What did you do to your MKIV today?

03 wagon: Finally got around to replacing the intermittent rear ABS sensor - had to punch it out from the front side in pieces... But - I found a sticky caliper pin on that wheel causing brake drag. MPGs have been a constant 43 on snows and winter fue doing 75-80mph most of my 47 mile commute. Still getting 700+ a tank. Definite improvement on this tank so far. 312k miles and it drives like a new car.

Not what I did, but rather my wife. Went to pick up our backup - backup vehicle from my parents house. Since the car has been mostly sitting for the past few years, I decided to drive it and let her drive the Jetta. She hates driving a stick, but will if she has too.

Needless to say, it’s been awhile since she has pushed a clutch. She got in and started it up. Put it in neutral and adjusted everything to her liking. Went to put it in reverse and there was an awful grinding noise, the car lurched, and then died. She forgot to push the clutch in.

Car still seems fine, everything feels good. Was just a “really?!” moment for me.

Oh well. Lessons well remember for next time I guess.

Put two brand new tires on youngest daughters 03 TDI manual car.

Finished the Charge hose seal change today.


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I removed all four seats and center console, so that I could peal back and dry the carpet, while I chased down a driver’s side leak. If I park with my car facing uphill, water pools up on the rain tray and leaks through the electrical pass through, under the wiper. The side drains are not clogged at all.

Is there a replacement gasket available for this? If not, what are people doing to fix this leak?

Changed daughters inner and outer tie rod assy.
Going to do my struts today as one is blown out.

sriracha said:

I removed all four seats and center console, so that I could peal back and dry the carpet, while I chased down a driver’s side leak. If I park with my car facing uphill, water pools up on the rain tray and leaks through the electrical pass through, under the wiper. The side drains are not clogged at all.
Is there a replacement gasket available for this? If not, what are people doing to fix this leak?

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I had the same leak when I first bought my 03, I just dried it out as best as I could, cleaned it up, then siliconed it together.

Nero Morg said:

I had the same leak when I first bought my 03, I just dried it out as best as I could, cleaned it up, then siliconed it together.

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I was guessing that would be the solution. Do you know if any replacement gaskets are available?

Well finally got my struts changed today after spending 2 hours getting off a stripped wheel bolt assy. My Snap-on impact socket split in two corners and rounded the wheel bolt head, pounding another socket onto bolt didn’t help and neither did the Irwin extractors......
I ended up step drilling the bolt down to the bottom of the flare then snapping wheel off with a crowbar on the brake caliper.....sucker let go like a shot gun blast...lol.... scared my daughter..... also had to replace a front busted spring with a spare I had....

sriracha said:

I was guessing that would be the solution. Do you know if any replacement gaskets are available?

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I've never looked, it was rainy season and couldn't wait for a gasket to show up

While the carpet was drying from the leak, I detailed the front seats, since I had them out of the wagon. I set them in the sun and gave them a light dry-scrubbing with a plastic brush. After that, I sprayed each panel with diluted simple green and wiped with a clean towel. The seats look almost new.

New hood lift strut on Saturday, and played with the microswitch that tells the body computer that the hood's closed - was stuck in the "hood closed" position, so I could arm the alarm with the hood wide open. All I had to do was actuate it a few times with a screwdriver and it freed up.

One thing that occurred to me while doing the switch was that this thing looks like something you'd find inside a piece of electronics, not exposed on the front side of a car's hood latch where it'll get all covered in "road schmutz". While it's more accessible there, I would have expected a rubber boot or something over it to keep all that dirt/moisture/etc. off the thing.

Pity I can't get at the switch in the driver's door quite as easily/quickly - like the hood, the car isn't recognizing when the driver's door is opened, so unless I open another door too, the dome lights don't trigger, and the alarm re-arms by the time I'm reaching to put the key in the ignition. I'm guessing the darn thing's stuck in the "door closed" position too...

Replaced my parking break lines and finished removing the entire interior (aside from dash, wheel, airbags) so I can sound deaden, clean, reupholster, and switch to leather heated seats.

I just replaced the heater fan, since the one in my car finally wore out the brushes and started stuttering and then running very slow.
Unfortunately, the spare that I had from a parted out car appears to be missing the balance weights, and is giving a passable foot massage when it's set to speeds 3 or 4.


It'll do for now, and a carefully social distanced trip to the wrecking yard is in the plans for the coming weekend.

hey_allen said:

I just replaced the heater fan, since the one in my car finally wore out the brushes and started stuttering and then running very slow.
Unfortunately, the spare that I had from a parted out car appears to be missing the balance weights, and is giving a passable foot massage when it's set to speeds 3 or 4.


It'll do for now, and a carefully social distanced trip to the wrecking yard is in the plans for the coming weekend.

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I'm surprised Washington considers wrecking yards an "essential business".

romad said:

I'm surprised Washington considers wrecking yards an "essential business".

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Yep, I was surprised as well, but the local yard has it on their web page that they're considered such and will be staying open.

If it weren't for my employer being one as well, I'd have been in the yard earlier this week, and pursuing various projects that I had prepared to be worked on during the shelter-in-place order, only to find out that I wasn't going to be stuck at home...

Anything related to automotive repair and bike repair, is considered essential business, here in CA. The ‘yards are still open for business in my area.

What did I do today? Pulled a 5 speed from one of the nastiest engine bays of an ALH. There was rat feces and leftover urine, nesting materials, and when I went to take the slave cylinder off the brake pedal, a bunch of live cockroaches come scurrying along.

And on that note, behind the brake booster is a 50% off coupon (special the junkyard is running). That made my day, when I originally only came in for a starter.

And I just noticed Sriracha's post - YES, junkyards are considered an essential business. Our have regular hours, though one caveat is they only allow 3 customers inside per side (one side for check-in, the other side for check-out).

And what did I do today? Picked up a Chinesium clutch from the aforementioned Beetle for about 25 bucks. Also got a power steering line (since it's different on manual vehicles). I should have all the parts I need so I can do a swap pretty soon on my 2003 ALH, though I need to round up all the appropriate bolts.

I got to the wrecking yard and pulled a nice fan motor and resistor pack for my car.
Then I got to wait, while carefully socially distanced, FOR 40 MINUTES, to check out!
What a pain, just trying to get out of the yard, with their new procedures...



At least the new fan works smoothly, and has good brushes.

hey_allen said:

I got to the wrecking yard and pulled a nice fan motor and resistor pack for my car.
Then I got to wait, while carefully socially distanced, FOR 40 MINUTES, to check out!
What a pain, just trying to get out of the yard, with their new procedures...



At least the new fan works smoothly, and has good brushes.

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Which yard did you go to?
Just had the same experience trying to pull a couple things for the Cummins...

Got an oil change done on the car. Coulda gone another 3k though. Serves me right not to check my own logs.

Pick-N-Pull in Tacoma/Lakewood.

hey_allen said:

Pick-N-Pull in Tacoma/Lakewood.

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Ahaha that's awesome, same one I went to, except I wasn't looking for MKIV parts. How is their stock for dubs?

KrashDH said:

How is their stock for dubs?

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3 Jettas right now, a number of Passats.

There are a few more Jettas and a Beetle down in Tumwater as well.

I didn't do it today but yesterday got the head exhaust and turbo out. Damage was way worst the I had hoped.

https://www.reddit.com/u/Oki_Hero?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

OkiHero said:

I didn't do it today but yesterday got the head exhaust and turbo out. Damage was way worst the I had hoped.

https://www.reddit.com/u/Oki_Hero?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

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What happened to cause the damage, was this cam failure, TB failure? Just curious so that I know what to expect should symptoms show up on mine if I don’t catch the problem.


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Replaced the drivers side rear LCA bolt and nut after it decided to fall out on my way to work this morning. Don’t know exactly what happened, but doesn’t look like any damage from the incident.


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Actually a couple of days ago. Finally got to pull the trans out of the $300 Jetta.

Dh4276 said:

What happened to cause the damage, was this cam failure, TB failure? Just curious so that I know what to expect should symptoms show up on mine if I don’t catch the problem.


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Actually I don't know. Frank thinks the injection timing wasn't done correctly when the the valve was replaced before the PO bought it. He drove it for a year with no problem, I get it and two months later it dies. Only thing I know to tell you to watch out for is that there was a CEL for a MAF issue and you might go into limp mode while driving with no real reason but I would not get the light for limp mode.

OkiHero said:

Actually I don't know. Frank thinks the injection timing wasn't done correctly when the the valve was replaced before the PO bought it. He drove it for a year with no problem, I get it and two months later it dies. Only thing I know to tell you to watch out for is that there was a CEL for a MAF issue and you might go into limp mode while driving with no real reason but I would not get the light for limp mode.

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K, just had CEL for MAF but no limp mode. Have a new MAF going in today. MAF code came on after installing a boost sensor and I have checked and cannot see any leaks around it. Also installed the dog collar and all new boost hose seals. Light did not com on until I did all this.

I did see worn cam can cause MAF light to come on. That’s why I was worried a little after seeing your pics. Cam and lifter pucks still look ok, been looking at cam kits already though.


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