1.8T Questions

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
Just a little update on my old Passat (had to sell it a few years ago to buy our Eurovan). My buddy is still driving it every day to and from work. Still pulls 33mpg, trans shifts perfectly and no issues with the motor so far. 255k miles of awesome. :)
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I just bought a customer's 2004 AWM Passat that I have taken care of for them since new, it just rolled 200k miles. No major mechanical issues.
 

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
We're back into the 1.8T world. Wifey wanted a smaller car to drive around with the kids so I picked up a manual b5.5 wagon. Nice little ride that I've been picking away at its issues. Two items I could use some help with if anyone has experience:

1) ABS lights keep coming on randomly for the driver's side front wheel sensor. Based on my research other owners have reported chaffing where the ABS loom is held by the strut. I've checked any areas which might rub and I can't find anything. I did notice that the ABS sensor slips in and out of the knuckle very easily? I can't imagine it is moving around but it could very well be. I'm guessing this isn't normal?
2) No surprises here but the SAIP is dead. I've been able to source a new one but every time I pull off the discharge hose from the SAIP I get a bunch of water (12oz every oil change) to drain out. I don't want to install my new pump if this is going to continue and just ruin the new pump. Again with the interwebs research - says this might be due to a kombi valve which isn't closing completely? Is there a way to test this? OR is my kombi valve working fine and condensation is simply collecting at the low point (SAIP) because there is never flow?

TIA!
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The Bosch ABS controller can have bad connections inside... quite common, actually, and unfortunately usually means a new module. You can buy these by themselves (separates from the hydraulic part). There are places that repair these, but my experience has shown this option to not work well. At least, not a good permanent fix.

I am actually fighting this on one of my B5s, only it is the LR sensor.

However, given your location, I would want to make double sure the sensor and its mounting hole as well as the little tab ring in the carrier is in good order and not rusty. I'd throw a new sensor on there too before I messed with the module anyway. I assume you pulled the pass through grommet out of the body and checked the wires on both sides of the connector.

FYI: the ABS module is different for ESP and non-ESP cars, and also needs to be coded a certain way depending on equipment (you probably knew that).

SAI: your combi-valve is bad. It has rotted out, and moisture laden exhaust is being pushed back up the tube from the back of the head all the way back to the pump. There are SAI delete kits available, but obviously a tuner will have to write that out of the ECU as hardware alone won't do everything. Parts prices for SAI bits are stupid expensive (not just for VAG stuff). You could probably take the combi-valve off and have the little adapto-piece welded shut and bolt it back on if you did not want to buck up for the hardware to delete it. I think a tune would be half the price of the pump alone, LOL.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The problem with SAI in general is that it is a chronic nuisance, and does very little anyway. A whole system of fragile expensive bits for the first 30 seconds of run time after a cold start? Not worth the headache if you can easily defeat it.

I would imagine there are very few VAG products that old still on the road that have never had the SAI system have some sort of issue by now. The AWM engine has enough to keep sorted with its silly complex vacuum and breather system, anything you can do to make it less likely to have that MIL staring you in the face the better.
 

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
Used, from not Michigan looking SAI pumps look to be ~$80 on fleebay.
Yeah, my 'new' SAIP is from a low mile B5.5 that I stumbled across in the upullit yard. $5. Picked up two at that price. :)

The Bosch ABS controller can have bad connections inside... quite common, actually, and unfortunately usually means a new module. You can buy these by themselves (separates from the hydraulic part). There are places that repair these, but my experience has shown this option to not work well. At least, not a good permanent fix.

I am actually fighting this on one of my B5s, only it is the LR sensor.

However, given your location, I would want to make double sure the sensor and its mounting hole as well as the little tab ring in the carrier is in good order and not rusty. I'd throw a new sensor on there too before I messed with the module anyway. I assume you pulled the pass through grommet out of the body and checked the wires on both sides of the connector.
Thanks for the response Brian. I'll take another look at the friction fit. To me it (sensor) slipped out too easily.
 

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
The problem with SAI in general is that it is a chronic nuisance, and does very little anyway. A whole system of fragile expensive bits for the first 30 seconds of run time after a cold start? Not worth the headache if you can easily defeat it.

I would imagine there are very few VAG products that old still on the road that have never had the SAI system have some sort of issue by now. The AWM engine has enough to keep sorted with its silly complex vacuum and breather system, anything you can do to make it less likely to have that MIL staring you in the face the better.
100% valid point and the major benefit of going that direction. My evap and vacuum system (knock on wood) are in very good condition. At this point it would be more expensive to buy a delete kit and tune than to just replace the combi valve.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
The problem with SAI in general is that it is a chronic nuisance, and does very little anyway. A whole system of fragile expensive bits for the first 30 seconds of run time after a cold start? Not worth the headache if you can easily defeat it.
I guess it's 2 sides of a coin. If I can do something simple to reduce a whole bunch of HC and other nasty junk from coming out of the tailpipe on a cold start, that doesn't rob any measurable performance, I'd keep the system running.

-J
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I guess it's 2 sides of a coin. If I can do something simple to reduce a whole bunch of HC and other nasty junk from coming out of the tailpipe on a cold start, that doesn't rob any measurable performance, I'd keep the system running.
-J

Good thing there are people like you to offset people like me then, LOL :p

Fortunately, my pump sucking 1.8t remains parked most of the time, so I am not too terribly concerned about that, and I won't live long enough to worry about the planet being destroyed by the handful of cold starts my engine sees every year. I am still pursuing putting a diesel in its place, but I did decide to fix the broken flex pipe and replace the leaking chain tensioner gasket, so it will soldier on a little while longer with gasoline in its tank.

I also deleted the catalyst monitoring... the rear lambda sensor is just along for the ride now. :eek:
 

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
Minor update: I went the tune route to fix the SAI system and for the record a Malone tuned 1.8T is fun. :)

Still haven't tackled the ABS issue. Really hope you're not right about the module Brian.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Yep, a tune sure wakes it up... which is especially helpful in the portly B5.

I wish there was a way to tune out the ABS altogether, but I have been told the 2001+ B5s do not allow for it, as it was standard equipment. I'd like to keep it, but I hate to spend the money, especially considering I can count on one hand how many times my ABS has actually had to work on any of my cars in the last 5 years. But I rarely have to drive in any snow. And when I did, the 4mo B5 with snow tires didn't even flinch with the ABS/ESP dead.
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
I wonder if a very small hole in the bottom of that flex pipe that will allow water to drain out would be useful. At least then the condensation could drain out before it gets to the SAI pump and rust it out.
 

greengeeker

Vendor
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS
I wonder if a very small hole in the bottom of that flex pipe that will allow water to drain out would be useful. At least then the condensation could drain out before it gets to the SAI pump and rust it out.
Well as this point the SAI and combi serve no function so I'll at some point delete them.
 
Top