mk2

If reverse is first, then definitely linkage. Good that it's in neutral now. Noise could be release bearing or even the clutch plate rusted to the flywheel/pressure plate.

Yeah try what @Rich says. In theory, if the clutch is ok, the gear should slide out of 3rd with very little effort. If it is stuck inside the gearbox, the 3-4 synchro sleeve must be permanently engaged. Not good. If it is that (hope not), it'll need the gearbox out and in bits to fit a new synchronising ring or maybe a selector shaft. The synchro sleeve is designed to lock into place when there is load on the gear (to keep it there) when driving. As soon as there is no loading, it only takes finger tip effort to slide it out of gear (if all is well). It is also possible that a gear shift component (to the stick) has dropped off. So the gear selector shaft going into the gearbox can rotate, but not slide in and out. You'll need to get under the car to have a look at that. It's a little beige coloured plastic link about 8cm long that simply snaps onto two ball joints.

6N polo is the closest relative for manuals... basically just about everything is the same, but slightly bigger. A lot of online parts diagrams and drawings may help. There are a few that are well known. I'll see if I can find a link or two. Maybe someone else might beat me to it. Gear problems can be clutch, shifter, pedals or actual gearbox related. You need to try and figure out where the source is. Clutch might be stuck? Can you shift gears when the engine isn't running? oh, and welcome to club lupo!

I did one on a different vdub the other day... same problem. If you can press the release button and get the clip over the ring stop on the metal pipe without breaking anything, it's possible to reuse it. The trick i found was to spray some penetrating fluid into the joint. Then while pressing the release ring, wiggle the clip back and forth till it starts moving, then keep wiggling, more spray and keep pulling till it comes off. Sometimes the O ring retaining tube inside the clip tries to separate and pull out of the clip. You need to push it back in again. i used a bolt the same size as the flange on the retaining tube. It'll make more sense when you have a close look at it.... Then put some silicone grease on the new filter ends, push and click. Done. Pull to make sure they're locked on ok. The reason they are difficult to remove is that salt spray gets between the O ring retaining tube and the metal tube of the filter, corroding and reducing the gap by expanding slightly, with corrosion.

Sounds like egr valve still. What do the VCDS o2 sesnor readings look like at idle and driving? Use the graphing thing and plot a graph.

Your injectors are fine if running rich. Something is telling the ecu to run a rich fuelling map. Usually temp sensor. But could be a number of things or combination. VCDS will tell you what each of the sensors is seeing, so have a look at each, cold and once warmed up.

They don't work. Not bright enough. Oem led lights are good, but then they are not an H4 fitment...

Yeah sounds like fluid. Me wrong. @Rich is right... stop looking so smug Rich. i still would flush the box though.

Yeah, sounds like broken pedal box... it's all in the gearbox thread. Your oil will be very contaminated with yellow metal now (synchro gear swarf). That will be destroying your bearings. A running engine hot oil flush is the only way to get it all out, with the wheels turning when you remove the drain plug.

At rest, is the clutch and brake pedal the same height? Could be the pedal box. Look at the definitive gearbox thread.... also it's worth flushing the gearbox oil till it comes out clean.

Easier to swap it than test, without the right equipment. Otherwise you might be able to rig up a tyre pressure gauge to the output pressure side. Input pressure should be at least 60psi. Not sure what the controlled pressure is on your model. 45psi? But whatever it is, it should be steady. No brakes (very high foot force needed).

Steering wheel, rear lights and cup holder please plus a few other bits.... but are you 100% sure that the gearbox isn't fixable? Fifth is the one that means you need a new box. Fourth and diff parts are easily swapped from just about any other model. I just had one of my SDI boxes rebuilt (needed it too)- I can show you pics of what needs swapping over.

Do you have a carbon canister? Could be the solenoid. Could be fuel pressure regulator? Check vacuum hose to brake servo... or could be dodgy brake servo where the internal air valve is leaky, allowing extra air into the engine? Try disconnecting it temporarily (and block the suction). might be more than one problem.

Can they be dismantled?

T cut oh, and welcome to club lupo!

Pics not viewable...?

That'd be a sight! Usually, you remove the two roof strips (they just lift out or get blown out when at speed...). Then a clip fastens under the roof edge, with the other bit resting in the channel. Then a cross piece joins them together. here- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALUMINIUM-AERO-ROOF-BARS-for-VW-LUPO-99-05/183197870068

Yeah, they did I think... same as the polo one unless i'm mistaken

Yeah, only electric throttles. The old manual ones you DO need to calibrate TPS... with a voltmeter!

It does it every time you switch on... takes a split second. You can hear a whirr click sound. But some TBs come as they are and the ECU doesn't bother, as it compensates while it's running. I wouldn't worry about it TBH. It'll just work.... Only the really early TBs from back around 1991/2 needed a calibration setup as far as I know.

It is self calibrating. You don't need to do anything. All modern VAG electric (motorised) throttle bodies do. The 'off' position gives you enough revs to theoretically get you home, albeit at a slow pace... When messing with my SDI diesel injection pump, I noticed that it works in a very similar way. One quick calibration just after power up. Horrible when you bump start it though or turn the power back on while 'coasting' in gear. If the two TPS outputs don't work perfectly in mirror image voltage output, the ECU discards the data and will go into limp mode. If still like that just after power up (and calibration), it'll stay in limp mode. Otherwise it'll work normally and log an intermittant fault on the TPS (1 or 2, or both) signals. Good fun when bump starting cars with electric throttle bodies (WOT for a moment). But the chaps at bosch rewrote the code so that only the very earliest cars did it.

All these ideas about deleting silncers and making your machine noisier doesn't give you any advantages. The reduced back pressure actually reduces low down torque for normal driving, if you keep the stock cam timing. Unless the engine is always running well above 5000 rpm (like on track), the power gain is at the most only about 1-2hp. Running a car with an almost empty fuel tank and slightly higher tyre pressure will give a much bigger advantage... The stock cam timing (overlap and duration) is factory designed to run with a stock exhaust.

Yeah, in that case, unlikely to be cam belt jump as there's enough timing duration to jump a few teeth in that engine to not be a problem. So just as @Sausage says, almost certainly one of the hydraulic lash adjusters not activating. The engine oil pressure fills the gap (extending the little piston) between the camshaft lobe and the top of the valve when not opening. If clogged or worn out, the thing makes a right tap tap tap noise, which should go after a few seconds of running. Very reliable. Last at least 300k+ miles. They tap at startup occasionally if the oil drains bcak into the sump after a hot run and cool down. Cheap oil filters can be the cause where the non return valve inside it isn't very good ir oil thats lower grade than it should be. One of the best inventions ever inside an engine IMO. Not sure who owns the patent, but not all car engines have them.

Don't use it. Might be the cam belt jumped a tooth and you're hearing valve/piston interaction. more details please. What engine?

Get it home. Charge it. Isolate what is drawing power by disconnecting stuff or pulling fuses. Possible, but unlikely to be the radio unless someone's messed with the wiring behind it.