99.5 Golf Receiver Drier Bolts

gmenounos

Vendor
Joined
Jun 26, 2003
Location
Watertown, MA, USA
TDI
'99.5 Golf GLS, '01 Jetta GLX Wagon (TDI conversion)
So I'm almost done replacing the compressor, condenser and receiver drier on my 99.5 Golf. I was reading this how-to on Vortex ( http://forums.tdiclub.com/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=12 ) and it said "Note: The top and bottom bolts are different sizes, so make SURE you label them properly!". Well, everything on my car is very corroded so I ordered replacements bolts and ETKA says that the top and bottom bolts for the receiver drier are the same (M8x18 - N90242804) - both on the 99.5 and newer MKIV years. But my old bolts were different; the bottom bolt was longer. Well, I decided to trust ETKA and, what do you know, when I was torqueing the bottom bolt down it suddenly got really easy to turn. I removed it and it had pulled out a couple of threads from the soft aluminum receiver drier. I switched to the original longer bottom bolt and was able to torque it to spec. It's currently holding vacuum fine but I don't think I should trust it so I'm going to replace the receiver drier tomorrow before I add refrigerant.

I suspect that the bottom bolt was the same that is used on the back of the compressor (M8x24 - N90304203). Does anyone know the deal with these 2 bolts? Why is the bottom longer? Why is ETKA wrong? And why does the MKIV Jetta use a different receiver drier than the MKIV Golf / Jetta Wagon?
 

gmenounos

Vendor
Joined
Jun 26, 2003
Location
Watertown, MA, USA
TDI
'99.5 Golf GLS, '01 Jetta GLX Wagon (TDI conversion)
Update: I replaced the receiver drier and used the longer M8x24 bolts for both the top and the bottom as both holes were deep enough.
 

GTADoum

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2005
Location
Québec, Canada
TDI
Jetta GLS 2000 black
The upper bolt is a M8x18, part number N90242802.

EDIT: I just noticed that it is the same part, with a different number. On my Jetta '00, the top is smaller and bottom is longer also. I am now looking for the part number of the bolt of the drier support...
 
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