Mystic Rado

Just installed VAG-COM using a Macbook with Boot Camp, cheapo e-Bay connector and the shareware version of the programme. I'm wondering if there's any point in getting the full-on paid for package with genuine dongle from Ross Tech. I'm mostly interested in using it to diagnose faulty components not as a sort of entertainment device, and if I read things right, the shareware version still reads all the fault codes, but doesn't tell you what they all relate to, which means looking them up. What additional functions does the full-on paid for version have and how useful are they on a car with a mostly standard motor? I know bits of this have been answered before in part, but not in terms fully comprehensible to a computer moron like myself...

Second the immobiliser thing - just installed VAG-COM on a Macbook using Boot Camp and it wouldn't read the ECU with the alarm LED illuminated, as soon as I switched it off, all worked fine. Or on the engine side it did, ironically it had trouble scanning the ABS :?

Bloody hell, so that's over 400 quid inc VAT... Gotta make more sense to get your existing one refurbished or restore your existing one given that most Corrado steering wheels out there are going to be at least 12 years old now.

If you carry bikes a lot it might be worth investing in a set of roof bars and some Thule cycle carriers, very stable and means your bikes don't get crushed if someone rear ends you - not great for fuel consumption though. If you have the storage space, you can keep the whole lot - bars and carriers - bolted together as a single unit then just lift onto the roof and secure, some mates of mine do this and it's surprisingly quick. Or the other very secure system is one mounted on a tow ball, but I doubt anyone with a C would want to go there... Personally I'd rather put the rear seats down, use a load of PVC sheeting to protect the boot or a custom-made boot liner, and carry the bikes inside the car. Better for fuel economy, more secure if you stop en route and saves your bikes getting road salt all over them. Not an option if you have passengers obviously, but two bikes with wheels off fit fine. If you're fussy, buy a Dirtworker - low-powered jet wash that runs off the cigarette lighter socket - and rinse the bikes off after riding. See http://www.dirtworker.co.uk.

It's a 36mm socket, there's loads of them on eBay, just do a search. Drain the filter first using the allen bolt in the centre of the housing then replace it before you undo it as it reinforces the plastic and makes it less likely to break. You should also be able to remove the filter without using stands, at least I can even with the car lowered a bit from standard. Make sure you put a drain pan underneath, there's a fair bit in the housing also don't forget to fit a new o-ring seal, should come with the filter.

There was a brand spanking new one on eBay recently, went for about 180 quid I think. Gawd only knows what it would cost from a dealer... :?

Cheers guys, makes sense. I've just popped a new blue sensor in anyway, but will get it hooked up and see what gives. I kind of forget that there's a diagnostic thingee, spent too long with a Mark 2 GTi where it's all trial and error.

Hi guys, My VR6 is having an extended dummy-spitting session. Couple of months ago the coilpack died on the M1 in super vile wet conditions, ended up driving about 50 miles running on four. New coilpack sorted that, also changed the oil and filter to get rid of any fuel contamination in the sump. New coilpack and it seemed to be running fine, then steam from under bonnet and radiator is dead. Replaced radiator for Christmas and drove to Lakes and back mostly motorway. Fuel consumption was relatively high compared to normal, around 30mpg and when I got back there was a strong smell of petrol in the oil again, not good as anything residual should have evaporated at normal running temperatures I think. The car's actually running pretty well. Tickover and starting are both excellent, very smooth, no hassle. Feels quick as when you boot it, I'd say though that the power delivery on part throttle is a bit soft and the engine feel isn't very, erm, 'spangly' to use a motorcycle engine tuning term. On a quick 30mph run out yesterday on Peak A-Roads it managed a poxy 21mpg which along with the fuel smell from the sump makes me think it's running rich. I'm just about to change the blue sender on the thermostat housing for starters, but I'm suspecting the O2/lambda probe as a more likely culprit given that as I understand it, it only has an effect at part throttle conditions. Is it likely that the unburnt fuel that I'm suspecting would have been chucked down the pipe when the coilpack was dying could have shagged the lambda? The engine's done 92,000 miles and there's no history of it ever having been changed, so it's probably the original sensor. Anything else I should be aware of? I guess the other possible scenario is bore wear and associated bore wash or worn valve guides, but I'm obviously hoping not. I'm going to change the blue sensor and the lambda, but is there anything else I should be looking at. Also just replaced a broken crankcase breather that some previous owner had superglued back together then covered in tape, but I'm thinking that's coincidental. Anyway, any input welcome, thanks :?

Hi, PMed you last night, could you send me payment details please :)

Have a Clifford Concept something or other fitted to my Storm which has never had effective arming or disarming chirps, though the alarm siren itself works fine if you set it off or hold the panic button down, also revives itself briefly if the main vehicle battery is disconnected. Did some digging and it seems that what happens is that the remote rechargeable batteries inside the siren die over a few years giving those symptoms. Clifford would like to sell you a new siren for 80 quid or something, but there's a fella on eBay who sells replacement battery packs with instructions for fitting - basically they're six 1/2 AA size cells soldered together and you just open up the siren, take out the old pack and solder / shrink wrap the new one in place and put it all back together. I'm going to do this at the weekend and take some pics for a how to as it seems to be a common Clifford issue and doesn't seem to be particularly well known - generally people are told to reprogramme the alarm, but that won't work cos it's the batteries in the siren which are at fault. Anyway, wondering if the two pivot bolts that holds the alarm onto the mounting bracket are removable and if so which way they thread, or if I have to remove the bracket itself from where it's mounted under the scuttle. Anyone done this or have any input. Accessing the pivot bolts that go into the side of the alarm is a hell of a lot easier, but a quick fiddle suggests that they just rotate helplessly without unscrewing. :? Anyone know if that's the case or if maybe they're a reverse thread ?

Have you seen this from the Wiki on headlight switch repair? It's a common problem caused by the switch heating up with the current running through it and the plastic getting brittle. As far as the clicking goes, unless there's an uprated loom fitted, there shouldn't be a relay I don't think, so no idea what that's all about. Have a look and make sure there's not some wiring going back from your headlight plug on the passenger side to the battery probaby with a fuse on one side and some relays on the other.

I was browing German eBay and there are some Corrado angel eyes on there advertised as using 'echt Glas', which means 'real glass', so it seems that they are out there. As far as light output goes, if you haven't fitted a relayed, uprated wiring loom to your lights, OE or otherwise, then do it. The main problem with the Corrado lights isn't the headlight unit, it's the drop in voltage through the original wiring loom which also knackers the headlight switch. Stick an uprated loom and a set of decent bulbs like the Philips +80 ones or the Osram Nightbreakers and you'll get a massive improvement in lighting.

Cheers, just need to take some - maybe if it ever stops bloody raining :?

I thought it was about time that I started a gallery for my Corrado. It''s a Storm, a mystic blue one with about 92,000 miles on the clock. Improbably I've owned it for over a year now and he's lovely, but somewhat temperamental and has been running through the whole repertoire of classic VR6 misdemeanours - so far that means he's killed a tensioner pulley, sun roof, coilpack, battery and radiator usually at the least convenient possible moment. You gotta love 'em... Generally though it's in fairly good nick, bar a somewhat ho hum sort of respray, which is on the list of things to sort out this year. I wasn't really too bothered about the whole Storm thing, but the colour's amazing, sort of anywhere between twinkly purple in the - rare - Peak sunshine through to much darker blue when it's moody and murky. Can't wait to get it resprayed and replace the roof strips / aerial base so he's back to pristine condition inside and out. When I first got the car, it was running on Konis and Eibachs, but the steering felt kind of stodgy and lethargic in comparison to my tweaked Mark 2. Ended up putting on H&R coilovers - bought from Germany - which made a big difference just running about 40mm drop I think, which looks right too - no frightened cat impressions here thanks. What really sorted the handling was a rear Neuspeed anti-roll bar which just sharpened everything up and feels spot on to me. Only other mods are an uprated wiring loom with better bulbs - made it myself and highly recommended if you like being able to see where you're going. I did try an HID kit for a bit, but the beam pattern was awful with light all over the place, the halogens are so much nicer. Got some 288mm front brakes waiting to go on once the calipers have been refurbed and Samco hoses on order to be fitted along with a Gruvenparts billet crackpipe and radiator elbow. Given that it's still probably on the original bushes, it could probably use a suspension / steering / rear beam re-bush as well, but things are pretty good as is. Doh, forgot the Dieselgeek quick shift which made a massive difference. It's basically a modified standard shift with an additional side movement reducer fitted as well. Now feels more positive and less like a rowing boat and one of the best things I've done to him :) Shamefully I don't actually have many pics, but here's a frontal to get it started

You can get the missing door pin rods from the dealers along with a small plastic lever thing that they locate in. May be that they've been taken off as a security thing, my driver's door was like that. I bought the bits, but I've not got round to fitting them yet, but they can order them in for you and they're not mad expensive. Hope that's some help, mate :)

Yep, bought one last year, about 20 quid I think, [edit] maybe 25 but definitely under £30. Someone flogs them on eBay from Germany as well, but the dealer price was cheaper.

The Corrado has passive rear steering, achieved via allowing lateral movement in the rear beam. This is done by allowing the rear rubber bushes to stretch laterally (sideways across the car), as well as torsionally (to allow suspension movement). The problem with the powerflex rear bushes is that they actually allow the rear beam to slide on them, so basically they are like a slide fitting bush. The result is a more accurate pivoting action due to the harder compound, and as they are only a pivot, they don't really contrubute to noise and vibration travel. Basically they reduce eccentric axial movement in the rear bushes. The BIG downside is that the rear beam can now slide freely sideways with no resistance, and you lose the self centring of the rubber stretching back to a central position in line with the fronts wheels, so you can find that the rear wheels are offset to the fronts!!! Allowing such free movement of the rear beam also results in a back end that snatches out of line. The standard bushes give a resistance allowing for a more progressive and slower weight shift. In all there is very little benefit to be gained from the harder bushes, but a lot of downside..... This should be taken into consideration when looking at your rear suspension struts too- where they bolt to the rear beam. The original legs have rubber bushes there to to allow for the lateral movement. A lot of suspension kits dont allow for the sideways movement by having solid bushes where you mount the legs. I installed the poly bushes a while ago, just because the old ones were shot. What I have ended up doing is packing either side of the bush to stop the lateral movement altogether (and therefore passive rear steering) until i put new originals back on...... As you can predict the back end does not come round as before and I have more understeer :( , but with the poly bushes on and no packing it made the rear end far less progressive and more on/off!!! Not good. You wont really notice it unless you are really pushing the car round corners though, but at that point watch out :? So in essence you're saying stick with VAG OE bushes or end up with a less predictable back end? I polybushed my Mk 2 GiT, did the front end first then changed the rears a few thousand miles later and it definitely got much twitchier after I did the rears to the point where I regretted it. Seems to have improved with several years of wear, but it's one of the main reasons I'm going to use OE bushes rather than polyurethane on the 'rado. Interesting.

LOL, when you're a 'rado, every day is Christmas Day - he's just unwrapped his new coilpack, now it looks like a new radiator, next I think it'll be some Gruvenparts cooling system hardware, the joy of Christmas just never ends for him :? :) Have a good one :)

I wish :( Condensation is what I thought to begin with, but the coolant level's dropping and you can smell the coolant in the steam coming off the radiator, also the steam's very localised. It's definitely a leak and since there's no hoses, sensors etc where it's coming from, so I reckon the smart money - unfortunately - is on the rad' for now. Cheers for the thought anyway and for confirming the dipstick thing :)

Thanks guys, I guess it'll give me something to do between Boxing Day and New Year eh, if I can get whatever bits are needed then that is. Kind of frustrating as I've just replaced the coilpack and I had this naive idea that I might just be able to drive the car around for a bit without anything breaking or dropping off :?

Mine was doing somethinng similar, ended up getting one of those solar chargers that plug into the cigarette lighter off eBay to keep it topped up, now it's garaged I have it connected to a trickle charger I used to use on my motorbike. Does the job. Is your charging system working properly?

When you say 'full beam' do you mean main beam or dip? If it's main beam - ie the blue warning light's illuminated - which lights are lit up? Ditto if it's dip beam. Are you saying that when you pull back the indicator stalk to give main beam, you just get sidelights? Or just the inner or outer lights? First thing I'd do is check the bulbs. For some reason they often seem to blow in pairs, probably cos they went in the same time and have roughly the same lifetime. It happened to me once and because both dips were out, I was convinced there was a wiring problem, but it was just simultaneous bulb death. If you've already got some sort of uprated loom fitted, check the main beam circuit solenoid, if it dies, that'd mean nil power on that circuit. I'm guessing you've checked the fuses already? Then there's the headlight switch - they die too. But anyway, I'd start off by using a test meter to see if you're getting power at the headlight connectors, if you are then change the bulbs and see if that sorts it. If you're not then the fault's before the actual headlights, so check fuses and take it from there.

Cheers fella, I'm not going mad then :?

I've got steam coming out from under the bonnet, seems to be from the radiator area behind the fan rather than from any of the hoses around the thermostat housing or the main radiator ones, just looks like the steam's coming direct from the radiator. Nothing visible from the front though and it loose to be in pretty good nick visually. I'm thinking the radiator's holed, but wanted to check whether there's some other possibility I've missed. Also assuming I do need a new one, is there any advantage to getting genuine VAG or are the ones from Eurocarparts or GSF okay? Thoughts? Second, I'm a bit confused about whether there ought to be a plastic dipstick guide on a late VR6 - it's a Storm. At the moment the dipstick sits directly in the tube and looks right. However there are a few posts on here saying that the VR6 should have a plastic orange guide at the top like the eight-valve motors and quoting the same part number, but the one off my Mark 2 GTi definitely doesn't fit. Are late VR6s supposed to have a plastic guide or not? The diagrame in Bentley doesn't list one, but I kind want reassurance that my oil levels are okay and the dipstick shouldn't have an additional guide. Thanks for any input. Looks like the 'rado ain't doing any festive trips this year then :(

Mine's done this a little, I thought it was because a previous owner was a ring wearer and had chewed up the surface of the leather - the car had a metal Richbrook gearknob fitted when I got it and that was covered in fine scratches, or maybe the guy just wore gloves made from sandpaper... I was toying with the idea of buying one of those leather restoration kits that have been mentioned on here by a couple of people who've redone their interiors in different colours and giving it a go on the steering wheel. It's supposed to resurface the leather, re-colour and seal it. This sort of thing. Any OE Corrado steering wheel you buy is going to be at least 12 years old now, so it's gotta be worth a go. There was a brand new Corrado steering wheel on eBay last week though. Was watching it, but it went for 180 quid, which was a bit over my budget, ahem :?