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Topic: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White (Read 32042 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #150 –
Quote from: Damien.wrl on
Not tow proof but I have a cheap toggle switch hidden in the car, isolates the fuel pump simple but they won’t be looking for simple

I have exactly that too, they will be searching for complex but be beaten by simple.

I'm tow proof too, no wheels for years.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #151 –
Quote from: PWardy on
Quote from: Damien.wrl on
Not tow proof but I have a cheap toggle switch hidden in the car, isolates the fuel pump simple but they won’t be looking for simple

I have exactly that too, they will be searching for complex but be beaten by simple.

I'm tow proof too, no wheels for years.

I see your no wheels, and raise you no wheels, brakes, subframe, rear beam or running gear of any kind!
Mk2 Driver
Mk2 Silver 8v
Corrado G60 Turbo
Mk2 Red 8v
Mk2 Grey 16v
Mk2 BBM ABF
Bora 20vt
Mk2 Green VR6
Mk2 Green ABF
Mk2 BBM 20vt
3.2 TT Roadster
Mk2 Red 16v
225 TT Coup
3.2 TT Coup
Mk4 Anniversary
Mk7 Red GTI Performance
Mk2 Red GTI Restoration
Mk2 BBM R32
911 Carrera 4S

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #152 –
The last two things on my MOT failure/advisory list were CO2 levels and a sticking handbrake.

When doing a Google deep dive on calliper advice (other than simply replacing) I found an archived forum post on Club GTI from 2010 suggesting Ford Granada (1985-95) uses the same callipers but the handbrake return springs are beefier!

And after purchasing a pair for less than £6 delivered I can confirm this is in fact true.


So whilst not a solution on it's own it should help.

I did need to remove the calliper and free up the handbrake mech more, I also needed to wind back the piston again and start again on the setting. But the end result was a working handbrake that releases itself when I put the lever down.



A bit tricky to fit, but after getting the hang of it on one, the fitting was a little easier on the other side.

The other thing then was the emissions.

So I borrowed this machine of FinalD (ex-cub member).



I read through Rubjonnys tune up guide, but it was a bit over complex for me. But I got the gist, take a baseline setting in open air to calibrate the machine. Then shove the probe up a pipe and turn the allen key screw on top of the MAF till the number is lower.

For some reason you set the machine at 2% in open air, when I first put the probe in I was reading 5+ so if I've understood this correctly I have a reading of just over 1% now. ??

Oh, and the final thing.

A test fit on these:


The bezels need to be repainted but I just wanted to get them in. Haven't fitted the senders in the bay yet but all the wiring is in place. They're wired up to ignition live and illuminate with light on - as demonstrated, but not ideal taking the photo on daylight.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #154 –
The seller'll be wondering why he's suddenly having a run on spring sales... maybe worth a sticky in the tech. section (it it's not already there)?

Any info. your car gives you is important but I think oil pres. / temp and volts like yours are what I found myself checking most often when out in the 205.

Apart from looking great and suiting the car, connects you to it on a different level from modern machinery... everyone should maybe consider extra gauges.

The tester you used is the next one up from the basic Gunson for CO only I got, but I think that function is the same on both, you'd need to check as I'm not sure? The professional also looks to go to 2 x decimal points, mine's just the one.

Before I committed to one I found this online manual and when I was looking again today found another for FinalD's I'd not seen before.

Basic

Professional

If the CO part is the same then in a nutshell you have do the following -

Calibrate it before use by leaving it in the open air by setting to 2.0%.

It's not recommended you disturb it after calibration, so ideally site it where you intend to test (out of any exhaust gases).

I found it can take up to 20 mins to finally settle down and you'll probably need to re-adjust it back to the 2% periodically until it becomes a steady reading.

Warm the engine up to running temp (so the fan has kicked in at least once) and ensure it's idling RPM is what it should be, then insert the probe quite far up into the pipe.

There'll be a lag of 15+ seconds as the machine catches up and again after each / every adjustment you then make.

There's a stated +/- 0.5% error disclaimer but I found mine to be more or less exactly right (matched MOT testers reading), but that'll probably vary from machine to machine and until you know for sure it'll have to be factored in to your final readings to be on the safe side.

I found tiny adjustments of the screw on the 205 was all that was needed once you had reached the ball park CO level you were after, don't expect complete or even quarter turns. If the fan kicks in again while adjusting you'll have to wait until it goes off before continuing.

When your desired CO reading is reached and has been steady for a few minutes you remove the probe (again don't move the box / keep it out of any exhaust gases) then leave the machine on until it settles (in theory) back to the 2% it was initially calibrated to.

I found it would seldom do that, usually 0.1 or 0.2 above or below.

Take that difference and the potential +/- 0.5% error range and combined together you should get your (best / worst) final CO.

You also need to let it run post test so it can purge in readiness of its next use.

Assuming your 3.15 was obtained doing the above and the worst case of the machine being a full +0.5% out, it could potentially take you just over the limit.

The 205 runs a very similar set up to the MK2 but I don't yet know enough about the Golfs to appreciate any differences.

The 205's ideal CO is considered to be 1.5% (between 1 an 2 is acceptable) so plenty of scope for testing machine error not to result in a fail.

If you could at least get it to sub 3.0% would give you breathing space.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #155 –
Good luck today!

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #157 –
Bet you're over the moon.... How did the emissions work out in the end?

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #158 –
Just in time to take it off the road for the winter! :))



Congrats though
Mk2 Driver
Mk2 Silver 8v
Corrado G60 Turbo
Mk2 Red 8v
Mk2 Grey 16v
Mk2 BBM ABF
Bora 20vt
Mk2 Green VR6
Mk2 Green ABF
Mk2 BBM 20vt
3.2 TT Roadster
Mk2 Red 16v
225 TT Coup
3.2 TT Coup
Mk4 Anniversary
Mk7 Red GTI Performance
Mk2 Red GTI Restoration
Mk2 BBM R32
911 Carrera 4S

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #159 –
Quote from: L90E on
Bet you're over the moon.... How did the emissions work out in the end?

Yes, very pleased. I wasn't at all confident and was expecting another fail of something stupid I'd missed or if my welding wasn't good enough.



But to confirm I took it InterPro for the MOT, a different place than previously since I hadn't been happy with the number of the pedantic advisories picked up by my usual place - not just on my mk2, but the mk5 last year and also my dauguters car.

The Mk5 has just been through an MOT with InterPro, and they're a Longlife exhaust outlet and the Mk5 has just had a full custom S/S system from them also, so they are back in favour. I had stopped using InterPro as they dragged their heels so much when they had my old K-jet in.

So I managed a pass with just 3 advisories, 1 & 2 pitted brake discs (front and rear). I knew this, they've been covered in surface rust for the almost 2 years of non-use. I did consider fitting new but I'd quite like to upgrade the front and rear so decided I'll stick with them for now and accept the inevtiable advisory - a few hard braking sessions on the drive up to the test managed to clean them pretty good as I knew it would.

The 3rd note was rusty rear beam. It's in better condition than most I've seen but still suffering. No mentinon of the bushes as an advisory, but at least now I can plan at some point in the future to restore the rear beam and go for the Polo hub upgrade with new discs. That'll sort the rear, and 16v for the front if I manage to source some hubs etc.

As for the emissions.  They forgot to give me the little print out and I didn't check before leaving so I don't know,  so must have been ok to pass (unless they didn't test it).

On my run this morning everything was fine, ran well and recorded close to 40 mpg  - went just over on the motorway but dropped to a lower average after getting caught in some traffic later.



Quote from: Monkey on
Just in time to take it off the road for the winter! :))



Congrats though

You know I won't be doint that! I'm in the office today so my first proper chance at a drive.  30+ miles in winter weather, fog and drizzle.

Heater, rear dimister, lights (including fog lights front and rear) and wipers all work as they should.

And I'm so pleased with the heated seats - it seems like a age ago I installed them but this is the first time other than a test sit, that I've driven since they were fitted. Very effective.


Having had all the suspension apart and fitted new TRE I knew it needed tracking set up so I booked this to be done along with the MOT. unfortunately the lock nuts were siezed, again I knew this from the trouble I had doing the ends, so I did have to pay a couple hours labour but rather them than me, I'd already done my bit and had the bruises to show it.

And Road Tax is crazy expensive!!! It's been on SORN since March 2020 - almost £300. Need to get out in in now and make sure I'm getting my monies worth.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #160 –
Will be good to see a well smart friend in Tesco car park now.

Re InterPro: Very keen to see to my silencer needs but positively belligerent when trying to get them to look at car for any mechanical/engine work. It seems car too old for them to take on? In the end I shied away from some cam work and ECU mapping/chip stuff. Car nifty enough with 99 octane, upgraded ht leads, iridium plugs, free flow intake filter and trusty heavy right foot.

Will flash you this time!

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #161 –
Shame about the CO reading, would've been useful to know how accuate FinalD's tester was, specially if you'd access to it for the next time.

They're a little time consuming to set up properly, but with patience easy to get the hang of and so much less hassle than an unnecessary fail.

I was reading elsewhere about changing out the brake compensator valve and it being recommended the system is re-balanced afterwards (if that's the correct term?) - your brakes were obviously OK, did you do any setting up post change? 



Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #162 –
Quote from: marcosgt on
Re InterPro:

On the trading estate, at the back? they specialise in old stuff, mostly Ford and VW. There was a Splitty parked out front when I dropped mine off. So your car is not too old for them to take on.

However I would say, they are can be a bit awkward and they drag their heels on long term projects.

My old 86 GTI went in with fueling issues. they had it for about 6 months in the end and if cost me a couple of grand. Was running amazing when it came out though. Most of the cost was having the entire fuel injection system reconditioned due to water contamination. A long story that was well documented on the old forum.  They only charged me a few days labour in all that time, so I'm sure they didn't charge me for every hour they were working on it, which is great, but it also shows they didn't spend that much time on it, in between waiting on parts etc, they would dip in and out when they had chance.

The problem that I see, someone like me takes car in for an MOT and asks them to set the tracking, MOT is fine but they come to the tracking and find the lock nuts seized, they then spend the next 2 hours on it.

Now those 2 hours were not schedlued in at the start of the day and no doubt they had to take someone away from a long term job so they could get my car in and out same day, they then get my money that day.  Whereas the guy that's booked his car in for a larger job (i.e. me a few years back) dosen't get the dedicated time on it that it needs, they'd rather get paid multiple times for lots of small jobs than invest the time for the big wins. That's my take on it anyway, and the only way I could explain how they work.

If you take the car in with 'there's something not right' or 'can you look at this' they know it could take hours and they might not find the issue, most garages are the same these days. And with modern stuff they just plug it in and start replacing the parts the computer tells them too till the code clear. With old cars they have to spend time diagnosing - say they spend 3 hours but can't find the problem, would you want to give them a couple hundred pounds? I'd say that would be their reluctance. And often with old cars an issue can be a number of things, for example a vac leak. Simple, you find the rubber hose, replace it, but still not fixed the issue 100%, no.... all the rubber is the same age, chances are there's more than one bit that's perished.

I thought about asking them to set up my car on the Dyno, I know they'd do a great job. Perhaps another day.

 

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #163 –
Quote from: L90E on
Shame about the CO reading, would've been useful to know how accuate FinalD's tester was, specially if you'd access to it for the next time.

They're a little time consuming to set up properly, but with patience easy to get the hang of and so much less hassle than an unnecessary fail.

I was reading elsewhere about changing out the brake compensator valve and it being recommended the system is re-balanced afterwards (if that's the correct term?) - your brakes were obviously OK, did you do any setting up post change? 





FinalD has offered his service so I think I'll have to invite him over so we can take another pop at it when the weather is warmer. I have a collection of his tools to return also ;-)

The brake compensator valve was easy enough to replace, I just bleed through everything thourougly after. I did have issues with the handbrake one side, but after resetting the piston and cleaning the lever spindle it sorted itself out. No issues reported so I gather the brakes were blanced OK.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #164 –
Still working from home most days, but since the MOT pass I've been in the office 3 days so I've taken the Golf each time for the 30 mile each way journey.
Totally loving the Heated Seats I fitted at the start of lock down 2020 as this is the first time I've had chance to use them.
I still need to fit my new rear speakers but I discovered the holes don't quite line up so I need to think about that.

Car is filthy, but who cares!