hi we just picked up a 100,000 mile 91 gt coupe, in pale metallic blue, very nice too.

We wondered if it was a big or expensive job to change the engine mountings, anyone done this without a ramp?

Also it will not start until the various relays and pumps have finished priming the ignition, this can take five seconds wait after turning the ign on. Does this sound like a fuel pressure problem? performance is not sparkly and it has stalled, but it starts instantly and idles nicely enough if you wait for the fuel gubbins to finish priming.

the brakes are shocking, do people use braided hose on these cars?

thanks in advance for any ideas you throw my way

Engine mounts arent too bad. You can support the engine/gearbox and take one off at a time and do them. The hardest one to get at is the rear gearbox mount, as you need to get under the car to take it off.

It sounds like you want to check the fuel pressure as it only takes a second or so to prime normally. Has it got any immobilisor that delays it ?

Yes braided hoses help pedal feel, make sure your rear brakes are adjusted up well and fit vented front discs.

Engine mounts arent too bad. You can support the engine/gearbox and take one off at a time and do them. The hardest one to get at is the rear gearbox mount, as you need to get under the car to take it off.

It sounds like you want to check the fuel pressure as it only takes a second or so to prime normally. Has it got any immobilisor that delays it ?

Yes braided hoses help pedal feel, make sure your rear brakes are adjusted up well and fit vented front discs.

Thanks, I'm guessing the rear mount needs doing first, as it clunks and judders going from first to reverse, pulling out of junctions etc. Quite a lot of vibration through the whole car under acceleration too.

It does have a VW Quantam alarm immobiliser, but this is switched off by a key for now.

vented discs - would i find these as G40 parts? i'll check the rear brakes, the handrake is about five clicks but passed MoT ok.

Is there a simple way to test the fuel system is pressurizing nicely?

Thanks for your help

the brakes will probably improve a lot if you renew the fluid and bleed the system. As well as cleaning up and adjusting the rear drums. G40 vented discs will reduce brake fade as they can get rid of heat better but they wont really make a difference to how well the brakes work when temps are normal. A general overhaul will though.

Also, what are you comparing it with when you say they aren't any good? The brakes on a mk3 polo always take a bit of getting used to, the small servo means you need a fair bit of leg effort.

well, my girflfriend had one a few years ago and says these seem pretty spongy. compared to little cars with little or no servo like say a cinquecento sporting, they seem underservoed and soft to me too. Maybe there's scope for a bigger servo? it has had a brake fluid change a couple of times, but obivously it really needs cleaning up and adjusting after braided hoses and new parts. i'll look into vented discs at the same time.

No for a bigger servo, but a bigger master cylinder isn't a problem. 22mm from Golf Mk2 GTi (16v?) or Passat of that era.