Making it reliable

My MK3 Golf hasn't been as reliable lately as I thought it would be. The last couple of weekends at the track I had a mechanical problem on Saturday.

First weekend was a intermediate shaft seal that leaked, oil got to the clutch and it started slipping.

The second weekend, the master cylinder failed.

What items should I replace to reduce the chance of not finishing the weekend? I made the car safe, and I thought it was reliable. I was getting ready to make it fast, but I have to go back to the making it reliable step.

Maintenance that has bee done to it in the last eight months:

- Shifter rebuilt
- new tie rods and ends, ball joints
- new control arm bushings
- new valve cover gasket
- new front pads, rotors and brake flush with Motul RBF600
- new timing belt and tensioner
- replaced front and rear crank seal, intermediate shaft seal
- new clutch disc, pressure plate and lightweight flywheel
- new clutch cable with manual adjustment
- oil filter and oil changes, new gas filter, new air filter
- new spark plugs and wires
- new PCV valve and installed catch can
- coolant flush, new expanasion tank and hose flange piece (next to head)
- tranny fluid changed
- new engine and tranny mounts
- vacuum lines replaced and A/C vacuum lines deleted
- EGR deleted
- TB cleaned
- new TT cat back and deleted cat

Thanks, Edison

I'd get rid of the lightweight flywheel-they're failure prone and if they don't fail, you'll fail.

PS-how'd the oil from the intermediate shaft seal make it to the clutch-neat trick!

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Originally Posted by pfcs

I'd get rid of the lightweight flywheel-they're failure prone and if they don't fail, you'll fail.

PS-how'd the oil from the intermediate shaft seal make it to the clutch-neat trick!

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Thanks for the reply. The car, as it is right now, it not an IT build. It is a dedicated track car, I know you guys have a lot of experience racing it on ITB.

There was oil all over the oil pan, I suspect oil got the lower inpection cover (I don't know the exact name for it) and then to the clutch disc.

The reply about the flywheel was tongue-in-cheek because they're illegal in IT-but it seems you know that. A proper lightweight flywheel is reliable.

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Originally Posted by pfcs

The reply about the flywheel was tongue-in-cheek because they're illegal in IT-but it seems you know that. A proper lightweight flywheel is reliable.

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Thank you for bringing it up. The flywheel is a Eurospec unit.

You seem to be on the right track. The key to reliability isn't something that can be put in a large paragraph. Replacing or sevicing any and everything that is failure prone (master cyl/whl cyls, waterpump, wheel bearings); using good judgement about how things are screwed together/mounted or their proximity to things that move or get hot; honoring your gut feeling when you abuse something (when the motor hit 9000rpm when you caught 2nd instead of 4rth, or that off thru the pothole) by doing whatever inspection/rework to CYA from the possible effects of that abuse; keeping good records; being vigilant about the condition of all neccessary electical components and terminations-wiring and problems at terminals seem to fail 1000x more on racecars; and plumbing-don't forget plumbing! and so on and so on.
Probably the best advice I could give would be to purchase a copy of Prepare to Win by Carrol Smith. And if you don't find it an engaging read, then maybe you don't have the passion you need to pursue this sport. I expect you'll find it remarkably interesting and a great resource that answers your question better than any of us could.

I freshen the front end rotating stuff. Axles,wheel bearings, hubs, calipersand hoses, rotors,pads, shox.
Next ,check the fuel pump with a stethascope and fuelpressure guage.It should hum softly, not buzz, like the Mk 2
Then, I double up the electric system. Double wire the fuel pump and ignition power. Those cars go thru a lot of coils, due to wide gaps of the plugs and bad wires, raising the crossover voltage and arcing inside the coil.
Last, I tune it up nice and run a quality synthetic oil, of your choice.
If it runs and the wheels dont fall off,you will have a better time,IMHO
MM

You are eventually going to deal with fusebox and/or harness issues. I'd recommend that you source replacements and go through them visually to make sure that, at the very least, the parts you'll be swapping in don't have any visible cuts, melted insulation, or loose terminals. Putting in a new engine harness will be a pain at the track but chasing issues without one will end your weekend.

K

I think you are on the right track.
Using VW & Boch stuff is best... aftermarket stuff just does not last like the OEM stuff. Even tie rod ends & calipers etc. Don't use the autozone or napa stuff they won't last.
Sometime stuff breaks even with the best preperation possible.
I have found that making sure that you do not overrev especially during downshifting makes a big difference in reliability over a season. Slowing down from a 4th or 5th gear run into a corner that needs second gear normally means that I will double de clutch but I will not go to 3rd gear or the gear in between... something I learned from Nick Ham at the Rolex (5th to 2nd in turn 1 at Daytona)

The #1 thing I have seen with MK3 fuse boxes is the starter wire goes in and out of the fuse box for no reason, and the fuse box fails and there is no juice to the starter.. by pass the fuse box (if it's ok with the GCR). Also had a bunch of bad TPSs all at once(obd2). air flow meters wont set a code when the go bad, just run flat and hesetate. mk4s have more problems with AFMs.

Good luck
Lael

Hey Edison,

A3 gauge cluster took a crap on mine. flashing temp light, speedo didn't work (no biggie), engine light, fuel gauge wandering around...

I replaced the resevior and double checked the wiring before I swapped in the cluster from my daily driver. One of the reasons I bought it, that and it's fun to drive the same car to work. It was all the cluster, they apparently have crappy solder and crack causing shorts all the time. Not that any of that would end your day but it could. Would suck to worry about if it's REALLY an issue or just a bunch of flashing lights. I ended up sending it to a guy in Canada that apparently makes a living fixing A3 clusters because they are that bad.

Jump the VSS to the ECU if you haven't already, it will eventually become an issue.

Put a new Idle Control Valve on it. Mine failed and ruined a whole day at the dyno.

I'm running a spool so rebuilding axles and a spare set is mandatory for each season. Like Beran said stay away from the store bought stuff. I change the oil before every race, and run a checklist of things to tighten. Always torque your own lugs! I barely made it into the pits with 4 wheels in 08' because I relied on someone else "who thought they were tight".:shrug: wheel was trashed and could have been a lot worse.

Oh and check your damn coolant! There might not be anything in there? Some of us remember that brilliant move... Geez :blink:

Thanks again for the reply.

I just actually finished replacing the water pump and flushing the cooling system. I wanted to get rid of the pump with the plastic impeller that came with the car from the factory.

Now that you mentioned the coolant flashing light, I have been having that light for couple of months. The coolant bubble was replaced six months ago with a brand new one. I might take the dash from my spare car and keep it in the spares box just in case.

I buy all my parts from German Auto Parts, and they all should be OEM or OEM German quality like parts.

Tomorrow I'll be replacing the master cylinder, reservoir and flushing the brakes with ATE super blue.

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Originally Posted by chewy8000

Jump the VSS to the ECU if you haven't already, it will eventually become an issue.

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I'm aware of the VSS issue, I guess I'll check the wiring diagram in the Bentley manual and bypass the cluster as you mentioned.

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Originally Posted by chewy8000

....I ended up sending it to a guy in Canada that apparently makes a living fixing A3 clusters because they are that bad.

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Could you give me his info? I swapped my cluster with the spare one and the coolant blinking light is gone.