Cluffy’s Corrado VR6 - Love/Hate/Love saga...

[Cluffy]

Hello all,

A while since an update but the Corrado is in bits again... It was driving ok but still smoking like Dot Cotton.

Being worried about the catalytic converter @grogee and I took it on ourselves to do compression and leak down tests. Low compression all round, wet test showed improvement suggesting rings but even further evidence from the leak down test with 20% loss on three cylinders. You could feel a lot through the dip stick tube 😐

So this is where we are:

Hoping to get the box out before then working on stripping down the engine and getting the block to our helpful precision specialist (same guy who did the head work). He'll then determine if the bores have gone oval or not 😩

Thank God it's not my daily!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Gutted! I keep looking at VR Corrados. They do seem to be temperamental old buggers though...

[Cluffy]

1 hour ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Gutted! I keep looking at VR Corrados. They do seem to be temperamental old buggers though...

I'd agree but I also think it's an old car now... Hopefully this is the very last big expense bar the day I get it painted...

[Cluffy]

More progress the last couple of days. 

Near side Track rod and lower ball joint off. Driveshafts undone, starter off, gearbox mounts and brackets off and this morning I managed to get the gear box out. Phew!

Next will be clutch and flywheel, followed by power steering lines off and the front lower brace bar. Never had this off in my ownership so I plan on a good tidy up. Then I'll whip the timing covers off, the chains and then the head. I don't want to take cams out this time due to the timing disc being damaged last time I was in there....!

It's going ok but the bloody cold can do one...

[MrBig]

Having done the chains on a VR some years ago, you have my sympathies. Fabulous engines, but such a pig to work on. I will NEVER understand what possessed VW to position the chains on the flywheel end!

[sasquar]

Just found this thread, after a pointer from the battery thread where i was whingeing about our 'rado.....

V impressed with the work youve done, seem to be pretty unlucky really. Ours has had plenty of issues, but luckily the engine seems pretty decent. Theyre well known for being able to do decent miles without too many issues, so id be surprised if yours has ring issues at sub 100k miles, on the other hand, ive been surprised before....

Im comically bad at doing threads on my own stuff, but when i get a sec, ill try and stick a general thread up with all my tat, so you can laugh at the issues ive had with mine, different sorts of problems, but still.....

[Cluffy]

On 04/12/2023 at 10:37, MrBig said:

Having done the chains on a VR some years ago, you have my sympathies. Fabulous engines, but such a pig to work on. I will NEVER understand what possessed VW to position the chains on the flywheel end!

Could not agree more! Such a pain and this is the bloody third part I've been in here....

[Cluffy]

On 14/12/2023 at 09:35, sasquar said:

Just found this thread, after a pointer from the battery thread where i was whingeing about our 'rado.....

V impressed with the work youve done, seem to be pretty unlucky really. Ours has had plenty of issues, but luckily the engine seems pretty decent. Theyre well known for being able to do decent miles without too many issues, so id be surprised if yours has ring issues at sub 100k miles, on the other hand, ive been surprised before....

Im comically bad at doing threads on my own stuff, but when i get a sec, ill try and stick a general thread up with all my tat, so you can laugh at the issues ive had with mine, different sorts of problems, but still.....

I'd look forward to that! I'm poor at updates on here too.

Right now the block is pretty much ready to come out. I just have to sort removing the water pump. Then to figure a way to lift the block off the engine mount and into a car to take to the menders....

I'm not setting any targets but I'd rather like a good amount of use next spring/summer before the MOT inevitably throws up even more things to piss me off!

[stuboy]

dam its in pieces ..

[Cluffy]

18 hours ago, stuboy said:

dam its in pieces ..

It really is:

[Cluffy]

Water pump is out so now to get the block into the Golf for a trip to SC Porting for specialist works. And some tidying. 

[Cluffy]

Small update on this. Had a moment of "screw it, what's the worst that can happen" and dropped the block off it's final mount on my tod. Felt like HeMan. 

Then this evening, @grogeeand stepson helped me get it into the Golf. 

Hoping the engine machine works fella is free to drop to tomorrow.  Might have a full confirmation diagnosis/root cause of the poor leak down and how to fix by this time next week 🤞

[Mad Cyril]

I took mine to a place near Edinburgh to get the bores done. They turned it around in a day.
I stuck it in the boot of my 2cv and certainly knew I had some weight on board but did there and back (to Lincolnshire) in a (very long) day.

[Cluffy]

13 hours ago, Mad Cyril said:

I took mine to a place near Edinburgh to get the bores done. They turned it around in a day.
I stuck it in the boot of my 2cv and certainly knew I had some weight on board but did there and back (to Lincolnshire) in a (very long) day.

Wow that's a trek! Hopefully the Golf will be all good for it and luckily the fella is only 15 minutes or so away. 

He's said he'll get on it next week around other jobs to get the diagnosis and then we'll decide what we need to do ££££££ !

[Cluffy]

Morning all!! So, been a while since an update on the Corrado... A few bits have happened but the pace has been steady...

First up, did a bit of TLC on the bits of paint you don't see much of but makes tidy all the same... Inner wing bits that have always been really tatty:

Then we have the steering rack saga. I got Coventry Power Steering to make one good one from the two I have after my attempt to fix things caused issues. All finally sorted if more expensive than I'd have liked. All removed:

And back in the car all refreshed:

I decided to tidy up the rad fan housing as it was a bit worn/surface rusty and I had the time while waiting on engine shenanigans - much better...:And to the engine... Got it back just before I went on my jollies. Heavy old thing!:I fitted a new crank seal with the help of @grogee and his much better stocked tool chests (he had some perfectly sized drifts to get the old one off). And I've fitted that back up nicely and now have put the new sump gasket on and buttoned up the sump (so much easier when engine is in this orientation!!!):I have also had time to set the cams correctly to TDC so that once I set the crank it should go on without too many problems 🤞And that's up to speed! Next step is to get the engine set back onto it's mount and get the head back on and timed... 💪

 

[grogee]

3 hours ago, Cluffy said:

Morning all!! So, been a while since an update on the Corrado... A few bits have happened but the pace has been steady...

First up, did a bit of TLC on the bits of paint you don't see much of but makes tidy all the same... Inner wing bits that have always been really tatty:

Then we have the steering rack saga. I got Coventry Power Steering to make one good one from the two I have after my attempt to fix things caused issues. All finally sorted if more expensive than I'd have liked. All removed:

And back in the car all refreshed:

I decided to tidy up the rad fan housing as it was a bit worn/surface rusty and I had the time while waiting on engine shenanigans - much better...:And to the engine... Got it back just before I went on my jollies. Heavy old thing!:I fitted a new crank seal with the help of @grogee and his much better stocked tool chests (he had some perfectly sized drifts to get the old one off). And I've fitted that back up nicely and now have put the new sump gasket on and buttoned up the sump (so much easier when engine is in this orientation!!!):I have also had time to set the cams correctly to TDC so that once I set the crank it should go on without too many problems 🤞And that's up to speed! Next step is to get the engine set back onto it's mount and get the head back on and timed... 💪

 

Hurry up! There's pie to be eaten in Melton Mowbray... 

[Cluffy]

1 hour ago, grogee said:

Hurry up! There's pie to be eaten in Melton Mowbray... 

When are your lifting apparatus (ie your arms!) available to help get it seated..!?

[Cluffy]

More progress in the last week or so with the help of @grogee (all the thanks, as always...)

Last weekend we got the block bolted back roughly in place and sat securely on some stands

I then did little but often in the week. Knock sensor reseated and a lot of cleaning of timing parts etc. Then we had time this morning to get it all timed back up. 

First up lower chain:Bit of a faff with the tensioner after getting the chain loose on the correct side. Then we got the cylinder head back on. Heavy thing but taken care of 💪Finally got the upper chain on:

This being the 2.9, it's a double chain on the top (I think that's the differentiator). Which proved quite tricky to get in with the guides and slotting the intermediate cog teeth. But we got there. George held the crank on the bar and I did that up to mega torque.

Four rotations and all the marks we had made were still where they should be 😎 I then went round and torqued up the head properly. 

Next up can be one of many things - upper/lower timing covers, upper inlet manifold, exhaust manifold, you name it... But I have some fairly quiet days with working coming I hope so 🤞for more steps forward this week!

[grogee]

This thing will live again. I feel like the major hurdles have been overcome. Great work by @Cluffy to get many parts sparkling clean while the car is immobile. 

[grogee]

Oh, and it's the least I can do after yesterday's rescue mission! 

[EyesWeldedShut]

[Cluffy]

Hello all,

Progress on this has hit a bit of wall and it's fighting us... 

Earlier this week I got the flywheel on...

Then the clutch went on with a little fiddling:

Then it was time to get the gearbox in. 

@grogeehas this Wonder device that takes the wobble out of lifting it on a jack, but no matter what I / we do, this thing just will not go back in.

The offside driveshaft flange interferes with the clutch pressure plate when it's rotated and I don't have space against the near side chassis leg/subframe to get the box further back. 

The really piss ass annoying thing is that I've done this twice before and managed to do it without too much drama. I think the engine must just be in a position that makes it too tricky this time. We've looked at removing the driveshaft flange but it requires diff deconstruction to do on this box. It's also unnecessary as I say - this has been done TWICE before...

Next plan is to get another jack and have both the box and the engine on trolley jacks and hope to align them... Any other suggestions very very welcome!

[Matty]

On 21/04/2024 at 18:30, EyesWeldedShut said:

As it always should've been !

[Cluffy]

Little update- I went back to what I remembered doing last time to get the gearbox in and managed to get the bloody thing in!

I fitted some lower mount bits and now need a second pair of hands to help with driveshafts. 

I didn't want to jinx my run of progress so just focused on one or two easyish bolt on things to finish the evening. Alternator on:

Power steering pump and oil filter housing:

Starter motor and support bracket:

Fuel rail and spark plugs back in:

I'll be calling on @grogee to get a bit further along and then hope to chip away and the one-man aspects for an hour or so each evening. I'd like to give it a twirl in June if at all possible!!!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

On 21/04/2024 at 18:30, EyesWeldedShut said:

This. That chain puts modern German motors to shame. 

Great work!

[Cluffy]

More progress this weekend!

First off @grogee popped by and helped me line up the lump to get the gearbox mount set in place. Job jobbed - must torque it up at some point!

Other bits on the engine side. Water pump went in and I fitted the stat housing/crack pipe and the oil cooler along with a new oil filter that the postie had helpfully left in a bush 🖕

I then gave these a tickle with the hammerite:

Nothing wrong with them but I've read a few horror stories of people finding cross members nearly vanished before..!

Finally, also found this damage on the clutch slave cylinder pipe. Booo. More expense but hopefully only £25 to resolve. It's bleeding the clutch that's the hard part....

More updates soon. Really would like a shake down in early June!!!

[Cluffy]

Chipping away today... Front brace bars (or whatever they're called) back in:

Then I got some power steering lines fitted up and bolted/screwed in:

This evening I had a bit more time so I got the near side driveshaft in:

...along with the ball joint and tie rod:

Crap pics but you get the idea... Plan is to just get something done every day, even if it's just 10 minutes worth as it all helps and really would like the shakedown run to be early June...

Just waiting on oil and the new clutch line now. Hope I don't have to spend a penny more...!

[jonathan_dyane]

I really hope this thing settles down and behaves for you after all this further time effort and expense but part of me kind of hopes that when you get it running great you sell it for as many ££££ as you can and get out of the ungrateful bastard. That is however me projecting my own angst; I remember selling a similar problem child then running into the guy I sold it to about 5 years on. I thought he was going to give me a tale of woe and give me a hard time for selling him a pup, instead he told me that it had been the best car he had ever had and all it had needed since he bought it was servicing and a brake caliper. If he was to be believed I'd sold the blighter right at the wrong time after I had worked through all it's shit 

 

That is the gamble 

[Cluffy]

On 13/05/2024 at 20:36, jonathan_dyane said:

I really hope this thing settles down and behaves for you after all this further time effort and expense but part of me kind of hopes that when you get it running great you sell it for as many ££££ as you can and get out of the ungrateful bastard. That is however me projecting my own angst; I remember selling a similar problem child then running into the guy I sold it to about 5 years on. I thought he was going to give me a tale of woe and give me a hard time for selling him a pup, instead he told me that it had been the best car he had ever had and all it had needed since he bought it was servicing and a brake caliper. If he was to be believed I'd sold the blighter right at the wrong time after I had worked through all it's shit 

 

That is the gamble 

Ha! I am there in my head...! I want to have some trips in it this summer. If that doesn't happen for whatever reason then it's more trouble than worth, really. It needs to be driven and also needs to make the garage space available for other things...!

I'd only sell it for the right money (not being stupid, mind..). Maybe through one of those fancy auction sites as they seem to get decent money for people... But it'll be a buyers market. It's not plan A but the pull of a dream level Jag never goes away...

[Cluffy]

Step by step... Offside driveshaft fitted up. Needs torquing. Hate this job - alignment and about three pairs of hands needed, but patience prevailed:

Then exhaust manifold fitted up:

Torqued up and cover fitted on:

Finally, I got all three mounts aligned with the correct bolts ( @grogee knows how tricky this has been) and torqued down to 60Nm. 

Next - apart from the noted driveshaft torquing it'll be inlet manifold, aux belt and then swapping the clutch cable that arrives today 🤞