electrics
How to check the Coolant (Water) Temperature Gauge
(Clicking on a photo will bring up a larger image on screen)
Normal operation is for the coolant warning indicator light to flash a few times when you turn the ignition key to the ‘ON’ position and then go off. Once the car is started and the engine warms up, the needle should gradually move to the right. How far right, depends upon the condition of the cooling system – thermostat operating correctly, correct concentration and level of coolant, type of driving, etc.
The ‘temperature sender’ (for the fuel injected Mk2) is located on the top of › Continue reading
Changing Instrument Console Warning Lamp
Carefully ease up the lugs on each of the wiring plug holders and slide them back to release them from the console. Leave the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) attached.
How to replace Steering Lock & Housing
Unfortunately, this job had to be done after the car was a victim of an attempted theft, but this applies if you are changing your locks for whatever reason. In true Scirocco Register style, the procedure is documented here..
Suitable for both Mk1 and Mk2 vehicles.
Tools required:
24mm socket & ratchet
deep 22mm socket for hitting things
Medium flat blade screwdriver
Small philips screwdriver
Molegrips
Allen key – 6mm (I think)
hammer/weighty object.
Parts required:
Steering lock housing (VW: 155 905 851)
steering lock barrel (VW: 191 905 855)
Materials required:
LM Grease or similar
100mm cable tie
Fix your MFA
If none of the functions of the MFA work, including the clock:
The first step is to disconnect the earth at the battery and then re-connect it. This serves to clear and reset the computer memories.
Then check the fuse and whether other electrical items on the circuit work. If they are all ok, then there is either an interruption in the power supply or the earth to the MFI unit, or a break in the printed circuit or the unit is faulty.
To check for a power supply connect a voltmeter to the battery live connection to the dash, not forgetting to connect the negative lead of the voltmeter to a good earth.
You can check this without removing the instrument panel cluster.
Mk2 Scirocco buying guide pt2
Engines
Engines are shared with thousands of other vehicles from the VAG range, so are of good pedigree and long lasting. The straight four 8-valve Scirocco engine can run well into 100,000 miles before a major overhaul is necessary. Long life is made easier by regular oil and filter changes (around every 5000 miles). Oil filters should have a non return valve -genuine VW filters always do.
GTX
Bottom ends are extremely strong and only fail in isolated cases. The cylinder heads are similarly hard wearing but can often suffer from valve-stem oil seal failure, identified by blue tinted smoke from the exhaust. Mk2′s until mid 1984 have solid lifter tappets which can make their presence known by become noisy and clattery, regular oil changes will help to keep them in check but adjustment or replacement is possible with the right tools. Post mid 1984 the tappets were hydraulic. The Cambelt should be checked every 5000 miles and replaced every 60,000 miles. Maintenance is fairly straightforward with most service parts easily accessed. The cylinder head and oil sump can be removed with the engine in situ. Routine servicing should be carried out around every 6000 miles.
Check all coolant items. The radiator should be in good shape with little damage to the fins and not leaking. All hoses should be free of splits. Hoses are easy to obtain and replace. Water pumps are usually hard wearing but can fail, look for telltale crystalised coolant around the outlets and coolant weeping. Thermostats are located at the bottom of the water pump. Antifreeze should contain corrosion inhibitors and be used all year round, with flushing and refilling every three to five years depending on vehicle usage.
Exhaust
Up until mid 1984, exhaust manifolds are connected to a downpipe via six bolts, ensuring that replacing a downpipe is fairly straightforward. Post mid 1984 VW decided to clamp the manifold in place with two clips, which can be a nightmare to replace without the correct tool. Genuine VW systems are long lasting and the system itself consists of a downpipe, a middle box, an over-pipe that clears the rear axle and a rear box. Connections, clamps and rubber hangers ensure easy replacement. Manifolds do have a reputation for cracking but this may be exaggeration in practice.
Transmission and Drive Gear
The four and five speed rod-change gearboxes are well documented to be very hardwearing. Synchromesh can be a tad stiff with first and second gears from cold but should be ok once the car has warmed up. If persistent, a gearbox rebuild may be on the cards. Sloppy gear change can be rectified by replacing the nylon bushes that are at the pivot points of the selector rods. This is an easy DIY job. Clutches can last beyond 70,000 miles and well into 100,000 miles. A slipping clutch will be the most obvious sign that it needs replacing but a crunchy reverse selection may be a sign of poor clutch adjustment. › Continue reading
How to get power from your Fuse Box
Thankfully a lot of the empty relay slots have access to useful circuits.
Permanant live (AKA Circuit 30)
Relay 1 pin 2 (unfused)
Relay 2 Pin 2 (unfused)
Relay 5 pin 4 -via fuse 1 (radiator fan 30A)
Switched Live (AKA Circuit 15)
Relay 2 pin 4 (unfused)
Relay 3 Pin 5 (unfused)
Relay 4 Pin 4 (unfused)
Relay 6 pin 4 – via fuse 18 (various shit 10A or 15A)
Relay 7 pin 2 – this is acutally x-relief so goes off during cranking.
Relay 2 is mostly used by fuel pump relay, or carb manifold heater relay, but if you’ve got a conversion this may be free.
Relay 6 is for the dual horns, so poverty spec cars will just have a jumper.
Relay 7 is for front fogs, so if you’ve binned the lights, you can use the relay slot for something else.
The rest are mostly used, unless you don’t have wipers 
Other useful stuff that appears on the empty relay slots are listed below:
Relay 2 pin 7 goes live when the starter is engaged.
Relay 2 pin 5 and Relay 4 pin 1 both have a strobed feed from the coil, good for aftermarket tachos or shift lights.
You can use the multiple earth points to the right of the fusebox for grounding all your electrical toys, but if you want more, here’s the earth connections for all the relays:
Relay 1 Pin 1
Relay 2 Pin 1
Relay 3 Pin 6
Relay 4 Pin 6
Relay 5 Pin 1
Relay 6 Pin 2 (not always connected)
Relay 7 Pin 1
Relay 8 Pin 1
Relay 10 pin 4
Relay 11 Pin 4
Relay 12 Pin 4
Obviously the last 4 or 5 won’t be available to you, unless you’re getting creative with the wiring.
Contributor: Forum user SkyRocketeer