Various topics discussed. All linked to by the same user.
This thread is being linked to under various sections of the FAQ as the info is all together.

Enjoy!

EDIT: Yes I know some pic links aren't working...I'm sorry. Please talk to the original poster DomozitoLK) to discuss.

Quote, originally posted by DomozitoLK »
My steering wheel is making a scratchy or gritty noise when I turn the wheel...what's going on?

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>yes exactly....it sounds just like sand paper on plastic!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's a combination of shavings from the horn contact (net enough lubricant or grease) and dust and dirt. If you feel confident in taking off the wheel...clean off the dust and dirt and shavings, and grease the horn contact and the ring behind the steering wheel with a light coat of 3M Dielectric Tune-Up Grease (part no. 051135-08770). I got mine at the dealer for maybe $5.00 This should clear up that problem at least until it's time for another greasing and cleaning.

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Enabling Rear Fog Light on US-Spec Mk3 Golf

http://cabrios.20m.com/tuning/lighting_rearfog.htm

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Cheap tail light tinting or smoking

Use 1/8" black pinstripe tape (available in most auto parts stores, I got mine at either PepBoys or Kragen) and tape over the area of the tail light you want smoked. With a steady hand and even spacing...you can simulate the look of what the factory does on it's GTI smoked tail lights. I did this on the top half of my GTI lights to make the orange signals less orange and also to the lower half of my clear tails now to make the bottom look more smoked red.

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Mk3 Cigarette Lighter fix

Cigarette lighter not working and you checked all your fuses? Did you really check all of them? <IMG NAME="icon" SRC="http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/biggrin.gif" BORDER="0"> There is another sneaky fuse on top of the fuse box under black electrical tape. Drop the fuse box down. Remove the electrical tape and there is a 15 amp fuse there. Replace it with a new one and retape it to secure the fuse (it's kinda loose in the socket).

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PIAA Ion Crystal and MaxGold bulbs are good yellow bulbs for fogs and headlights

Yellow headlights are legal under California Vehicle Code #25950

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>25950. This section applies to the color of lamps and to any
reflector exhibiting or reflecting perceptible light of 0.05 candela
or more per foot-candle of incident illumination. Unless provided
otherwise, the color of lamps and reflectors upon a vehicle shall be
as follows:
(a) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from
all reflectors, visible from in front of a vehicle, shall be white or
yellow, except as follows:
(1) Rear side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show red
to the front.
(2) The color of foglamps described in Section 24403 may be in the
color spectrum from white to yellow.
(b) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from
all reflectors, visible from the rear of a vehicle, shall be red
except as follows:
(1) Stoplamps on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1979, may
show yellow to the rear.
(2) Turn signal lamps may show yellow to the rear.
(3) Front side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show
yellow to the rear.
(4) Backup lamps shall show white to the rear.
(5) The rearward facing portion of any front-mounted double-faced
turn signal lamp may show amber to the rear while the headlamps or
parking lamps are lighted, if the intensity of the light emitted is
not greater than the parking lamps and the turn signal function is
not impaired.
(6) Reflectors meeting the requirements of and installed in
accordance with Section 24611 shall be red or white, or both.
(c) All lamps and reflectors visible from the front, sides, or
rear of a vehicle, except headlamps, may have any unlighted color,
provided the emitted light from all lamps or reflected light from all
reflectors complies with the required color. Except for backup
lamps, the entire effective projected luminous area of lamps visible
from the rear or mounted on the sides near the rear of a vehicle
shall be covered by an inner lens of the required color when the
unlighted color differs from the required emitted light color.
Taillamps, stoplamps, and turn signal lamps that are visible to the
rear may be white when unlighted on vehicles manufactured before
January 1, 1974.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc25950.htm

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=81553414052+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve

PIAA Ion Crystal (H3):

Max Gold (H7) http://www.autoi.com/ :

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>definitely the Piaa Ions. IMHO they seem to have better light output and a more useful color than the Osram All-Weahters and the Yellowstars. I've had all 3 bulbs in my log fogs............

[By 1a3trek, 5:59 PM 12-12-2002]


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

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GIAC (Garrett) chips is one of the best performing chips out there, dyno proven:

http://cabrios.20m.com/tuning/1997_cabrio_dyno_results.htm

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Various manufacturers camshaft specs for 2.0L 8v motors:

http://cabrios.20m.com/tuning/camshaft.htm

https://www.techtonicstuning.com/cams.asp

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Mk3 VR6 spring and shock combos will fit 2.0L cars if you use the VR6 strut bearings and bushings

• Waterpumper has a VR6 H&R Cup Kit 60/40 on his Cabrio
• I have a VR6 Weitec TX 50/50 on my Cabrio

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Can I see an ABD Big-Bore Intake / or is it worth it?

Here's my standard repsonse when these topics come up. It was discussed recently on 10/28/2002:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=562066

It makes the throttle response snappier and the air flows better through the midrange and top end. If you expect to see huge gains on a dyno printout, it's not going to happen. But if you want to help the overall picture of tuning your intake, along with a cam and other stuff to let your motor breathe better, then it does help. The sum of all your tuning parts are what's going to make you power, not just a couple pieces here and there.

Many people also have fitment issues as the intake sits too close to the shock tower. I easily remedied the situation by apoxying a small rubber foot where the intake meets the tower...viola! No more rattling.

I like mine...don't think it's worthless at all.

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Headers and exhaust systems 2.5" diameter and larger are NOT too big for properly tuned 2.0L 8v motors and do NOT take away your torque. This is Vortex myth.

It actually allows good flow past 3,000rpm in conjunction with an intake, cam, cam gear and chip. Some of the stronger 2.0L's on here have 2.5" exhausts and/or headers and aren't lacking in torque or power.

It does make the exhaust tone very deep and bassy. The absence of quality mufflers are what make the exhaust noisy, not diameter. Diameter effects tone, not volume. I have a 2.8" exhaust, it has 3 straight-thru mufflers to keep it quiet (forward, center suitcase and rear), but it still let's itself be heard at WOT. I have plenty of low end torque and great gains throughout the powerband.

http://cabrios.20m.com/graphics/brandonscab_dynorun_102001.jpg

http://cabrios.20m.com/tuning/1997_cabrio_dyno_results.htm

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What headers are available for the Mk3 2.0L 8v?

This topic seems to comes up all the time. I am still hunting for either better shots or from manufacturers I am missing, like Toucan Industries/Ractive or a nicer looking Brospeed/Bosal unit than the used rusty one from eBay. If you guys have any others, please contact me at: domozitolk@earthlink.net or IM me here on Vortex. I am compiling these for my website.

As a general rule when choosing a header, the 4-2-1 header is good for midrange and topend gains, while the 4-1 header are good for topend gains only.

Oh well...here they are:

Brospeed 8v

COX Motorsport 8v header (Japan)

Hartmann Motorsport 8v

Neuspeed 8v

OBX Racing Sport 8v

Oettinger 16v (but Mk3 8v is listed in ad)

S&S 8v

Supersprint 8v


[Modified by DomozitoLK, 11:57 AM 12-13-2002]