Buying my 1st Scirocco

[fromaHond2avw]

Hi Sciroccos guys!

New guy here.. I have always been a Honda guy but spotted a silver 88 2.0 16v for sale local.. Guy took my offer on the car for $1400 and will be picking up later this week. Has 164k and the owner said that the timing belt should be changed.

Question - Parts easy to find? Upkeep about as normal as any other car?

TIA

[vwdaun]

Hi Sciroccos guys!

New guy here.. I have always been a Honda guy but spotted a silver 88 2.0 16v for sale local.. Guy took my offer on the car for $1400 and will be picking up later this week. Has 164k and the owner said that the timing belt should be changed.

Question - Parts easy to find? Upkeep about as normal as any other car?

TIA

Welcome and congrats!

Timing belt is imperative. If it breaks you'll need anything from a few intake valves to a whole new engine. While you're replacing the timing belt, also change the tensioner and the passenger side engine mount. The mounts especially are weak spots on these cars - you'll probably want to change at least the front and rears too - they're pretty easy. (Passenger side will need pressed into the bracket.)

Step one btw: Get yourself a Bentley manual. There are other manuals out there, but nothing even comes close to the Bentley - it's very complete. eBay / Amazon etc are likely good places to go shopping.

Parts. I would suggest www.germanautoparts.com and www.parts4vws.com. Mechanical parts aren't too bad to come by for the most part, (a few 16v specific bits are scarce) but the Scirocco-specific bits (trim, body panels etc) are pretty much a "find it in the classifieds" thing. The Scirocco is built on the A1 chassis, so most mechanicals will interchange with the Rabbit / Cabriolet / 1st generation GTI.

Mark your calender for the 1st weekend of June, and rule #1 in the Scirocco forum is of course post some pics of the new ride!

[sciroccojim]

Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the club.

No american market Scirocco ever had a two liter motor, so the mileage on the motor is probably something totally different than that of the odometer.

That said, vwdaun's advice is right on. I'll add that you should change the front crank and cam seals while doing the timing belt (maybe even the intermediate shaft seal, as well). It's a good opportunity to fix a couple of oil leaks.

No need to do the water pump, as it's not driven by the timing belt like a Honda is.

Upkeep on a well-sorted Scirocco is minimal. A car in disprepair can be a headache. Keep in mind the fact that these are not as ubiquitous as Hondas, so it's a little more likely that it hasn't been maintained by someone with VW experience. They're rock solid and reliable for the most part, but a little more quirky than Hondas. The offset is that they have more personality.

I'd suggest a Honda as a daily over the Scirocco, though.

[OorsciroccO]

Welcome to the never seen but most beautiful VW club.

[Michael Bee]

Great s/n.

Post pics once you get it!

[83mk2scirocco]

Those parts are ezee pezee to get.
Oh, welcome to family,.
Any pics for updates.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VW-Passat-Go...4c861a&vxp=mtr

[83mk2scirocco]

Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the club.

No american market Scirocco ever had a two liter motor, so the mileage on the motor is probably something totally different than that of the odometer.

That said, vwdaun's advice is right on. I'll add that you should change the front crank and cam seals while doing the timing belt (maybe even the intermediate shaft seal, as well). It's a good opportunity to fix a couple of oil leaks.

No need to do the water pump, as it's not driven by the timing belt like a Honda is.

Upkeep on a well-sorted Scirocco is minimal. A car in disprepair can be a headache. Keep in mind the fact that these are not as ubiquitous as Hondas, so it's a little more likely that it hasn't been maintained by someone with VW experience. They're rock solid and reliable for the most part, but a little more quirky than Hondas. The offset is that they have more personality.

I'd suggest a Honda as a daily over the Scirocco, though.

Ok when you get your scirocco look at the casting on the back of the engine block.
No biggie if you got the 2.0,it was commonly seen in 93 ish passats, and in mk2 GTI/Golf,but
the birth of those was the 1.8,which was stock engine for the option bought scirocco.
I am using one in mine.

[vwdaun]

That said, vwdaun's advice is right on. I'll add that you should change the front crank and cam seals while doing the timing belt (maybe even the intermediate shaft seal, as well). It's a good opportunity to fix a couple of oil leaks.

I will also add an additional note of caution here - to do the crank seal requires you to remove the crank gear. Unless you have the proper tools and can follow the procedure correctly you can invite a headache just as bad as a broken timing belt. The crank gear ***MUST*** be torqued correctly or it can start getting a little play as the engine runs, and then the keyway shears, and then you have infinately variable timing. Valve, meet Piston.

[fromaHond2avw]

Lots of helpful info, thanks everyone. The owner said he used a 2.0 block and 1.8 head. Car also has a euro cam. I hope to get the car towed to me later this week and will bring to my friends to detail. Will post some photos when cleaned up.

[sciroccohal]

So my buddy who HAS BEEN a VW guy for a number of years calls me up one day and says;

" Do you want all my Scirocco parts?" Sure I say! He says bring a pick-up. After loading it to the brim...I ask him, "why are you getting out of Sciroccos?"

Well! I'm getting into Hondas...you see, when VW bolts something together, VW uses 6 bolts.....Honda uses 3....a lot easier to work on.

Fast forward two years....

Him; Hey Hal, got any of those Scirocco parts left?"
Me; Sure, come and get what you need, but...you told me you were bailing on Srocks.

"True enough he says....but I'm getting BACK into VW's".
Why says I

Him...."you know Honda only uses 3 bolts to hold things together, VW uses 6.....dang Honda's keep falling apart!"

Welcome to the real world my boy!

Check your fart can at the door!

[83mk2scirocco]

So my buddy who HAS BEEN a VW guy for a number of years calls me up one day and says;

" Do you want all my Scirocco parts?" Sure I say! He says bring a pick-up. After loading it to the brim...I ask him, "why are you getting out of Sciroccos?"

Well! I'm getting into Hondas...you see, when VW bolts something together, VW uses 6 bolts.....Honda uses 3....a lot easier to work on.

Fast forward two years....

Him; Hey Hal, got any of those Scirocco parts left?"
Me; Sure, come and get what you need, but...you told me you were bailing on Srocks.

"True enough he says....but I'm getting BACK into VW's".
Why says I

Him...."you know Honda only uses 3 bolts to hold things together, VW uses 6.....dang Honda's keep falling apart!"

Welcome to the real world my boy!

Check your fart can at the door!

There you go hal isnt always mean.

[83mk2scirocco]

I will also add an additional note of caution here - to do the crank seal requires you to remove the crank gear. Unless you have the proper tools and can follow the procedure correctly you can invite a headache just as bad as a broken timing belt. The crank gear ***MUST*** be torqued correctly or it can start getting a little play as the engine runs, and then the keyway shears, and then you have infinately variable timing. Valve, meet Piston.

When you are ready to do the belt ,between the search and us it will get done.
i have my 9a on the ground and can show it bare,

[83mk2scirocco]

Lots of helpful info, thanks everyone. The owner said he used a 2.0 block and 1.8 head. Car also has a euro cam. I hope to get the car towed to me later this week and will bring to my friends to detail. Will post some photos when cleaned up.

People claim the 2.0 head is for acelleration,and the 1.8 head is for top end.
You have the ideal head.
I could be backwards on the head bit,but you still have the better head.