marathon maintenance session: brakes, oil starter questions

[ericas_beetle]

Hiya,

This Saturday I'm scheduled to go to a DIY garage with a friend to attend to 3 issues and I have several urgent questions. You regulars will recall a couple recent questions from me.

1. I have never jacked up beetle on a lift. I'm sure the shop owner will have an inkling of the correct pad locations. It's a 2 post 4 arm lift. But for my own sake, what are the best locations that can't cause damage? It has an aluminum skid plate so I can't use anything blocked by that unless I remove the plate beforehand.

2. I have a new starter to install. Torque specs I've seen here say the starter bolts are like 50ft-lbs (I have it saved elsewhere). Is there room to swing a torque wrench in there? Does the left side skirt need to come off? Due to the skid plate mount bracket that will take some effort to remove.

3. I think the order of operations is to remove bottom bolt from the bottom, top bolt from the top. Does the starter actually get pulled out and offered back up from the top, or from the bottom?

4. I assume no kind of prep needs to be done and it's just a straight part swap? No lube on anything right?

5. I'm going to attempt to flush the stale hydraulic fluid with a Motive bottle, what size tubing to I need to bring to ensure it fits snug on the bleed nipples?

6. I have no idea where the clutch nipple is. Is it immediately apparent looking around the gearbox?

7. It is my understanding that a full flush requires VCDS to actuate the ABS valves. I have one but unfortunately I've never once used it for anything other than reading codes. Is this the screen I need to use to get to this flushing function? It's asking me for a code to enter. What is this? Assuming I figure it out, what comes after this? Sorry if this is a rube question. I just don't have time to become a VCDS expert before Sat. I'm hoping to not put it off again.

VCDS ABS screen

8. The last oil change I did, the plug bolt started slipping before it reached correct torque. I've always used brand new plugs that came with my ID Parts orders and have a decent torque wrench but it's not going to take another full torque. I almost bought a new pan but it's just too much risk and hassle given that I'll be in an hourly shop 15 miles from home. So instead I bought a Fumoto drain valve. I figure I'd just glue it in with red Loctite and never take it out again. Unfortunately when I hold the banjo bolt up to the ID Parts plug, the threads don't quite match. They're close but the pitch is slightly different. Did I buy the wrong valve? Are these not supposed to be 14mm 1.5 pitch?

Oil drain plugs

Thanks Muchly!

 

[Keystoner16]

I have always placed lift pads on the pinch welds as close as is practical to the wheel arches.
I have seen pinch welds fold over before, Not from what I did, they showed up that way. If yours are in decent condition I believe you should be fine.
Now that I think about it, I seem to recall doing something weird when putting New Beetles on the lift where the rear pads where placed on the outer corners of the rear beam where it pivots. Been I while since I was working on Beetles for a living.

After the vehicle is on the lift raise it 6" off the ground and shake the car (up and down) at all four corners. Be sure the vehicle is solidly on the lift before going all the way up. If the vehicle is not stable, lower it back down, adjust lift pads, and re test.

Starter is pretty straightforward.
Battery negative disconnected.
Remove electrics from starter.
Break both upper and lower bolts loose.
Remove lower bolt.
Remove upper bolt and remove starter.
If I recall correctly, starter comes out the top.
P/S line may or may not be in the way.

I have personally never needed to use VCDS to do a brake fluid exchange.
Clutch master is directly on top of transmission. Might need to remove air box for adequate access.
3/16 ID tubing should probably fit the brake bleeders pretty well.


No idea on the oil drain plug issue.
If it where me I would be replacing the pan.

Good luck.

 

[ericas_beetle]

Thanks for the tips. I had no idea the clutch slave was on top. I'd have been looking for it a long time.

If it where me I would be replacing the pan

It was my first thought too, 50 bucks at ID Parts, but it's aftermarket and I worried it might fit right and leak. I don't want to have it it languishing at a pay shop. I'm hoping someone has tried this drain valve and might know if the thread is correct. It's possible that the ID Parts plugs aren't well cut. They have always seemed inordinately tight to me.

 

[STDOUBT]

This video describes the (factory) locations for using a 4-point lift.

Some people purchased the factory option lift pads as featured in the video, but they aren't needed.
I would for sure not use the pinch welds for a 4-point lift.

 

[STDOUBT]

Here's a post describing the ABS bleed.

How to bleed ABS pump through Vag.com?

My brakes were working fine before I did the 288mm brake upgrade,,After finishing the job, I bled off all 4 wheels like 15 times, and my brake pedal when pressed goes all the way to the fllor, now I finding out that my ABS pump had probably gone dry on fluid, and I need to bleed it off, I tried...

forums.tdiclub.com

I don't follow every last instruction from the screen, just basically make sure I have enough clean fluid into the system and run the ABS enough times (with one or more bleeder open, watching for air bubbles coming out, keeping a sharp eye also on the fluid reservoir - you don't want to introduce air!).

 

[Nuje]

Oil drain plug: Why not do the top-side oil change? I haven't touched the drain plug on a ALH or BEW for years. Partly to avoid exactly your current situation, and partly (mostly) because it's just easier - no dealing with getting the car up in the air and working around the skid plate.

ABS Fluid: Factory manual makes no mention of activating the ABS pump when doing a fluid flush, so I've always just pushed the recommended fluid through each corner (I think yours will be from furthest to nearest -- RR, RL, FR, FL, clutch).

Clutch bleeder: Courtesy of someone over at the Vortex:

Starter: Covered very well above. I can swap out a starter from the top, but you have to have the proper extensions and long sockets to get over the M8 "post" on the bolts.
The long 18mm-hex-head bolts are 80Nm; the 13mm nuts that hold the wiring up top and power steering line on the lower bolt are 25Nm.

Jack points: Pinch welds adjacent to the rocker panel dimples work fine, preferably with jack pads that have slots to fit into those pinch welds.

 

[ericas_beetle]

Oil drain plug: Why not do the top-side oil change? I haven't touched the drain plug on a ALH or BEW for years.

Ah, you know, not a bad idea. I've never considered this. I could return the valve I bought. So you just insert a hose through the filler, and use a manual pump to suck it out? I wonder how complete the oil purge is this way?

ABS Fluid: Factory manual makes no mention of activating the ABS pump when doing a fluid flush

My old mechanic used to rattle the pump for good measure but it will likely come to this if I can't figure out how to buzz it. Even if some trace amount is left in there, 90+% will be fresh fluid and that's certainly worthwhile.

Thanks for the other tips. I have many sockets, extensions, swivels etc. I saw one video where a guy did the starter using nothing but simple spanners, but obviously he didn't bother applying proper torque.

Best
E

 

[Nuje]

So you just insert a hose through the filler, and use a manual pump to suck it out? I wonder how complete the oil purge is this way?

Yep - I'm sure there's videos on youtube. Maybe you don't get every last drop out of the oil pan like you would out the drain plug, but on the plus side, you can slurp the ~0.5L that resides in the oil filter housing out (which ain't never coming out through the oil pan drain).

I saw one video where a guy did the starter using nothing but simple spanners, but obviously he didn't bother applying proper torque.

I've worked on a couple cars where whoever messed with the starter before me had made the "meh - too hard to turn any further...should be good enough" call on the lower starter bolt.

 

[ericas_beetle]

Maybe you don't get every last drop out of the oil pan like you would out the drain plug, but on the plus side, you can slurp the ~0.5L that resides in the oil filter housing out (which ain't never coming out through the oil pan drain).

You've sold me, I was dreading having to possibly replace the pan due to stripped threads. It's not even due for oil for another kilomile so I'll scratch that off tomorrow's list and do it in the springtime on my lawn. I always used a mityvac to clear the filter housing but it would take forever to do the whole sump that way. I'll pick up a cheap transfer pump on Amazon.

 

[Nuje]

"Fluid extractor" is the term you're looking for at the BigRiver shopping site.

 

[csstevej]

I love mine, it helps if you warm the engine first makes the oil flow a lot easier up the tube. Just my .02.

 

[ericas_beetle]

Thanks everyone for the tips. We got 2 out of 3 complete. Starter was almost 2.5 hrs, bleeding 2. Since I won't need a lift to extract oil from the top, no sense paying for a bay. The hardest part was just getting to the starter with everything in the way. The difference in cranking time is noticeable. I'm thinking it's possible that might account for my battery not maintaining. I usually start 5-8 times running errands and generally at night with the lights burning, with under 5 miles driven so that might be enough.

The clutch in particular is much better behaved now. I was surprised to see several large bubbles come out along with the filthy juice. I undoubtedly wasn't getting sufficient throwout, resolved now!