Search results

  1. J

    Tie Rod Replacement

    Thanks for the feedback! I did try all sorts of ways to remove the tie rod end, pipe wrench, my special sauce (50% ATF/50% Acetone), to no avail. That wrench looks like it is the way to go but assumes that the tie rod end is off, correct?
  2. J

    Tie Rod Replacement

    I have replaced the entire front suspension and took it in for alignment. The shop could not adjust the tie rods because they are frozen. I brought it home to unfeeze the tie rods and could not. I bought new tie rods and read the manual to replace them. The manual says that I have to lower the...
  3. J

    IM new and yes british

    Check your wiring between the doors and the pillars. My wires are breaking from flexing...
  4. J

    Startup Noise

    Thanks for the tips. I'll have to pull the starters...
  5. J

    Startup Noise

    Every now and again both our TDI's (98 Jetta & 97 Passat) make a noise at start up for about 5 seconds. It doesn't matter if the car is at temperature or not and does not matter what time of the year. The noise sounds like an electric motor with a dry bearing. It's a vibrating sound. Sort of...
  6. J

    Glow plug broke in half in the hole on my A4

    Same exact thing happened to me. I ended up grinding center electrode down with a Dremel tool with a diamond bit and pulling it out with a left hand drill bit. To prevent in the future use a torque wrench to remove. I don't remember the inch-ponds but the goal is to not put too much torque...
  7. J

    Poltergeist Instrument Cluster

    MA, good to know. If my current plan fails, I'll send it to them, assuming they are not too expensive. I just ordered several Darlington driver ICs from Digikey. They were going for 88 cents. I also bought sockets which cost more than the ICs. My plan is to remove the Darlington driver IC...
  8. J

    Poltergeist Instrument Cluster

    I have not checked the sensors yet because the two gauges acted up simultaneously. I do have a VAG-COM but have not hooked it up because the laptop died. I assume that if a sensor died it would throw a code which it has not. Car is a Jetta TDI 1998 5-speed stick. I did send Derek White an...
  9. J

    Poltergeist Instrument Cluster

    I did read your post. Thanks for the tip. I checked out their web site and did not find that they have a shop in the USA. I have not had a good experience with sending stuff outside the USA. Did I miss something? I don't have a big problem with putting a sticker on the door pillar. And I like...
  10. J

    Poltergeist Instrument Cluster

    Dealer says that I "must" replace the cluster and add a sticker to the door pillar to state the mileage on the old cluster. "Must", meaning legally required. A new cluster goes for $330 and it can't be programed, hence, the sticker. I can blow the $330 and either put the sticker on the pillar OR...
  11. J

    Poltergeist Instrument Cluster

    I have a 1998 Jetta TDI with a poltergeist instrument cluster. The speedometer needle jump erratically and the fuel gauge just sits at 1/2 tank. Tach and temp work fine. Indicators also appear to work fine. I have taken the cluster apart and have not found any bad solder joints on the circuit...
  12. J

    Power Steering Intermittent

    For several years now, about once a month, my wife's 98 Jetta will loose power steering while going around a corner and the frequency of this intermittent have increased. After the corner the power returns. Belts are good and adjusted correctly and plenty of fluid. Is this a common problem with...
  13. J

    Pictorial: How to Fix Stripped Glow Plug Threads

    Update. I did get the rest of the GP out by grinding the center electrode down into the GP and using a left hand drill bit to extract it. I used a Dremel tool with a carbibe end cut bit. I did make a center electrode puller (in another thread) but it would not pull the electrode out. There were...
  14. J

    GP Center Electrode puller

    OK, I tried the Puller today and it would not pull the center electrode out. That thing is held in the body with super human strength!!! So what I did was bend the center electrode back and forth till it broke. I then ground down the the thing about 1/2" in the GP body with a Demel tool. I then...
  15. J

    GP Center Electrode puller

    I need to remove the center electrode so that the remainder of the GP can be removed. This center electrode is made from hardened steel and is difficult to cut, best to pull it out.
  16. J

    GP Center Electrode puller

    Puller info: Hydramec Incorporated 4393 River Street Scio, NY 14880 585.593.5190 2-1/8" Slide Hammer Set 87017 I got it from McMaster-Carr: Part #3765A34
  17. J

    GP Center Electrode puller

    I have not tried this thing yet but am hoping that it will pull the center electrode of a broken GP I have: http://home.comcast.net/~jsweinrich3/BigPuller.jpg http://home.comcast.net/~jsweinrich3/SmallPuller.jpg Lowes didn't have regular hex nuts in 5/8-18 so I had to use castle nuts. The...
  18. J

    Glow Plug guts

    Yes. I ground it first with a grinder then smoothed it with a bench belt sander. Note that the seal at the top where the terminal meets the body melted. I did this to understand better how it is built so I can remove a broken one from the head. I plan on pulling the center terminal out with...
  19. J

    Glow Plug guts

    Glow Plug guts: Bosch 80028
  20. J

    Those jack points

    The local VW dealer (Karen Radley of Woodbridge) just crushes the seams with their jack. I have told them that I was not happy about and they ignored me. Karen Radley of Woodbridge
Top