what have you done to your car today ?

Nam-uk

Active Member
May 11, 2011
1,177
351
lancashire.
Regardless of mileage? I did mine in 2019 but have barely driven 1,000 miles since then.


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Yes, but in 2019 I’d only done 700miles so I give it another 12 months As I knew I’d still not be using the car , I’m around 1750miles or less when I change every 12 months
 

iammooks

Active Member
Nov 27, 2018
1,784
1,172
Freelance... How else do you think I manage to do so much work on my car?

The trouble is an oil change is just another thing that goes on the list, and you all know how long my list is...


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mty12345

Active Member
Jun 17, 2011
3,907
538
bristol
4000 miles probably equates to 9 months for me, so if you're doing low mileage then i'd agree 12 months is probably best practice.
 

Nam-uk

Active Member
May 11, 2011
1,177
351
lancashire.
did the rear passenger door lock and in the past it has been stripped down before as there was missing panel clips and inner panel fixings even the seal was not on right, replaced clips and fixing proper ruff who ever did it, also the floppy bracket was broke again so that's gone again lol, also the window regulator was very stiff to operate manually so used silicon spray on the running gear runs sweet now i had no issue with window motor though before that but its worth freeing the regulator off, one thing to note is when you remove the inserts to get at the lock cable on the handle the cover comes off really easy even with clips still attached and this issue was on both inserts, i used gorilla adhesive too fix them back on as that gear works well, i doubt you can buy that part separate would be a right pain if they went missing.
 

iammooks

Active Member
Nov 27, 2018
1,784
1,172
As it's raining today, I'm not going to bother doing my shocks, so was looking at replacing the bump stops given there's time for them to arrive in the post.

There's nothing wrong with my dust covers, but am finding it hard to get part numbers (and a decent price) for just the bump stops. Are they all much the same thing, and are they even worth replacing?
 

Rich.T

Active Member
Feb 15, 2020
1,609
932
Picked up a set of Brembo pads with the hope of fitting them tomorrow.
Then went to my trusted garage and booked the car in for a full service and cambelt kit in September.
Not doing brakes today. Didnt realise my missus isnt working today.
On the plus side, she's doing me 2x 1/4 pounder burgers for breakfast 😁
Do them next week.
 

iammooks

Active Member
Nov 27, 2018
1,784
1,172
I've lost count of the number of times I've gone to my laptop to buy that rear ARB, but I drove the car round the block to get a parking space outside the house, and I'm getting some power delivery issues, so might have to save my money... No EML but when I accelerate the engine gets really stuttery and when I parked the car, I noticed the revs were fluctuating between 900 and 1,100rpm. A few weeks ago I noticed smoke when I was pulling away a few times before the engine had really heated up. It does seem to me like glow plugs might be the issue, given I'm still on the originals.

Yesterday when I got in the car my glow plug light was on for a while before I started the car (hadn't driven it for a week) but am starting to wonder if it's running rougher because of that. I have a whole new set, but am convinced the old ones are going to snap when I take them out or I'm going to damage the harness. Given that the EGR and turbo are clean, the only breathing issue would be from the intake manifold needing a clean as well.

The advice I've heard so far about glow plugs is to get the engine warm before trying to take them out, but if anyone has had them snap, it'd be really useful to have some advice on what you did and whether you were able to sort it with the kinds of tools most DIYers would have.
 

Rich.T

Active Member
Feb 15, 2020
1,609
932
Taking glow plugs out is always a twithcy bum moment.
Maybe get the engine hot 1st may help.
If your having a bad day before you start or you have to rush the job, dont bother. Itll end in tears.
Copper grease the new ones in.

Make yourself a cuppa tea/coffee before you start.

When youve finnished you can stand back and admire with your favourite hot beverage that another job is successfully done.

Rich
 

Nam-uk

Active Member
May 11, 2011
1,177
351
lancashire.
Remove my glow plugs when engine was hot, when fitting the replacements put some copper grease on the threads also the rail that connects to them can crumble like cheese I also had to replace that, all genuine parts as I’ve read aftermarket plugs can throw an error
 

Yellow fr

Gone to new owner so seat less for now
Sep 6, 2018
1,547
1,062
Sandbeds West Yorkshire
Put some wd40 onto them for a few days before you do them and like what has been said get the engine up to temperature and crack them off two turns off spray with wd40 one back in and spray again and a couple out and back in till it’s out or turns easy I would use a little oil on the threads of the new glow plug


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mty12345

Active Member
Jun 17, 2011
3,907
538
bristol
I've lost count of the number of times I've gone to my laptop to buy that rear ARB, but I drove the car round the block to get a parking space outside the house, and I'm getting some power delivery issues, so might have to save my money... No EML but when I accelerate the engine gets really stuttery and when I parked the car, I noticed the revs were fluctuating between 900 and 1,100rpm. A few weeks ago I noticed smoke when I was pulling away a few times before the engine had really heated up. It does seem to me like glow plugs might be the issue, given I'm still on the originals.

Yesterday when I got in the car my glow plug light was on for a while before I started the car (hadn't driven it for a week) but am starting to wonder if it's running rougher because of that. I have a whole new set, but am convinced the old ones are going to snap when I take them out or I'm going to damage the harness. Given that the EGR and turbo are clean, the only breathing issue would be from the intake manifold needing a clean as well.

The advice I've heard so far about glow plugs is to get the engine warm before trying to take them out, but if anyone has had them snap, it'd be really useful to have some advice on what you did and whether you were able to sort it with the kinds of tools most DIYers would have.
Glow plugs only run for 5 secs or so at start up, they can't affect the running of the engine beyond the first 30 secs or so. For the hassle and stress of chaging them i wouldn't bother unless faulty.
 

Nam-uk

Active Member
May 11, 2011
1,177
351
lancashire.
while were on service i Totally forgot i had two Genuine Vw filters 06A115561B sent by accident as they should of sent the 1.9 Tdi filters, they said keep them I'm am sure they fit the cupra , if anyone wants them they can have them as obviously i wont use them lol, I'm in the Manchester area just pm me.
 
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iammooks

Active Member
Nov 27, 2018
1,784
1,172
Afternoon turned out nice so decided to have a go at the shock absorbers after I finished work.

They beat me.

First time trying out the Milwaukee impact wrench and that did the job fine - had a little trouble at first getting the wheel bolts out, but it's a mix of a lack of copper slip on the threads and me worrying about waking the dead by leaving it on the third setting until they came out.

Everything was going fine with the shocks - the impact wrench even got the lower shock bolt out that's been rusted in place for years (it stripped half the thread...!) - until I tried to get the lower shock out of the knuckle. I bought some spreaders and was expecting it to be easy, but I couldn't really find anywhere to put the spreader in, and where I did put it, which was about an inch or so under the bolt hole, it seemed too low to actually do anything. I couldn't get it in any higher because the fin on the shock got in the way and when I hit the knuckle with a hammer, the spreader fell out, so it obviously wasn't spreading as much as it should have.

Sprayed plenty of penetrating lube in and around the strut as well. All that did was give me PTSD from when I was trying to get snapped bolts out back in March.

As the girlfriend is going to be using the car for the next fortnight, I didn't want to do anything drastic that might take it off the road, so will just leave it a while.

Since the car was on axle stands I decided to fit the horn that @Thai-wronghorse sent me. Proper pain in the arse that was. Had to remove the foglight grill and take the foglight out to get the bolt for the high tone one back in. They don't make it easy for you. Remembered to test it before I'd put everything back together though. Nice to have a proper baaaaarp sound again.
 
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iom

Active Member
May 18, 2021
22
5
finland
anyone know how much shorter serpentine belt belt i would need without AC (Auq 05) it has not worked in years and the pulley is stuck, gonna just rip it off
 
Lecatona HPFP (High-pressure Fuel Pump Upgrades)