mk2

If engine related, then just about the only thing it can be is the EGR valve. To test it, pull off the vacuum hose to the EGR valve and choke flap. Then the car will run on clean fresh air... If motion related, could be anything- clutch, drive shaft, wheel bearing, wheel? Take it for a decent motorway drive to see if it clears, which kinda proves EGR gunge. Welcome to CL

Check the door switches... water inside the switch contacts can cause wierd problems if you open the door when it's raining! Welcome to CL

Awesome! Most jealous. Been thinking about getting a 1.2 A2, but most of the ones I've seen I've seen are very tatty- even at £2k+. They do hold their value. Generally best I get from any of my SDIs is about 82MPG (but I have modded the inlet plunum and ducting for more laminar flow).

MOT rules are- so long as there's no "excessive movement" or "metal to metal" contact, it will pass. But yeah, I've pulled out control arm bushes where the centres just drop out, but still pass. Unbelieveable. Apart from the bushes, those arms look like they're in great condition. I always cut mine out with a jigsaw... One cut in the ali outer rim and they just drop out. Quick. Then to the local gearbox place armed with either a tub of roses chockies or a 6 pack of ale (depending on time of year) and they let me use their press....

LOL! Exactly..... (add a 'grrrr' sound after asking 'how do you know') .... If it showed that it was wrong, how would you correct it anyway? If you do it without locking tools, it's going to be incorrect anyway and VCDS will only prove it..... You can spot the 'difference from mean' using VCDS- so in theory (I haven't tried it, but read that lots of people swear by this method), you can set it up using locking tools to get it basically right, then when hot, slacken the three cam pulley locking bolts off a fraction, put the car into 4th gear (engine off, but hot), a nudge the car forward to tweak it so it's perfect = 0 variation. Going from +1 or -1 is quite noticable apparently. I was certain you'd have tried that method.

Oh. You may have broken your gearbox... That bolt holds the diff flange (the bell shaped thing) attached to the diff cage inside the gearbox. I think gearbox out again to check everything

Why do want to change the power steering from electric to mechanical? The electric system works well. Is there a problem with it? The electric system uses the speed sensor, so if the speed sensor on the manual gearbox isn't working, it wont work correctly...

Hey hey, @RAB's back. I've been reading various articles on the A2 forum. Lots of AMF and similar related fun... Should be a PM this, but I guess of interest to others (and RAB's a knowledgable chap, albeit a bit grumpy...). @RAB, when you've been experimenting on your 3 pots, after doing cam belt changes, have you ever done the hot engine injection timing correction factor check? I've discovered (but have no 3 pot engine to play on at present), that after doing a belt change, you can see how accurately the timing is set (3 bolts on cam), after using the locking tools. It varies a lot with temp, so you're meant to check it with a hot engine & box. Should read '0' if correct. VCDS item 4, group 4. I'm curious to know how good/accurate the cam locking tools are. Apparently, they're calibrated to be used at something like 16c...? Also, have you ever done the timing chain tensioner?

You took out the connection? No idea what you mean... sounds like everything else you did was by the book though welcome to CL.

When doing a restoration, I get the material for the driver's seat from germany or holland... It's the hardly sat-in passenger seat over there. If someone is breaking a lupo, it's a relatively quick job to peel off the cloth, away from the seat without harming it at all. Then cheap and easy to post (about 2.5 kg). You gain about 15 years of seat life that way The rubbery paint coated dash plastic parts are another story though.

Bargain if at a grand! I really need to do FB...Damn! I pay more than that for a dented SDI with a mint interior. Interiors are the hardest part to restore.

May i ask what you paid for the slightly scruffy gti?

Same here... my first thought is front door card seals. So I'll be pulling the lower cards off each door to investigate- leccy window repair without resealing it in the past is my best guess.

Nice pics. Fixing that rear shouldn't be too tricky. Just the paint (duco) blending will be fun.

A caucasion chap working on a car, in a supermarket car park, at night in Japan would certainly generate some interest... I'd like to watch the web cam during my afternoon tea break (time zones). If you can speak Jap, I'm sure a bunch of other local curious petrolheads will turn up and you'll have someone offer you use of a workshop. Especially if you're there regularly. Japs are seriously into their motors (just like Aussies, Brits and Yanks).

Completely agree. Is it worth the risk of damaging an internal part, just from a single piece of swarf? I guess if there was a way to catch every little piece, then that wouldn't be a big job (to only helicoil it). Vacuum cleaner with some tube?

I hate to say it, but if it is a stripped plug thread, only option is head off and helicoil it... I absolutely hate bodges on any of my cars like this one, but given that the work involved just to fix the thread is so huge, I'd leave it alone and hope it isn't leaking gases. Pretend that it's meant to be like that! I've never had to helicoil a plug thread. They are very fine and I'm not sure if a helicoil kit even exists for such a fine thread. People (who don't already know), plugs only need to be a bit tighter than finger tight! @axe just had a crazy idea to check if it is leaking... when the engine is stone cold, get someone to sit in the driver's seat and start the engine, while you're drizzling washing up detergent water over the cap. Bubbles mean a leak... You might get a temporary misfire if the water shorts out the HT, but as soon as it's warmed up again it'll dry and be fine If it is leaking, it's simply a question of how long can you handle it- a bit like a leaky head gasket. No fun WOT driving....

Odd... might be just to hold the no4 plug cap in place???

Stuck thermostat if not HG. oh, and welcome to club lupo...

Indeed it does... All the new style injectors- both common rail and distribution pump systems.

Nice. You'll be selling everyone front wings soon... There's definitely a market for them. Respect. It's not easy making fibreglass copies of 3D shapes. 👍🏻

Don't use SVO with 5 nozzle injectors... Although it's fine with old style valve lift spray head injectors. The new servo pumps (and PD injectors) really don't like glycerol. Too acidic. Makes food taste nice though.

I reckon it's a sticky EGR. Not shutting off and leaking exhaust gas in the mix. Less air, so you give it a bit more throttle to get the same power = more fuel.

On all my SDIs I 'can' get 80-85MPG if I drive like a granny. But more usual is 55-65MPG and I go through a set of tyres and brakes in about 15k miles... My regular mk4 tank does 35-40. Mk2s about 35 and 45ish. The others' a lot worse (8-15mpg).

Take off door card and water proofing layer and you will see...