After a Stellar day driving Monday, my New Beetle

shifting has gone to pot. Took to my local VW specialist, suspicion is bushing on shifting cable for 1st / reverse gears (others were still driving ok). FINDING 1st, has been an adventure yesterday and today.


Since this car is a 5 speed manual conversion, I realize that 125,000 miles after the conversion, this is not too surprising (since the original cables probably came from a donor car). Any guesstimates on what this will cost me ? Yes the mechanic is aware of my "special" TDI ...





TIA

If it is the later Mkiv shifter tower you may like the Diesel geek short shifter. It goes in place of the bushings at the transmission and really works slick

It could just be the shift actuator is broke, $200.

Links below are for the first gear getter which will likely solve your present issue and the full kit for so of the refresh. So $26-$79
https://www.dieselgeek.com/products...-jetta-new-beetle?_pos=1&_sid=a951cc799&_ss=r

https://www.dieselgeek.com/products/deluxe-vw-shifter-bushing-kit-for-mk4-golf-jetta-gti-new-beetle

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Could also be since its a 2000, it might be an early 2000 and still have the "old" shift mechanism.

Well now - remember my Beetle started life with the O1M 4 speed automatic - I have no idea what car the parts for the 5 speed came from. Jim Bote MIGHT, since he was the one who did the job.

It's not looking too good for the Beetle. He didn't call it dead yet, but it is definately showing the results of 20 years / 374,000 miles of running. Appears there maybe an oil leak around the turbocharger (explains why I have to keep putting oil in), and it sounds like the cylinder rings are getting worn. I may need to start looking for a suitable replacement.

Compression test.
You can get a decent oil turbo scavenging pump to help with a worn turbo bit it's best to just change it if its what's leaking that much oil. Just always be ready for a runaway just incase.
Shifter issues are cheap to fix.

If it is still starting okay, you can still get many miles from a worn engine. A turbo can be replaced.

Scooper - who is working on your car?

Chris Blazer, VolksWerks in Merriam. Real close to me. (Turner).

Gotcha. I'm close by in northern OP and have seen that shop but know nothing about it. I am affiliated with Cool Air Auto repair in Belton (Richard - CoolAirVW here)

I was just curious if I might have seen you car there at some point but I suppose not.

I haven't made it over to Belton yet.



The most wrenching I do on vehicles any more is just an oil / filter change on my '98 Honda Valkyrie ... and attaching accessories to it.

Why are you saying it’s worn? Because it has 370,xxx miles on it.
Do a compression test as stated.

On my car the head gasket went at 394,xxx miles. I replaced it with a serviceable used one.
When I inspected the cylinder walls I was surprised to see the original crosshatch marks from production.
So unless you’ve abused your engine your fine.
You can put a used turbo on and keep motoring.

I’m currently at 435,xxx miles.

It might be fine with just a replacement turbocharger (fix the oil leak issue). I also could use an ABS pump. The engine itself runs like a scalded ape.


Complete compression check is probably impossible without replacing the head - one of my glowplugs is well and truly rounded off by your's truly.


I plan on running it until it doesn't, but it's time to start saving for the replacement. This is just being prudent.

What would be a reasonable cost for replacing the turbo ? As far as I'm concerned , the stock replacement model would be fine , but costs for salvaged, rebuilt and new would be nice. Keep in mind that I would have to have him do it. Most of the oil appears to be blowing out the seals and the turbo is what is covered with oil (so I've been told)

Got car back today. Appears there is "too much pressure in the crankcase" and that is forcing oil out, as well as there being some sort of oil coming out of the turbo. Shifting IS back to normal.


I'm still thinking its time to start saving for a downpayment on a used car. Maybe sell this one on Craigslist as a "parts car" (the eCU and fuel injector nozzles ought to go as a set). Until we are ready to buy another car - watch the oil closely.

scooperhsd said:

Got car back today. Appears there is "too much pressure in the crankcase" and that is forcing oil out, as well as there being some sort of oil coming out of the turbo...

Click to expand...

Hope that diagnosis didn't cost much. Sounds like your mechanic specializes in gassers and has no idea about correct crankcase pressure on a TDI.

As far as the oil leak, how much is being lost between changes? Is it on the outside of the turbo or going into the exhaust? If its on the outside it likely ain't coming from the turbo itself, and if it is leaking into the exhaust or more than a minor amount into the intake tract you should not be driving it unless you enjoy thrill rides you can't control when the engine has a runaway.

I'm guessing that it is mostly outside the turbo (on the outside of it), and on the engine itself. Oil loss is fairly significant - add a quart or so over a 500 mile tank. I usually carry a gallon container of Shell Rotella T6 for top off. I do see some black smoke when I'm on it, but I attribute most of that to the overfuelling (especially before my tune when it was just my larger fuel injector nozzles). My RC2 was modified from his usual to lower the smoke under 3000 RPM (everyday driving range) with those big nozzles. I can easily pull 5000 RPM now, but it smokes like a train doing so. Not much engine oil if any getting into the exhaust or into the turbo.


There has been a replacement gasket (valve cover ?) and the EGR was refreshed, but these do not appear to have fixed the issue.




I don't think I need to be in a big hurry to replace it as long as I watch the oil level. This car started fine last winter in -2F on 3 glowplugs without too much drama.



I've put one of my ScanGuageII guages onto BST, to monitor that - there's some, but not usually too much unless I'm on the throttle hard. I wanted the ScanGuage mostly to monitor coolant temp while I was driving from NC to KC (New Beetles only have an idiot light otherwise).