I want to drive my car into a river and throw stones at it til it explodes.

[Tameth_au]

My mk2 has treated me well for the last 4.5 years but this year it has been one problem after the next. I've replaced a heap of stuff and the same gremlins keep coming back- most occurring being the loss of power for no apparant reason. pull over, play with the leads, all comes good again.... who freaking knows.

Anyhow, after believing i had finally solved everything and had the car running great, it now blows a coolant hose. I distanced myself from any hammers or large objects and just stepped away.... Well now i've discovered the cost of the hose i am ready to get the hammer out and just swing away.

If anyone out there has a spare coolant hose that goes from the top of the engine down to the thermostat housing, i will gladly buy it. If not, its duct tape into the future. It's one of the thick ones and is kind of a big S shape.

I am thinking it is seriously time to retire this car, as much as i have loved it, it just doesnt want to play anymore...

[anarchycamp]

Thats no good....i can imagine how one thing after another would take its toll...

Step back...take a deep breath....

and before you drive in into a river...im sure some us will take some parts off you

[99gti]

Ahem.....Mk4....ahem..ahem

I swear I'm not biased...

Bring the old girl back to life.

[gtimk5]

I know how you are thinking Tameth. I loved my Mk2 and had such a good run with it but one weekend I was away and a plug lead packed up and I was 350 kms from home. I decided then that I had had enough of driving an older car. I went and bought a new Mk4.
I loved that Mk2 but hey, I loved my Mk4 and now my Mk5 GTi!
Stick with it and maybe check all those hoses while you are at it!
Cheers, Andrew

[joshyd-mk2gti]

it doesnt matter what car you drive, you will always have problems.

take the split hose down to a place like repco and see if they can find one similar. if theres one on a common car, no doubt it will be cheaper.

[moto]

Its life. Its not only cars that go off!

One of the reasons old cars give more trouble than new ones is that new cars typically get a routine service program. It usually gets forgotten on old cars or at least compromised. Changing hoses and belts every few years, before they go off, is a good practice. Not expensive - much cheaper than towing. So change all of them if you can, get them all to the same start date.

Brian Patterson (02 9653114) can probably supply overnight.

If power is going off but the engine is not missing you might be looking at something simple like sucking hot air or incorrect ignition timing; or something nasty like ecu or worn rings. Try to notice if there's a pattern to it. If you turn the heater or demister on, for example, that will kick the aircon in.

[h100vw]

I have some MK2 hoses in the shed. Wouldn't have brought them over from the UK if they weren't in serviceable condition. Post a picture of what's gone and I 'll check them for you. You can have it for the price of postage, if it's there.

Gavin

[Golf Loon]

Thats a common hose mate and is used an all Mk3 Golfs, Seats, Audis and T4 vans of 90s vintage. Hope that helps in your quest.

If Gavin cant find you one, I probably have a second hand one for you.

I reckon Mk2s are the best car VW made. They made em to last and didn`t dillute the mix with lots of stupid plastic bits that break often.
You should proably change all the hoses on the car as they will all be 15 or more years old, so its a lot to ask of em.
A bit of love and a cash injection should ensure continued trouble free motoring.

[evorobin]

The 1.3 mk2 drove me up the wall with a problem that came and went. Leeds to Somerset once stopping on the hard shoulder time and time again. RAA checked the carbie etc but ran like a dream then got hot and stuttered. Freinds even sold their car with a similar fault.

[Tameth_au]

Thanks for all the kind words re- not driving this car into the brissy river. I have found a pic of a mk2 motor and the hose in question goes from the top rad hose down to the thermostat, right down the front of the engine in an S- shape. If Gavin has one handy that would make my week- hasn't been the best on record by any means.

Feel free to send me a PM or post a reply straight up here. Oh, and before the comments about rust come up- no, this isnt a pic of my engine bay.

Thankyou happy VW people