Jim's Corrado - ciao to the Fiat! Hello to.. (P64)

[Jim 1]

Leads came today and look to be pretty decent quality. Only problem is I can't see how lead number four will come apart to fit the sensor. Sigh.

 

Will have a proper look tomorrow.

[pete_griff 0]

hey Jim, sorry to hear of your troubles.

 

hope you're more or less happy with the VR as it stands now though...

 

glad to hear the valver is still getting the love too at the same time as the VR, hope you manage to get the leads problem sorted alright...

 

by the way, i'm going to be getting Dave and Graham to remap the M5 for me when i get back, so oyu'll have to take it out for another spin then; it goes better already since i've sorted all the running eqpt/injectors etc etc :norty:

 

some more pics of both of your cars would be nice at some point if you get the chance... :D

[Jim 1]

by the way, i'm going to be getting Dave and Graham to remap the M5 for me when i get back, so oyu'll have to take it out for another spin then

 

Oh.. well... if you insist mate ;)

 

some more pics of both of your cars would be nice at some point if you get the chance...

 

For some reason I've not got around to getting both cars moved and photographed together - I will make it a priority if we actually get a fine / dry spell over the next few weeks! :)

[Jim 1]

Well the cheap leads are, well, cheap. The spark plug ends are actually quite soft / flexible and don't sit in the holes like the BERU ones used to. But they seem to work OK. Had to give the car an hour on the trickle charger as it was properly flat but started and ran fine first time. Took it for a spin and it seemed fine..

 

So the problem of what to do with the damn ignition reference sensor rears its head again. I'm debating just ordering lead #4 from VW tbh... I don't care if the leads are mismatched as long as they fracking work and at least it means it should be correct.

 

Tempted to email the company who made the leads to have a grumble about there being no way to put the sensor onto lead 4.

[James. 7]

No problem :)

 

In my opinion it's that sort of idea "not OE but how OE should have been" sort of height.. bit of clearance in the arches, not gonna scrape anywhere, etc.

 

The springs are just yellow KW ones which lower 40mm. I think they only do one set TBH - like these:

 

http://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/kw-60mm ... 8c9fa3a5e4

 

Cheers Jim. I'm right with you on the OE comment.

 

Thanks also for the link to the springs. Be nice to have a ride in Vr with this set up first, but I'm sure you'll let me know if it's poor.

 

Look forward to seeing the stance pic :D

[ben_wooduk 0]

Well the cheap leads are, well, cheap. The spark plug ends are actually quite soft / flexible and don't sit in the holes like the BERU ones used to. But they seem to work OK. Had to give the car an hour on the trickle charger as it was properly flat but started and ran fine first time. Took it for a spin and it seemed fine..

 

So the problem of what to do with the damn ignition reference sensor rears its head again. I'm debating just ordering lead #4 from VW tbh... I don't care if the leads are mismatched as long as they fracking work and at least it means it should be correct.

 

Tempted to email the company who made the leads to have a grumble about there being no way to put the sensor onto lead 4.

 

Mmm, that's a shame.

 

Do you know if the golf or any of the other cars these leads were comparable with have the sensor?

 

Seems stange that the leads are made for this car, yet they don't actually do what they are supposed to. :cuckoo:

[Jim 1]

I emailed the company regarding lead 4. They were very helpful actually!

 

They offered two solutions.. 1 was for me to send them the sensor and they'd build up a lead from scratch for me, and fit the sensor. Or offered me a discount on their higher quality lead set if I returned the old ones.. the higher quality lead set can apparently be unscrewed so that I can fit the sensor on.

 

Pleased with that so opted for the nicer quality set :)

[Jim 1]

Put a post up about ignition leads now specifically...

 

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=97722

[Jim 1]

New leads on and also decided to take the plunge on a new reference sensor at £52 (ouch) but all fitted now. Haven't taken it out for a run yet - but seems to start, idle and rev freely enough! :)

 

The reference sensor was a bitch to get over the electrical connector on the end of the lead, once I'd removed the end cap. However a little bit of remoulding with a pair of pliers got it to a more suitable shape and the sensor went on ok.

 

Also fitted my fixed height column cowling (thanks Tekara!!) - car just needs a real good clean and polish now as it's looking a bit fade-tastic :(

[Abdul 0]

Also fitted my fixed height column cowling (thanks Tekara!!) - car just needs a real good clean and polish now as it's looking a bit fade-tastic :(

 

Hey Jim, whats the deal with the fixed height column? Does it actually make any difference to the drive... Oh and get pics up!

 

EDIT: I just read back a few pages, forget the questions about the column but do get some pics up.

[Jim 1]

Pics up of what specifically mate? :) To be fair I've been thinking I REALLY need to wipe the thread and start over with fresh info and specs for both cars!

 

And yes the column does really help.. :)

[Abdul 0]

Pics up of what specifically mate? :) To be fair I've been thinking I REALLY need to wipe the thread and start over with fresh info and specs for both cars!

 

And yes the column does really help.. :)

 

The fresh start sounds good, i'd like to know the spec of your VR, but 31 pages is a lot to go through :lol:

 

Just some general pics of both the valver and vr, ive gone back 5 pages and not seen any pics of em!!

[Jim 1]

Yeah - well overdue. Been having my butt kicked with work over the last few months and my general mojo has been a bit low! Really wanna get both cars dragged out and a few pictures of em :) Will try and sort something this weekend.

 

There isn't anything particularly special about either of my cars. They're both lightly modified, neither is show worthy or anything like that but I just like keeping this up to date for my own records and just cause I figure people are usually interested in other peoples Corrado's even if they're only doing trivial stuff like HT leads, etc :)

[Jim 1]

Quick updates. Change in my personal circumstances have necessitated some changes. The poor old red Corrado has been garaged, battery disconnected, the MOT just expired and I need to SORN it. Not sure when I'm going to find the love to get it dragged out and sorted out.. :(

 

The VR is my daily but I recently moved house and am not doing as many miles. A few months ago I noticed that there was some whining / chirruping coming from the aux belt side. After a bit of questioning on here I came to the decision it was the aux belt tensioner pulley bearing so I ordered the bearing, bought a vice (!), and following the various guides changed it. No improvement. I then changed the belt itself.. no improvement. When the belt was off I span the alternator pulley (fine), water pump (fine) and then the PAS pump.. hm... seemed to resist a bit more than I expected.

 

Fortunately a very good condition / low mileage one showed up on eBay about a month ago so I bid on / won it and got it posted. The pump hadn't been getting any louder and I kept putting it off.. unfortunately as I said, my circumstances changed (having to move house) and around then the pump started to make some terrible noises.. it kept running and steering seemed OK (got me through my house move) but the noise was like the sound of grinding with a pestle and mortar! Clearly very ill.

 

So this weekend I managed to book 2cc in for a visit and we dutifully set about swapping the pump. One of those rare Corrado jobs where everything just did as it should.. all the bolts came out, the pump came out without a fight, and the new one went back in as it should. A bit of hand priming, then some turning lock to lock and it's absolutely sweet.. no horrid noises. Total cost about £40... £30 for the 2nd hand pump and a tenner or so for some PAS fluid. Superb :)

 

It's hard to describe quite how screwed the old one is.. you almost can't turn it by hand, it's that seized. And when you do turn it, you can get about a quarter of a turn before it jams again.. it's utterly boned!

 

Going forward.. going to let my hammered finances settle over the next few months and then go and see the poor old red car and try get it back on the road again. The VR will need to remain my dependable motor for the time being and sadly I think being a much needed daily and "show" car is generally incompatible.. it all sucks royally. I hope to get back into the more enthusiast side of things as life settles down again!

[joby 0]

moving house is always an expensive time and everyone seems to be feeling the pinch at the moment, at least you sorted the VR jim, sick of mine being on sorn but just can`t justify or afford 3 vehicles on the road..

[lauraJ 0]

That's a shame jim about the valver. But I think you need to have deep pockets to keep to corrados on the road, house moves don't help do they! Lol

 

I hope you find the love/money to get your valver back on the road!

 

I sold Geoff on monday, first person who saw it bought him. I didn't expect it to go so quickly! Lol odd not having a corrado. So that's one less corrado in ken!

[CazzaVR 0]

Brilliant that the pump change went so smoothly- as you say, quite a rarity on a Rado! :lol: Shame about the valver... you're gonna have a difficult decision to make...

[Jim 1]

I know I keep flip-flopping around, but it needs MOT'ing and taxing and just getting sold. The VR now really needs to become my weekend car, and I need a wreck (or something new and comfortable) to tank around in. I'll just need to knuckle down and get it sorted and accept the 16v isn't going to fetch me a lot of money. As much as it'd pain me, I'd even encourage someone to buy it to break it as theres some good bits on it and they'd easily make their money back. (Koni shocks, subwoofer, ARB's, trimsport strut brace, virbratechnics engine mount, borbet C's, 280mm brakes, goodridge hoses, very new injectors, etc...) Interested Andy? :D

[Yandards 0]

I know I keep flip-flopping around, but it needs MOT'ing and taxing and just getting sold. The VR now really needs to become my weekend car, and I need a wreck (or something new and comfortable) to tank around in. I'll just need to knuckle down and get it sorted and accept the 16v isn't going to fetch me a lot of money. As much as it'd pain me, I'd even encourage someone to buy it to break it as theres some good bits on it and they'd easily make their money back. (Koni shocks, subwoofer, ARB's, trimsport strut brace, virbratechnics engine mount, borbet C's, 280mm brakes, goodridge hoses, very new injectors, etc...) Interested Andy? :D

 

Don't do it!

 

Seriously Jim the bodywork on that car is pretty good when cleaned of bird poo and aside from a steering rack that needs replacing is a solid car, given the current lack of decent cars on the road it would be a shame to break up another one despite it being worth more in parts.

[Supercharged 2]

Why not just use the red one as a daily - maybe fit standard springs back on it for comfort!

 

Should be reliable really - had so much done to it that car that regardless of mileage it should be good as a daily

[Jim 1]

I just don't want to run it into the ground as a daily. And I want something newer and more comfortable. Bored of the rattles, bored of the quirks. I want to try and get a separation between the Corrado as my hobby and a daily hack. The Corrado is no longer special when I use it every day and is therefore being neglected.

[Portent 0]

I agree Jim. Although I've not had mine long I can see I would not want it as my only car. It feels special and even just starting it feels an occasion. But equally it makes me appreciate my 4mo. I get back in that and realise how smooth, quiet, refined and effortless newer cars are.I think corrados are definitely best as occasional second cars.

[OSV 0]

You are bang on the money with that statement Jim. Get a sensible daily and enjoy one Corrado as a weekend car. Sell or part out the red car either way you've got to make an emotional detachment and do whats clearly right for you.

[CazzaVR 0]

I agree too. Would be a huge shame if it ended up getting broken though- way too good for that. Trouble is, as we all know, cheaper Corrados are worth more in parts :(

[daves16v 1]

Exactly what happened to me Jim, lost the love for the VR when I used it as a daily. Now I have the daily TDi Passat the VR is getting some attention and hopefully will be back on the road in about 2 weeks but ONLY as a 'hobby' car.

 

I'd let the 16v go and buy a small diesel as a daily.