oneohtwo

I just bought from here so cheers for putting up the link. Couldn't find others anywhere else. One thing I did notice; I bought these because I thought the splines on my old Audi TT(came with the car) arms had rounded off so they were slipping on the spindle but I notice the brand new ones don't have any splines at all. I figure the 'splines' on the old ones were therefore just cut by the splines on the spindle which is slightly annoying as I didn't need the new ones at all... Unless I have just got 2 duff ones somehow! Anyone just able to verify this?

Thinking of going for the DAB upgrade but not selected a head unit yet. Anyone any experience with these: https://www.halfords.com/technology/car-audio/car-stereos/jvc-kd-r891bt-digital-receiver I think the square chunky design would go fairly well in the Corrado, except for the awful multicoloured button... They do similar styled ones with a more restrained button but they don't have DAB unfortunately.

I had similar a number of years back where the linkage popped off the plastic and then wouldn't stay on. Solved it by carefully drilling a small hole through the spindle and creating a split pin to keep the linkage on. Been fine every since. (although another part of the mechanism has just broken so I have had to get a new one)

Yep, it was the collar stuck in the block. Got it out and got the new part in ok!

Yes, indeed this is it really - I was being overly simplistic just to illustrate a point and it shouldn't really be an issue when moving at a decent speed. It is just the sitting in traffic and moving slowly, which seems to be an increasingly common occurrence! I don't think the fans on their own have enough to force it out under the car and as you say once it is saturated there's not a lot to be done. I don't have the card section on top of the radiator though, that is something I need to rectify. the old radiator I had never had it, and I don't remember if the new one came with any - might have accidentally discarded it as packaging. Will need to sort something out there. I guess that must happen pretty regularly! I do wonder how much difference an airduct at the back of the radiator would make, behind the fans. Always seemed a sensible idea to have the radiator in a separate compartment, if nothing else from an air resistance perspective.

Fair points all! Although I wasn't so much getting at the engine temp itself, mine is sits around 90, oil around 100-115 so the cooling system is doing it's job well. It's just all the heat from inside the engine pretty well gets dumped into the bay, from the rad, around it and has nowhere to go. I was thinking of all the other parts that sit in the bay outside the block that might not like it. Taking it to an overly simplistic level, i's almost the situation where there better your engine cooling system is, the hotter the rest of the bay will get - all that heat removed from the engine has to go somewhere, and the more that is removed the hotter it, wherever it is, will be... So the things mentioned above, whilst improving the engine temp won't help the rest of the bay! Maybe it's not a problem, just anything excessively hot doesn't feel comfortable!

Has anyone ever had much success with reducing the residual heat in the VR6 engine bay, or given much thought to it short of cutting large holes in the bonnet? We all know it gets pretty hot under there, small bay/large engine etc, but after coming home the other day having just been driving around pretty slowly I popped the bonnet but could barely touch the bonnet stay it was so hot. Obviously having been going so slowly no airflow could build up and eject the hot air, but even so. I imagine they are designed for the temperatures but nevertheless all that heat can't be tremendously good for the components in there. Best I could really think of was wrapping the exhaust (odd thread in here on the subject), the aforementioned vents in the bonnet and stripping the sound proofing off. I even was thinking of some sort of cowling around the fan/radiator with a pipe running over the gearbox and venting under the car perhaps... I think it could be done, and if the piping is designed well may even improve airflow through the radiator! Anyone else given it any consideration? I'm sure no one really wants to go cutting up a perfectly good bonnet, but thought it might make a good discussion point!

Well this is it, yes the O-ring did remain in the block, it appeared that there was a groove inside the block into which the O-ring was fitted. But the thing is the replacement part has a flanged base with the o-ring in that was larger that the hole in the block so I didn't go any further - however I am wondering now that you say perhaps the retaining collar had come off the original part and was stuck in the block. I'll have another look, always difficult to see when wedged under the car in the dark and just an inspection light! (underground car park) I will have a look for the relay 109 as well, ta.

I finally got a chance to swap out the crank sensor at the weekend, only to find the new part (Not a Valeo one, they sent a Delphi thing) doesn't fit as below: Word of warning if anyone else is looking to buy one. The original part is the metal one below, new one is the cheap looking plastic one above. You can see at the base of the plastic one it widens and has an O-ring fitted - this won't fit in the hole in the crank case. The O-ring is located in hole and the sensor should be the same diameter all the way along. Very frustrating. Looking on the website quite a few of these sensors have the widened base, including the Hella one for £170! Something to look out for. Anyway, cleaned up the old one and put it back in, then drove around locally trying to replicate the fault. Engine got up to temp just going along below 30 mph for a good hour but no issue, ran fine... so not sure what to do now! Leave it and hope it was an odd one off?

Hi, are the fog light switches and rear window heater switch all in decent nick with the lights working? The bulbs in mine have gone and looks a faff to fix.

Went for the Valeo but still waiting for it to arrive, so haven't yet fully got to the bottom of things. In the meantime I've had a listen to the fuel pump and nothing sounded odd about it, and I have changed the fuel filter on the off chance using the wiki guide. Couple of things I found different to the wiki guide was that the bolts are17mm not 16mm, and it doesn't mention the metal clips holding the cage onto the bolts which were quite fiddly. Also the minimum size of fuel line clips is 14mm. I couldn't find 12-15mm, so ended up with a variety, 12-13, 13-14 and 15-17mm. The 15-17mm are too big and won't tighten, and the 12-13 won't go on.

I've not had a chance to poke about just yet, but have ordered a new fuel filter anyway as god knows if that's ever been changed and it's been on my mind anyway. The crankshaft sensor did sound a likely culprit, so I was going to swap that over anyway on the off chance, but it's no longer available from VW. (Just as well as they were charging over £100 for it!) I've found a few here: https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/crankshaft-sensor-15032/vw/corrado/corrado-53i/1755-2-9-vr6 But somewhat unsure what to go for. don't really want to be paying £160 for the top end Hella effort, but nor do I want some cheap junk that's worthless. Was thinking the Valeo might be ok, as I believe they provided some OEM parts, but was wondering if there were any recommendations from that list, or recognised sensors? Cheers.

Some good info there thanks. Will try and do some investigations this weekend. That pipe looks nasty, don't particularly want that getting in your fuel!

Had a bit of an odd moment on the M25 last Friday. Was in slow moving traffic when all of a sudden throttle became unresponsive and started stuttering. Pulled over to the left and it seemed to settle down and was ok just at a steady speed or slow revving. The traffic came to a stop and seemed likely to sit there a while so I switched off, but then it wouldn't restart. Kept turning over but not firing. Pushed it over to the hard shoulder and was waiting for 2 hours for assistance and on the off-chance tried again and the engine fired up and I got to the next services with the engine apparently running fine. Didn't want to risk the same again so got towed. Could this be fuel pump related or something else? (Didn't want to hijack the fuel pump thread down there!) That's my initial thought... temperature all seemed fine and normal, low 90s. Oil all fine. And how can I diagnose it as fuel pump definitively short of swapping it over and seeing if it happens again?

Another shout for the Hella. I got mine from a place in Plumstead, ABM motor factors. Unsure if they can send them on.

From memory I think it was slightly recessed as well. Bit odd, but I think it has had the odd bit of respray down the years (not well in some places) and maybe they left the strips on and sprayed around? I'm not sure how well that would polish out if it is recessed? I agree would look a lot better though, especially as I've sort of got half on and half on at the moment!

Been contemplating this for a while. The rear offside piece came off of it's own accord a while ago, which was handy but left the adhesive crap all over the place. I found that, not having much else to hand, cellulose thinner gets that stuff off in double quick time. Pretty well just dissolves it. Nothing I've used since seems to work as well... obviously have to clean it off the remaining paint sharpish, and it's pretty nasty stuff. Only thing I found when the strip was off was that there was an imprint of it in the paintwork under. I have had that panel resprayed when the sill was repaired, but I don't really want to get all the doors resprayed if the other strips have left a mark so have been reluctant to remove them.

Yeah, I've got some chord to the release mech through behind the grill so I can release the bonnet ok and that works, so I am not completely stuck thankfully. But yes, unfortunately I didn't have the trumpet located properly, there was still a bit of slack in the cable so it only opens one side. If I want the proper cable release to work I'll have to replace it. Only way I can think of is to very carefully drill out the grub nut. Looks like it would be an absolute pain though! VW Heritage do stainless trumpets I believe, looked at them when I bought the cable but thought changing them as well was unnecessary! Edit: Just seen you were looking for these as well recently, and they are still out of stock on VW Heritage. Did you ever find any others? Spoonfedtuning do them but for such a small part it seems extravagant to ship from the US...

Well, fitted a new bonnet release cable (and only after my emergency release cord snapped, so back under the car!) and just as I was tightening up the trumpet grip bolt head shears off! if it isn't one thing... I really should have got a new one at the same time, but thought it would be fine. I am now unsure whether it's set up ok to open the bonnet, or how I am going to remove the trumpet to fit a new one... Grrr. Very frustrating. Have had to leave the bonnet open whilst I rig up another temporary opening system. Anyone any ideas on how to remove the trumpet without destroying the cable?!

Thanks, in a way it is reassuring to know those pipes go first! My old radiator was a bit poor and it used to run quite hot for a while so that may have contributed to it. Sounds like it should be an easy fix then. Will have to see what hoses are available. Half tempted to drive home as it's not far and such a small leak... but probably a bit too much of a risk. Best not to mess with the cooling.

Seem to have developed a small coolant leak which appears to be coming from the upper coolant pipe that runs into the back of the engine block. Noticed a very minor bit of steam, barely even noticeable traced it to the back of the engine bay and the casing was very wet. Initially worried that the head gasket might be leaking, but then noticed the pipe above was wet and could see where it had run down so don't think it is that bad. Coolant levels were normal when I pulled over. You can see the green spring clip around the pipe is wet. Any one have any idea why it might be leaking here? I guess the pipe is just old rubber and no longer seals well. Is there anything else it might be? Seems like it should be easy enough to fit a new pipe to fix? Unfortunately I am away from home so going to have to get it towed though! :(

Thanks, I'll look him up.

Got it open in the end with a helpful assistant (gf) as suggested, so thanks for the advice! Required reaching up with a screwdriver to lever the release by the trumpet whilst they pushed down. Have now strapped a chord around it and fed past the radiator so have a temporary emergency release until I sort a new cable.

Second the hella rad. Have a look in my member thread for how it compares to cheaper ones. Much better quality!

I've done a couple of bits on mine using this colour matched paint: https://www.refinishsystems.com/products/aerosols/mixed-colours/colour-match-aerosols Which wasn't a bad match and had a pretty good finish. Cans also have a decent nozzle which provides a narrow, long spray that you have a bit more control over. Blending is going to be the trickiest bit and I didn't get it quite right... I was have metallic so I don't know if that made a difference, but I ended up with a slight "halo" effect right at the edge of the paint. I'm not exactly sure where I went wrong, all I can assume was that it was part using rattle cans so there was fine overspray outside the area I was spraying. It might be different with a solid colour, but I can't really offer any tips on blending other than practice! Other things... obviously don't mask off any areas of paint as you'll get an edge. Rub down a good surrounding area to remove clear coat for blending. Flatten your primer but I wouldn't flatter the colour coat, this is especially true with metallic colours as you start to pull out the metal flakes and end up with different shades. Solid colour might be ok, but I am still not sure I'd advise it. Clear coat can be applied soon after the colour coat. Also, make sure you get primer and clear coat from the same system. I've made the mistake of lacquer reacting with the paint before!