Getting my 8v GTi back on the road

[Vee.Dubster]

Hello all, this is my first post here, so please go easy on me if I'm asking questions that have been answered a hundred times before!

My 1990 Golf has been laid up for a few months, whilst I've been working on the house. The Golf isn't used during the winter months and is essentially kept as a toy, together with its 1976 Beetle cousin. I've had these cars for years and just can't bare to part with 'em :-)

After we recharged the battery on the Golf, I found that the starter wouldn't turn, further investigation discovered that the metal coolant pipe around them engine had corroded and dripped coolant into the starter! bugger of a job to change the pipe, but all is well now!

Next job is the brakes, the rear calipers are pretty much seized, so need swapping, and due to the fact that the car does little miles in the winter months, I would like to fit something that ain't gonna seize up so easily!
The car is a 1990 8v, first of the big bumper models, so could anyone please advise the method envolved to fit mk3 or mk4 calipers, and if it is cost effective to do so?

Many thanks for reading my ramble, I suspect you will hear more from me, 'cos I've got the mk2 bug again!

Rich

Currently appearing in:
'76 Beetle 1200
'90 Golf GTi 8v
'99 Lupo SDi
'03 Golf GT TDi 130

[Gambit]

its only the handbrake mech on the calipers that have seized, the caliper piston will be fine, you could try fixing them if you want. just disconnect the handrake cables from the spring on the caliper, then knock out the pin on the caliper about 1/2 inch and spray with WD40 and let it seep into it. give the tops of the pin a rub with emery paper, more WD40, grease etc and eventually they will free up

u can also use ford granada handbrake release springs on the calipers instead of VW std items,  they are far better & only cost bout 1.50 each

Granada release springs part numbers
6 141 147 and 6 141 148

the mk3 & mk4 rear calipers are just a straight swap onto your mk2 as it is a big bumper model so no need to reroute the handrake cables

mk3 & mk4 calipers are the same except the mk4 are made from aluminium

starter motor:-

try tapping the starter motor with a hammer while somebody tries to turn it via the ignition

if that dont work then just buy a recon one from the scrappy or dismantlers

[Gambit]

oh and if you do go for mk3 rear calipers make sure you get post 96 model as the pre 96 use the same calipers on your mk2 and will eventually seize again

late mk3 have internal handbrake mech to prevent seizing

HTH,
Craig

[Vee.Dubster]

Cheers for that fella, I've got Friday off work, so I will set to then.
I'm going to service all the brakes and most likely replace the front discs and pads, possibly the rears too, any recommendations for pads?
I replaced the coolant pipe, and a local Bosch dealer has rebuilt my starter, it was the solenoid that was stuffed by the coolant.

I'm impressed by the speedy response!

Rich

[Gambit]

if your just looking to get it back up & running then id just go for a set of std disks and a set of uprated pads for the front, pagid fast road pads are particulary good

for the rears i just get std items

once its up & running then the fun can begin.....

[jv]

Welcome to the forum mate!

That's an interesting collection of veedub's you have there  

Sounds like you have the answers to your tech questions, my only comment would be that if you care about keeping your wheels clean, ebc greenstuff brake pads are excellent as the hardly give off any dust.

cheers,

jv

[Harooshum]

Where can u buy ebc greenstuff pads from? Alot of companies advertise in car magazines, but i want them cheaper than that!

Also, how much will mk4 rear calipers cost?
H.

[golfvr6]

oh and if you do go for mk3 rear calipers make sure you get post 96 model as the pre 96 use the same calipers on your mk2 and will eventually seize again

late mk3 have internal handbrake mech to prevent seizing


Not quite true ,  all mk3s have different calipers to mk2s. My 94 vr6 has got the internal handbrake mech. You can fit these to post 90 mk2 cars without any mods.

[Vee.Dubster]

Hello again,

Cheers for all the advice Gambit, and for the welcome jv - I'm am lucky to have a 'VW through the ages' museum here, wasn't planned that way, just sorta happened!
I've had the Beetle for years, it was my first car - and I was completely conned! nice shiny bug, full of filler! but over the last 12 years I have fully restored it, and boy has that car tought me a lot about mechanica and body work! The Golf 2 GTi was the last of my dads mk2 Golfs, he currently drives a Golf mk4 1.8T GTi, again my old GTI is in great condition. The Lupo was bought when I changed jobs for 6 months, but now the wife loves it too, so it has become hers, and my Golf TDi is an ideal beast for shooting all over the county for work, Actually makes commuting fun!

[Vee.Dubster]

Sorry I started to ramble again in the last post!
Back to my current problems! The brakes are this weekends mission, but today I want to fill up the coolant again - remember I've replaced the metal coolant pipe around the side and front of the engine (dunno its proper name) is there a prefered way to refill the system? I want to ensure that I don't suffer from any airlocks etc.

Cheers in advance for any advice :-)