Me-109

I had to remove mine recently in order to replace the struts. The wipers need to come off to remove the scuttle plastic so you can get to the top mount bolts. I used a knock-on balljoint tool under the wiper arm to spreas the load and provide a means of applying leverage with a screwdriver to the underside of the arm, while giving the spindle a few sharp taps with a harm to release from the taper.

Checking the vac line was a good call. Usually pressing the brake while at idle would show if there was an issue there. If no difference then most likely coil related (at least starter for 10).

Wheelspin?

^^^ What he said.

That bush is a bit tired but not dead. The dent in the casting is a bit worrying. I re-read the OP and was thinking of something maybe unrelated like an engine mount, but you'd expect to hear that going on and off the throttle. Given the other bits you have changed, unless one has failed quickly, would be the arb bushes. They wouldn't have to have much play and would transmit noise through the chassis quite readily. If not being put under stress they would have more freedom to move and knock. That's about all I can suggest.

Have just replaced the bushes on mine with polybushes. If you go down the route of changing them, a poly use replacement for the front is much simpler to install. They are two top-hat halves, one inserter from either side. The OE one I took out looked a tighter fit than yours seems to be. You can easily check the rear bush for splits in the web from the back side. If the car is raised at the front you'll be able to feel any free play but you may need a level like a pry bar to help.

Seems long for rear stops. Sure they're not fronts? If all OK then I'd suspect failed damper units.

I was thinking I should do this, but thought I might hang on and do the rear suspension first, and/or change the track rod ends so it is all new and shiny - except for the many bushes on the rear suspension assembly! Where does it stop?!

The pump might go intermittent first. It's power hungry and needs a good earth, so also worth cleaning up the main earth point nearby that it connects to, as well as the main battery earthing point on the chassis.

Pumps are quite well known for failing, particularly earlier ones in the plastic shroud as the noise deadening foam sucks up and retains water. They probably predate your car. Easy enough to change. Think the bumper needs to come off and the left hand wheel arch liner. Related common failure is the steering angle sensor located at the bottom of the steering column, accessed from underneath. Quite expensive to buy new so you'd want to be sure that was the issue from fault codes.

Thanks all, one mystery solved. Will have to dig out the cert to answer the question on the test.

No. The parts were only marked with VAG labels and codes. Discs are definitely not Brembo.

Brembo on the front. I did do Pagid on the rear in early Dec and they're holding up well. The discs and pads were changed all round when I bought the car - main dealer so VAG OE all round - and they rusted with a whiff of damp. Bushes are poly bushes. From eBay- Problem Solving Bushes, a good bit cheaper than Powerflex.

When I was doing this job last weekend I thought the pads were a bit worn, so this weekend's job was discs and pads. Since I was in there again I figured I should have a go at the rear bush I was unhappy with, while the threads were all good and clean. Easy enough this time. Bush did pop out and reseat fully this time. First pic is the old one, second is today's. https://flic.kr/p/2kvCx3x https://flic.kr/p/2kxpwZL

1.4 16v BBZ/AUB engine - I went to remove the EGR with a view to cleaning it up to see if it would help the emissions. The car scraped through the emissions test on the last MoT. I was surprised to see this short hose to what looks like a non-return valve, which just appears to vent to atmosphere. I can't see an open hose anywhere, or a stub with no hose attached. Is this correct? Is it missing something and if so, can someone tell me what and where? I'd expect this to be the vac line that pulls it open. https://flic.kr/p/2kxsYWc Don't know why only one pic embeds, but they are two different shots.

Well I never! On the basis that a softening/soft tyre will have a reduced circumference I guess? Rotation speed would be affected by cornering so either uses the steering angle sensor in the algorithm or takes a much longer snapshot than would be found on a motorway curve.

Wheel speed sensor would be a good shout for ABS and traction control. Steering angle sensor would be an option for traction control, maybe ABS only because the system brains would look at steering angle. Neither would relate to TPMS though.

Low battery?

Is that the bottom joint of the drop link? If so that'll be hex or torx. From the pic I'd suggest a cutting disc on a grinder.

Diagnostics? Codes? Could be a whole host of stuff without more info. Do the injectors spray fuel? MAF could be faulty, turbo vanes stuck, plugs not sparking... What have you ruled out? What were the faults preceding your parts replacements?

I figured it would use cookies to know whether you have donated. I do use the site but some of the navigation doesn't work for me. The donate and ad pop-ups are annoying and mess with the page layout.

Anyone know if you donate once, how long the annoying pop-up goes away for (assuming it does)?

@MicMac Yes, tried the mole-grips on the 'nut' with a little success. Cut away the rubber to get a bit more purchase on it. Tried sockets but it's not a hex nut. Got a few threads showing enough to cut most of the way through with a bare hacksaw blade and the twist the head off with a socket. The new bolts were suitably copper greased up, just in case. That reminds me, I did mean to fill the ends of the drop link thread with grease to help reduce problems from rust and cr@p. @pmdc199 Given the cold (iced over windscreen) I was seriously worried about that, and again when refitting the trim. Thumping the trim with either end of a rubber mallet got so far but I had to quit it was that iced.

New units all KYB with the exception of the top mounts (Febi). Bush kit from ProblemSolvingBushes. It was easier to remove the casting and do the off the car, which meant I could give it a good sanding down too. It was also easier to fit the arm to the bush before refitting to car. Did the front bushes too, but have saved the ARB bushes for another day - really didn't have time/enough daylight. https://flic.kr/p/2kvG9yz https://flic.kr/p/2kvCxic https://flic.kr/p/2kvG9kt https://flic.kr/p/2kvCx3x The first one was a bit more fiddly working out how far to push onto the arm. It also looks like that bush isn't pressed as far as the second one, but both go out the backside of the casting so are well embedded. It felt like it had gone all the way but I built that side up completely before doing the second and finding the other bush went in further. Refitting the rest was pretty quick and it was really only trying to refit the plastic trim below the screen that gave me grief. I've put a crack in that and didn't get it all seated as the cold made it inflexible and turned the mush in the seal to hard filler. The ride is firmer, which I attribute to the new shocks and springs more than the bushes. Steering feel is slightly heavier which I attribute to the bushes. There was also a different tone to the road noise. Not more noise, but a lower tone which again I think is down to the bushes.

Well, I went for it at the weekend. Two freezing cold days on the drive. I could have squeezed it into the garage but I'd not have that much room around it and it would still have been freezing. I pulled the driveshafts as it looked like it would make life easier. I had a polybush set for the arms I was saving for Spring, but since I had to pull so much of the same stuff I figured I might as well do it once, so another reason to get more working room. I dicked about with the drop links for too long before deciding the hexes were too worn and ended up grinding them off and nipping out for new ones. The wipers took about an hour to get off. Couldn't lever them off, get a puller in or manipulate the arm free. Large tools to put pressure on the back side and a gentle tap of the shaft finally worked. Then the last top mount captive 'nut' decided to become uncaptive and took another hour with help from my brother, who then lent a hand with removing the arms. That pretty much ended day 1 with stripping it. About 6 hours work with three hours of faffing. Old spring was broken very near the edge of the seat. https://flic.kr/p/2kvCyv2