First Golf, first problems :p Heater, Enging missfire and heat!

[dlongmu]

OK, this is my first non-jap car (after about 19 cars).. 2 days in and we hit the problems 

Thankfully these cars seem easy to work on in comparison so here's hoping!

1st problem) dodgy electrics..

First time I switched off the headlights it caused a flash and blew my speedo LED up, is replacing this a whole dash-take-apart job?

2nd problem) missfire

Hoping it may just be plugs, but wondering if the acctual symptoms could make it easier to identify:

The idle is slightly bumpy, though the needle doesnt move it sounds like a missfire is going on. When driving it's very occasional, sometimes when you put your foot down in 5th say at 60mph (3000 revs or so) it sits there missfiring with no acceleration.. other times it will do it at 1-2k in any other gear when pootering around town.... other times it drives perfectly for ages without any hint of a missfire. Has me stumped!

3rd problem) Heater matrix??

I'm assuming this is the heater matrix after rummaging through threads.. basically the heater fan was really noisy, so I took my dad out to show him what I was on about after idling the car for a good 20 minutes. So I turn it on hot and open up the juice, smoke pours out the vents :s and it doesnt smell of steam, it smells of hot burning smoke, so I turn the car off and pop the bonnet.

No smoke in the bay :\ though the engine is incredibly hot and smells like it! Oil levels are fine and Header tank has pleanty water but it's dark brown.. 

Driver footwell is wet, and seems to be coming from underneath and the previous owner put it down to a "leak in the door seal" with no mention of the heater being screwed
 


Any help would be great guys.. the car hasn't really inspried much confidence in me so far regarding reliability, but then again it is a complete hoot to drive 

[Leon R]

Erm Welcome to the world of Golfs...

1) For the speedo light you will need to remove your radio, the switches (they pop out) and remove the dash surround. There are loads of Phillips screws hiding so try find them all. The cluster is held in by 2 phillips either side and when you release them the clocks should be able to be pulled forward. I'd leave it here as the speedo cable (on my 16v) is a fatherless son to get back on plus theres an electrical plug at the bottom. The bulb holder twists out. All you need to do is twist a new one back in and thats it.

2) What Golf do you have? Check your dizzy cap and arm aren't worn out, check your leads are nice and soft and aren't cracked, and are you loosing coolant and burning white smoke? Also could be your coil breaking down. I'd donor some parts off a friend such as leads and your dizzy cap and arm are cheap items to replace.

3) Sounds like Matrix as they leak straight into the passenger footwell but you'd loose water from the expansion tank. How hot does the car get?

Pull out your radio and have a look about, I think you may have a wire shorting out. Check all your fuses one by one and see which ones are blown and if they blow again, what area they cover.

Good luck! Mk2s are easy to work on plus you will get loads of help on here so don't worry!