tonedef

ABS sensor ring slightly bent and catching a sensor, I had this.

I just checked the date on the photo, it was six years ago when the centre brake light went in although I must have had the fitting sat around for five or more years before that waiting for the opportunity to use it.

It's the original UK tailgate but we fitted a genuine US brake light assembly when I was having the car painted. Didn't use any template as I wanted it to finish flush with the tailgate rather than sitting proud as originally intended. There was a lot of discussion on here years ago about whether a third light should be mounted higher and a few fitted them in the top of the rear screen but I've always been of the opinion that it's a centre light that's the important addition, after all many OEM lights are fitted at almost the same level as the outer lights. I had the wiper hole welded up at the same time which freed up the spare wire I needed for the brake light, saved me threading another one through the tailgate!

It's the car park at the Welbeck farm shop and Notcutts garden centre on the A60 down from Worksop, it's our local shop and I'd just been to the butchers for things for breakfast.

Thanks, they definitely bring a smile to your face don't they. 350 miles over the last week, probably the most it's done in such a short time for over ten years!

This must be one of the least updated galleries on the forum, been here something like 15 years and not off the second page yet! Just liked the way it looked today!

Must be a day for Corrados, my mate sent a photo of a sherry pearl parked at Dunston garden centre Chesterfield today.

Cuckney to Langwith, blue Corrado coming towards me. We both flashed and waved. First time I’ve seen another C on the road while I’ve been driving mine in some years now, used to be a regular occurrence!

You must know the road from mine to Ollerton, I’m glad I ran out in the village before I got off into Sherwood Forest. The MFA claimed 41mpg on the drive to Huntingdon and back and 36mpg overall for the weeks’ miles which which worked out at 29mpg when I filled up Friday, I knew the MFA couldn’t be relied on but that’s not even close! We were out in it last night and again today, I’d like to try and use it more this summer…hopefully there’ll be no “throw in the towel” moments like last year. Our Corrado off the road spell was 2010 to 2018 so you’ll have to be blocked in a bit longer yet 😁

Might get it washed first, a week parked on a construction site has left it a bit grubby!

Put the Corrado back on the road last Sunday evening following a last minute decision middle of the afternoon! Drove it off the drive and ran out of petrol before I’d left the village (fuel had been pumped into the TT when there was a V-Power shortage!). After squeezing about 3 litres of E5 out of the lawnmower I was able to drive very slowly the ten or so miles to the Shell station for £105 of fresh V-Power. Monday morning with fingers crossed I set off down the A1 the 96 miles to work in Cambridgeshire and apart from having to mess with the brake light switch midweek in the hotel car park have enjoyed a pretty faultless few days away. It’s ready for a wash now but very happy with the season’s first run out!

Step 1, 7 groove pulley removed without too much grief, same can’t yet be said for the one in the new alternator!

I’m sure I’ll manage to heath something up to do it, now I know there’s no better alternative I’ll go for it!

Thanks for the replies, as I thought. I had looked at swapping the pulleys but didn’t have a long enough 10mm 12 point driver (for the new one) or T45 (for the old one) to go through the centre of a socket and stop the shaft turning. Looks like I’m tool shopping tomorrow!

Does anyone know of a reliable source of alternators with the original 7 groove pulley? Everything I look at seems to be 6 groove and when I quote the part number 037 903 023 suppliers just tell me the 6 groove is a direct replacement even when I show them a photo and say count the grooves!

We bought our first Corrado, a 1.8 16V about 27 years ago and soon after took it in for a service with around 55K miles on the clock to the local VAG dealership. I also asked them to do a cam belt while it was in as a precaution. When my wife collected the car they told her that it didn’t need the cam belt as recommended interval was 80K miles but that the power steering hoses were weeping fluid and should be changed for approx £350. About 8 months later the cam belt snapped with approx 62K miles on the car, bending a number of valves. VAG absolved themselves of any responsibility as the previous owner (a former VAG technician with his own independent garage) had carried out a service on the car and as such VW could not verify the mileage, they also suggested that whilst they had advised us it was not necessary at 55K miles, we could have insisted the belt be changed. When I threatened them with the motoring press they agreed to carry out the repairs at cost, however when I collected the car it ran terribly, down on power and very thirsty, VW put this down to “bedding in” and said it would be fine after 500 miles. There was also a bolt missing from the cam belt cover but that was (we believed at the time) a minor issue, fixed with a new bolt. 300/400 miles or so later and still down on power, whilst seeming to use too much fuel, that unimportant missing bolt which had all this time been sat in the bottom of the lower cam belt cover rubbed it’s way through the belt which once again failed taking more of the top end with it. This time VAG couldn’t do enough, a master technician carried out the engine rebuild, all for free of course, and this time it ran fine from day 1. I asked them why they didn’t once again recommend another 500 miles bedding in but was fobbed off. We kept the car for about four more years before trading it for the VR6 we still own, but in that time we never swapped the supposedly “weeping” power steering hoses nor topped up the fluid which surely it must have been losing??? VAG have not touched any of my cars since.

Harsh but true! You have to be into Corrados for the love of them only, very few will ever break even, less will turn a profit.

Mine has exactly the same problem and I wondered if it was a fuel pressure / evaporation issue, but if the pump doesn’t actually prime at ignition on then that’s unlikely? Cam or crank sensor is a good call, are these ignored if engine is cold? I don’t remember having this problem back in the old days (year 22 with this car so a reasonable amount of experience) although I have had questionable starting for a long time, both before and after going to OBD2. Agreed, drive you nuts!

Hahaha, love it!

In case I’m not capable later, Happy New Year everyone, let’s hope we can get back to something resembling normality in 2022. Never know, there might even be a few shows to attend!!!

I did have a set for the daughter’s Fiesta ST done a few years ago at a local powder coaters for a tenner each, made a pretty decent job truth be told. Might try them again but wondered if there were places people raved about before I commit.

Thanks Hasan, I just wish it looked as clean under the bonnet, VW seemed to have a knack in the nineties of building engine bays that look scruffy after a few years no matter what you do! Winter jobs include a new alternator, wheel refurb (looking for suggestions for best place to do this) and a good clean underneath after I had an oil leak coated the engine, suspension and floor pan. Sure I’ll find the usual broken bits to mess with in the meantime too!

Working away in Cambridgeshire Monday to Friday so not not very much Corrado time at the moment. Running late with winter jobs but just assumed the usual position.

I parked mine up in the garage and SORNed it in a fit of rage/annoyance when the alternator packed up in August and have ignored it since! So job 1 will be a new alternator. Other than that it will probably be the usual winter check over and just look for any bits I can fettle through the dark nights…once we’re speaking again that is 🤣

How about £100K for a Renault 5??? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353619901484?mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&siteid=3&campid=5337772534&customid=528&toolid=10001&mkevt=1&ul_ref=https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1