Twilight Violet VR6

[_Matt_ 26]

I think the best solution is to buy a scissor lift 🤔...

Will have one more bash and will drive it tomorrow. MOT runs out on Sunday so it is now or never for a test.

[daves16v 1]

Great job and thanks for posting up your experiences, I'm about to swapout the rear beam and the Koni kit. Not looking forward to bleeding the brakes though.

Keep us updated.

[fendervg 30]

Get a Sealey pressure bleeder that has the pump in the reservoir - never had any issues - and make sure that you bleed the ABS pump, clutch slave and master and the brake master in order, finishing at the brake master, after doing the callipers and alternating n/s and o/s. The idea is that you gradually work your way towards the highest point in the system.

To be honest, none of these older cars have a great pedal feel anyway, because the mechanical advantage is just not there at the servo. Vacuum leaks and weeping seals in the pistons don’t help much either.

[_Matt_ 26]

All good been for a drive and stamped on the pedal to kick in abs and no problems. Tbh I think this was a mixture of me not remembering what 30 year old brakes feel like and the nerves of driving a car you've just put back together on the road.

I have a sealey pressure bleeder and my wife pumping the pedal did wonders, lots of air came out with that process vs just using the pressure bleeder alone. I have done the master cylinder, abs and clutch also.

I also paint marked all the bolts after torqued which gives peace of mind no bolts have moved!

Will drive it about a bit more today and tomorrow and get an mot next week (runs out tomorrow!).

The rear beam job was not too bad Dave, I could have done it quicker if I hadn't procrastinated so much!! If you need any help please do shout! I have my order history from autodoc etc to help with parts and Bently for torque specs.

Oh and lastly the koni and h&r is superb. I had thr b12 last time l and swapped the eibach for h&r which improved things but the koni shock feels smoother than the bilstein. I have set the damping in the middle of the turns, 2 full turns I believe.

 

 

[_Matt_ 26]

Another great piece of kit is one of these camber tools. I have set the fronts to 1.2 degrees so should get away with a tracking job at the mot garage to straighten the wheel.

Way off in the picture. I picked it up second hand for £40, already had the spirit level.

I have bought some kit to do a string alignment but can't be bothered this time around. 

[_Matt_ 26]

Decided to go ahead and change the fuel pump today. My car had a pierburg pump and I have changed to a VDO pump and sender.

Warm start issue of longer cranks still not resolved. I removed the one way valve on installing new pump so perhaps will put it back in.

Car drives well, done 15 miles on it since works.

 

 

[fendervg 30]

My bet is on the cam/hall sender, unless it’s already been replaced.

[_Matt_ 26]

It hasn't on this one, may as well throw one on. Not a lot else to change now. I have the one from my old car here, though still a 30 year old part.

Edit to add it seems the part no 021 907 601A is obsolete everywhere.

VCDS doesn't show any fault codes whether warm or cold also.  

[_Matt_ 26]

Andrew from AVS spares gave a good tip re the Cam sensor - he said 06A905161A is physically the same and easy to get but has an oval type connector. He had the smart idea to make up a loom to convert from Corrado to the newer bubble type connector.

I'm not sure this is my actual issue but thought to share for anyone else reading and looking for solutions for this part. 

I haven't replaced the 167 or the ECU relay yet, hadn't thought about them until today.

[fendervg 30]

1 hour ago, _Matt_ said:

Andrew from AVS spares gave a good tip re the Cam sensor - he said 06A905161A is physically the same and easy to get but has an oval type connector. He had the smart idea to make up a loom to convert from Corrado to the newer bubble type connector.

I'm not sure this is my actual issue but thought to share for anyone else reading and looking for solutions for this part. 

I haven't replaced the 167 or the ECU relay yet, hadn't thought about them until today.

that's a good idea - I've only kept mentioning it because that is what seemed to sort my warm start problems after replacing and checking nearly everything else. The non-return valve and a new FPR fixed the cold start long cranks.

I don't think the relays would be the cause - they'd either work or not, or give you lots of other problems, but they are cheap, so no harm in replacing.

[_Matt_ 26]

OK I'll give the making a loom a bash and will buy the alternative cam sensor. I will put my used spare one in for now also but can't be sure that part is any good.

Will also put the one way valve in and do the FPR as have a new Bosch one sitting here. This could also be a mixture of things I suppose, couple of weaknesses bringing the system down.

Cam sensor must get pretty beat with heat. I have come across a guide to test with a multimeter and will compare results of both my sensors whislt I await figuring out how to do the loom

[Cressa 44]

Just to add to the cam sensor idea, it may be the solution.  I had changed my pump and one way valve, yet the car was still SORN so I was only warming it up running in the garage. After this I had an issue with fumes from the back of the engine and the little rectangular box went BOOM. I changed my Cam sensor and the coil pack which got it running fine again. Now on the road it has no issues. So one of those things solved my issue. 

Good luck with it, you will sort it 👍 

[_Matt_ 26]

I have found one in Europe on ebay and taken a 5% discount but had a rogering of 30Euro to have it posted. Given you've both had possible success, it's obsolete and this could be my last chance to get the right part it's worth it if it lasts another 30 years.

[oneohtwo 8]

If it was me I'd leave the non-return valve off. I had one fitted and regret it a bit now - initially it leaked, which is obviously fixable, but it's just a potential weak point in the fuel line. It doesn't solve the warm start issue either, as it's not a fuel pressure thing.

Interesting about the cam sensor though. I might try this as well.

[_Matt_ 26]

Ebay seller is now saying won't post to England... I have pleaded please 🙏.. awaiting a reply otherwise back to making a loom for a later style sensor.

 

[fendervg 30]

Ebay seller is now saying won't post to England... I have pleaded please .. awaiting a reply otherwise back to making a loom for a later style sensor.
 

Seems strange - from where? They just need to declare a customs value - it’s more likely the shipping agent they are using.

[_Matt_ 26]

This is the advert

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266805869325

It's well below the £135 value as well.

[fendervg 30]

Based in Germany, seems completely legit. If they list on fleabay.co.uk they should be willing to ship? Could be an issue with the carrier, so maybe ask them to ship DP/DPD standard post. I get stuff from Germany all th time, alebit to Ireland, but I use an AdressPal service in the UK and US for sellers that won't ship internationally and just pay a surchage for the final leg.

[_Matt_ 26]

Yeah he cancelled the order in the end... However I swapped out the cam sensor to the one from my previous Corrado and changed the coil pack back to the origina VW item that came with the car and it started ok after a long warm up to fans last night. 

Time will tell and needs road use. MOT booked later this week.

I ordered a Beru coil pack from autodoc but they delivered a Stark item. I know it is an unknown brand but was running it. I didn't open the box for months, cheeky buggers changed the invoice online to Stark also. There is no way i'd pick that brand myself.

 

[fendervg 30]

Ha- "Stark Industries"! They must be having a laugh, or else it's a play on the German, "stark" meaning "strong", or in slang cool/sound/great.

[_Matt_ 26]

Clean pass on the MOT.

Still long crank when warm though. And another issue I had thought would "go away" with use is the flywheel. It had the chains/clutch etc last year at stealth but it judders when you engage clutch, mot place reckons flywheel needs work. I'll take it back to Vince, want to swap out subframe and fit uprated ARBs anyway and don't fancy the job myself.

[blue95 0]

Inspirational work mate....makes me want to pull my finger out and get mine sorted

Also thinking of going down the Koni / H&R route...how are you finding the ride height?

Edited yesterday at 08:29 AM by blue95

[_Matt_ 26]

I like the height with the H&Rs, I like some comfort and pleased to report even with a 90mm splitter I can make it over those central speedhumps without touching.

The powerflex rear bushes I do not notice on ride quality but they stiffen up the rear on handling. Difficult to describe but the rear follows the front in a positive way/you feel it rotate. Happy for now at least.