UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

What should I be checking for? I'm really not good at electrics at all.

I have just discovered a leak under the car this morning which looks like the power steering fluid (checked oil and it seems fine. Last night there was a squeaking sound esp when turning right and a whining noise, so I'm guessing its linked? Its not safe to drive without any power steering fluid? I ...

The passenger side rear tail light doesn't work so I thought it was a dead bulb, so I went and got a new one today and it still doesn't work. The shop tested it and they discovered the bulb still works so I swapped it over with the driver side light and it worked fine. The brake lights are also fine...

Yeah its just most of the driving I'm doing at the moment never really gets past 3rd gear or 2000 revs. Took it out today for a good hour, was in 3rd at 3000 for a good 15 minutes or so and it felt like the engine was working. Hopefully it'll feel better when I take it out again, just wanna see it b...

As my 1.9 SDI doesn't get out on motorways very often I spend most of the time driving in the first 3rd gears under 2000 rpm. Every now and then (try to do it once a month) I take it for a good motorway run but its normally in 50mph in 5th gear. A couple of times I'll change down and rag it til the ...

Ok I'll bear this in mind

Car returned, alternator re-conditioned and new aux belt/pulley fitted. Running fine now.

And to top it off it sailed through the MOT today with NO advisories again!

Need to replace the thermostat soon though, discovered it runs at about 80 where it should be nearer 85/90.

Well if saves me money then I might as well, this mechanic is a friend of my neighbour, and genuinely wants to fix motors without ripping people off! Other ones would have just said the highest price option. So til we get the reconditioned alternator back the pulley and new aux belt are waiting to b...

Sounds about right, said he'd be picking it up tomorrow to strip out engine and send it off.

Would it last just as long as a new one swapped straight over?

I don't know where my mechanic gets his parts from, but he said to recondition it would be cheaper than swapping it out for an off-the-shelf one. The turnaround would be longer but I'd b e saving up to £200 he said.

What is involved in reconditioning an alternator?

Alternator was discovered to be knackered so getting that reconditioned, apparently cheaper than buying a new one off the shelf.
Aux belt and alternator pulley to be fitted as they're separate parts.

Well I know the aux belt has snapped so something must have got caught in it (driving through rocky roads maybe). Got no idea what happened to the pulley, the cost won't be as high as replacing the alternator I hope.

*UPDATE

Its the actual alternator pulley that's shot, I'm hoping the alternator itself is fine, originally thought it was just the aux belt but its the pulley as well. Explains why the battery ain't accepting the charge.

Hmm, I'd expect a new aux belt to last longer than 2 years!! I had that changed when doing the cambelt as the existing one had a different tooth layout and was installed after the previous owner broke down and happened to have it whilst with someone else. (That's the story anyway). If its not that t...

Ok, I don't plan on driving it until its been fixed.

Is it the aux belt or the serpentine belt whatever its called? I had the cambelt changed in 2015 which had a new aux belt so I'd be surprised if it was that.

And the cost isn't too bad I thought I'd be stung again!