B3 Passat GT - 1990

puzzlement13

RMS Regular
Messages
601
Location
Belfast
After painting my other car (Seat Arosa) and having drove it for 2 years, I wanted something quicker!
Especially while I learn about doing/ trying the engine swap on the Arosa, I thought I'd take that of the road, and get a new daily.






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A friend had the Passat and I loved it, so when she decided to sell, I got it :grinning:
It had an engine swap before we bought it, to mk3 gti 2.0 16v ABF, which has made things difficult to fit!

From when I have had it, Ive done/replaced;

Alternator belt x6 - Currently on the 6th, finally being the right size! ... I hope.
Water pump
Service
Coolant change
Radiator
Front Brakes - Need to find callipers
Timing Belt
Rear wheel bearings - Which have now gone again after 1k... :/
Oil Filter gasket
Oil cooler seal
Random Coolant hoses
And some other bits and bobs, but I cant think.
Took the car to Cork for V.A.G.E, had a slight hiccup as in it started cutting out, well it did it once when we arrived, done it for a short time after, seems to be something with the isv, have eliminated everything else! Cleaned the isv and it hasn't cut out, but sometimes the revs will bounce until turned off and on again!

Anyway, I put the lenso's on, for a little while.
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Mods too date;
Red strip around the bumpers
Zenders on - Uniroyal rainsports on
Headunit
Sub
Sun visors from a B4 - Sprayed black
Moon roof from a B4 - Not working properly yet, had to take some parts from orignal rooof, but the rail clicker thing on one side has snapped, so need to find another sunroof - that isnt broken!
Roof rails & bars
US Rear tub - to be fitted this week!
And really just a clean :grinning:
 

Dub_cub 89

RMS Regular
Messages
2,599
Location
Norn iorn
Drives
Evo 6 / cbr400rr
Woah! Just took me back to my childhood, felt like I was 8 years old for a second or two there :grinning: very nice. Htd

Needs spacers and lows (y)
 

puzzlement13

RMS Regular
OP
puzzlement13
Messages
601
Location
Belfast
Woah! Just took me back to my childhood, felt like I was 8 years old for a second or two there :grinning: very nice. Htd

Needs spacers and lows (y)

Thanks!
It's great to drive! Have spotted one more on the road, that's been it :worried:
Yeah I did have spacers in, but with the 50 profile and extra weight from the trip with friends it was scrubbing like mad :worried:
Will fit them again once they're away home lol
 

Tommy

RMS Regular
Messages
1,579
Drives
Volvo
I used to see this car outside a T-shirt printing shop on High street.
 

puzzlement13

RMS Regular
OP
puzzlement13
Messages
601
Location
Belfast
I used to see this car outside a T-shirt printing shop on High street.

Yeah that's me, parked outside work!

Awesome. I looked for a B3 ages ago and couldnt find a decent one so bought a B4. I drove the dung out of it for 3 years and it was brilliant, never went wrong and i swear it ran on fresh air.

Still have the Borbets in the shed if you would be interested?

35i Front by David Harrigan, on Flickr

Yes! Thats class! Would definitely be interested in the wheels! I was looking before, but either there was none about or people didn't reply lol
Drop me a PM with details please?
 

Gambit

RMS Regular
Messages
13,603
Location
where the sun always rises
Took the car to Cork for V.A.G.E, had a slight hiccup as in it started cutting out, well it did it once when we arrived, done it for a short time after, seems to be something with the isv, have eliminated everything else! Cleaned the isv and it hasn't cut out, but sometimes the revs will bounce until turned off and on again!

when you say rev's bounce? does the rev counter randomly bounce all over the place when his is happening? that was always tell tale of the hall sensor in a mk2 golf16v dizzy breaking down. or is it bouncing of the limiter?
 

cormac81

RMS Regular
Messages
7,939
Location
Lurgan/ish
Drives
GTI, VRS, Superb
I really like that!

I have a new genuine VAG tail light for one of these somewhere with the top tint if you ever need one.
 

puzzlement13

RMS Regular
OP
puzzlement13
Messages
601
Location
Belfast
when you say rev's bounce? does the rev counter randomly bounce all over the place when his is happening? that was always tell tale of the hall sensor in a mk2 golf16v dizzy breaking down. or is it bouncing of the limiter?

Hmmm, hadn't thought of that, it's pretty minimal, would drop and bounce to normal idle speed.

That is very cool, love it.

Where was that last pic taken?
Thanks, it's In shops car park, top floor, high street in town :grinning:
 

RallyCiaran

RMS Regular
Messages
1,623
Location
Ballymena
Drives
Nova 1600 8v
I had a 1989 B3 GT estate in silver for a few years, I loved that car but it was totally rotten under the body kit. I put new sills and arches on it but I'd fallen out of love with it so sold it on.

I've heard about it a few times over the last 18 months but it seemed to have passed through several hands very quickly. Last I heard it was in the Portadown area.
 

puzzlement13

RMS Regular
OP
puzzlement13
Messages
601
Location
Belfast
I had a 1989 B3 GT estate in silver for a few years, I loved that car but it was totally rotten under the body kit. I put new sills and arches on it but I'd fallen out of love with it so sold it on.

I've heard about it a few times over the last 18 months but it seemed to have passed through several hands very quickly. Last I heard it was in the Portadown area.

Good to know there's another one about!
Sills and a few things have been done body work wise, but I'm petrified of that with mine! I'll soon find out :worried:
 

puzzlement13

RMS Regular
OP
puzzlement13
Messages
601
Location
Belfast
So Passat decided to be awkward!
Thursday before Halloween changed the rear passenger side disc and pads, took a lot longer than expected as it was seized, but got it freed up. Ran out of light and started the drivers side on Friday, completely seized, found a new caliper, friend collected it and brought it down, all was going well until the threads on the brake line were different... So Passat has been lay up for the last week while I look for replacements. Mk2, Mk3 and Mk4 work, some modding for later 3's and 4. Unsure what way to go about it, either send mine away, or replace them.
While all this was happening I was actually meant to be going to Autoheroes on Saturday, down in Dublin.
When this happened on Friday night, we joked about renting a car, I don't know who said to buy a car, but I found myself looking for a car on gumtree for under £300.
There was a few I was interested in, Mercedes c180 with zebra seat covers, had been to benidorm and back. Also seen a Suzuki swift, but it was sold. What I did find, and was able to go see straight away, was a Seat Ibiza, 1996, 6 months mot, 56k... For £220.
Went and got this at about 9pm on the Friday night, brought it back to the garage, while other friends were getting their cars prepped, I started work in the Ibiza...
Before:
IMAG1614.jpg

Mid:
IMAG1620.jpg

And then on the run....
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Mods wise, Ibiza had a headunit, Mountney steering wheel, Zender wheels, graphics - to the best I could with a spare roll and a loose blade...
But yeah, the Ibiza made it, I temp insured it, and it was put back to standard, and sold the other night.
So back to the passat again :grinning:
 

puzzlement13

RMS Regular
OP
puzzlement13
Messages
601
Location
Belfast
So the bouncey revs changed to staying stuck at about 2k revs. Have bought 2 new isvs, for them to be wrong :worried:
Have checked vac lines, all good.
Exhaust Manifold has a crack -
Changed the knock sensor, other one had perished completely.
Bar the lumpy idle/stuck revs, its going good, swapped wheels with a friend to see how they'd look. Spacers and bigger profile tyres, I think they'd look good!



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