dennis10's new mk3 16v GTI!!! with hotgolf gear linkage and new steering wheel!

[Dennis10]

Well I thought I should formally introduce my new motor...

Shes a P reg, 1996, 5 door 16v GTI! In the best colour...black!! Shes done 120k miles and I paid £1500 for her! Shes already got a Jetex full system, k&n, performance chip (of unknown make) and lowered Weitec suspension!

Ill let the pictures do the talking for now, hope to get some of the engine room and main bridge up tomorrow, for now its just the hull! (excuse the star trek puns)














Will add some more tomorrow!

Since Ive had the car, Ive had a mishap with a spark plug pulling all the thread out with it, possibly due to corrosion, possibly from being cross threaded by a previous owner.. so had to have an insert similar to a helicoil fitted for the new plug to screw into.. thats all sorted now, had me worried for awhile!

Ive also swapped the bottom half of the airbox, that was horribly drilled, with one that has no warm air feed and no holes in it (not sure what model its from, but its really smooth inside, no warm air hole, and no vacuum assembly to let in hot air, so minimal turbulence, can only be good for the performance! Ive got an aluminium 70mm ID hose on order for a cold air feed going down to the bumper - so that with no warm air feed should do nicely. It also has a k&n fitted and I plan on altering the top half of the airbox a la Toyotecs thread, with a velocity stack trumpet device!

Ive also changed the plugs so far, cleaned the engine bay of oil and grease (mostly ), cleaned every electrical plug and connection, all the earths around the bay including under the battery tray, changed all the vac hoses for silicon hose or used vac caps on the nipples where hose is no longer needed. Today I also changed my throttle cable and its made a huge difference to throttle response, before it was jerky on/off the throttle and sluggish between 1-2k rpm, I realised this was due to a frayed throttle cable allowing the throttle to return to far against the Throttle position switch, nice easy, cheap fix!

In the next few weeks I want to do the ATF trick, the water trick, replace the gear oil with some decent Redline MT90, change the HT leads, dizzy cap and rotor arm and maybe take the inlet manifold off giving it a damn good clean inside and out! Im toying with the idea of using a standard air filter, as Toyotecs thread seems to indicate there is increased mid range torque with the stock one - what do you chaps think?!

In the long run Im wondering whether to get the wheels refurbed in white, or go for something deeper dish, although Id like to stay 15", maybe 16" at a push. I quite like the crystal red/white m3 rear lights and the black angel eyes for the front, makes it look a bit more updated!

So any thoughts chaps?!

[nickh89GTi]

Very nice valver you have there mate. I don't know why but i prefer the 5doors hence why i brought a 5door valver

[Raider]

I like that

[copeidge]

lovely reflections!

[nealey]

Looks spot on for the money!

[Dennis10]

Cheers chaps..im well chuffed with her!

Very nice valver you have there mate. I don't know why but i prefer the 5doors hence why i brought a 5door valver

Ive always been a 5 door man too, been having a rolling argument with 1 of my mates for years, 5 doors is a must for me, neater when you have passengers, doors arent as likely to sag, and some say the addition of a B pillar strengthens the chassis through corners.. not that I really race, but its good to chuck into the argument!

lovely reflections!

Yeh thanks Cope, I like to dabble with some amateur photography occasionally, although my job tends to suck what little creativity I have left Plus living in a nice part of the country with a lake right outside my flat makes picture taking easy!

My only gripe with the mk3, and it really is a pathetic gripe, is that it doesnt need hardly anything doing to it, so I am finding myself picking every little thing, just so it gives me something to change or mould with my own personal touch. Moving from a mk2 that needed lots of TLC, you really get to put your own stamp on it and you end up loving it like its a family member... You know what Im talking about Cope, the things you've done with your mk2 to bring her upto spec are fantastic, makes you permanently attached to your car cos of all the work you put in!

So help me find something to fix on my mk3 please!!

[RIP-MK3]

^ Dennis, fear not. You will have the following happen on yearly basis which will allow you too 'fettle' with her:

- ISV will stop working
- ABS sensors will stop, about a week before your next mot
- Electric window motors/regulators will go probably on a monthly basis

[Dennis10]

ISV seems to be working so far... I give it a few weeks

My ABS light is on already..Ive got a years ticket though, so plenty of time to sort it out, just gotta get it hooked upto a laptop, the back right brake does make a funny squeak/ rubbing sound when I brake gently, so it might be something to do with that.

The back electric windows dont work, or rather the previous owner has locked them shut cos they didnt always come back up.. any ideas what this could be?! Intermittent windows?!

Oh, is there a button anywhere in the mk3 to lock all the doors/boot when im in the car, I dont really like the idea of the boot being on the central locking and open when im sitting in traffic... even my girlfriends crap seat ibiza has that option!

[RIP-MK3]

^ they assume if you drive a mk3 your double edged hard nut so no!!!

Regards windows, it will either be a)switch b) regulator or motor

You can put the key in the lock, and lock the car and keep the key turned which will over ride the switch to get them back up assuming its not the motor.Once you get the door cards off its all fairly easy to fix.

Matt82 got a 'repair' kit from VW for about £50 I believe.

[StuMc]

Originally Posted by Dennis10

Oh, is there a button anywhere in the mk3 to lock all the doors/boot when im in the car, I dont really like the idea of the boot being on the central locking and open when im sitting in traffic... even my girlfriends crap seat ibiza has that option!

Nope...

Just push down the drivers, though, it`ll lock everything.

You can also keep the boot locked, independantly of the c/l anyway. Just turn the key in the lock...

[lectrotek]

lovely motor mate!

may I ask, what back-box you got?

[dan_1987]

I think its a Jetex exhaust...

[Dennis10]

Yeah, a full Jetex system on there.. not loud either, just nice in the background! I do miss the growl my old carbed engine/ exhaust though, especially on the over run! I dont miss doing 90 on the motorway with it though!

I'll have some updates soon - my rear wiper arm decided to just up and snap itself, which is nice!

But interior wise, I just fitted white speedo/clocks (fascias only) and it looks stunning! Got them from Lockwood, about £18 posted.. I then used a permanent orange/red fluorescent sharpie marker to go over the needles. Looks superb!

Pics up soon, when the weather isnt turd .. Im also on the lookout for a full leather interior.. possibly cream coloured! Missed out on black/red colour concept interior, but in hindsight I want something a little bit more classic and less garish!

[Dennis10]

Okay, been meaning to update for awhile, in the last few months I've been following Toyotecs thread for making your ABF breathe, very informative, thanks Toyo! So I've modded my airbox, a Pipercross filter, and some extra vents on the cold side, plus a cold air induction pipe going down to the grill underneath the fog lights, very snug fit, but looks the part and does the job

You can just about see the cold feed in this pic coming off the front of the airbox. Courtesy of Madmanmart, I managed to get hold of an airbox, which originally I thought was from a GTI, but now Im thinking may be from a TDI, it had no hot air feed coming in from the back, it was permanently blanked off, and there was none of the vac nipple gubbins inside that might restrict the airflow, meaning half the job was done. All I really needed to was add some extra breathing holes in the cold side of the bottom and mate to my existing ABF top half of the box!



Tie wrapped and tidied away...



You can just about see one of the extra breather holes there, I managed to cut/mould an aluminium bell end (heh) trumpet thing into the largest hole, to make the airflow a little bit smoother, there are 2 other smaller holes on the far wing side, to give it a little more airflow



You can just about see the bell/trumpet in this very well taken blurry shot:



A few general pic of the engine bay..



In this one, you can see the new stainless steel bushings Mr pigbladder recommended to tighten up the gearchange/ linkages, no real effect felt so far, but I think I have a slightly larger problem with the gear change at the moment, more parts needed probably



Stainless steel bushings, or aluminum, who knows:



The end to the cold air feed, tiewrapped to the grill at the base of the bumper



Best place for cold air induction I think...



Sadly none of the inside of the airbox at the mo, will try and grab some soon!



Since buying the car back in early November last year I've wanted to update the interior a bit, put my stamp on it, and upon spying some grey mk3 leather interior and a bit of haggling, I nabbed a damn good set for that had (apparently) only done 36k miles in the car (although the condition of them does tend to uphold this) - the princely sum of £240 smackeroonies, which from gauging what other people have paid for theres, seems to be a really good price.

When I finally got them back to my place I noticed the plastic door card trim was a pretty grotty/grey/yellow colour that didnt really match the leather, so I happened upon the fantastic idea (if I do say so myself) of mixing and matching the trim, to give it a sort of grey/black theme throughout the car, here are the results:



Doorcards:





I also fancied a change with the clocks, £18 on Ebay got me a nice set of Lockwood dials, very good quality! The needles I painted/coloured in with a flourescent red/orange sharpie marker! Looks good though I think!



















A few of the outside, freshly washed (this will last about 2 days in this weather )





And the ClubGTI sticker!!



Thanks for looking!

[1982.rpd]

Interior looks proper nice in the flesh, smart motor.

[Dennis10]

Thanks mate, how are you getting on with those black gti seats?! Managed to fit them to the mk2 yet? Glad you got ya exhaust sorted, how about the arch trim? Cant believe you somehow ripped that off while driving!

[RIP-MK3]

really like the mix and match door card arrangement!!! looks great

[Matt82]

lovely clean car... my car used to be nice and clean like that and this thread should get my ass in gear and get mine sorted!

[1982.rpd]

Originally Posted by Dennis10

Thanks mate, how are you getting on with those black gti seats?! Managed to fit them to the mk2 yet? Glad you got ya exhaust sorted, how about the arch trim? Cant believe you somehow ripped that off while driving!

No joy on the arch trim yet, they seem to be in short supply atm

I will only be able to buy the whole set probably and they are a bizzzillion quid on fleabay

[Dennis10]

Rip:

Electric window motors/regulators will go probably on a monthly basis

You werent wrong!

[Ian D]

Looks great mate, am expecting one of my window regulators to go soon! My passenger windoes clunks quite noticelbu about a quater of the way from the bottom.

Out of interest where di you get the gearknob, gaiter and silver trim?!? My old VR one was pretty shabby and am running a lupo one at the minute but really want a fresh VR one or somewhere to trim mine for me.

[Dennis10]

Looks great mate, am expecting one of my window regulators to go soon! My passenger windoes clunks quite noticelbu about a quater of the way from the bottom.

Out of interest where di you get the gearknob, gaiter and silver trim?!? My old VR one was pretty shabby and am running a lupo one at the minute but really want a fresh VR one or somewhere to trim mine for me.

Thanks mate! I do love her to bits!

The weak points on the mk3 (that ive noticed so far) - do seem to be the windows and general electric/mechanism side of things. I bought the car with the knowledge that the back windows were intermittent at best - have yet to look at them at all, to be honest, the idea of fiddling around with that sort of stuff scares me - firstly I cant seem a bloody thing cos its all in between 2 panels in the doors, and I worry that if I bugger something up I might not get a window back up! The drivers side window now doesnt work at all, and that was really clunky/crunchy up until it giving up all together.. sounds like yours havent got long mate!

The only working window that seems problem free is the passenger side front! (and on that side the electric mirror doesnt work!! )

I bought the car with that gearstick/gator/trim already in, I noticed in the paperwork it was fitted at AwesomeGTI, or it was the Phirm.. I cant remember which, there is paperwork for something having been done at both of those places - cant help you much more than that mate - dont even recognise which car that gear stick comes from - although it is a straight swap/screw on fit.

[RIP-MK3]

ha so true about the leccy windows!! if the rear's are intermitant then it will be the switch, which is easy to change over if you can find a new one cheap enough.

Also, if the fronts ever stop in the down position, try putting the key in the door and locking and holding the key in the locked position. It over-rides the switch and will bring the window up should the motor still be working :)

[Dennis10]

Well, a little bit more added to Glory (as I affectionately have named her now! )

So here are a few new updates... a new steering wheel with MOMO boss!

Was easy enough to fit, once I realised that the boss I bought was supposed to come with NO horn ring and indicator canceller on the bottom - which I was meant to take from my existing/original steering wheel! - nice of Momo to let me know this in the documentation!

If anyone is toying with the idea of fitting an aftermarket wheel, I say go for it - I'm onto my 2nd wheel now, had a nice wooden one in my mk2 which had no power steering, and it made the handling fantastic and my arms strong!!

In the mk3 it's even better, obviously with power steering, it makes cornering alot sharper and neater, the old wheel is frankly a joke in comparison - having to heft it for 20secs to get to full lock - 300mm wheel for £30 - Yes please!

I'd also recommend the momo boss as it comes with the resistor to fool the airbag light into thinking it's still there!







My other new addition recently, besides 4 x brand new kumho ku31 tyres all round (fitted by a mobile fitting van for £177 at Event tyres) was courtesy of Mart aka Hotgolf, who machined a shifter tower bracket assembley for me, which has resulted in a much more positive feel to the gear change. While still not perfect, it is now a shorter and more direct sideways movement (short shift of sorts) and has also renewed all the old, worn plastic parts, which really makes the change feel much less vague. Many thanks to Hotgolf





You can just about see the shiny new parts where the cables connect to!

Well thats about it for another update, I need to look at my squeeky NSF wheel and also get an oil change sorted in preparation for the Stealth rolling road at the end of the month - will be my first ever rolling road, so greatly looking forward to it, excited to see how my 14yr old Glory is performing!

[Ian D]

I have had the same steering wheel boss issue!
Except I have been sold the wrong boss, when you too the slip ring off the original steering wheel, how did it go on the boss?!?
Mine is totally the wrong one!
So my nice New MOMO steering wheel is still sat in the garage for the 4th month