Volkswagen Corrado G60
Discussion
Spinakerr said:
Good to hear, and impressive testing process to ensure the charger doesn't have any further issues.
I'd say you fully deserve a trouble free 2021 in the G60 now - good stuff!
Thanks, although it seems that as with so many things, 2020's awfulness bleeds into 2021...! I'd say you fully deserve a trouble free 2021 in the G60 now - good stuff!
The good news - no massive clouds of oil smoke, I have boost and while the gauges still flicker after an attempted quick fix with some contact client, all seemed well.
The bad news, driving down the A59, the engine cut out, all power lost and nothing to do but coast to a halt with the hazard lights on. Sigh.
A quick underbonnet check showed nothing obviously amiss, but while there was power to the starter motor, the engine wouldn't fire.
The good thing about having been around these cars for a while, are the little bits of information that lodge in your brain. Like reading YEARS ago about the habit of the fuel pump relay giving up without warning for no reason and it being a good idea to keep a spare in the glove compartment.
Ignition on, and against the background of the passing traffic was....nothing. No tell-tale hum of a priming pump.
Luckily having read the article, I thought it was a sensible idea rather than dismissing it, and have had a spare sat in there for years.
A 5 minute job to remove the trim and swap them over, and the engine started first time so we could continue on our way (to a snowy car park).
I have another relay (Meyle 1008009009) on order. If you type in just the part number without the word 'Corrado' it gets cheaper too.... Inspection of the old one didn't reveal anything obviously wrong/burnt/detached but the pump now works again, so it must be the culprit... right?
Ahh good old relay 167. I also keep 109 as a spare too - it's for the ECU. When I got my car pack from 9 mths at the bodyshop I couldn't get it to start. Fuel pump was humming but no power on the MAF. I couldn't work it out and had placed my hand on the relays as they clicked on and off and found 167 was a bit weak feeling on switch. As a conicendence that relay let off an almighty clonk and the engine fired up.
You can also for testing or to get you out of spot of bother put relay 109 into 167s slot - it will run the fuel pump constantly.
edited - got my 109s and 167s the wrong way round
You can also for testing or to get you out of spot of bother put relay 109 into 167s slot - it will run the fuel pump constantly.
edited - got my 109s and 167s the wrong way round
Edited by _Mja_ on Friday 8th January 17:03
gforceg said:
Thanks, that's useful information. Do you happen to know if its a common part for all Corrados?
As ever, it's good to see your work and perseverance with the car. It is an inspiration.
Thanks! Perseverance is an essential quality when working on Corrados, they have a karmic balance that means when you fix one thing, another thing breaks to take its place.... As ever, it's good to see your work and perseverance with the car. It is an inspiration.
That's my excuse for leaving a couple of minor niggles in place anyway.
I'm not sure if it's common to all Corrado's, I would have thought all early ones though given the platform on which they're based and the shared components with the Mk2 Golfs. They may have altered it for the VR6 though.
I hope to get the headlight adjusters replaced this weekend, although as we are in the middle of a load of work on the house (lockdowns permitting) that might not happen as my tools are all packed away until the new garage is installed!
As it was barely above freezing, this was the perfect time to try and fit the headlight adjusters...
Easy to whip the headlight out by removing two 8mm bolts and a Philips screw, then the fun started.
Surround and clips holding the glass on removed :
Once the glass is off, you can look behind the reflector to see the adjuster :
You can release the adjuster from the reflector using a screwdriver, pick or penknife and try and unscrew it from the body of the headlight. This will result in it disintegrating completely:
If you're really lucky, you'll only get slightly lacerated by shards of plastic in the process, but you can then compare it to the shiny new parts.
The kit came with adjusters to replace the ones at the bottom of the light as well. This is significantly trickier, and after some investigations on a partly dismantled spare light, I decided to leave them alone in the existing lights as they weren't actually broken and I didn't fancy further injury.
Fitting the new ones isn't too bad, but it's important to get the fitting sequence correct.... Oh, and you'll need a 24mm socket (no ratchet, just the socket) to fit the new adjuster into the body of the headlight.You'll also need a hammer to tap the adjuster on as its an interference fit.
The knob isn't on as far as it's predecessor but I was getting nervous transferring the vibrations of the hammering to the other fragile parts of the light.
It is secure though and having repeated the procedure for the other light I just need to make the adjustments to the lights using a wall and some tape.
Easy to whip the headlight out by removing two 8mm bolts and a Philips screw, then the fun started.
Surround and clips holding the glass on removed :
Once the glass is off, you can look behind the reflector to see the adjuster :
You can release the adjuster from the reflector using a screwdriver, pick or penknife and try and unscrew it from the body of the headlight. This will result in it disintegrating completely:
If you're really lucky, you'll only get slightly lacerated by shards of plastic in the process, but you can then compare it to the shiny new parts.
The kit came with adjusters to replace the ones at the bottom of the light as well. This is significantly trickier, and after some investigations on a partly dismantled spare light, I decided to leave them alone in the existing lights as they weren't actually broken and I didn't fancy further injury.
Fitting the new ones isn't too bad, but it's important to get the fitting sequence correct.... Oh, and you'll need a 24mm socket (no ratchet, just the socket) to fit the new adjuster into the body of the headlight.You'll also need a hammer to tap the adjuster on as its an interference fit.
The knob isn't on as far as it's predecessor but I was getting nervous transferring the vibrations of the hammering to the other fragile parts of the light.
It is secure though and having repeated the procedure for the other light I just need to make the adjustments to the lights using a wall and some tape.
The Corrado has mostly been used for relatively short runs locally with the occasional longer trip for work.
The longer trips have highlighted that the blowers aren't very warm at all, and the oil temperature is hovering around 80 degrees on long runs where the outside temperature is about 2 degrees. Colder than it should be, which leads me to suspect that the thermostat has stuck open. The water temperature reading is low as well, but it's never been entirely accurate. This will be a job for when I have space in the back yard again (along with investigating the knocking from the off side front suspension - I suspect a worn bush ).
I needed the car for a night shift yesterday and having spent half an hour dremmelling a little more of the driver's side wiper arm (success), I went to fill it with petrol and it wouldn't start.
I knew it was low on fuel, but adding 6l of fuel didn't help (having cycled across town to get some - I got done funny looks at the pumps). There followed a checking of relays, distributor cap, a change of plugs and checking after every step.
It still wouldn't start every time, or if it did, it would then die after idling poorly.
Eventually on my last attempt, it settled into an idle, and there followed a very cautious trip to brim the tank. I can only conclude that it REALLY doesn't like running out of petrol and takes quite a lot of coaxing back into life. I think after these short runs which are pretty inefficient, I need to err on the side of caution with the fuel gauge and reduce my 'it does about 300 miles per tank' down to 250!
The longer trips have highlighted that the blowers aren't very warm at all, and the oil temperature is hovering around 80 degrees on long runs where the outside temperature is about 2 degrees. Colder than it should be, which leads me to suspect that the thermostat has stuck open. The water temperature reading is low as well, but it's never been entirely accurate. This will be a job for when I have space in the back yard again (along with investigating the knocking from the off side front suspension - I suspect a worn bush ).
I needed the car for a night shift yesterday and having spent half an hour dremmelling a little more of the driver's side wiper arm (success), I went to fill it with petrol and it wouldn't start.
I knew it was low on fuel, but adding 6l of fuel didn't help (having cycled across town to get some - I got done funny looks at the pumps). There followed a checking of relays, distributor cap, a change of plugs and checking after every step.
It still wouldn't start every time, or if it did, it would then die after idling poorly.
Eventually on my last attempt, it settled into an idle, and there followed a very cautious trip to brim the tank. I can only conclude that it REALLY doesn't like running out of petrol and takes quite a lot of coaxing back into life. I think after these short runs which are pretty inefficient, I need to err on the side of caution with the fuel gauge and reduce my 'it does about 300 miles per tank' down to 250!
Maybe the fuel pump is on its way out?
I remember my old MK3 Golf took offence to being run on a fiver of petrol at a time (broke student!) The pump started to seize up. Might be worth an investigation. Electric fuel pumps use the fuel to cool them. I'd presume it's the thirty-year-old original, and being run low is starting to show its age.
I remember my old MK3 Golf took offence to being run on a fiver of petrol at a time (broke student!) The pump started to seize up. Might be worth an investigation. Electric fuel pumps use the fuel to cool them. I'd presume it's the thirty-year-old original, and being run low is starting to show its age.
I honestly thought it was going to be the relay again!
As mercedeslimos says - perhaps something in the fuel system. You know how it is, you disturb something in the chain with a new, better component and all the other items get the huff and demand replacement too - same with brakes, clutches etc.
For the moment though - brim that tank!
As mercedeslimos says - perhaps something in the fuel system. You know how it is, you disturb something in the chain with a new, better component and all the other items get the huff and demand replacement too - same with brakes, clutches etc.
For the moment though - brim that tank!
Thanks both, I’m hoping it’s not the fuel pump as it one of the early things I changed after getting the car....the symptoms are slightly different (for now) but I’ll keep an eye on them and start tracking down parts if I need to.
It managed the return trip to the night shift with no issues though, for which I’m very glad! I’ll see how it get on in the snowy Esk Valley on Friday!
It managed the return trip to the night shift with no issues though, for which I’m very glad! I’ll see how it get on in the snowy Esk Valley on Friday!
kers.
Thanks all. Not very happy, but it could have been worse I suppose.
Managed to find a pair of doors and the glass panel, and the insurance company (much to my surprise) have said that they think it is repairable, and that I can use a repair place of my choice.
Not going to be beaten by the toerags!
Managed to find a pair of doors and the glass panel, and the insurance company (much to my surprise) have said that they think it is repairable, and that I can use a repair place of my choice.
Not going to be beaten by the toerags!
Have you tried just bending the door frame back by hand? MK2 Fiestas used to be like that from new sometimes and to solve the wind noise you just have the door a shove by holding from the inside with your knee and pulling the top of the frame in. I've done it with great success on MK2 Golfs too! I'd definitely give that a go first before condemning the car. The door pins should come off and be straightened/renewed ok. I hope you keep the car after all your hard work
@gallonspermile I didn’t, as unfortunately they have bent the bottom of the door in the process of peeling open the top.
They’ve also put dents in the A pillar and scratches in the roof where they used whatever their prying implement was, so there’s going to be some spray work required.
They’ve also put dents in the A pillar and scratches in the roof where they used whatever their prying implement was, so there’s going to be some spray work required.
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