Blue 1993 Corrado VR6 in Yeovil, Somerset

[Cluffstarr 0]

Evening guys,

thanks for the comments. The car has been in the garage for two / three months really. I've had it out on occasion when I needed to work on my other car etc but it hasn't been for a drive at all bar the 4 miles long trip I did to the MOT guy this morning.

Dox - Thanks for that list, I will pass it on to my mechanic see what he thinks. It was just a short phonecall today and obviously closed now but he still has the car so I'll try and catch him in the morning and see where the other readings were but he said it was just the CO2 that he couldn't get low after three tries.

Cluffy

Edited June 14, 2017 by Cluffstarr

[Cluffstarr 0]

Well I got a pass finally :) The additive has done the trick! Car seemed to go quite a bit better and with the tracking now done it's quite joyous to drive! It makes a great noise, even without any trick exhaust so very pleased!

 

Next stop a good clean and a few drives out before considering whether to look in to a replacement exhaust first or have a look in to getting some bodywork sorted and alloys refurbed

[Cluffstarr 0]

Morning all,

I've been enjoying the use of the car for the last week or so. The way it drives is addictive, plus I'm loving revving the thing for the higher rpm noise! It's a standard suspension setup so a bit lofty but it's keen and soaks up bumps beautifully. I do need to look into this engine hesistancy/power issue though so plan on a bigish service - change the oil and filter, new fuel filter, clean the air filter and put in new spark plugs. I will also hopefully be fitting a good used cat back stainless steel exhaust I've been offered, becuase as I've mentioned before, the present one is very crusty and I'm sure there's a blow somewhere.

 

I have done a lot of reading on here and other VR6 specific forums about others with similar power issues and have the following list of things I want to change / investigate. If anyone can help with their feedback on my questions (or more potential things to look at) that would be great!

- Check for the difference in static running with and without the MAF, plus give it a clean

- Remove and clean the ISV (Is there an easy way to remove?)

- Change the HT leads. I would like some 8mm Magnecor ones but they are pricey. Has anyone bought/experience of Mr-Retro-Leads off eBay. Seems good value (too good to be true?)

- Test the cam position sensor - best method to do this? Can it be tested off the car with a multimeter?

- Remove and clean the Crank Position sensor as I read moisture around it had caused similar symptoms for one guy on vr6oc.

 

And er, think that's about it! I will be flushing the Gearbox Oil too. I see Redline MT90 is highly recommended on here...?

 

Look forward to any thoughts / comments / dos / don'ts you guys may have. I will be collecting the bits and pieces together over the coming couple of weeks and doing the work at the back end of July as want to do it all in one hit (I wont get the exhaust for a couple of weeks).

 

Cluffy

[Dox 23]

Get a full scan done, clear codes, then scan again after several journeys without fiddling with the car in between.

[Cluffstarr 0]

Get a full scan done, clear codes, then scan again after several journeys without fiddling with the car in between.

 

I had thought of this but perhaps glossed over it in my head after finding out how much VAGCOM was (not financially viable at the minute unless there is a 'Lite' version available?). Is it possible to check the codes with a generic reader? Mine is a 1993 car.

Thanks.

[Cluffstarr 0]

I had thought of this but perhaps glossed over it in my head after finding out how much VAGCOM was (not financially viable at the minute unless there is a 'Lite' version available?). Is it possible to check the codes with a generic reader? Mine is a 1993 car.

Thanks.

 

Sorry, was lazy when I posted that. After a little research I need to check under the gearstick gaitor and see what connectors I have and go from there I guess. Surely an investment for the future to buy a reader :)

[Dox 23]

VCDS is the way to go, bite the bullit, modern handheld readers won't tell you the full story in my experience, VCDS is far more detailed with its scans

[Tigerfish 10]

I've got vagcom/vcds but also have one of these that I leave in the car, not that funky, but reads the engine ecu fault codes no problem (vagcom will do all the other car ecu's as well if they support it), but is good enough in most cases.

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252413629143

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cluffstarr 0]

I've got vagcom/vcds but also have one of these that I leave in the car, not that funky, but reads the engine ecu fault codes no problem (vagcom will do all the other car ecu's as well if they support it), but is good enough in most cases.

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252413629143

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

Hi Pro, cheers for the link. Just confirming it reads the OBD1 codes? That looks pretty good value!

Edited June 21, 2017 by Cluffstarr

[Tigerfish 10]

Hi Pro, cheers for the link. Just confirming it reads the OBD1 codes? That looks pretty good value!

 

It does, my VR is obd1.

 

I can send mine to you if you wanted to try before you Buy (you'd have to send it back of course .... lol)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cluffstarr 0]

It does, my VR is obd1.

 

I can send mine to you if you wanted to try before you Buy (you'd have to send it back of course .... lol)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

That's a very kind offer. I guess you confirming it, I'll just buy one. By the time I've covered the postage it'll be a third of the way to having one anyway, but thanks kindly for the offer. I've just checked and mine is the (older?) two connectors (black + white, both two pin). Does your 2004 car have the same or is it the 16 pin?

[Tigerfish 10]

That's a very kind offer. I guess you confirming it, I'll just buy one. By the time I've covered the postage it'll be a third of the way to having one anyway, but thanks kindly for the offer. I've just checked and mine is the (older?) two connectors (black + white, both two pin). Does your 2004 car have the same or is it the 16 pin?

 

It has the 16 pin connector.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cluffstarr 0]

It has the 16 pin connector.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

Hmmm, need to keep searching for the right reader then, or at least a different cable to use with the VGATE

[Tigerfish 10]

Hmmm, need to keep searching for the right reader then, or at least a different cable to use with the VGATE

 

You can get the 16 pin to 2 plug converter cables, I've got one as I wanted to cover all bases. The comms/protocol is still the same.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cluffstarr 0]

Hmmm, need to keep searching for the right reader then, or at least a different cable to use with the VGATE

 

Well that wasn't hard - £2.51 for a conversion cable from cartool.co.uk!

[Cluffstarr 0]

Afternoon All,

 

I took the opportunity to remove the front bumper this morning as it wasn't well aligned, plus I want to remove and clean the crank sensor area as it's a bit grubby down there and want to eliminate that from the drive issues I'm having. It turns out I should've haggled a few quid more off the car when I bought as I found what I have in the attached pictures (apologies - photobucket is playing up for me today and I cant see any library images to paste into this post)...

 

I looks like the car's been in a lowish speed bump by a previous owner. They've replaced just the plastic outer bumper part and left the wonky metal bumper support panel that holds the fogs/indicators. Which, I guess is why it was not level on the front of the car. The chassis legs etc seem straight, but I'll also need to sort the piece in the middle of the front that braces the upper/lower parts as that's been dented in towards the rad.... Very frustrating! Ideally I will remove the whole front crossmember metal section and get it cleaned up along with the replacement panel for the bumper and the splitter support. Has anyone done this? Is more effort that it's worth and I should just try my best with it in situ?

 

I should also ask before I buy something - does anyone know if VW changed the design for the bumper iron bar that I need from the early cars to the last ones?

 

Many thanks in advance from a p1ssed off Cluffy! Early beer today!!

Edited July 1, 2017 by Cluffstarr

[Cluffstarr 0]

Evening all,

 

No one can help? I'm pretty sure a chunk of front end needs to come off to remove the metal work in front of the rad. I think I'm going to do a temporary tidy up job as I need to use the car in a few days so wont be able to take it apart as much as necessary to get the whole front end off and powder coated/blasted...

Ordered a replacement bumper iron reinforcement piece so hoping this will square up the bumper when refitted

Kieran

[fla 9]

Its not too hard. Remove indicators(unclip), remove rad grill cover, disconnect headlights and remove,undo front bumper bolts (17mm iirc) 2 each side. Keep a sheet or something similar in front as its a bit heavvier therr. Slide out from the side carriers. Remove the (12?) bolts securing the slam panel. Undo the bonnet release trumpet (mark its position on the bowden cable) remove and plug the power steering pipe at the bottom of the slam panel. Remove the slam panel. Shouldn't take more than an hour and half to remove. You might want to remove the rust and repaint the slam panel while you're there.

[Cluffstarr 0]

Its not too hard. Remove indicators(unclip), remove rad grill cover, disconnect headlights and remove,undo front bumper bolts (17mm iirc) 2 each side. Keep a sheet or something similar in front as its a bit heavvier therr. Slide out from the side carriers. Remove the (12?) bolts securing the slam panel. Undo the bonnet release trumpet (mark its position on the bowden cable) remove and plug the power steering pipe at the bottom of the slam panel. Remove the slam panel. Shouldn't take more than an hour and half to remove. You might want to remove the rust and repaint the slam panel while you're there.

 

Hi,

 

thanks for the feedback - when you do this, the engine will need supporting at the front I assume? What would you recommend to use to plug the power steering pipe (I'm expecting this to **** fluid everywhere...!)

 

Cheers again,

Cluffy

[oneohtwo 8]

It's often recommended that you support the engine when taking the bumper off as the cross member is just held by the two bolts inbetween the bumper bolts - they look a bit small in comparison to the bumper ones but they're only in tension so my feeling is it's fine without and you'd think VW would design them to hold it... but you never know so I usually prop something under the sump.

 

If you're removing the cross member as well, then yeah, engine needs supporting. If you just want to clean the rust up on the cross member a bit I'd probably do that in-situ. The central vertical bit that is dented is part of the slam panel and comes off easily as Fla says. I am not sure about unplugging the power steering pipe as I've never had to do this when removing the slam panel and it sounds extra hassle - unless Fla meant if you take the cross member off as well.

[robrado974 1]

If you remove the power steering pipes , just let the fluid drain into a bowl .

[Cluffstarr 0]

If you remove the power steering pipes , just let the fluid drain into a bowl .

 

It's often recommended that you support the engine when taking the bumper off as the cross member is just held by the two bolts inbetween the bumper bolts - they look a bit small in comparison to the bumper ones but they're only in tension so my feeling is it's fine without and you'd think VW would design them to hold it... but you never know so I usually prop something under the sump.

 

If you're removing the cross member as well, then yeah, engine needs supporting. If you just want to clean the rust up on the cross member a bit I'd probably do that in-situ. The central vertical bit that is dented is part of the slam panel and comes off easily as Fla says. I am not sure about unplugging the power steering pipe as I've never had to do this when removing the slam panel and it sounds extra hassle - unless Fla meant if you take the cross member off as well.

 

Now it becomes clear. So to fix, I basically need to remove the front end of the car with the engine supported and drain the power steering. I think I will be leaving this whole job until winter when the car is tucked up in the garage! But thanks for the patient explanations of everything - I now see how the damaged part is part of the upper scuttle panel which is bolted down below.

I will do a clean-up of the rusty area for now, cleaning off the rust and getting some primer and stonechip on there before removing it all over the winter and getting it sorted properly. In the mean time I will keep an eye out / email breakers for a replacement good condition slam panel including the lower part. Anyone know of one / have one?

 

Cheers in advance,

Cluffy

[Cluffstarr 0]

After hunting around, there appear to be a few slam panels on EBay, but seems there are different types based on the car spec or age? The horns on my car are in front of the passenger front wheel, where as on some I've seen they're in the middle, behind where the grille sits?

Any advice going forward would be much appreciated as I don't want to have to extensively modify the car!

Cluffy

[Cluffstarr 0]

After hunting around, there appear to be a few slam panels on EBay, but seems there are different types based on the car spec or age? The horns on my car are in front of the passenger front wheel, where as on some I've seen they're in the middle, behind where the grille sits?

Any advice going forward would be much appreciated as I don't want to have to extensively modify the car!

Cluffy

 

OK, further reading suggests I just need to be sure to get a VR6 Slam panel...

[Cluffstarr 0]

Afternoon All,

 

Well I really need some help now... I've built up the bumper with the replacement iron back on and the two connecting irons. However, now when I offer up the bumper to the car, irons seems to be too close together to fit into the two slots either side of the rad?? I've measured the openings on the car are 94cm apart, whereas the connecting irons are just 90cm at their closest points??!!

The thing is, I measured up the old battered iron that I've replaced, and all the measurements still pretty much line up and the slots on the car all seem straight / without damage...

 

If someone has their bumper off their car, would the be able to measure the distance between the slots at the nearest point and also the same for the connecting irons?

 

Cant think what could be wrong.

Many thanks in advance for any help someone could pass on to me.

 

Cluffy