Lowering won't make any difference, unless you disturbed anything while working in the bay area ??

I didn't think it should have, definitely seems more erratic since yesterday though. A thought's just occurred, the cat on it is possibly on its way out and it may have had a bit of a knock when I got it stuck on the way out of the unit, would that affect anything?

You might of damaged the cat, but you had the same symptoms before you lowered it? see what happens after you do the TB alignment

Similar, it would just occasionally idle high. But since yesterday it now hunts and idles a bit higher still. Don't know how to share a video here, but I think I've damaged something in the exhaust system. Listen for the clunk as the car starts...

https://vimeo.com/154792964

Doesn't sound too bad, maybe a slight blow somewhere in the system ?

I think the back box could do with replacing, but as the cat is possibly less than great it might be worth looking at doing the whole exhaust.

I can't work out what the clunk is, and it seems to be banging about when driving. Lowering the car possibly brought the exhaust close to the beam?

There is a mounting point just forward of the axle, that might of failed and it's sitting on the bracket accross the central tunnel

Thanks, I'll see if I can get it in the air tomorrow and have a look! It sounds somewhat like a brackets gone and it's bouncing off the beam or something.

If it's new exhaust time I'd be very tempted to get a nice 4 branch and decent system for it.

Did a couple more bits today. My sidelights were a bit ropey so I thought I'd upgrade them. Bought an LED, thinking it was going to be brighter with a hint of blue. Turns out it's literally just a blue LED. I can't return it so might as well get my money's worth. Doesn't look quite as garish with dipped beam on.

Took a scene pic.

Got two new tyres fitted in the morning, now on 175/50's all round. Tapped the coilovers up a tiny bit. It's now at a height I'm fairly happy with, doesn't rub except over bumps. Don't think I can have anyone in the back at any point though. Don't want to raise it up any more. I've also wired my sub up so now the audio is a little better all round. While the car was in the tyre bay I tried to have a look at the exhaust brackets but the car wasn't really high enough, exhaust moves from side to side if you give it a wiggle. Not really sure other than that. Could possibly be the bushes, or the top mounts. Not really sure.

I'd watch out with those blue lights mate the pigs are picking up on them now man! I had number plate lights in blue and got pulled! Then a week later I saw someone else get pulled for having the same dip Beam lights as you just a heads up man! :)

Other than that nice motor man!!

I didn't realise they were that blue when I paid for them. With dipped beam on they're not really noticeable... I can't return them so I might as well get my 7 quids worth.

Thanks though!

No picture, but I thought I'd binned my clutch on Friday night as I lost all my gears. Turned out the clutch cable had just slacked itself to the point where it disconnected, tightened it back and up and now the clutch feels better. Also seems most of my clutch noise has gone, so must have just been too loose. Keeping an eye on it now to check it doesn't slacken again.

That cable was a pain in the arse to fit, it didn't seem to have much slack to be able to get onto the arm and I didn't want to risk over adjusting it and wearing the release bearing, I'm not experienced with those spring type mechanisms and the manual didn't help so I just tightened it so there was still movement in the arm, no idea how it could have come that loose though judging by how difficult it was to get on!

It might just be inferior though so you can always put the old one back on, I left it in the boot just in case, and its actually easier to get at than on a mk2!

Gearbox went last night, so that was fun. Lots of whining and smoke as it lost its oil everywhere. Had to be recovered by the AA on Valentine's Day. Now looking for a replacement cable change gearbox.

That's why I refuse to buy a 6N again, went through 4 boxes till I had enough. Sorry to hear mate.

Not sure if I binned it off by lowering the car. Not sure how strong the box was in the first place. Had a bit of noise from the bay but couldn't work out if it was clutch noise or gearbox noise. Yesterday there was a lot of whining so I pulled over and there was smoke everywhere as it had p*ssed out all it's oil etc. I'm hoping the new one will last longer. Spent a bit extra on the car as it's solid and was hoping that by spending a bit more I'd have a reliable daily til I get the Golf done. Turns out I'm having too much poor luck for that to be the case.

Found another DXJ this morning, should hopefully be running again by the end of the week. Then I'll be raising it up a bit, just as a precaution to try and take some of the strain off the box. Shame, cos I was really enjoying the car but now I imagine I'm gonna be quite paranoid of the box all the time.

A lot is caused by lowering, time and time again I was told by the garage that the extra strain/force pushing down causes the gearbox to crap it's self.

Yeah, that's what I've heard from a couple of people. Extra strain on the driveshafts. It's the diff bearings that have gone in this box it seems, it was a bit whiney and I think I may have just finished it off.

But then Steven said none of his lowered ones ever blew a box and Mark's (R10tz0r) was low for 9 years and the box on that lasted much longer. So who knows, maybe it was just time for that box to go.

I'll be raising it up a bit nonetheless, can't afford any more problems. Wish I'd not bothered with coilovers in hindsight and just put the 15's on and some lowering springs or something.

Doesn't help with them being made out of chocolate. The best way around it is go to an experienced independent gearbox specialist, he'd be able to strip it all down, replace the bearings with much stronger ones and generally upgrade the weaker parts of the box for peace of mind.

Remember seeing an old fella whose been repairing gearboxes for 40+ years on wheeler dealers who was working on a weak gearbox and he talked about the issue and what caused the failing of the box and his part corrected it.

Just putting another box on for now from a breaker and even that's costing me half what I bought the car for. Meant to be a runaround that needed no knew thrown at it while I finished the Golf. Bit bummed, hoping nothing else goes wrong after this.

Looks awesome!

Thanks, she does look good now at least.

I think all of these are at the age now that if the Gearbox hasn't been reconditioned and made stronger then it is not a case of if the gearbox will go but when.

As I told you though none of my lowered ones ever blew a gearbox, but I did buy one with a blown gearbox that was totally standard.

But I hope once this new gearbox is in it will last you a while and you can enjoy the car as they are great little machines when they are working. I loved all mine :)

Yeah I just want it back for now. My poor run of luck has swung me back in the direction of just getting the mk2 fixed up and roadworthy and putting that back on the road. Needs some welding and some paint and hopefully that'll be that. Got a few little bits before it'll be ready so I'll at least have the Valver for a while longer.

Just got sent this...