sepulchrave

Top man, this thread was in danger of rambling off into the middle of bumblefork nowhere...

Each MOT tester has their own process, why does it matter to you what that process is?

They leave them running to keep the cat lit, it gives them the best chance of passing the emissions test.

PAS not working in the winter is probably more likely to be related to low battery voltage, measure yours on a cold day.

No, it's just a LOT less work to take the complete axle off a scrap car and swap it over.

I wouldn't convert, I'd rather have drums for the stronger handbrake, rear discs do so little work they always rot out but RICErs will be RICErs...

Red. Herring.

That brake shoe kit does not contain wheel cylinders.

It still doesn't close until the engine's off, you're misunderstanding the amount of attenuation it does, the engine cannot physically run with it shut, it's an ASV when closed. Because it's a TDI there shouldn't be any appreciable manifold vacuum under any conditions.

This is indicative of a rear wheel cylinder leak which has contaminated the shoes on one side as well as reducing braking pressure. Replace it and the shoes and it should pass once you've swapped out the headlights.

Higher levels of ethanol actually make the fuel more knock resistant, not less. This is why cars like the koenigsegg CCR make more power on bio than on mineral based fuels. There's a MASSIVE amount of nonsense talked about fuels.

Ignore this, I missed that it was a TDI, since a TDI doesn't have a proper throttle then I'm not surprised that the reading shows it's open when the engine's running, it only closes when you switch the engine off. So ignore that reading, it's a red herring and start looking for air leaks.

The actual oil and coolant temperatures will be very similar since there is a heat exchanger that links them together. PD's generally run cool anyway.

Intake leak fault under deep manifold vacuum suggests a vacuum leak, don't just use your eyes, give those connections a good pull.

They're too soft and overheat leading to fade and they're not too clever in the wet either.

I wouldn't take too much notice, those numbers aren't accurate.

Well worth doing, don't forget to get new brackets and bolts and not just the bushes.

Can you tell us when it makes the noise, does it vary with speed, turning left, turning right? Come on, give us a chance.

Of course they'll lower the car, ride height is set by the springs not the shocks.

Looking at the table above makes me realise just how complicated it's possible to make this simple problem...

You'll know when you change the pads, which is why I said it doesn't matter, you can buy them with the sensor then snip the sensor wire off if you don't have one. It's really not complicated.

If you buy a set with the wear sensor you can just snip the cable off if you don't need it, the pads themselves are identical.

They're 256mm vented discs, brands are irrelevant, just don't buy budget crap like eicher or drivetec. The only pads still made in the UK are some high performance pads from expensive name brands.

Don't waste your money on additives. It is impossible to diagnose your problem without fault codes. It will be impossible to repair your car without some money for parts. Tell us where you are and someone from on here may be able to read the codes for you.

I too have have headlamps, I only really use them at night when it's dark though.