Bs6VR6

Bloody hell, been a while since the last update. Anyway, had to take the old girl in for her second MOT, and low and behold a week before the drivers door handle decides to retire. Anyway, with some faffing and help from Dave16v and a working handle fitted she was left in the hands of the garage. 3 hours later got the call and she flew through, only one advisory for a small oil leek around sump plug.( I told them I had done an oil change 20mins before I dropped her off so was decided it was just a bit of residule from that) 3,300miles since she was all bolted back together and bar the whole wheel/M4 incident has been wonderfully reliable. Just need to get the VVT sorted and then think about paint, but yeah all good to be fair. I'll put some pics up next couple of days as the new front seats have been fitted and the interior is looking rather swish. Such a fun car, do love the Corrado. Max,

Just out of interest is this spoiler still for sale? Cheers Max

Just to say as I already have a door repair kit I'm also interested in a broken drivers handle as long as it is only the striker that has snapped. Cheers

Sod's law the handle breaks the week the MOT is due bought repair kit but alas it is another part that has snapped so in need of a drivers door handle pretty much yesterday, thanks in advance, Max,

Thanks for the replies guys, have got most of it sorted now. Any other bits I need I'll post up. Thanks again. Max

Hey, After moving house and other financial drains I'm finally looking to get he car finished this year, few bits I require, hoping you helpful lot may be able to facilitate. Passenger wing, late spec, will be rolling lips and painting but as rust free as possible would be nice. Parcel shelf strap, one of mine has split at the top. Grommet for door popper. Rear vw badge and corrado badge. Handbrake cover, not the bit you hold the bit that sits behind the handle and always pops up when you disengage the handbrake😉 Headlight switch, mines broke and taken all the dash illumination with it. Cash waiting, thanks guys. Max,

Have to second the replacing it suggestion mate. Had exactly the same issue with mine, all was working fine, went to refit it a year later and a catalogue of issues trying to bleed it, first replaced the slave and still crap pedal, like yours soft and not returning correctly. Eventually bought a Delphi model off eBay, not the most expensive but certainly not the cheapest. Had the correct white plastic clip, so no need to replace pedal, bled it and bingo, perfect pedal straight away. Really not a hard job to replace. I would also do the feed line as well just to be sure. It's peace of mind, and you won't have to look at the system for years then. Mines been perfect since. Cheers

I spoke too soon, thinking I got away with just a new driveshaft. Having noticed a very slight oil leak after getting the car home I decided to investigate yesterday and she was tight and leak free before the incident. It appears that during its travels to the garage and back they've somehow managed to dink the sump and being an alloy number a small crack has appeared. This is now allowing oil to weep out once warm. It's not leaking when cold so must need the pressure and thinner oil to occur. Not a happy bunny. Question, as Volkswagen want £250 for a new one what are my options, can it be welded? Will metal filler be sufficient? There is no hole, just a very small hairline crack. I know there lighter but why would VW do away with the steel ones on the original vr6 my old one was battered to hell and never failed me once. Any advice would be great guys. Cheers, Max,

Right, quick update. Picked the car up this afternoon. The only damage was a few splines were shagged during transit onto and off the recovery truck. So garage fitted new driveshaft complete with new inner and outer cv joints. Only charged me cost for the part, no labour and didn't charge me for recovery from mine to garage so in total £148. I had to pay a £45 surchage as my old driveshaft was damaged. Car feels superb. No noises and that slight vagueness at high speeds has disappeared. Brilliant outcome considering, and if I'd had my wits about me and had tucked the driveshaft out the way probably would of been no damage at all. Considering what the other outcomes could of been I consider myself incredibly lucky. Lesson learnt. Got to give a shout out to Brunel tires in bristol. Been great throughout and were more than fair with sorting the issue considering the issue was ultimately from my installation. Hopefully back to enjoying the motor that apart from this episode has been completely reliable and wonderfully entertaining. Onwards and upwards indeed. Max,

Hi there, sorry for the slow reply, only just seen your post. 07917 697262 the guys name is Richard, really nice bloke. Give him a tinkle and he'll sort you out. Just as an update, I've had no issue whatsoever with the set I bought after nearly 800miles. Well made, good quality and great customer service. Cheers, Max

Could this of been part of the problem then? I've just checked on partsbase as you had me worrying but the vr6 has the plate with three captive nuts and it does indeed go on top with the bolts coming up from below. The garage who did the tracking also commented on this but I'm 100% sure he bolts come from below. The wishbone has if I remember two little tags to locate the plate in. Regarding which bolt to do first, all I can say is just triple check all three bolts are located through the relevant holes in the lower balljoint. I was sure it was right, and three garages didn't spot it, so clearly it can be put together in such a way it appears correct but is in effect only pinching the balljoint in place. Thanks for the support guys, I know mistakes can happen but it is still embarrassing to have done it and scary to think how bad the consequences could be. Both me and the car have had a very lucky escape.

With a bit more time to think about it I have this horrendous realisation that the issue was with our installation of the lower balljoint. They would of possibly had to loosen the bolts to do adjustments, but ultimately responsibility has to lie with me as I fitted the components. Really sucks to think of the damage it could of caused, and I'm more than a little embarrassed I could of made such a stupid mistake. Having reassemble the wheel since the incident I'm not even sure how I could of installed it incorrectly as its such a simple part but I clearly did. Although the fact that it wasn't picked up by either the tracking place or the two subsequent garages that did the MOT's is worrying. I'd of thought if it was installed wrong then this error would of shown itself in the numbers during the tracking. But alas it wasn't. Still racking my brain as to how it wasn't spotted and lasted 800miles with no noise, weird steering feel. As much fun as playing with cars is, it's really brought it home how meticulous you have to be, and how severe the penalties for complacency can be. Max,

Cars now at the tracking place so will see what they say. They haven't charged me to recover the car back to them, so at present they are at least being agreeable. See what they have to say now. Once back together it didn't appear to have any damage to anything bad the outer cv and wing. If that's all that's been broke I will consider it a very good outcome considering what could of happened.

There arranging a tow truck to collect the car and take it in. I cannot get my head round how it even happened though. The two bolts were still in and tight. No damage to any of the holes in the lower ball joint. Passed 2 MOT's with no mention of any issues from front suspension. And I've done nearly 800miles with no issue. No noises bar the dust shield and no funny feeling suspension. Handled beautifully. I'm just baffled. Wheel is back on now anyway and apart from outer cv and wing doesn't appear to be any damage to anything else. Still feel very shaken up. To be fair Its kinda the last straw really. Thinking I'm gunna get this all fixed and then put her up for sale. Ive got too much going on at the moment to be throwing endless money at the car. Will be a total bargain to someone as the amount of work and parts bought is huge. See how I feel once it's fixed I guess but can't even stand to look at it at the moment. Max,

Guys it makes me feel a bit sick to think about it, I've driven to Devon and silverston prior to this and it could of gone at any time. I consider myself incredibly lucky it went when it did. It could of been so much worse, I don't even want to think about it.

Hi, all components were new or bought within 6 months, all 3 of the 13mm bolts, the top plate, balljoint everything. It was a complete set up. They did everything, as it was all put together new and I had no way of setting it up in the garage. I had to farm out the setting up, So a complete geometry set up from scratch apparently to original VW spec. But I remember at the time they didn't charge me full whack as they were unable to get all aspects as per the spec they had on computer. They blamed it on the fact it was lowered. Now the adrenaline and shock have worn off I'm fuming,left with a potentially massive repair bill, endangered all three of us plus whoever else was on the motorway, and logically the only conclusion I can come up with is that the balljoint was not correctly bolted and effect my only sandwiched between the wishbone, lethally dangerous!! I've done nearly 800miles since the tracking so this could of gone at any time at any speed. Shudder to think! Cheers Chris, appreciate the sympathy, just raging now but want to ensure I have them bang to rights befor I call!

Well, had an interesting Friday night. On our way to hot-rod hayride yesterday, M4 is heavy and the rain is lashing down. Traffic ahead is slowing and eventually stops. I go to pull away and feel a horrendous clunk from the front left, can tell straight away something catastrophic has happened. Get out and passenger wheel is hanging off lodged under the arch. Driveshaft hanging there. Thankfully two guys in a pickup managed to pull the stricken car from he middle lane and onto the hard shoulder. 3 hour wait in horizontal rain to be collected. Reason? It appears the lower balljoint had not been correctly attached. Of the three bolts that hold it to the wishbone the front was missing. But here is the strange thing the other two were still in place? Also no damage to the balljoint? Only had the tracking done 4 weeks ago, my only idea is the idiots didn't have the balljoint correctly inserted into the wishbone and as a result it was effectively only being pinched in there by the prong at the front. Where the hell do I stand as it's made a right mess of the front left corner, wings screwed. Not sure about track rod. But cv joint is now knackered. But more importantly if this had happened at speed we could all be dead. I'm fuming but want to know where I stand before I call them. Anyone offer any insight. I'll try and upload a picture shortly. Max,

Quick update, I've read in a couple of places now that on the 312 upgrade you need to remove the dust shields, is this correct? That would explain the scraping noise?

Right. After driving the motor to silverston at the weekend a few issues have come to light and I was wondering if anyone could shed any light on it. Few details. During the MOT the tester noted that as he was on full lock (left) he felt something bind. Checked everything and could find no movement or play in anything and all components are brand new so he stated it could be a power steering fault. Had the same issue myself turning round in the garage, at full lock right, no issue, at full lock left something binds. Got out the car and could see nothing catching on anything so a little stumped. It does feel like there is more lock to the left than the right, is it possible to have put the column back in such a way that it is uneven and allowing me to over turn the rack to the left? Secondly there is a slight scraping noise coming from the front passenger wheel, it is rotational, applying brakes don't affect it but it is speed related, I was thinking dust shields but tried bending them back and no difference. I do have a slight vibration under light braking so is it possible it's a slightly warped disk? They were not new as I bought the whole 312 setup off a member. But are standard Audi disks and looked mint? Finally, a slight vagueness or lightness to the steering at high speed? Also snatches a bit over potholes, related at all? I have had the tracking done and as stated replaced all the parts I could, what would this normally mean, is it something I've done on reassembly? Bit gutted to be fair as I had anticipated the handling and brakes to be factory fresh after replacing so many items. What have I overlooked?? Thanks guys, apologies for the long lost Max,

Right then, basically she flopped the MOT, we were literally screwing the front lights back on at 3:10 and the MOT was half past. All to try and make it to volksfest, but alas it wasn't to be. too little time and a frazzled brain meant it failed on a multitude of stupid stuff, such as fusebox not correctly restrained horn not working, no washer fluid and missing passenger seat belt buckle(it didn't have a passenger seat in it at the time so thought that a little harsh!) but on the plus side its all problems that can be remedied in an afternoon. it failed slightly on the emissions as well but Ill get JPR tuning to just lean it back a bit and then save it as an MOT map and then go for a pure performance one once the issues with the VVT are sorted, which is nice. few pics of the build again, tinkering and such, oh and also a pic of the rear bench as i'm not sure I posted it before. The bottom two photos were taken at Ramp it up which is a rent a ramp place in Hallen near Avonmouth in Bristol. I used to ride mountain bikes years ago with one of the blokes that run it and there a sound bunch. Used it to do a gearbox oil change and service on the old mans golf, will always go back for any jobs now, made everything wonderfully easy. Rates are good as well. Anyway, getting her out the garage was fun and involved removing two of the wooden panels part of the stud work, right pain in the ass and involved probably a 30 point turn in the process, however this did reveal a complete lack of any weird knocks clunks or groans so that was a good start. Then had to load the thing onto the trailor, managed to borrow one from the store man at work who goes racing himself, the car only just fitted width wise. Tracking was funny, when I told the bloke wed eyed it all in, in a dark garage I think he thought I was joking, Ill post the before and after pics, they all seemed to find it highly amusing. Then to the rolling road it went. I had always assumed I would love the experience of having the car mapped, pushed on the rollers hearing it scream and all that but the actual experience is horrendous. Hearing 2 years of work and countless bolts and jubilee clips roaring at 5 and a half k two feet from your head is a very unsettling experiance, I was actually in the car when the Maocal cap decided to give me a massive fluck off and part company. My fault, It was a second hand kit in in my ignorance hadn't questioned the length of the internal tube. Basically it was too short so when tightened it only had about 3 threads holding it on. At 3k just building up the revs the whole car jolted to the left so I immediately put it in neutral and hit the brakes and then noticed the oil. the oil EVERYWHERE. all over the bay, all over the rollers down inside the rollers. Bout an hour and 5 litres of brake clutch cleaner later... Basically there was bout 3 litres of oil left in the sump, no metal bits and car has now been mapped and no weird noises and John and Jim who do the mapping seemed pretty happy with how it performed. At one stage they had to put extra cooling into the rolling road as it was getting a bit hot when the car was pulling hard in 4th so I was happy with that :thumbleft: The video is crap, it was just taken when they were doing some initial setting up. During the harder final runs I was tasked with holding a little laser thermometer thing pointed at a core plug on the block and had to gesticulate wildly should the temp hit 100deg. Gimme a week and ill sort the bodywork get all the bits finished for the MOT and ill take a couple more photos once seats are in etc. Let me know what you think. Cheers, Max

Well, well, well. There appears to be another 3.2 24v corrado alive and kicking in the south west. Full update coming tomorrow with pics and vids. Failed the MOT on a number of small stuff that, to be honest I just overlooked in the rush to get her finished. Things I learnt today: The length of the hollow tube on mocal oil coolers is critical to oil staying in the engine. Rolling roads are quite scary Budget tires and large v6 engines are a bad combination. Seeing the bloke who just mapped your car doing a massive smokey burnout in your car is a rather conflicting sight, emotion wise. Proper update tomorrow. Suffice to say she is alive and well. Max.

Thanks everyone. Sorry for the delay manic few days getting the car to the tuners. Pm's have been sent. Cheers, Max,