MN Chat Thread

Hey everyone. New to the forum. Thought id say hi to the local people! In the middle of a 5 speed swap on the 03. Love these cars!!

tdanielson95 said:

Hey everyone. New to the forum. Thought id say hi to the local people! In the middle of a 5 speed swap on the 03. Love these cars!!

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Welcome and good luck with the swap!

Twin Cities TDI mechanics??

Hey Guys....Ive been a TDI member for some time but havent been involved in these forums for a while.

I live in the SW Twin Cities suburbs and need to find a second TDI mechanic, as my regular guy isnt available for some time.

Is there a thread in the forums that might help me locate a local MN mechanic? Or do any of you know somebody that might be interested in doing some basic work for me?

I really really really dont like dealing with dealerships...

Jay

JMMeier said:

Hey Guys....Ive been a TDI member for some time but havent been involved in these forums for a while.
I live in the SW Twin Cities suburbs and need to find a second TDI mechanic, as my regular guy isnt available for some time.
Is there a thread in the forums that might help me locate a local MN mechanic? Or do any of you know somebody that might be interested in doing some basic work for me?
I really really really dont like dealing with dealerships...
Jay

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Chaska is a suburb -- Waconia isn't, not really.

How far you should travel depends on what kind of work you need done ... whether you need a TDI specialist or just a very good VW mechanic.

Jay:

I'm in Minnetrista and wish I could find someone more local to do repairs I'm not comfortable tackling. The two "somewhat" local gurus to us are going to be greengeeker (Cambridge) & merkerguitars who works at Midwest Motorworks in Hudson, WI both of which I have used and highly recommend.

There is a small VW shop and used dealer in Tonka Bay I've heard good things about as they seem to mostly work on VW's but I can't speak to their level of knowledge specific to TDI's.

Other than that I've heard there is a guy in the Buffalo area but have no info on him as I trust the two above.

PM me if you have any questions.

Rob in Buffalo definitely isn't up to Guru status, he can do good work but doesn't have the knowledge needed to call a "guru". I have not met him but have a customer who uses him. Something as simple as an actuator install on a turbo - just installed and said see-ya.

JFettig said:

Rob in Buffalo definitely isn't up to Guru status, he can do good work but doesn't have the knowledge needed to call a "guru". I have not met him but have a customer who uses him. Something as simple as an actuator install on a turbo - just installed and said see-ya.

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Jon:

I should have known you would know of him.

At first I thought, where is Greengeeker?

He was hot rodding in a Ford Ranger? Says Tim Harlow of the Strib, “A Wisconsin man who said he just wanted to race a Minnesota state trooper he encountered on a northern Minnesota interstate highway Wednesday morning is in now in jail. The driver was heading north on I-35 near Askov, Minn. when a trooper heading to training in Duluth tried to pull him over around 6:45 a.m. The driver failed to stop and a pursuit began. It went on for 10 miles at speeds between 90 and 100 miles per hour … . Officers from Moose Lake joined the pursuit and deployed stop sticks on the freeway. The driver hit the sticks, which punctured the left front tire of the speeding Ford Ranger. When it came to rest, the driver, 42, was arrested and he told police ‘he was trying to race’ the trooper.” Ford might think of using this for one of those trendy viral ad campaigns

Haha. I think I35 is around those speeds during a normal commute.

Actually drove the Ranger in today - gotta haul yet another broken vw.

greengeeker said:

Haha. I think I35 is around those speeds during a normal commute.

Actually drove the Ranger in today - gotta haul yet another broken vw.

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90-100 mph? Ha! 85 max! (usually)

Brake issue -
Grrr.... Had the brake booster replaced, and the issue is still outstanding.
At home I looked at all of the various options - well at least I think I did.
Took off the connecting piece between the booster and the vacuum pump - Yes, it was toast. Replaced it with a piece of 3/8" ID vacuum hose.
Removed the vacuum connector to the N18/75 and connected it to the MightyVac.
With the engine running, and the connector to the booster sealed off (finger w/nitrile glove) the vacuum is about 27in hg.
When I plug it into the booster, it takes minutes to creep up to 15in hg. As soon as I press on the brakes, it essentially goes to 0in hg.
In addition to this, I can pull vacuum on the rest of the system (running to N18/75) and it will hold. So I figure no leaks there.
So.... My question is this:
Should the vacuum pulled on the booster reach the same as if it were sealed off, and then hold vacuum?

According to this, the answer to my question is "yes" and the new booster is toast.

Tell the shop that replaced it that they screwed up and that you want brakes that actually work.

Unless you did it yourself, then swap the stock one back in and see if it's better. Just because the one in there's new doesn't guarantee it's functional.
On mine it was just the vacuum line that failed, and the booster itself was a-ok

Is the nipple on the vacuum pump loose?

The vacuum pump nipple is part of the casting. No leakage there, thats for sure.

no, actually its not and they come loose an leak.

Just took a closer look - you're right, it is a separate piece. However, I don't find any play in it at all.

With the engine running, I can tug/pull/wiggle it and there is no change in vacuum at all.

JMMeier said:

Is there a thread in the forums that might help me locate a local MN mechanic? Or do any of you know somebody that might be interested in doing some basic work for me?

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There is a "Trusted Mechanics" thread (in TDI 101?); haven't looked at that in a long time.

IMHO there's three kinds of work to do on a TDI: easy DIY like bulb and battery replacement; stuff like brakes/suspension/exhaust that are pretty much the same on all VWs of that generation; and specialty work (like TBs).

For TBs and such, I do go to Midwest Motorwerks in Wisconsin. They know their stuff.

For the "basic" work I have a guy here in St. Paul I trust. He sees enough VWs and Audis to inspire confidence.

Around 15 years ago I lived in Hopkins and there was a Smith Motor (or such) at the corner of Excelsior & Shady Oak; Greg knew/knows his way around VWs, but that was when I owned gasser VWs so I don't know how good he is/was with diesels. Might be worth a call/visit. There's also the VW guy on Hennepin a bit east of the bridge in Minneapolis, but, again, no idea if he's good with TDIs -- and that's still a drive from Waconia.

haakonpe said:

Just took a closer look - you're right, it is a separate piece. However, I don't find any play in it at all.

With the engine running, I can tug/pull/wiggle it and there is no change in vacuum at all.

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Check make sure the vacuum check valve from pump to booster hose is good (they do fail often), and when you connect mighty vac to nipple at VP hose what does reading says when engine running? should be about 25-30 in.hg if its less then 20 then you have a leak in either vacuum pump nipple or leaky brake booster. Honestly I don't recall ever replacing a faulty brake booster on ALH, have done couple on passat/audi but not on TDI. It was always a bad vacuum pump, brake booster hose or vacuum hoses and check valve at N75 valve.

quick question..


so I pulled out of my drive today (on my way to go drive a lambo... mmmm haha) and the car died... was running fine, started fine, turns over fine but wont fire..

where should I start...

it has thrown some random cels (usually glow plug) but not often and no running issues

I read the whitedogs thread and a few others...

now I got confused where to start..

ESS, FUEL pump, 109 relay, wiring loom... can of gas and a lighter?!?

where to start: 1) is your ASV stuck closed? 2) when you first turn the key, does your CEL and GP light illuminate? 3) when you've eliminated #1 & #2, pull your tb cover to check belt tension/integrity. Consider checking cam/crank timing. 4) from there I'm thinking you have a lack of fuel - ip might need to be bled.

greengeeker said:

where to start: 1) is your ASV stuck closed?
2) when you first turn the key, does your CEL and GP light illuminate? 3) when you've eliminated #1 & #2, pull your tb cover to check belt tension/integrity. Consider checking cam/crank timing. 4) from there I'm thinking you have a lack of fuel - ip might need to be bled.

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1) I had the egr delete done and I think that was removed...?? at least I didnt see what I thought it used to be... I will double check again...

2) YES and YES..


3) Timing Belt was replaced about 15K ago by merkerguitars out at Midwest Automotive...

4) that was my next plan.. came on to look up the procedure and check for replies.. there seems to be a few air bubbles in the clearer hose of the 2 going to the pump...????

this is all new to me..

not sure if I posted it but it was running perfectly smooth for about a 1/4mile down then out of my drive when it just shut off... battery light came on.. tried to restart... cranks smooth with not noises... just wont fire

ok.. so I went out to the shop.. no ASV it was deleted...

I cracked open the 2 outside fuel lines on the engine side 1 at a time and cranked... it was pumping fuel.. so that leaves electrical...??

possibly crank sensor maybe? I suck at electrical



added**

SO I checked the fuel pump.. mine has only 2 pins running to it which I would assume is for the fuel gauge, as everything I read says to check the outer pins/wires to see if pump works or power is coming...

So I assume I dont actually have a fuel pump under the rear seat...? as there is also no fuse in #28..

I am so stuck now

is Merkerguitars still around on here?? I sent him a pm but no reply

DWNUNDR said:

is Merkerguitars still around on here?? I sent him a pm but no reply

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He still works at Midwest Motorworks in Hudson. I saw him this past Saturday, when he installed injectors with new DLC 764 nozzles in Red. Injectors with the old PP 520 nozzles are going in Blue in a couple weeks.

Regarding your problem: I think it's a fuel problem, possibly air getting sucked in via the top of the fuel filter. At least that's a common problem and could be yours. Is your fuel line from the filter to the IP transparent, so you can see if there are lots of bubbles?

Unless you added it you don't have an in-tank lift pump.

TornadoRed said:

He still works at Midwest Motorworks in Hudson. I saw him this past Saturday, when he installed injectors with new DLC 764 nozzles in Red. Injectors with the old PP 520 nozzles are going in Blue in a couple weeks.
Regarding your problem: I think it's a fuel problem, possibly air getting sucked in via the top of the fuel filter. At least that's a common problem and could be yours. Is your fuel line from the filter to the IP transparent, so you can see if there are lots of bubbles?

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the clear line has some bubbles... best way to get rid of those?? and I probably should change the filter too..

what I dont understand with this assumption is the fact that it is pumping fuel thru the injectors when I crack them open so it is obviously not stopping fuel getting thru..

greengeeker said:

Unless you added it you don't have an in-tank lift pump.

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nope.. only thing I have done with this is a t-belt and new head about 3 weeks after I bought it

5 Speed swap has been completed for about 2 weeks now. And man do i love this thing.......

DWNUNDR said:

the clear line has some bubbles... best way to get rid of those?? and I probably should change the filter too..

what I dont understand with this assumption is the fact that it is pumping fuel thru the injectors when I crack them open so it is obviously not stopping fuel getting thru..

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Is it smoking like crazy while trying to start?

How high is the fuel squirting when it cranks? Should shoot out almost a foot high when it's primed.

it sprayed like a garden hose...

No smoke that I have noticed inside my workshop...


well I am going to throw a fuel filter in tonight and bleed it... see if that does the trick?? I havent changed it since getting the car and I see you are supposed to bleed the filter every 10K and change it every 20K.. Im about due for a change then