Kevin Bacon

That's all good news Chris. Can I be a pain and ask you to measure the distance from the trailing edge of the bonnet to the drill hole? It's purely because you mentioned the double skin and I don't want to feck it up!! What size hole? 6mm? Are there any black lifters available? Cheers Kev 94 VR6

Yeah the idle valve is supposed to buzz, it has a motor inside it that pulses air into the inlet tract to stabilise the idle. Sometimes they can jam and hitting it with a hammer frees it off again. Cleaning it out just removes the oil residues from the working parts as too much can again cause it to jam. Is yours an 1800 16V or 2.0? Maybe the idle needs resetting. To do this you need to get the car up to temperature, take the ISV out of circuit by unplugging the red connector under the igntion coil, remove the breather hose and plug the airbox hole with a walking stick bung or something, turn the brass screw on the throttle anti-clockwise until it you get a 1000rpm idle. The engine may be a little lumpy, indicating the CO is out. Get a long 3mm allen key and stick it in the small hole in front of the metering head rubber boot, with the engine running you need to turn this screw (don't press down on it) in small amounts until the idle is smooth. Anti-clockwise to weaken and clockwise to enrichen. Once the engine is idling steadily at 1000rpm, plug the breather hose back in and also put the ISV back in circuit. Now take the car out for a drive and let off the gas abruptly as you approach a junction. Observe the rev counter. It should fall down gracefully to 950 ish rpm and NOT plummet like a brick and bounce. Failing all that and the ISV is known to be working, you may have an air leak which needs investigating. If it won't idle when cold, it's probably the 5th injector. To test the ISV, crimp the long hose that feeds from the valve into the inlet hose with your fingers. You should feel it vibrate and the harder you squeeze, the engine should cut out. If both happen, the valve is OK. Kev

It's a time consuming job. First thing to do is get it bead blasted (not sand!!) professionally and then you need to sand the main tubes down with varying grades of wet and dry. Then you need to do the intricate areas with a dremel. Personally, I'd get it powder coated as once polished, you need to buff it regularly unless you coat with some heat proof clear laquer. Kev

Jimbo, well done mate! They look great, better than the red/clear ones imo. I hope you didn't spend as long faffing about with the aligment as I did! What do you think to the quality of the inpros? I wasn't that impressed to be honest. Chris, thanks for the advice re the bonnet lifters. Kev

Yeah it has got a lifetime warranty, but isn't it only valid for the original purchaser? Mine was in the car when I got it. I know where it was fitted so I'll pop down and get them to look at it and also give me a tutorial on how to use it!! Aswell as not allowing me into the program mode, the locks also don't go down automatically when the engine starts. They did when I first got the car, but have since stopped working. The total closure function works OK though, so something has gone amiss somewhere. Cheers Kev

There is one advantage of Motorbike cans and that is you can repack them with wadding when they start getting loud. Caterhams etc sometimes use bike cans and they are very free flowing (and very light), but I can't see how you'd fit one to be honest. Also, I'm not really sure if bike cans are suitable for forced induction engines? Kev

It's the same fan as the MK2 Golf's and therefore troublesome! If they don't squeak they only work on a couple or one of the speeds! The contacts on the fan itself can work loose giving no speeds at all, so you'll need to drop the passenger side cubby-hole and poke the connector about a bit. Or it could be the switch itself as Andi mentioned. If the fan has to come out to change the thermal fuse, don't forget to pull the locking tab down before twisting the fan off and down! Kev 94 VR6

Chris, no not yet but it's on the 'to-do' list. VW will charge £1000 to rebuild the standard roof which is scandalous considering a £27 part has snapped. The Passat (94-97) 'moon-roof' conversion is very possible, but three things to watch out for:- 1:- The Passat roof is ever so slightly more rounded than the C's steel one, so the overall look is down to personal taste, most folk probably wouldn't even notice on first glance. 2:- The Passat subframe is longer than the C's, but should cause any problems. C motor can be used but I believe Passat one is the same or very similar, near as damn it. 3:- The sliding blind, aka curtain, doesn't always slide back as intended since the Passat has more roof clearance, so some folk leave the blind panel off altogether. My plan is to retain the C steel roof but robbing parts from a Passat to repair it and make one working roof from both sets of parts. Just need the time to do it!! Kev 94 C VR6

Chris, you star, I've been wondering about those ever since I noticed the standard prop buckling under the weight of the V. heavy C bonnet! Are they a straight bolt on or do you have drill holes? Cheers Kev

Does anyone know if the Cliffnet Pro computer interface/software is compatible with the Concept 300 alarm? Mine isn't responding when I try and program it with a the plainview switch, so I want to run some diagnostics on it. Bloody Cliffords, I hate them. They always go wrong but I can't be bothered to pull it out. Cheers Kev

Actual temp would have been 138c as MFA is 10c lower than sump :? I've used that Mocal on a couple of Valvers and now the VR and I am very pleased with the quality of the unit and the fixtures and fittings etc. If you do get one, don't bother with braided hosing. Standard rubber aeroquip is fine and make sure you heat the hose with a hairdryer before sliding it over the unions, otherwise you'll struggle like hell! Don't use jubilee clips either as you'll cut the rubber. Once the hose is on the union, that's it, it won't come off again so do a good job of measuring the lengths first! You should get a 15-20c reduction on the MFA. I thought G60s had an oil cooler as standard? In front of the rad? Cheers Kev

I can't help thinking that taking my ARBs to my local steelworks and getting them to copy them in bigger diameter HT steel would save a bundle!! Saw some HUGE tubular ones on a MK1 at Stealth when I was there last. Must be dicey in the wet :? Kev

All the stuff is on http://www.thinkauto.com but you can always ring them and they'll send the right stuff. Or stealth racing use a lot of these coolers, so they might be able to get all the required partsd for you. Cheers Kev

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/vie ... &members=1 Mine is in a VR6 but can be used in a G60, providing you get the correct fitting kit (engine specific sandwich plate, length of hose, hose ends) Before = 114 deg, after = 94-96 deg. Cheers Kev 94 VR6

Er yes, that is what I was talking about aswell. I've watched my local body shop do a 4 wheel aligment on my car and all it is 4 metal pads which the car is driven onto. These are then aligned with lasers after the probes are pressed against the road wheels. The computer then gives a full colour read-out, green within tolerance, red = outside tolerance. You can adjust the rear by shimming the hubs. Considering Bodyshops have to straighten bent chassis, they are the best guys for the job. Kev

Any car body repair centre will have the necessary tools and experience to do this. It's usually just the tracking or camber on VWs.

Volvo drivers that pull out in front of you with no indication just as you're alongside them in the fast lane, when they had plenty of space to do it before you approached. People joining the motorway at 40 mph Lorry drivers that sway all over the road and throw up shite from the hard shoulder onto your car. People that don't indicate turning right at roundabouts and get irrate when you pull out in front of them. People that steam up to a roundabout, jam the brakes on and THEN check for other traffic. the list goes on!! Kev

Yeah I've got it now! Obviously the MK4 blank is too thick to go in the Corrado's lock barrel, hence using the original C key and putting it in the switch fob! Have you got any links for the alarm bit? Cheers kev

Nice one, cheers mate. I didn't think it would be as straightforward as getting a MK4 blank cut to the C's key pattern!! The MK4 uses a Ford type key pattern, shame! Kev

Oh what you mean arming the alarm using the MK4 key? That would be cool! I was referring to the transponder chip anyway, as in the VW immobiliser but I suppose that's irrelevant anyway as my C hasn't got a factory immobiliser. But there isn't a problem in terms of cutting the actual key the same as the C's is there? Cheers and apologies for the ignorance! Kev

Well it has a 'kind of' 4WD system, put it that way!! The Haldex system is nothing like as good as Audi's original torsen diff'd quattro system. The Haldex is biased more toward the front and only really drives the rear wheels fully in the event of front wheel slip. I haven't driven a TT but apparently you get a noticeable shunt when the power transfers to the rear......doesn't sound nice!

Oh well, well good luck with it anyway mate and I do hope it isn't the wretched chain. Might just be a worn chain tensioner and not the chain itself? Have you tried spraying the alernator belt? That did seriously totally silence the noise, it was more of a chaffing/whir than a rattle, like you say. Kev

Wothcha Barry, just noticed your post above! Blimey, small world! Yeah of course I remember you mate! How's Ian, what's he up to? He hasn't spoken to me since him potentially buying my Black Valver, I think I pissed him off!??! Get him to drop me a line when you see him next! Yeah I've had my C about a month now and love it! In hindsight, I think I would have gone for a G60 but my VR was spotted in a local rag and I couldn't resist it after a test run I think your synopsis of the anti-roll bars is correct, I drive like an old fart!! I also found them VERY unforgiving if you hit a patch of diesel on a wet bend! Cheers Kev

Yes they are the right ones and the jubliee clips will shape themselves to the axle when you tighten them up. The rear ones are nice and easy to fit and it is actually the rear one that makes the biggest difference anyway. The standard roll bar is welded inside the axle, (you'll see it when you jack the car up) but is pretty ineffective. The exhaust is a known problem, generally stock VW boxes give enough clearance but aftermarket ones (wide supersprints especially) can knock on the box when cornering, so you may need to press an indentation into the side of the back box. Here are some tips for the front bar, which is not so nice to fit:- You have to drop the rear of the subframe to fit it, so you have to remove the 2 rear bolts and loosen the front bolts and basically suspend it that way until fitted. As a precaution, I would cut two lateral grooves into the ends of the rear bolt threads (with an angle grinder) so that they cut the shit out of the captive nut threads as they go in, because they are extremely easy to cross thread, which is a F'in nightmare to put right. Heat the end of the roll bar and use plenty of fairy liquid when pressing the anti-roll bar link bushes over the the ends of the bar as they are VERY tight. I've done it in approx 3 hours on a drive with axle stands, but if you're not confident about the front one due to the subframe (you could drop the engine on your stomach if you're not careful), get it done on a ramp professionally, they can indent the rear exhaust whilst it's up on the ramp too, but if you do it yourself, you can put some rubber on the end of the bolt as a temporary measure. HTH Kev

How are you going to generate 1.21 Gigawatts to power it??