victor meldrew

Two hours entertainment under a rusty mk5 transit, just get cleaned up when my stepson turned up with his sharan with a seized caliper so spent the afternoon finding a caliper and discs and pads then fitting it. I hope my work picks up soon cos I can't keep up with being at home.

Thanks for the replies. It's just the vcds, I've had a neighbour look at it. Fixed it in about two minutes, he tried to explain what he did but it went in one ear and out the other. I was so grateful I found myself talked into helping him with a clutch on an old transit tomorrow.

I've installed vcds lite on my laptop and used it successfully in the past.today I've tried but the display is too big for the screen of the laptop and I don't seem to be able to reduce it Any ideas? I can't close the prog. as I can't see the right edge or the bottom of the display. Sorry for the silly post but its driving me mental.

Thanks for the quick replies, ill order a plug and give it a try

I have a 99 mk1 tdi and the aux heater doesn't work. I've read lots on here about possible causes so tonight I've been sat in the cold trying to get my vcds lite to communicate with it but it won't. Do I have to buy the full version to check or clear any codes associated with the aux heater or should it connect I'm able to check engine etc so I'm connected to the ecu

On the mk 1s the inhibitor switch is located under the selector trim and is adjusted with a small grubscrew. Easy fix, make small adjustments( half turn) at a time Hope yours is the same

I have the same model and had similar problems towing a caravan, someone on here suggested the maf. I got one from eBay and it's like a new car.

I have the same model and had similar problems towing a caravan, someone on here suggested the maf. I got one from eBay and it's like a new car.

If your near Southampton ill do it for a pack of cigs

Check the plastic idler on the tensioner, mine was wrecked by the time I changed the alternator pulley. While your there check the water pump pulley runs true I know it's a separate belt but they can screech and chatter before any signs of leakage

Check the vacuum pipes cos they perish and have a listen around the brake servo.

Thank you so much I think it's well worth a gamble at £300 cos if it's a total wreck it will yield many parts for my other one and still scraps for nearly that price

Im off to collect another tdi gal this evening and don't know what I've bought other than the reg It's an mot fail with the fail sheet and £150 should get it through I don't seem to have any joy with etis and I wondered if anybody would check it for me S349RAD

Drove the car yesterday with maf plugged in and unplugged and there is a marked drop in performance when it's unplugged Does the maf break down slowly? If so could this still be the fault?

Sorry seat kid I thought I'd included the details in my last post but forgot its a 1999 mk1 tdi, manual not sure if it's 90 or 110 though, when I gave the reg. to motor factors to order a water pump they thought it was a 130 but I've been told that's not possible on a mk1 How do I find out? The reg is t832mkk

Thanks for your suggestions, I've unplugged the maf plug while the car is idling and it makes no difference whatsoever to the engine speed. Should it have a noticeable effect when it's idling or will I have to drive it

Ive bought a lead from eBay and hope it will be on the doormat when/if we get home I'm completely computer illiterate so expect me back with loads of dumb questions about vagcom How much does a new turbo cost or can I use one from a breakers yard?

I think you might be right about the limp mode. I took it to a garage where we are staying to get it looked at but it seems that the obd port doesn't work either They said that the turbo was noisy and that it may be that, he also took off a pipe at the inlet manifold and found it clogged with about half inch of gunge all around the inside. He said that the engine could be struggling to breathe with all that in there and this can cause the car to go to limp home mode. I suggested blasting it out with some carb cleaner and he explained why this is not a good idea We are going to drive it back on Saturday and see what happens Keep an eye out for the silver beast dragging a caravan very slowly from Devon to Hampshire via Dorset ( may be on a rac wagon) Just got it serviced with new belts etc new alt pulley, new brakes etc what's next?

Regarding the water loss I would check for water marks around the water pump pulley, check to see if the pulley wobbles as they wear out, the pump not the pulley Hope that's it, new water pump front is quite cheap

Check the fuses, mine blew the fuse which stopped the back lights, this caused the glow plug light to flash It was broken wires in the gaiter on the drivers side of the tailgate that caused it all Easy fix with a soldering iron

Once the nuts loose I found if you lift the arm up and pull it they just come off the spline easily No need for a puller

I towed my caravan with my mk1 tdi yesterday and it has no power at all, I've been in first on a dual carriageway with hazards on on one hill being overtaken by coffin dodgers shaking their heads at me. I've towed this van with a 2litre gal, and a 2.3 with no probs. Car seems to drive ok when not towing. It could be trailer brakes binding but checked after 140 miles and no heat at the hubs Cars done over 200k and is a bit noisy but I'm told this is due to pump timing being slightly out. Car drives slower than my old maestro van in the eighties Any suggestions? I'm looking for a car while on holiday cos I can't face that journey again. Wife's decided she doesnt want another galaxy so ive suggested a sharan or a alhambra but shes having none of it, shes been on eBay and wants another discovery but I don't fancy welding the thing once a week.

To all the people that have osted 'how to' guides The FAQ section has saved me lots over the last few years but this time it saved me £400 that the garage wanted to change the alt bracket and tensioner to stop it flapping about. I read on here about the alt. pulley so changed it and it runs lovely Glad I didn't get the work done as they weren't even going to do the pulley Thanks again

All sorted, after the wife remembered the key coming apart whilst locking it yesterday I found the chip on the drive

Checked the only ignition key I have and it has no chip in the key, I haven't had the key apart before by the way. I don't know if it's ever had a chip in it since I've owned it. Can the pats be bypassed as in older diesel transits? I've had a car in the past that had the original key cable tied to the ignition barrel after a lock change. Can anyone confirm that if there is a pats fault the car will not turn over and the light on the door lights for three secs then flashes wildly