Not sure how much use these'll be to everyone, but I thought I may as well take a few while I was in there.

Position of screenwash reservoir/pump (on the left), and power steering pump/reservoir next to it:

Nasty trap for damp mud at rear of arch:

Some rusty bits, mostly pipe clips:

Bit disappointed with the number of thoroughly rusty hose clips on this 7½ year old car; my 21½ year old Golf has much less-rusty original clips. :wonder:

While I'm here, a couple of unrelated questions.

1. The rear engine mount, dogbone I think it's known as; how much fore-and-aft easy motion should there be on the bush? I can shift it a centimetre or so with hardly any effort, knackered?

2. A noise like "BVVVvvvvvmmm" for a couple of seconds immediately after the engine has caught, and the key has been released from the cranking position, when starting from cold. Just started happening in the last couple of weeks. Couldn't hear it on a warm start. It's not massively loud or scary-sounding but just noticeable enough to sound like something's amiss. Something in the starter motor failing to disengage promptly? :think:

Edit: Just heard it make this noise on a hot start. Will try to get a video clip with sound tomorrow.

Ta for any suggestions.

Bump for adding video of starter noise. It's the 'over-run' of the starter motor that sounds more prominent than it should, not so much on the first crank when it doesn't start up, clearer on the second, successful start: Linky

Now it's a non-starter.

In that vid, the first attempted start is the first time that me and the missus can remember that the engine didn't start on the first 'ask'.

She just tried to get it out of the garage an hour ago and it wouldn't fire up at all, and smelt bad out of the tailpipe after a bit of trying.

I'm starting to wonder if that sound is the sound of a timing chain which isn't getting enough tension, and now it's slipped?

No engine fault codes showing, but not enough light left to start investigating today.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

Edit: 11.00 Wednesday. Well I made a drama out of a crisis there. Checked plugs and chain timing this morning, all seems well.

Put it back together and turned the key...and it started. A bit 'wobbly' for a few seconds then smoothed out and ran fine. I can only speculate that starting it a few times, without letting it run for more than a few seconds, while I was trying to video that start-up noise yesterday, got its knickers in a knot.