MOT Failure - fractured bulkhead

My tintop Golf GTI failed it’s MOT this week with the main issue being a fractured bulkhead (actual MOT words are ‘Offside Front Brake prescribed area fractured main bulk head areas under bonnet fractured/split near brake pedal /brake linkage bar mountings (1.1.21 (e) (i))’).

My garage (who aren’t the MOT people) have said they think it’s due to a stiff clutch. Their suggested course of action is that it needs welding. To do this they say they need to remove the engine and dashboard in order to weld the area safely. Also suggested a new clutch (seeing as the engine is out) at the same time. It’s a lot of work so not surprising that they’re quoting a slightly eye watering £1500. 

 

I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue before and what their course of action was?

 

Does it need to be welded? (I know this is hard to answer without seeing the car/issue in real life!) 

 

If it does need welding, do the engine and dash need to come out or could (dare I say it) a competent welder do it without taking the car apart?

 

Does £1500 sound reasonable for the work quoted?

 

I saw on a post on here from years ago that someone suggested buying a backplate from GSF for about £30.... sounds to good to be true to be a decent fix...?!

 

Any experience, knowledge, opinions massively welcome!

Hi,
It is really common for the area around the clutch cable to fracture and split, so common in fact that you can get a stick on plate to repair it.
https://www.classic-vw.co.uk/mk1-golf-clutch-cable---bulkhead-repair-plate-171898152-jetta-caddy-19789-p.asp
I see it is out of stock, give Mark funk-star a call as his stock is not always correct.
Take some pictures of the fracture and we can help further!

Thanks Ade, the garage are closed today but I'll go first thing tomorrow to get pictures.

Sorry for my ignorance but if I manage to buy one of these repair plates and get it welded on, is it welded from the engine bay or from inside the car? Just want to seem like I know what I'm talking about when I go to the garage!

Thanks again.

Hi,
You have to disconnect the clutch cable, fit the panel over the clutch hole in the engine bay, refit the cable. The panel has a sticky back to hold it in place.
It never moves because operating the clutch actually pulls it hard against the bulkhead.
Some people, including me, removed the sticky backing and had it welded in place, but that was the same time as having the engine bay resprayed.

Thanks again Ade!

Like I say I'll get some pictures tomorrow and hopefully this is the way to go. Really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly.

You are very welcome!

You might not need to take the dash out. If you look up under the dash to where the clutch cable comes through, you will see that the underlay goes all the way up there. If you can get that out the way with the dash in place then you might be ok. That's the stuff that will catch fire! I imagine the garage are displaying the right level of caution though - if you were doing it yourself, you might take the risk, but if they do it and damage your car they'll be on the hook.

I had the engine out anyway when I fitted my plate, but you could probably get it done with only the inlet manifold removed. I'd say removing the whole engine is overkill. But it does depend how much welding really needs to be done. Worst case I'd say head off, but then you need new gasket, bolts, cambelt etc.

I don't know what a typical hourly rate for a garage is these days, but if it's ~£70/hour then they reckon it's a near 3 day job. Day to get engine and dash out, day to put it back in, few hours to weld…hmmmm could be a bit high. With workshop kit I reckon I could get and engine in and out in a day! But I can't weld  [EDIT] just saw the bit about the clutch - if they are fitting that as well then it seems more realistic. Does the price include the clutch or just the fitting? I'd get a new clutch cable as well.

Thanks paceman.
When you say 'get it done' do you mean welding the plate? Am thinking, fracture dependant, if the best course of action for now is to get the plate stuck on to get it through the MOT.
Then if the car needs engine work in the future I could get the welding done then…?

If the stick on plate (without welding) is enough to get it through the MOT then you could do that without removing anything. A bit fiddly, but doable. As you say, welding is possible as and when. Get some pic's and we will have a better idea.

It's not within the area to be structural so doesn't need welding for the MOT(or 95% of MK1 on the road shouldn't be), and as said unless you are doing alot of other work like engine out to paint engine bay it's totally OTT.

If you are that worried about the repair plate not sticking to the bulkhead I've seen them in the past with a couple of bolts or pop rivets holding it secure.

IMHO if the Crack is stopped drilled on the edges to prevent it from proceeding to tear and the plate is tack welded then I don't see an big issue with it.

If you have the skills, then you can tale the engine out, and take it to a Body shop where they can do the metal work.

I would suspect the clutch cable as needing to be replaced.

It's already had a patch and the split is now coming beyond the back of the patch that's still on it… what are people's thoughts?!

That is odd that it is continuing to split as the plate removes all the stress on the bulkhead. I suspect that it was already split by that much before the plate was fitted and no one picked it up. It is not structural.

Yeah I think that might be true too. The garage said that if I'd have gone to a different MOT place then they may not have seen/failed it on that. 
The plate that's on there looks pretty old so I'm going to check the dimensions of a new one. If it looks like it might go over the split then happy days, new plate. But if it won't, I'd better start saving my pennies

Be good if it does cover it!
If not I would take the old plate off, clean the split up and use some seam sealer to fill the split in, paint it body colour and then fit the new plate. You should be able to do that for pennies and in situ.

When the clutch is depressed there is a lot of movement in that bit of bulkhead so I'd be worried that the seam sealer would just split again. I've never used seam sealer so don't know how strong it is?

Annoyingly a new plate is the same size as the one currently on there!

Is the clutch pedal mega heavy? As the clutch wears they do get heavier (you have to push the spring diaphram futher) and compared to LHD the cable runs a long twisty route so if worn can cause more drag/friction

It's pretty heavy but my first mk1 I had about 12 years ago felt the same (my daily driver is an automatic (shameful)) so haven't got anything to really compare it too!