Golf gti mk3 3 issues please read

[Kev2904]

Hi all ive been trawling the web to find an answer to my questions at last i find this forum!

i have a gti 2.0 8v 1995 mk3 130k

Its my first car and i want to Keep it for a while but im having a couple of engine/transmission problems ( it think).

On the dash i have a constant flashing oil tempature light, this light goes on as soon as the key is turned not just when the engine is on! the tempaturwe gauge does not go above 90 and the computer display does not rise above 96. I have bought a new expansion tank and cleaned the sensor no effect. I dont have any real mechanical knoledge so thats all i have tried.

The second issue is more concerning, recently If i hold the car in bite or use reverse there is a smell like burning cabbage! (best description i could think of!), this isnt all the time but it is worrying.

Last but not least!! When im changing gear it has become really easy to get in gear? the only time 1st isnt is when shes cold but apart from that its a 1 finger job now the car wasnt like this when i first got it. (6 months ago) do you think its related?

I have been quoted £230 for a new clutch and fitting which i have heard is good but do you think i might be looking at major gearbox issues as well? What do you think that would cost as its a great car (always loved golfs) but i dont want to start throwing money into it if its going to be an ongoing issue!

[really wants an RS6]

First things first, is it the oil temp or oil pressure light? Second, the expansion tank is for the coolant,so is it the coolant light? As for the gearbox problems I would check the gear oil level as the diff bearings or oil seals may have gone which would explain the smell (gear oil on the exhaust) and easier to get in gear as the gearbox is getting hotter (and hence slacker) because of the lack of oil. I don't know if diff bearings is a particular problem with these cars but I had to change mine at about 150,000 miles. Grab hold of the driveshaft at the gearbox end and see how far you can move it up and down and while you're there see how oily it is around that area.

[Kev2904]

thanks for your quick reply!

I am almost postive its the oil tempature light its the one thats far left on the dash and is right beside the needle display for temps.

the coolant is ok i just thought maybe the bottle sensor was faulty and that would have been an east fix.

I never thought of the oil issue hmmm do you have any idea if i can check that without jacking the car up? or is it a under the car job?

thanks for your reply again.

[really wants an RS6]

If you look where the passenger side driveshaft goes into the gearbox there will be 17mm allen key level plug just below and towards the rear of the car, take this out and gearoil should run out if the car is level. You will probably have to make or buy a tool for this. As for your oil light I would bet it's a faulty sensor. You may need to get a workshop manual coz I don't know where the sensor is exactly, but if your car has two on top of the oil filter, one will be the oil temp sensor. If you want to test it pull the wire off and the light should go off, short the wire to earth and it should come on. I hope this helps.

[Kev2904]

Hi mate again thanks.

Told the garage everything you have said they are going to check it and give me an esimate, just bought a haynes manual and i am gonna spend the weekend checking over the motor hopefully its something i can do myself otherwise the beer fund will take a kicking this month!

will update.

Thanks again

[Kev2904]

OK UPDATE!

Hmm i have tkaen her in and they said there is nothing wrong with the gearbox or clutch?

They have pointed out 3 faulty switchs 1 on the oil sensor one on the engine water sensor and one on the fan.

They said it could be the ECU and i should get a vag computer plugged to check which i have had done beofre and it comunicated well.

BUT! while drving home an alarm came on with the oil icon (sorry made a mistake in the earlier post it was the water light flashing!), i stopped the car turned the engine of thinking they had left a cap off i pushed the switchs in tight they had checked and restarted the car i only drove a couple of miles before i got home and it didnt come back on.

Im hoping it was just loose connection....

Can a faulty ECU have one faulty bit and one non faulty? i.e i can still drive her but something could be going wrong somewhere else in the unit?

[really wants an RS6]

fraid so mate, but I doubt it would be the ECU, cheaper to change the sensors and see if that improves it.

[Kev2904]

fraid so mate, but I doubt it would be the ECU, cheaper to change the sensors and see if that improves it.

Well i fiddled about with the oil temp switch and now its stopped going off again im gonna order some from a breakers i found down south for 11 quid each so hopefully that will be that.........otherwise its bus and save for a gt tdi