WoodieGuthries 2004 1.9tdi Elegance help needed

[WoodieGuthrie]

Hello! Long time since I've been on this site, but decided to pop back for some advice and input from folks who know these cars.

 

Long story short, I changed jobs mid Dec and took on a role that required a 200mile trip twice a week.

 

Enter stage left this

 

A 100bhp TDI with 152k on it and MOT til Sept.

 

I like the Engine, and the heated seats, but there's a couple of things I'd like to get better!

 

Firstly, she's done 10k in my ownership, and has pretty ropey dampers.

 

Having scouted about, I can find either new dampers or 2nd hand VRS dampers in my budget. Would the VRS dampers (front and rear) fit my car, or are the mountings/front arms different?

 

Secondly, she's very frilly about the sills/wheel arches-

I'm imagining the worst all round! Do they rot really heavily in the sills/wheel arches?

 

I kinda like it as a beater and it has done well for the last 4 months- but don't want to chuck cash at suspension if its gunna fail an MOT due to grot..

 

Cheers!

[sepulchrave]

It's NEVER worth fitting second hand dampers, even cheap new ones are better. It's the labour on the front that's expensive rather than the parts.

 

Edit: Oh, and it's enter stage right, exit stage left.

Edited 15 April, 2017 by sepulchrave

[WoodieGuthrie]

6 minutes ago, sepulchrave said:

It's NEVER worth fitting second hand dampers, even cheap new ones are better. It's the labour on the front that's expensive rather than the parts.

 

Edit: Oh, and it's enter stage right, exit stage left.

I hear you Re not fitting 2nd hand dampers, and apologies for the lack of awareness of stage etiquette:)

[TMB]

vRS front and rear dampers are exactly the same fitting wise.

[Graffiti]

I dont think it would be ready to fail on rot yet my man,  even if it did I'm sure a couple o metal plates would sort it .  Give under the sill's a whack just to make sure.   And echoing the above,  new dampers all the way.  

[WoodieGuthrie]

12 hours ago, TMB said:

vRS front and rear dampers are exactly the same fitting wise.

Good to hear thanks! Makes finding them much simpler.

 

Having looked a bit more into it, its likely to be the bottom arm bushes that are the fun bit- the guide on here is braw, though!

 

11 hours ago, Graffiti said:

I dont think it would be ready to fail on rot yet my man,  even if it did I'm sure a couple o metal plates would sort it .  Give under the sill's a whack just to make sure.   And echoing the above,  new dampers all the way.  

Yeah I may try to get her in the air tomorrow for a snoop about and prod..

 

I reckon new dampers plus new brakes all round, plus new front arms and a Cambelt kit would see her good as new, but that's a lot of spend if she's rotten!

[sepulchrave]

New wishbones won't help with replacing the console bushes, so they're not necessary.

[WoodieGuthrie]

1 hour ago, sepulchrave said:

New wishbones won't help with replacing the console bushes, so they're not necessary

If I can get them with balljoints already fitted it'd possibly be less hassle to swap than doing the balljoints separately-I'd expect the bolts to be manky based on the rust elsewhere;)

 

Either way its all academic until I see if there are any sills left!

Edited 16 April, 2017 by WoodieGuthrie

[sepulchrave]

27 minutes ago, WoodieGuthrie said:

If I can get them with balljoints already fitted it'd possibly be less hassle to swap than doing the balljoints separately-I'd expect the bolts to be manky based on the rust elsewhere;)

 

Either way its all academic until I see if there are any sills left!

 

Jeez, since you're removing the wishbones to replace them, then by definition you're removing the balljoints from the wishbones anyway, since you get new bolts and a nut plate with the new ball joints it looks like a waste of money to me.

[JWvrs25]

9 hours ago, WoodieGuthrie said:

If I can get them with balljoints already fitted it'd possibly be less hassle to swap than doing the balljoints separately-I'd expect the bolts to be manky based on the rust elsewhere;)

 

Either way its all academic until I see if there are any sills left!

If the wishbones are off, removing the ball joints should be too much of a problem

mine were 10 years old and were covered in rust, I managed to use a 6 point socket on the 3 bolts holding the ball joints to the wishbones, and snapped each bolt head off as I tried to undo them.

Then it was just a case of using a centre punch to push through the remaining bolt shaft and the retaining plate came off with all 3 bolt studs attached.

Took 10 mins at most to remove them this way so I would just save your money and use the existing wishbones. New ball joints are around £10 each.

 

Edit: you might as well save the money on the wishbones and do the track rod ends & anti roll bar droplinks whilst your there as I doubt they have been replaced and they are easy enough to do with the front wheels off

Edited 17 April, 2017 by clarendon462

[WoodieGuthrie]

2 hours ago, clarendon462 said:

If the wishbones are off, removing the ball joints should be too much of a problem

mine were 10 years old and were covered in rust, I managed to use a 6 point socket on the 3 bolts holding the ball joints to the wishbones, and snapped each bolt head off as I tried to undo them.

Then it was just a case of using a centre punch to push through the remaining bolt shaft and the retaining plate came off with all 3 bolt studs attached.

Took 10 mins at most to remove them this way so I would just save your money and use the existing wishbones. New ball joints are around £10 each.

 

Edit: you might as well save the money on the wishbones and do the track rod ends & anti roll bar droplinks whilst your there as I doubt they have been replaced and they are easy enough to do with the front wheels off

Fair comment. Will figure out whether any of it gets done when I look at the sills:)

[WoodieGuthrie]

So far I have been unable to get the time to get a proper look at the sills- It was intended to happen today, but as is often the way in Scotland, we've had Biblical rain all day.

 

Additionally, its had another new fuel filter, which solved the reluctant starting and increased fuel conssumption, but the reluctant startin is occasionaally back now (no noticable drop in consumption, and filter is 600miles old).

Any ideas?

[Graffiti]

Glow Plugs?..    is this just cold start?

[WoodieGuthrie]

Wrong thread, oops

Edited 14 May, 2017 by WoodieGuthrie

[WoodieGuthrie]

11 hours ago, Graffiti said:

Glow Plugs?..    is this just cold start?

Nup, often happens first start of the day and randomly if the car has been sitting warm..almost as if the fuel has ran back down.

 

Double cycling  the pump (key o, wait 2 sec, off then on again) seems to stop it