Car D.I.Y.

[Deleted member 26715]

Loads of GTIs seem to have survived

Funny that isn't it, they'll end up like the 66 Mustang with the 427 (or something like that) there are more registered on the road today than were ever produced.

 

[tyred]

Funny that isn't it, they'll end up like the 66 Mustang with the 427 (or something like that) there are more registered on the road today than were ever produced.

I suppose they sell for such silly money these days that would be worthwhile faking one if you were that way inclined.

 

[figbat]

The XS is a forgotten model. Loads of GTIs seem to have survived but I cannot remember the last time I saw an XS.

Even back in the day they were rarer than the rather ubiquitous GTi. Mine was a 1989 with the 85 bhp variant of the 1,360cc TU3. Part-exchanged it for a mk1 MR2.

 

[raleighnut]

I loved my 205 XS. ☹

My ex had the GR, a 1360cc 5 door.

 

[rockyroller]

discovered which of my 4 disc brakes is squealing. found a nice little groove going on one of them

 

[figbat]

My ex had the GR, a 1360cc 5 door.

S'funny - they had a bit of a system going, with GX models (eg GL, GR, GT) being 5-door and XX models (XL, XR, XS) being 3-door (the second letter denoted trim level). The GTi was a notable exception.

 

[tyred]

I wish mine was a GR. They were much quieter and more refined than the basic models. They must have more sound deadening stuffed under the carpet.

 

[raleighnut]

I wish mine was a GR. They were much quieter and more refined than the basic models. They must have more sound deadening stuffed under the carpet.

They also had a 5 speed gearbox. The 1.2 had the best fuel economy though, better than the underpowered 1.0.

 

[tyred]

They also had a 5 speed gearbox. The 1.2 had the best fuel economy though, better than the underpowered 1.0.

I think every 205 apart from the most basic 1.0 XE had a 5 speed box from about 1990 onwards.

As a 1996 car with the 1124cc engine mine doez have a 5 speed but top gear is quite low so things get noisy for sustained high speed driving. Most of my driving is on minor rural roads so it's not too much of a problem. I'll always take the scenic route anyway as driving on main roads is boring.

 

[raleighnut]

I think every 205 apart from the most basic 1.0 XE had a 5 speed box from about 1990 onwards.

As a 1996 car with the 1124cc engine mine doez have a 5 speed but top gear is quite low so things get noisy for sustained high speed driving. Most of my driving is on minor rural roads so it's not too much of a problem. I'll always take the scenic route anyway as driving on main roads is boring.

Pamela's would do 80 in 3rd, we were going up north (her family were from Blackburn) and hit a contraflow on the M1 which slowed traffic to about 25mph for 1/2 a mile then slowly sped up til we cleared it after a couple of miles more and went back up to cruising speed, after a few miles she said "why is the car making a funny noise" and so I turned the Cassette down to have a listen (I'd just given the car a full service) then asked her why she was still in 3rd gear. to be fair we'd been nattering whilst in the contraflow, just the normal stuff like "look at that dickhead" and "Why is he changing lanes when the signs said stay in lane" etc. and the speed had very gradually built up to about 50 when the roadworks finished so she had been a bit distracted.
mind you the car enjoyed it, it was running like a sewing machine after that good 'blow through'* and me changing the oil and filters and setting the mixture and timing at my mates fully equiped workshop.

* Known in the trade as an 'Italian tune-up'

 

[cosmicbike]

Love an Italian tune up, though my 27 year old Volvo does sound strained at 4500rpm, I've not dared redline it. Always worth doing on the warm up run to her MOT, blow the cobwebs out.

 

[figbat]

My old 205 was the cause of one of my most satisfying problem-solving interventions. In cold weather it would run rough and then cut out at almost the same point on my commute every day. After cutting out it would restart and be fine for the rest of the journey. I decided it must be carb-icing and systematically worked my way from air intake to carbs.

There was an automatic inlet air heating setup which used vacuum to operate a valve on the inlet to draw air from over the exhaust manifold (or somewhere warm) when cold. It turned out the diaphragm in this vacuum valve had failed - 20 minutes to replace it and it was fixed. I was dead chuffed with that. From memory it was the only thing that went wrong with it.

I was inspired to consider carb icing by my experience in the Air Cadets, where at age 17 I had completed a gliding proficiency course in a powered glider called a Slingsby Venture, which used an aero-derived VW engine. There was a ‘carb icing’ control in the cockpit which had been explained to me early on, along with the causes, symptoms and consequences of carb icing.

 

[Deleted User]

Coming along nicely......

 

[tyred]

Pamela's would do 80 in 3rd, we were going up north (her family were from Blackburn) and hit a contraflow on the M1 which slowed traffic to about 25mph for 1/2 a mile then slowly sped up til we cleared it after a couple of miles more and went back up to cruising speed, after a few miles she said "why is the car making a funny noise" and so I turned the Cassette down to have a listen (I'd just given the car a full service) then asked her why she was still in 3rd gear. to be fair we'd been nattering whilst in the contraflow, just the normal stuff like "look at that dickhead" and "Why is he changing lanes when the signs said stay in lane" etc. and the speed had very gradually built up to about 50 when the roadworks finished so she had been a bit distracted.
mind you the car enjoyed it, it was running like a sewing machine after that good 'blow through'* and me changing the oil and filters and setting the mixture and timing at my mates fully equiped workshop.

* Known in the trade as an 'Italian tune-up'

The TU3 series of engines seem to thrive on revs. They're not a refined engine by any means but they really rev out and appreciate being driven like that. I've hot 60 in 3rd often but have never tried for any more although it would do more. I suspect the 1124cc engine would safely rev a little higher than the 1360cc as they usually find the extra capacity by lengthening the stroke.

It is the one thing that I noticed in the Skoda (the 3 cylinder 1200cc engine) is that it just doesn't want to rev. It's all about low down torque which can be relaxing in some circumstances but I would prefer a wider power band. VW seem to have made a small petrol engine with the power characteristics of a N/A diesel I suppose it's easier driven around town.

 

[gbb]

Had the wheel off my car Sunday, check the actual condition of my pads (recently given an MOT advisory) and check the actual diameter of the discs to make sure i get the right pads.
Discs look ok
Pads are sitting at around 5mm.
2015 car, 68k miles, still on the original pads .