sepulchrave

Nope.

It sounds like the car is stuck in limp mode, you should read the codes and reset the ECU first. Did you reset the injector lash after changing the cam?

I give up, engine bottom ends don't just fail unless you've run it out of oil. I suggest you drive it in the meantime until a more definitive problem appears.

I heard a chuffing sound on your video. So you're saying the coolant problem is entirely coincidental and unrelated to the sound?

Top end looks tickety boo, compression readings also decent. Why do we think there's something wrong with the bottom end when the cooling system is clearly getting over pressurised again?

He already did, do keep up dear!

Weird that, such a technical product and so tricky to fit!

https://forums.ross-tech.com/index.php?threads/25541/

Strut length does not include the ball ends, the most important stat is the spring strength, they're a standard part across every application, the strength is rated in Newtons and length is minus the end fittings. You may therefore be overthinking this considerably, just buy 'em and fit 'em.

Dude, thread is three years old, start a new thread accurately describing your problems.

These cars are are based on the Polo platform, not the Golf and they have very little indeed in common with each other, it's the Octavia that's based on the Golf. It's a difficult and unpleasant job but it is do-able, I had to use a hammer and chisel to smash the plastic lock body so I could expose the innards and release the deadlock, there aren't any 'tricks' or shortcuts, once it's deadlocked you have to take the doorcard and regulator panels off which means removing the window glass as well. I'm sorry you're disappointed but if you're helpful and encouraging you'll find that I'm the same.

The small glass item is the RFID chip for the immobiliser, it can be copied, you can get a new one made at a decent locksmiths.

I already told the OP to remove the passenger seat, you're just saying stuff for the sake of saying stuff and what's more you're not reading the replies properly. This is a self-help forum, telling a poster that the job can't be done doesn't count as helping. There is only one rule here, ask yourself, "am I really helping?" lest a dribbling stream of brown consciousness issues forth....

The door card is smaller than the doorframe, the rubber sealing strip around the doorframe seals against the painted metal of the door, not the card, therefore the door card will come off with the door shut. Duh!

Mean time before failure is only a useful measure of reliability of a device if that device has a 100% duty cycle, injectors are more likely to be measured in mean number of cycles so age isn't necessarily such a good indicator of problems.

Yes, it is possible to get the door card off with the door closed, removing the passenger seat makes it a lot easier, it'll take you about ten minutes to remove all the seating except the drivers seat, that way you can work with the passenger rear door open and nothing else in the way. Remove the door card and window carrier, then you can smash the plastic lock casing to get the deadlock to release, once you can open the door it gets a lot easier.

The best choice is to leave it alone instead of making a slow, noisy plod magnet aka a tractor.

Ok, well you can reset the fuel trim by disconnecting the battery for five minutes, if that makes the problem go away then it's leaning off too much.

The engine is such an ancient design that anything is possible, I would check for leaks in the vacuum line between the inlet and the brake servo first.

It sounds like you have a major electrical issue, I would start with the ignition switch, if you have a multimeter check the main battery positive feed, clearly the battery connection itself is ok because the starter motor spins when the rest of the electrical system is malfunctioning.

What's wrong with repairing the head gasket, you've just spunked a load on injectors already. You seem very impulsive, I strongly advise you to take a deep breath and calm down, start thinking rationally, not emotionally. The value of a car is in it's utility, not cash, I appreciate that yours is currently an oversized paperweight but you need to solve the problem, if you can't get to work then buy a cheap runabout for now and take this one off the road or take it to a garage who'll lend you a courtesy car while they fix it for you.

"What do you mean by "stay away from the garage", do you mean mechanics in general, or just the unofficial ones?" I mean stay away from all garages until you're calm and cool or they'll rip you off, you've just bought the car and there's nothing wrong with it right now so go and drive it. "My biggest worry is the chain braking while driving, and damaging the engine beyond repair." That's not going to happen, when is the next service due please?

The mysterious coolant level change is almost certainly caused by HGF, the system is being pressurised by combustion gases blowing past the gasket fire ring and that is also likely to be the source of the chuffing sound. I fear I'm repeating myself here but I've a LOT of professional experience with engines and I've said right from the start that it's not a bearing failure and I stand by that. I really wish you hadn't put magic jizz in the coolant because it won't fix anything, it'll just gum everything up.

Scan tools are only of use when the check light is on because a fault has been logged. That chain probably won't get any worse and the OP can look forward to thousands of km without any problems.

The noise could be, but I'm concerned by the coolant loss you report, the noise taken together with that suggests HGF.