New to TDIClub? Introduce yourself here!

Hello! Just bought a 2000 Beetle with ~182,000 miles on it. Good friend / neighbor was original owner- I want to learn diesel engines a bit and keep this as daily driver. Needs an alternator (according to the shop at which it was previously serviced). I have all maintenance records for the life of the car.

Looking for a TDIclub-recommended shop for work in Orlando / Oviedo, FL area. I'm planning to revamp elements of the interior, minor things on the exterior (it looks pretty good for being 24 years old!) and do maintenance on the engine to the degree I am capable. I'm a novice, as far as engine mechanical experience- but this car is my project car for learning, so if something takes time to learn- I don't mind.

Welcome NavyTDI2000 .... nice find.

Post this info in the 101. It will be seen right off and you will likely get a response much faster.

Also, there is a Sticky on Trusted Mechanics by state that can be helpful.

NavyTDI2000 said:

Hello! Just bought a 2000 Beetle with ~182,000 miles on it. Good friend / neighbor was original owner- I want to learn diesel engines a bit and keep this as daily driver. Needs an alternator (according to the shop at which it was previously serviced). I have all maintenance records for the life of the car.

Looking for a TDIclub-recommended shop for work in Orlando / Oviedo, FL area. I'm planning to revamp elements of the interior, minor things on the exterior (it looks pretty good for being 24 years old!) and do maintenance on the engine to the degree I am capable. I'm a novice, as far as engine mechanical experience- but this car is my project car for learning, so if something takes time to learn- I don't mind.

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Wow! One owner, low miles, and all the service records?! The perfect car!
Welcome here, you've definitely come to the right place!

Thanks AndyBees and J_dude!

NavyTDI2000 said:

Hello! Just bought a 2000 Beetle with ~182,000 miles on it. Good friend / neighbor was original owner- I want to learn diesel engines a bit and keep this as daily driver. Needs an alternator (according to the shop at which it was previously serviced). I have all maintenance records for the life of the car.

Looking for a TDIclub-recommended shop for work in Orlando / Oviedo, FL area. I'm planning to revamp elements of the interior, minor things on the exterior (it looks pretty good for being 24 years old!) and do maintenance on the engine to the degree I am capable. I'm a novice, as far as engine mechanical experience- but this car is my project car for learning, so if something takes time to learn- I don't mind.

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Welcome! Here is the thread to look in for trusted mechanics by state!

MrCypherr said:

Welcome! Here is the thread to look in for trusted mechanics by state!

Trusted TDI Mechanics - By State

Click Below : Looking to be added to the Member Recommended Mechanics List or have someone you want added ? Click me :) Member Recommended TDI Mechanics - By State List Member Recommended TDI Mechanics By State Map Disclaimer and suggestions for finding a mechanic for your car: TDIClub is not...

forums.tdiclub.com

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Thanks- I was just able to post a question in it!

Hello everyone, last year I bought a 1998 Golf 3 convertible.
It is a 1.9 TDI AHU with a 5-speed DSF transmission
After a few repairs the Golf is running great. Lastly I replaced the ECU and the top.

I already had a few VW Polo, Golf 2, Golf 1 Cab, all petrol.
But the TDI is the most fun. I learned to drive in a Golf 3, it was my driving school car.

Next is an ECU remap fom @burpod to gain some extra hp

greetings from Austria

Hey, I'm in the process of purchasing a 2005 Jetta 5sp assuming it is a bew, I'm planning to use this for commuting to work and want to do what I can to make it last.

jhndrtxn said:

Hey, I'm in the process of purchasing a 2005 Jetta 5sp assuming it is a bew, I'm planning to use this for commuting to work and want to do what I can to make it last.

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2005 could be BEW or BRM, depending if its an mk4 or mk5. The mk5 is brm, and the mk4 is bew

jhndrtxn said:

Hey, I'm in the process of purchasing a 2005 Jetta 5sp assuming it is a bew, I'm planning to use this for commuting to work and want to do what I can to make it last.

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Make sure the cam in good shape and if it's unknown do the timing belt ASAP.

Mozambiquer said:

2005 could be BEW or BRM, depending if its an mk4 or mk5. The mk5 is brm, and the mk4 is bew

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I'll have to check it out when I get a chance it has a 03 Golf front end on it.

CanadianALH said:

Make sure the cam in good shape and if it's unknown do the timing belt ASAP.

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Timing belt was done 30k miles ago, I plan to pull the valve cover to inspect the cam

jhndrtxn said:

I'll have to check it out when I get a chance it has a 03 Golf front end on it.

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Then it would be an mk4, since the mk4 golf front end won't work on an mk5.

MrCypherr said:

Welcome! a TDI swapped CC would be interesting but I'm sure youd need a donor car with everything.

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I found a local TDI Jetta. Running, smashed in the rear. I'll look at it soon. Now,.. time to start posting stupid questions..

Howdy, I'm new here. Recently bought a 2006 Jetta TDI. It seems working on my Ford 6.0 for several years has prepped me for TDI ownership. XD
Figured I'd find the intro thread before I start asking questions.

bc1550 said:

Howdy, I'm new here. Recently bought a 2006 Jetta TDI. It seems working on my Ford 6.0 for several years has prepped me for TDI ownership. XD
Figured I'd find the intro thread before I start asking questions.

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Welcome! I'm a Newb too!

Re-new to the club. I was a member a long time ago but sold all my VW's and I guess became expired
My son continued the family VW TDI tradition, though.

Anyway, I've done several timing belts on VW's over the years (and just about everything else) and offered to save my son $1000 by doing his CJAA. So..... I'm baaaaaack. I don't have any questions in particular, but I do hope to review any write ups or video's specific to the CJAA engine.

I have an old timing belt installation tool kit but it seems to have expired, ...too.

Thanks for letting me back in.

Welcome back!

I just completed the timing belt on a CJAA Golf last week. I used the dieselgeek kit, which gives you access to an informative video. Just know, you do not need to remove the motor mount, so there is a little less hardware to purchase if you want to do the "pro" method.

Hi everyone.
I just purchased a 2004 Jetta TDI 5-speed manual from the auto shop at a local high school. The students refurbished the interior and updated several components including headlights, alternator, rear lights, some nice trim pieces, and more. It still needs some interior work like the center console is cracked, the passenger seat heater does not seem to work, need to replace the headliner fabric, and a bit more. However, with over 200,000, it seems to be running great.
I am really interested in learning more about the car, learning how to properly maintain everything, and doing some of the repairs, and general maintenance. I did this on my previous car, a 2001 Mazda Protege LX (also a manual five-speed).
Looking forward to learning from all this expertise!

aster said:

Hi everyone.
I just purchased a 2004 Jetta TDI 5-speed manual from the auto shop at a local high school. The students refurbished the interior and updated several components including headlights, alternator, rear lights, some nice trim pieces, and more. It still needs some interior work like the center console is cracked, the passenger seat heater does not seem to work, need to replace the headliner fabric, and a bit more. However, with over 200,000, it seems to be running great.
I am really interested in learning more about the car, learning how to properly maintain everything, and doing some of the repairs, and general maintenance. I did this on my previous car, a 2001 Mazda Protege LX (also a manual five-speed).
Looking forward to learning from all this expertise!

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What an awesome buy, "over 20̷0̷,0̷0̷0̷," that is pretty low! With a BEW engine, cam wear is a known issue, and depending on how close to 20̷0̷k, it may have been passed on before a timing belt change, due every 10̷0̷k. If you cannot find proof it was done, safe practice is to just replace it - sounds like a job you may be up for! Keep the gap behind your wheel arch liners clean of sand/leaves to prevent rust, clean your air intake snowscreen, make sure your sunroof drains are clear if you are equipped with a sunroof, and have fun! Oh, and there is a chance the seat heater is the dash switch (roller dial thing) malfunctioning rather than the seat, it happened to my brother. So that is worth a look. Not sure which fuses it uses, I am sure the info is on here to check them too. Welcome, and feel free to share pics!

HI all,
New here; based in Ireland I have a 2012 Vw Golf (MK6) and a 2016 Vw Passat (B7).
Looking forward to some advice in very near future.

The Cream Dolphin said:

What an awesome buy, "over 20̷0̷,0̷0̷0̷," that is pretty low! With a BEW engine, cam wear is a known issue, and depending on how close to 20̷0̷k, it may have been passed on before a timing belt change, due every 10̷0̷k. If you cannot find proof it was done, safe practice is to just replace it - sounds like a job you may be up for! Keep the gap behind your wheel arch liners clean of sand/leaves to prevent rust, clean your air intake snowscreen, make sure your sunroof drains are clear if you are equipped with a sunroof, and have fun! Oh, and there is a chance the seat heater is the dash switch (roller dial thing) malfunctioning rather than the seat, it happened to my brother. So that is worth a look. Not sure which fuses it uses, I am sure the info is on here to check them too. Welcome, and feel free to share pics!

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Thank you so much for all the advice. So far I am just learning the car itself and these types of tips really help. I am kind of wondering if the 2004 car I have has a snow screen. I guess I will just need to take that apart to see if I have one or it uses the filter as mentioned in the How To. Now I am off to find out about sunroof drains!

aster said:

Thank you so much for all the advice. So far I am just learning the car itself and these types of tips really help. I am kind of wondering if the 2004 car I have has a snow screen. I guess I will just need to take that apart to see if I have one or it uses the filter as mentioned in the How To. Now I am off to find out about sunroof drains!

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Some folks do remove them, but it is very very easy to check. If you check the filter, do it by looking through the circle hole, you should not take it out and put the same one back in. And as far as sunroof drains, on a warm dry day, pour a cup of water in each corner of the gutter under the sunroof when it is open. One at a time, and watch the respective wheel well, each corner leads to that fender liner. if you see it dribble out, score. If not feed whipper snipper line in to clear it out. Mine were clear, and have never caused an issue despite everyone saying they are the death of the cars. I like mine, fear not. We have a 540̷,0̷0̷0̷km bew wagon in the family here, great car.

aster said:

Thank you so much for all the advice. So far I am just learning the car itself and these types of tips really help. I am kind of wondering if the 2004 car I have has a snow screen. I guess I will just need to take that apart to see if I have one or it uses the filter as mentioned in the How To. Now I am off to find out about sunroof drains!

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I think the 03 was the last year with a snow screen, so you may not have one.

The Cream Dolphin said:

One at a time, and watch the respective wheel well,

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Front drains are located in the door jam, between the upper and lower door hinges. Not sure if the rears differ from hatchback/wagon to sedan, but the sedan rear drains are sort of under the bumper just behind the rear tires.

J_dude said:

Front drains are located in the door jam, between the upper and lower door hinges. Not sure if the rears differ from hatchback/wagon to sedan, but the sedan rear drains are sort of under the bumper just behind the rear tires.

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Yup, thanks for that one my bad.

eschady said:

Moderator Note:

Newbies, this thread is more than a decade old! It started out as a HOW TO post, but you will now find an entire HOW TO thread with links galore here: HOW TO

Since its original inception, this thread has evolved into an introduction and welcome thread. Feel free to introduce yourself here and post a picture of your car. If you have a question, feel free to browse the TDI 101 section, one of the model-specific sections, or any one of the forums on our site.

There is also a SEARCH function so you can quickly find what you're looking for - there are a number of common questions/problems that have already been discussed that you may find interesting.

----------------------------------------------------------

I think there should be a starter post for newbies to help answer many of their initial concerns. Here is a list that I came up with that many newbies have concerns about, or should be informed about:



Take some time and read through the TDIFAQ and the forums.

Consider the EGR modification:

Who has Vag-Com and where: (They are nice people, and can help with the EGR mod)

Read up on the Break-In period . This is important, and can save you many problems down the road!

How To Drive a Stick - Shifting Points

Most recommend that you DO NOT change your oil prior to 5,000 miles:
Do not change prior to 5,000
Do not change prior to 5,000

Diesel 101

Try to use Premium Diesel

Or better yet, try BIODIESEL

Can't get premium or biodiesel, consider adding an additive:

If you are experiencing "poor" mileage:

Another Poor Fuel Economy Post

Come to a GTG and meet your fellow TDI'ers, they can help you out.

Here is a picture of the TDI engine with many important components labeled:


Some general maintenance items:

GeWilli's How To Page
GeWilli's site has lots of good information including: relay 109, MAF analysis, bulb changing (harder than it sounds), any many more!!!

Link to Useful PDF's
This links to a post with a bunch of downloadable PDF files on some procedures.

More How To's

How to do an Oil Change
How to do an Oil Change
How to do an Oil Change

How to change the Fuel Filter

How to clean the Snowscreen
How to clean the Snowscreen

Testing Glow Plugs

Brake Pad and Rotor Replacement

Intake Manifold Cleaning

MAF Failure Analysis

Some add-ons/modifications to consider:

Skidplate

Fumuto Valve

Ventectomy

Mufflerectomy

CCV Mod

Evry Mod

Custom Boost Gauge


How to Buy a Used TDI


Anyone else have something to add that all newbies should read up on? Are there better posts out there that I didn't include?




One last hint... scroll down to the bottom of this page and click on the Favorite Thread link. This will add a link to your "My Home" so you always have a quick link to it.

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Super stoked to be here …

New guy checking in.
i have a 2012 JSW that just turned 50K miles. Been a happy owner for five years. My only serious issues to date were a fault in the electric portion of the ignition switch, a failing battery and a clogged DPF. I bought the Ross Tech VCDS and ran a manual Regen. That was over a year ago and no follow up issues. I have the panoramic sunroof and, of course, the sunshade needs some love. May try the replacement once I get some room in the garage. I have been doing my own fluid and filter changes.
Future projects- recharge the AC, sunshade fix, headliner replacement. At some point I may think of going with a tune, but focused on utility now

Welcome- many resources here for many things you may be interested in doing!

On my second 2013 sportwagen TDI. My first was really my wife’s but she needed something bigger so it became mine til I hit a deer in November at interstate speeds. I was so impressed with how the car handled during the accident I was sold on the safety aspect of the car and went back and forth between finding a manual TDI wagon or getting a parts car and fixing that one. So now I have a 2013 manual I got a few weeks ago and already have deleted and stage one tuned the computer and it’s a super slick car if I keep it at 70 I get 50 ish mpg. I am mainly going for economy (but the added pep is fun), it will get 20k+ put on it annually and some of that is for work so it pays for itself. I will be using this site as a resource for repairs, maintenance and preventative measures. Many thanks to the ones who post the tutorials and helpful information. My previous daily was an 81 slicktop all manual Mercedes 240D and before that was an 85 Mercedes’ 300SD. My pickup/farm truck is a 2000 7.3 power stroke 6 speed 4x4 duallie and my tractor runs on diesel so you could say I’m kinda hooked on oil burners. Nobody does diesel like the Germans but that 7.3 is a force of nature when it’s been tuned. I’m a machinist and welder so I tend to think I can fix anything which most of the time works out great but every once in a while gets me into trouble. I haven’t taken a vehicle to a mechanic in 23 years and I plan on keeping it that way; if I cannot fix it then I shouldn’t own it.