I know it's only a 1.4 8v, but I'm sure I should do slightly better up hills than I do. It can be a struggle to get to 30 if it's fairly steep (and I'm talking on a dual carriageway, albeit a steep one). it's fine in all other situations. It just doesn't like hills And the second I change up then the revs instantly start dropping so I have to drop back down and scream my way up them. What COULD be the cause of this?

I have quite noisy tappets, but that's not really anything to worry about is it? Running 10w-40 part synthetic at the moment and I've got some fully synthetic 5w30 to change to...

Edited 31 January, 201511 yr by mbusby993

it's normal, get used to it haha, fly up in second or struggle in 3rd, mines exactly the same and I live in Yorkshire, so hills are a plenty round here :(

need more info , are you using the gears ? lots of revs in a lower gear should get you up most hills at a okay pace

slightly noisey tappets and oil choice should effect it

Say normally I'd go up the hill in 3rd, it won't really get past 25-30, but if I drop into second I'm doing 4000rpm-ish (sometimes higher) and it's screaming. Doesn't seem good for it? But then other times it might happily do some hills in 4th.

Whenever I'm on hills I lose all of my oomph and everyone will fly past me. It just feels a little too sluggish...

It would affect it? Would changing from the 10w40 to a 5w30 be a good idea then?

it's normal, get used to it haha, fly up in second or struggle in 3rd, mines exactly the same and I live in Yorkshire, so hills are a plenty round here :(

yeah, same in Cornwall. It just feels far too slow. My mates 8v 6n2 doesn't seem quite so sluggish up hills though!

Edited 31 January, 201511 yr by mbusby993

Have you had the ignition timing checked? I remember you saying this was an issue before.

Could also be something like sticky brakes. Does the car roll freely on a flat or down a slight hill?

I'd stick with the 10w-40 oil if I were you. Going for a thinner oil may make the tappets even louder when warm. Plus doesn't VW recommend 10w-40 as standard?

I completely forgot about my ignition timing. >< It does fine down hills or even on flats. Got up to 90 on flat dual carriageway with no problems. It's original top speed is only listed as 99.

Oh really? I had it in my head that it was 5w30 that was better for it! Might have to try and take it back and swap it then. :S

My reg check on ECP came up all 5w30, that's where i got it from...

Edited 31 January, 201511 yr by mbusby993

haha dont trust anything ecp tells you

does sound thin to me , stick with the proper grades 10/40 sounds spot on to me

ECP comes up with 5w-30 for my Polo too. But further down the list you'll get to the 10w-40 oils.

Double check the owners manual or the Haynes but I'd always go for 10w-40.

My car will do 90 with the brakes on. I meant if you stopped the car on a slight incline then just let go of the brakes would it roll down the hill nice and freely?

I remember the harlequin struggled slightly going up a steep hill in St. Ives. But that was with 3 adults, a dog and a weeks worth of camping equipment inside it

But it's perfect every other time as is my 1.0, use 10w40 in both of them.

Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah it will roll back fine. I dont think sticky brakes are the problem. Just went and picked the mrs up from work and it didn't seem to bad. It seems not as bad if I get a good run up to the hill , but if I don't it will draaaaaag itself up.

Does seem noticeably slow though.

I'll take my 5w30 back and get a refund then. Hopefully 10w40 won't cost me much more, bit tight as it is!

While I have an open thread, my gearbox is crunching a fair bit. I had a thread open a While ago about crunching into reverse but it will occasionally do it in low gears too nowadays, or I'll think it's in gear and then it'll grind when I bring the clutch up. Could it be something silly like it needs some more gearbox oil, or Is it likely more than that? Its quite a violent crunch.

Edited 31 January, 201511 yr by mbusby993

Sounds like the clutch maybe isn't disengaging properly. Check you have the right amount of tension in the cable.

Okay, whats the best way to check to check? I always feel so stupid asking things like this haha

probably worn out syncros , check the oil level

I can't remember off the top of my head where you check gearbox oil. Is it somewhere obvious? I'll check the clutch as well.

The "Fill/Level" port is on the front face of the gearbox 17mm allen key required, keep pumping the oil (75W90) in till it dribbles out

or consider draining and re filling it

May drain and refill. Typically, how much would it take to refill, and how much of a pain to do is it? Not keen to repeat my tensioner fun.

not too bad to do , it stinks bad though so wear gloves

make sure you have the 17mm allen key socket its not something youd find in most tool kits

17mm allen socket - I've used a two 17mm nuts locked against each other on end of a wheel bolt. The wheel bolt head then acts as the key when loosening you turn the inner nut with a spanner. When tightening spanner on outer nut.

The drain plug is on the diff casing under the passenger side drive shaft, again 17mm hex key, capacity is 3.1 or 2.7L depending on gearbox code & build date, but just keep pouring it in till it dribbles out (car on level ground)

get yourself a haynes and be carefull what you undo , theres a couple of bolts on the gearbox that bad stuff happens if you indo those by mistake

I've got a 17mm hex key, but it's quite rusty so I might pick one up.

So 3 litres would be a good shout. Where's the gearbox code noted? Because it might be worth working out which I'll need first. Would be a pain to need 3.1 litres and run slightly short.

If it helps the build date was March 99

get yourself a haynes and be carefull what you undo , theres a couple of bolts on the gearbox that bad stuff happens if you indo those by mistake

Got a Haynes so I'll give it a rigorous read through and not touch anything until I know for sure what I'm loosening. Hoping the oil might cure it.

The gearbox code will be on the paper sticker in the boot (if it's still there) or it's etched on the mounting flange of the gearbox between the top two bolts. As yours is a later 6N it should (in theory) be the 2.7L capacity

The sticker's still there, that's how i got my paint code. I'll have a look tomorrow. :)

remember they never drain 100% so if its the 3.1ltr id guess that at least a few 100 ml will stay in there

fully syn oils tend to help with crunches on cold days...although dont expect it to cure it