Shroud

Very true and you never really know how the car has been driven before you owned it, unless you've had it from new. For an extra £10 it is worth doing if just for peace of mind. Not really that easy a job though IMHO. Over 20 bolts in all, some hard to get to, and a couple of mine seemed to be cross threaded, also getting the right amount of sealant on without any gaps isn't as easy as it first seems. I had a slight leak after the engine warmed up and i dreaded the worst (that i had somehow not sealed correctly or disturbed a bit whilst raising the oil pan into the correct position). Got back under the car and noticed that i had left the filter a little loose, so tightened a further 1/4 turn, so am hoping it was that. :( Cracks are genuine though, when i brushed my fingers across the oil pan surface when cleaning it, it was rough over each crack where the metal pan surface had broken slightly (no shards or anything). I guess it cracks like this from minor impacts.

Sump now off. There was one section where it needed a firmer strke to break the seal. 2 things 1) Really surprised with the state of the pick up pipe. At first i thought it was clean and on closer inspection about 80% of the metal filter was actually blocked. My car has only 91k and full history, so i would strongly echo earlier posts to just get it done at your next oil service, or even bring it forward a bit for peace of mind. 2) I now have a sump that i want to clean up. I used liquid oven cleaner. Seems to work pretty well. Sump is full of tiny hairline cracks though. Doesn't leak however, but wonder whether it will need replacing at some point?

yes all bolts out, even those really annoying ones that i had to spend a fiver getting a tee handle 5mm ball end hex tool to remove. Thanks for the tip on prying. Now it's pouring with rain

In middle of oil pick up replacement and all bolts off sump (including gearbox bolts and flexi oil pipe). So how do you really get the sump off, as hitting it with a rubber mallet is not not doing anything and unfortunately i haven't the strength of Thor to strike it any harder. I guess i will need to try and pry it off, but an hoping a few folks here have done it and can give a few tips, as i don't want to damage it.

It's amazing what we will buy, even if no one can see them apart from ourselves when servicing the car. :yes: And only £62. Had it not been for the fact i have convinced myself i need to do an oil, filter and pick up pipe change this month before my engine has a fatality i would have been tempted. :|

I guess it was pretty straight forward with that? I bought this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hexagon-Allen-Key-Wrench-Tee-Handle-5mm-Ball-Ended-/160602368701?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item2564a5aabd

Thanks, after a bit more research a couple of the bolts are not directly accessible with a straight socket or allen key, and so you do need an allen key/socket with a ball end or something that allows to to get to a bolt at an angle. I've ordered a tee handle allen key wrench with ball end for a fiver just for this job, which is an extra cost i wasn't expecting, but is still worth it if it prevents major engine damage further down the line. :yes:

Just had a quick look at mine to ensure i had the the right tools and it looks like all my sump bolts are 5mm allen, and that the ones by the gearbox need a really long extension. My 80mm long keys do not seem long enough for a few of them. Can anyone confirm and advise the cheapest tool to get the embedded bolts near the gearbox. Presumably just an even longer allen key?

You will need to check it is correct for the 4x4, but for my VRS i bought this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-GOLF-BORA-MK4-LEON-1-8T-20VT-PCV-LOWER-BREATHER-PIPE-/160603710851?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2564ba2583 You can even choose what colour

I fitted these too. Super Pro. Very good, but quite expensive. No need for a press as the bush just slots into the beam from either side.

Thanks.

Bear in mind it can be very handy to have a map done somewhere local to you, as although you hope it will not happen, issues can develop and then having to keep travelling or getting updates via STS or other remote unit can be a PITA and the additional cost can far outweigh any initial cost advantage.

Please can you elaborate, i thought so long as it is the correct vw spec then a 10w/40 was completely fine as a regular fixed interval oil?

136k? No idea, sorry.

I paid 2.5k for my 51 plate with 82k a year ago which was good value. Condition was very good and totally standard when bought. The mods you have will not increase value for most buyers and for some will detract, so i'd suggest somewhere between 2k and 2.5k, depending upon whether you find a buyer who decides they really want the car you have. Trying to sell private will 99% of time give you a better value than a trade in and then you can negotiate hard on the screen price of the car you want.

Nice, but they look like a bit of a PITA to keep clean. Prefer the ones posted earlier, albeit not in bright red. If you want spiders why don't you just source the best set you can find for your budget and pay for a courier to deliver. I paid £25 to get mine couriered to me.

I reckon between 50 and 75 per wheel excluding tyres, and depends on the standard of refurb. They should be worth more, but when i was buying a set this was the range of prices i came across. Tyres complicate things a bit, as it depends on brand, condition, tread, etc. half worn or less budget tyres is unlikely to add much value if any, as many buyers will then want to replace them. Remember that these alloys cost a fortune to buy new from a dealer, so tend to hold their value, especially if in good nick.

:thumbup: :thumbup: Good news indeed. You must be relieved.

My mpg is better post remap, as i drive the car pretty much the same, although i guess this is also partly because the warmer weather also has given some mpg benefit since March.

Green might look good too, as you have the graphics on the car, which the white one in the other pic doesn't. Either would look good IMHO.

Pretty cheap to replace (i think mine was c £60), and not too bad to fit. There is a guide somewhere on the forum which is very good. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SKODA-OCTAVIA-1-8-TURBO-MANUAL-00-04STARTER-MOTOR-ST059-/230622242902?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35b2282856

My local VAG specialist suggested annual servicing is sufficient, unless you are doing more than average miles or the miles you are doing are particularly harsh (e.g. snow, etc). I do less than 10k a year, but still tend to replace oil and filter every 6 to 9 months, as for the sake of about £30 i would rather service too often rather than not enough.

I bought this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VW-GOLF-BORA-MK4-LEON-1-8T-20VT-PCV-LOWER-BREATHER-PIPE-/160588642152?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2563d43768 Not easy to fit though, unless you have already removed a lot of the unnecessary pipework that sits in the way.

I tend to update it the same way a garage would, except with more detail and safe knowledge that the things that have been done have been done properly. The only thing missing is the garage stamp.

Assuming it is the upper hose with y split shape, it should take no more than 10 mins and suggest fitting proper jubilee clips on aswell once you have removed the old clips. Will leave the next bit to someone else