Intro and a few q's

[Corderoy]

Evening all,

Six months ago I bought my daughter's '95 Cordoba (140K) with a view to fixing it up as a runaround for my wife.

I've mucked around with cars, on and off, for over 40 years (although the last euro-car I worked on was my Fiat 125 in 1978 ) and have a reasonable workshop and tools.

There's a bit of history to this car but to condense it to manageable proportions:-
It was overheated ("got a bit hot" according to my daughter) and as a result ended up with coolant in the sump.

A month or so prior to that, the auto transmission cooler corroded internally and ended up with coolant in the transmission case.

The sensor/switch for the thermo fans is faulty which would probably explain the engine overheating.

The air-con pump is faulty (air-con doesn't work) according to an auto electrician my daughter had it to just prior to the transmission probs.

I've finally got around to having a look at it and pulled the head off it today. The gasket "looks" ok. I'm guessing the head is cracked but in any event I'll take it and the gasket down to the local head place tomorrow.

With regard to the transmission oil cooler - after hunting around locally for a replacement I ended up fitting an aftermarket radiator type cooler which bypasses the radiator. This appears to work well and I was assured by the VW dealer's workshop foreman there's no problem with doing that modification.

The problem with the transmission (after half a dozen flushes here at home and a full flush and filter replacement at the local auto trans guy) is that it won't change up 1-2, 2-3, 3-4 unless it's doing around 4000rpm. If it's driven normally it will just stay in 1st (until it's doing 4K rpm).
From memory it changes down ok.

Trans guy reckons it could be a solenoid but if anyone has a suggestion, I'm all ears.

I guess I'll replace the air-con pump with a second hand one so that shouldn't be a huge production.

So, that's the condensed version.

I've got a Haynes manual for the Seat but it's a very complex manual to work by.... particularly with greasy hands.... "do this but refer to section 4a first" which then takes you to 5b and then onto 3c, or whatever, lol.

Thanks for reading this far and if anyone has questions/advice/hints please speak up.
I'm old enough to realise there's still a lot to learn

[Cupra]

Hi Corderoy & welcome to the forum.

I'm sure some of the guys will chime in here shortly with advice for your problems. There are some very helpful/knowledgeable vw/seat guys on here.

Cheers

Phil

[evorobin]

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you will be busy, where are you update your location?

Hopefully near Cambelltown

[Corderoy]

Hi Corderoy & welcome to the forum.

I'm sure some of the guys will chime in here shortly with advice for your problems. There are some very helpful/knowledgeable vw/seat guys on here.

Cheers

Phil

Thanks Phil.... I've been reading this forum intermittently for six months or more and have seen the knowledge that resides here.

I'll be a lot more than "intermittent" over the next few weeks

Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you will be busy, where are you update your location?

Hopefully near Cambelltown

Thanks mate. I'm always busy, lol.

I'm in Bris but I'm aware of the guys at Cambelltown.
I grew up at Chester Hill and have rels on my wife's side at St Marys and Blacktown . We get down to Syd a couple of times each year, so I'm sure we'll meet up at some stage.

[Golf Loon]

Good luck with the transmision, they are terrible autos.

What process did you go through to get the water out? I`m thinking that maybe the torque converter is full of water still.

What fluid did you use? The book specifies Transmax Z or VW ATF, but some of the early 1.8 work well on Dextron 3. It will say on the cap/dipstick if this is suitable.

Most likely the transmission is gone. Sorry to be the prophet of doom.

You should get the new radiator fan switch to stop the car overheating and an A/C compressor to stop you overheating.

AC comp is the same as a Golf 3, I can hook you up if you cant get one local.

Welocome to the forum, hope you get round to enjoying that SEAT.

[Corderoy]

Good luck with the transmision, they are terrible autos.

What process did you go through to get the water out? I`m thinking that maybe the torque converter is full of water still.

Cheers, GL.
All I could do at the time was to fill/run/drain until the fluid was less and less pink. By the time I took it down to the auto guy for a final change and filter it was pretty good.

What fluid did you use? The book specifies Transmax Z or VW ATF, but some of the early 1.8 work well on Dextron 3. It will say on the cap/dipstick if this is suitable.

Most likely the transmission is gone. Sorry to be the prophet of doom.

It was Dexron 3 as you noted.

I'm not confident that the tranny will be an easy fix. I haven't ever had auto probs that were an easy fix

You should get the new radiator fan switch to stop the car overheating and an A/C compressor to stop you overheating.

AC comp is the same as a Golf 3, I can hook you up if you cant get one local.

Welocome to the forum, hope you get round to enjoying that SEAT.

Thanks for the tips and the welcome. I've sent you an email with a view to sorting out my options.

[Corderoy]

A bit of progress in the last day or two...

The head is being done - cost will be $517 inc headgasket kit and new headbolts.

I've sourced an auto trans - $750 with three months warranty

Aircon compressor and thermal fan switch is available and I'll see which way I go with those.

I note with some surprise that the Haynes Manual does NOT include a section for the auto transmission. I can understand that a repair section is not there but unless I've missed it there is no assistance to remove/replace an auto.

As a by the by, is the convention in this forum to restrict my ongoing questions to a prev thread or is it ok to start a new thread as I go along?

My big question atm is where do I find the engine and transmission codes?

I've been told that it should be on a plate in the spare wheel well, but it ain't.

The eng no. starts with "ABS" but I can't find a ref to a Seat engine with an "ABS" code. I can't find a trans code anywhere either.

Appreciate some help with the codes...

Thanks for reading - also thanks to Matt at CamdenGTI he answered my email very quickly and listed a range of options for me... thanks mate.

[peedman]

Engine number is just below the head above where the plastic crankcase breather attaches to the engine block. Its not very clear but thats where it is. As for the transmission code it should be somewhere on the tranny itself, if u climb under ur car and scout around im sure u will find it or sumone can tell u what the code is, im unsure for the autos.

[Corderoy]

Engine number is just below the head above where the plastic crankcase breather attaches to the engine block. Its not very clear but thats where it is. As for the transmission code it should be somewhere on the tranny itself, if u climb under ur car and scout around im sure u will find it or sumone can tell u what the code is, im unsure for the autos.

Thanks mate...

I've got the engine number but I can't confirm the engine *code*

The eng # starts with "ABS" but I can't find a ref to an "ABS" code... nor can the parts supplier.

I've been all over the tranny looking for it's *code* but it ain't there, or if it is I'm not going to find it.

I'm actually asking if someone can point me to the ID plate where the codes are listed or if an "ABS" eng *code* can be confirmed.

Cheers...

[Golf Loon]

ABS is a very early 1.8 engine.
Your car must be a 1994 build.

The engine is identical to the later ones which have a different code, cant remember it off the top of my head. Its A**?

The Transmision code is on a flat plate on the bottom of it.
The code doesnt much matter, if yours has a dipstick, so must the replacement. If yours only has a cap, then the replacement must also.

Haynes is the UK book and 95% of the cars are manual, so they would probably gloss over the auto and a lot of other bits, knowing Mr Haynes.

Basically undo the 3 bolts through the flexplate and keep the torque converter in the gearbox. Other than that its easy.