The "What did you do to your B4 today" thread...

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Leaks in the roof area are very sneaky. There's so much internal structure that it's hard to see where it's actually coming from. It travels back to the rear before dumping off into the quarters, but that also depends on how the car is parked.

I've actually just discovered I have a new leak from somewhere around the cowl. I think it's coming in around the windshield but I won't know more until I get the interior trims pulled out and all that stuff out of the way.

Don't really like to have to go back in to fix it but it will also give me the ability to renew the under padding with some new fiberglass pads but also I plan to coat the entire floor with flex seal liquid.

Steve
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
I’m thinking there was a break in the butyl. Today was hot and the butyl was gummy. I smeared it around and pressed on it firmly. Hit the rear post with the hose again and no leaks. I ended up cleaning all the butyl off with a toothbrush and prep, preparing for the seam sealer. Didn’t get to the last part, because I started a project that I’ve been putting off for weeks.

I replaced the tie rods and rack boots.... major headache. Swapped the sway bar end link bushings and the right ball joint.. they were beat. I now have a slight click when I turn the wheel. It sounds like it’s coming from the clock spring area, but I have a feeling it’s coming from the universal. I lowered the subframe a bit to give me room to get the boots and it was likely hanging up a bit.

I checked the connection in the cabin and it’s tight. I didn’t feel like jacking the car up again, so I’ll revisit this later. I still need to align the front end.

-Todd
 

lisab4

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2013
Location
Belgium
TDI
1996 Passat B4 1.9 TDI
Nice repair on the fender. If there was a foam pad inside the fender, be sure to remove it. It's a water trap.
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
The foam caused it, and it went into the trash. Need to check and see if the sedan still has the foam.

Applied 2 coats of seam sealer to the roof rail posts and the leaks seem to have stopped. Forgot to seal seal the repair done to the inner fender.

Dropped the wagon off at the body shop, this morning.

-Todd
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
The foam caused it, and it went into the trash. Need to check and see if the sedan still has the foam.

Applied 2 coats of seam sealer to the roof rail posts and the leaks seem to have stopped. Forgot to seal seal the repair done to the inner fender.

Dropped the wagon off at the body shop, this morning.

-Todd

Glad to hear that you dealt with the leaks, I have yet to devote any time to finding my new leaks. I may have to pull the windshield and repeat the install a second time.


As a side note I'm curious what others use to repair or reattach the plastic door liners? I used two sided adhesive tape previously but I was not excited about the results. I would go back and rework all of them if there was a good means for attaching the plastic liners.



I need to access and service the rear door window mechanisms anyway. Fixing the plastic sheeting at the same time would be nice



Steve
 

borntofli

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2018
Location
Texas
TDI
1998 jetta tdi
Picked up a 98 jetta tdi, 216k miles.... scanned it and got numerious faults... replaced maf, air filter , that code hasnt popped back up.... 00575 code... /Working on replacing all vacuum lines... took ecu out and replaced internal vacuum line, it was toast....

changed oil....

Have clutch pedal sticking to floor on occasion, ordered master and slave cylinder....

Looked inside egr.... Oh, my... clogged to about a 1" diameter inside... I have a new used clean manifold, will have to tackle that on next days off


Thanks for this forum, I would not have a clue what to do without all the info here....
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Picked up a 98 jetta tdi, 216k miles.... scanned it and got numerious faults... replaced maf, air filter , that code hasnt popped back up.... 00575 code... /Working on replacing all vacuum lines... took ecu out and replaced internal vacuum line, it was toast....

changed oil....

Have clutch pedal sticking to floor on occasion, ordered master and slave cylinder....

Looked inside egr.... Oh, my... clogged to about a 1" diameter inside... I have a new used clean manifold, will have to tackle that on next days off


Thanks for this forum, I would not have a clue what to do without all the info here....

Glad that you've found good useful info on the site. There are a lot of fine knowledgeable contributors here that appreciate getting thanks for what they contribute.


Intake clogged down to 1" is not all that bad compared with some that I've seen.


Glad you're getting your new purchase sorted out!


Steve
 

borntofli

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2018
Location
Texas
TDI
1998 jetta tdi
Did a 100 mile test drive after replacing vacuum lines..... The best car has run in my short time owning it.... No longer does it slip to limp mode.... 70mph down highway happily cruising..... fuel gauge only moved from a hair over the line, to a hair under the line.....

all the codes are gone, cept for something about glow plug... will start researching what that is all about now......
 

Digital Corpus

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Location
Ontario, California
TDI
'97 B4 w/ 236K mi body, 46K mi soul
Possibly/likely your glow plug harness. Fuse and relay too are worth a look and are way up under the cluster depending on when your B4 was made.
 

powerstrokeless

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Location
VA
TDI
B4V
Not been here for a while.

Had the water pump replaced and they mentioned the radiator-- not holding pressure!
Well, they were right, been filling up with the fluid about every other day!
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Came home to find the wagon, in the driveway. Bodywork and paint correction looks great. Now I need to start assembling the car, so it can be driven again.

We’ve been getting a ton of rain, so I looked in the rear cargo tray and saw water droplets. Apparently, seam sealing around the roof rail posts didn’t fix the leak. I’ll need to pull the inner plastics, to get a better idea of where the leak is. Air hose method doesn’t work well, with all that stuff in the way.

I didn’t notice the steering column popping, that I inherited after the tie rod and boot swap. Curious if everything just needed to relax a bit. Still need to set the toe.

-Todd
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Came home to find the wagon, in the driveway. Bodywork and paint correction looks great. Now I need to start assembling the car, so it can be driven again.

We’ve been getting a ton of rain, so I looked in the rear cargo tray and saw water droplets. Apparently, seam sealing around the roof rail posts didn’t fix the leak. I’ll need to pull the inner plastics, to get a better idea of where the leak is. Air hose method doesn’t work well, with all that stuff in the way.

I didn’t notice the steering column popping, that I inherited after the tie rod and boot swap. Curious if everything just needed to relax a bit. Still need to set the toe.

-Todd

I remember the leaks being very frustrating to deal with. In the end I just coated over the seam from front to rear.

As a matter of fact it's about time I reinstalled the roof strips and rack, been without that now for a long time. I don't think I'll have any more roof leak issues.

Steve
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Not been here for a while.

Had the water pump replaced and they mentioned the radiator-- not holding pressure!
Well, they were right, been filling up with the fluid about every other day!

Be careful with the lower rad hose connection at the radiator. That plastic coupler is NLA and to my knowledge no one makes it in the aftermarket.


Steve
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
As a side note I'm curious what others use to repair or reattach the plastic door liners? I used two sided adhesive tape previously but I was not excited about the results. I would go back and rework all of them if there was a good means for attaching the plastic liners.

A3s have plastic vapor barriers? I never pulled the door panels from the Rotbox, so I just assumed they were formed foam, like the B4s. Anyhow, I just use more butyl, like the factory did.


I remember the leaks being very frustrating to deal with. In the end I just coated over the seam from front to rear.
You’re telling me.... I’d rather not coat everything, if it’s not needed. I only coated what was cracked and that was incredibly minimal.

-Todd
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
A3s have plastic vapor barriers? I never pulled the door panels from the Rotbox, so I just assumed they were formed foam, like the B4s. Anyhow, I just use more butyl, like the factory did.
Don't recall on the Mk3 but I was referring to the B3, which has plastic sheeting. I would have replaced with foam except I couldn't find good covers in the JY, they all seemed to have been brutalized at some point, probably to repair faulty window regulators / motors.

You’re telling me.... I’d rather not coat everything, if it’s not needed. I only coated what was cracked and that was incredibly minimal.

-Todd
I only coated about a 1/2" wide or less path down the entire length of the roof in the trim channel. On the B3 the sealer was dried out and cracked enough I just wanted to fill the cracks and get it stopped. It also wasn't a lot of sealer either.

Steve
 

powerstrokeless

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Location
VA
TDI
B4V
For some reason, the clear coat became undone on the hood! about 2' sq. ft. Don't know if it had anything to do with the rains....
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
The CC was probably compromised, somewhere. Once that happens, it starts lifting. The rain probably got under it and helped it along.

Reassembled the wagon, other than the roof rails and associated molding. Drove it around the block and I lost the steering column popping, but gained a minor exhaust leak...

-Todd
 

tdidieselbobny

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Stafford,NY (WNY)
TDI
'03 Galactic Blue Jetta TDI, '15 Silk Blue Golf Sportwagen TDI
The CC was probably compromised, somewhere. Once that happens, it starts lifting. The rain probably got under it and helped it along.

Reassembled the wagon, other than the roof rails and associated molding. Drove it around the block and I lost the steering column popping, but gained a minor exhaust leak...

-Todd
Ahhhh, the joys of owning a B4,LOL;).....
 

borntofli

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2018
Location
Texas
TDI
1998 jetta tdi
recharged my ac, blew cold for 20 minutes then warm.... Leak somewhere... worry bout that next summer....

Pulled up to stop sign today and car died.. Havnt had that happen to me before, (only on first tank of gas in it)..I normally shift to N well before stopping.. Have to plug in vag to see if something is up..... Great little car.....
 

powerstrokeless

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Location
VA
TDI
B4V
Wow

I doubt it. Mine came off in big sheets just washing it one winter.

Unbelievable!

One of these days, it would be nice to get my wagon repainted. But, I don't know if a shop will take on a rusted up car + one with the cc coming off.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
I painted the needles on my B4 Chubbs cluster flat orange, like I had intended to do for some time now.

Some Mk3 clusters (silver faced type) have the orange needles but the black or dark grey clusters do not. I always wanted orange needles for the B3V conversion.

Steve


 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
It’s a good look! Rotbox has orange needles, but only because I sent Derek a spare silver faced cluster for parts, and asked that they got transferred.

Ordered my heated seat kit the other day...

-Todd
 

dsldan

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 2, 2007
Location
RF WI
TDI
96 Passat sedan,96 Passat sedan,96 Passat wagon,97 Jetta
ahhhh intermediate shaft pulley

My son called me at 2 am said the car went bang and quit working. Towed him back and take a peak under the timing belt cover. The bolt on the intermediate shaft walked out causing the pulley to come off the shaft. timing belt went slack and caused it to come out of time. Anyone out there have and extra intermediate shaft pulley in their hoard do they? The pulley is all wallowed out and is no good.
 

Digital Corpus

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Location
Ontario, California
TDI
'97 B4 w/ 236K mi body, 46K mi soul
If the timing belt went slacked, with this being an interference engine, you’re looking at rebuilding the engine. Especially since your son said there was a bang/loud noise. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
 

dsldan

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 2, 2007
Location
RF WI
TDI
96 Passat sedan,96 Passat sedan,96 Passat wagon,97 Jetta
You're probably right. At 360K and as rotted out as it is, it's probably done.
 

thechoochlyman

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2015
Location
Campbellsville, Kentucky
TDI
1997 B4 Sedan
Finally found a set of used Depo angel eye headlights on a facebook group and got them installed yesterday. Have to say the difference is quite amazing. One of the adjusters has been broken in my stock lamps since I bought the car, then I got into some black ice over the winter and finished off what was left on the driver's side light. I need to do some adjusting on these, but I can tell they are MUCH brighter. I'm very happy with them.

I'm keeping the stock lamps just in case I need them, and will probably try to fix them as best I can. All four mounting points are broken off the driver's side, but I have all the pieces.

 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Inside the stock headlights, the reflectors are affixed with a ball and socket setup. Sometimes, these pop apart and nothing is broken.... just reach in the rear and pop them back together, and you’re back to normal.

Coincidentally, I just sold a set of stock lights to someone who had those Depos...

-Todd
 
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