Urgent questions update

[byoshida@zygote.hsc.usc.edu (Benton Yoshida)]

On Sat, 23 Nov 1996, Benton Yoshida wrote:

> 1.  The car's speedometer is way off.  On the freeway, it indicated 85mph
> when I was actually going an estimated 60.  It was similarly showing about
> 65 to 70 when I was keeping up with traffic on a road which usually flows
> at 45-50.  He's changed from 13" rims to 14" teardrops with 60 series tires
> which he claims are larger in diameter than the stock units.  He says he
> thinks that this accounts for the speedometer differential even though I
> know that a larger outer diameter should lead to a lower indicated speed.
> Any idea what's going on here?  I forgot to check if the speedometer needle
> was just displaced by 20mph but I don't think so.  I wasn't thinking so I
> didn't check the tach too carefully but I think it was indicating around
> 2500 in 5th on the freeway which is in the ballpark for the stock tranny.

Then Kevin said:

*I have no idea about that one; larger wheel radii should indeed lead to
*a lower indicated speed (although if the tires are 185-60/14 the radius
*should be nearly the same as the stock 175s).  Does the needle jump around
*at all?

follwed by Mannix:


*Badly slipping clutch?  Only thing I can think of - the diameter difference
*should not make that large an error - I often use some *really* short tires
*on my car, and while there is a difference with those (speedo reading
*high), it is roughly 5mph or so..........nothing like you're talking about.
*Maybe there is an incompatible tranny??  Never heard of that, but I think
*it can happen(in non-VWs) - if the transmission were to have a "cable
*ratio" of X, your speedometer having a CR(new mannix term) of
*Y..........well, I'd done guess you've caught my drift.  I'm tired.  I'ts
*5:55am.  And I have to go outside.


And my response is:     The needle was a bit jiggly but didn't jump around.
I took a look at it again Sunday and it wasn't just offset by 20 mph.  I
mean, it starts at 10 mph at rest.  I don't think the clutch is slipping
since it seems to start out OK and puts down power.  Could it be an
incompatible tranny?  I didn't check codes on it although by the tach at
least, it seemed to be the expected ratios.  If the speedo is bad, I
suppose I can swap in the one from my dead '81 S.  Are there legal problems
(in California) from doing this since the odometer readings are different?


> 2.  When I fired up the car from cold, the tach showed around 800rpm but
> when it warmed up it indicated almost 1500.  He says that the mechanic told
> him that there is some problem with the cold start valve but that it would
> cost $400 to fix so he didn't do the fix.  Could some quick fix to get
> around a bad cold start valve produce this symptom?  I thought the cold
> start valve was just a fancier injector--I can't believe this is a $400
> part, even with labor.


KEVIN:
*If it just needs to be replaced, I know that a friend picked on up at a
*yard for $40 or so - not hard to replace.


Although the engine didn't seem to be warm, I'm now fearful that the guy
had the motor warm enough to start easily.  If the cold start valve was
out, wouldn't it be a really hard starting motor?  I'm getting suspicious
since he seemed to hide some things such as the fact that the gas struts
holding up the rear hatch were bad---he held it up with his hands although
I already noticed they were totally dead.  I think that even if an anvil
was dropped on his foot, he'd hold up the hatch rather than let me know it
was bad.  Anyway, after checking out many used cars, I've noticed so many
people propping up the hatch with their hand instead of just saying "the
struts are bad and need to be replaced."  Geez, come on.


> Of course I broke the one cardinal rule of buying used cars and I went to
> take a look at it at night.  But it looks clean (however the steering wheel
> is offset about 30 degrees although I didn't detect any pull to one side)
> with 110,00 indicated miles and an asking price of $900.
>
> I want to take a look at it Sunday morning and possible make an offer to
> him.  Should I pass or play?


KEVIN:

*If there's no rust that's not too bad.  The afore-mentioned friend and
*I looked at a car at night (he bought it that night, for $500), and the next
*day found terrible rust on the rocker panels and floor...  I bought one
*several months ago ('81 S) for $700; it had an excellent body but the motor
*was worn out enough that I've replaced it with a $400 1.8l JH (almost
*finished with that, story to follow soon).

JAY:

*Buy it!!! Iif the car has no rust and mechanically
*excellent you will not be disappointed.  Keep in mind the car is 16
*years old and you are never going find one in "perfect" shape.  My 80
*has 14 inch rims and the speedo is off.  At low speeds it is perfect
*but the faster you go the more off it gets.
*
*The bottom line is that the mk1 scirocco is a GREAT car and if you
*can get your hands on one in decent shape for a good price then do
*it!!!


Looking at it again Sunday during the day, I couldn't see any obvious rust
along the rocker panels or fender lips, although if it had been repaired, I
wouldn't be able to tell.  It looks to be in much better shape than my '81
S.

The good news (I hope) is that I agreed to buy it for $800.  I'm supposed
to meet him Monday evening to complete the deal.  Wish me luck =)

In addition to the two above problems, it needs a heater core (bypassed
since it was leaking), one of the two parking brake cables (he has the
part, needs to be installed), clock is dead, rear hatch leaks water.

I'm thinking about cannibalizing my '81 S for the heater core, clock,
passenger side mirror, door panels, black dash face, and of course, the
seats.  Speaking of the seats, the driver's side has a large rip on the
bolster and it's spilling out crumbling foam.  Also the piping is broken.
Can these be fixed easily or do I have to resort to seat covers (or find
new seats)?

Where is the water getting into the rear hatch area?  My S model had the
same problem.  The rear shelf never gets wet, so the source must be below
it.  I couldn't see any water marks along the inner sides of the hatch
area---just the floor and spare area were wet.

Well, I think this is enough questions for now although expect a lot more
in the future.  Thanks for any help.

benton-----
2 x '81

YbOeSnHtIoDnA


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