Afternoon all just bought this a 1999 VW Polo 1.4 16V which seem quite rare and it was cheap. I got it with 58,000mls & 4 virtually new tyres a 12mth ticket and a tidy interior. There is a little bit of corrosion here and there but nothing serious just needs a little tidying. Overall though it looks fine. I was quite surprised by the performance and torque for such a small & revvy motor. So I got it home and gave it a bit of a spruce up. Used my multipurpose cleaner and a soft brush to remove all of the mildew and dirt. Replaced the screws & caps in the numberplates and a new tax holder. Cheap & insignificant but freshens things up a bit. Cleaned up the throttle body and MAF using carb cleaner which cost me nothing to do and I always think its worth doing. Thats it for now thanks for reading.
Polo looks good from the photos, I have a 1999 one also, but with nearly triple the miles & with an exterior that is not so tidy. I really like the engine as it is quite an angry little unit, likes being revved & 100hp is pretty good for a 1.4L. Have you a picture of your engine bay as the AFH engine doesn't have a MAF, so I am curious to see if you have a different engine in there.
Cheers Ben I had my first long run out in it today and that little 16v unit is so willing & eager and for me plenty fast enough for normal road use. It reminds me of my old Mk2 Golf GTi which is a really good thing. Mine aint perfect Ben it needs some TLC to the bodywork and wait until you see the engine bay (below). But its all good as I will enjoy bringing it back to its former glory.
I did reply to your post Ben but im just waiting for admin to approve it. I guess because there is a pic attached ?
Mine is on original gearbox at 150,000 and the box is fine. Folk say they are a weak point but doesn't seem so on mine.
Finally engine bay pic so I here is another you wont get lol And another just because its a good pic imo
So now to the clutch & gearbox (no surprise) which I would appreciate some feedback on. On cold mornings I can hear a rattle from the gearbox which disappears when the clutch pedal is depressed. I note the clutch pedal is stiff to push down not really tough but stiffer than it should be. When accelerating & decelerating through the gears I note there is a gravelly sound which at first I thought was a blowing inlet manifold. Its not loud you cant hear it when cruising at speed and the gearchange is totally fine but I wonder if its the first signs of the gearbox giving up ? So with cambelt needing replacement we are starting to look at around 800 before I start into replacing worn suspension bushes etc. I am wondering if its worth me throwing this kind of cash at it ? The engine is very willing and full of life though and I can imagine with all the work done it would be superb especially as that little 16v unit thinks its at least a 1.8. So would you throw money at it ?
Gearbox is almost certainly on its way... Mine went through a period of a few months making a variety of noises then spat out most of its oil, but was quiet again. Another few months past, and I decided to do an oil change. Nothing to note from the oil condition, but a few short weeks after that I lost 5th, and the box sounded decidedly unhealthy, so I got rid.