Reg Nutsack's TOP TEN 2-LITRE BEATERS - NEW BEATER CHIN SCRATCHING

[Jim Bergerac]

Well bought. Remember liking these at the time, but they are almost completely forgotten now.

 

I always found it odd how these were liftbacks when the Cordoba with the shorter tail was a Saloon.

[Ratdat]

I always think these look like the wheels are really small but I guess it's just the chunky styling. I like the look of them. Seems a screaming deal you've got there.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Muthafucka!! I just wound the windows down and now none of them will wind back up again, any tips?

[trigger]

Does the windows work on the remote central looking on this like the later VAG's? If it does have remote locking try pressing and holding the lock button on the key flop, if not then I haven't a clue!

[cobblers]

Put the key in the drivers door and turn it to lock and hold it there a bit

[trigger]

^ Good call. It's the door lock that I'm thinking off and not the key flop, that used to work on my Mk3 Golf.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Christ i don't know what i would do without you lot. That worked. I owe you about 800 pints

[HMC]

What Car? Had a thing for these and used to go on about how big the boot was.

 

Glad you got the windows sorted, Not what you need in a night like tonight!

[wuvvum]

I do like the look of that.  Proper chunky early '90s styling.  Would imagine it's nice to drive with the 2.0 8v too - drove a Golf with the same engine and it was a proper torquey thing, went like the clappers with no need to rev it, which is how I like my cars.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yeah this thing pulls pretty well, it flies up to 80 in fourth no worries, its pretty lively. Plus you cam drop it from 5th to 4th dead easy with a blip of throttle instead of the clutch then burn off some dawdlers like a boss. Feels like a rocket after driving the Doblo for a year! The 16v one must be ace.

 

as for the fupping windows, not sure what's going on there, whether you ask them to go up or down they go down. They are all afflicted by this problem

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I drove 30 miles with all the windows down, froze my bollocks literally RIGHT OFF.

[DeeJay]

So now it's Misses Bo11ox?

[wackywacerwill]

Our Leon does the same window shiz with the passenger glass though you can hear it chewing the cable anytime the window moves. Sometimes you unlock the car and all windows go down, this is major drama as the passenger one only goes up tight once in a blue moon, and only then with heavy teasing.

[Mog]

Seriously cool styling on these IMVHO. Can't recall the last time I saw one!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yo, this thing has got a Grundig stereo in it which I think is the original one. It switches on but doesn't seem to tune in to any station. It might be jiggered or maybe it needs a security code. Anyone know how I can get a code for it?

[cort16]

Have your tried pulling it out (the stereo). I've had a few that the code's been written on by a security conscious previous owner.

[dieselnutjob]

as for the fupping windows, not sure what's going on there, whether you ask them to go up or down they go down. They are all afflicted by this problem

 

I would try as a diagnostic disconnecting the electrical plug on the door lock barrel.

You can get to this by removing the door handle.

You can remove the door handle by undoing the screw in the back edge of the door, you don't need to take the door card off. The handle then slides forwards and then comes out.

From memory on one side the thread is left handed so watch for that.

My wife had one of these (diesel) as her first car and it was a good tough car with a huge boot.

The TDI ones are still quick enough plus mega economical.

[dieselnutjob]

the other thing I remember was that the wiring on the wife's one of those was identical to the wiring diagrams in a Haynes manual for a mk3 Golf

[Richard]

Yo, this thing has got a Grundig stereo in it which I think is the original one. It switches on but doesn't seem to tune in to any station. It might be jiggered or maybe it needs a security code. Anyone know how I can get a code for it?

 

I think my decoder programme does Grundig, I'll check when I get home from work. 

 

Does it have multiplex wiring? I've cured electrical randomness, including windows misbehaving, on my C5 by the IT Crowd method.

[cobblers]

Nah, it's basically exactly a mk3 golf/ everything else VAG of that era electrically. No multiplex, just wires with signals to lock, unlock, wind windows up etc. VW call it Central Electric 2, I actually really like the way it's done:

http://www.a2resource.com/electrical/CE2.html

 

There is a "feature" where you hold the drivers door key all the way to either side for a few seconds and it wangs the windows up or down all the way, the sensors tend to go to bollocks a bit. Best solution is a £9 ebay remote locking kit (easy to fit, 4 wires all to the cl pump in the boot), and unplug the sensor in the door.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

There is something rattling in the drivers door which i think is a wiring plug that's come off somewhere. I bet that's a factor in the window problems.

 

Been driving this for a week now, its behaved perfectly and aversged 38mpg despite the thermostat being knackered. Hopefully will sort that this weekend plus have a look inside the drivers door. Can't fault the car though!!!

[trigger]

Is this one a keeper or will you be punting it on again soon? (Wink wink hint hint)

[Ratdat]

Changing the 'stat on our Alfa 156 gave it about another 5mpg which was a bit of a result so worth doing.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Actually if someone was interested i'd probably let it go in a couple of weeks if i get the Rover 25 GTi sorted as i can't drive both. Seem to be having a bit of a mid-life crisis at the moment so my shite strategy is all over the shop.

[trigger]

How longs the tax and mot on it? I could be very interested in it as the Acclaims replacement.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Something like 5 and 10 months i think, i just taxed it a week ago.

[wuvvum]

Seem to be having a bit of a mid-life crisis at the moment so my shite strategy is all over the shop.

 

By that reckoning I've been having a mid-life crisis since I was about 19.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Looking for a bit of help with this if anyone has any tips... The charging light has started coming on. It never comes on while you're driving, but sometimes when you fire it up from cold the light is on and stays on. I checked the battery voltage with the motor running and it was 12v so i assumed the alternator genuinely was not working and spent £110 on a new one which was a hideous experience. Put that on and it made no difference whatsoever!!! The light is still on!! Checked the battery voltage and its 14.4v so the alternator is defo charging but the light stays on. Although it does tend to go out eventually on a long journey. Now when i checked the voltage with the old alternator i started the engine and checked it immediately which was a mistake. Should have revved it up once first to wake up the alternator. I think the old alternator was working ok. The other interesting thing is when you check the voltage at the blue exciter wire on the alternator its 2.5v, this is supposed to be a feed straight from the chargjng light and should be 12v i think. Any tips or advice?

[cobblers]

I think there is a resistor in the clocks in parallel with the bulb, it should be higher than 2.5 volts but not quite 12. I'll check on my golf for you RIGHT NOW.

[cobblers]

7.5v when running bollox. At a guess I would suspect a dry solder joint on a big chunky looking resistor in your clocks but I could well be shitting out my mouth.