Recently acquired Mk.3......just a few questions and problems???

[alastpa]

Hello all
I have recently acquired a 1994 Mk.3 1.8 which I got for next to nothing, however there are a few issues with it.

Firstly the engine seems very noisy and there is alot of vibration finding it's way into the cabin, especially at higher revs. (4000+rpms) The engine mounts obviously need replacing, but how quiet can I reasonably expect the Mk.3 to be? I have also noticed alot of engine & wind noise coming from the front A-pillar area. It seems the front door hinges are very worn. Could this cause the increased wind noise on the motorway??? The front passenger door is particularly bad. It is difficult to open and visibly drops when opened. How expensive is it to have this problem put right?? I should point out that the engine was recently rebuilt, pulls very strongly and does not smoke or rattle at all, so I really doubt the noise/vibration are caused by any type of engine fault.

The next rather major problem is a groaning noise from the steering rack or front suspension. It normally happens when I turn the steering wheel while stationary or when going over a speed bump. Is this just suspension & steering rack bushes or something more serious??? I am quite keen to get the full Powerflex kit which includes all suspension & steering rack bushes! Can I expect any improvement in ride and handling after installing the Powerflex bushes??

Next my car never came fitted with any type of sunroof. Is it possible to buy a complete, used electric, factory sunroof (EG: motor, mechanism, switch etc.) and have it fitted by a decent bodyshop?? Is this feasible from a cost point of view and can I expect a reasonable result at the end.

Lastly and maybe a bit of a stupid question but the rear bumper is of the plain black plastic variety. It is quite faded and looks particularly tatty. Is there any easy way to re-blacken/re-dye it or do I have to buy a new bumper???

[Len]

If your car has power assisted steering then its the drive belt needing replacement!

Wind noise will be the door rubbers, quite cheap and easy to fit!
If as you say the doors drop when opened then you need to tighten all the bolts!

[Rmachines]

The tall block 1.8L engines should be very smooth and quiet, Unlike some cars, if they get tappity or rattly its usualy something needing replacing,  they should be quiet,  If engine mounts are bad it could be down to that,  the AAM 75bhp engine is a little harsh over 5000 rpm, gets a bit growly but still smooth.

[thai-wronghorse]

i suffer from a similarly noisey 96 5dr GTI, the thing is i've already changed all three of the engine mounts and yes, it stopped the excess engine movement but if anything it increased the vibration and cabin noise especially at 3000rpm and over. Acceleration is more responsive but still jerky on pedal let off. I'm pretty baffled tbh.

[thai-wronghorse]

Come to think of it i also suffer from the wind noise problem as well, i thought it was just me being my pedantic self but now after reading your post im glad it's not just me. My 20 year old Polo had less wind noise than this at speed. Meh.
Where's the best place to get door seal then at a price that isn't going to rip the lining from wallet?

[alastpa]

I should mention that I live in South Africa. The SA Golf Mk.3 is slightly different to the UK variety. I'll give a brief run down for those who are interested.
The SA Mk.3 was initially released with the 1.6 & 1.8 litre carburettor fed motors from the Mk.2 (with mapped electronic ignition) The GTi 8v and VR6 were as per the UK variety. the lower end four cylinder models all initially had plain black plastic bumpers. These carb fed models were roundly criticized by the motoring press for being sluggish and underpowered, especially on the Highveld.(High altitude = poor performance) In mid 1996 VW released a fuel injected version of these motors that had been co-developed with the Engineering Department of the University of Stellenbosch. These models also had updated spec which included, colour coded bumpers across the range, larger 14 inch wheels on GS, GSX & GTS models, upgraded brakes and velour trim. The Stellenbosch developed motors are still used in the CitiGolf here in South Africa. For those of you who dont know the CitiGolf is an updated version of the MK.1 Golf, which is still produced here. It has been updated with a new look dashboard among other things. VW SA has even released a Citi with a driver's side airbag!!!!

My particular Mk.3 is a 1994 1.8 GSX (lower spec, carb model) that has been fitted with the later fuel injection/engine managment system. The change to EFI is quite easy on these engines. The engine block, cylinder head etc can all be retained. This engine now developes 82kw (previously 70kw on the carb) and gives very decent performance. My particular car is equipped with central locking, airconditioning, powersteering and the factory remote alarm/immobiliser. The external appearance is quite plain. (black plastic bumpers, 13 inch steel wheels & hubcap's) The South African Mk.3's appear to be quite plain compared to some of the higher end UK models. We never had two-tone interiors, only the VR6 was equipped with ABS, all models had airbag's as an option only and sunroof's were very rarely fitted. The standard factory fitted audio system was an awful Panasonic radio/tape HU, which only had RDS on VR6 model's and CD shuttle's were an option only! Tweeter's were only standard on higher end model's. (GTi & VR6) I've noticed that UK models had some rather nice factory fit audio options (Sony RDS radio/tape or VW Beta & Gamma)