Making it reliable

[edison_GTI]

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

[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!

[edison_GTI]

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!

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.

[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.

[edison_GTI]

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.

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

[pfcs]

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.