Scorpiorefugee

Both of mine are quite happy at 30 in 5th and pull away happily unless I want to burn rubber, but I gave that up 40 years ago so it's not an issue. As for keeping to the limit, with limited accelleration, its easy. :huh:

Nope! Nothing like that. Just a bit of garpet and grubby little hole and wires in the way(In both). It looks as if the tray bit (part 1 in the first diagram) is there so I'll have a better look in the daylight. I cannot see that a plastic cover was ever there as there is no hole in the carpet but it does have some bits of velcro-like stuff on and corresponding strips in the edges of the hole. Box - maybe of a sort. Secure - no way. But, who's complaining? :huh: ;) :)

SeatKid's gone quiet. Perhaps he's compiling a complete fix-everything list with pictures. How does he find the time? :huh: ;) :)

Thanks anyway. I think I'll use mine for keeping a stock of plastic gloves for the very rare occasions when I have to stop to top up with the smelly stuff. :huh:

I've a mk1 & mk2 and I've just scurried out in the dark and cold to investigeate this new toy. Alas, all I can find is a piece of saggy carpet and a sort of hole with no plastic cover, oh, and a very small spray can with an illegible label. :huh: None of this fits in with VR6's description so, do I need to look further or are they only fitted to thirsty petrol models to keep all of the negotioable stuff in needed to exchange for vast quantities of fuel? :) Ron.

You're not.... No...... For me???? Ahhhhh! ;)

Thanks for that. I have to say that, having pulled it out, it didn't look like a second level of anything, more like a double sided printed panel, full of miniature chips and thick film type components covered by two halves of a plastic cover which was not thick enough to contain relays or fuses. I would have liked to have taken a picture of it but I didn't like to let go because of the risk of shorting out against the metal strap or other bits of framework. I was mighty relieved to see it clip back together. Incidentally, there was no way I could have even got close to getting it out without removing the plastic trim. This is an S reg 90BHP(I think) model. Is there a TIS disk available for this model?

OK I give up! I have totally failed to find the fuse for the Glow plugs. What I have under the dash on the driver's side looks exactly as shown in the haynes book and as shown in a pic supplied by Seat Kid. I reluctantly removed 6 screws and a retaining clip to see what was behind the coved and was so terrified at the sight of all the elctronics with a dangrous clip trying to jab into the printed circuit that I put it all back together and, after a short prayer, was relieved to find that the thing still started. So! Please please please, where is the damned thing. I cannot believe that even a car manufacturer would hide a fuse up there. Haynes says that ther is a fuse box "in the left hand corner of the engine compartment" but I can't find that either. :)

I'm no expert but that seems to be doing it's job and not way past it's change date. Any comment I may have made relates to a 98S but you do still seem to have some benefit from your MAF. I have pictures of mine but haven't yet worked out how to upload them. I've just given mine a good clean and, while I have no way of comparing it to original performance, it seems as good as I would expect with no appparent dead spots but in no way compares to our other 52 ghia. Ron.

Actually, I've just had a thought - theory only - not checked. Could a bad seal on the lid of the air filter allow unfiltered air into the intake and cause premature MAF failure as some people seem to get through quite a few and others last a lifetime. :lol: ;) :) Ron.

Thanks O masked one. Sadly all done. No power nothing - nary even a microvolt. It seems I have a 75 amp fuse blown or wiring fault.(Strewth, that would supply more power than the engine! Actually 900 watts or about 1 and a quarter horse power so perhaps not!) More sad news. Ford have hidden the fuse. Seat Kid knows where but I'm going to need surgery before I can get at it! On a slightly different note How sure are you that the plugs are supplied for that long? It's just that I'm a little confused as there are several views on this. Have you actually tested it 'cos if they are on for that long I'm not suprised the fuse gave up. I bridged a connection direct from the battery to just one of them and it was drawing more than a headlamp. And all because the damned thing wouldn't start nose down on a 1 in 4 slope with a 1/4 tank of fuel..... :lol: Ron.

Thanks for honouring me with your first post and welcome. Actually, I just checked your joining date and no. of posts ?????? I still haven't got any power to my glow plugs - too cold and too busy. (I've clocked up more than 1200 miles already this week - that's nearly 2 whole tankfuls) There seems to be some confusion about power to these things anyway. I recon they draw 60+ amps when on so I cannot imagine that they are on for long. From what I can gather they are on for about 2 seconds only at switch on and if you don't operate the starter for a few seconds it's better to switch off and try again. There have been some suggestions that they are kept on for a little while at low power but cannot comment on that. From my own long and sometimes bitter experience with all matters electronic it seems that very little of the technical descriptions for this sort of equipment is reliable as what is available is often written by well meaning but ill informed souls who have been forced to accept snippets supplied by manufacturers' flunkeys who themselves either know little or care little about the accuracy of what they release. It's no wonder that the official dealers can talk a lot of rubbish, it's what they're fed with. Sorry! that is not a put down to anyone on this site. I believe that it is important that we all share and improve on what can be gleaned from any source. Carry on the good work and thanks everyone. Ron.

I did clean mine and I did see an immediate improvement but mine in an older S reg and is probably the 90bhp unit. It is easy to remove with the right tool - mine cost

Actually, I'm guessing, based on 20K and no noticable wear on cheapies that cost me 55 quid each fitted etc.. As for driving, My dad taught me to drive as if I had a glass of water on the bonnet and I've covered the best part of 2,000,000 miles in 40 odd years (600 today and still got 1/4 tank) without knowingly getting in anyone's way but there is a lot of motorway work included. Ron.

Pretty much as I had thought. that's why they're still in the garage. The point about the adaptors is interesting and may be worth persuing. It's all rather sad really. The granny was a lovely car until it got humped by a white van and with all nearly new tyres... I do know that I would have to replace them with reinforced ones! Still, if I still had it I wouldn't have had two Gals and that would have been sad :) Just out of interest, my first, and favorite S reg Gal has done 20K on the current tyres and they still look new. I used to get 60-80k out of tyres on the granny. What's the best I can hope for on this one? Ron. P.S. Great site this! Thanks again for the replies everyone.

I,ve just been reading some posts about deteriorating alloys on facelift Ghias etc. and wondered if anyone could advise on the re-use of my old 5 hole granny wheels. I have these wheels from an old Scorpio, done 200K + but still virtually immacculate. They fit but the centre hole is a bit big. The look good but are they safe? What do you think? Ron.

And I'll be suprised if you get 60K to a set of tyres...

If I found a cell smoking I'd emit a few beeps. Sounds like you've bneefited from one of their special offers wher you get a foew extra faults fitted completely free of charge.(charge? Yuk! that was not intended!) Thake it back and ask for the extra faults to be removed as you did not pay for them and cannot accept charity.

And finally! It is now apparent that this poor old tub ( the gal, not me!) has been running without functioning glow plugs for a very long time, at least 20k. It always starts, albeit reluctantly when cold, apart from yesterday :huh: :lol: :). I wonder if this is standard on all TDIs and if so it may be reassuring to others with glow plug problems. It's also sobering to note that having 20L in your tank is not necessarily enough when trying to start on a steep hill. Ron.

I had exactly the same problem but not quite so severe. In spite of being warned that it would not work, I removed the MAF and cleaned it thoroughly but carefully with carb cleaner and it is now much better. I don't know how good it should be, and like you, there's no comparison with the wife's 52 110 ghia, but the difference was very noticable at a critical 2800 rpm. It still dies a bit there but I find lifting off a bit eases it through and then it revs freely up to 4000 +. the MAF unit can be removed by undoing the two security torx screws on the housing which is on the output side of the air filter. Just one more point. I tried disconnecting it and the only difference was an increase in fuel consumption. Ron.

Absolutely right. Checked the plugs with the meter out of my electronics kit and I now have readings of about half an ohm. The other meter, a new heavy duty electricians meter, is obviously a bit iffy. Now here's a funny thing. I got the missus to come out and crank it while I manually fired up the glow plugs - in short bursts - didn't want to damage them! Nothing for a while then a few bubbles in the fuel line and .. broom burp burp broom burp broom broom. Now here's another funny thing. When I parked up, nose down on our 1 in 4 drive, the fuel gauge showed 1/4 tank but I know that the slope always causes the gauge to read much lower once it has settled. It's obvious now that my problem today was lack of fuel but it is not normally a problem as I usually start and roll off the drive immediately - today I didn't, but I did roll it off the drive to allow access and the fuel gauge went up to 1/4 again. Nevertheless, I now know that the difficult starting is caused by a total lack of current to the glow plugs and that the glow plugs are probably O/K. I've now added anther 20L and have over 1/2 tank! I am now a chastened soul with grubby fingernails. SK is a star and obviously a good bit smarter than the average bear, whose efforts on a day of rest are not wasted 'cos I now know what may starting problem is. I also know that it is not a good idea to run the tank dry, 'cos by my calculation, it took at least 5 mins of stedy cranking to re-prime the system. Thanks again SK, Ron. PS. This is the second time I've typed this in as SK (My hero!)sent me a personal mail which flashed up and somehow caused it all to dissappear.

Thanks again. I'll check the meter - I have another and some known resistors, but it does read 0 on short cct. I now have a plan... Order some new glow plugs from a lead you put on another posting. Have a stiff drink ( Yorkshire tea) and go look for that damned fuse again. Ron.

I'm impressed. and not just a little! Sad news is that so far not very encouraging. There's definitely nowt going to the glow plug cct. I've checked each one in situ at 3.1 to 3.3 ohms each - too consistant to be wrong - I think. I've tried the direct link. Lots of current - too much for my meter, and still no joy. Never mind! your help has inspired me - for the moment. It may well be that I've inherited the one that has had a few problems before.. Just a few little signs, know what I mean, a screw missing here....etc. Ron.

Heavens man! Do you never rest? :lol: Thanks a bunch. I've already checked the other bits but the F74 and associated relay have completely defeated my inability to stand on my head and gaze upwards into the gloom. Nevertheless, I am reassured that it really does exist and, suitably wrapped, I am off to rip off bits of plastic untilI can get closer. If all fails I shall rig a manual connection to fire up the glow plugs for a couple of seconds. .... Again, I may be some time.... :lol: I like that. I may borrow it again. Thanks again. Ron.

Well now! This has just got worse! Went out this morning and it started after the usual 8 seconds and left it ticking over for a minute or so, which is something I do not normally do. swithed off and now it refuses to start. I've checked glow plugs - all less than 1 ohm but there does not seem to be any power to them - even at switch on for a moment. I've checked the haynes manual ( I've no handbook) and the fuse (74) seems to be hidden from my view. The glow plug light comes on. Can anyone help please? Ron.