Jace

you'll destroy the pure integrity of your '02 by using electronic ignition. keep is at the germans intended, they didn't design it to be modified.

they aren't apache II's.

got a link to this? sounds like something i could really use.

embedding for you and for the other lazy people like myself 882518_10152156816391549_860541725_o[1] by MDabliz, on Flickr

brand enthusiast nitpicking should not be confused with 'problems'. i mean really, you purists are disgusting.

nope, not yet! can you help me out? Currently the car is sitting on jackstands with the transmission out. It developed a very severely leaky rear main seal, so i'm waiting on some parts from Steve @Blunt. Just before i pulled the trans, the car had been running and driving immaculately! I had it tuned by an old retired mechanic who spent his whole life working on 30's-60's cars. The choke settings were hard for him to get right because we have had a very long streak of hot weather, with 25˚C mornings. It'll probably need re-adjustment for upcoming cold weather but that's okay. I'm also going to need a new radiator, or at least repairs to mine. it had sprung a leak down near the bottom outlet somewhere... i haven't pressure tested it yet. I'm in no rush as the car is high and dry in the shed.

nope, not yet! can you help me out? Currently the car is sitting on jackstands with the transmission out. It developed a very severely leaky rear main seal, so i'm waiting on some parts from Steve @Blunt. Just before i pulled the trans, the car had been running and driving immaculately! I had it tuned by an old retired mechanic who spent his whole life working on 30's-60's cars. The choke settings were hard for him to get right because we have had a very long streak of hot weather, with 25˚C mornings. It'll probably need re-adjustment for upcoming cold weather but that's okay. I'm also going to need a new radiator, or at least repairs to mine. it had sprung a leak down near the bottom outlet somewhere... i haven't pressure tested it yet. I'm in no rush as the car is high and dry in the shed.

mine is almost as erratic, i fear it might start to take off soon. is there a fix for it? i've had the cluster apart already for cleaning.

thanks buddy! ^that back one with the deepest head looks like it may work. it looks like a swan-neck spanner wouldn't even fit. next to cutting flat spots onto an old 13mm socket to use a spanner on them, looks like i'll have to buy something or remove the sump to get at these bolts!

with the sump in the way there's no obvious method to remove the 4 13mm drive plate bolts to be able to remove the transmission. do i need a special tool?

well my engine was rebuilt by the previous owner, and apparently he botched the install of the rear-main, or reused an old worn out seal or something equally as ridiculous. i started removing the auto tonight but it got dark, i'll continue tomorrow. so will an E30/E21, manual, 4spd auto etc rear main seal fit a 2.0L M10 with a 3spd? i'm asking because i'd like to pick one up locally, and people tend to look at me stupid and ask what 3-series a 2002 is... an E30 rear-main should be much easier to obtain. i'm assuming it's rear main leak because (engine) oil is being flung off the flex-plate through the timing hole, and the behind the inspection cover the plate has a nice coating of oil. i'm guessing it's pretty conventional inside a 3spd behind an M10? any advice or tips you could provide would be excellent. TIA - Jace

tinted windows aren't an upgrade on a car with chrome. i don't care if you live in the desert. upgrade it to some untinted windows.

I made a heap of VW friends from when i had my MK1 Golf some of my best mates are ones i know because of MX5's, but you also get the cranky old guys with really nasty taste in modifications and parts. The friendliest and most welcoming forum i've come across would have to be efcivicsedan.myfreeforum.org crazy specific forum but the friendliest bunch of guys out there. my favourite forum based on content quality and ease/pleasantness of use is VWVortex.com

hey steve if i am reading a thread and wanting to post a reply, i find myself occasionally clicking 'New Topic' underneath the last post. I think having a 'New Topic' link at the bottom of the page is unnecessary because if i personally want to start a thread then i'd be doing it from the top of the page anyway. The vast majority of other forums have a Post Reply link at the bottom of the page, which i think is much simpler than having a 'reply' link in each post and i'm guessing easier to code/less intensive of each post's bandwith on the server. Also, quick reply text boxes to input a reply without loading another page are great. I think they would work well on this forum given that post customization is rare, as with video embedding. One other thing. I think having every second topic lined with shading to separate each line would make for a cleaner and clearer viewing of the forum. See how iTunes songs are separated in the classic view to see what i mean. Just my 2¢, i figure now is the time to give it with pending updates. - Jace

hey steve if i am reading a thread and wanting to post a reply, i find myself occasionally clicking 'New Topic' underneath the last post. I think having a 'New Topic' link at the bottom of the page is unnecessary because if i personally want to start a thread then i'd be doing it from the top of the page anyway. The vast majority of other forums have a Post Reply link at the bottom of the page, which i think is much simpler than having a 'reply' link in each post and i'm guessing easier to code/less intensive of each post's bandwith on the server. Also, quick reply text boxes to input a reply without loading another page are great. I think they would work well on this forum given that post customization is rare, as with video embedding. One other thing. I think having every second topic lined with shading to separate each line would make for a cleaner and clearer viewing of the forum. See how iTunes songs are separated in the classic view to see what i mean. Just my 2¢, i figure now is the time to give it with pending updates. - Jace

added you as a contact on flickr, i'll definitely be looking back to those shots of your inner door skin and trunk all painted up and looking perfect! motivational!

wasn't there somebody putting a VW 1.9 AAZ TDi into an '02? they are very good TD's capable of making MK1 golfs pretty quick! probably quiet good in an '02 i imagine as well. ninja edit: link

remote thermometer switch (as opposed to normal thermometer switch?) pehaps? mine isn't connected to anything.

i use a method of going back and forth on the nut between about 15-25 ft/lb while turning the wheel, so everything gets seated nicely and evenly greased, then tighten so there's minimal drag and add split pin/cotter pin. it's all in the feel.

where did you get the seat covers? they look fantastic and i could really use some!

i've driven off on a friend or two who couldn't work out the door handle to get in. i've also sat there and waited until they figured it out and once they're in ask them "feel stupid?"

390mm Nardi Classic, i wouldn't have any smaller really. el-cheapo ebay boss kit that i needed to make a horn contact for. DSC_0875 by Jace B., on Flickr

yep, i blocked the vac line with a drillbit ive searched and searched for vacuum leaks but ive found none. the ball on the flex plate wobbles erattically and barely stays in the window. even if i set the timing so its in the window for the majority of its wobbles, the car still wont drive correctly. points gap is one of the few things i havent checked. ill check that tonight. (its 12.45pm atm)

Hi everyone. My 2002 is having issues with the tune. i'll list the details of the car and then explain the symptoms. - refreshed M10 (rebuilt using original valves/cams/pistons/rods etc) - rebuilt and re-jetted Weber 32/36 - new spark leads - new rotor button - new distributor cap - new fuel and air filters etc The car ran pretty good for a while, but wasn't good enough so i set about replacing the ignition parts listed and also did a valve-clearance adjustment (All valve's are adjusted to .006") I'm not able to get it timed correctly. If i set the timing to where the small BB on the ring gear of the flex plate is lined up with the hole on the bellhousing near the starter, the car will idle alright but once under load/above 2k rpm will splutter and choke and bog down. At this timing point the front timing mark will be a good few cm's off, with the front timing mark aligned with the spike on the block then the ignition timing is so far off that the car will not idle and struggle to start. The idle is pulsing, like a subtle 'hunting' at about 1200-1500 rpm. Idles rougher set at a lower rpm's. I timed as per the manual (blocking off vacuum advance line etc) but still can't get it right. I feel like i should be able to get it 'close enough' to a point that it is driveable, but i don't seem to be able to. I'll continue to fiddle with it, but i'm already at the regrettable point of wanting to pay somebody to fix it. TIA for any help you could provide. - Jace