need4speed
Veteran Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2004
Continued From: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=481319
So here's the story.
Pretty sure the head gasket's blown.
Don't *need* this car. And my California registration expires in October. And I can't get the car smogged because it overheats. (otherwise it passes California Emissions). So I have it registered as non-op - did so today (9/8/2017).
As is: I will sell this car for $700.
Recognizing that I live in a fairly out-of-the-way location, and buyer would need to tow the car - and I'm not pricing to sell; I'm clearing a space in my garage, I'm going to try to replace the head gasket myself. I've done this before, just not on a TDI, and I don't have VAG-COM software.
If someone contacts me to buy this car before I get the problem resolved, then the $700 price stands.
If I can resolve the overheat problem, and get the car running, re-timed, and registered, and smogged, the price goes up to what is more reasonable for a TDI of this vintage, mileage, and condition. Probably $3000; we'll see how this head-gasket job works out. Given how little spare time I have, I doubt I'm going to finish this before November.
First, the good:
Tires and alignment done at 210k miles.
Spare tire (full-size: pretty worn).
Timing belt done at 210k miles.
Fuel filter replaced at 200k miles.
New oil dipstick tube at 215k miles.
5-speed stick. (Oil changed somewhere after 150k).
Motor still runs a stock tune.
Turbo was replaced in 2010 with a VNT 17 model.
Clutch was replaced at about 30k miles (seems good still).
I DO have a spare Sachs clutch I have not installed: INCLUDED with car.
DMF was replaced with Single-mass flywheel.
I have some, probably most of the maintenance paperwork; I probably don't have paperwork for all the oil changes, but they were faithfully done every 5k miles.
Vacuum lines were all swapped out for silicone back in around 2005, and they're still fresh and flexible - I like to keep the engine bay nice and clean.
I haven't kept the engine-cover on in a while, but I do still have that.
I will include a bunch of spare parts, including a (new) dogbone engine mount I never got around to installing. The old brake master-cylinder which I'm not sure was actually bad, the old MAF which I'm not sure was actually bad.
Most of the big jobs I've done on this car: I admit were learning experiences for me, and they were all documented on TDIClub.com, so all the dirty details are right here. I've got nothing to hide. I'm not the greatest mechanic in the world, but I did my best, and learned from you all.
With the exceptions noted below, heater and A/C work, locks and windows all work, stereo speakers all work, rear window defogger works.
Two original VW keys, plus the valet key.
Car is equipped with a trailer-hitch receiver; (not inclined to include the hitch and ball), also wired for brake lights.
The bad:
I never got around to refreshing the shocks, struts, or suspension mounts. Nothing's blown out, but it's not the sportiest ride anymore.
Clearcoat is gone. There's ZERO rust on this car - it was originally sold in Arizona, and I bought it from the first owner, took it to California. No rust. But the clearcoat is gone. Paint is pretty bad.
Aside from the paint, it's never been in a collision, so there's no dents or even any bad parking-lot dings anywhere on the sheet-metal.
Steel wheels - not alloys.
All the plastic insulation around the engine and wheel wells is gone.
Air-bag controller is dead. I'll include it, I think it could be re-flashed, but I never sent it in to have that done. I think the connector on the steering-wheel airbag is also broken.
Interior is not terrible, but it's beat.
Original stereo head unit is gone. There's a Sony in there now.
Radio antenna is MISSING; antenna base wasn't working before the antenna went missing.
Front Bumper clips are broken, and it's held on with a couple of sheet-metal screws on one side. Not pretty. Basically the front bumper cover is a basket-case.
There's an immobilizer system, but as far as I know, it never worked, all there is is a little toggle switch by the ODBC plug, and an LED light. It was worth the insurance discount.
At one point, in a parking-lot, I hit a pothole and punched the oil-pan. Shut down the motor, and had it towed. The mechanic who replaced the oil pan used a lot of sealant. Doesn't leak though. Just wanted to mention that.
EGR cut-off butterfly actuator lever is broken. I did try to repair this, but it broke again, and I have just left it wedged for the past several years so the cut-off butterfly remains permanently open. It has passed smog twice in this condition, so this is basically a matter of whether your visual inspector notices that the arm isn't connected to the actuator. EGR valve functions, and cycles and does not trigger CEL.
So here's the story.
Pretty sure the head gasket's blown.
Don't *need* this car. And my California registration expires in October. And I can't get the car smogged because it overheats. (otherwise it passes California Emissions). So I have it registered as non-op - did so today (9/8/2017).
As is: I will sell this car for $700.
Recognizing that I live in a fairly out-of-the-way location, and buyer would need to tow the car - and I'm not pricing to sell; I'm clearing a space in my garage, I'm going to try to replace the head gasket myself. I've done this before, just not on a TDI, and I don't have VAG-COM software.
If someone contacts me to buy this car before I get the problem resolved, then the $700 price stands.
If I can resolve the overheat problem, and get the car running, re-timed, and registered, and smogged, the price goes up to what is more reasonable for a TDI of this vintage, mileage, and condition. Probably $3000; we'll see how this head-gasket job works out. Given how little spare time I have, I doubt I'm going to finish this before November.
First, the good:
Tires and alignment done at 210k miles.
Spare tire (full-size: pretty worn).
Timing belt done at 210k miles.
Fuel filter replaced at 200k miles.
New oil dipstick tube at 215k miles.
5-speed stick. (Oil changed somewhere after 150k).
Motor still runs a stock tune.
Turbo was replaced in 2010 with a VNT 17 model.
Clutch was replaced at about 30k miles (seems good still).
I DO have a spare Sachs clutch I have not installed: INCLUDED with car.
DMF was replaced with Single-mass flywheel.
I have some, probably most of the maintenance paperwork; I probably don't have paperwork for all the oil changes, but they were faithfully done every 5k miles.
Vacuum lines were all swapped out for silicone back in around 2005, and they're still fresh and flexible - I like to keep the engine bay nice and clean.
I haven't kept the engine-cover on in a while, but I do still have that.
I will include a bunch of spare parts, including a (new) dogbone engine mount I never got around to installing. The old brake master-cylinder which I'm not sure was actually bad, the old MAF which I'm not sure was actually bad.
Most of the big jobs I've done on this car: I admit were learning experiences for me, and they were all documented on TDIClub.com, so all the dirty details are right here. I've got nothing to hide. I'm not the greatest mechanic in the world, but I did my best, and learned from you all.
With the exceptions noted below, heater and A/C work, locks and windows all work, stereo speakers all work, rear window defogger works.
Two original VW keys, plus the valet key.
Car is equipped with a trailer-hitch receiver; (not inclined to include the hitch and ball), also wired for brake lights.
The bad:
I never got around to refreshing the shocks, struts, or suspension mounts. Nothing's blown out, but it's not the sportiest ride anymore.
Clearcoat is gone. There's ZERO rust on this car - it was originally sold in Arizona, and I bought it from the first owner, took it to California. No rust. But the clearcoat is gone. Paint is pretty bad.
Aside from the paint, it's never been in a collision, so there's no dents or even any bad parking-lot dings anywhere on the sheet-metal.
Steel wheels - not alloys.
All the plastic insulation around the engine and wheel wells is gone.
Air-bag controller is dead. I'll include it, I think it could be re-flashed, but I never sent it in to have that done. I think the connector on the steering-wheel airbag is also broken.
Interior is not terrible, but it's beat.
Original stereo head unit is gone. There's a Sony in there now.
Radio antenna is MISSING; antenna base wasn't working before the antenna went missing.
Front Bumper clips are broken, and it's held on with a couple of sheet-metal screws on one side. Not pretty. Basically the front bumper cover is a basket-case.
There's an immobilizer system, but as far as I know, it never worked, all there is is a little toggle switch by the ODBC plug, and an LED light. It was worth the insurance discount.
At one point, in a parking-lot, I hit a pothole and punched the oil-pan. Shut down the motor, and had it towed. The mechanic who replaced the oil pan used a lot of sealant. Doesn't leak though. Just wanted to mention that.
EGR cut-off butterfly actuator lever is broken. I did try to repair this, but it broke again, and I have just left it wedged for the past several years so the cut-off butterfly remains permanently open. It has passed smog twice in this condition, so this is basically a matter of whether your visual inspector notices that the arm isn't connected to the actuator. EGR valve functions, and cycles and does not trigger CEL.
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