Isaac - 1992 MK2 Golf GTI 8v...

Yup... all seemed to be variations on a theme , but most of the procedures I read had you doing different loads / durations.

None of them explained why though, it's good to learn the thinking behind what was being recommended, cheers.

 

I learnt from my Dad, he was/is a proper old school mechanic, who had to tune cars, not just fit parts.

 

For me it's becoming more and more of a big part of the satisfaction of owning an older car.

Something very satisfying about either fixing or fine tuning it yourself.

 

They've both been out a few times over the darker days for a scoot up and down the lane / warm up to keep them fresh but today was the first time it was together.

Hard to describe in words - two '80's hatches burbling side by side, you can actually feel something physical in the air / acoustic, like turning up the bass on the stereo... bet you don't get that with an EV!

 

Excellent work a great read. Good to see such commitment and dedication in preserving these great cars. I’m really enjoying getting through my list of jobs and these threads are a real inspiration
Fantastic work
Respect from Co. Down

 

Now vw are stopping the up gti is that a future classic?

 

Funny you should ask... seems to be a hot topic at the moment elsewhere.

Brave person who'd speculate though, but equally I do think it ticks quite a few of the boxes that seem to have caused car's from the past to become 'classics'.

Not worry me, I'll be long gone by the time anyone's debating it in earnest.

 

Love a 205, was torn between one of these and the mk2. But went with the mk2 because I think they look that little bit better, plus were cheaper!

 

Apples and oranges, love them both for a lot of the same reasons and also for how different they are.

Imagine if VW had made the 205, couldn't have been beaten!

 

First world problems! - When I'm setting the CO using the Gunson it's a bit of a cod having to continually go back and forth from the engine bay to the drivers door when checking the revs... really don't know how I put up with it!

Then discovered there's a 'W' terminal on the alternator that can run rev. counters.

Sensibly priced marine gauge later (double lens to stop fogging / water resistant) and wired to the existing pig tail for the battery charger, means it can be switched about and doesn't need to be permanently connected... Pos+, Neg- and single wire to the 'W' terminal, that's it.

Made up an aluminium bracket that attaches to the top and bottom bolts which secure the fan housing to the radiator, makes for a rigid frame, all reversible and no drilling etc. needed.

The gauge comes with instructions to 'tune' it into different types of engine, there's a single button on the rear you press 'X' amount of times in a certain sequence depending on what you're setting it up to.

Used the 'hidden' MFA digital rev. counter to marry the new one up to the cars actual revs. and seems to be exactly spot on.

Being a marine gauge that digital display at the bottom is for 'hours', and if you want it can also be wired up to illuminate, which I haven't bothered with.

 

That is a quality bit of work there

 

Way back last year, before I got the car running again I was struggling with the PAS belt.

Can't recall the specifics now but the recommended belt length made it nigh on impossible to fit without taking everything apart and when you did it caused the water pump and PAS pulleys to be touching even at full stretch.

Fix was to get one 5mm longer (again can't remember what that brought it up to) which solved both the fitting / touching issues.

Small update - car's 500 odd miles on it since and recently the PAS has begun squealing at full lock - so belt has obviously stretched some more in use.

Fixed easily enough using the adjuster mechanism, but it's now very close to the max. should it ever reoccur.

 

There was a question mark over one of the pulleys, but can't remember which now.

Do remember you raising it at the time, and it was checked, but we were pretty happy they were all MK2 items.

That's a good tip to highlight again - remember there were others who mentioned having similar issues, likely plenty more having it since.

 

Nice day, start of a new month so said fe*kit and taxed the car... 55 miles of bliss later, ended up at my little photo opportunity stop (but looking out over the other side this time), hope tomorrow's just as sunny...

 

Bagged an short notice MOT cancellation for mid-morning, car's not due for 5 or 6 weeks.

Thought I'd get in early as there's ordinarily still 3 - 4 month waits and didn't want to be in the position of it running out over winter / having to get him done in the spring.

Luckily had recently checked over everything / serviced him and done the emissions, meant I could drop everything and just drive there.

By chance found a filling station on the way back that stocks 97 RON, filled up (£75!) as it's nigh on impossible to come by more local to me.

Be interesting to see if it genuinely makes any odds or will it just be a placebo effect, normally I put in 95 RON.

Always interested to see what the MOT Centers CO% reading comes in at with the MK2 and 205, helps to keep the Gunson on it's toes.

For the last few years it's been bang on every time, and this time it was just flickering between 1.7 and 1.8 for me at home... the certificate shows they got 1.770

 

Uptodate pic, just for the sake of it...

 

Managed the same again today for the 205 and got another short notice cancellation, though it's MOT had already expired way back in April or May I think.

You're allowed to still drive here so long as you've a confirmed future test appointment (which I did, but brought it forward to today).

The Peugeot's been taking a bit of a back seat over the MK2 lately, so went the long way home after it passing... wee car just loves having its neck wrung, thrives on it.

Starting to think there's maybe a different cam in it, something to look into as it's had other mods in it's past.

Starts on the button, hot or cold but is definitely quite lumpy at idle 'till it gets warm then it just flys.

The photo op. spot yet again... gives me somewhere to aim for, plus like today, you quite often barely meet another car.

I'm not overly precious about these two... don't abuse them either and they get looked after specially mechanically, but it doesn't bother me either racking up the miles or driving them like they were made to be.

All this EV hype at the minute, I'm in no doubt it'll happen one way or another and I've no problem with that but I can also see cars like these being squeezed out in the process, either by legislation or just taxed 'till they're no longer viable.

Need to practice what I preach more than I am, but my advice is make the most of them while you can!

 

They both do look nice, a credit to you. Cars do indeed need driving