Suspension noise and Ignition probs

[tintin]

Hi all,

Hopefully you can help me out.

For the last few months my Golf (96 8v GTI) has got increasingly noisy suspension - I'm positive its the rear as its very 'crashy' over poor surfaces.  One shock got an advisory at the last MOT - and is soon to be changed, but I think the rear mounts are goosed - how easy are these to change? 

Also the ignition has a fault - a while back I shorted the feed for the 'aerial booster?' for the radio against the hosung and since then the ignition no longer starts the car - the ignition pwers up, then when you do the last turn to tun the starter the engine spins but it cuts the power to the ignition circuit - so no start (at the moment it's semi hotwired to overcome this but this is annoying!) this also cut the switched feed for the stereo.  I asume something has got frazzled, but no idea what as all fuses are intact. 

Answers on a postcard please.

I'm pretty mechanically savvy - having rebuilt form the ground up loads of mini's - but this is electrical stuff is way more complex than a 1966 cooper s!!

Ta

[Christo77]

Hi..not sure what your refering to exactly with rear mounts'..but the whole rear legs inc the top rubber mounts' arrangements are easy enough to change.  You might be talking about the rear trailing arm bushes, that would add to your harsh ride if they're worn, most likely they are anyway but unless your a well determined home mechanic it's a garage job..needs a press to get the new ones in.

As for your ignition probs then i'm as lost as you are..maybe try an ecu reset as a matter of course by disconnecting battery and leave for some minutes, a long shot i know.. perhaps someone knowledgable chap on here might know where to look.

[tintin]

Sorry,  I was referreing to the rubber mounts as I'm certain they are shot....  I guess they are easy to get hold of, I'm toying with fitting a coilover lowering kit anyway to improve the handling especially as I know one of the shocks is tired anyway.

The ignition issue is more of a puzzle to me - as I know it is not the ignition switch itself (that is a common fault, and one I have erradicated as a cause)......

hmmmmmmmm 

[tintin]

Anyone have any sugestions about the ignition fault?

[rubjonny]

what test did you do to rule out the ignition switch as the problem?