Syncro 4&4 Discussion and Q&A last answered over 2 years ago.
You may also want to visit the Wiki(pedia) for a more structured index of T25 repair, maintenance, technical and ownership topics (browse for Syncro links)
You can find further syncro specific information on the Syncronauts website.
Been stood for a little while but was in full working condition before MOT ran out.
Needs trailering therefore, but mine for nowt as an "enthusiast"
If its a good as I hope it is, it'll do me a good turn for a while..
Thats prob used up my share of luck for another 5 years....
Been looking at them on Ebay for ages but already got enough wheels to feed. I've always though it strange they have only got a 1.8 carb engine though. Theres one on there at the moment which has been breathed on.
Country is quite cool and works pretty well offroad.. ok.. wont go where a syncro will due to gearing and ground clearance, but surprising..
Yes will spin a wheel but as its got a vc the rears dig in and push... IIRC some do have a rear difflock too..
Rallye's are quite high maint, but the "cooking" version is a solid bit of kit..
I love driving my syncro, but the distances I am doing at the mo make it a real pain, 230 miles each way at 60mph isnt great although she seems to be returning 24.85 mpg... a car would be better in most respects and at least this golf has the "all weather" capability... and it could be "toughed up"...
the power take of to the vc in in a funny place on the golf, its attatched to one of the front drive shafts after the front diff so I'm thinking if the wheel on the opposite side looses traction and sarts spinning the all the torque will go that way and the other side were the vc is will get none.....??
I did mean to test this theory but never got round to it, was never a problem on a road car.
I'd LPG it if its good enough Matt...
Plan would be to fit a "gti/A80" injected engine too.. or maybe a GTD?? seen a couple of Country's with TDi power too.... but torque must be a big issue... (vr6 box I should imagine..)
I have Matt's old car and its a hoot. The reason it did 25mpg was the timing was way off, once that was sorted it went like a train and the drinking turned into a moderate sip.
I'm about to fully refurb it so new discs, pads, shoes, drums, bearings and coilovers will be giving it some love before next year.
I'm hoping to kit it out for the Mongol rally so a really thorough mechanical checkover, gutted interior and some offroad modifications are being worked on.
As ppl are using Minis, 2CV's and the like I think the Golf should be more than adequate for the 10,000 mile journey.
'90 Syncro Hightop. Ex-BUPA/Rowan ambulance with 2.0L GTI power and some curious windows.
)
Might want to check the rules... just looked and only vehicle under 10 years old (coz the local gov have ordered it) and should be under 1000cc or a "fine" for each 100cc over...
Sounds like the end of the rally as 1L 10 year old cars still have a reasonable value here...
I don't think the 10 year rule will be the end of the mongol at all, there are loads of people doing it who spend a fortune on their cars like an SJ in metalic paint with spring over axle convsions and massive tyres. Must have cost a couple of k to build so that money would easilly buy an old T reg Saxo. Add to the fact places for the mongol rally fill up in about a minute (no really!) I don't think they'll mind teturing alot of people as it'll still be full.
Always amused me the people who spend their money pimping/modding their cars to be better genrally don't seem to make it! Mk2 Polo's were good cars though so a golf should be fine. With such a low car though 4wd isn't that important, I'd rate a sump guard and a carefull line above that. For years people kept takeing 4x4 pandas but they always broke on route and the 2wd's didn't.
There are alot of more modern jap cars in mongolia now, they seem to be takeing over so thats why they (the goverment) brought in the 10 year rule I think but I don't think it meant the older cars were worthless or scrap when they arived - suspension/driveshafts and smashing the sump are just as likely to break on anything new or old. They fix old cars with anything out there, you make parts fit. Scraps worth atleast as much as here too as China still buys it. Don't think they have MOTs eather so if a car moves it does its job so its worth money. We had a ride in a 10 year old Hyundai which was in far worse shape than our Marbella ended up in. Most cars wouldn't be able to drive all the way back again though some tried - the roads of Russia are much better than MGL but that doesn't mean its easy on the car.
I can't recomend it enough though, its a right laff!
old car and its a hoot. The reason it did 25mpg was the timing was way off, once that was sorted it went like a train and the drinking turned into a moderate sip.
