NEWBIE ALERT - first post

Sip'n Diesel

Veteran Newbie
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Location
San Joaquin Valley, I have VCDS (KII-USB)
TDI
2003 ALH: 254,000 miles
Hello everyone my name is Chris. Long time lurker, first time poster. I don't remember how I heard about TDiClub.com, somehow I stumbled across it while surfing the web a few years ago looking for a new car. Read the FAQ, etc. and decided I should consider TDi as an option (THE ONLY OPTION DUH!) Been lurking around doing my homework ever since. Basically drove the old car into the ground before I started to really search for a TDi (didn't think it would be THAT hard to find the "right one." :eek: ) So in July 2007 after visiting almost every VW stealership in the Chicagoland area, I found what I considered to be a good deal. I try to read up on maintenence and driving styles in my free time to learn as much as I can. Unfortunately for me I'm not very mechanically knowledgeable (I would probably botch a simple oil change,) I have been taking my car to the stealership for scheduled maintenance since it was under extended warranty for some time. Now that the warranty has expired I'm ready to get my hands dirty. Let's just say I've learned more about TDis from this site than I know about gassers/cars in general in a lifetime. I'm looking forward to learning how to maintain my car, modify, and meet all you cool people at GTGs, TDiFEST, etc. I have a feeling I'll be spending a lot of time on this website;)
BTW - I'm sorry! I tried to keep my first post short but there's just too much on my mind after lurking for soooo long!
 

JB05

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Location
Il.USA
TDI
Golf,2005,anthracite blue
Welcome aboard; you've made the right decision with the TDI.
There is enough how-to information on this site to make a mechanic
out of anybody. This is my first VW, and I must admit, I feel confident in
tackling projects due to the step-by-step procedures I have found on this sight. I cannot stess strongly enough the need for proper tools. Otherwise things can break or you will be fighting with something that should other wise be a simple job. There are always people willing to go out of their way to help you in any way. Enjoy the ride.
JB
 

Sip'n Diesel

Veteran Newbie
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Location
San Joaquin Valley, I have VCDS (KII-USB)
TDI
2003 ALH: 254,000 miles
JB05 said:
Welcome aboard; you've made the right decision with the TDI.
There is enough how-to information on this site to make a mechanic
out of anybody. This is my first VW, and I must admit, I feel confident in
tackling projects due to the step-by-step procedures I have found on this sight. I cannot stess strongly enough the need for proper tools. Otherwise things can break or you will be fighting with something that should other wise be a simple job. There are always people willing to go out of their way to help you in any way. Enjoy the ride.
JB
Thanks! :) Where in the state of ILL do you reside?
 

WrEkkED

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Location
Toronto
TDI
'04 TDI Sport
Sweet ride ;)

I have a 2003 Jetta TDI too. I was always afraid to work on cars although I've worked on dirtbikes alot. As posted before, all of the step by step instructions here are awesome. After doing some things, I've realized how simple these vehicles are in reality. The money you will save doing it yourself is incredible. I paid $300 for a timming belt kit and did it myself, instead of paying the stearlership to do it for $1200. Even if you don't already have the tools to do it, you might either be able to borrow them as I did, or buy them for a still far cheaper price than getting someone else to do it. I've done all kinds of other stuff that was "cheap" because I did it myself.

Good choice with the TDI, I'm sure you will enjoy it for many, many.... many miles.
 

Sip'n Diesel

Veteran Newbie
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Location
San Joaquin Valley, I have VCDS (KII-USB)
TDI
2003 ALH: 254,000 miles
WrEkkED said:
Sweet ride ;)

I have a 2003 Jetta TDI too. I was always afraid to work on cars although I've worked on dirtbikes alot. As posted before, all of the step by step instructions here are awesome. After doing some things, I've realized how simple these vehicles are in reality. The money you will save doing it yourself is incredible. I paid $300 for a timming belt kit and did it myself, instead of paying the stearlership to do it for $1200. Even if you don't already have the tools to do it, you might either be able to borrow them as I did, or buy them for a still far cheaper price than getting someone else to do it. I've done all kinds of other stuff that was "cheap" because I did it myself.

Good choice with the TDI, I'm sure you will enjoy it for many, many.... many miles.
You paid $300 USD or Canadian? The lowest I've seen a timing belt kit for was $372 I think... Anyways, this is definetly something I will buy long before I actually need to do the TB change so I'm looking for the best price possible
 

Sip'n Diesel

Veteran Newbie
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Location
San Joaquin Valley, I have VCDS (KII-USB)
TDI
2003 ALH: 254,000 miles
MeOmYo said:
Sip

Welcome. Your best bet is to look at
www.boraparts.com / http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=152185
www.metalmanparts.com
www.tdiparts.com
www.dieselgeek.com )

prices change quite often so who knows who is the cheapest now. i bought my first complete timing belt kit for ~$270 a couple three years ago.

good luck
Thanks MeOmYo. Did you have to buy the 100k belt, too? or was this a 60 or 80k? I think I found the right kit (one with everything included + tools) for $280 shipped, I hope I can get what I need for that price or less
 

Farfromovin

Torque Addict
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Location
Ventura, CA
TDI
03 Golf 2dr- PD150 6m
IIRC, your Jetta has the 100k belt just like my Golf does. ALL TDI's should have belts done with the 100k kits. Congrats on the new car, don't worry, mine doesn't have leather or a sunroof either ;)
 

WrEkkED

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2008
Location
Toronto
TDI
'04 TDI Sport
300 Canadian.

Roseland Parts. He's based out of NB. I see he doesn't have the price for the kit listed anymore, but it was 300. For 600$ I got my delux timming belt kit, 2 front rotors and 4 0.216 fuel injector nozzles.

If your in Canada it's a good deal because that includes shipping and no duties. Won't be a good deal for you in Illy.
 
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Sip'n Diesel

Veteran Newbie
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Location
San Joaquin Valley, I have VCDS (KII-USB)
TDI
2003 ALH: 254,000 miles
VFchicago88 said:
anything you cant do yourself make sure to contact username jasonTDI on this board. Or, www.jasontdi.com hes the closest TDI expert, dont let the dealer touch your car!
Thanks VFchi:) I already have contacted him;) Unfortunately the dealer has touched it several times:mad: I think I got lucky though, this dealer actually put the right oil in:eek: ... on several occasions!
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
Sip'n Diesel said:
You paid $300 USD or Canadian? The lowest I've seen a timing belt kit for was $372 I think... Anyways, this is definetly something I will buy long before I actually need to do the TB change so I'm looking for the best price possible
Though all the tdiclub vendors who sell TB kits sell good kits, your buying decision shouldn't be made on the basis of which one is cheapest. $10 or $20 or $30 difference is insignificant over a 100k-mile TB interval.

Many 2003 TDIs require a TB replacement much earlier than 100k miles. Some at 90k, some at 80k, and some like mine even earlier. So if you have 70k-80k miles or more, it might be worth having a guru like JasonTDI have a look at the TB and everything else.
 

Sip'n Diesel

Veteran Newbie
Joined
Apr 13, 2008
Location
San Joaquin Valley, I have VCDS (KII-USB)
TDI
2003 ALH: 254,000 miles
Hey Tornado, thanks. I was actually just reading one of your posts on another thread. I seems the best kit out of 5 or so vendors is the one on dieselgeek.com (brass impeller vs "metal") Which is better? I think I saw a thread where someone said metal is better, so this seems contradictory...
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
Brass is metal -- but not all metal is brass.
 

n8ronJ

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2007
Location
Niagara Frontier - Somerset, NY
TDI
2014 BMW 328d XDrive, 2003 Jetta GLS TDI 5speed Platinum Grey (sold), 2010 Jetta 6speed (bought back)
Welcome Sip,
I too have a 2003 Jetta 5M, a GLS though (no leather but do have that moonroof :) I love it. In the past 6 months I've had it I've put on 14k.

TornadoRed - How do I know if my TDI needs TB sooner than 100k? I'm at 75k now and am willing to do it this summer if need be. I figure by then I'll have just over 80k on her.

As for tools, would all the same vendors previously listed have sets of them? I'm looking to study the pdf that I downloaded and do this on my own. I'd rather not pay the $1200 stealership charge. Plus, I'd like to get to know my TDi more.

Would a "metal" impeller imply that it's just a cast material or a variation of steel or is it aluminum? Is brass better?

-n8
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
Nate, you will know, or at least suspect, that a new TB is needed when you hear the sounds of bearings beginning to fail in the roller/idlers. A regular swooshing or schushing, or in the work case a chirping -- but chirping usually means something else.

I cannot tell you which water pump is best. I started a thread on this topic, asked the experts, and got a set of opinions but no hard-and-fast conclusion.

If there was anything close to a consensus, it was that brass impellers MIGHT be superior to anything else. And everyone had complaints about the plastic/composite impellers, as they have a tendency to break loose from the shaft and stop pushing coolant.

I know you can rent the TB replacement tools from www.metalmanparts.com -- and from someone else but I can't recall who.
 
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