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Topic: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White (Read 20596 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #123 –
Can't believe how time has flown and now I'm battling against early sun sets again.

Managed an hour the other night, and fitted both new control arms and arb bushes by torchlight.



Double checked my work in daylight a few days later when I got chance, and finally got that stuck TRE undone with the aid of a Giant stilsons wrench and a 5lb lump hammer.



Also took the old Rad out, as a leek was seen from in a previous post. Well this is the other side so it was certainly all set to give up on me.



New rad fitted




And I'm sorry to show off the rusty, grotty parts, but no I'm not sending off for blasting and powder coating, not this time round at least.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #124 –
What rad. did you go for?

I've a Hella somewhere, bought about 10 years ago when I first started tinkering, little did I know then what I know now or else I'd have left well alone. Had another quick look recently and they all seem to be the same one, just branded differently or am I just being cynical.

(Glad you've relented and carried on posting)

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #125 –
Have recently had tie rods and ball joints replaced and now wonder about the merits of having front wheels aligned. I’m trying to track down (see what I did there) someone who is familiar with MK2s and will adjust wheels with correct camber/toe in values.

Eddypeck: Since you have just gone down this road recently will you align wheels yourself or do you know someone locally you trust to do it properly? Also, is it possible to align Golf GTi rear wheels?

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #126 –
I will be taking it to get tracking done once it’s passed the MOT. I think the only place local that can do it it the Kwik Fit on the industrial estate. Even Elite tyres send you there for tracking, they don’t do it themselves.

Sort answer there is no rear adjustment for 4 wheel alignment (I don’t think anyway) long answer I think you can tweak the rear with shim plates etc and there’s some adjustments of the axel via the beam mounts. But I don’t think it’s necessary to get into that.

I usually use Elite for the MOTs, there used to be an old VW guy there that was always sympathetic but he’s moved on now and the new guy seems to be a bit over enthusiastic with failures and he’s obsessed with surface rust, but is equally as dissatisfied if a vehicle has underseal so it’s a no win situation. He’s flagged advisories on both the Mk5 and my daughters Fiesta for under body rust and I’ve looked they are both really clean vehicles for the age. I’m thinking I’ll try InterPro for the MOT when I’m ready. The Mk5 is due soon so perhaps that can be my trial vehicle to see how lenient they are. I think that’s going to need an exhaust and they are a Longlife dealer, they did the exhaust on my old BMW E30.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #128 –
Bought a Mahle on Amazon for the MK1 recently, to put away as it was on sale for a ridiculously low price.

Identical to the Hella of 10 years ago, though I think they both now belong the same parts group.

They're each 'mechanically jointed'  - read that as being as cheaply made as possible, but if they work then no harm in that and keeps running costs down.

The 205 had an 'Ordonez' in when I got it, but was weeping slightly.

Tried to get a replacement but while the company still exist they don't make that particular one any longer.

Local garage tracked down an old stock 'Valeo' for me but when they picked it up it turned out to be an 'Ordonez' in their packaging

It's a heavy steel body with bass core, weighs a massive amount.

Stupidly ditched the original before I realised they can be re-cored and even grotty ones are worth a few quid because of it.

Was checking through Autodoc's MK2 offerings and the spec. / dimensions of all but one are nigh on identical, seems to bear out that they're likely all the same one.

Coincidentially or not the exception is the 'Valeo', it's described as aluminium manufacture and not the mechanically jointed of the others... be interesting to know if it is different in any (better) way.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #131 –
Ahhh, look at that wee face - Happy anniversary by the way!

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #132 –
Sorry to everyone expecting in update sooner, I mentioned elsewhere I'd done some work over the weekend, yet it's Thursday and I'm only just getting the pics up.

Anyway, arches, sill trims and the repaired rear bumper on:
 




And here's the clever bit, in line with what I did on the old one I used plastic screw clips to fit the arches rather than rivets.



These clips were bigger than the ones I'd used previously but the benefit is the head is bigger and I think they are a bit more secure. As a result I did have to drill out the holes a bit, but I knew I was going to be using these so I did that, rust treated and primed before I applied the paint at the previous stage.

This means the trims are all removable if I so decide and there's no metal on metal like with rivets.

I also removed, cleaned and refitted the coolant flange, with a smidge of gasket sealant. Since one of my advisories was a slight coolant leak from that area. Topped up the coolant, following the new rad and I ran up the car - all seems well!

Although the fuel pump under the car started making a sucking noise, I think my tank has finally run dry. At least I hope it was just the sound of the pump sucking air and not the fuel pump on the way out.

I was parked up with very little fuel way back when. It's been moved around the driveway a few times and been started and ran.

And on a previous evening, when it was not too dark to see but dark enough to help I aligned the headlights using the brick wall it's pointing towards.



So the only thing remaining on my MOT fail/advisory list that I still need to worry about is now the CO2 levels.

I also want to do the cam belt, so the reason I've left off the front bumper and arch liners and kept in on stands as this gives me a bit more access. I'll need to take a fuel can up to the petrol station but thankfully the panic buying is over so hopefully I won't get judged as 'one of them'.

I'm sure I'll be back on the road soon, I'm back in the office now a couple days a week and with the winter coming I might be reluctant to take the bike all the time.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #133 –
Great little tip with the arches, I think I'll copy that one!
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 #134 –
Great update and that is a good tip on the plastic screws for the arches. Where did you get them from? I am about to install plastic arches on the mk3 and will want to take them off the mk2 semi regularly to check or clean.