Fixing a barn find

[Rozmataz]

Let me begin by saying this is my first tdi and my first post so I would like to share my project with the group. To start off its a 2000 jetta 1.9 tdi 5 speed. Got about 290,xxx on the dash or so. I traded a trailer for it so i dont think im in over my head. Now the problem is its supposedly loosing coolant with a bad headgasket, but im not sure as i dont have it running and driving yet to diagnose. I unloaded it off the trailer today and started tearing into it. First i cleaned the gigantic mice nest out from under the hood. Then i started inspecting for chewed wires. So far only about 3 plugs are bit off. The wire to the third injector. The three wires to the sensor on the back of the trans axle. And a good couple of wires on one of the ecu plugs. Ill add some pictures when i figure out how. But thats where i stopped tonight. I read on how to make the paperclip tool to get the wires out of the plug. So ill reconnect them later.

 

[Rozmataz]

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 23, 2021

Trans sensor chewed off

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 23, 2021

Injector wire chewed off

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 23, 2021

Mice chewed wires

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 23, 2021

Engine bay pic

 

[ssaric1.9TDI]

Keep up the good work. Hopefully its not the headgasket. There is a ton of information on this forum that will be helpful in bringing the car back to life.

 

[Pat Dolan]

to begin with, before you do much of ANYTHING, get a copy of the Bentley service manual. It is the VW factory information and will tell you most of what you need to know. Then, from some of the suppliers I think you will find here, get the correct VW terminals and crimping tool so you can re-terminate shortened wires (if sufficient room) and click them back into the original plugs. Take your time, study the wiring diagrams (OK, current flow diagrams) and get to know how they work (one page links to another, etc.) so you know exactly what wire belongs in what slot. VW is really good at labelling everything on the plug and socket.

 

[Rozmataz]

Im not sure. I went to put my pressure tester on it and i meed to get the adaptors for the degas bottle. So ill get that later. And where do i find the bently manual. I got a haynes one on its way. But i dont expect it to have terrible good wiring diagrams.

 

[STDOUBT]

I recommend removing ALL the air tubes that are big enough for a rodent to get into,
including the turbo codl side pipes, intercooler pipes all of them. Open up the air filter box, etc.
Kinda jealous, sounds like fun!

 

[Pat Dolan]

Haynes are more like comic books than manuals. You could get a Bentley from Bentley

VW - Volkswagen Repair Manual: Jetta, Golf, GTI: 1999-2005: Service Manual - Bentley Publishers - Repair Manuals and Automotive Books

but new ones have become rather pricey. Used ones should be widely available on craiglist, kijiji, ebay or more likely in classified here or on the tex.

 

[Rozmataz]

So far they didnt get into any tubes. Air box was clean and filter was even pretty clean. I havent checked the intercooler pipes, i didnt think of that thanks!

 

[Rozmataz]

Ok. So today i got rained out at work. So i took the wet day to run to the junk yard and look for parts. I lucked out and found a 2002 jetta wagon with a gas motor an manual trans. So i got the whole plugs that should just swap right over. I also found an audi with some neat plugs so ill make some pig tails out of them. But tommorrow ill try to get them back onto my jetta!

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 25, 2021

I should probably invest in the proper tools because the paper clip trick is quite obynoxious lol

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 25, 2021

Bag of gaskets incase i drop some

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 25, 2021

Pile of plugs that i could use someday

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 25, 2021

My pile of good used pig tails

 

[STDOUBT]

Nice! You're almost making electrical sound fun

 

[Curious Chris]

I have a well loved Bentley for you car. Just shipping as I have no use for it.

 

[Curious Chris]

Haynes are more like comic books than manuals. You could get a Bentley from Bentley

VW - Volkswagen Repair Manual: Jetta, Golf, GTI: 1999-2005: Service Manual - Bentley Publishers - Repair Manuals and Automotive Books

but new ones have become rather pricey. Used ones should be widely available on craiglist, kijiji, ebay or more likely in classified here or on the tex.

I sent it what used to be called a PM as I have one for shipping that fits his car

 

[Mozambiquer]

One of the things I would plan on ASAP, especially since it's been sitting, would be a timing belt kit. The rubber can get brittle and cause the belt to break, which means that you'd for sure need a head..

 

[Rozmataz]

Good point. Ill add the timing belt kit in the plans too. But ill just waiting for the bentley book to arrive first.

 

[Pat Dolan]

Good point. Ill add the timing belt kit in the plans too. But ill just waiting for the bentley book to arrive first.

Some kits (the good ones) will include a water pump. Whatever you do, make sure you are getting a European/US/Mexican parts kit, NOT CHINESE GARBAGE!!!!!!. The water pump is a right proper b1tch to get at when all assembled, and the seals last not a bit longer than a belt and idler, so logical to replace at same time. Some people would go 2 belts and idlers per on pump, but with the much longer belt life of current kits, back to 1:1.

 

[Rozmataz]

Alright, next update. I got my large plug all switched over to a new one. Ive alwayse liked wiring so its easy for me. Just go one at a time. My bentley manual came in and its fantastic. Truth betold it hasn't even made it into the garage yet, Ive been reading it after dinner haha. I put my pressure tester onto the degass bottle just cause. I pumped it up to 13 psi cause that sounds like a good number lol. It does have a slow coolant leak on the external sine of the head gasket. A noce puddle showed up on the floor and it held no pressure. But thats a later problem. Now im still on wiring!

 

[Rozmataz]

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

Finished crimps ( ill heat shrink them and wrap them after i confirm all lights work)

D3CCDC51-126B-4BC1-B415-F88FCE9237F5.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

Pressure testing the coolant stuff

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• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

Futher progress

B005C9A1-00C5-4516-951B-A86EB074D400.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

My favorite tools for stripping and crimping.

E2C23215-DE63-4B96-BEB2-6CB841AFF9EF.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

Splice them togther with some weatherproof connecters i had laying around(i never botherd to...

47C9EE19-F479-455F-B256-15A5DD0C9084.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

At the start of the process. I just grab one wire. Stretch em out to about the same length then cut.

 

[Rozmataz]

Ok. Well it took an aufull long time to do it. (The big freeze wrecked my house and the garage didnt have heat) But i eventually got my timing belt done. New bearings and a water pump too! Im pretty sure ill need some new injectors because i hillbillyed the third injector connector back togther. But if im guna do em, Ill do some upgrading too. Then i used the head studs from kerma tdi to tighten the head down some more. Easy process i think. Pressure tested it again and lo and behold it still leaks. But now i could hear it! So i got my trust leak finder squirt bottle out and started shooting. And good news! Its not the head gasket. Its (thermostat housing?) thing right below the vaccume pump! Tommorow ill pull it off and make a gasket for it and reseal and try again. Now to figure out what flavor coolant im going to use in it. And see if itll start!

 

[Rozmataz]

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• Rozmataz
• Mar 1, 2021

Doin a timing belt

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• Rozmataz
• Mar 1, 2021

My jig for lifting the motor

Heres some pictures of the timing belt

 

[mozark]

A word of caution. If you must support your engine with 2x4, you want to turn your beam on edge. A 2x4 beam laid flat has one fifth the bending strength of one laid on edge.

 

[Mongler98]

A word of caution. If you must support your engine with 2x4, you want to turn your beam on edge. A 2x4 beam laid flat has one fifth the bending strength of one laid on edge.

Yea. But remeber that over 8 foot of span forced in the center, a 2x4 like this is basically 1,000 lbs. I've been told that turned on its side its 20% that. So sounds right. But at a 4 foot sectional is what...... 100 lbs before selection? Seems right! I've seen worse. Would I trust that to work on underneath? Nope. But that's because their are better options.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

EA1E024D-A14F-425E-85FE-AAA0A6C6E403.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

Finished crimps ( ill heat shrink them and wrap them after i confirm all lights work)

D3CCDC51-126B-4BC1-B415-F88FCE9237F5.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

Pressure testing the coolant stuff

9235FAF4-0F17-4530-B0FD-672D5094BD3A.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

Futher progress

B005C9A1-00C5-4516-951B-A86EB074D400.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

My favorite tools for stripping and crimping.

E2C23215-DE63-4B96-BEB2-6CB841AFF9EF.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

Splice them togther with some weatherproof connecters i had laying around(i never botherd to...

47C9EE19-F479-455F-B256-15A5DD0C9084.jpeg

• Rozmataz
• Jan 30, 2021

At the start of the process. I just grab one wire. Stretch em out to about the same length then cut.

Are these splices the heat-shrink type? Hoping so, otherwise all your nice repair work is open to the elements (read: corrosion, eventually)

Still, Nice to see this one being pulled back from the abyss!

 

[Rozmataz]

Yeah HAHAHA, i was about 6 beers in and had both peices screwed on when i realized that i shoulda turnt it on it side. So i just kinda braced it up with some 4x4s on the bottom and my jack to make sure it wouldnt squish me when it failed. And yes those are the heat shrink type connectors once I test all the lights n things out ill shrink them and wrap them in loom. Now im on to finding parts. As i suspected the coolant flange with the glow plugs is an o-ring seal to the head. But its just a bunch of rtv currently. Wich is why its leaking. Not a fan of rtv cause ive gummed up an oil filter with it once. Im on the hunt for that replace able o-ring. Ill find it today hopefully. Then ill reassemble and pressure test once more. And another thing. Does vw use ethelyene glycool as coolant or propoline glycool?

 

[Alduinn]

dude that looks nasty,did you fix it?

 

[hskrdu]

And another thing. Does vw use ethelyene glycool as coolant or propoline glycool?

I don't know if it's propylene glycol or ethylene glycol, but your MkIV uses VW G12+/ G12++ coolant, also available from other euro brands (Pentosin), and I think the newer G13 is backwards compatible.

This thread might be helpful, even the OP has a Mk6, but a search will reveal more:

G13 versus G12 coolant?

Hello all- I have a 2012 TDI JSW with 9700 miles, and my coolant warning light came on. I checked the level, and it is just below the lower line in the reservoir. It's going in for its 10k mile service next week, but I don't want the coolant to be low until then. Checked the manual, which calls...

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[Rozmataz]

dude that looks nasty,did you fix it?

I dunno what part you think is nasty lol. You should see the inside!

 

[Rozmataz]

Ok. Update time! Got rained out from work so i got to spend my morning in the garage and finished up the motor. I heat-shrinked all my wires and wrapped them up all snug like. Then i went about putting the battery tray and intake togther. I tested the rad the other night the bentley book says test is around 18psi. System is around 20. Well i can tell you this. MAKE SURE YOUR NOT AROUND THAT DEGASS BOTTLE ADAPTOR! Cause at about 15psi it blew out if the bottle and about smacked me in the head. I tightend it down some more and gave it all the 20psi cause i wanted it to break inside. But to my suprise it held for an hour. No leaks! I had a hard time finding that oring but i ended up taking it to my dad (who is a heavy equiptment guy too) he had a spare on the shelf that fit.

 

[Rozmataz]

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• Rozmataz
• Mar 11, 2021

I like how if you drive through a puddle the intercooler becomes water cooled also!

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• Rozmataz
• Mar 11, 2021

The part that had the leaky oring
(You might be able to see some if the grease squished out)

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• Rozmataz
• Mar 11, 2021

Battery box and airfilter box

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• Rozmataz
• Mar 11, 2021

My diy injector reconnector

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• Rozmataz
• Mar 11, 2021

Engine bay of 2000 jetta

 

[Rozmataz]

Hey and im glad to say it fired right up! I drove it around for a bit. No engine codes only an abs light. The brakes are gross. Interior is gross. It rolls alot more coal then i thought it would. But the stereo works great! And the front two windows. So im going to pull it in the garage after a bit and throw pads n rotors on it. And later change eng oil and trans oil.

 

[Rozmataz]

Now my brakes are done and i have been driving it a bit. And ive located some more issues. I believe the brake master cyl might be on its way out. As the pedal requires some pumps to build good pressure. Then you hold it and it oozes back down. No external leaks have been found yet. And i pulled a really big hill ny the house and an engine code popped up. Lack of manifold pressure. Im also black stacking amd low on power so that leads me to belive i have a boost leak somewhere. And the thermo stat never closed because it wont reach operating temp now.