Fumes and Rattles etc

[eoinkennedy]

Hi,
Firstly, thank you all for making this a very informative and useful forum.

Now, I have just bought a 2000 1.0l Polo, and I've a few little problems with it that you might be able to give some advice on.
I have a fair idea of how to fix them, but just to make sure.

1. A smell of exhaust in the car when stopped or going slow and with the fan on blowing air from outside. I think this may be a pipe not fitted back in properly after the pre-sale service, but if anybody could confirm and maybe give some instructions, that would be great.

2. A slight rattle from the engine when I press the accelerator or when the car speeds up going down a hill. Not a major problem, but if you can point me in any kind of direction, that would be great.

3. Rear wiper washer not working. Again, its probably something simple like a blocked pipe, but any advice.
The wiper itself works, and I think I can hear the pump working for the water, of which there is plenty.

4. Light for the fan control and heater not on. May be a loose or blown bulb, but if there any tricks to it, I would appreciate it.

As I said, I have a good idea of most of these, but if you have any kind of tips, then I would be very grateful.

Thanks,
Eoin

[loud]

for the smell i'd check the crankcase pipe has been reconnected to the airbox on top of the engine, if not it'll stink when ur going slow or stationery.

for the rear washer jet the pipe will have split at its join, the join is crap. It'll either have split behind the boot cover or next to the left side rear seat, when mine split there the seat got soaked

[Bepe]

yeah the back wiper, the pipe would of come off, a common fault on VW's

[Arnoldo]

Hi,
2. A slight rattle from the engine when I press the accelerator or when the car speeds up going down a hill. Not a major problem, but if you can point me in any kind of direction, that would be great. - This could be something to do with your throttle body. Maybe ur air box hitting it? Load of other things it could be too.

4. Light for the fan control and heater not on. May be a loose or blown bulb, but if there any tricks to it, I would appreciate it. - Easily fixed. Just a little bulb under the middle switch I think. Theres a tuturial about the forum for it somewere. Basically all that is needed is a bulb and the dash doesnt have to come out to get to it

Eoin

[jonnopolo]

To replace the bulb for the heater control panel, you just pull off the middle switch. Bulb is underneath; can't remember the number/rating of the bulb, but they sell them in Halfrauds.

[eoinkennedy]

Thank you all so far.

Just a bit more about the rattle.
It's definitely coming from the centre console, and specifically the gear stick.
If I push the clutch in while its rattling, then it stops.

Its more of an annoyance than a serious problem, i reckon, but still.

[JWC]

Hi,
Firstly, thank you all for making this a very informative and useful forum.

Now, I have just bought a 2000 1.0l Polo, and I've a few little problems with it that you might be able to give some advice on.
I have a fair idea of how to fix them, but just to make sure.

1. A smell of exhaust in the car when stopped or going slow and with the fan on blowing air from outside. I think this may be a pipe not fitted back in properly after the pre-sale service, but if anybody could confirm and maybe give some instructions, that would be great.

2. A slight rattle from the engine when I press the accelerator or when the car speeds up going down a hill. Not a major problem, but if you can point me in any kind of direction, that would be great.

3. Rear wiper washer not working. Again, its probably something simple like a blocked pipe, but any advice.
The wiper itself works, and I think I can hear the pump working for the water, of which there is plenty.

4. Light for the fan control and heater not on. May be a loose or blown bulb, but if there any tricks to it, I would appreciate it.

As I said, I have a good idea of most of these, but if you have any kind of tips, then I would be very grateful.

Thanks,
Eoin

You should probably change your cabin air filter, eventually they get full of crap and start leaching traffic fumes back in. You can get charcol ones from VW and they stop nearly all smells.

Check that the breather is fitted correctly. You are looking for a pipe on the left as you look at it that is split or disconnected.

Finally, you can check if your exhaust is gas tight by putting your hand over it when its running, it should rapidly build up pressure and then hiss when you take your hand off. If not then its finding another way out.

The rear wiper washer is a BOG standard fault on this car. Its been used when frozen, which normally blows the pipe off. But where its blown, is anyones guess.

The bulb has blown, or the connector is not fitted, fiddly.

[eoinkennedy]

Just a quick update.

Exhaust fumes was caused by the air pipe on the side of the engine not being fitted back after the service. Now fixed.

Rear washer not working was caused by the pipe having come apart at a joint beside the left rear passenger door. Took the cover off and put back together again.

Havent figured out the rattle from the gear stick area yet.
Also, havent been able to take off the middle dial (fan speed) to get at the bulb in the console. Will give it another go over the weekend.

Can anybody tell me if the bee-sting aerial fitted is any good at AM or LW radio reception?
I cant seem to tune in stations on LW, and in AM all I get is the noise of the engine...

Thanks for all your help so far

[JWC]

The antenna is not used for LW or AM reception, these are done with coils inside the radio itself, only VHF uses the antenna.