Aqua blue pearl refresh

[maff 10]

Hi all,

 

It's nice to be back and it's not long since i picked up an aqua blue vr6 and while it needs a bit of work, the main thing is it's not rotten and it's had its chains done.

First off it has a rocker gasket leak which is being sorted tomorrow, also the down pipe is blowing.

 

Luckily I've got an old pal who has a few corrado bits kicking around so tomorrow I'm picking up a full grey heated leather interior with door cards, stainless wrapped six branch manifold, a rear number plate tub, chrome front and rear vw badges, and a few other bits, can't wait!

 

Also ordered a set of AP coilovers which will be fitted asap.

 

Just sold my e46 m3 which I'm really missing but I need to save for a mortgage so the corrado can be a slow burner project, also bought a golf mk5 gt tdi which has nice heated seats for the kid ferry duties.

 

I'll update when I've fitted the leather and other bits, here's the car for now and a pic of the elusive vr6 chrome grill badge I've got coming from renewart, well recommended, lovely Spanish chap

 

Photo of the vr

 

 

And that badge!

 

 

Leather, is grey hated as much as it is on m3 cutters? I quite like the grey..

 

[easypops 8]

Very nice :)

[seanl82 23]

Great car, hope you got to the bottom of your high rev conundrum.

 

I changed the rocker gasket when I had it, torqued up correctly too (20nm iirc). Strange how its leaking again, although it was an aftermarket one but it stopped the leak at the time.

 

Best of luck with it though, sounds like its finally fallen into the right hands. :thumbleft:

[maff 10]

Very nice :)

 

Thanks for the heads up on the badge:-)

[odub 0]

Looks like a good start. The car next on my list is an e46 M3

[maff 10]

Great car, hope you got to the bottom of your high rev conundrum.

 

I changed the rocker gasket when I had it, torqued up correctly too (20nm iirc). Strange how its leaking again, although it was an aftermarket one but it stopped the leak at the time.

 

Best of luck with it though, sounds like its finally fallen into the right hands. :thumbleft:

 

When did you last do the rocker gasket Sean? I found a crank shaft seal in the box of bits as well, hoping it's not that, but then there's oil around the top of the engine so gotta be gasket?

 

And yeah it's a good solid car, got the plastic vent dash surround bit coming as well as that's snapped which looks terrible, just want the car to feel nice when I sit in it, I'll get there.

 

I think the high Rev thing might be either plugs or leads, it feels like the Sparks fading out at high rpm? Saying that I couldn't get past it in our 325d so it can't be that bad!

 

It's definatly gonna get some love, watch this space, ps how do you get the smilies on your posts? I've gone advanced but I don't get any?

[maff 10]

Looks like a good start. The car next on my list is an e46 M3

 

Really miss my m3, definatly an event when you turn the key but must keep thinking that I've sold it to save for a mortgage otherwise I'll buy another! Get one, you won't regret it

[seanl82 23]

Just hit the smilie above the reply box. :thumbleft:

 

I think I changed the rocker gasket around November/December 2014 time. It should be in with the receipts I passed on?

 

IIRC the leads were cheap aftermarket ones that were on when I got it. They seemed to be working fine and as mentioned previously, I didn't notice any tailing off at the top of the rev range, although a only got the revs up probably twice and the short blast I took it on when I went the long way around to the MOT station (It was literally 200 yards from where the car was kept when I was working on it!). As mentioned in my ad when I sold it, the plugs were Bosch super 4s which some have found a little temperamental on the VR judging by past posts, but they looked relatively new so I gave them a quick wire brush and replaced them. I'd get them both changed out if you suspect them as they're relatively inexpensive and should give you peace of mind mate.

[maff 10]

Yeah I've got some plugs coming, with filter and oil also, sounds like I might need some leads then as cheap ones were never a good shout on a vr, I remember my plugs used to last 20,000 miles on my first vr6 before I got a lumpy tick over, it's a dangerous game as I'm spending again like I did on the m3

[maff 10]

Bit of an update,

 

We've got the inlet manifold off and found out the cause of the oil leak, there were supposed to be ten bolts holding the timing chain cover on and someone must of lost a few when fitting the new chains and mk4 tensioner as there were only two! No wonder the car was bleeding oil!

 

 

Next up is reassemble, fit the branch manifold, oil and filter change, remove carbon canister pipe work as there isn't one there, tidy up the wiring, fit a bmc air filter.

 

Then fit the ap coilovers, stainless fuel tank brackets, heated leather interior, interior dash surround which has snapped by someone trying to rip a stereo out probably?

 

Got the vr6 grill badge and fitted also..

 

 

 

 

 

Oh nearly forget, removed the old plugs which look shot and will be replacing with oem plugs as at 5500rpm on WOT the engine slows and gets a bit louder, almost like its leaning out on the mixture, hopefully the plugs will sort it but other thoughts are maf? Blue temp sender?

 

Also found out the airbox has been drilled, while its loud I'm not a fan so the bmc will be going on..

 

I'll update when she's running:-)

 

Cheers

Edited November 10, 2016 by maff

[Jim Bowen 1]

Nice job. Looks tidy.

[Jim 1]

That's insane - TWO bolts holding the timing chain end plate cover on?! I'm amazed it wasn't a waterfall of oil!!

[maff 10]

Er.. It was a waterfall of oil! Religiously checked the oil level though when I used the car which was not a lot, can't wait to get it back on the road with the coilovers fitted:-)

[maff 10]

Got the engine bay back together with the six branch and now the car has a misfire? So it's either leads, replaced the plugs for oem ngk's or the coil pack.

 

Mate has a mk1 golf vr6 on nitrous so he's gonna try his coil pack on it and also leads and go from there, wondering if the maf is ok though? Was very smooth before dismantling to do the oil leak with just the top end struggling for power.

 

Also helped with the ap coilovers fitting, pretty simple really but not driven it yet. Might wait untill all the leathers in and plastic stereo surrounds all fitted for the full effect.

 

Should be tidy when it's all finished with the wing sprayed as well now

[seanl82 23]

Cracking work! Can't believe there chain cover bolts were almost all missing, apologies but I never even noticed! Great to see the work you're putting into it though, top work! :thumbleft:

[maff 10]

Cheers mate, I'll admit my best mate has his own garage with ramps etc so I'm just hindering, i mean helping him with it:-) could probably manage by myself but two kids = no time so easier for me to pay someone, at mates rates mind you:-O

 

Looking forward to getting the heated leather in there and taking her out for a spin!

[maff 10]

Ps, my smilies are not working.. Tried to put a cool at the end of a sentence and it's at the top of the message? I'm on an iPad so maybe that's something to do with it?

[Harrier 1]

Looks really nice and clean inside, clearly had regular oil changes

Good work :)

[Harrier 1]

Btw for smilies on the I pad I use a colon and reverse end bracket :)

[maff 10]

Ah that's good cause I have no service book and evidence of only one oil change at 165,000;]

 

Still, I've since bought a service book and will document all I'm doing to it. It's had a private plate on it in the past so must of had some love, so shame the service books gone. I've gone a bit anal on the history of cars lately, not that I'm selling this one but it always helps

[maff 10]

So.. Sorted the misfire, got the car timed up properly which has sorted the lack of power at 5000rpm, fitted the ap coilovers and waiting for them to settle before fine tuning he height, fitted stainless tank straps, got the bmc coming, next is leather interior and loom then dent Devils for a few dings and she'll be presentable:-)

 

Coilovers fitted, sorry about the mud spots.. Mate has a unit downs farm so it gets dirty

 

Tank straps fitted

 

 

 

[maff 10]

Nearly there with the corrado, I think the cats melted so got a new one to put on and a bmc.. Here's a few more pics with the ap coilovers fitted, ride is good, just need the salt roads to go away and an alignment

[maff 10]

Had another crack at the vr today in trying to sort the misfire which turned out to be a faulty coilpack, replacement fitted and now she flys, engine is super quiet and feels really strong.

 

Also fitted the bmc so it also sounds epic from inside, here's a few pics of the car with the ap coilovers fitted and at the height I'm happy with at the moment, also had the brakes bled and found there was a cover missing off one of the vac lines so now the 288 brakes work very well.

Just need to find a wiring diagram for the heated seats as the loom is installed plus the switchgear,must needs plugging up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bmc fitted!

[seanl82 23]

Good stuff, I had a mare trying to get the brakes to some sort of reasonable operation and good enough to at least pass the MOT. I put about 5 litres of brake fluid through it too! I can't believe it was a simple fix after all that! :bonk:

[maff 10]

Good stuff, I had a mare trying to get the brakes to some sort of reasonable operation and good enough to at least pass the MOT. I put about 5 litres of brake fluid through it too! I can't believe it was a simple fix after all that! :bonk:

 

Yeah my mate noticed there was a plug missing from the vac lines down in the bulkhead which definatly did the trick, stamped on the brakes today and it stopped very well so all good!

So pleased the misfires gone though, finally feels like I can jump in the car and go now.

 

Looking forward to the new year where I can attend a few shows as I'm a member of Worcester retro and was going to be following my mate in his mk2 1.8T up to stealth in January for a remap but would rather get the dent man to sort the body first.

 

Happy with the six branch manifold as well, you do get a bit of resonance through the car but it definatly sounds meaner:-)