mk2 16v - Back from MOT - ideas please...

[bretttuk]

Well, car has been in for MOT , failed on a couple of items .. mainly small, advice or ideas on a couple of things before i go buying items.

Fails :

1. N/S/F Dip Beam in operable - New bulb needed
2. N/S/F Main Beam in operable - New bulb needed
3. O/S/F Indicator in operable - New bulb needed

4. O/S/F & N/S/F Wheels Binding - Unable to test wheel bearings

5. Front brake inbalance O/S - 300lbs N/S - 400lbs
6. No effort on N/S/R Handbrake
7. No effort on O/S/R Handbrake

Points 4 and 5 - they advised to remedy by purchasing new discs and pads.
Points 6 and 7 - What problems could this be ? New handbrake cables needed ? or possible sticking rear calipers on mk2

8. O/S Washer jet blocked - Find blockage and fix
9. Back box exhaust rubber split - Ordered new rubber to be fitted tommorrow by self

Other advised items that came up ...

N/S/F strut top bearing siezing up - Is this an easy item to replace ?
Slight wheel bind on rear brakes - Could this be seizing mk2 calipers ?
Slight wheel play in rear wheel bearings - Bearings on way out i assume, so need replacing.

Your thoughts and comments , ideas welcome ...

Brett

[marcogolfo]

to be honest its not to bad i would say that point 6 and 7 most probably are due to sticking rear calipers

[Organisys]

6,7 - Rear Calipers usually bind on, not off. try adjusting cable first, of if cable is too stretched, renew.

8. Stick pin down jet hole, or renew piping. can get piping on a roll from halfrauds. Another trick it to por some 'limelite' down pipes or soak washer jet in it. Worked for me.

9. Get correct rubber from gsf. helps with location of box.

nsf strut strut top (mount) is easy, but needs a special tool on one of the nuts.

[Agreeable Slick]

if it comes back that the rears are seized then drop the rear subframe out and leave the calipers in a bucket of diesel each side overnight, they will free them up nicely then. 

[bretttuk]

Just ordered new discs and pads up front, and might aswell order new calipers for the rear , do it all at once including handbrake cables...

[Organisys]

Order mk3 calipers, as these dont stick apparantly.

[tobz.]

Slight play in rear wheel bearings is quite normal, they are taper bearings so just take the grease cap and castle nut off the middle of the rear hub and tighten the bearings up a little bit more, just enough to take out the play but not enough to make them stiff. As long as the bearings aren't noisy then they should be fine. Freeing off siezed rear calipers is fairly easy but quite often it will happen again before long. Im freed mine off a while ago and one is binding a bit already. If you are buying new calipers definately go for mk3 ones, I have had a brand new mk2 caliper sieze after under two years!!!

[bretttuk]

Ordering the mk3 ones anyway after reading posts on here. Some more questions though ...

Regarding the mk3 Calipers - The car currently has Braided hoses at the mo, will the hoses attached to the mk2 calipers be ok to go on the mk3 calipers ?

Should i be replacing the pads aswell at the rear , might aswell eh ... and are the pads the same size from mk2 to mk3 ?


Is there anything else i need to do the jobs of Handbrake cables / Rear Calipers ??