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Topic: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White (Read 20630 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #75
The theory is sound, though I've only ever removed the four bolts and gave it a tap with a soft face hammer, usually pops off without too much hassle.
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Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #76
Well it's off now, took a bit more than a tap though... likely been on for a long time.

With the lower cover also off there's marks evident from at least one previous belt change and they still line up which is reassuring.

The logic of cutting the belt in half sounds is very clever, I can see how that'd go some way towards not inadvertently upsetting the timing.

Noticed today the penetrating oil is disappearing a little more quickly and uniformly... fingers crossed another week might get it loose.

If Lucy's was able to be moved by tapping it, I'm very envious!




Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #78
Cam belt on an 8v is a doddle, got it down to 20 mins if bolts are all free, while the idea of cutting the belt is doable I would always change the tensioner as it's usually that that causes snapped belts due to seizing.

Tippex is your friend, just mark up the 3 pulleys slacken  tensioner and slip belt off, new tensioner on the only pulley that really moves is the dizzy one but if it's marked up it's easy to line back up, slip belt on in the correct rotation of arrows i.e clockwise.

You can use a special tool on the tensioner to rotate it on it's cam but I usually just use an alley key and twist, it doesn't have to be that tight because when torqued up you want to be able to twist the cambelt 90 degrees, if you can't it's too tight.

Rotate the engine a couple of times by hand and recheck timing marks, job done.




Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #79
How do mere mortals get this off (not my piccy)?



Read else where the 4 x bolts that hold the first pulley to it are inserted into the 4 x threaded holes that are now exposed when it's removed, presumably thereby pushing it towards you and off the shaft?

The large central nut doesn't need to be touched?

A bit late to respond to this..
Use a Hub Puller. The space is very restricted due to the chassis rail and I'd suggest tightening the fingers so that it holds in place whilst you line it up. Fingers being at 10 seconds past 10 to 6ish on a clock face.
When I replaced mine for an ABF ribbed belt I marked-up with tip-ex, then found there is a dimple in the toothed crank pulley meaning it only goes one way.
1991 Tornado Red BB 8v GTI Moredoor
2008 Skoda Octy Scout aka dirty diesel

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #80
Cheers wasn't the worst to get off but a puller would've been useful. Starting to build up some tools as I go along, for when I have to repeat some of these jobs again further down the line.

It's odd the holes being non-symmetrical, I would've thought it could affect the pulleys balance as it turns, but presumably either not or they've compensated somehow. Wonder why it was made only to go on a certain way?

The 3 x bolts are a peculiar size too... M8x37, again must be for a reason!




Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #81
For more information on where I'm at right now, I started this topic: https://www.vwgolfmk2.co.uk/clubforum/index.php?topic=710.0
But in short, after the service the car wasn't running right. I swapped back the leads, cap etc. and still no difference.

I haven't had any time since my week off at the end of Feb, we had a fitting date for a new floor so I've been against the deadline to complete decorating. Anyway the floor is fitted and although I have some more DIY to do, I thought I'd grab half hour as I'm so frustrated I didn't get it all done and ready for MOT in my time off.

So today in classic lunchbreak style I swapped back the old fuel filter (as this actually seemed like the quickest and simplest thing to try) in a hope that the new filter was in some way faulty and restricting fuel flow. Unfortunately refitting the old fuel filter (Lucky I hadn't chucked it)  made no difference and the car is still miss-firing. With that making no difference I put the new filter back on while the car was still jacked up. So looks like I will need to follow some further diagnostic investigation. I hate that side of mechanics, I like removing old stuff and bolting back on shiny new stuff to fix problems, but when it goes wrong I get a bit lost.

So to do so I can get it in for an MOT and hopefully back on the road:
Get it running!!
Fit brake bias valve
Rebuild rear callipers
Fit exhaust rubber
Fit cam belt
Reconnect hand brake warning light - Hasn't worked since I put the carpet and dash back in, I think I've left something unplugged hopefully I can find a wire.


Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #82
Well how stupid do I feel? on the other hand I'm glad it's sorted.

Adapting Monkey's advice, as he said pull a lead and start it, repeat 4 times till all leads are checked. Well with it running I just pulled a lead and put it back, and pulled the next and so on.

Pulling 1 and then 2 made it run worse but when I got to 3 it made no difference... but then when I pulled 4, also no difference.
So even though I'd convinced myself I'd double and triple checked the firing order I simply had 3 and 4 the wrong way round  ::)

The car is now purring as expected.

So with a bit of time left to kill I investigated the handbrake light. I didn't remember unplugging it at the lever end, but I removed the cover to check. Confirming that was connected I looked to the plug on the back of the bulb, and with a multimeter no power at the plug. So then to investigate the random spare plug I had pulled down to the console area. This was in fact the handbrake plug and I'd put the wrong plug on the back of the bulb. Not sure where the other one is supposed to go, I don't seem to be missing any functions.

So just the brake bias valve, getting the handbrake function up to scratch and fitting an exhaust rubber and I can book in for MOT   :D

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #83
Tell you what, bet you won't be making that mistake again!
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Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #84
Well for those of you still here, I suppose I owe you an update. As another years seems to be rolling by and with the National Meet looming I had another push to get her MOT ready.

Looking at previous MOT advisories I'd seen the Brake Bias Valve being stiff was a reoccurrence. And after over a year of sitting idle the brakes were in quite poor shape, surface rust and sticking handbrake. And I can confirm the brake bias wasn't going to be moving for anyone, that was well and truly solid.

So after a bit of spannering...


Being on my own at the time I had to get inventive as a one man brake bleeding machine....


Whilst under the car I noticed a spot where the sealant was peeling back, so I cleaned that up, brushed on some rust converter and once gone off sprayed on a bit of waxoyl. Didn't spot anything too bad.

So tool the plunge and booked in the MOT.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #85
MOT day: Thursday 27 May.

Dropped off at 8am, and left with them. The MOT slot was 11:00.
By 2pm I hadn't heard so looked it up online and was met with a nasty fail, it's public knowledge on the Gov site so I've nothing to hide. This is what I'm dealing with:


Repair immediately (major defects):
1. Nearside Rear Service brake lagging in operation (1.2.1 (d))
2. Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))
3. Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))
4. Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength arch, currently filler and tissue paper (5.3.6 (a) (i))
5. Nearside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired arch, plate has been tacked on in a few spots now peeling off (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
6. Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
7. Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))
8. Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated both (1.1.12 (b) (ii))
9. Rear Wheel bearing has slight play both (5.1.3 (a) (i))
10. Offside Front Macpherson strut pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement top mount (5.3.4 (a) (i))
11. Coolant leak thermostat housing area ()
12. Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement both (5.3.4 (a) (i))
13. Rear Suspension component pin or bush slightly worn axle bushes will need replacing soon (5.3.4 (a) (i))
14. General corrosion to underside of vehicle unable to fully inspect due to side skirts and under sealing

I think it reads worse than it is, a rear calliper clean up, set headlight aim, and change the spark plugs and give it a good blast will sort out the emissions. Allowable CO is 3.5 and it was 3.52.

But a couple of nasty bits of welding by the sounds of it to sort out some previous bodges. I think they must have poked quite hard into a suspect area as I certainly wasn't aware of this.

The rest of the advisories are nothing too concerning.

My plan is to get it up on some stand and get all the plastics off and really see what I'm dealing with. My fear is once I start pulling at it, the repair might end up a lot bigger as these things usually do.

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #86
What a bummer, Hope you can sort it quickly . Vinnie hasn’t been Motd for since July 2019 and needs doing not  looking forward to it

Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #87
Bit of a gutter, first MOT in my ownership. It had only been done a few moths before I picked up the car. All seemed well. I'm aware the car has history, but was happy it was priced accordingly and on the face of it the repairs I could see looked like they'd been done OK.

I only used it for about 4 or 5 months before COVID hit and it's been off the road since, I'm surprised it's got that bad from just sitting there, so makes me question the validity of the previous MOT/MOTs. Oh well.... watch this space (or maybe watch the parts and breaking section ;-) )


Re: LUCY ‘91 Mk2 Golf GTI Alpine White

Reply #88
What we you saying to me about ignorance being bliss??

Seriously though, bit of a bummer, but aside from the bodge, it's not too bad a sheet.
You just need someone to do a proper repair for you.
From how it reads and the fact you've never seen it, I'm thinking its inner arch, so any half decent welder should be able to sort that for you without too much trouble.
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 #89
That's a shame. Are you going to share some pics?Hopefully you can get a welder to repair without having too much dismantling to do. Hope it isn't as bad as you fear.
When I asked my mobile welder to sort what I thought was a bit of rear arch crustyness it turned out to be worse than I hoped. However if you can get a good quality repair which blends well then at least you are putting money into an appreciating asset rather than a modern eurobox which will be depreciating at least £100pm and most likely many times more.
1991 Tornado Red BB 8v GTI Moredoor
2008 Skoda Octy Scout aka dirty diesel