Finally a VR6 on my drive

[Bullifamilie]

Picked up a 1995 VR6 at the weekend and love it. I wanted a MK3 VR6 when they were first launched but back then I was young and poor, now I’m just poor but at least the cars have dropped in value.



It’s going to be my daily drive and it’ll only have cash spent on it gradually but it’s a good/genuine 1994 model with 216000km’s that’s got a reasonable amount of history and has been owned by a lady for the past 5.5 years.

I’ve been messing around with VW transporters for the past 12 years but then when the deal fell through on another van I had cash in my pocket, then after a big row with the wife, I was out to buy a car I really wanted. The chase was tough and I thought I’d missed out, but the outcome came right in the end.



I don’t like those wheels but they’ll have to stay for a while. The engine needs a good going over and I’m guessing it’ll have to come out at some point but I’ll try and put a few K’s on it first.
Inside the Steering wheel, gear knob, handbrake cover are wrecked and someone’s put in leather sports seats which were Touring car style low (keeps the wife out) but fairly wrecked, think I’ll need an alternative there fairly soon.
It pulls a bit to the left and feels like the wheels need a balance so it’s in the suspension shop today to get the geometry and wheels checked.





It needs a really good clean this weekend, it’s covered in grime, but really I should give it a dam good service.

Is there anywhere I can download a copy of the Bentley manual? Lots of learning to do.

[Ben J]

Congrats on the purchase Give it some maintanance and get it all running nicely and it'll be a great little car to drive around.

Not sure where you can download a bentley manual for the mk3, I looked around for a bit before just buying the actual book and couldn't find one, although if someone wants to pm me a link I'd be thankfull

[anthony--t]

Congratulations car looks nice and tidy!

For the manual I found this. I have a hard copy so I haven't used it but looks promising:
VW Jetta MKIII/MK3: Mk3 Bentley Manual|Volkswagen Bora

Not sure if it'll work if you read the thread some people it worked for others it didn't but I'm sure you could find one on google if you search hard enough.

[MattyT]

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the fold!

I saw this car on gumtree and I'm pretty sure I've seen it rolling around my area a bit of late.

I wouldnt be too worried about the kms on the engine. Mine has 287,000km and it still goes strong. There is loads and loads of annecdotal evidence to suggest it'll be fine until way past 300,000km.

Hope to see you on the next cruise!

[Bullifamilie]

Thanks for the welcome, picked up some service bits for it to-nite, including serpentine belt (existing one looks scarey), then went looking for wheels but was totally un-inspired.

Might have a bit of a worn CV joint, need to get it up off it's wheels tomorrow night and have a look about.

It's started!

[GoLfMan]

congrats! Good to see that you're going to get stuck into it and keep another VR6 on the road. They are becoming a dying breed

[Bullifamilie]

Quick look underneath to-nite, it needs an outer CV boot and a steering rack gaitor, oh and on the drivers side the handbrake doesn't really want to play. Overall not bad underneath but the exhaust (standard) does seem move around loads.

Been driving it the last couple of days, if your hard on the gas and then lift there's a kick to the right, what's that? engine mount? Normal'ish?

The castor is out at the front, new control arm at some point, will probably re-bush the front end over the coming months, any recommendations for bushes? Can you get a rear bush that gives you adjustment? Any way to adjust castor?

Also if your in traffic and the wheels are just moving and you hit the brake it jerks to the left. Also noticed the front left is the first to want to lock. The ABS did give me a fault code, so i'll have to investigate there.

Love driving it.

[GoLfMan]

ABS on a lot of the VR's failed years ago. Replacement pumps are drug money. If its just the front left, maybe try cleaning the ABS sensor, if that doesn't work you have other problems.

As for front end. Control arm bushes sound stuffed, check your strut tops for wear (if they stick up too much, they're stuffed). Get R32 solid rubber control arm bushes. Also check if your subframe and drive shaft bolts are tight. Check front wheel bearings for wear by jacking the car up and trying to rock the wheel with your hand on the top and bottom of it. If there is play, replace the bearings.

Be careful with the split CV boot. My was the same, I just repacked the CV and changed the boot but the CV was well stuffed. If there is any rotational noise its gone. Replacement CV's are $100 from German Auto Parts in the US. Locally $250. To test, go full lock on both ways and if it clicks, its dead.

With those km's the engine mounts are bound to be stuffed. They were oil filled from factory and renowned for failure. I'd suggest some BFI engine mounts. Full kit around the $150 mark.

If the exhaust is moving around maybe a couple of the hangers have gone, I'd check that to.

Happy days!

[Bullifamilie]

Thanks for the advice GolfMan

the ABS was giving the following fault;

01276 - ABS Hydraulic Pump (V64)
16-00 - Signal Outside Specifications

Will have a play but didn't expect to buy a VR6 with working ABS, so nothing lost if it's not an easy fault. I've done the cleaning fuses trick but not re-scanned, I'll be amazed if that cleared it.

The wheel bearings felt good, but I suspect the strut bushes to be bad, thought something looked wierd, will look again tomorrow. Sounds like it'll have to be lowered

Got a CV boot today, I hate doing that job, was tempted to buy new CV's but they felt/sounded ok, so I'll try just the boot. Think there's a bit movement in the tie rod end or the rack.

There's oil/sludge around the engine mounts so it looks as if they've gone.

Exhaust seemed to have all it's hangers, also, is the standard CAT susceptable to blocking, I need to give the car a service but it doesn't seem to be as responsive as I'd expect.

Couldn't get a boot for the steering rack, any alternative to the VW Stealers?

[Ben J]

Only the transmission mount was oil filled, the other two are just rubber. Chances are theyre gone though.

You can get the rack boots from ecstuning and probably other us companies, not sure of anything local though.

Cats do sometimes get blocked on the vr6s, couldnt hurt to check it. also cleaning out the throttle body can make a big difference to response if its filthy

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2

[stabbsy]

Just saw this, cant remember where I found my manual so I just uploaded it here

Free Cloud Storage - MediaFire

I ended up buying it as well, much nicer to have it in your hands/out next to your car but this one is always good to look up facts while sitting on the comp

[Bullifamilie]

Thanks for the manual, that'll help. Like you I'll probably end up buying one but this gets me going. For my vans I've got an electronic manual from bentley on my laptop, a paper Bentley for the garage and a PDF I carry around for daily reading, you can never have too many copies.

Bit wierd not knowing much about my car after over a decade driving and working on the same kind of vans' you kind of get to know most stuff and react to issues without thinking.

Time for a service tomorrow.