Hello Rab,
I would give some news of my now defunct Lupo 3L (295.000kms). The electric problem I got (crazy relay noise when I was trying to start, page 10 of this topic) was due to corroded relays, due to a bad seal on the open-the-hood cable (near the wiper motor, exactly on top of the relays!).
It's only now I can tell you this as I just disassemble it for parts.
This piece of rubber cost less than 2 euro (yes, it's a LHD), If I knew it before... I now change this rubber die-facto on my Lupo.
So I bought another Lupo 3L (130.000 kms) with a broken speed-box (the below finger, on the hydraulic actuator was broken in 2 pieces).
I manage to make it work, by installing all the hydraulic parts from the old Lupo, including the ECU, but I could not finish the basic settings (was staying years on "searching"). However I could drive it... few miles (with noise, but could have been the very rusted disk brake).
After these few miles, when the engine run, there is no reverse; and do not stay in first gear.
You can see the tube going to first gear, being ejected and goes to second gear, once again the hydraulic put in First gear, being ejected, etc... all of that with horrible noise in the speed box.
But all speed pass OK when engine off, so I did not think to do basic settings again. I drain the 75W90 oil and was looking OK.
Anyway, it look like a broken speed box, right? At least that was looking like the reason to have this broken finger on previous hydraulic actuator!
As the speed box was the only thing I did not change (now that I write it, I realise the clutch actuator was not change too, but did not show any trouble in VCDS), and I had no error on VCDS after that, I was guessing so.
In fact,
this guy had the same problem, a pity he did not post the afterword..
So I also install the speed-box from the old Lupo (FLE too, run previously OK, 160.000 kms), but when I do the basic settings, I cannot 'Adjust', the rod looks too short!
In fact the top arm is in complete up position, but the neutral position of the speed box is in the middle.
So it cannot work.
I did not have such issue with previous speed-box, nor with this speed-box on previous car.
I manage to find another old hydraulic actuator, but i got the exact same problem.
Should I adjust the value in that Potentiometer?
I see a hole in it, so we can put a screw, I guess this is for the adjusting process?
Please help.
Thanks a lot
Francois