Rob's DIESEL VW Polo Build thread

[robchalmers]

good point, the title is a little misleading

but as we speak the car is now in ultra lightweight guise........

I had a little stopping issue in traffic and crumpled the nose. so the car is sitting without headlights, indicators, front bumper, bumper reinforcement bar and grille.

maybe I should rename the thread 'Robs Diesel polo Re-Build thread'??

[320touring]

Originally Posted by robchalmers

good point, the title is a little misleading

but as we speak the car is now in ultra lightweight guise........

I had a little stopping issue in traffic and crumpled the nose. so the car is sitting without headlights, indicators, front bumper, bumper reinforcement bar and grille.

maybe I should rename the thread 'Robs Diesel polo Re-Build thread'??

ouch.hope everyone is ok!
I suppose whilst she is stripped down is the ideal time to look at what mods can be done..

How much weight do you redkon you dould remove practically without damagingmots usability?that way whatever aero mods you do wont add to the overall weight. Now might also be time for new fangled lights to reduce draw

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by robchalmers

I had a little stopping issue in traffic and crumpled the nose.

Good wash, bit of t-cut and she'll be fine...

[AJI]

Originally Posted by robchalmers

Mine's not even a turbo!!!!

but i totally agree, the french make some good stuff too though, but i'm very brand-loyal

Heh really? I obviously haven't been paying attention. In that case, yours isn't as quick but will last even longer!

[robchalmers]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Good wash, bit of t-cut and she'll be fine...

yeah, bit difficult explaining to the fuzz.... " yeah well, erm, the focus was stopped...... and i wasn't - untill - well after............."

I'm such a dumb ass - the one downside to the polo is a lack of ABS



@AJI - its not that slow, especially on the mway 60+ is stonking!

[robchalmers]

Right front end rebuilt and 1 daily commute as shake down completed.

items changed:
2head lights
bumper
bumper reinforcement beam
grille

items still to fit
radiator

I was genuinly suprised at the ease with which everything unbolted and the new stuff went on, I've reduced the number of fasteners on the comestic stuff (bumper plastics, grille) but there isn't much room to do a lot more. the front end module that the lights and rad attach to is glass fibre and everything else is structural

[robchalmers]

original slightly battered rad still in play and holding water! bits have some how gon through between vanes and cores missing the vitals it would seem, but gonna change it at the end of the week to be sure

[Arragonis]

A friend of mine stuck some of that Radweld stuff into his Metro (complete with head gasket munching K-series engine) and it ran for 3 years like that.

[320touring]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

A friend of mine stuck some of that Radweld stuff into his Metro (complete with head gasket munching K-series engine) and it ran for 3 years like that.

for the k series you need either k seal or the revised freelander headgasket..kseal has saved my butt a few times but doesnt like being thrashed

Rob, is it worth fitting a smaller rad as Arragonis's thread on temps seems to suggest cold air, warm coolant as the best combo for a diesel?

Must be a smaller rad avail off the shelf for a polo.. Then its just a case of getting the pipes to fit.

[vtec-e]

Originally Posted by 320touring

Any grill pics?

A grille block is what you need. Mine is 90% blocked off without any overheating. granted i'm not hitting 70 on the motorway but it still helps a lot with the warm up.
And the short school runs kill my tanks. I reckon that the 4km runs i do three days a week uses half what i use commuting to work. Which is 330km per week! The cold is a killer thats for sure!

ollie