dbug

sounds like you have answered most of your own questions. . . . run it use it save up strip it rebuild it bolt on the charger run it again save up again cause you have blown it abusing it with the charger :lol:

forget the faults you have found for the moment. . . . is it running ok ? does it drive fine and no issues when using it daily other than the water loss ? if yes then i would be tempted to run it and strip once your back. if the water loss is the matrix this could be tested now by bypassing it and see if you still have the loss ( would also give you the confidence back in the engine ) oil on the over run could mean that rings are on the way out and the piston 1 reading could be suggesting this problem. in the end if you want to swap engines what is the likely chance of you getting one that dont want all the work doing to it that you need to do on yours ??? get good european cover a gallon of oil, a bottle of coolant and use it. at least that way if yours breaksdown you will get a hire car to continue your trip. . . .

should be fine - they are only good for about 10 years max. best then to swap them for another new one. i treat vw waterpumps like timing belts and swap em regardless of amount of use, it tends to be the achilees (?) heal of them.

get one that just fits inside the clutch, centre the plate behind the pressure plate and tighten the bolts like a cylinder head. once you get a bite remove the socket and tighten up. even if your a few mm out on the centre point it will sort itself out as you get it on the input shaft.

i use a socket in mine. has worked for several cars so far. . . .

you may have a split heater matrix - thats what the valves were fitted in line for. steam on dials could be down to the recent weather and the bulbs warming up and causing a fine condensation ( mine does it on cold mornings) check your passenger footwell - is it damp near the firewall/on top of the 'tunnel' ? if yes then a good chance the matrix has a leak. if its dry then the warm air could be down to the water loss/air getting in your split pipe. i would replace both pipes and omit the valves to start ( they do seize up over time - i have just had to ditch mine similar fault ). if she gets to temp and you get hot air then job done, if not then its a case of checking system/cables - good luck , if matrix is fubar then its a dash dismantle job.

it the heater matrix pipe 16. you will have to get the whole pipe that goes from the block to the firewall then cut it to refit the metal valve ( its a recall pressure valve - the metal bit with a small bore pipe coming off it - that you could scrap if you want to BUT you would also need the other pipe 17 from the fire wall to the block so that you can remove the other part of the valve - the black bit)

if i'm closer i have a space saver available too. i'm in Rugby Warwickshire.

can you double check the part no. please. just ran it through vagcat and not known. cheers mitch

cheers so are you only running 1 belt for the water/pas/alt ? as just looked at the engine and the pas seems to be too far out of line to run the one belt.

hi all, done a search but not come up with an answer. :scratch: is there a tried and tested mod that removes the slipper pulley off the water pump and replaces it with just the one belt to drive water pump, PAS pump, and alternator ( like the 2.0 16v has - or is that the mod ! :shrug: ) . mine sounds like its on the way out ( the carbon bush has split ) and makes a lovely noise - a bit like a tractor engine running under the bonnet. :lol:

get down your local breaker yard, find an old dub and rape it of all the screws you can find. the dash has several different ones holding it all together. most are button topped pozi ones.

i have always wondered why folk seem so keen to remove the whole dash ( its the most complecated part of the car ) ok understand its more difficult ( you have to twist your hand/tools into the gaps ) but you dont disturb looms or have the ball ache of refitting. good luck.

and you would also be amazed at what a baby wipe can do. truckers favorite for getting the 5th wheel grease out of door cards/clothing/hands etc

this should be stickied !

yeah, they aint ever going to be a 356 or a samba split screen , but it was a 'car i must own before i die' therefore it will be used , gently abused, fixed, and moved on at some later point in time when the next one comes available.

thanks guys - the future plan . . . . . . . . . . . .absolutley nothing i have done too much to too many over the years. one is a fuel, drive, and park motor. if i can be bothered i may treat it to a blow over at some point, but in all fairness its a 20 year old motor that looks 20 years old so happy to leave it that way. ( its the old polished turd thing . lol )

got a set of sebrings and fitted them today , along with an alternator from a 2.0 16v ( it fitted and kicks out 14v so happy with that ) thought that the rattly noise was the slave pulley on the water pump but it would appear it was the altenator bearings giving up :clap:

been with you a while so thought i would share my toy with you and create a diary of work done. Enjoy Bought christmas 2009 its a standard 1.8 16v early with no mods obvious. told by previous owner that it had been stood for 5 years in a garage so gave it a good once over swapped oil filter waterpump and coolant. replaced the recalled heater valves and took it for a MOT. advisory on CV boot spliting but that was it. swapped the heater blower as it only had one speed and that was it - just added fuel and drove it !

new wheels on & alternator swapped so i no longer have that annoying rattly noise from the engine :clap:

or via the boot ?

rugby powder coat on paynes lane ind estate do a good & reasonably priced job. £25 for a wheel and £20 for a pair of roof racks have been the prices i have paid him in the past.

i have a sunroof motor from a 94 model. £20 posted let me know mitch.

drop the oil and get it to the right level first off. you dont want to be blowing seals as well as the water issue. cant help on the water issue as not got a 6. but steam in the cabin normally means the heater matrix has gone. check the carpet in passenger footwell upto the bulkhead and under the centreconsole at the back.

i would prefer the car in front to be a toyota at the moment if they aint over fuelling then the brakes are buggered. let em lead the way , so i can chuckle at the aftermath.