oprn Posted September 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2018 I am a biplane fanatic, a mate of mine built this plane and asked me the first time I saw it "What do you think?" I replied "It needs another wing just about - here!". After He spanked it on final a couple years later I saved him from binning it and showed him what I meant. Yes I have an MDS .25 here somewhere. Some chaps didn't like them but mine ran well. Good power and nice workmanship for an economy priced engine. Every time I get my hands on a British model magazine I drool over your Laser engines. Especially the V twins! There are a few bits that we could use for the Lupo, maybe you could just slip one of those beauties in the carton for me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted September 19, 2018 Report Share Posted September 19, 2018 RC aircraft, electronics, precision mechanical engineering, Lupos. It's all the same skill set 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted September 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2018 I love the skill and thought put into those engines and the planes in the magazines from there! It seems folks on this side of the pond are too busy chasing the American dream to pursue and develop the skills needed to turn out such things. Some day I hope to have enough brass scrapped together to make the trip and see it all first hand. Ideally take in a car event, an airplane event and try to track down a relative or two in the area my Grandfather came from. Our last name is very rare here but folks from there seem to pinpoint it to the Liverpool area right away. Maybe bring back a few of the less bulky Lupo spares in the deal too! 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted September 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2018 Well the search for an oil filter may have come to an end. No luck whatsoever in cross referencing the VW part number, the closest VW dealer has yet to call me back so I took the old one off and found a filter that crosses over to it but I am not sure that it really has the correct thread. It fits very loose. The filters for the Daihatsu are actually a better fit but the filter is much shorter. Time to get on with the winterizing program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted September 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 (edited) We took this Lupo through an automatic car wash today for the first time just to see how it would work. The machine would not start until it sensed the front of the car in the "normal" position. Then it proceeded to completely miss washing the rear of the car so we backed it up until it started to get a bit of spray on the rear. Well then it missed the front! Lesson: use the hand wand wash place from now on! Edited September 24, 2018 by oprn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted September 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 (edited) Someone a few posts back requested a photo of this car with the run of the mill auto fare here in our part of the world so we stopped at the local supermarket parking lot to get a few. We do feel a bit insignificant at times... Edited September 24, 2018 by oprn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted September 24, 2018 Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 (edited) Haven't laughed so much for ages! Excellent! Yeah, yank tanks are just way too big. Or maybe our little lupo is a little bit small. Genuine LOL! Car wash story also very funny. Brilliant! You guys have snow already? Wow. Yeah, get those rear arches jet washed, properly hair dryer dried and then wax sealed. Same for the front sills and the whole underneath. Check the two roof channel strips too. They rust under there sometimes. Thinking about the oil filter; chances are most Asian or European cars have a metric central spin-on filter thread. So if you can find one that has around the same rubber seal size and is a reasonable length, it'll work fine. All filters flow from outside to inside for some reason, so my guess is that any will work. Old mk1/2 golfs (rabbits) may be the same fitment. Some 90's chryslers/plymouths/dodges too. Those pics just made my day. Excellent! Edited September 24, 2018 by mk2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted September 24, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2018 (edited) No the Lupo is not too small. The Missus and I were commenting yesterday as we drove it that it is the perfect size for the two of us. We just couldn't be happier with it. Well ok, if it was a TDI with a stick we could be! 😉 I have always been a fan of small cars. I appreciate the all around economy, ease of parking, and repairs not to mention how fun they are to drive. Somehow, somewhere the North American motoring public has convinced themselves that bigger is better. These days they will not buy a vehicle unless it seats 6 to 8 people, has 4 wheel drive, has enough accessories and computer power to run a small university, takes a 5 rung ladder to get into, gets 12 mpg, costs +$80K, has enough engine to power a small ocean going cruise ship and when you park it the front end overhangs Texas and the back is in Alaska! Then they use it to go 1/2 a mile to work or 4 blocks to the supermarket to haul a crippling cargo of 1 quart of milk and a dozen eggs! You rarely EVER see more than one person in them either! Blocks and blocks of these traffic jammed boat anchors spewing fumes with one idiot in each complaining bitterly about the price of petrol, the increasing smog clouds and the inadequacy of urban planners never once thinking to look in the mirror to see the source of the problem! Ford announced recently that they have dropped all the cars from their production line for North America except the Mustang. GM has nothing in the way of small cars and only a couple of mid sized ones. Chrysler carries the new Fiat 500 retro and that is about all they offer. On the street you see the odd Smart car, Mini retro and Nissan Micro. Even the Toyotas, VWs and Hondas these days are mid sized! We desperately need a stiff stupidity tax! That is the only way I can see to fix it! You people and most of the rest of the world are so lucky to have such a good selection of great little economy cars to buy. Rant over, I'm good now! 🤐😊 Edited September 24, 2018 by oprn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted September 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 The Lupo seems to have developed a problem. I did a search here and found nothing about it but perhaps I used the wrong words. The ignition key does not always want to come out. Sometimes it's fine but often now it takes a lot of fiddling to get the lock to release the key. Is there some sort of interlock with the auto gearbox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 Yeah, there's a cable connected to the shifter. Haven't ever worked on an auto lupo, but the adjustment is usually at the shifter on most vdubs. this is the closest diagram i can find for a mk3 golf... ( @Rich got anything clearer?) https://workshop-manuals.com/volkswagen/golf-mk3/automatic_gearbox/automatic_gearbox_096/automatic_gearbox_control_assembly_housing/servicing_shift_mechanism/removing_and_installing_locking_cable_(vehicles_with_ignition_key_removal_lock)/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 Nope, get a spare key or carry the one you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted September 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) Thanks! That explains why sometimes fooling with the shifter helps. Silly thing to have on the car don't think? This Lupo came with only one key so time the fix that too. Edited September 30, 2018 by oprn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 Bit like the SAAB system... handbrake and key lock thing together. I think vdubs have it because it's an extra security/safety thing to make sure the car is in P before you walk away from it. Means it can't roll away. Quite a few US cars I've tried have some sort of parking lock engage system, especially when the shifter is under the steering. Otherwise you could leave it parked in N. Who uses a handbrake (or emergency foot brake) in an auto anyway??? You'll have fun trying to get another key, with the transponder in. One of my two SDI's still has only one key because there is no way I'm paying £128 + Tax for a new one. I don't know anyone who can pair a new key transponder in a Lupo except official Vdub dealers. If anyone reading this does, please please please PM me! (and I don't want the chips in my dash unsoldered...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davy26 Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) I tried several different locksmiths and 'specialists,' but with no success. After a few weeks of research and abortive attempts I found the only solution was indeed to have a new key/transponder from a VW Retailer. Expensive, I agree, but imagine how much far greater cost and hassle you could incur if you lost/broke your one-and-only. Mine is a Japan import so there is the added complication of the remote frequency mismatch, but that's not critical - having the correctly coded transponder certainly is. Edited September 30, 2018 by davy26 missed word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted October 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2018 This is the third Japanese import for us and they all came with just one key. I have no idea what those people do with the spares, sell them on Flee Bay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 4, 2018 Report Share Posted October 4, 2018 My current car is missing the rcl key. How annoying is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted October 4, 2018 Report Share Posted October 4, 2018 5 hours ago, Rich said: My current car is missing the rcl key. How annoying is that? Yeah and you can't pair a replacement unless you have at least one already working. Apart from vdub.... more money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 4, 2018 Report Share Posted October 4, 2018 I will find a way. Then deimmob it so that life is easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oprn Posted October 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 (edited) I checked with the closest VW dealer today and they told me they could not get us another key. The reason they gave was the their software for programing the keys only covers North American VWs. They said I would have to go to Japan for my key. Make sense? Edited October 5, 2018 by oprn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 No, ECU, transponder and two keys from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 Plus lockset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 @Rich is right. Same as golf, bora and passat of that era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 Not the same, lupo is such an awkward system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LR5V Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 7 hours ago, Rich said: Not the same, lupo is such an awkward system. I was at a VW show in the summer, there was a dude with a stall cutting keys & cloning fobs. looked at my key in a reader, explained it was too complex for him to do easily that day, and suggested it was easier to look after my one key very carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk2 Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 I thought all the older gen1 keys work the same way...? I think the only reason we've not been able to get into the key learning thing in a lupo is because we don't have enough systems to break before we get it right like you can on the bora or mk4. You can rewrite the eeprom on a lupo to your heart's content, but chances are it'll be the wrong address location or hex code and the ecu will get stuffed. Even VAGtacho is a hack that only kinda works on mk4s and boras. I've not been successful at Lupo keys. Yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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