fendervg

Who did you use? Some have had success with BBA-Reman, others not. I think the problem is that the most that can be done is to test and clean them, replace the solenoids and resolder any broken joints on the PCB - the most common mode of failure due to heat soak and dirt/water getting in from the bottom. I don't think any other parts are available for them, so refurbish is probably a loose term in this case.

A working heater and fan? lol: or a window cloth in the door pocket. I'm not sure if Rain-X or something like that would work for the inside - back in the day any old car would always have a demister pad in it which was used liberally. If you have a serious problem with the windscreen fogging up and it won't clear, I would suspect that your heater matrix behind the dash may be leaking - it's a tell-tale sign.

Common problem - have you replaced all the cheaper parts of the ABS system such as the sensors first? It's also worth interrogating the ABS ECU with VCDS to get the diagnostic codes. The pumps can still be had new from VW, but for over £2000 not really an option. Next bet would be a second hand unit but they are hard to find in good working order, and get that tested and reconditioned (this is what I did and hgot lucky). Others have deleted ABS all together, or upgraded to the later Teves 020 system from a Mk3 Golf or Passat. That system is much more reliable and also improves braking performance very slightly and does away with the need for the rear beam brake bias regulate and the pedal position sensor. But it's a fairly big job, even if you do come across all the right parts - easier to do on a project car.

Yes, there are a quite a number of VAG cars that use the same part - the problem is that it is NLA and impossible to get new. I don't really want to put an old one on unless I have to as the spring will be tired and the rubber damper is bound to have degraded.

No - still looking. Haven't tried the Austin part - tbh, it looks quite different.

I'd be up for a set as well depending on price and delivery. Is it worth getting in touch with some UK/EU suppliers? You will be stung with the import tax otherwise and that can be a nasty surprise, although I'm sure local suppliers will build that into their price but at least they will have arrangements and economies of scale.

Sounds like some positive recommendations on the sumps - so I take back what I said in relation to Topran in general - but would still not touch their cooling system parts. :)

Fair point on the type of part in question - I guess not much can go wrong with a pressed piece of metal. Make sure to get new bolts when replacing and it's also worth considering a magnetic sump plug if you don't have one to catch some of the shrapnel.

It's not the company - I accept that the parent company is German - it is where and more importantly to what spec the parts are made that is important. If you look at the price point Topran sells at, it falls into the budget/economy replacement part bracket and is sold as such by many parts suppliers and motor factors. All I can speak for are the components I saw and handled, and these were nowhere near OEM or VW quality in terms of materials and fit, but this may not be the case for all parts, and the sump pan may be perfectly good.

Topran? They seem to be a cheap Chinese copy manufacturer, so would not be too sure about quality and fit. Have had some bad experiences with their cooling system parts. Are they still available from VW? To be hones, unless the old one is damaged, they are easy to clean and paint - it's just cosmetic after all and will get dirty again fairly quickly unless you have a cover underneath.

Ah, ok. 263s with a remap is what I am planning for myself eventually - if there's a group buy in the offing I'm definitely in.

What is the reasoning behind needing 268s with a VGI or VSR? Both are designed to run with standard cams. I always thought that SP263s were the bes all round option for a standard engine - maybe he was referring to forced induction applications?

Bosch, Siemens\VDO or Pierburg - all the other ones are rubbish. Sometimes you can get just the pump motor insert rather than having to replace the whole unit. Did you test the fuel pressure with a gauge connected to the fuel rail? I'd check the filter, FPR and injectors first.

I've had FPRs fail after a couple of years, so as a cheap part, it's worth investigating - although they usually just cause poor starting. Also check the MAF and the TPS, and for any air leaks - the ISV damper and the piping from the manifold under the airbox are likely supects. If you have access to VCDS, checking for fault codes is a good start as well.

What's wrong with the VW drain plug? Worked fine for me for years - although I did eventually change the pipe to a metal one. The drain plug on that is a tiny allen head one that can seize due to corrosion though - so not sure which one is better. Most important is to thoroughly clean out and sand down the mating surfaces at the water pump end so that you get a proper fit and don't ruin the seals when fitting.

Do you have an alarm fob or dongle that you need to start or open the car? You'll need to find the alarm/immobiliser control box, if there is one. It will usually be behind the driver's side dash trim. There are usually a number of pairs of wires coming from it, these will have been connected to each side of the fuel pump and starter circuits for example, so as to insert the immobiliser circuit into the current path. If you can find the joins you can simply reconnect the cut wires to bypass. The only issue is that these wires are usually all the same colour so as to make them more difficult for miscreants to trace.

Is there an immobiliser circuit fitted across the fuel pump wires that could be kicking in again and cutting it off? The fuel pump is either on or off and runs and maintains a constant pressure of 3.5 bar, the ECU does not control it.

Can't remember what the brown/red is - could be the ignition live? They will all be there somewhere as it's a standard VW radio loom, but probably just hidden somewhere if an after market radio was fitted at some stage - is it an original radio you are putting in? The Aktiv system uses powered speakers and is designed to be used with head units that don't have an end stage amplifier built in. such as the Gamma CD - just in case you plug in a powerful unit and end up blowing the speakers by accident.

The problem with Corrados at the moment (and possibly well into the future) is that when you consider the price of a decent "project" car to buy and then add what it takes to get it to first class condition, you will not make any money when you go to sell it, even at the top of the asking price range - so they don't make much sense as a money turner or investment as it is. And that's without paying people to do most of the work. You need to either really want to drive or own a Corrado, and be done with it and accept the financial realities or look elsewhere - they are not classic 911s or UrQuattros. For your dilemma, I would say that if the bodywork and chassis is in decent enough condition that it will last and not need too much work, go for a replacement second-hand engine if you want to keep it original, or a transplant if not. I think someone on here was even able to get hold of a NOS 2.8 engine recently. The money you've been quoted seems very high if it's just for the engine work, and if that is the cost then I'd say that the engine is economically not viable to recondition.

That's not good news - I was hoping to send off both a spare brake and a clutch cylinder to them in a few weeks to be refurbished. Other posts on here seem to suggest good service and quality from them, but your experience suggests otherwise.

What you say should be the case, but my experience was otherwise unfortunately - this on several Mk2s, a Mk3 and an Audi Coupe. All with original components as well - I think the problem is just the age of the components. In terms of quality you can still get most of the stuff from VW or OE suppliers (at a price) and the quality is as good as original. The only part you will really be stuck on is the hoses as these are not all available, so silicone is your only option. If you stick with VW, Bosch, Hella etc, you should be good. I just got tired of draining and refilling the cooling system each time another bit went - I must have shares in whatever company brews G12 by now!

You should be able to get a pump for less than that if you shop around on the secondary market. Some folks have deleted them and not had any problems - personally I would replace it to be on the safe side. If you are going to do the thermostat housing, budget on new temp sensors, stat, and crack pipe as well. It's not a job you want to do twice in a hurry as the front end needs to come off for access. In my experience replacing one component on an older cooling system will soon lead to a failure somewhere else due to increased pressure, and if I had to go there again I would simply save up and replace the whole lot (pump, stat, hoses, matrix and rad) all in one go.

Are they bumper bracket to subframe bolts?

They're extremely rare, and mainly found in the US - https://www.ebay.ie/itm/NEU-ORIGINAL-VW-GOLF-1-2-3-4-GAMMA-CD-RADIO-R32-GOLF-GTI-JUBI-GTI-/262288736673 That's for and ended auction - hope that final price is a joke! I just have the cassette version in mine - looks nice and retro and less likely to get stolen and works well with either a changer or an aux input. Some people also put the changer unit in the glove box. Just found a reference on some German sites, and the Gamma-CD is a bit of a special beast because it does not have an end-stage amplifier of its own and can only be used with VW's "Aktiv" powered speaker systems, which was installed in some cars of the era. Worth noting, as you don't want to shell out a lot of money for one and then discover that it won't work in your car.

I believe that cars destined for the UK and Ireland didn't come with radios fitted at the factory, and that the Sony units were an after market item locally sourced and fitted by the dealers themselves, whereas the Gamma was factory spec on the Continent and is branded VW - I have a German workshop manual that explains all the features of the Gamma IV, including the speed dependant volume control, phone mute and CD changer operation. It's a relatively advanced head unit for its time, if not all that powerful, and it's still possible to get an aux in adapter for them that used the CD controls to operate an iPod/Phone or MP3 player. The Nakamichi was always my favourite though as it had a CD player built in and was very high quality and powerful enough to drive an amp - but they've become very hard to source and are expensive when found.