My 2003 Jetta TDI 5 Speed resurrection thread!

runonbeer said:

What exactly happens when you try to use your "non-backwards compatible" VCDS cable on the 03 car?

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You don't connect.

(I'm working on a plan to get connectivity that includes selling my Micro-Can cable and buying the one that will read from 1999 forward.)

Our 2014 Passat TDI (aka, the Dieselgate car) has 24K miles on it and just threw a P202A code. These newer cars are very comfortable and smooth drivers, but very complicated and troublesome. Without re-hashing my feelings about VW and it's management style, let's just say I am less than thrilled with the experience with the 2014 Passat and what VW has pullled on 580,000 US owners. In time, the 2014 Passat we own will be out of the fleet here. The 2003, she will probably be here for a good bit of time.

That's too bad aja, VW really had a good thing going w the TDI. I'm reading some reviews on a 2000 Beetle, folks love 'em! How unfortunate VW couldn't just stick w the ALH!

SaxmanKana said:

That's too bad aja, VW really had a good thing going w the TDI. I'm reading some reviews on a 2000 Beetle, folks love 'em! How unfortunate VW couldn't just stick w the ALH!

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Yes, engine development is all about meeting emission standards. Too bad VW had to cheat, and admit to it, to do so (or not). The actions by them will be costly and pretty much kill VW's diesel efforts in the U.S going forward.

Yet another ALH that keeps on going !

Our CRs have a long way to go. Times were simpler with those ALH TDIs. Seems like maintenance is more manageable, but hard to part with my CR after all the money I threw into it, oh well.

Nice car ! Good luck with the ALH ! How's she running ?

Jeta Life said:

Yet another ALH that keeps on going !
Our CRs have a long way to go. Times were simpler with those ALH TDIs. Seems like maintenance is more manageable, but hard to part with my CR after all the money I threw into it, oh well.
Nice car ! Good luck with the ALH ! How's she running ?

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Thanks, she is running OK. I'm working on the easy stuff first (body, suspension, etc). The original owner installed a Kerma 150 HP kit which included the VN17 turbo, nozzles, adapters, tune, etc. Then he bought a SMIC and upper pipe from IDParts. Had all this put in at around 220,000, lost the turbo at 261,000 and had it replaced.

Since then its been running without codes thrown but I have not messed with anything except installing a TB kit (it was time).

There appears to be a hiccup at low RPM on an occasional basis. It also seems to be throwing a lot of black smoke if I jump on it. I have not evaluated anything related to fueling or the top end condition as the camshaft and valves are original. Once I get the "easy stuff" done, then I will look into the performance issues. I'm sure I'll be looking for advice on what I find.

As just a layman trying to learn about an ALH, and I realize this is kind of selfish (it's your thread), what are some very basic advantages of an ALH over a CR ?

I want a car that will last me, a beater if you will, all I want is durability and reliability. I saw there are some Passat wagon TDI ALHs that look family oriented, I have two kids.

I might be getting a buyback check (fat chance) but if I do, is an ALH worth looking at, or is it more of a mechanic's car ?

I am not mechanically inclined, only change the oil, wipers, basics.

I gather there is no DPF, a more reliable fuel pump (hopefully), less MILs to worry about, etc. ?

Again, this is if and only if VW gives me a buyback check.

I would only pick out an ALH if it were endorsed by a guru. Two I have names for are in my area, would never buy one without a guru look over.

I'm only trying to prepare in the event of a buyback (sorry for selfishness..again)

Thanks, Cal

http://store.ross-tech.com/shop/cat/RetHEX.html

That's going to be your best bet there I believe. You're not going to solve your black smoke or low RPM hiccup without it. I did the same thing about 8 years ago as I originally purchased an serial interface way way way back in like 2002. I simply couldn't find a computer that I could plug it into.

You also probably want to get a mity-vac and check your total system vacuum for the time being. Should be seeing >25inHg at idle.

A good spot to check is the line that runs to the vacuum reservoir ball. Just pop that line off and see what you've got. If it's low, I start by wiggling the vacuum pump nipple and see if that makes a difference. If the nipple is tight, then I start pinching off the top line on either the N75 or N18. Pinch off various lines (needle nose pliers work fine for that) until vacuum jumps up. That'll tell you where it's dumping. Usually the turbo actuator (not likely on a new 17) or the EGR diaphragm.

runonbeer said:

http://store.ross-tech.com/shop/cat/RetHEX.html

That's going to be your best bet there I believe. You're not going to solve your black smoke or low RPM hiccup without it. I did the same thing about 8 years ago as I originally purchased an serial interface way way way back in like 2002. I simply couldn't find a computer that I could plug it into.

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Thanks for the tip on the Ross Tech trade in policy. I didn't know they did that! Heck, that saves me the trouble of selling my Micro Can and buying another.

You also probably want to get a mity-vac and check your total system vacuum for the time being. Should be seeing >25inHg at idle.

A good spot to check is the line that runs to the vacuum reservoir ball. Just pop that line off and see what you've got. If it's low, I start by wiggling the vacuum pump nipple and see if that makes a difference. If the nipple is tight, then I start pinching off the top line on either the N75 or N18. Pinch off various lines (needle nose pliers work fine for that) until vacuum jumps up. That'll tell you where it's dumping. Usually the turbo actuator (not likely on a new 17) or the EGR diaphragm.

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Thanks again! I have a Mity Vac and will do that over this weekend. The car looks like it has all new vacuum lines, but I know that doesn't mean that much.

Jeta Life said:

As just a layman trying to learn about an ALH, and I realize this is kind of selfish (it's your thread), what are some very basic advantages of an ALH over a CR ?

I want a car that will last me, a beater if you will, all I want is durability and reliability. I saw there are some Passat wagon TDI ALHs that look family oriented, I have two kids.

I might be getting a buyback check (fat chance) but if I do, is an ALH worth looking at, or is it more of a mechanic's car ?

I am not mechanically inclined, only change the oil, wipers, basics.

I gather there is no DPF, a more reliable fuel pump (hopefully), less MILs to worry about, etc. ?

Again, this is if and only if VW gives me a buyback check.

I would only pick out an ALH if it were endorsed by a guru. Two I have names for are in my area, would never buy one without a guru look over.

I'm only trying to prepare in the event of a buyback (sorry for selfishness..again)

Thanks, Cal

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Cal, the ALH's are getting old. It's hard to find a well taken care of one with low miles, but it can be done. But you will pay for it. Or you can do like I am doing and find a clean, high mileage one and fix it up. But if you don't do much work yourself, it will be costly. Follow Lightflyer1's build thread as he used a very well respected Guru here to do a lot of the work.

ALH's are pretty basic cars in comparison to the CR diesels. No HPFP or DPF, and span roughly from the 1999 - 2004 model years (2005 was a split year to PD (pump duce) diesels). Some say the 2003 Golf or Jetta Wagon were the best.

There is a lot of knowledge about ALH's on this Forum, and some excellent mechanics. Where you live, there are several around the PA/NJ/MA states.

Until you hit the 2005.5 and 2006 models with PD injectors (camshaft pumpers), you have a Bosch mechanical fuel pump driven by the timing belt. Very reliable and lasts a long time with the biggest issue being a $350 seal replacement.

If Father VW sets us CR owners free, take your time and look around for a clean ALH GLS 5 speed. One very nice one just sold in the classified from NY I believe.

Stay FAR away from the automatic trans coded as 01M in the ALH as they are time bombs with a high price tag to replace.

Hope this helps you!

Tony

runonbeer said:

You also probably want to get a mity-vac and check your total system vacuum for the time being. Should be seeing >25inHg at idle.

A good spot to check is the line that runs to the vacuum reservoir ball. Just pop that line off and see what you've got. If it's low, I start by wiggling the vacuum pump nipple and see if that makes a difference. If the nipple is tight, then I start pinching off the top line on either the N75 or N18. Pinch off various lines (needle nose pliers work fine for that) until vacuum jumps up. That'll tell you where it's dumping. Usually the turbo actuator (not likely on a new 17) or the EGR diaphragm.

Click to expand...

Not meaning to hijack this great thread but THANKS!!! This is great info for those that don't know... like myself.

Ross-tech is a flat out cool company. No BS, just a badass product with badass support.

aja8888 said:

Cal, the ALH's are getting old. It's hard to find a well taken care of one with low miles, but it can be done. But you will pay for it. Or you can do like I am doing and find a clean, high mileage one and fix it up. But if you don't do much work yourself, it will be costly. Follow Lightflyer1's build thread as he used a very well respected Guru here to do a lot of the work.
ALH's are pretty basic cars in comparison to the CR diesels. No HPFP or DPF, and span roughly from the 1999 - 2004 model years (2005 was a split year to PD (pump duce) diesels). Some say the 2003 Golf or Jetta Wagon were the best.
There is a lot of knowledge about ALH's on this Forum, and some excellent mechanics. Where you live, there are several around the PA/NJ/MA states.
Until you hit the 2005.5 and 2006 models with PD injectors (camshaft pumpers), you have a Bosch mechanical fuel pump driven by the timing belt. Very reliable and lasts a long time with the biggest issue being a $350 seal replacement.
If Father VW sets us CR owners free, take your time and look around for a clean ALH GLS 5 speed. One very nice one just sold in the classified from NY I believe.
Stay FAR away from the automatic trans coded as 01M in the ALH as they are time bombs with a high price tag to replace.
Hope this helps you!
Tony

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Thanks Tony, I will read up on the forum regarding ALH. Just based on the overall sense I get on these threads, the 2003 ALH diesels 5 speed manuals are pretty well recommended.
I just want to be prepared in the event CARB states such as mine don't allow CRs to get registered if the judge orders a full scale buyout. If that's the case it may be a blessing in disguise as I will POSSIBLY use the funds to get an ALH.
I have seen Lightflyer's thread and I have gotten a few guru recommendations in my area. The gurus near me would probably have no objection giving a used ALH an inspection. No idea what I'll do, a lot of homework to do.
I'm unable to perform mechanical work due to health issues. Right now has been an unsettling time with Dieselgate and the last thing I need is a new car payment so buying an ALH may be a possible route, either that or a Japanese gasser.
Take it easy and good luck with the restoration project. These ALH diesels sure have long lives.

Problem is those cars are getting quite old now and usually have a laundry list of wear items that need replacing. The engine is quite robust and can last a very long time but the rest of the car can be quirky. LCA bushings, rear beam bushings, struts, shocks, strut mounts, sway bar bushings, door switches, ABS sensors, are all common problem areas on MK4s. If you aren't doing the above work yourself it can add up really quick. On top of that you have the timing belt, clutch, fluids, filters ect that also need attending.

IMHO, finding one cheap that needs work is better than paying more for one that also needs work. Usually the well maintained ones aren't for sale because not many people want to part with a 50MPG car that runs forever.

On the flip side, 500K miles is not out of the question for these cars when properly maintained. An ALH mated to a manual transmission is a very simple durable reliable and efficient drivetrain.

Total agreement! That's the plan for this wanna be. On our way to 500K! Everything wears out, just have to be patient when it does & also be motivated to fix it. At this age, they need to be tinkered with! I'm ALH bound now. Thanks for all the insight guys!

Dave

I'm actively in the process of getting our family's 4th ALH up and running. After owning a PD and a CR I've decided I prefer ALHs. Part of this is the car itself, as I think the MKIV platform is the perfect size. But it's also the simple drivetrain, as others have mentioned.

I remember when the ALHs were introduced people whined about how complex and sensitive they were, pointing to failing MAFs, vacuum issues, overboost, clogged intakes, etc. Now we think of these issues as simple, and many don't even occur any longer. MAFs are much more robust, intakes clog far less frequently with ULSD, and knowledgeable people have learned how to address the other issues.

But these are old cars. My '99.5 is a two-owner car that has had good, but not the best, care. It needed engine work because of some botched repairs, all done. But now I"m looking at having the front clip painted, possibly brakes, headliner, repairing door cards, hatch that won't open, persistent ABS fault, fogged headlights, water leak in the cabin, and other minor fixes. After all it's a 16+ year-old car with a quarter million miles on it. But once it's sorted it'll be dead reliable and very economical to maintain.

I'll take an ALH over a CR any day. In fact I did. Sold my CR last Spring.

I've got 2 Golf's '00 & '10. The 2010 car is just so much nicer and quieter with zero smoke and its chipped. It's hard to make that kind of power in an ALH without some smoke.

Don't get me wrong. I love the ALH but sadly, they're pretty much all run ragged these days.

runonbeer said:

You also probably want to get a mity-vac and check your total system vacuum for the time being. Should be seeing >25inHg at idle.

A good spot to check is the line that runs to the vacuum reservoir ball. Just pop that line off and see what you've got. If it's low, I start by wiggling the vacuum pump nipple and see if that makes a difference. If the nipple is tight, then I start pinching off the top line on either the N75 or N18. Pinch off various lines (needle nose pliers work fine for that) until vacuum jumps up. That'll tell you where it's dumping. Usually the turbo actuator (not likely on a new 17) or the EGR diaphragm.

Click to expand...

Well, today I attached my Mityvac to the vacuum line to the reservoir ball and at idle, the engine is pulling a steady 24.5 inches of Hg, which I would guess is OK??? Of course, the gauge has some error so that reading may be plus or minus a bit. The connection at the vac pump is very tight so I deemed that OK. I pinched off several hoses and saw very little change. I just did this as a quick test since we are heading out for the rest of the afternoon.

Monday when I free up, I am going to look at all the vac hoses a bit closer. I sent in my Micro-CAN cable for a trade in (thanks for the tip Robbie!) and will be able to dive further into the engine performance maybe by the end of next week if Ross-Tech gets me the new cable by then.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

I'm actively in the process of getting our family's 4th ALH up and running. After owning a PD and a CR I've decided I prefer ALHs. Part of this is the car itself, as I think the MKIV platform is the perfect size. But it's also the simple drivetrain, as others have mentioned.

I remember when the ALHs were introduced people whined about how complex and sensitive they were, pointing to failing MAFs, vacuum issues, overboost, clogged intakes, etc. Now we think of these issues as simple, and many don't even occur any longer. MAFs are much more robust, intakes clog far less frequently with ULSD, and knowledgeable people have learned how to address the other issues.

But these are old cars. My '99.5 is a two-owner car that has had good, but not the best, care. It needed engine work because of some botched repairs, all done. But now I"m looking at having the front clip painted, possibly brakes, headliner, repairing door cards, hatch that won't open, persistent ABS fault, fogged headlights, water leak in the cabin, and other minor fixes. After all it's a 16+ year-old car with a quarter million miles on it. But once it's sorted it'll be dead reliable and very economical to maintain.

I'll take an ALH over a CR any day. In fact I did. Sold my CR last Spring.

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Great! You're an excellent candidate for the job. You have a fine track record of keeping ALH's alive. Dweisel is hooking me up with one of his spare NB's a 2000 Blue 5 speed. You guys have instilled the passion. Picking it up next week. On the hand shake he said this is the first Beetle I've ever sold. I now know what he truly means.

Happy Motoring,
Dave

Here it is: Drove it today for the first time.


Still needs some things. But it's got potential. Drives nice.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

Here it is: Drove it today for the first time.


Still needs some things. But it's got potential. Drives nice.

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Those red Golfs sure are pretty! Good luck with it!

SaxmanKana said:

Great! You're an excellent candidate for the job. You have a fine track record of keeping ALH's alive. Dweisel is hooking me up with one of his spare NB's a 2000 Blue 5 speed. You guys have instilled the passion. Picking it up next week. On the hand shake he said this is the first Beetle I've ever sold. I now know what he truly means.
Happy Motoring,
Dave

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Good luck with it! Post some pictures when you have it!

Sharp looking Hot Red Chili Pepper! That's a keeper!!
Have fun,
Dave

This week's progress. After really having a look at the state of the body, besides rusty fenders (expected), I found some rust starting on the rear deck lid at the licence plate bolts. Hmmm.........May be the next is to redo the deck lid and the rear bumper cover. We'll see..

Some finished pictures:

Right fender:



Left fender:



I also shot new clear on the right rear quarter where it was faded from a poor job done in the small wreck repair:



Waiting on my new VCDS cable (due Saturday) for me to start looking into the black smoke issue when jumping on it.

Looks like you shot 100 coats of clear, lots of depth!

SaxmanKana said:

Looks like you shot 100 coats of clear, lots of depth!

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Nah, the factory base coat color has a bit of pearl in it along with the metallic. I put on a light coat of clear followed by two wet coats. Then water sand with 2000 grit paper and rub with 3M machine compound.

Now I need to rub the rest of the car to match.

Man you are busy...

leicaman said:

Man you are busy...

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Freshly retired so I need things to do besides "honeydo's".

Man I just threw away a 100% perfect trunk lid from my UTE project.

runonbeer said:

Man I just threw away a 100% perfect trunk lid from my UTE project.

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I could have used that. But the rusted nut plates that are inserted in the deck lid appear to be replaceable from the back of the lid. I found a repair thread and the rust is just starting to bubble around them. It's on the list!