My first TDI. A 2000 Jetta

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I finally got a TDI of my own.
I've been working toward one for awhile.
Been putting the VNt 15s on my Rabbits for awhile.
Got an MTDI project running.
Worked on someone's ALH,.. timing belt and pump reseal.

This guy stops by yesterday and asks if I want to buy his Jetta.
The windshield is cracked bad.
The rear bushings need replaced.
The 5th gear is out,.. I think because the tower moves so much.
265,000 miles.
Needs a timing belt.
Inside is trashed.
Tail light broken.
Runs great.
$350 delivered to my yard.
A friend of mine has several parts TDIs
that he is trying to clear out so I'll be able to get the parts.
Dark dark purple?
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Congrats! sounds like a good project. Not a bad price if you don't mind a lil work.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
5th gear could be out because they let the trans run low of fluid. Just a warning.
For that price you really cannot go wrong.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
No kidding. Round here (MN) the motor itself is worth at least $600+

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fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I could part it out but will try to fix it.
I'm aware the missing 5th could be caused by low fluid.
I'll check that but the tower might be an easier fix and needs done for sure.
I'll need to research how that's done.
Can almost feel 5th If I push hard.
If that doesn't solve it, I'll pull the end off the trany.

The guy I got it from got it for $400 from a someone who was driving down the road and it quit.
Said the timing belt went.
It was just a clogged fuel filter.
He put 30,000 on it.

A few dents but the body is pretty rust free.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
The guy I got it from got it for $400 from a someone who was driving down the road and it quit.
Said the timing belt went.
It was just a clogged fuel filter.
He put 30,000 on it.
Are you saying the filter only had 30K miles on it or he drove it for 30K and the belt broke?
Fuel filter should go much longer w/o cloging.

If the belt broke there will be valve damage. :(
This requires head repair at a minimum.
Possible piston / rod damage.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
The guy he bought it from thought he broke the timing belt when it stopped on the highway.
Turns out it was just the fuel filter.
Shawn bought it for $400 and changed the filter,..
then drove it for 30,000 and sold it to me.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I'll have to check the paint code.
It's so dark it looks black at first.
Right, the plan is to fix any problems, drive it for awhile.
I have the rear bushings ordered.
Then sell it to a friend whos looking for a car with a stick.
I'm looking at a 2002 Jetta TDI wagon a friend has for sale.
Plan is to fix that up and keep it.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Not sure where to find the paint code.

Here are some pics:
Trash car hehe


Side view,.. from the bad side:




Hey need your opinion.
This ABS speed sensor is OK right?
Just fine?


Supposed to be a backing plate protecting it right?
Where to get those?
I've traumatized you enough for today.

Starts/runs great.
Rabbits don't have alarms,.. that freaked me out.
 
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GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Looks like my speed sensor...so ya for sure its good! Haha!

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fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Thanks.
Same color as your 2000 jetta I'm guessing.
Bill said that's the only year with that color.
 

Caddy 16v

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Location
Hazelton, BC
TDI
2000 Jetta, 2000 Golf
That's correct, there is also Indigo Blue but it looks way more blue and purple, as Atlantic blue almost looks black when it's not in the sun.

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fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
I would try shopping at a real parts place, then get the numbers, etc. Then check the ebay part.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Got the rear bushings in.
Probably won't be the last time,
so I made a special tool.
MK4rearbushingpress by vwfatmobile, on Flickr

The side the bushing gets pushed on with isn't flat.
It's stepped.
Not as bad as the MK2 bushings but I still had to use some quick steel
to make the flat steel match the bushing.
Near the top of the tool you can see a black marker line on the edge.
It lines up with the little nub molded into the epoxy.
Helped me get the orientation right when I installed it.

Piece of 3" stainless pipe was big enough for the bushing to fit through.
Used a Rabbit strut bearing to make turning the nut easier.
It went in easier than I thought it would.

It's back on the ground.
On to fixing the shift tower on the trany.
 
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fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Took the shift tower off.
Damn that was just as nasty as some of the pics I've seen.
Rust and grime,.. inside a trany? Damn.
And almost no race left to remove:


Nothing to grab so I tacked some welds to the inside.
It was in there so good the tacks would break off and take race with them,.. for awhile.
Finally got it to start moving.


New bearings and seal installed.
There was no sign of the old bearings or cage when I opened it.
I stuck my magnet way down inside and nothing came back with it.

I don't have a bentley yet.
What is the purpose of that little right angle lever?

There was a rubber washer in the kit I got.
Where does that go?

This missing bearing might be why 5th gear disappeared.
If I'm lucky.
Either way the fluid was nasty.
That'll need changed.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Don't know about the rubber washer, but the 90 degree elbow thing is used to lock the shift lever into a set position for install/uninstall.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I pulled them out separately.
I think the rubber washer goes over the shaft before the tower goes on.
Might seal the underside of the bearing.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Got the shift tower repaired.
Went for a test drive and 5th gear is still missing.
Took the end off the trany and found this:
TDI5thgearlever by vwfatmobile, on Flickr

I suppose I'll have to buy a T60,..
and dig a little deeper to see if there are other problems.
Where can I buy parts like the needle bearings?
 
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fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I got the gears off and everything looks good.
Needle bearings, gears and splines all looked good.
The synchros looked good.
I'm getting a used lever and putting it back together.

Still on the list.
Timing belt
Finish bleeding the brakes,.. ABS VCDS stuff.
Windshield.
Sunroof.
Interior panels.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Trany back together.
Hooked the battery back up and went to start it.
HONK HONK HONK.

Fixed the broken solder joint in the door latch.
That wasn't on the list.

Door card was in pieces.
Didn't want to waste my time putting it back in.
My buddy basically has a MK4 salvage yard
I found a good matching black one.
That WAS on the list.

Should be back together tomorrow.
So I can see if I have 5th.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I went to put my new drivers door card on and noticed the rear view mirror was for a manual adjust car,.. on the driver's side.
It has a cable adjusted mirror.

The door card I got is for a car with electric mirrors.
The passenger side is electric adjust and works with the new door panel.

That can't be factory can it?
Manual adjust for the driver's side and electric on the passenger side?
Is there a door release set up that way?

I suppose the best plan would be to put an electric mirror on the driver's side?

The d-side rear window keeps going when it hits the top,
with a grinding noise.

One bad cable in the driver's window.

It's running great, 5th is working and no clunking in the rear.

List hasn't changed much.
Still on the list.
Timing belt
Finish bleeding the brakes,.. ABS VCDS stuff.
Windshield.
Sunroof.
Rear d-side window and door panel.
2 good front tires
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Timing belt done.
Windshield changed.
Swapped some good used tires onto the front.
Still on the list:
Rear driver's side window just grinds
New rear calipers speed sensors and dust covers
Sunroof
I have air in the fuel line and it's pulling a vacuum of about 10
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Yeah, it's almost on the road.

I put an aftermarket fuel filter on and got rid of the air in the lines.
Pulling about 5 on the vacuum gauge,.. other gauge was reading wrong.

Got the sunroof working.
Just some headliner stuff left to reinstall.

The dside rear door/window works,.. not sure about the door speakers.
A couple more screws and the curly Qs that hold the rear door on and I'll be able to put the door card on.

Things left to do:
Passenger door doesn't open from the outside and needs some lower screws.

No gas cap, just a rag hanging out.
The gas tank door is broken, doesn't latch.

New rear calipers and sensors are still on the list but it stops good.

Rear tires are a smaller diameter so it kinda looks like the butt is dragging.
But they have alot of tred so I might use them up before changing them.

Might be some clunking up front so it might need control arm bushings.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Passenger door now opens and there were screws along the bottom but they had ripped out the plastic holes a little.
So I put washers on them and now it doesn't catch on the frame when opening.

Heated driver's seat works.
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
I've been driving it.
It's going to be my winter car.
Got some iceX tires for it.

I put a good windshield in.

Front strut spring was broke couldn't find a matching one.
But my friend had some coilovers that looked to be in great shape.
I put those on. Had to raise them up and can still go up another inch.
They ride nice. Put some control arm bushings in while I was at it.

Sunroof works perfect, had to pull the headliner for that trick.
All the windows and doors work great.

It brakes nice but I'm going to have to swap the rear calipers see if I can rebuild them.
Until them I'm afraid to pull the emergency brake.
It also needs good dust shields back there
and speed sensors.
Often when I take a left turn the brake light starts flashing and a beeper goes off.
Runs good, first tank fill. A little under 9 gallons took me 345 miles.
Close to 39 miles/gallon.

Way different than a MK1 or 2 for sure.
I'm officially driving a car from the 21st century.
 
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