WarpSpeed

Have to disagree with you on this one IMHO, you may not be noticing it as much since you get somewhat used to it, but it definitely has a blurred effect no matter the quality.

80? No way! Go no more the 30 front and 40 rear, even that'll still be too dark at night especially but during the day a decent compromise and tell him stay away from the front windshield, if anything just put a strip of maybe 60 across the top about 4 to 6 inches down depending on windshield height.

Clare I have the feeling that your gas smell is still related to the emissions, I had a hole in the return vent hose to my tank on mine up high on the fuel filler neck where it was quite out of sight but not smell and I always smelled fuel too but I also had a CEL(check engine light) on too and it indicated that there was something a miss with my emissions. Given that, it took a little while to track down having started with the fuel cap first, not sure if your car is OBDII or not but if it is it should have the CEL on but as I'm thinking about it and viewing your pictures there has been enough work done on your gauge cluster to have removed the bulb previously if it was on prior before your ownership? So I'd see about checking that too it may be a starting point if it is on?

In any case it seems counter intuitive that you smell it more when it's idle and less when it's running as when it's running of course everything is pressurized the most including the return line and he may have been speaking about the solenoid that controls the return "vent", which is not really and actually should not be any liquid fuel return it should be ONLY fumes therefore making it more noticeable. Usually this, in most cars vents to a charcoal or similar, catch tank to filter out the fumes and why they tell you NOT to over-fill your tank as the liquid fuel can run backwards into this vent hose and cause damage.

just use petrol........it disolves the stuff.....

And burns your hands............

Well it does mine......

Also carcinogen, something to be more concerned with for older gents skin.

Barring Don's suggestion, many local mom and pop rim shops have sources for this, just drop into one of the many accessory malls there or free standing shops and ask around, you will undoubtedly find someone who can point you in the right direction.

Did you try WD 40 yet?

Yes this, not kerosene it will ruin the finish with a permanent dull.

^Gunk is also too harsh for the finish. But there is also another product that is not easy to locate called Goo Gone (citrus based product) I think I purchased at True Value, but by far the best one which is also the easiest to locate is WD40 or maybe even the Sonax but I never had really good luck with most of their products I tried.

^ Or harass others on TV. That's good for you but HE'S not living YOUR life he's living HIS life..

Clare the belt may have spun off with all of the lubricating fluid all over it, being off may have SAVED your pump so not all is bad yet.

Kerrysum; Peugeot haven't been sold in the US market for almost 25 years they pulled out in the early 90's

Who's harassing who? Didn't realise we weren't allowed to comment or compare on our own likes, dislikes, preferences etc. If he wants to spend his time and money keeping a junker on the road, up to him. You've never been backward at voicing your opinion, allow me the same liberty.

But you just try to belittle not help him. Big Difference. A Blind Man on Galloping Horse can see that.

This................. Like Ace says, big difference.

^ Was a bit difficult to tell it was joke but ok I get it, I guess anyway, he's just copping a lot of flak for his purchases so probably a bit difficult for him to see the humor in comments like that.. Fortunately Clare seems to be a pretty easy going guy with thick skin, after all he has to be with all the troubles he has with these cars, but I can relate, sometimes it's the challenge and accomplishment that brings the satisfaction in the end.

W S , i wasnt taking the "mick" out of C Q.s ongoing motoring tales . I find it nice to keep ones hand in , so to speak , in problems many of us have had before .

Jeff that comment wasn't directed at you, it was just your post that was quoted in the comment because the poster in question directed his to you, the right member received the message and fluffed it off of course, seems his BF liked it again too though.

Most US manufacturers are not as sold on the diesels as the euro's and I guess maybe it's because they can't get the artificial numbers in the real world that the Germans have been fudging all along and have been scratching their heads how to do it.

The US governments don't want high mileage cars because they collect too much money from gasoline tax. Sure you can get 65mpg out of a real gallon with a small diesel car.

On the pollution front, people say they are concerned about but don't base purchasing decision on. Are there any stats on how much more the 450-odd thousand vehicles effected have added to the pollution load, say , compared to all the other millions of cars driving around. This is another Toyota saga, lets find a reason to bash a non-US successful company.

The EPA has to take some responsibility for this for having a stupid static predictable test. Smokey Yunick would be proud of the VW engineers for getting their cars past such a childishly simple test.

I read that even big rig trucks are using similar software and it changes the parameters as soon as it detects long distance, continuous speed mode.

Then there is the article where in the state of Victoria, known for its use of brown coal, that a Tesla is more polluting than a small diesel car.

Also it is only one engine in the VW line-up.

Sadly this may effect VW going into F1, as F1 needs more guys that think the way the VW engineers do.

When the cars are modified to comply with the laws of the country they will have far worse fuel consumption and the car will also wear out quickly and have a worse performance. It has not been designed to run within the legal limits.

This Neal, they can not get 65m to the gallon without fudging the numbers that makes them get that mileage and still provide the advertised performance, that's the crux of the issue.

I agree with the F1 deal, the timing couldn't be worse for that, may likely be the death knell for Redbull the way they're talking as well since they will not have an engine and are also petitioning F1 for rules changes, though I think they seem to have stumbled on Mercedes biggest trick with the tire pressures I'm so constantly making note of, seems such small thing but it is actually quite a big item when the sweet spot is found, this weekend will tell the tale a bit better. I'm really disappointed with that too as I was really looking forward to seeing them in F1. Personally I feel like they may need to do some heavy PR after this so it may not be a lost cause in the end if they use F1 for brand rebuilding.

^The amount of fines is not yet determined, that is a possible amount per car not yet the actual fines being levied.

Most US manufacturers are not as sold on the diesels as the euro's and I guess maybe it's because they can't get the artificial numbers in the real world that the Germans have been fudging all along and have been scratching their heads how to do it. Now they're probably sitting back laughing in their chairs, but I think this is ultimately going to mushroom so badly that the powers that be are going to have give waivers for the cars already produced and sold and pick up from here after some pretty stiff fines and intense future scrutiny concessions.

If TVF was paying him , i think he could afford more than 30K for a car . . CQ , some of us had old knackers , years ago . Sorting your bike / car problems keeps our brains active . Many enjoy your posts , in a perverse kind of a way . Keep posting , with pictures please .

I had years and years of fixing up old bangers, because I couldn't afford anything decent, constantly worrying would it get me to work in the morning, would it start, how much was it going to cost to get that head reconditioned etc. Thank god I can afford something trouble-free in my retirement. If I want to keep my brain active I'll do a crossword or read a book thanks.

In the old days you always took a good tool kit everywhere with you + a few odds and ends to fix most thing.. of course jump leads and a tow rope.. + left to go anywhere with loads of time to spare + had a good knowledge of where all the scrap yards were on your route

Problem with the modern car, you cant get at anything, often cannot even see anything and need a PC. so there is still a lot to be said about the older cars

Still do and always will, can't stand having to rely on someone else or getting stranded, no car is break down proof.

^ Or harass others on TV. That's good for you but HE'S not living YOUR life he's living HIS life..

Clare the belt may have spun off with all of the lubricating fluid all over it, being off may have SAVED your pump so not all is bad yet.

Kerrysum; Peugeot haven't been sold in the US market for almost 25 years they pulled out in the early 90's

Gotta love the OP's posts and I have the solution for his problem.

Just buy another 20,000 baht junk car, or try to find some parts and build your own car. You must have gained a lot of knowledge on this website by now,right?

Please, please keep them coming. made my evening to read your post.And made me understand how good my truck is.

You can buy it for only 399,999 bht. Please page me for details.

Eh?? Except that he could do dozens of these jobs over the course of his ownership for much less then what you're asking for your heap and even you've been living in your own repair shop (which I must say has also been much more costly) and STILL ended up spending masses of unnecessary money to repair yours AND the JOB's not even done yet, yeah Clare buy his truck instead . There's NO logic in your post whatsoever.

Take the belt off and soak in Petrol or solvent cleaner or similar, let dry out, should be okay for now, eventually you need a new belt.

Also clean thoroughly the pulleys and vicinity.

Soo If he needs a new belt eventually, then why go through all the trouble required to remove the current one, clean it and then reinstall the same old belt with an undetermined amount of mileage in the first place? Clare get some brake cleaner in a spray can and thoroughly clean the old belt and surrounding pulleys etc. until you have the chance to replace it or just replace it now, but either way you also need to get the entire engine cleaned.

Buying ugly VW in Thailand fhe price of a BMW or Benz :-)

I was thinking that only the European cheap charlies were buying VW...

Well that was going to change anyway, the price problem was the import tax once that was gone due to home soil production the price would be quite reasonable for a much better car then most of what you could buy in Thailand.

VW has cheated and lied to at least 11 million customers. 11 Million people will loose money because of this. The company does not deserve to survive.

Nonsense, complete over reaction.. So some lost a few hundred dollars on their car purchase, that's not the priority here nor is it relevant much. No one will go broke on this, more people lost their entire life savings and such just a few years ago when the market crashed, that was far more significant, a few got convicted, some got fired or resigned many are now rebuilding or rebuilt but all moved on and life continues. All will forgotten in short order, as they say, "time heals all wounds", actually it may be a nice time to buy a nice new VW they may be having a BOGO soon if all indications continue.

I hear ya, I'd never do that either, don't even like working on grease pits, have to give them a wash up before even working on them.

Like I said on one of his other many posts re the Peugeot problems, you buy a junker what do you expect?

. Oh Lord it's Hard to Be Humble.

Or just mum.

Well usually when they do that they do have someone up the road taking snap shots and then call ahead for the car to be pulled over. It's insanity to be standing in traffic like that though it once got me out of a ticket as an officer tried to tell me that I'd never be able to stop in time if some elderly person NOT paying attention pulled out from the intersection of the elderly community behind him up the road from us but yet it was a clear view to the intersection, it was a 3 lane rd at that point so plenty of distance from the side street to read an react.

I told him that if that's the case his attention should be on the elderly people dangerously pulling out of the side street not those who have the right of way, and besides he just stepped right out in front of me at least 200 feet BEFORE the intersection in question and I had no problem stopping a nice controlled stop for him without making him road pizza and moreover had pulled over right behind his motorcycle in the left hand turn lane. He knew he'd never be able to fight that one in court so he handed me back my license and told me just to drive safely and have a good day and I did likewise and went on my way.

Yes, but where? Autobacs? FYI I never do THAT sort of cleaning on the engine out of the vehicle as I can't start and run it afterward, I do the wholesale cleaning before pulling it as then I can blow dry it with a blower and then start it and run it to temp to burn off the rest of the moisture and make sure all is good with no new issues like misses or whatever and then I pull it. That way I have no surprises when I put it back in and I can also work on a cleaner engine to begin with, but that's just me. Or is it an engine that's to be installed and came all gunked up? That's always a though one, especially if you have no history on the engine.

Probably a bit of both Clare, you did mention it hadn't been run for a while so always a good thing to get them moving, especially the older ones need to be run almost daily it seems. I have an older VW GTI VR6 with high mileage but it would much rather run then be parked for any length of time, and I personally know how it feels.

Contact these guys http://www.vwshowtime.com/v2/ , they import all the time from the states, and they may also have plenty of parts already and can save you money. Ask for Greg or Tui, they both speak good English.

Some people get a heap more then they pay for, I know I usually do.

Well of course you do, I'd be surprised if you said different.

Ditto...

Some people get a heap more then they pay for, I know I usually do.

Yeah, pretty sure I wouldn't trust ANYONE else to do my engine cleaning, especially not the local detailer.