Hazy

mmm, might have to do a test fit first then.

Shouldn't really post things around midnight, the new ones are actually the ones that are shorter: The ball joint mounts seems to match for the most part?

So while I've got the subframe off to sort the corrosion issue for the next MOT, I'm basically replacing all the perishables that have had to come off in the process (and upgrading the hubs/front brakes to the sport ones while i'm on) which includes the front suspension arms/wishbones. But the new ones i've got are just under 1cm longer horizontally to the ball joint than the old ones? Part no. is 6N0/6X0 407 151A on the new ones (which seems to be the same for most Lupos). The old ones that have come off have been on the car for about 12 years, so aren't the factory fitted ones. So my question is, will it make any difference once the alignment is done, or is it important i get the correct length ones? 51 plate, so was there a point where they changed something after?

Currently following your Subframe removal guide (thanks!) to do a bit of corrosion removal on it for a MOT advisory, and there's a bit of a weep on my recon gearbox, and as the SDI box does not like going dry, I will be following this guide as well while i'm under. Couple of quid for a elring seal beats a several hundred for another gearbox! Just to add as i just got around to doing mine today, the seal part no. is actually 085 301 227. 085 311 113 is a seal on the gearbox, but not the input shaft seal.

As mk2 says, totally not a straight fit, not impossible, but everything is different. Either the front wings, if you're keeping your original ones, need modifying, or as i found easier to do, the 3L bumper needs to be cut to fit the where it meets the wings. Other than that, you need the 3L bumper guides (that fit where the bumper slides onto the wings), you need the 3L front cross member -TDI one maybe a similar fit. The wiring on the SDI just fits/reaches the 3L indicators, i've read that for other engine types you need modified connectors to fit. Bottom Fog lights are different fit as well, normal ones can be fixed into place, but it's a bit of a bodge (not a problem if you don't have Fogs, just get the blanks that cover the fog light apertures on the bottom of the bumper). So in short for a non-front wing modification install: Main Bumper, bottom splitter, fog lights and fog covers or fog blanks, upper grill, indicators, cross member, bumper guides, and a small amount of finesse to make it look straight/fit. Part numbers: https://volkswagen.7zap.com/en/rdw/lupo++lupo+3l+tdi/lu/2001-231/8/807-807005/ You used to be able to order all the parts from your local VW parts department, but it was 7-8 years ago when i ordered mine, so part availability may be scarce.

Well if i knew how much a faff it was beforehand, i would probably be more inclined to give it to somebody else to do as well. I just got annoyed with not being able to remove the regulator, which should be easy as, and decided for my own satisfaction to pull the entire thing out. Which is just as well as it was completely shot (doesn't help that the Lupo has hardly done 400miles in three years). The fan/aux belt tensioner is a pain, infact most of the gubbins in that area is. Everything else in the engine bay has acres of space in comparison! Next job is the front suspension arms replacing, and i might swap the power steering pump out while i'm under as it had a bit of a tell tale squeal coming back from the MOT.

Eh, did this the other week, it's a bit faffy but not impossible. Had to do it (amongst other things) for the MOT because the car had been standing that long, the thing had seized solid and screws/bolts keeping regulator on were also shot, so no quick fix there. Anyway: 1. Take the front end off (front bumper and metal crash bar thing) so you have better access -and also so you can pull the old Alt out of the now exposed aperture in the front panel, and pass the new one back in through it. Also take under engine cover off. 2. Using the extra access with the front end off along with the newly presented front panel aperture, remove the front facing long bolt on the alternator. 3. The second long bolt at the back is, i will give you that, a pain to extract, but you can get to it if you've got nimble fingers and a ratchet spanner (a necessity for this job). Firstly using the longest spanner you have that fits (or using the double up trick) from underneath lever the Aux belt tensioner out of the way, as much as humanly possible so you can actually access the back bolt (you cannot otherwise) and fix the levered tensioner spanner in place with a zip tie to the front panel (you can now also change the Aux belt if you feel like it). You can now then get to and undo the long back bolt with the ratchet spanner -this may take a while as you can't get much rotation in the space for long strokes... 4. Once loosened, to actually get the bolt out of it's slot however you need to slightly drop that side of the engine by undoing the three engine mount bolts that side of the engine a small amount -not a lot, just a cm or so (prop up the bottom of the engine with a jack with a bit of wood inbetween, this will help later to push the engine back up to tighten the mount back up) -you can now slide the bolt out past the chassis arm it will otherwise not clear. 5. Pull the now free Alternator (take plugs and connectors off if you haven't already before you do) out through the front panel aperture. 6. Fix the new alternator in place by doing the above in reverse, sorted.

That eBay link says they fit my SDI which has a different front caliper set-up to the TDI. Pretty sure the TDI is different from the Sport also in that respect.

The Lupo as he currently sits.

I'll put some pics up later, none on my phone currently. And your MK4 sounds like ours! Sills are completely shot at the front, last time i tried to jack it up it just crumpled into nothing, doesn't help with the liberal amount of salt they put on the roads here (thankfully the Disco is waxoiled within an inch of it's life). But yeah, it would be much much cheaper just to get another Mk4, the subframe is going, the steering rack is just about gone, but it still has it's original engine, gearbox and turbo! Only reason it hasn't made the journey into the afterlife is because the missus has owned it for over 15 years and can't bear to part with it (although it will be going beforelond :( ).

Never had a problem with the old Golf's AHF lump (330k on the clock), which after sitting for nearly a year in the yard after the clutch shat itself, fired up first time last weekend. Would love to drop it in place of the trusty SDI before the Golf itself disintergrates and gets collected by the scrappy, but I have the task of finishing the Lupo's bodywork (amongst other things) a year after i last touched it, ho hum.

Depends on how much stick it's had. The clutch on mine needed changing over at roughly 125~130k

Don't know as of yet, don't want to take it off until it's sat in garage and new one has arrived so I can put it on. There's a squeal when the engine first turns over for ten seconds or so, and you can see coolant returning to the expansion tank, but after the squeal stops, the coolant just sits and doesn't circulate. So could be either bearing or impeller. Will let you know when I swap it out!

Oh it's definitely a bit of a sod to do. Not exactly hard, just incredibly fiddly than it should be! Tippex for marking the timings and patience of a saint is all you need really, more to get that infernal bolt out to take the cambelt cover off, that and trying not to get covered taking the pump off. I just followed the instructions on Elsawin! The first time I got somebody else to do it, second time and this last time I did it myself, wouldn't care but the gates cambelt had plenty of life left in it! If you get a decent garage, it shouldn't cost more than £200 really. It's just labour cost for time. Oh and I think most have the plastic impeller, the QH I was looking at has it, as did the Circoli, and the OEM on before that from last time. It's a fairly standard part across Diesels of that era I believe. Anyhow i've managed to snag a new VW one off ebay for £20. Luckily you can squeeze the water pump off without taking the cambelt off again!

Okey cokey, changed over cambelt/tensioner, waterpump and aux belt last weekend, and all was well, until this middle of the week when there was a bit of a squeal when starting up. Hadn't seen any adverse signs until yesterday when I did more than my usual 10miles to work, and the temp gauge for the first time ever went past 90 degrees, and kept climbing. So pulled over to see that system was over pressurising etc etc. Let it cool down for a bit, and tootled like a granny with heating on full blast the last couple of miles home. So long and short of it is that the new waterpump I put on is a dud, which is nice. The one that's currently on is a 'Circoli' which is what I got from the local, along with the Gates belt and tensioner, hadn't seen any bad reviews, but it's obviously a pile of crap. Anyway, there's this one on eBay -and i've never had any trouble with QH pumps when used on Landrovers, just wondering if there's anything else that people would recommend?