cheap vag com

Hello my friends,

I recently replaced the 3 main seals that fail on my injection pump on my 98 Jetta.

No more leaks! woot. But, I'd like to use vag com to adjust the quantity adjuster.

Would any of the cheaper/knock off versions work for this task? Anyone have one to suggest specifically?

Thanks!

yes, if your lucky. I got a cheep bullcrap version and the 1% of the time that it did work with the software that i had to hack to get to work, it did the job. Now I have a real VAG-COM cable that works perfectly with VCDS light or pro, light is free. I can rent this to you for a agreed amount we can discuss in email if you like.
IMHO its worth it to buy a used one like i did. but then again i use mine about once every month and some times i use it all day long when im at the track to log for a tune change.
If you just need it the one time im sure we can work something out. Message me!

Thank you for the info and the offer! I think I might have someone local here that is willing to meet up with me. Let me see if this pans out first!

Great! BTW you’re shooting for 3-5 on the QA for stock(no fun) and 1.6-2.6 (fun times).
I can tell you from years of playing with it from stock car to performance smoke beast that Satan built blindfolded, that I saw no real MPG difference in the real world with 1.4 - 6.0 Anything past 4 and there was so much less power. I have a scangauge II and it logs and tells me MPG and GPH and I know for a fact that the difference on a stock TDI is maybe 0.5mpg MAYBE, and that’s my driver error for not driving perfectly for MPG. If you just want it to be in a good spot for power and within values, you can just backyard hammer mod it. I can tell you that 1.2-1.4 is where the car idle starts to buck when doing this. It stops having rough idle at about 1.8-2.2 with just a tiny tap. If you’re not worried about making sure your timing is where you want it and you’re not OCD about things being exact, you can just do this without VCDS IMHO. just loosen the bolts and take a hammer and a small block of wood and just start tapping SO lightly that it barley moves at all and keep going until it gets rough idle and then back it back out a tiny bit until its smooth. You should land somewhere between 2.0-2.6.

I run it at 1.4 and I have walbro 11psi fuel pump, pp764 stage 3 and pop tested from kerma, with a gt2052 and a satanic stage 6 custom tune from Malone and a crap load of fun performance bits that rolls so much coal its almost like a cummins. Here check out my video i have from autocross last week of it rolling coal for fun!. I posted with pictures too.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?8845506-Autocross-Newb-PICS-(Life-back-into-the-smoke-machine!)
OR if you prefer this site
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=480843

Also i just use a cheep socket and hammer it on with one tap on to the triangular bolt. I think its 1/4" or 3/16" im not sure but i know its SAE socket and it works 10x better than the specialty socket you can get. I got one of those properly from GAP and it ended up stripping the head of the socket out. $25~ down the toilet. I keep that and a bolt in my VW tools draw for locking out the IP . I dont remember what bolt it was but i cut the threads off it and had to wrap 3 layers of blue tape on it to fit perfectly. AHU TDI on this tool. I learned never to buy a tool you can make or improvise. Hell my sprocket holder tool is a piece of flat stock with 2 bolts on it that goes in the holes of the cam sprocket and it works great for nothing but some scrap from the bins.

Thanks for the tips Mongler! I'll give this technique a try I bought that special socket, but, good idea! That would have worked too!

the one tool that i ended up buying after making 2 versions of the same tool was the tool for correctly tightening the tensioner on the timing belt. Night and day difference vw what i could make and i mad some nice crap too. You can use 2-3 sawsall blades and a Hard drive magnet to lock out the cam when doing timing belt.

I tapped the QA to the right until the engine idled rough. Then I tapped it left a bit til it smoothed out. Snugged down the bolts and took it for a test drive. Seems to have good power and drives fine. I could see a little coal if I floored it in 2nd and 3rd, but not a ton. I bought a 03 TDI and my 98 (car under discussion here) is going up for sale. If things line up with my local vag com guy while it's still for sale, I'll tighten the tune. Else, I think it's going to go down the road like this. Thanks for your help!

Side note, I've been driving the 03 for the past month. Haven't driven the 98 in that same time. What a difference in feel between those 2 cars. Seat support, transmission throw, steering, clutch peddle. As much as I love the 98, the 03 seems like a more substantial / refined car. I'm still gonna miss my 98 though!! It has more soul for sure

i only 2 questions her have really for this is "how much rust" and "what engine, AU or ALH"?

Rust on the 98? Found some rust on the passenger front door (you see it when sitting inside the car and when you open it, it's close to the door hinge (about 8 inches above it)(there is a hole there from the rust). Also see a little bit of rust (size of a dime) on passenger rear door bottom front end (exterior view). Also seems to be a hole in the floor behind the driver seat. Don't see any rust on the shock towers. Car is from Seattle area. In Boise now. About 190k on it. It's black like yours. Sunroof. No heated seats. Tan cloth interior. 5 speed. Power locks n windows (all work now). AC and Heat work good. Everything works except the cruise control. Could use a new windshield. I have 2900 into it including the purchase price. New timing belt/water pump/battery in the last 9 mo. Brakes smooth as glass. Good tires. Stock 7 spoke wheels. New window tint all around. I'm planning on asking 2900 for it.

Not sure which engine is in it. How can I tell if it's AU or ALH?

the valve cover is a give away. Look at my build post picture here. If the valve cover looks like mine than its a AHU. if its taller and at a different angle then its a ALH
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=387812

yours will be black!

I would say mine is the same as yours. PM your email address and I can email you a picture (just took it).

Can send you pics of anything you'd like to see.

oh im broke as F right now with a newborn that needs 24h life support to breath at night and just went into debt to stay in business, so im in no position to offer a trade of cash for anything. Sorry if i misled you but if that 98 of yours is rust free you should be able to sell it for $3800-$5000 to the right person. add 1500 to bluebook if its rusted, add 2k to bluebook if no rust due to the TDI factor.

ha! All good. I just posted it on CL here...

[FONT=&quot]https://boise.craigslist.org/cto/d/1998-vw-volkswagen-jetta/6326546518.htmlhttps://post.craigslist.org/u/JPl-Imyl5xGi_1q07xtiWA/d8u2u

Good luck with everything and your family!!!

If I can get 2900, I'm happy. That's what I have into it. I got a great deal on my 03, so, don't mind giving a fair deal on the 98
[/FONT]

i got mine 6 years ago for 2700 with a lot of issues i had to fix. if yours is in good shape, try and get 3,300

Also go rent a rug doctor with the detailing attachments for $60 and spend 6 hours detailing the cloth with some resolve concentrate. trust me, i did that and the car looked NEW on the inside. a few bucks spent on detailing it can bring you an easy 300-400

that98TDIthough said:

ha! All good. I just posted it on CL here...

[FONT=&quot]https://boise.craigslist.org/cto/d/1998-vw-volkswagen-jetta/6326546518.html

Good luck with everything and your family!!!

If I can get 2900, I'm happy. That's what I have into it. I got a great deal on my 03, so, don't mind giving a fair deal on the 98
[/FONT]

Click to expand...

FYI there's no cruise module on a TDI, the ECU handles the cruise function via the DBW. Inop cruise is good indicator that something else is wrong. Are you sure you don't have a CEL? Are you sure the CEL bulb isn't missing from the cluster?

That's awfully rich for a Mk3 tdi.

Steve

Interesting about CC. I believe you... CEL light is present and works. It came on over winter regarding glow plug circuit. I plan to discuss and disclose this to any potential buyer. I don't think 2900 is a bad price for the car given all the new parts on it. Should serve someone very well for many miles. But, we'll see how the sale goes...

Well, the Jetta has changed hands. I traded it for a 08 KX450F dirtbike. ~2800-3200 street value in my area at least. Thought it was a fair trade and I was looking at trying out a new bike for a while. Now to sell my KTM and keep working on fixing up the 03 TDI. Thanks for all the help on my 98!