Red Beetle Rehab

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
Lol nice…..in my humble opinion it’s better to stand out 👍🤣🤣
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
I like to stand out lol. Gives people something fun to look at or laugh about. I don't necessarily do things to try and get attn, but like seeing peoples happy and laughing faces. Same reason I decorate my car around Christmas with tree lights, ornaments, and garland. Like what 20yo guy in his right mind would girlify his car? Lol, I do it to brighten peoples day.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
I mean Red with Gold or Bronze wheels has looked great for ages. No different here!
Ya, but on steelies? Lol.
My buddy has super nice rims, his car has a burnt gold color or something like that...kinda looks bronze. This was the closest color. This or copper.

Their my winter set so I'll be rockin it most of the winter! I'll see what others think when im driving around.
 

03TDICommuter

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Location
So. Cal
TDI
01' NB, 5spd
Holy smokes the shaft on the Bilstein HD's is HUGE! Surprised there's any room for the strut fluid/valves.


I also recently installed my HD's and love them. I don't think their too stiff and for the roads I drive I have yet to bottom out. I have still yet to find a place i can't drive here in MN. Non of the roads/trails have been rough enough. Obviously rock crawling isn't an option, but all else for road use i have done more then a lot of the trucks around here lol.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Holy smokes the shaft on the Bilstein HD's is HUGE! Surprised there's any room for the strut fluid/valves.
Ya it is! I can feel the bumps in the road as i go over them, but after 1 week of driving i don't even notice anymore. Unless i drive in utter silence, but then i can hear my ever so small exhaust leak too. Thats what the radio knobs for tho...
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
I got a nice deal on them from a forum member, who was super great to purchase from. There 2nd hand, but like new condition. I don't have a pic but i cleaned and truck bed lined them so they'll hopefully never rust out. I want these things for the life of my car! I was so sick of replacing cheap quality struts with mn rust.
 

03TDICommuter

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Location
So. Cal
TDI
01' NB, 5spd
I got a nice deal on them from a forum member, who was super great to purchase from. There 2nd hand, but like new condition. I don't have a pic but i cleaned and truck bed lined them so they'll hopefully never rust out. I want these things for the life of my car! I was so sick of replacing cheap quality struts with mn rust.
Ah, MN rust. . My wife is from St. Paul. We'd go back there every 9 months to a year or so to visit her family. I worked on a few family member's cars when I was back there. A lot different than working on cars here in So. Calif.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Ah, MN rust. . My wife is from St. Paul. We'd go back there every 9 months to a year or so to visit her family. I worked on a few family member's cars when I was back there. A lot different than working on cars here in So. Calif.
I'll trade vehicles anytime lol. When the subframe falls away from the car thats how you know its time for a newer one😄.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Take this winter!!!

Just installed a 1000cca battery in my car. I can't believe the battery actually fit. Its fleet farms biggest truck Battery i could find. 13" long, 8.5" high, and 7" wide. PS resivior has decided to take a leave of absence from its mount and is trying the floater life for now. I tied it to the positive batt cable and it sits there pretty bice so i may just leave it but i would like to mount it back down someday so its not just sitting there. Tho idk if it really matters. Next up i think I'll add a new starter here soon as my rebuild isn't holding as well as I thought i don't think. We'll see here tomorrow if the new battery fixed my cold start issue. Otherwise everything else on the car is up to date far as cold start goes.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
warning for anyone who thinks they want to do similar in their beetle. "It barely fits" is quite literate. The neg. Cable barely reaches, and i had to modify the black fuse cover to fit over the battery. Took my about 10 min to force the thing in there.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
I put that same battery in my car, super nice for starting, even though it's not as cold here.
 

03TDICommuter

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Location
So. Cal
TDI
01' NB, 5spd
Take this winter!!!

Just installed a 1000cca battery in my car. I can't believe the battery actually fit. Its fleet farms biggest truck Battery i could find. 13" long, 8.5" high, and 7" wide. PS resivior has decided to take a leave of absence from its mount and is trying the floater life for now. I tied it to the positive batt cable and it sits there pretty bice so i may just leave it but i would like to mount it back down someday so its not just sitting there. Tho idk if it really matters. Next up i think I'll add a new starter here soon as my rebuild isn't holding as well as I thought i don't think. We'll see here tomorrow if the new battery fixed my cold start issue. Otherwise everything else on the car is up to date far as cold start goes.
Nice! I had a heck of time just getting the battery already in my beetle out and back in when I did the clutch.

BTW, what is the group number on that battery from FF? (I can't read it from the photo).
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
I put that same battery in my car, super nice for starting, even though it's not as cold here.
That's good to hear. I'm excited to see how it preforms in -15 or less temps. My last one was a 720cca interstate batt, and it worked most of the time, but was still problematic.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Nice! I had a heck of time just getting the battery already in my beetle out and back in when I did the clutch.

BTW, what is the group number on that battery from FF? (I can't read it from the photo).
ill check for you in the morning, and ya they suck to work on in that regard! love the car but i wish i had more room up front. Someday I want a dixie horn or a mexican La Cucaracha horn, but I need to find space for it.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Might be your computer, that's how I can tell it's the same battery I used.

FYI, group 31 is common in a lot of semi trucks, and my Ford IDI also uses them, tried and true battery size for big boy toys
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Might be your computer, that's how I can tell it's the same battery I used.

FYI, group 31 is common in a lot of semi trucks, and my Ford IDI also uses them, tried and true battery size for big boy toys
Ya probably.
Well if it works for a truck it works for me, and at 130$ its quite a bit cheaper then an interstate battery.

-15 degrees this morning and she popped right off. Definitely the best battery I've ever had in the car. Still has the cringe worthy starter flywheel skip tho (only when really cold) so i may be looking at a new valeo or bosch reman. Starter engages with the flywheel (sbc stage 2 flywheel new as of 2yrs ago) and after a second of spinning skips and makes a skipping/grind noise.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
As of today i made a trip to northern MN to get a new used trans for the car. 360 miles later and I am excited to get it in the car. Along with new axles, and possibly a starter.

Big thanks to DevineChaos for reaching out to me, helping me get the trans, and giving me a ride in his torque monster!
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Not really related to working on BIODSL or the new trans, but on my trip yesterday i found who helps make all the snow and ice.


Also for those looking for a road trip during this cold weather Duluth MN is pretty this time of year and if you bundle up it can be fun to walk around and view from the lookouts near twin ponds. Bentleyville is over for this year, but they still have some neat attractions!
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Today I switched out the door lock microswitch in the car and wired in a new one. It took forever due to several different problems but it's finally done.



I also started cleaning up the new trans that will be going unto the car eventually after I rebuild the inside bearings of the axles. Tried taking the axles off but i found that they have a different bolt head holding them to the trans so they stayed were they are for now.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
1 Week away from being fixed and i lost reverse.

My morning (2 days ago) in a nutshell.
My sad lil car

Grind grind away

I have been trying to limpy car around using reverse only when absolutely necessary which is at my house. The transmission finally gave out, and the car is now at the shop. Once I have the old trans back I'll take it apart when I have time and show what happened internally.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
I’m sorry for your pain……but I couldn’t stop laughing😉..
I’m there now with changing my daughters clutch in the driveway right after the serptine belt tensioner pulley sized up snapping the belt……ohh will the joys ever cease….😳😳
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Your good man, im past the pain. Ive moved on. First 3 days after were rough but I've gotten over it. Its totally blown so thats why i put it in gear and let it just sit and grind for a video. Figured I might as well get something out of it lol.

Thats to bad about your clutch. I hope you have the "luxury" of being on concrete atleast? Had I more time I'd consider learning to swap a trans myself and do deeper engine work like that, but so little time.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
Sorry it’s macadam…at least it got to 70 degrees her in north Jersey….all the snow we got Saturday is gone 😊.
 

GlowBugTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Location
Cambridge, MN
TDI
2001 Beetle GLS TDI (BIODSL). 01 original Glow Bug TDI (sold)
Ah ok. I was sitting in a mix of snow and mud today fixing an atv for a lil but then started preping for the maple season. Mud and snow is the reason I don't tear cars apart here. I do a lot of work on them but not deep imternal stuff.
 
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