Finally have a '6, Spares or repair car now got an MOT!

[DeeTurbo]

The trials and tribulations of buying a 17 year old car.

So I've finally got a GTI6.

I've wanted one ever since they came out and I think this will be the last year I would be able to afford one.

Here it is, my China '6

Photos from the advert.
















The drivers seat isn't the best but I have seen worse.


Work will start on it tomorrow.

Thought I'd do a to do list to clear my mind and make sure I have an idea what to be getting on with.

• Cat and lambda
  
• Handbrake cable
  
• Rear number plate
  
• rear wiper
  
• Grease gear selector ball
  
• Remote locking key fix
  
• Cam belt water pump
  
• Aux belt, crank pulley, idler and tensioner
  
• Radiator replace
  
• Cooling system flush
  
• Thermostat housing replace
  
• Radiator clips replaced
  
• Fit wiper arm nut cover
  
• Front caliper refurbish
  
• Fit new clutch cable holder
  
• Air conditioning check and gas
  
• Fit GTI lower bumper trim (for some reason it's not got one) 24/07/16
  
• Replace driver mirror with a china blue one 24/07/16
  
• Wishbone bushes
  
• Replace heater panel
  
• Replace clutch, cable, bushes, input shaft oil seal and crank seals
  
• Replace drive shaft oil seals
  
• Service engine - oil change, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter, spark plugs
  
• Replace engine mounts
  
• Replace tires with better match set
  
• Replace drivers door handle with a china blue one
  
• Front brake lines replace
  
• Rear axle rebuild
  
• Rear caliper rebuild
  
• Rear brake lines replace
  
• NSF corner fix scrape
  
• Polish inlet manifold
  
• Fit PTFE manifold gasket
  
• Replace rear axle bushes
  
• Get front seat reupholstered
  
• Fix rust on chassis leg 
  
• Fix rust on chassis tire fitters jacking point
  
• Remove engine and box to fix rust in engine bay
  
• Fix rust under boot
  
• Remove exhaust shields and clean up
  
• Remove dents via dent remover type company
  
• The windscreen is going cloudy so could do with replacing 
  
• Get alloys refurbished
  

There is probably a load more to add but that it for now.

[C2K]

China ftw

[Toms306]

Ah, I'd been watching this one!! Looks good, as above, china ftw.

[DeeTurbo]

Yeah China blue is really nice, girlfriends 206 is the same colour.

It was either this one or the moonstone one but that needs a clutch and some rust sorting out.

Can't wait to collect it.

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[Toms306]

The Moonstone needs a beam as well!

[DeeTurbo]

Not good, I don't mind rebuilding the beam but if they've been left too long then the main tube becomes scrap. Might be able to insert a sleeve but that's even more faf and money.

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Tom, how do you know it needs a beam to? Look at it again I'm happy I went for this one over the moonstone just hope there aren't any horrible surprises tomorrow.

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[Eeyore]

another 6! yay! looks good! just keeping them tidy is win.

[Xsikid]

Lookin good mate

[Toms306]

It's a different Moonstone! What are the chances lol, there was one very similar a week ago that needed a beam and a few other bits to pass MOT.

There will be surprises, its an old car and most owners aren't as fussy as some of us are lol. Hopefully nothing major though!

[DeeTurbo]

There are always surprises with used cars and this one is no different.

It doesn't look as nice in the flesh as it does in the photos that for certain.

Only three stamps in the service book but loads of receipts for servicing from independent garages.

Have all the previous MOT's to.

I fitted the O/S handbrake cable today as I had some spare, will fit the other once I get it home.

I've ordered a cat and Lambda sensor from ECP.

Anyone know if the NGK Lambda sensors ECP sell are any good?

The car failed on carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle, could this be down to the cat not being hot enough?

I'm thinking of running some cataclean through it before the test and hope that might sort it. If it fails again replace it with the lambda.

There are signs of the car being jacked by the chassis and there is a lot of rust there so I'll be stripping that back and reseal it before it gets worse.

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You can see here how much the plate has bent. You would think once it starts cave in they would stop jacking the car by that place. It's the same in the other side to :-(





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[Ben_w]

Lambda sensor really should be a proper Bosch one. Others tend to run on a different ohm range and give different readings...

Change of plugs, a proper lambda sensor and an bitnof an Italian tune up should see the end of your emissions issues.

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The bent bits aren't too bad in comparison I've seen.....I'd get the rusty bits treated soon though before it all starts to rot through.

[Toms306]

I'll bet its got an aftermarket cat? They're useless if so!

Mine is all bent up underneath as well, big hump in the passenger footwell also, how hard is it to jack on the jack point and put the stand under the subframe ffs!

[7057sam]

Looka lovely mate

What you plan on doing to it.

[Ben_w]

I'll bet its got an aftermarket cat? They're useless if so!

Mine is all bent up underneath as well, big hump in the passenger footwell also, how hard is it to jack on the jack point and put the stand under the subframe ffs!

Floor humps are easy.......a few good wallops with the back of your heel or if there's enough room, a lump hammer!

My Rallye had the same issue on the passenger side.

[DeeTurbo]

Lambda sensor really should be a proper Bosch one. Others tend to run on a different ohm range and give different readings...

Change of plugs, a proper lambda sensor and an bitnof an Italian tune up should see the end of your emissions issues.

The bent bits aren't too bad in comparison I've seen.....I'd get the rusty bits treated soon though before it all starts to rot through.

When I saw the link Niel posted on Tom's lambda thread I ordered the Bosch one to.

Any idea on which plugs they came with from the factory, is it Bosch or NGK?


Love the work and the attention to detail on your project Ben.

I'll bet its got an aftermarket cat?  They're useless if so!

Mine is all bent up underneath as well, big hump in the passenger footwell also, how hard is it to jack on the jack point and put the stand under the subframe ffs!

There is a receipt for a cat so most likely it is an aftermarket unit.

Looka lovely mate

What you plan on doing to it.

Plans at the moment are to get it to pass it's MOT get it home then get it up to scratch for the summer.

Original plan was to fix it and keep it for the summer then sell in the autumn but not sure at the minute.

I need to replace the suspension bushes front and back could do with replacing to (ordered P bushes in case it fails for them), cambelt according to the paperwork was replaced around 30k ago but it's been on 8 years (ordered cambelt kit and water pump), rear wiper arm is broken (one on order) and number plate (only got advisory but I wouldn't have passed it so that's on order to).

The car is very original, it's still got the original induction piping and airbox, radio and auto changer was included in the sale. If I keep it I'd like to keep it as original as possible.

Just can't wait to get it home, the seller is a really nice guy and has been very accommodating to allow me to repair the car at his so I can get it through the MOT.

[Toms306]

I'll bet its got an aftermarket cat? They're useless if so!

Mine is all bent up underneath as well, big hump in the passenger footwell also, how hard is it to jack on the jack point and put the stand under the subframe ffs!

Floor humps are easy.......a few good wallops with the back of your heel or if there's enough room, a lump hammer!

My Rallye had the same issue on the passenger side.

Didn't realise it'd be that easy to bend back, I'll have to give it a go!

Lambda sensor really should be a proper Bosch one. Others tend to run on a different ohm range and give different readings...

Change of plugs, a proper lambda sensor and an bitnof an Italian tune up should see the end of your emissions issues.

The bent bits aren't too bad in comparison I've seen.....I'd get the rusty bits treated soon though before it all starts to rot through.

When I saw the link Niel posted on Tom's lambda thread I ordered the Bosch one to.

Any idea on which plugs they came with from the factory, is it Bosch or NGK?


Love the work and the attention to detail on your project Ben.

I'll bet its got an aftermarket cat?  They're useless if so!

Mine is all bent up underneath as well, big hump in the passenger footwell also, how hard is it to jack on the jack point and put the stand under the subframe ffs!

There is a receipt for a cat so most likely it is an aftermarket unit.

Looka lovely mate

What you plan on doing to it.

Plans at the moment are to get it to pass it's MOT get it home then get it up to scratch for the summer.

Original plan was to fix it and keep it for the summer then sell in the autumn but not sure at the minute.

I need to replace the suspension bushes front and back could do with replacing to (ordered P bushes in case it fails for them), cambelt according to the paperwork was replaced around 30k ago but it's been on 8 years (ordered cambelt kit and water pump), rear wiper arm is broken (one on order) and number plate (only got advisory but I wouldn't have passed it so that's on order to).

The car is very original, it's still got the original induction piping and airbox, radio and auto changer was included in the sale. If I keep it I'd like to keep it as original as possible.

Just can't wait to get it home, the seller is a really nice guy and has been very accommodating to allow me to repair the car at his so I can get it through the MOT.

Lol, all of the Bosch lambdas have sold now, wondered who bought the other 2!

You 'might' get away with the aftermarket cat if you can get it really hot before the test, but I mean full on limiter thrash as they just aren't as efficient as the genuine ones.

[adam b]

Just don't fit an aftermarket cat. They are all shite and will lose you power and torque.
Find an original or decat it. Also if it's not had a headgasket it's worth slightly advancing the cam timing. You can gain 12lbft without any downside.

Otherwise get decent tyres and keep it as standard as possible. They are great cars in standard form

[DeeTurbo]

Just don't fit an aftermarket cat. They are all shite and will lose you power and torque.
Find an original or decat it. Also if it's not had a headgasket it's worth slightly advancing the cam timing. You can gain 12lbft without any downside.

Otherwise get decent tyres and keep it as standard as possible. They are great cars in standard form

In that case is it worth looking in to a sports cat as I need to pass the MOT?

I've never heard of advancing the cam timing on these, I've seen the vernier pulleys before but I didn't know the gains. Is there a guide on advancing the cam timing to hand? A bit more torque would be great as I've drove a diesel the last 16 years.

[Toms306]

The torque is there, you just have to get used to dropping 4 gears to find it!

There was a sports cat on my last one and it passed MOT fine for at least 7 years, sounded good too. Can't really compare the torque as it was so long ago though.

[welshpug]

if you can drop 4 gears, then you were in the wrong gear.

[DeeTurbo]

Cambelt kit and water pump turned up today.

Water pump looks like a toy one, that'll be going back.


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[Toms306]

if you can drop 4 gears, then you were in the wrong gear.

May have been exaggerating slightly lol, it's usually 3 gears. But it'll happily cruise in 6th at 35...get to an nsl stretch and drop to 2nd for bwarp...

[DeeTurbo]

Got lots of bits to put on and the v5 came today just need the car now lol



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[Toms306]

Lol, yeah the car is kinda fundamental to all of this...

Been let down about the Nile handle so if you're changing that at some point, let me know.

[DeeTurbo]

Yeah I'll definitely be changing it just need to get one, messaged a couple of people breaking them no eBay but no one has replied. It's like they don't want the money lol

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[Day666]

Well done & let the fun Begin

[DeeTurbo]

This morning I had a right mare at ECP. Ordered a couple of bits for collect, got a call to say they're ready, turned up four staff behind the desk all kids that know f all about cars, two chatting about gaming the other two chatting about trainers. Had to wait for them to finish talking about there shit before getting served. Then get told the parts haven't been picked, so what the f*ck was the call about? They seem to do that a lot, call to say they're ready when they're not even picked. Think I was there around 30 minutes. One guy came in asking for struts and they didn't have a clue. I would have loved a job in a parts place when I was a kid and these shits are not the slightest bit interest in cars or what they're selling. Think I'll be using GSF more as the parts at ECP seem to be getting worse on the quality side.

Any way sorry for my little rant there.

When I got to the car I managed to;

Fit the rear number as the old one had a crack through the middle.


Fitted the spare on the car as the osf failed the MOT. I will be replacing all the tires soon as they're all budget tyres at the moment.

Fitted the cat and new lambda. Didn't realise the manifold to cat fittings were bolts on this and not like the HDI studs so scared the shit out of me when it was turning and not coming undone lol. Next it took me a couple of minutes to work out that you could get access to the drivers side bolt from in front of the sub frame.

Almost fitted the wrong cat.

Random cat came and had a nosey. Kept jumping on the car to, had to pick it off the roof a couple of times.


The old cat is a bit smaller then the shit one I've fitted.


The clearance between the heat shield wasn't great ether.


That and the midsection seems an inch or two too short so the whole alignment of the exhaust system isn't great. The exit is almost not visible from the back. Things like this really piss me off.

The lambda connector doesn't click in the the plug on the car so had to cable tie them together to stop them coming apart or moisture getting in.


Bloody exhaust sections didn't seal ether when I clamped them and I didn't bring any exhaust paste with me so I'll need to go back Monday to sort that.

On one of the previous MOT sheets the car failed because of that red cable being loose so they chopped it short. I've pulled it back through in to the cabin for now. Need to reseat the rubber bung though. It's really shit way of routing the power lead the edge of the body was really digging in to the cable.

The handle surround kept popping off, this was due to the screw under the handle being missing. Swapped the one in from the front end of the door, got spare one at home so that'll be sorted soon. Surround all sorted now.


I would have thought the GTI spec to have tweeters in the A sail (mirror covers)?

Feels like I've had to bodge a bit to day as I didn't have stuff I needed but I'll be sorting it out properly once I get the car home.

The gearstick didn't feel nice selecting gears so lubed up the ball on the selector under the car. Nice and smooth now.

Looks like some idiot has broken the clips that hold the coolant pipe that runs along the chassis leg, one clip was rubbing on an idler.


The tensioner seems to have a bit broken to.


Do these AC pipes look standard? Thought they were going to be like the HDI ones with the ally runs but these a mainly rubber. So hopefully change the condenser, regas and it'll have working AC.


Most the tires needed air so went to fill them using the compressor out my car and found no power, the 20amp fuse was blown for the cigarette lighter plug. Replaced it and inflated tires. Spare had 5psi in it lol and its a new tire though.

Spoken to my dad about the car today and he says I can park it up around his in the winter so I think I'll be keeping this now instead of selling it on in 6 months.

Saying that my love for this is dieing a bit, loads to do to get it good and I hope the MOT doesn't fail it on something I've missed.

I just hope that first drive to the MOT station knocks my socks off but I doubt it will with its dodgy bushes and crap tires.

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[Toms306]

I honestly don't know how people manage to break so much stuff... I've never seen a tensioner snap like that!!

ECP staff are shit at my local as well, was one decent guy there that I got to know quite well (obviously, owning 306s lol) but I tend to have stuff delivered now as there's such a long wait for collection. However I do at least get the right parts from there, unlike GSF who seem to give me the wrong ones every time.

Lol, 2 shit cats so hopefully one works lol. Looks like you're missing the red plastic slide clip from the lambda sensor, was the old one even plugged in? If not, that's probably your emissions fault.

Those AC pipes aren't original, they've been replaced so may at least have working AC on it!

Looks like you made decent progress today though. I know how you feel with seeing how much work it'd need to be perfect, but I've given up trying to get mine perfect now... And will it knock your socks off? Doubt it! But warm it up then thrash the nuts of it and you'll see what they're all about...

[Ben_w]

Wtf is that red cable?? Looks like a redundant amp power cable to.me......

[DeeTurbo]

I honestly don't know how people manage to break so much stuff...  I've never seen a tensioner snap like that!!

ECP staff are shit at my local as well, was one decent guy there that I got to know quite well (obviously, owning 306s lol) but I tend to have stuff delivered now as there's such a long wait for collection.  However I do at least get the right parts from there, unlike GSF who seem to give me the wrong ones every time.

When I used to live in the Midlands the one in Birmingham was very good, sold the same as dealer parts I needed and were very knowledgeable.

Lol, 2 shit cats so hopefully one works lol.  Looks like you're missing the red plastic slide clip from the lambda sensor, was the old one even plugged in?  If not, that's probably your emissions fault.

Ah, that's the reason it doesn't fit right, I'll see if I can get a replacement plug to take it off. Yep the other was connected, cable tied to.

Those AC pipes aren't original, they've been replaced so may at least have working AC on it!

I'll get someone at work to do a vac test on it but I bet it'll need a condenser. 

Looks like you made decent progress today though.  I know how you feel with seeing how much work it'd need to be perfect, but I've given up trying to get mine perfect now...  And will it knock your socks off?  Doubt it!  But warm it up then thrash the nuts of it and you'll see what they're all about...

I'm just pissed  I didn't take some exhaust sealant and at the whole exhaust system. The car an hour drive away at the moment, I tired to think of all the bits I need but always end up forgetting something. It is an enjoyable drive though, some nice a and b roads. The Dturbo does feel really good after the beam repair but would like it to have more pull. If I don't enjoy the '6 I'll probably stage 2 the Dturbo or a lower mileage one.
Also need to do the cambelt before I drive it hard, it's done around 35k and it's been on for 8 years.

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Wtf is that red cable?? Looks like a redundant amp power cable to.me......

Yep, you guessed it.

The earth cable is still bolted in the boot and the RCA's are there to.