MK4 ALH 5-speed quest/ownership
- Thread starter Striker223
- Start date
PakProtector
Top Post Dawg
Just some thoughts on this; the No.3 injector response is used for timing adjustments and IQ decision making thanks to the needle lift sensor in that particular body. For a *RELATIVELY inexpensive 'throw parts at it' exercise, on ebay, power.tdi.pl has a complete set of re-nozzled injectors in .205 size for a bit over $300( the auction is for $280 plus shipping ).
I would rather a solid indictment of the injectors or perhaps the pump before throwing parts, but here we are...LOL
Douglas
I would rather a solid indictment of the injectors or perhaps the pump before throwing parts, but here we are...LOL
Douglas
Hmm. Isn't there a group buy going on for powertdi injectors right now..?
PakProtector
Top Post Dawg
For big ones( .260 ), and I am in on it. I proposed the smaller ones 'cause it will be entirely happy if no tuning is done( an additional complexity ).Hmm. Isn't there a group buy going on for powertdi injectors right now..?
Douglas
Oh I thought maybe a smaller set could be tossed in that order as well, kinda sounded like it but I guess I don't know.
PakProtector
Top Post Dawg
I believe the smaller ones are cheaper too. $280 plus shipping IIRC... 
vs the big ones with custom pop pressure setting. It is a small difference though and for sure big ones with a Podtronix tune would be my preference( I have 764's on an ALH with just a VNT15 ).
Douglas
vs the big ones with custom pop pressure setting. It is a small difference though and for sure big ones with a Podtronix tune would be my preference( I have 764's on an ALH with just a VNT15 ).Douglas
Striker223
Well-known member
I was intending to order the DBW 502 DLC matched set based on what I've seen, I will get the car tuned in interest of more MPG and being quick enough to not drive me insane.......should I be considering cheaper options that may not have correct flow matching? Normally that is something I seek out when I am replacing gas injectors yet alone diesel ones.
Again I am not too familiar with this engine and what is considered acceptable.
Again I am not too familiar with this engine and what is considered acceptable.
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If it makes you feel good, you could spend hundreds more with DBW's service. But the ones from Poland come with quality Wuzetem nozzles, are balanced, amd installed on cleaned injector bodies. Ready to swap in, and they took less than a week to arrive.
Striker223
Well-known member
.185s I assume? I'm not seeing .205 on their site.......
Striker223
Well-known member
Ah, if I'm not intending to go for power in excess of the stock turbo what is the most efficient size?
Striker223
Well-known member
So I actually took time to look into the car due to a dead spot in my schedule and I found the actual issue at last! It has a failed rod bearing on #3 so I'm going to be throwing undersized bearings at all the rods and replacing the oil pump, not in the mood to swap an engine right now so it will work or it wont.
Vs doing a BMW S85 this is going to be easy as hell provided there is no journal damage!
Vs doing a BMW S85 this is going to be easy as hell provided there is no journal damage!
Striker223
Well-known member
No luck for me, head is destroyed, crank reluctor is chipped from debris introduced by the dead lifter, and rod bearings are showing wear pattern reflective of being bent. I minimum I will need to source a new head/cam/lifters/headgasket/fasteners......I noticed an unknown section of metal in the pan along with WAY too much RTV and a 1/3 clogged pickup and no severe difference in wear to #3. Crank was thankfully in good shape, but that's meaningless if I need to remove it anyway to replace the tone ring lol!
For a supposedly reliable platform I'm not off to a great start and this is falling far short of expected level of time needed, at this point I am very temped to just fully build the thing since if the rods are bent/out of spec I might as well build something that is reasonably fun to drive. This is easily becoming severely more expensive than any Lexus V8 I've owned and also exceeding the cost I've put into my 4.0TT Audi for the last 3 years.
I'm hoping once fixed the driving experience will be worth it. Since right now this went from a "in my spare time at home" type of a project like the turbo upgrade/build on the Audi to a "load the dead shell onto the trailer and leave it at the shop till the machine shops are done" type event. All for a Jetta LOL!
P2B
Top Post Dawg
That engine has been thoroughly and comprehensively tooefed. Might make more sense to find a good used one to replace it.
Striker223
Well-known member
Striker223
Well-known member
Found a replacement engine, full dropout with literally everything still on it and nothing cut. 132k miles for $700, I figured that would cost me way less overall
Striker223
Well-known member
Pictures of the new engine, sorry I forgot to add them here. I'll be getting this engine in when I have a gap in my workflow, probably in a week or so. I'll take a bunch more pictures
Striker223
Well-known member
Totally forgot to update here.
Car has been back on the road for a while now, running normally I think. It's very slow but according to everything I have read a 11 sec or so 0-60 is normal lol! Feels good in 1st/2nd but needs more revs than I would think to not lug, doesn't really do anything past 3000 in terms of more thrust but it does feel very nice to drive overall vs other 4 cyl manual cars I've driven. Lots of pleasing noises and not too horrible at cruise.
Swap process went fine other than I was extremely lazy and didn't order timing tools until after I already had the new belt etc on the engine, I just did it by eye/scribe marks and somehow it was correct. I may have also had a bet going with someone that if you are careful enough with marking everything you can get away with it....worst case it would have been off enough that injection timing couldn't be adjusted in VCDS and I would have had to do it again with the tools.
All new suspension and steering, tires, axles, bushings, links, brakes including master, LUC clutch kit, all engine seals, filters etc etc.
Also had to fix all the random broken stuff, CCM was dead, drivers window reg had the usual snapped cable, center console latch was cracked, replaced the headlights and all bulbs, took the interior out and cleaned everything, replaced door seals and made sure trunk seal was good. Typical stuff on a 300k+ mile car that the last few owners just kept running into the ground. Last major thing I need to address is the headliner and front door card leather inserts and a new glow plug harness.
New engine works well, no worrying blow-by or compression differences. Did a carbon cleaning before installing and am running an EGR delete to try and keep it clean, full straight piped because it came that way and I honestly like the turbine noise. It's not nearly as loud as I feared/the engine itself is so damn noisy the exhaust almost doesn't matter.
MPG is great, I thought the fuel gauge was broken at first since I bought the car with 2/3s tank and after 30 miles it didn't notably move. I refilled it and it took the amount I expected and the gauge also moved to full, since then I have gotten used to it barely moving lol! Once all the who knows how old fuel was mixed down/several tanks gone through overall running stabilized and I have been getting about 55-65mpg depending on what I am doing.
If I can keep those numbers and gain perhaps 30? hp this would be a perfect daily with just enough power to not have me worried, the 5 speed makes the car IMO. I tried a few times to break 100mph and it's so painfully slow past 70 that the best I could do on a 2 mile backroad was 89, I would like just a little more than 1mph a second lol!
The project will also fully pay for itself in 27k miles vs driving the Jeep
Car has been back on the road for a while now, running normally I think. It's very slow but according to everything I have read a 11 sec or so 0-60 is normal lol! Feels good in 1st/2nd but needs more revs than I would think to not lug, doesn't really do anything past 3000 in terms of more thrust but it does feel very nice to drive overall vs other 4 cyl manual cars I've driven. Lots of pleasing noises and not too horrible at cruise.
Swap process went fine other than I was extremely lazy and didn't order timing tools until after I already had the new belt etc on the engine, I just did it by eye/scribe marks and somehow it was correct. I may have also had a bet going with someone that if you are careful enough with marking everything you can get away with it....worst case it would have been off enough that injection timing couldn't be adjusted in VCDS and I would have had to do it again with the tools.
All new suspension and steering, tires, axles, bushings, links, brakes including master, LUC clutch kit, all engine seals, filters etc etc.
Also had to fix all the random broken stuff, CCM was dead, drivers window reg had the usual snapped cable, center console latch was cracked, replaced the headlights and all bulbs, took the interior out and cleaned everything, replaced door seals and made sure trunk seal was good. Typical stuff on a 300k+ mile car that the last few owners just kept running into the ground. Last major thing I need to address is the headliner and front door card leather inserts and a new glow plug harness.
New engine works well, no worrying blow-by or compression differences. Did a carbon cleaning before installing and am running an EGR delete to try and keep it clean, full straight piped because it came that way and I honestly like the turbine noise. It's not nearly as loud as I feared/the engine itself is so damn noisy the exhaust almost doesn't matter.
MPG is great, I thought the fuel gauge was broken at first since I bought the car with 2/3s tank and after 30 miles it didn't notably move. I refilled it and it took the amount I expected and the gauge also moved to full, since then I have gotten used to it barely moving lol! Once all the who knows how old fuel was mixed down/several tanks gone through overall running stabilized and I have been getting about 55-65mpg depending on what I am doing.
If I can keep those numbers and gain perhaps 30? hp this would be a perfect daily with just enough power to not have me worried, the 5 speed makes the car IMO. I tried a few times to break 100mph and it's so painfully slow past 70 that the best I could do on a 2 mile backroad was 89, I would like just a little more than 1mph a second lol!
The project will also fully pay for itself in 27k miles vs driving the Jeep
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Striker223
Well-known member
Striker223
Well-known member
Striker223
Well-known member
AndyBees
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- May 27, 2003
- Location
- Southeast Kentucky
- TDI
- Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
If the Turbo is not boosting per demand, eventually the Check Engine Light pop on.
Your engine will likely benefit from a Tune to the ECU. Stage 1 will really wake-up your engine. And, a Stage 1 is basically about all that can be done with everything stock (injector nozzles, turbo, intake, etc.).
I suggest that you check the Timing with VCDS to see where it is. It could be as retarded as possible but still within starting ability.
Yeah, it is much, much better to do a Timing Belt Job with the proper tools. And, the tools will give you peace of mind relating to the fact everything is lined up properly.
Your engine will likely benefit from a Tune to the ECU. Stage 1 will really wake-up your engine. And, a Stage 1 is basically about all that can be done with everything stock (injector nozzles, turbo, intake, etc.).
I suggest that you check the Timing with VCDS to see where it is. It could be as retarded as possible but still within starting ability.
Yeah, it is much, much better to do a Timing Belt Job with the proper tools. And, the tools will give you peace of mind relating to the fact everything is lined up properly.
Striker223
Well-known member
I
Even then it needs a tune or something more, it's the slowest car I've ever owned as is lol! It's been fine for the last 2500 miles though so I can't really complain since the fact it's manual makes it fun
Yeah doing the belt without the tools and still loosening the cam sprocket etc to set tension with everything loose had me thinking the whole time it wouldn't even start haha! I have the tools now so next time it will be done without extra worry or care needed
I have boost for sure and it's on time, timing is just under the blue line. It's just not very much power, great torque relative to engine size and responds quickly and the whole car moves well up to 40 but not much after that unless I'm going gear by gear full redline.....
Even then it needs a tune or something more, it's the slowest car I've ever owned as is lol! It's been fine for the last 2500 miles though so I can't really complain since the fact it's manual makes it fun
Yeah doing the belt without the tools and still loosening the cam sprocket etc to set tension with everything loose had me thinking the whole time it wouldn't even start haha! I have the tools now so next time it will be done without extra worry or care needed
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PakProtector
Top Post Dawg
I bought my '02 Jetta like that. I paid 2k for it. It was a one owner, little old lady car with a replaced but not running engine. Automatic and all. By the time I got from Michigan to NC there were 5 buyers lined up behind me. Turned out simple to get running, and I sold the Auto trans when I swapped it for a manual. Body was in perfect shape with a solid new coat of black paint. She is gorgeous. Am tempted to get another... LOL
Douglas
Striker223
Well-known member
If I wanted to add fog lights what would I need to gather for a retrofit?
hskrdu
Top Post Dawg
Lito's great thread from long ago...
Striker223
Well-known member
Do we have anyone who is a member here who offers tuning? I would prefer to send money their way vs canned tunes....
P2B
Top Post Dawg
Striker223
Well-known member
Thanks!
We are in contact now, I'm really looking forward to not having to pin the throttle for 3 gears to get moving with traffic on a merge.
I hate it when leaving toward the shop since my subdivision is off a 55 road where everyone is going 60 and I have to wait a long time for a gap so I don't exceed 2500 on cold oil. It's that or spin to 3500+ to try for a gap and I don't beat on engines when they are cold, the TDI also takes so long to warm it really worries me in that respect....
I have also yet to hit 90mph, just not enough power to reach that speed without having way too long of a road/again I don't want to stand in the throttle that long on a "new" engine just yet.