The infamous Golf MK3 CL....

[bboyskidz]

Hey All,
I just found this forum from google and man has it been great to browse so far....

I just bought a CL and it has a few problems... just wondering if you guys can help out? i got an inspection before i bought it and spoke to a vw tech about it and he said most problems are pretty easy to fix.

Problems:

Heavy leak at tappet gasket cover
slight leaks at timing cover
slight leaks at sump gasket
moderate leaks at rear main seal/bellhousing
brakes are spongey - (new brakes however)
engine is misfiring - i am yet to replace the spark plugs.

another note is that the "cooling system pressure" is at 15psi - is that bad? what is the average?

Last but not least, where the hell do i get head/tail lights from within australia?! lol. i also read somewhere here that most aftermarket lights are illegal... is this true?

thanks a bunch already guys... waiting to hear from you...

j:

[syncro]

another note is that the "cooling system pressure" is at 15psi - is that bad? what is the average?
Should be OK


Last but not least, where the hell do i get head/tail lights from within australia?! lol. i also read somewhere here that most aftermarket lights are illegal... is this true?



Doesn't it come with lights?
As long as they're RHD and E code, they should be alright.

[bboyskidz]

Doesn't it come with lights?
As long as they're RHD and E code, they should be alright.

Yeh i comes with lights, but they are just the stock CL lights and they are pretty bland. i was thinking of going with the whole ninja theme (i.e totally black everything) and getting black tail lights with the chrome "angel eyes/projector" headlights.

Question is, where to get them...

[syncro]

Don't get them from the USA. (LHD)
England has them.

[Golf Loon]

Problems:

Heavy leak at tappet gasket cover
slight leaks at timing cover
slight leaks at sump gasketj:The leaks at the top are easiest fixed by taking the rocker cover off. 4 10mm bolts and a bit of messing about and wiping the rubber gasket and putting a bit of instant gasket above and below the half moon shape at eash end of the gasket. Then bolt the cover back on firmly.

That may fix most of your oil leaks. Hopefull the rear main is not leaking and it is just oil coming down from above that you can see.

The sump gasket can just be nipped up if you lie under the car and tighten all the bolts a little.

We need more info on the misfire, when it does it. Under load? When cold, when warm etc.

Welcome to the forum, I think you`ll like it here :)

[bboyskidz]

[qoute=syncro]Don't get them from the USA. (LHD)
England has them.[/quote]

yeh thats what i thought... what are some good sites? none in aus?


We need more info on the misfire, when it does it. Under load? When cold, when warm etc.
it doesn't do it under load, not that I can tell, but it does it on idle, whether it is hot or cold


Welcome to the forum, I think you`ll like it here :)

I think so too ;) you guys all seem to know what you are talking about...

[Golf Loon]

ebay.co.uk

[bboyskidz]

ebay.co.uk
sweet, i was just thinking that myself...

[rayray086]

Welcome to the forum bboyskidz :)

Try some of these out, they supply aftermarket "enhancers" if you like, and are located in Australia:

http://www.carmate.com/display_products.php?carMake=vw&carModel=Golf&year=Version%203
http://carshine.com.au

Note that I haven't bought anything from these guys, nor have I visited their shops, so I really don't know what to expect from them in terms of service, product quality and prices. Hope it helps :)

[Golf Loon]

Shouldn`t you fix the oilleaks before spending money on fancy dress up parts?

[DubSteve]

Welcome Mate


Shouldn`t you fix the oilleaks before spending money on fancy dress up parts?

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Thats the same thing on my car I'm doing before I spend anything on it.

Why don't you get vr6 tail lights they are blackened and they look cool. Well alot better than the standard ones. :) lol

[ausgolfer]

As for sourcing the lights I'd recommend.

http://www.awesome-gti.co.uk/

Although shipping costs can be a killer so best to get a few things at once.

[Golf Loon]

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Thats the same thing on my car I'm doing before I spend anything on it. :) lol

Its boring, but you should get everything working stock before modifying things.

[SOHC]

yea... and sort things out like what you need to get soon, I mean real important stuff, next things on my list are clutch and main seal done up as well, which are pretty costy!! save some up for "IN CASE";)

[bboyskidz]

yeh i know i know... i have a few problems with cars recently. i've had my license for not even a year and already totaled 2 cars :? they were both pos tho so pretty much any damage to them would have totalled them anyway.

now, with this car, i am going to get it up to speed mechanically (hopefully with some of your guys' help) and then work my mods into some kind of reward system. for example, i don't crash for 3 months, buy some tail lights. dont crash for six, get some headlights, dont crash for 12, get some rims...

on my last two cars i had nothing to work for, but this little mother is going to be one hot beast when i am finished with it.... :D

[rayray086]

Holy sh*t! Less than a year with your licence and 2 goners already.

May be a good thing adhering to your buying schedule then :P

[DubSteve]

yeh i know i know... i have a few problems with cars recently. i've had my license for not even a year and already totaled 2 cars :? they were both pos tho so pretty much any damage to them would have totalled them anyway.

I think I may have beat you totaled 2 cars in 3 months....
*Pulsar (Stolen and destroyed)
*Old vr6 (Car accident making it a ride off)

Nothing but bad luck this year with cars.... Maybe I should just ride a push bike from now. HEHEHE lol :)

[aprr32]

On a CL the brake vac hose at the manifold cracks at the elbow and sucks air.No 4 leans out and it runs on 3 pots.Just replace the rubber elbow and all is well again.

[Bug_racer]

On a CL the brake vac hose at the manifold cracks at the elbow and sucks air.No 4 leans out and it runs on 3 pots.Just replace the rubber elbow and all is well again.


(thumbs up) true had that happen to me too .
Also check manifold base gasket

[Sands]

[QUOTE=bboyskidz]
now, with this car, i am going to get it up to speed mechanically (hopefully with some of your guys' help) and then work my mods into some kind of reward system. for example, i don't crash for 3 months, buy some tail lights. dont crash for six, get some headlights, dont crash for 12, get some rims...

hey dude, I think dats a sound reward system but you shouldnt be expecting to have a accident again, they happen sure, ive been in a few myself within a year, but thinkin like dat is only setting urself up for another accident.

[bboyskidz]

hey dude, I think dats a sound reward system but you shouldnt be expecting to have a accident again, they happen sure, ive been in a few myself within a year, but thinkin like dat is only setting urself up for another accident.

i'm not expecting to have an accident. I am setting myself rewards so that i drive sensibly so i can have a nice looking car.

Anyway.... back to the mechanics... I have noticed recently that when I start the car cold, there is a slight whining noise coming from somewhere under (excuse my lack of mechanical knowledge) the pink sphere to the left hand side of the engine bay - i'm assuming thats the brake fluid resevior. when I pull it up and apply pressure to it, it stops. I have no idea where to go now...

I did just order this off amazon though ---> link (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0837603668/ref=pd_luc_mri/103-9651444-6406243?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance)

[DubSteve]

Very nice on that. Its worth the money to get one of those and you also learn aswell.

[bboyskidz]

Very nice on that. Its worth the money to get one of those and you also learn aswell.

yeh thats what i was thinking... I bought a chilton's one for my prelude too. it arrived 2 days after i totalled the thing... ahh the irony.j:

[DubSteve]

yeh thats what i was thinking... I bought a chilton's one for my prelude too. it arrived 2 days after i totalled the thing... ahh the irony.j:

Ouch now thats bad luck!!!

[Simon78]

On a CL the brake vac hose at the manifold cracks at the elbow and sucks air.No 4 leans out and it runs on 3 pots.Just replace the rubber elbow and all is well again.
Sorry, maybe Im missing something ? No4 piston leans out?
Hows this due to the vacumn hose? If not the hose what causes it to lean out? How couyld this happen with fuel injection!?

[Bug_racer]

i'm not expecting to have an accident. I am setting myself rewards so that i drive sensibly so i can have a nice looking car.

Anyway.... back to the mechanics... I have noticed recently that when I start the car cold, there is a slight whining noise coming from somewhere under (excuse my lack of mechanical knowledge) the pink sphere to the left hand side of the engine bay - i'm assuming thats the brake fluid resevior. when I pull it up and apply pressure to it, it stops. I have no idea where to go now...

I did just order this off amazon though ---> link (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0837603668/ref=pd_luc_mri/103-9651444-6406243?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance)

Sounds a bit like that hose that aprr32 was referring to .

[bboyskidz]

geez talk about thread resurrection guys.


Sorry, maybe Im missing something ? No4 piston leans out?
Hows this due to the vacumn hose? If not the hose what causes it to lean out? How couyld this happen with fuel injection!?
If you read the whole thread again, you will actually see that this was about the brakes (you know those things that stop the car?) - nothing to do with pistons, fuel injection or making the car go...


Sounds a bit like that hose that aprr32 was referring to .
i worked out that it was actually the aircon system's 'inside-air/outside-air' motor.
whenever the system is set to recirculate the air inside the car, it seems the motor that keeps the air intake flap closed makes a whining noise.
simple solution - turn it off.

[Golf Loon]

So did you fix you brakes??

[bboyskidz]

kind of. it turns out that they were not replaced properly the last time. something to do with the spring in the drums at the back - basically meant that the rear brakes weren't doing anything.

the reason I say 'kind of' is because they are still quite spongy. I think they may just need adjusting, because I have to pull the hand brake almost ALL the way up before it will hold the car on a hill with a 20degree inclination.

It makes me think that it could be the thing that aprr32 said... can anyone show me where this rubber elbow is? (an mspaint pic will do)