Today I hate...

[tinweevil]

.. the golf just a little bit less. I've really not enjoyed owning it as I've said on here more than once. Dull to drive and every VW garage I've visited has been manned by incompetent poss tots. However, credit where it's due.<br>
<br>
Last night as I accelerated out of the M6 toll the Golf started misfiring horribly. It lost a lot of it's pull and the economy guage started dropping like a stone, felt like it was pulling on 3. I stopped at the next services and looked for the obvious under the bonnet. I should have spent a bit longer doing that but saw a Spitfire leaving so jumped back in a set off in pursuit. <br>
<br>
Anyway, the misfire came and went all the way to Luton where as I inched through the roadworks it settled in to stay. The car burped and farted it's was down to Kens where I lighened the load a tiny bit. Prawn that I am I decided to exit London on the A12 East instead of going back North the short distance to the M25. I didn't know the A12 had traffic lights every 100 meters <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :( --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... /frown.gif ALT=":("><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> With all those stops by the time I got to the motorway I really was expecting the car to expire any second. It ran best at 3000 tho so a certain amount of lead right foot made the best of a bad situation. I could not believe the number of cars I was overtaking and leaving at the lights with an engine that sounded like it was about to show me a conrod.<br>
<br>
Once back on the motorway I settled down at 3k and rumbled loudly home. Still got 70 and passed a lot of healthy cars nailed to the middle lane.<br>
<br>
So, first thing this morning I pop open the dizzy to check for the obvious. Nowt there. Next I pull the leads one at a time with the engine running. 1 and 4 nearly stall it, 2 makes a bit of difference and 3 does almost nothing, that'll be it then. I was just about to turn the engine off when I realised what I'd felt and put my hand back on the no3 lead. I could feel it moving. Out with the plugs. 2 and 3 were loose and here's another entry for the sparkplug hall of horrors (3 on the left, 4 on the right):<br>
<br>
<!--EZCODE IMAGE START--><img src="http://www.tinweevil.plus.com/images/PlugsReduced.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END--><br>
<br>
Wonder how much damage the missing bits did on their way out? And who didn't tighten them properly? The good 'ol boys in yellow when a mate borrowed the car for a few months and it broke down on him twice.<br>
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Anyway, well done Golf, the 16v engine is a tough 'un. I treated you badly and still you got me home.<br>
<br>
All the same I have had the AA out to the Golf more times than for the entire rest of my fleet <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START : --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/im ... ohwell.gif ALT=":"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
Including previous cars. <br>
And breakdowns in other peoples cars.<br>
<br>
Tinweevil

<p>1978 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/704">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1972 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/754">Spitfire IV</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1968 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/705">GT6 II</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1973 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/755">Dolomite Sprint</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
1980 <!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.triumphowners.com/864">Dolomite 1500HL</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br>
39 anorak points on the Nicholas scale<br>
</p><i></i>

[PurpleBargeKen]

Hi TW,<br>
<br>
So that would be the plug with the new micro-electrodes then. I've never seen anything like that before - quite impressive really. They are tough old engines aren't they. Good to hear you got back ok from sunny Edmonton.<br>
<br>
Ken

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