2012 Passat TDI (Hit Right Front)

Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
2012 Passat TDI 6-Spd DSG 85K Engine & Trans tuned by Kerma / Right Front tuned by Toyota 4-Runner
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History:
Right front slow speed into the left rear of a Toyota 4Runner (Glass and air bags are good). Previous owner replaced the broken tie road + cut / removed enough pieces to make it drive-able. I bought it & drove it 200 miles home with no issues.
50 mpg with the AC on :cool: :cool: :cool:
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I bought a USED passenger door, passenger fender, hood, and inner fender rail + apron. Test fit ONLY ~ (No right front upper fender rail YET)
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Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Parts & Tools

Why don't you buy a new fender rail & apron? I could but it's complicated....



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Building my own Tram gauge to measure point to point (following body shop repair tech doc dimensions) Also bought a Bosch Laser Cross level. I can set the laser cross-level up on a tripod and level the car. From there I can establish height dimensions of the upper rail & core support.
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Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Drilling out spot welds to slice and dice ~ gotta make the pieces fit the puzzle. These below are the leftovers after creating the proper puzzle piece for my right front fender rail.




Now to dial in the right upper rail (just in front of the hood hinge) to properly fit the puzzle piece. Loosing so much of the upper rail to a random Sawzall cut makes this one a little more complicated. I don't want to disturb the structure @ behind the strut tower but I need to go back behind it with the sheet metal fender rail overlay to tie in the spot welds for structural support.


Big props to the Blair premium spot weld cutter for making this work quick and easy. This is an awesome tool.





Upper fender rail outer alignment. Again this is just a test fit with a few sheet metal screws to attach panels + test height & gaps.



Inner apron sheet metal slid in place for an alignment check This picture above and the (2) below are all 1 part from the same SILVER donor car. 1 single complex puzzle piece that I have carefully fileted to fit into place


Passenger wheel well apron (underneath)


Passenger Wheel well and Apron from under hood.
 
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Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Passenger's bumper support frame horn 98% level just a tad high. Working with jack stands and wooden shims had its limits.

I was able to remove the (4) condenser bolts and wiggle the core support out with not having to evacuate the AC system.



Pic above = Driver's bumper support frame horn with laser measurement using simple Bosh contractor's 4-cross laser level from Home Depot



Pic above = Passenger side frame horn with laser measurement.




Drivers inner rail (With Laser measurement)



Passenger side inner rail (With Laser measurement)

Test fit up:



I am satisfied with the inner alignment, though the hood needs some adjustment to clean up the gaps.

 
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Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Next step ~ Pull it apart again and prep all surfaces for panel bond. There will be 50+ sport welds along with panel bond and seam sealer. Radiator support, Headlight, Fog light, and a few other pieces have arrived.
 

thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
Reminds me of days using my Celette bench. I still use a DAVID white cross laser for all sorts of things. You are doing a very nice job. I liked doing this job final assembly with the panels already painted as it avoids having upholstery and plastics saturated with solvents from the paint process, in other words, less stink.
 

Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Thanks Thundershorts. Cellette bench ~ Wow! That is an amazing tool. I have yet to get a chance to play with a full on frame machine. I am an ex auto tech (I got out in 97) but minimal experience with crash damage repair. I enjoy the fab and fit but the body / paint part still intimidates me (I am aiming to sub that part out). I'm tempted to try and get the just panels painted but very concerned for getting the correct color match.
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I am trying to go back with all OEM VW parts. Thus far my only non OEM parts are my new used black fender & core support. The salvage Passat was ultra clean I didn't even consider checking for aftermarket parts. Their policy was you inspect / prepay and then they pull (non refundable). My mistake, but it is a clean fender. Hoping the core support fitment is well enough to necessary adjustments with in limits. My used bumper arrives from Alabama on Tuesday. It is OEM but a damage take off. It has a class 3 hitch impression and a few scrapes but otherwise looks salvageable. The lower center grill that was sold with it would cost as much from VW as I'm paying for the package deal shipped. I'm down to needing a passenger fog light + reflector and bezel and a front (passenger side) motor mount. The motor mount broke the apron bracket tab off of he aluminium casting. The list is getting shorter!

Thanks,
Michael
 
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Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Cant wait to get out of my Civic and into the Passat TDI. (Edited 2/22/2020 to include full back story details with picture)

WARNING *** Not VW not TDI *** How to make Lemonade




My 2006 Civic EX @ 300k miles randomly cracked the engine block last Wednesday 10/16/2019.

Research says 1.8L Honda 06-09 has a factory metallurgy & casting defect.

Drain the coolant from radiator and block + Sandblast the crack + Prep with acetone + heat gun + place shop vac on the radiator cap location to apply vacuum to the cooling system. Apply JB weld liberally to the entire crack webbing location extending well beyond the current crack. Fill with new coolant + your favorite block sealing product. If the engine is considered trash (300k miles car + cracked block = TRASHED) then you have nothing to lose. This engine ran like a top, pulled hard, burned no oil, ran synthetic oil all of its life and still had that golden honey glaze ham fresh look inside. Sad Trombone

This repair took me from October through February. I was able to sell the car last week @ 50% of average marketplace value with full disclosure and documentation to a fellow auto tech who was glad to get it and is patiently waiting for a sub $500 donor car to hit the local tow lot.





Of course after I made this repair I found the receipt for the previous owner's used engine install (September of 2010) with PLATINUM lifetime warranty.
 
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thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
Color matching today is not much of a problem, nuances such a pressure can possibly affect how metalic refracts. For a painter, its a pleasure to paint panels separately, no worry of dirt popping out nowhere. Find a shop with a heated downdraft booth and look at the results they produce on separate components when they first come out of the booth. No color sanding should be needed, maybe a tiny dust nib or so.
 

Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
More panel gap alignment. It is the little things that make the difference between good & great!

The inner fender needed to come in slightly at the front to make the marks on center & give adequate adjustment at grille & headlights. Black fender lower at front door needed adjustment. The parts puller at the salvage yard bent up the lower tab on the black fender when removing it. This was throwing off the upper body line (fender to door alignment). Also verifying that the hood grille & headlights play nice with the new CAPA certified core support.
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The driver's side front fender upper wing between the hood and windshield was kicked by the hood in the crash. No visible damage but clear misalignment / it looks easily adjustable. This car has so much room to move & adjust panels.

CAPA was not as bad of a fit as I was expecting. The only glaring flaw I found was that the hood latch cup was too narrow for the latch by 1/8" or better. I believe the exterior washer/spacer on the front side of the hood latch cup was crimped in place reverse with the thick side in towards the hood latch. Otherwise not a bad fit for non-OEM.

Panel Bond & gun is on the way along with a few $$$ of other bodywork supplies.

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thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
Looking good, when you do final painted panel assembly, I find using rubber electrical tape on corners/ edges to avoid chipping. You will have avoided saturating the car with paint solvents from the heated booth bake process.
 

Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Spot welds and panel bond ~ Not sure how well the two play together. I guess we will find out more tomorrow.








Polishing up the finished work. ^ ^ ^




<< Below>> My tape lines to catch the excess panel bond may have been a little too tight here. I should have left a little more panel bond overlap along the edge.
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. This one below is pictured after I had spent some time grinding my welds. Even covering the car with cardboard and towels was not enough to keep the flying metal dust out. The seam for the inner apron just above the frame rail at the motor mount seems to have sealed up well. Panel bond will definatly make for a cleaner repair.
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Yea, It's just one broken aluminum tab on the engine mount that holds a bracket to locate the inner fender apron. Do it once & do it right.

 
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thundershorts

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Location
west chester pa
TDI
2015 passat tdi sel premium 2015 golf s tdi gls tdi b5.5, 2002 eurovan,Peugeot 505 td,Citroen cx25 prestige
The white hot grinding particles will actually imbed themselves in paint and I think even glass.
 

Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Yes ~ Picking metal shavings out of the windshield with a razor blade last night :(

I missed covering one SMALL section where I wrapped the cardboard around the hood hinge sparks got under the cardboard and showered the glass with a palm sized spot below the wiper.

I knew the dangers and tried to run the grinder flare to the front away from the glass and good paint (even with it covered up). I ruined a $500 4wd off-road project car 10 years ago embedding metal shavings into the fresh white paint.

The rusty metal shavings look is not very becoming.
 

Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Can you help me ID this random sensor on lower drivers front. Looking through Microfiche (VW diagrams) I am having trouble identifying it.


Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk
 

Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Big thanks Compu 85 ~ Your tip helped me nail down the outside temp sensor proper location and get this thing finished up!

It is not finished but I am done. Off to the body shop for fine-tuning & paint.


Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk
 
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Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI

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Waiting is hard. My Passat is still in the body shop awaiting paint.
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Meanwhile,I got impatient and bought another TDI.
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This one was out of my reach
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So I ended up with this one 2012 Audi A3 TDI DSG @ 140k
After Christmas no one buys cars, thus private (Non dealer) folks selling used are usually willing to deal. #1 rule is DO NOT INSULT THE SELLER. If you are going to make a low offer, do it with dignity. "Wow this is a nice car!" I'm sure it will bring your asking price. I'm looking to buy today and there is another model I am looking at next, the seller says it must go. If by chance you are looking to sell today I can go $XXXX on this one. If not I understand."

His wife's new Jeep Wrangler had been in the driveway (4) months and she was stuck driving the A3 until it sold.
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740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
ahh the love child of the golf and Spotwagen with a better interior.

What's the plan for it?
 

bustNfuel

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
Sold: 13 Passat SEL TDI
Great thread! Keep the updates coming! I learned a lot, and appreciate you sharing the progress and what's involved taking on such a task.


I have no formal body repair education or skills, but I did help my Dad restore my similarly wrecked 1970 Camaro Z28 back in the late '80s. I spent a lot of time with him in our home garage with temporary paint booth later on to paint it. We bought all the panels from the dealer and rebuilt the whole front end. The fitment was much better, almost perfect, after Dad and I were finished, compared to a previous impact repair. My Dad did have paint and bodywork skills, so we saved a ton of $. I spend a lot of time blocking/sanding and parts chasing. The outcome was awesome.



Brings back memories.
 

Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
The car has finally returned from body and paint. My friend did an awesome job. While this did take a solid 2 months before he found a gap to fit me in (very successful husband & wife + 2 assistants operation), I am very pleased with the results and even more with the price :):D:) I still have some finishing work to do (finial polish and finishing touches on the panel gap alignment. I was totally expecting to pay $2500+ for body paint and misc plastic finishing parts. In the end he only charged me cost on the few misc plastic pieces and 1 fog light assembly that he had to purchase (Much less than the cost of just the bumper repair) :eek::eek::eek:

Here are pics of the finished results below. This is the used OEM VW ~ crashed take-off parts ~ bumper that came with a lower grill (that I did not know was broken). I purchased this bumper cover off of Ebay for $100 (cover + lower grill + shipping). The bumper that had been pierced by a class 3 hitch on the right side and ripped on the lower right. I repaired 75% - 80% of it myself and let him do the final finish work.



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Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
Lastly here is a close up picture of my bumper repair. Picture #2 (the reflection) shows the amazing quality of the finished work. Pic #2 & 3 also show my lower grill repair (installed). Pic #4 = 1 hr of plastic welding, otherwise known as melting each and every crack back together with a soldering iron. The entire lower honeycomb was broken loose from the lower flat frame and vertically split about 6 rows from the lower passenger side (the crease in the center lower grill horizontal diffuser show where the damage was).


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Whitfield

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2012
Location
Central VA
TDI
1996 Passat B4 TDI
ahh the love child of the golf and Spotwagen with a better interior.

What's the plan for it?
740GLE ~ How do you like the Malone Stage 2? I am curious as to how it compares. My Passat came with a Kerma tune installed by the previous owner. Having driven a few older VW TDI's (1998 Passat & 2003 Golf) I was more than satisfied with the 2012 2.0L TDI Passat Kerma Stage 1 @ 50+ hwy MPG & stellar performance at every speed. Is there more? They say that the best you know is the best you've driven. I've not yet driven the Malone Stage 2.

On the Audi:
2012 Audi A3 DSG @ 140k.
My wife has stolen the keys and commandeered it for herself.

Kerma Stage 1 Tune installed. Still awaiting the trans tune. 3 week backlog on the trans tuning hardware has turned into 6. I am at the mercy of the efficiency / competency / dedication of the customers in line in front of me to complete their DSG tune and return the device.
:eek::cool::eek:
 
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740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
I never had a tune on our old '12 but we enjoy out '15 (also the stgs are kinda lame in the TDI world it's just more marketing than performance related). I mainly went with malone in that they offer deleting which is a nice option if the need arises.

Unless you planned on swapping turbos, I couldn't see switching cause "one has more secret sauce than another", they are both painted into a corner by EGT limitation which are pretty easy to hit on stock set up.

I'd say motor on and enjoy the tunes.

Also you shouldn't be locked into kerma for DSG tuning any other TDI/DSG tune should work.

There was a promise of Kerma and Malone to offer their Alienware/powergate V.3 hand held turner to flash the DSG via ODBII like all the other OTS DSG tuners out there, but I guess it's just vaporware.
 
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