RobinJI Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 I bought a new steering rack a little while back and finally got around to fitting it today, not as bad job to do as I expected. I put it on with new track rods, rod ends and gaiters, as it didn't make sense to re-use the old ones. The shell's on about 180k now, and the rack was getting noisy which worried me. The new rack came (as it should) with brackets to hold the rod-shift linkage. As I'm running an internally mounted cable shifter this is all no use to me, plus my downpipe runs very close to the rack to help ground clearance, so I lopped that lot off and chucked some paint on earlier in the week, then fitted it this morning. The rack as it arrived, covered in brackets: And a comparison of the old and new. You can see the brackets are gone, and there's some new poly-mounts on there. I haven't taken it apart to see just how warn it is, but once off the car it was obvious the old rack was VERY warn out, it made horendous noises when you pushed it from lock to lock, and the puddle in this picture is all water that dribbled out of it! I'm very pleased with the improvement it's made to how it drives! The steering's completely lost the slight dead-spot it used to have and feels nice and responsive now, as well as tracking more steadily and smoothly than before. A very worthwhile thing to get done. If you've got a high mileage car then it's well worth considering changing the rack, this didn't make any obvious signs it was warn until the last month or so, but the steering has always felt the same since I bought the car. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete.M Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 Interesting to know. I need to diagnose some dodgy noises from my steering (I assume from steering anyway). Now I'm just tempted to whack a new rack in! Combined with annoying drivetrain issues (possibly propshaft bearings), my car is feeling pretty tired right now. Also surprised you like those escort seats. I thought they were a bit uncomfortable, but I might've just thought that because the seats this particular car had previously were incredibly soft and comfortable. And that's a nice effective looking aero setup you have there Prawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bing Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 Leather seats out of a mk3 mondeo ST. Think they are recaros. Comfiest car seats I've ever sat in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukasMcNeal Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 (edited) I've sat in comfier but they're rather good and yeah they are recaros, bros got some bright red ones haha! They're heated too which is really good for when you get in and the leather is freeeeezing! edit: only thing is they might look a bit modern for his car if that makes sense? I think a nice set of cloth seats that are lower than something like the mondeo ones would suit it better. Edited October 5, 2013 by LukasMcNeal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prawny Baby Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 The steering's completely lost the slight dead-spot it used to have and feels nice and responsive now, as well as tracking more steadily and smoothly than before. Slight? Haha, I guess rick Waller is slightly fat, and you put a slight dent in that old red golf 90 degrees of free play around centre wasn't slight Over the moon that it's cured it though was the only thing I didn't feel comfortable with on your car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pashley26 Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 (edited) These silly wheels have buzzed the paint off my rear aches and bent them. Jesus hates me. Edited October 6, 2013 by Pashley26 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Should have raised the car a little while they're on then you mong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 (edited) Slight? Haha, I guess rick Waller is slightly fat, and you put a slight dent in that old red golf 90 degrees of free play around centre wasn't slight Over the moon that it's cured it though was the only thing I didn't feel comfortable with on your car Haha, it wasn't that bad, no where near 90 degrees. The odd thing was, with the car stationary rocking the wheel back and forth the wheels would respond to the slightest movement of the steering wheel, no actual dead area, but out on the road it felt slack. Again, if you just gently put a little movement in it'd respond, but it still felt slack. I think some of it could have been adjusted out on the rack, but I'm sure mine was past it's best, and for £35 for a brand new rack (decent German brand, it was second hand but never even unpacked) it wasn't worth messing with it, as adjusting it means removing it anyway. The steering's still not as positive as I'd like, but I think it's just a result of it being a 30+year old design. I really do think it needs drastically more caster. There's a 2.9 turn quick rack available, but the standard one's 3.4, and I'm not sure that's enough difference to justify the £160 price tag. Maybe when I've got some spare cash I guess. Also, I don't know what you're taking about with the golf, 'twas but a scratch! Edited October 6, 2013 by RobinJI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolfa Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 These silly wheels have buzzed the paint off my rear aches and bent them. No shit?! [picture of fitment you posted previously here] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prawny Baby Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Hahahahahahahahaha. I love you guys. Robin, I'm just being mean, but the steering wasn't great before, it let down the rest of an otherwise awesome car, so great news it's improved it LOVE the rocco Jardo: you're a Mong. Haha, you knew they were fat as hell, should have removed the spacers broseph! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamus Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Went and looked at a V5 golf today. bit of a pup. Without its front splitter and needed new front tyres plus discs and pads. Whilst the body was tired, the engine, gearbox and suspension was lovely, as expected as its low mileage. Interior was nice and everything worked as it should. no history though. just the vosa prints and the last mot's. Definitely more hassle then its worth, just wanted an idea if it was what I wanted Checked out a Subaru impreza estate non turbo. Lovely drive and very solid but again the body was scuffed and dinged all over. Its more practical likely more fun at normal speeds so I'm tempted by the scoob. Anyone with any experience with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pashley26 Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Bumbder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Booth Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Demonshite will sort that out thou?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Rainbird Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Jardo: you're a Mong. Haha, you knew they were fat as hell, should have removed the spacers broseph! Fo' serious?! That's way beyond simple common or garden mong territory. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete.M Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 (edited) Checked dip-stick, no oil and small shreds of metal visible. FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU Edit: Parked in a quarry today alongside an eclectic but awesome collection of vehicles: Edited October 6, 2013 by Pete.M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyseemonkeydo Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Be careful with overheating. In unducted cooling systems you obviously need a way of allowing hot air to exit the engine bay so if you fully seal everything up it can of course cause problems. Watch out for the fire risk too!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greetings Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 First clip. EPIC. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azarathal Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Fair play to the BMW driver with the blue wheels, drove like it was a video game and got some decent drifts in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azarathal Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Finally fitted the sub! Sounds amazing on really bassy songs but when playing metal or non bass heavy songs It seems I can't turn the gain down far enough. Overall I'm happy with it though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I made my own boost leak tester today out of a heinz soup can and a few various other jobbys. Works an absolute treat and only cost me £4 overall. I have a majorrrrrr boost leak somewhere though I'm thinking it's the intercooler, I can hear the turbo whistle loads and a load gush of air when I really nail it. The system won't even hold the pressure from the air line, just drops instantly however I can't hear where it's coming from due to the pump itself haha, going to take the arch lining off and spray every joint with soapy water to see where the biatch bubbles. The power isn't all there too, people can get the TCS light on in second gear and I really really can't If it is the intercooler i'm going to upgrade it to a fmic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 (edited) My drive back from Uni consisted mainly of me feathering the loud pedal. Averaged this, 20 miles motorway and 7 miles city sort of stuff! Not bad for a 130bhp car. I'm also booked in for a mufflerectomy Friday which is only costing £120 all in Edited October 8, 2013 by dann2707 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Pics of your car Dan? I have the same engine in my Octavia, yet to find a car that does everything this one does to be honest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dann2707 Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 It's pretty scabby to be honest mate, i'm focusing on the paint work after i've done all the servicing / remaps / engine stuff first. Pictures realllllly do the car justice and i'm quite ashamed when people get too close to it haha, but all in good time it will look good Deleting the EGR valve soon as there is a group buy coming up on Briskoda if you're interested? £35 all in for the ASZ engine or £37 for the other versh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinJI Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 I know that feeling of pictures doing a car justice Dan, although yours genuinely does look pretty tidy, much more so than mine! I've always referred to it as the car being a "20 footer" (or similar distance) in that it looks great for 20 feet, just don't get any closer. I've just finally got around to wiring in the speedo in my Scirocco, and a really weird but pretty cool thing's happened. The engine, ECU, dials and wiring is all from a '99 Passat 1.8t Sport, and the Gearbox, and therefore speed sensor is from a 1.8t A3 or similar. There's a difference in how the sensors work, they're both hall sendors taken from the diff, but the A3 one's powered and the Passat one isn't, so to wire the A3 sensor up to the Passat clocks/ECU I had to add a power feed to the sensor and swap the plugs on the loom, as well as extending it a little, which is why I hadn't got around to it until now. The odd thing is, the engine, gearbox, wiring and everything to do with it are expecting 225/45R17 tyres, (or equivalent), while I'm currently running 185/45R15's, which are 16% smaller, so you'd expect the speedo to over-read by 16%, but it reads spot on. It's within 3 or 4 mph of a GPS from 10 up to the other side of 100. Awesome for me, as it means as well as the speedo its self reading correctly, it means the oddometer will count correctly, and the MPG readout should be correct (if I ever get around to wiring in the buttons that operate it!) but I'm a bit confused as to why it is! All I can think of is that the clocks must be expecting a different number of pulses per revolution than the diffs giving out or something. Over the next few days I want to get my OBD2 port and the buttons that operate the trip computer wired in, which should mean I'll have everything to do with the dials fully functional (well, the fuel gauge reads backwards, but that doesn't really bother me). Is anyone off here coming along to ADI, and if so, do they fancy bringing VCDS along so we can have a laugh at how many fault codes I've clocked up over the last year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurtisRider Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) Weird, I wrote a reply about seats but it isn't there? Found a place who makes replacement covers for £200 so I'll probably go with those unless I find some seats I like! Noticed my gearbox moves rather a lot. This is in part down to a broken engine mount (torque tube transfers the wobble) and also I think the gearbox rubber is probably a little tired out too, especially after the amount of stress it must be under now. My current engine mount has a spring in it that breaks, and it is no longer available from porsche. There are aftermarket ones but they are expensive and not many people seem happy with them. I was wondering about removing the spring from mine, weld it back up (it'll be needed o keep the mount in shape) then fill the cavity with polyurethane to support the spring seeing as it's properties will have changed after welding This is what they look like: Alternatively I could copy the aftermarket mounts as they aren't difficult to replicate, something like a skateboard truck bush would be as substantial as that is on those and then I can swap them to softer/harder compounds depending on vibrations EDIT: The mount in question is very close to the exhaust and therefore gets pretty hot. Wondering if the poly insert would take the heat? Edited October 9, 2013 by CurtisRider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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