It's alive!
After a very, very long time the Golf is running! Mr. Chill put it together last week, I gave the ECU to Jeff for RC3/ASV, and it's up and running with a loaner ECU. Here it is in front of the IDParts warehouse where I was picking up new nozzles for it this afternoon (and a few other things
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Engine has just started its break-in, Chill drove it about 70 miles this morning at varying RPMs to seat the rings. It's smooth, makes good power, and rides and handles great. The problem of it quitting that the PO suffered with for months seems to have been corrected by a new engine speed sensor. And it seems the water leak is coming from the passenger door mirror, cabin filter, evaporator not draining, or all of the above.
It has a few other things to sort out: ABS fault that I think is a wheel harness, sloppy shifter which seems to be a bushing adrift in the shift box, A/C doesn't work, needs a door lock module, hatch won't open, nor will the glove box. And it needs a headliner. And a major detailing. I may pull the interior and make sure it's all dry and shampoo the carpet.
It has a shudder that comes and goes at idle, can't tell if it's fueling or the (original 245K mile) flywheel giving out. I found a VW boxed OE LUK Clutch and flywheel kit in the warehouse recently, so if it needs one that's going in. It's getting new nozzles so we'll see if that sorts things out, too. And the ECU should be back soon so with the right tune things may get better as well.
Exhaust is a little loud for me, but I think when it's running the right boost it might get better. I may get a GTI rear valence and tips that go past the bumper, which helps a lot. If that fails I'll add a resonator.
Then there are all the things I want to do: Wheels and tires (black wheels, possibly), headlights, rear sway bar, maybe H&R Sport springs, and remove the hitch. It has factory NAV which I don't think has a lot of usefulness in it (maps are obsolete) but I have a new head unit to go in. It's got to get a boost gauge.
And of course there's paint. The front clip needs it, hood has some scratches, driver's fender was replaced and paint isn't great, rockers have the slightest bit of rust starting I want to catch now. I'll see what the shop says about painting the whole car or just the front clip. I wanted to wash it today to get a better idea of the car's condition, but it's been pouring rain all day.
Car has 243K on it, lowest overall mileage of any of my TDIs. Built in 8/98, pretty early for an A4. Feels really tight. Handles great with the Koni Yellows. Seems to be a keeper.