I keep a list of the "real" maintenance jobs needed on the B5.5 such as freeing pinch bolts, water drains, wiper spindles etc. This is based on the weaknesses of the vehicle's design - the B5.5 is well built and if you address the design stupidities, a 1.9 diesel will run economically for a long time.

Most have been discussed in these columns but after an annual inspection, here are a couple more.

The narrow bore vac lines are vital to this engine - so dear old VAG use rubbish material and assemble it like a kid's toy. Check carefully the vac takeoff from the sevo vac line under the EGR. The narrow bore pipe runs up to the bulkhead where it meets a "T" to feed the EGR control on one side and the anti-shudder and N75 valves on the other. On my Superb this line was chafing on the brake servo vac line - not good for either of them.

Under the plastic cover above the air filter box is a one way valve in the vac line to enable the reservoir for the N75 to remain under vacuum and give smooth control. The lines here were mis-routed and one connection was half off. There are no pipe clips - thanks, VAG.

It's also worth taking the brake bleed screws right out when changing the brake fluid and giving the threads one turn of PTFE tape. This should prevent them seizing in the calipers.

If only VAG could write a service book which was both useful (addressing the real problems) and understandable...

rotodiesel.

WRT the brake caliper bleed valves, I tend to replace them every 6 years or so as inevitably, you end up over tightening them and forming steps on the sealing taper zone, which means that you then need to overtighten even more. I still need to make use of your advice wrt the wiper splines though!

What's the issue with the wiper spindles?

The steel spindles run in sintered iron rather than bronze bushes. The water sealing (VAG speciality) is useless, so eventually the spindles rust solid in the bushes.

Take the wiper arms off (puller needed first time), remove the circlips and pathetic "O" ring seal and allow the spindles to drop down into the plenum chamber - they won't fall right out. Oil them thoroughly over their running length and re-assemble. Consider drilling the bearing housings for oil holes so they can be lubricated in-situ.

Crappy materials and very poor design - unchanged for about the last 20 years.

rotodiesel.

The steel spindles run in sintered iron rather than bronze bushes. The water sealing (VAG speciality) is useless, so eventually the spindles rust solid in the bushes.

Take the wiper arms off (puller needed first time), remove the circlips and pathetic "O" ring seal and allow the spindles to drop down into the plenum chamber - they won't fall right out. Oil them thoroughly over their running length and re-assemble. Consider drilling the bearing housings for oil holes so they can be lubricated in-situ.

Crappy materials and very poor design - unchanged for about the last 20 years.

rotodiesel.

My brother had an issue on his Ibiza, wipers slowed right down - lucky his wiper motor did not fail. I suppose same poor design practice, from the VAG group. Needed a bit of brute force to free up. Didn't know the Super had the same/similar issue.

I have access to a top notch machine shop at work, I could get the guys to turn a new bush out of bronze, or stainless 316 or 304 on the lathe.

I have not seen the actual part yet, but I assume that it is a straight cylindrical part that could be removed and replaced with a bespoke machined component?

It's not worth doing - the sintered iron bushes are fine if they are kept lubricated. They won't run well in rusty rainwater.

Sintered bushes of any material cannot be machined as this destroys their porosity. Stainless steel will not run well on a mild steel shaft - bronze runs well. There are two bushes for each shaft.

If you are considering modifying the design, an oil hole in the housing positioned between the two bushes would probably do. It's so easy to drop the shafts and oil them once a year, I'm not going to make any modifications.

rotodiesel.

Edited 2 October, 201114 yr by rotodiesel

Another item for the list.

The idiots at Hella made the headlamp adjusting screw shafts from aluminium. In the presence of salt and water they corrode in the nylon adjusting gears, making the headlamps unsettable. This might not matter too much on a "normal" car but on the B5.5 you have to pull the front to change the cambelt which disturbs the headlamp alignment.

Crap from Hella and no approval testing from VAG - although the Mk II Superb is fitted with Valeo lamps.

Keep the adjusters sprayed with corrosion resisting wax.

rotodiesel.

Another item for the list.

The idiots at Hella made the headlamp adjusting screw shafts from aluminium. In the presence of salt and water they corrode in the nylon adjusting gears, making the headlamps unsettable. This might not matter too much on a "normal" car but on the B5.5 you have to pull the front to change the cambelt which disturbs the headlamp alignment.

Crap from Hella and no approval testing from VAG - although the Mk II Superb is fitted with Valeo lamps.

Keep the adjusters sprayed with corrosion resisting wax.

rotodiesel.

I have respect for Valeo (xenon) lamps. On my Primera, they shine as bright as ever, much better than the Superb's (bi-xenon), though I do like the bi-xenon feature.

I have respect for Valeo (xenon) lamps. On my Primera, they shine as bright as ever, much better than the Superb's (bi-xenon), though I do like the bi-xenon feature.

Well my 2001MY Passat B5 was bought with (Valeo) xenons fitted at the factory and it failed its first or second MOT due to headlight adjustment, VW dealer adjusted it during MOT and broke an adjuster, I think that it cost me £200>£400 for a new light assembly to be fitted with the original parts and fitted into the car - and the parts took 3 days to come from Germany - I was not very happy with that - but I still have not got round to lubricating the adjusting screws, what seems to happen is that the threads get corroded and the mechanic just quickly twists the screws to adjust the lights and that breaks the bond between the steel part and the plastic part moulded on to it. I think that it might be trickier to keep this lubed in a Xenon headlight, but I should try now that this subject has been brought up!