I'd won the lottery - that initial depreciation before it's even turned a wheel would make me cry...!

Guys, get yr LEDs from Maplins - 12p each! Non-12V for the window/sunroof switches (resistors are inbuilt on the pcb), 12V for the dash switches as they're normally ordinary bulbs. Or, you can prise out the green filtering from the switch (dash switches only) and change it for red - which I'll be doing this weekend hopefully. I'm more than happy to do switches for people if you really want, just PM me... Anyways... today, I have been mostly attempting to fix my jammed heater controls (failed slightly, ah well), fitting a red cigarette lighter (and having to solder in a new bulb in the holder, bit fiddly!), and fitting some chromed bolts for my steering wheel - muchas blingness! Oh, and booked my car in for a full, the-works, valet next Friday, in time for Inters. Yes it's cheating, no I don't care! ;)

Borbets looking sweet as dude.. 8) Should have mine back on for Inters

Welcome to the forum mate, sounds like a nice 'rado, looking forward to some pix! 8)

Looking very sweet mate, lush! Though I think I may have to get some different dealership surrounds - everyone seems to have these ones!

Changed all the LEDs in the electric window switches to red, started to open up the sunroof switch then realised I'd run out of LEDs! Carried on opening up the switch and bust it anyway... Good thing that a)my sunroof doesn't work, and b)it was a spare switch! Took me less than half an hour to do four switches, anyone want theirs doing? ;)

Are Corrado handles that different from the Passat ones then? You learn something new every day!

I can answer the first one - yr handle's busted! Ideal time to fit Passat rear handles and thus delock the doors... ;) Or you could just replace the handle - takes about fifteen mins, including swapping the lock barrels over...

Sounds like there's some electrical gremlins at work there... Was it ok before you had any of the work done?