YellowBugmarine
Member
So I have a 2004 Beetle tdi, std transmission, 168k miles, so far I have replaced the starter, battery, tires, MAF, oil, and air filters. Checked the intake, it was clear. It did run a little better after I changed out the MAF, but not by much.
The projects I need to still do and may need some expert advice on..meaning I'm in deep and need someone to throw me a line here...
Vacuum lines. I have crap power and can't keep speed going uphill, so my next logical (in my head) step is to replace those. I have looked at the diagrams, they look like a foreign language to me. I want to replace with silicone tubing, I'm assuming I need the 3.5mm id hose? I want the yellow, that way i have a damn map for in the future. Whether or not that is the actual problem is TBD. However, I'm pretty sure the lines in there are all original and changing them won't hurt anything. Am I going to need new connectors or if I'm really careful can I reuse any that are already there?
Headlights and wiring harness. I currently (I bought it this way) have an autobot switch on the hood of the car that turns the headlights on. Apparently there was a problem with the headlights so the best solution for the previous owner was to cut the headlights off of the wiring harness and directly connect to the battery with a switch. How much of a pain is it going to be to put a new wiring harness in? The headlights I'm going to get the whole new shebang, because I'm sure those were cut into to "rewire" them, and the cans arent sitting right in the headlight slots. I can't drive the car at night at all, the lights don't shine on the road correctly, I made that mistake one time, never again. Has anyone else ever had a problem with their lights like that and what was the actual problem? Is this more of a wiring harness problem or the inside switch problem?
Door panels, because....well if you know, you know.
Glove box door. Dude must have been a genius, it's ziptied shut right now. I have no idea what might even be hidden within the confines of that magical area. I'm thinking salvage yard to find a new one?
Emergency brake. Because why would you need one of those in a standard? Do I really have to take the center console out to fix it or could it be fixed from underneath?
Shifter boot is really worn and the top piece has come off of the knob, so that will be replaced too. I'm thinking about getting one of the acrylic clear knobs that have flowers in them and a black leather boot.
Upholstery seriously needs to be cleaned. I don't know what type of livestock were hauled around in there, but the smell has to go. Yet the trunk looks like it has never had anything placed inside it. Seatcovers will be gotten after the smell has gone, not before.
The front grill has the lower rail that has been busted off, it is currently in the back seat. Easier to have it welded back on, or should I look for a replacement from the salvage yard? Doesn't matter to me if the front is a completely different color because she's getting a new paint job after all the other projects get done.
Anyone know how to change out the light bulbs in the front dome thing, the one by the clock? I replaced all the others and the tail lights with the really bright leds.
Can I glue the hood thing over the speedometer back on to the dash so it quits coming out? Any guesses as to why one would be loose to begin with?
Front end suspension. I did get an alignment and they found a few problems, so that's a project that I think I'm going to farm out to a shop. I don't feel confident enough in my or my standby mechanics abilities to do this on my own, unless I'm overcomplicating the process? Anybody done this as a diy before?
I'm wanting to do a blackout of the interior, so seatcovers and doorpanels will be bought in black, the only thing I would need to paint would be the console, everything else is already black.
My previous bug did not have these problems. Besides the door panels. It was a 2000 tdi, automatic. It only gave me a problem with the cat clogging up. I wish I still had that car.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Any suggestions are welcome too. My "mechanic" is my 16yo nephew and he's going to be too busy to help with these projects, hay season is right around the corner. So I'm going to be getting very familiar with this car very soon.
The projects I need to still do and may need some expert advice on..meaning I'm in deep and need someone to throw me a line here...
Vacuum lines. I have crap power and can't keep speed going uphill, so my next logical (in my head) step is to replace those. I have looked at the diagrams, they look like a foreign language to me. I want to replace with silicone tubing, I'm assuming I need the 3.5mm id hose? I want the yellow, that way i have a damn map for in the future. Whether or not that is the actual problem is TBD. However, I'm pretty sure the lines in there are all original and changing them won't hurt anything. Am I going to need new connectors or if I'm really careful can I reuse any that are already there?
Headlights and wiring harness. I currently (I bought it this way) have an autobot switch on the hood of the car that turns the headlights on. Apparently there was a problem with the headlights so the best solution for the previous owner was to cut the headlights off of the wiring harness and directly connect to the battery with a switch. How much of a pain is it going to be to put a new wiring harness in? The headlights I'm going to get the whole new shebang, because I'm sure those were cut into to "rewire" them, and the cans arent sitting right in the headlight slots. I can't drive the car at night at all, the lights don't shine on the road correctly, I made that mistake one time, never again. Has anyone else ever had a problem with their lights like that and what was the actual problem? Is this more of a wiring harness problem or the inside switch problem?
Door panels, because....well if you know, you know.
Glove box door. Dude must have been a genius, it's ziptied shut right now. I have no idea what might even be hidden within the confines of that magical area. I'm thinking salvage yard to find a new one?
Emergency brake. Because why would you need one of those in a standard? Do I really have to take the center console out to fix it or could it be fixed from underneath?
Shifter boot is really worn and the top piece has come off of the knob, so that will be replaced too. I'm thinking about getting one of the acrylic clear knobs that have flowers in them and a black leather boot.
Upholstery seriously needs to be cleaned. I don't know what type of livestock were hauled around in there, but the smell has to go. Yet the trunk looks like it has never had anything placed inside it. Seatcovers will be gotten after the smell has gone, not before.
The front grill has the lower rail that has been busted off, it is currently in the back seat. Easier to have it welded back on, or should I look for a replacement from the salvage yard? Doesn't matter to me if the front is a completely different color because she's getting a new paint job after all the other projects get done.
Anyone know how to change out the light bulbs in the front dome thing, the one by the clock? I replaced all the others and the tail lights with the really bright leds.
Can I glue the hood thing over the speedometer back on to the dash so it quits coming out? Any guesses as to why one would be loose to begin with?
Front end suspension. I did get an alignment and they found a few problems, so that's a project that I think I'm going to farm out to a shop. I don't feel confident enough in my or my standby mechanics abilities to do this on my own, unless I'm overcomplicating the process? Anybody done this as a diy before?
I'm wanting to do a blackout of the interior, so seatcovers and doorpanels will be bought in black, the only thing I would need to paint would be the console, everything else is already black.
My previous bug did not have these problems. Besides the door panels. It was a 2000 tdi, automatic. It only gave me a problem with the cat clogging up. I wish I still had that car.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Any suggestions are welcome too. My "mechanic" is my 16yo nephew and he's going to be too busy to help with these projects, hay season is right around the corner. So I'm going to be getting very familiar with this car very soon.
