cata

Bump from the dead :D I'm having this exact same issue, can you gents please provide more info on the upper bearing replacement and this Polo 6N switch you speak off? I've been researching these two topics to death but couldn't find much on them.

No worries, cheers for the update. :lol:

Hey everyone, a lot of time has passed and the C is finally alive again so this thread is about due for an update. A local shop called Calgary Autoworks got chosen to do the work this time around. Learning how to work on a VR6 should definitely not be done in a parking lot, so it will have to wait until next time (hopefully not for the very same reason). The head was completely rebuilt but since the bottom-end is still fresh, it was the only thing left untouched. This was the final spec for the rebuild: -GIAC 268* cam chip -DRC 268* cams -New stock lifters and guides -Manley valves, stock retainers, Manley HD valve springs -New spark-plugs (they were just replaced too) -ARP head studs -Autotech stainless exhaust studs -Fiber (stock) head-gasket -Updated timing chain kit -Sachs stage I clutch -New slave and master clutch cylinders -New oil pump -New water pump -Gruven tensioner, power steering and water pump pulleys -MKIV VR6 crank pulley (was told that it's lighter, and since I want to keep the harmonic balancer, I'm ditching my Turn2 aluminum pulley) -Ditching the A/C (for now) -Passat VR6 intake hose -2.9L throttle-body -Ported and ceramic coated exhaust collectors -Gasket matched everything My little buddy here decided to help me do the final inventory: This is what my ported and ceramic coated exhaust collectors looked like when they finally got in from the States. This was the first time this year that I went outside and did some work. Got the exhaust manifold gaskets gasket matched, which took about three hours. I was pretty happy with the porting that was done. A slightly bigger exhaust manifold port should help against reversion and the smoothness on the inside will greatly aid exhaust flow. I couldn't believe how bad the stock one was in comparison. Very rough on the inside and clogged with deposits. Calgary Autoworks did some awesome work on my engine, I racked up about 1000 Km's over one week and I couldn't have been happier. The feeling to finally have it ready starting with a Friday night was priceless. Unfortunately, with so many upgrades being done at once, there were a few bugs to work out but it was still a blast to drive around. Lawrence got out of his way to iron them out as soon as they were found. The car did feel faster than before but nowhere near as fast as I predicted it to be. As it turned out, my CAT is completely shot and now it's so bad that it kills the engine at idle sometimes. It's no surprise really, as the PO sent me out on the drive home on 5cyls with a bad spark plug wire. The CAT was old but the massive amount of unburnt fuel that must have passed through it didn't even give it a fighting chance. Anyways, enough talking for now...we all love seeing pictures. While waiting on getting the car back, I was busy sourcing tons of random missing parts as well as some interior upgrades. When I first got to see this, all I saw was a bunch of smiley faces from the coolant passages. Here come the cell-phone pics. Since it was out of my reach for so many months, there was a whole ton of work waiting to be done. It really needed an allignment and the CF hood needed its hood pins. One morning, half of it popped up while doing 90 on my way back home. Needless to say, I gave the new brakes a run for their money and pulled over. It was still very rough around the edges, so this is what it looked before being taken off the road again...hopefully for the last time until winter arrives. Now that I finally have a garage to work in, I started phase II with a two-way alarm install, wiring cleanup and bringing the interior to a satisfactory state. This is a very familiar picture. Here's how the E-brake gaiter was made to fit properly :lol: . Some crappy night pictures of the red interior light conversion. The gauges will remain green for now, I can't find or afford the setup I want yet. Some chrome cluster rings are on their way. Other than that, the green and red has really grown on me. It actually looks 1000x better in person but I have a crappy camera and no skillz. For the first time ever since ownership, clean and complete rear interior. And now some daytime pics. Now I can finally move onto mechanical, I have tons of stuff planned before it's ready to take me to school. It will vary from more body work to mechanical, suspension and exhaust. I'll take a few pictures along the way for the next project update. I'm really enjoying this, I can look back and remember all of the stuff that got done over time. A special thanks goes over to Lawrence and his crew for letting me store the C in their yard for so long. If that didn't happen, it would have probably gotten towed again about a dozen times.

I bought the same e-brake gaiter and love it, except that I was very disappointed with the fit when I first got it. After a lot of thinking, I finally figured out a way to make it look at home as anything less wouldn't do. You guys are right, it's designed to slide over the old trim. The problem with that is that the plastic trim is too wide to allow the leather to slide freely through the console. I ended up cutting up the long trim on both sides as far as I was permitted to, so that it didn't separate. You can see what I'm talking about when you look at yours. After, I added a strip of bent tin at the end and glued it in for good. This was to help the leather poke out downwards at the end. After all of this, I just scotch-taped the whole skeleton to the e-brake handle to get a tight fit. Corrado92.pdfProject 081.jpg[/attachment:210tpiix] The final and easiest thing that needed to be done was trimming down the leather to make it fit properly. This was done by trial and error with both sides being cut equally. You can look at how mine ended up and try to mimic it. passat climatronic wiring diags.pdfProject 082.jpg[/attachment:210tpiix] climatronic wiring-Golf from May 01.pdfProject 084.jpg[/attachment:210tpiix] I know that it's a pretty ghetto way to go about doing it but it worked like a charm for me. I'm very happy with the way it fits now. 2.8l 24v Climatronic system.pdfProject 085.jpg[/attachment:210tpiix] Project 086.jpg[/attachment:210tpiix]

Your CAT may be getting old and clogged as they are known to run much hotter at that point.

Any news on the LED ordering Stu? Catalin

Thank you for taking the time to share all of this insight with us.

What would you suggest to be the highest "safe" temperature readout for oil? I hear it's 107*C, after which it's performance will first begin to deteriorate. You're the oilman, so that's why I want to get an answer from you.

I remember reading about this regarding the really late VR6 engines that came on MK4's. I can't remember why people don't look at these instead of the Schrick but the E-bay ad is not a scam.

Check your coolant system ASAP...

The sensor is easy to replace, you just need to pull out the clip that holds it into place inside the thermostat housing. You should know that doing this will cause a lot of coolant to spill and will require topping it up. Make sure you know what kind of coolant you are using as it's very bad for your motor to mix G12 (pink) coolant with anything else. Here's a view from the top of the engine, so you can locate the thermostat housing: 2.8l 24v Climatronic system.pdfLocation.jpg[/attachment:3w38bbpx] And here's a view of the dirty thermostat housing itself, as seen from the front of the engine: Thermostat Housing.jpg[/attachment:3w38bbpx] It will be the sensor on the very left side of the thermostat housing. After replacing this, create your desired coolant/water mixture with deionized, distilled water. Unscrew the top rad neck elbow and fill as much coolant mix as you can, into the radiator. Put elbow back in and the system will "burp" itself of air. Check on the coolant bottle after a few good runs and then top up as needed but with the engine cold.

Any chance of a picture? I'm still a bit confused :? .

The Corrado had speed sensitive volume?

Some good info here Kev, I was planning on eliminating that blasted HE. Considering the climate that I live in, I'd best be keeping it on there.

Looks like you turned her around. Good job man, you're a brave soul for taking the G60 way.