2003 VW Jetta TDI Sedan M/T - Aftermarket parts - Spare Engine/Trans - $1500

spridmore

New member
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Apr 6, 2017
Location
California
TDI
MKIV
2003 VW Jetta TDI Sedan M/T - San Diego, CA - Spare Engine/Trans - $1500

***** LOCATED IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. Sorry, forgot to add that initially ******



Hello Everyone,
Please read the following ad carefully before asking any questions. I will do my best to describe everything to the best of my memory (the car has been sitting for a few years). If there are some discrepancies, it is simply due to not having been involved with VW's (or having driven this) for a few years, so I'll do my best as much as possible.



Bottom line up front:
2003 Silver Jetta TDI ALH Manual - ~180K miles (it's been a few years since I've had the battery in so I don't remember the exact mileage. May be +/-10K or so). Current REG through August, clean and clear California title. Many almost new aftermarket parts (SS Turbo Back, Koni Red's w/ Kerma Springs, mapped ECU), hydro-locked engine in car AND new short block just returned from the machine shop ready to swap in along with spare 5-speed trans. Please PM me with your number and/or email and I'll give you a call. Price is $1500 for everything, but you must pick up.



Detailed description:
I purchased this Jetta 4-5 years ago from the second owner (going off of what he told me but he was an up-front guy) - First was an older lady in Sothern California that took it to the dealer religiously, the second was a regional manager that used it to commute in his SoCal coverage region. 2003 MT ALH TDI's are hard to come by in excellent condition and this was by far the cleanest I found. When I purchased it, it was bone-stock and the underside was in impeccable condition being a California car. Tan leather interior, Silver exterior. Clear California title as well (currently in hand).



I put ~20k miles on it commuting to work, fixing it up on the weekend. Clutch was already converted to single mass by the previous owner shortly before I bought it. Brand new Koni Red's with new Kerma TDI (IIRC) springs. Most every, if not every, bushing on the car (A-arms, rear trailing arms, ETC) were replaced with OEM VW bushings, including the upgraded Audi TT bushings, which took a significant amount of time and effort :D. Wheel bearings were replaced (rears for sure, fronts I'm pretty sure, all Timken). Exhaust replaced with Tig-welded Turbo Back 2.5" SS with resonator (I don't remember the company but they advertised here on TDICLUB and shipped from Europe). ECU remapped with BlackSmokeUK (?) map (MPPS knockoff cable included). Lots of other small mods I'm forgetting (Aluminum sump pan swapped for steel unit, all of the recommended mods done, Husky liners front/rear/trunk, tons of other things I'm forgetting). Also I believe the brakes and pads were done with high-quality replacements, but don't quote me on that. Importantly, I didn't drive the car hard - it was a daily driver that became my hobby that kept my mind off of a job I didn't care for, but that's another story. :rolleyes:



I started to get a turbo whine ~175K and unfortunately didn't do anything about it quickly. Turbo finally let go, pulling all the oil out of the sump and dumping it in to the engine. I cut the engine as soon as I began to loose power, but it was already too late. Had car towed home, pulled glow plugs and did a compression check with a harbor freight tester- Cylinder 1 (passenger) was ~390psi, 2-4 were ~450psi. Note that HF testers are usually generous, so if these numbers sound high, they probably were. More importantly, all 4 cylinders (especially #1) were filled with oil, as well as the intercooler and intake tract.



Because of work, car sat from that point on and I had to buy something else (Miata, FYI) to get to work. Never tried to start it, never got past checking compression - just simply didn't have time. For all I know, it could start if someone tried, but I doubt it. However, I didn't send it to the junkyard because I wanted to get it working again (isn't that how all years-long projects start?).



Regarding the spare engine, ~1 year ago I found a couple selling a 2001 ALH Beetle MT with 150k on CL for $500 with a blown engine locally, which I had towed back to my house so I could use the block as a donor. Block and head were refurbished by Jacob's Engine Rebuilding in San Diego (family friend) and are ready to go. I also have the manual transmission from the beetle which comes with sale. I had intended to have a friend (Navy diesel mechanic) use the short block and get the car running, but he took a job in Norfolk before he could complete the project.


So, this is the current status of the car. Why am I selling now? Because this car has been sitting in front of my house for a few years and I'm at a different point in my life where the car isn't what I want even if I got it running. With that in mind, I'm looking to find it a new home.



Regarding price - I checked with Ecology and they are offering ~$500 just to take it as scrap, sans refurbished block. Given the almost-new Koni's and Exhaust, new block and transmission, and the whole car, I'm betting someone can pick everything up, swap the motors and sell off some of the old parts for close to what I'm asking. *** IN ADDITION ***, if someone contacts me and jumps on this in the next few days, I threw away a ton of good parts that are worth a significant amount that are still in my garbage can until Wed that they can have - this includes Audi TT forged A-Arms, an extra set of CV's, full brand-new rebuild kits (Mahle I think) for both CV's, extra AC pump and starter, and some other items I'm forgetting.


Finally, for the most part I am not interested in parting it out as I don't have time, unless someone makes me an offer I simply can't refuse on enough parts that make it worth not sending to the junkyard. But honestly, I'd rather just sell it as a package. There are a few aftermarket parts I have held back that never got installed that I will be selling in the parts section (EG almost-new VNT17 to go along with the new block), and the newly rebuilt 10mm injection pump that came with the Beetle. But by and large, any other extra parts I find in my garage I'll throw in with the car free of charge.


Thanks for reading, and if you are interested, please PM me your phone number and/or email and I'll give you a call and send you a few pictures. You will need to pick up the car, but I can roll it out to the street no problem for a tow truck. Clean, clear California title in hand in my name, with current registration (for the next month). :cool:
 
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