The diesel daily!

Was so bored with the polo. Don't get me wrong it has given me a year and a half of trouble free motoring, But it's not a Mk1 and so the hunt was on. I was after a diesel and think I may have paid more than maybe it was worth but from my test drive I was smitten it's a nice solid car but needs some tlc it's got a little list of things to sort to make it properly roadworthy but I've (well I say i've.. what I actually mean is we've as my dad is on hand to help again what would I do without him eh?) money exchanged hands and with a handshake and a slip from the log book I began my hopefully rain free journey from Wrexham back to Bristol as I had a set of non functioning wipers oh and the need to stay behind my dad as I also have a non functioning speedo too!!! on a-roads back as far as Newport I got a few people tailgating my kidgloves driven golf but a quick blip of the throttle soon got them backing off with my james bond style smoke screen. a quick layby stop and thought i'd take a quick look over my new purchase and it seems to be leaving a watery marker to find it's way home.. take the lid of the expansion tank and it's full of grey sludge… good god what have I bought!?!?!? so anyway cap back on a temp stays fine all the way?? something else to investigate.. and so onto the M4 back into Bristol with a trouble free 100 or so miles passed and a grin pretty much all the way..  :mrgreen:

Got it booked in at my mates garage in silverthorne lane (Archway autos) and he gave it the once over and I have me a nice little list of things which need sorting sooner rather than later! which is as follows.

rear brakes
ns cv boot
ns rack boot
front pads rattling
ns rack end
osf bearing
and a small patch on nsr arch
wipers (knew about this one!!)


so first up was getting the wipers working as the arms were flapping about on the spindles and no life from the motor but power going to unit mmm.. so out came the one from the half alive GTI plugged in and with a few sqeaks and half a tin of copper slip they are back on form!! Brilliant… next was the speedo. Cable is coming from the gearbox but is not clipped in at the speedo head strange so it was just plugged back in a hey presto! … still nothing.

But tomorrow is another day and it's time to phone TPS and order up some bits that are missing in the engine bay namely bits holding timing cover and airbox on which are currently nothing and cable ties!!

Anyway here are a few pics in the meantime..

Looks tidy but the oily stains near expansion tank looks ominous.....

Does look tidy.
I have just got myself a mk1 1983 diesel.
Nice and noisy. Lol.

looks nice, whats the plans for her?

chris

looks good blans, i will keep my eye out for ya, and look forward to seeing it at next Bristol meet

Rich

Early-1800 said

Looks tidy but the oily stains near expansion tank looks ominous…..

Was thinking the worst when I opened the cap but I have a mate with a caddy and he reckons it used to happen to him and as i said as I have no overheating i'm just gonna give it a flush and keep my eye on it..

aircooled1968 said

looks nice, whats the plans for her?

chris

No real plans other than to enjoy driving a mk1 at the moment mate .. gonna hopefully get the pillars sorted first and foremost as they are a bit crunchy… managed to get drivers scuttle repair panel from hadrians at a local factor but no stock on the passenger side?? anyone know anywhere else to get this part from?

denzo said

Does look tidy.
I have just got myself a mk1 1983 diesel.
Nice and noisy. Lol.

Love the noise almost as much as much as the fact that i'm back in the right car again!!! although I can't hear it that well as the louder noise is coming from the tailpipe rattling again the rear valance!  :mrgreen:

richyhill said

looks good blans, i will keep my eye out for ya, and look forward to seeing it at next Bristol meet

Rich

Looking foward to meeting a few more "locals" mate  

diesel  :notworthy: diesel

Bert

I like that blans. Nice car mate, god i hate having to say nice things to city fans :wink: I had loada gunk in my expansion tank (think it was from when i popped a core plug) but 1000 miles later and its never overheated or caused me any problems. Fingers crossed

Nice one Blans. I like that blue…not a lot around nowadays. The diesel grille badge alone will reach at least £26 on ebay by the way..ha ha. Is it a 5 speed gearbox?
If your brakes are the Girling type I've got a new set of anti rattle shims for the pads if you're interested. I changed my calipers to the Teves/ATE ones with different fittings so will never need them.

looks a nice clean example 8)

Looks well tidy Blans   8)

The wheels suit it to, gonna have to change the rusty steelies on mine,  I might look for some like yours, what make and size are they?

jejeje JUst LIke MINE''''' XD anyone knows the difference between GLD and C ¿?¿?

Gave it a flush and it definately looks like a head gasket    ah well … me old man reckons it ain't too much grief to do, So the gasket is ordered and the job is penciled in! next problem though is the fuel pump which has sprung a leak. Seriously I just wanted another Mk1 to drive while I was sorting out the GTI not another moneypit!!!!!   also looks like something has snapped where the wishbone bolts to the bearing carrier will have a better look tomorrow…. I really do like this car and i'm not even being sarcastic  :mrgreen: got the kelsey hayes calipers on the front diesel-dubber and nice new shims now so one less rattle. From what I can work out gammy they are from a coraddo and are 6.5j as opposed to the 6j mk2 16v golf ones so they give a bit more of a stance and the fact that it's dropped on lowering springs as well.

Had a proper look today and found this…



 8O

New second hand front hub is the next purchase then… My beloved daily… daily nightmare more like  

8O  holy poo that fracture usually happens when the wrong size balljoint is used,the early balljoints were 15mm shank diameter,the later mk1 had 17mm shank diameter,if its 15mm the bolt has been tightened to remove play and fractured the casting
Bert

thats spot on what ur saying bert.... nice diesel blans, rear find

blans said

… My beloved daily… daily nightmare more like  

Glad you found the fault now, rather than it giving way on the road….. the crack looks fresh,  probably went on your way home from Wrexham  8O  8O

At least the cost of running the diesel should leave you with a few quid extra in your pocket each week, chin up Blans, it looks a solid enough Mk1  :wink:
Just been and looked at mine and found the water hose from the back of the head to the heater control valve is split, big pool of water  

What a shame so much has gone wrong/been neglected in the past. Unfotunately like any other car if stuff's broken, it's been quite mistreated and had a hard life it drives like a bag of poo….but once they're spot-on they're well worth having. Worth the effort if you can possibly afford it.  :cry: Just a shame you needed it to be spot-on from the word go! Good luck and keep us posted.

Cheers for the heads up bert. ordered 2 of each ball joint in work and gonna try and source a new hub local tomorrow hopefully back on the road midweek. Just hoping to turn that corner so that it's useable everyday soon! on the upside I spent all day cleaning it so it looks better even if it doesn't want to move  :mrgreen:

Nice one Blans
Good luck with the build. keep us posted with developments.

Cheers