VW Golf MK2 1.3 (1988)

Is there a history of trouble with the auto-choke on this engine? I used to have a Polo that cut out when cold (sometimes at the most unhelpful of times!) and now I fear my Golf is going the same way. Sometimes she starts on the button, sometimes she feels like she's flooded and I have to hang on the starter for a few seconds. When accelerating at low revs under load (up a slight hill in 3rd or 4th) she misfires. After around 10 minutes of driving, she might cut out altogether when I dip the clutch at traffic lights. As all these problems occur within 15 minutes of starting when cold, I'm guessing the Auto-choke is a little senile and doesn't know what to do anymore. I've had the car 'tuned' (mixture, carb jets cleaned, timing) at my garage, and she runs sweetly when warm. Does a dodgy auto-choke sound like a reasonable diagnosis? And more importantly, how can it be fixed? New Auto-choke? Retro fit Manual Choke? What do those in the know reckon?

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I wonder if anyone (Aprilia?) has good experience of Mercedes timing chains, at the moment I'm thinking about an early W124 E-class with a 2.0 engine that only has the single row chain.

It has the "classic" rattle for just a couple of seconds after startup which I think is the chain slapping about prior to the tensioner fully tensioning.

Taking advice there seems to be a fair difference in the repairs folks would do.

Some say the tensioner unscrews from the side of the block and changing this will efect a cure.

Others say do the tensioner and chain, their method being to cut the chain with an angle grinder over the cam pulley and join the new chain to old so it can be pulled through without removing the timing case.

Finally I've been told both the above are skimping and you should remove the timing case and replace the chain, tensioner and sprockets as a kit...also looking carefully at the tensioner "slipper".

This vehicle ought to have another ten years life so any repair needs to be more than a quick fix.

Thanks,

M.M
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Hi,

I've recently bought a 1998 C180 sport.

Whilst driving in traffic recently, the BAS light came on for a second, and then went off again. It has done this several times. I have checked the brake fluid etc, and everything is normal. The ABS light doesnt come on with the BAS light, which leads me to believe that the ABS sensors must be ok.

Also, the car is a manual, and is constantly jumping out of 2nd gear.

Does anybody know what could cause these problem?

Thanks for any help!!

Peter

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hi i have been offered a 2000 x reg 2 litre vectra hatch gls with 81 k on the clock it a ex fleet car with full history how can i check the air con in this cold weather.

does this car suffer from cam belt problems that is mentioned elsewhere on this site.

what would the expected mpg be mainly on a run no town work really.

any other views or advice on this car most most welcome

thanks
rob
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I always thought Toyota's were good cars - not exciting to drive, mind you, but in return you got something very reliable and with good customer services.

The gearbox on my 2001 vvti Corolla was faulty when I bought it in 2001 new - very notchy and difficult to use. Three Toyota dealers looked at it under warranty, all claimed it was fine, and refused to do anything.

At 95K miles the car started making a sound like a load of nails from the front. Into Toyota Cambridge - a very helpful dealer, BTW, unlike the others I used, and they diagnosed a gearbox fault - probably worn bearing/s. Cost - £300 plus whatever is wrong with it as they have to strip the whole gearbox down.

Letter to Toyota UK to see if they would help even in part, as, although out of warranty, the only reason the fault is there is because their dealers wouldn't fix it under warranty.

Response - as you guessed - they won't even help towards the cost at all.

Staggers me really - for some reason Golf 4's get a bad press on HJ for reliability, but our Beetle 1.6 (Golf 4 bits, after all) has been utterly reliable apart from 2 bin things where the lids have worked loose - and replaced under warranty.

If I had known about this, I would have got something interesting to drive, like a Leon - and I reckon it wouldn't have failed its gearbox in just over 2 years ! The new Corolla has the same gearbox - anyone out there having problems ?

So when renewal time comes up, Toyota is not going to be on my list !

Anyone out there no a good gearbox specialist, either around Cambridge, north of London or north London, that gives good service and won't try and tell me I need a whole new gearbox or something.

v. annoyed Toyota driver ! Read more