Golf Gti Mk3 - Work Horse

[stow1985]

Shouldnt take longer than a couple of hours or so including filling back up and bleeding the system. if you drain it the night before, and give the expansion a good scrub with a kiddies bottle brush, then stick it in a bowl of boiling water with loads of bleach over night, making sure its submerged, give it a good scrub again and rinse in the morning, and it comes out very well! Obviously not like new as you cant get the brush to the edges, but you will be able to see what coloour your coolant is again!

Sounds like a lot of hard work...lol...I might have to do this tho, depends on available was when the time comes

[stow1985]

CL Rear lights fitted...



...much better IMO.

[stow1985]

We just like everything in the thread, something else not going to plan!! 

Got pulled over the other day for a 'routine' check, as you would expect there was no problems, but got me thinking "when's my MOT due?"

End of May so I have booked an MOT for 19th...bits to sort before MOT:

> Exhaust gaskets
> Plugs
> CV gaiter...

but aside from that, been having trouble starting my car the past few days, first thought was the battery, bench checked it and its holding 12V which is enough, put it back on the car ran the engine and rev'd it, but the Volts did not increase so the alternator isn't charging the battery, quick phone call to local spares shop...my wallet is now lighter, a new alternator is in my boot...

Will fit this tomorrow...

[stow1985]

Thought its about time I did a list, not a wish list but a job list...all the things I need to do before I think of any vanity jobs:


Engine
Oil and Oil Filter
Air Filter
Cabin Filter
Plugs
HT leads
Dizzy and rotor arm
Coil
Earth Strap
All new exhaust gaskets and fittings
Replace the some of the gear linkages
Gearbox Oil change
Outer CV Joint
Front Disks and Pads
Steering Rack set up right
2 tyres

Interior
New Bolts to hold the bottom of the rear seats in.
Re-fit Speakers and wires
Fix Central Locking 
Fix Electric Window (before the summer)

Exterior
Paint Boot Lid
Re-fit Rear Wiper
Fit New Horn

I am going to try and replace all the above with genuine parts or uprated (or not)

Updated

[tdi_blu]

Lights look good Stow and I know the feeling when talking about wallet getting lighter mines nearly empty  good luck with the MOT  mate sure it will fly through 

[Seanl]

What part of the exhaust needs a new gasket? You can replace the pea shooter backbox at the same time. 

[stow1985]

Lights look good Stow and I know the feeling when talking about wallet getting lighter mines nearly empty  good luck with the MOT  mate sure it will fly through 

Thanks mate...

What part of the exhaust needs a new gasket? You can replace the pea shooter backbox at the same time. 

Manifold and flange gaskets...I like my pea shooter, its hides the amount of 'power' she's got!  In all truth I will change it when it needs to be...

[stow1985]

Just shy of 2 hours of wet conditions and then new alternator is fitted and tested....

wasn't plain sailing mind...

the fact that I haven't done this before, Haynes manual wasn't much help and couldn't find a guide on here,

checked the battery again this morning just in case it needed charging, showed 12V (which is ok), disconnected the battery and wire's off the back of the alternator...

removed top mounting bolt from the alternator and went looking for the lower...

took all the inner arch liner off, and the plastic splash cover for the pulleys, to find the lower mounting bolt missing and another bolt which I think is for the water pump loose! tightened the loose bolt and went back to the engine bay...

Pushed down on the alternator to compress the tension spring whipped the belt off (wasn't as easy as that because some drip 'removed' the top bolt)...

did the reverse too all above to fit the new alternator... 

[stow1985]

Well what I can I say, had a week of different emotions towards this car...

getting rather fed up with all the things that need replacing, came close on 3 occasions to buying another car and sending this to metal heaven!

but on the upside if I managed to replace the parts that need it, to the parts that I want then I know I'd be happy with it, but that is a big ask from my point of view...

[stow1985]

So with my head straight I took a trip to the dealer this week, and collected my parts this morning

I'l list the parts as I fit them...fitted in the dealer car park was:

056 129 777 - 2x green vacuum plugs (vacuum pipe than comes off the inlet) £1.58 +Vat

it has made the engine run alot smoother, so Im already smiling