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  • Harlequin

    I started this progress thread over on dasdubbers but thought i would bring it over here since there is more activity. Most of the posts already happened but will just post them for progress.

    I, like many people saw this ad pop up but i was the first one to make it to the guys house. This one is the 10th last to assembled. Took a walk around the car and bought it on the spot. He said it didn't start and hasn't for 7 months, not a problem. I can fix that. The paint is also in need of a nice clay bar and polish (Some panels are quite faded), and there is a little rust on the hatch. Had it loaded up on a trailer and brought back to my garage the next day.

    Eager to get it running, I right away started working away on the beast to find out why it didn't start. I tested pretty much every sensor for resistance and voltage, all good. Retimed the camshaft, intermediate shaft and crankshaft. Pulled the fuel line off the rail and cranked, it was getting fuel. The plugs were getting wet after cranking. We have fuel but do we have spark? Pulled a spark plug out and grounded the spark on the block, we have spark too. I wasn't sure how strong the spark so i decided to swap out the crankshaft position sensor (He had a new uninstalled one of the drivers seat). That wasn't a fun job, had to remove the front motor mount and starter to get at it. Got it all installed and tried to start it again, same ol' situation.

    I went to Cambodian Tire and "rented" (AKA used it then returned it) a compression tester. Threaded it into the head, made sure it was nice and snug then cranked the engine. Gauge read ZERO, so i tried again and got the same result. Pulled it off and tried another cylinder. Same result, NO compression in the cylinders. I put the gauge on my other mk3 gti and cranked it, gauge went up to 130 PSI so the gauge worked.

    The previous owner mentioned that the timing belt possibly slipped a few teeth but i feel like it did more than a few teeth. My guess is that he bent all the valves. I won't be investigating any further, i'm just buying a "new" 2L engine and swapping that in there. Hopefully then the harlequin will be alive.

    My plans for it aren't that extensive. I will start by cleaning it up and polishing it. Then it will be lowered on some wheels. No engine mods planned. I am still dumping money into my other silver mk3, i still have more plans for the silver one.

    Here's some photos towing it away:

    Last edited by Mcrow; 04-21-2013, 11:34 PM.
    Mitch

    1996 Harlequin
    2001 Toyota Highlander

  • #2
    Re: Harlequin

    Engine is ready to come out, just need to unbolt the drive axles and the engine mounts. New engine will most likely go in next weekend, i have a few midterms this week. It's going to be so hard to study instead of throw the running engine in.

    Mitch

    1996 Harlequin
    2001 Toyota Highlander

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    • #3
      Re: Harlequin

      Old engine removed.

      Mitch

      1996 Harlequin
      2001 Toyota Highlander

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Harlequin

        Harlequin is lowered on some concept 1 coilovers. They are actually a pretty good coilover, not crazy stiff like FK's in the same price range. The helper spring helps alot (haha). And they will go stupid low. I still have 20 threads left in the front and 30 threads in the rear.

        Wheels and tires will hopefully be coming in mid may. They will have some good stretch, went with a 195/50 on a 8'' and 9'' wide rim. Not much other plans than getting the engine perfect, i am an absolute maintenance nut on both my mk3's. There isn't much that hasn't been replaced in the harlequin engine. I will be putting in an mk4 shift boot/knob, some LED interior lights, VR6 lip soon. Keeping it simple.

        Once this snow stops flying the paint will be getting a huge tune up. Its quite faded. But its funny that the NA paint colors (Tornado red, Ginster yellow) are way worse than the adjacent euro colors (Pistachio green, Chagall blue). I will clay bar it, then Miguar's ultimate compound, then mothers polish and finish with some mothers carnauba wax. I pulled the mudflaps off and to my dismay there was a nice patch of rust under there. When will owners learn to take the damn mudflaps off! It's happened to both my favorite mk3's.

        Mitch

        1996 Harlequin
        2001 Toyota Highlander

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Harlequin

          The paint is all polished now, it looks beautiful. Feels like a brand new car to me, amazing what a little elbow grease can do.

          Also i smoked the front markers to match the side markers.
          Mitch

          1996 Harlequin
          2001 Toyota Highlander

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Harlequin

            Car is lookin good Mitch. Chose not to swap a VR engine in there?
            Patryk
            Instagram: @parkus08

            91 BMW 340is ///M-Tech II - Under construction
            08 VW .:R32
            04 Audi A4 Avant 1.8TQ

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            • #7
              Re: Harlequin

              nice, always loved the Harlequins.
              Current:
              2017 VW Golf Sportwagen 4Motion DSG
              2013 VW Jetta 2.5
              Past:
              2005 VW JTI 1.8T
              1993 VW Jetta 2.0
              1996 VW GTI VR6

              1991 Ford F150 4X4
              1989 Nissan Kingcab 2WD
              1983 Buick Skylark

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              • #8
                Re: Harlequin

                Originally posted by P Arkus View Post
                Car is lookin good Mitch. Chose not to swap a VR engine in there?
                Nope i didn't have the money for VR6 nor did i really want one. I like the 2L engine alot.
                Mitch

                1996 Harlequin
                2001 Toyota Highlander

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Harlequin

                  Originally posted by Mcrow View Post
                  Nope i didn't have the money for VR6 nor did i really want one. I like the 2L engine alot.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Harlequin

                    Originally posted by danaldson View Post
                    Danny's got a boner

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Harlequin

                      Originally posted by danaldson View Post
                      Yeah i don't really care about power at this point. With a few bolt on's, it's fun enough. The 2L engine is bulletproof, easy to work on, reliable and wicked on gas. I got 5L/100km one time coming back from canmore.
                      Mitch

                      1996 Harlequin
                      2001 Toyota Highlander

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                      • #12
                        Re: Harlequin

                        Originally posted by MechEngg View Post
                        Danny's got a boner
                        love me some 2 litre.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Harlequin

                          This is a pretty awesome project, looking forward to the new wheels
                          Levi.W
                          78 BMW 635CSi - Project
                          91 Mercedes 190E 2.6 - Daily

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                          • #14
                            Re: Harlequin

                            Cam


                            2004 VW R32 Turbo

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                            • #15
                              Re: Harlequin

                              ^^^Awesome!!!! Takes me back to CJ92 before Nickelback existed.....

                              Car looks great too, I am still a massive fan of MK3s!!!
                              Blair
                              Former Cars: '12 Fiat 500, '10 VW GTI, '05 Smart Fortwo, '96 VW Jetta GLX, '02 VW GTI 337.........

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