MOT failure - advice please

[Joe87]

Once again thanks for the replies. Puts my mind at ease a bit - fonzooorooo, I know what you mean about the springs! Spent about two hours looking for one that had gone missing, only to find it hiding at the bottom of a jar of dirty parafin.

Had a chance to take off one of the rear wheels today to have a look at what the mechanic was actually referring to with the brake hoses. I assume it's the rigid brake line pictured below, and I assume the 'excessively corroded ferrules' are the shown in the other photos.







Are there any pipes that it might be referring to instead of these? I couldn't actually see any flexible hoses anywhere.

I'm not sure where I'd get hold of a replacement - possibly have to have them made up or make them myself?

[Joe87]

Update:
I've had another poke around and have located the flexi hoses (you can even see them in the last photos I posted, don't know how I missed that), which I'm pretty certain are the ones the MOT is referring to given the state of the ferrules. Pictures below, apologies for the crappy quality, it's not easy taking photos on a phone with a torch whilst laying on your back under a car...

Rear hose showing ferrule at one end (the other one is equally destroyed):


Close up of the ferrule:


Front hose:


Close up of ferrule:


Just for giggles, the leaky fuel line:


I'm considering upgrading to braided hoses rather than rubber to improve the braking performance, as a few people have suggested. Are they much more expensive? Considering that the current hoses are probably the original 25 year old ones, and it's the ferrules that have died before the actual piping, I'm not sure whether the durability is really in question here.

Also, has anyone ever used this site to buy parts from? http://www.carparts4less.co.uk/
Same company as ECP (apparantly), with the exact same catalogue but everything is cheaper! Weird.

[DT1]

On your first photo 'Rear hose showing ferrule at one end (the other one is equally destroyed):' I would consider taking off the metal pipe above it and derusting and painting it.

You're in that area anyway and you don't want it to start leaking fuel everywhere.

[Joe87]

On your first photo 'Rear hose showing ferrule at one end (the other one is equally destroyed):' I would consider taking off the metal pipe above it and derusting and painting it.

You're in that area anyway and you don't want it to start leaking fuel everywhere.

Yeah you're right, it would make sense. Especially seeing as I'm replacing other bits of the fuel line too.

[Joe87]

Is this what I'm looking for for the top mount? http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Volks ... 123&000437

Or is it one of these? https://web2.carparts-cat.com/default.a ... 004&12=140

These guys do the decent quality Febi top mounts for about the same price as GSF/ECP seem to ask for the rubbish pattern top mounts that last about 2 months.

I bought some last Thursday lunchtime and they had arrived before 9 on Friday morning so top service too!

...which guys??

Would someone be kind enough to talk me through the process of replacing the top mount? I gather I need spring compressors.

[Old Mac Rocco]

Is this what I'm looking for for the top mount? http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Volks ... 123&000437

I would say no.

Or is it one of these? https://web2.carparts-cat.com/default.a ... 004&12=140

Possibly if I knew what we were looking at.

What I think you are after is one of these
http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Fro ... try_GB.htm

If you lift the bonnet you may notice a difference O/S and N/S as he failed it on one side only.
From memory (fastly fading) you should have enough clearance without spring compressors but if you have or can get your hands on them it would make life easier.

bengould

Strut top mount. Very easy, Undo top nut, Drop strut and replace rubber. Re-Fit.

Sounds right to me.
Good Luck.

[Joe87]

Is this what I'm looking for for the top mount? http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Volks ... 123&000437

I would say no.

Or is it one of these? https://web2.carparts-cat.com/default.a ... 004&12=140

Possibly if I knew what we were looking at.

Haha sorry - I swear both the links worked when I tried them earlier!

What I think you are after is one of these
http://www.vwheritage.com/vw_spares_Fro ... try_GB.htm

Yep, that's what I was trying to get at!

Thanks for the replacement instructions - I don't have spring compressors so may need to buy a pair, but other than that it seems easy enough.

Back to the CV joint - to remove the driveshaft I need to remove six bolts that have a weird shaped hole. Are they Torx bolts or something different?

[bengould]

You won't need spring compressors, there is another nut under the top mount that holds the spring plate in place so you can take the complete strut out with the spring on it.

[Old Mac Rocco]

Agree with ^^^^^^^^ above but wasn't 100% sure if there was enough clearance.

CV joint.
They are actually "splined bolts" and according to the manual

"Whilst an allen key may suffice, it is likely to strip the socket in the bolt.
Above ^^^^^ from page 166 of the manual."

Lesson is don't buy compressor springs buy one of these.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_255215
You should be able to buy them separately but I can't remember if it was an 8 or 10 mm that fits, plus this is for a 1/2" drive ratchet. CHECK
Good Luck.

[MacColl]

Sorry I'm tired just come in from a night shift but as far as I can see you need to replace CV boots. You don't need to take the drive shaft off to do this. Once you remove the main hub nuts you can remove the pinch bolt (or steering bottom ball-joint clamp bolt) underneath then prise/pop the ball joint on the wishbone down the way. Then the whole bearing housing can be tapped out and pulled away for you to gain access to change CV boot. I used heavy duty cable ties instead of the stupid metal clips in the end for the boot. They can work with carpenter pliers.

It's a fiddly dirty job that tends to need a bit of brute force. If you feel the need to tap out the splined main hub shaft then make sure you have a piece of wood in order not to damage (metal against metal)

This thread explains what I'm trying to say..
http://www.clubgti.com/forum/showthread ... ht=cv+boot

Good luck and ignore if I've miss read the thread lol.

Goodnight er good morning.

[PeteGLi]

You won't need spring compressors, there is another nut under the top mount that holds the spring plate in place so you can take the complete strut out with the spring on it.

No there isn't! You WILL need spring compressors to remove the top mount from the strut.

[bengould]

Sorry my mistake. You will get the strut out, but not the top mount off.

And its the 8mm "splined" driver for the gearbox end of the driveshaft if you choose to do it that way.
As for using an allen key, I wouldn't bother even trying, If they've been there a while and are tight it will strip them.

[fonzooorooo]

+1 on DT1's comment about that fuel pipe (the one near the tank with the bends in) ... discontinued part. De-rust, treat, apply copious paint!

As others say - you can get the strut off without spring compressors, but then you need to set the camber when you re-assemble. Of the 2, buying spring compressors is the lesser of the evils!

You shouldn't need to take the driveshaft off on the gearbox end. But IF you do, DO NOT try to use an allen key. (though if it does strip, a 1/4" allen key can be cut off and hammered into the stripped head with relative success!) Get the proper bit!

[Old Mac Rocco]

Been a while since I last worked on the front end so that was why I was a bit concerned about clearance at the top to remove the top mount.

"Whilst an allen key may suffice, it is likely to strip the socket in the bolt.
Above ^^^^^ from page 166 of the manual."

^^^^^ That was why I highlighted it "can do but not advisable"
Good Luck.

[ianaudia4]

Why don't you ask on here for people to lend you a hand, the Scirocco Register is a club after all and in my experience full of people who kindly help.
If I was nearer I would help.