Runaway Diesel- Or how I ditched a broken berlingo and turned to the dark side

[HMC]

The broken berlingo, it quickly became apparent had eaten parts of its turbo which had then gone on to mash up the engine internals. I'm keen to have a crack a stuff mechanically but mainly of lack of time meant it was wishful thinking. I had a word with a local trader who was happy to take it on and give me a bit off a cheapie he'd got lying around that actually worked. Hence a deal was done.

 

Early hours and I limped the berlingo over some country lanes, things started to get bad fairly quickly with the EML, oil pressure light and that PSA " STOP" symbol all starting up., but I was making slow steady progress. The noise and smoke got more ominous. Suddenly the revs ran away with themselves, I put the brakes on and dumped the clutch In first gear. Luckily there was enough meat left on the clutch for it to stop it. No network coverage and no clivilisation in sight. Oh shit. After I while I re-started the engine and trickled it along on idle the last bit.

 

Having got there, paperwork sorted I had a much more relaxing trip back in a persona non grata of autoshite- a mk4 golf!

 

It starts, stops, doesn't blow itself up- all the features I wanted. It turns out VAG soft touch plastics don't age well though- mostly they've simply rubbed away! There's plenty of Len hatred going on on the roof, and it's a bit scruffy in places- and it's strange to think that this car we love to dismiss was launched almost 20 years ago.

 

Confirmation I had turned to the dark side came in the form of the Darth Vader's head air freshener that dangled menacingly from the rear view mirror. May the force be with me.

 

[CreepingJesus]

Speed holes and a Darth Vader air freshener...who could possibly want more?

Bet it turns out to be unkillable.

[Pillock]

Hey, that Golf looks really nice.

 

Oh, wait. Not "nice". What's the word I'm looking for? Hmmm.... Yeah, "awful". That's the one.

[gadgetgricey]

I quite like those, Is it an SE as appears to have CD Changer, Electric Windows X4, Air con.

Cant make out the stalk but may even have cruise..

 

Weirdly I always like two digit number plates....

[Supernaut]

What an utter turd.

 

Top work!

[Lankytim]

That looks shit. Love it!

[Guest Hooli]

Anything is better than berlingo

[wuvvum]

Top tip for a runaway diesel: it's best to put it in 5th and dump the clutch rather than 1st. 

[Hendry]

I quite like those, Is it an SE as appears to have CD Changer, Electric Windows X4, Air con.

Cant make out the stalk but may even have cruise..

 

Weirdly I always like two digit number plates....

Doesn’t look to have cruise control. Always found them a weird spec, all electric windows, multi cd changer, air con, velour trim, but no alloys, and a rubber/plastic steering wheel.

 

I remember them being a nice Drive when not too old as well, Drove a few GT TDis, Matchs, ‘Final Editions’ when about 4/5 years old and they were smooth and refined for the time compared with a load of other similar aged stuff.

[jonny69]

Looks like the lacquer and front arches have rubbed away as well.

[Lacquer Peel]

Was the Berlingo a 1.6 HDi?

 

These Golfs are okay, the 1.6 8v engine is tough, they can generate some mayo under the oil cap but it's  almost always condensation rather than HGF.

[jonathan_dyane]

Is it the good ancient engine wearing a plastic hat?

[Stanky]

Looks like the later 1.6 16v engine to me, I've had several VWs and Skodas with the AEE 8v 1.6 and can confirm the mayo story LP points out.

 

The AEE is a decent engine I found. I stuck about 40k miles on one in a Mk3 golf and it happily lapped it up. I only sold it because it was due a cambelt, the heater matrix had rusted through and was bypassed and the windscreen had a massive crack in it. I bought a replacement car for less than the cost of repairs. It was scrapped soon afterwards, presumably when the next owner realised why the fans only blew cold air...

[Lacquer Peel]

Is it the good ancient engine wearing a plastic hat?

 

I believe so.

This is the 1.6 16v's plastic hat

[DSdriver]

One caring owner... but the others CGaF. Luverly.

[Bren]

Fabulous.

After the thread with the ropey three series I can confirm that autoshite is firmly going back to its roots.

[HMC]

Well a short spin on my test route ( a 20 mile loop Tavistock-yelverton-Princetown (past HMP Dartmoor)-Tavistock) has given this tub a bit of a shakedown. It ain't no MIRA but it gives me a feel for what's right and wrong. Some tired front suspension bushes (heard more than felt) the clutch doesn't slip but bites high, brakes progressive and strong, 2nd gear synchro can be beaten and it seems to wallow a bit at times, and the steering is a bit vague. All in all not as bad as it's very low price would suggest.

[stormee]

Doesn’t look to have cruise control. Always found them a weird spec, all electric windows, multi cd changer, air con, velour trim, but no alloys, and a rubber/plastic steering wheel.

 

I remember them being a nice Drive when not too old as well, Drove a few GT TDis, Matchs, ‘Final Editions’ when about 4/5 years old and they were smooth and refined for the time compared with a load of other similar aged stuff.

This Golf is a 'Comfortline', Passats of this age have the same velours and spec but climatronic instead of the simpler AC.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Blimey, it looks about as appealing as 10 Jack Whitehall DVD's

[Sigmund Fraud]

Those Golf IVs are awful in many, many different ways. But they are really easy to fix and spares are plentiful and cheap. GR8 4 WBOD !

[Coprolalia]

1.6 SFI badging is 16v BAD engine code. However having the dipstick on the front of the block amd age suggests 8v.

What's the engine code?

[Lacquer Peel]

It's the 100bhp 8v, it's fine.