The "What did you do to your B4 today" thread...

[alanack]

Ill look into but i park the car for the winter (snow and salt) so I probably wont bother until after the new year.

 

[alanack]

Well car is fixed!!!
Ticking noise was just a leaking injector.


Oil pump rock auto sent me is chain drive and completely wrong.... anyways i swapped in a known good 2.0 ABA oil pump. The pump itself is the exact same. Same part number cast into the pump body.

The shaft that drives the pump has different clearances machined into it for what I assume is differences in the intermediate shaft due to the distributor vs Vacuum pump.

 

[Steve Addy]

Well car is fixed!!!
Ticking noise was just a leaking injector.

Oil pump rock auto sent me is chain drive and completely wrong.... anyways i swapped in a known good 2.0 ABA oil pump. The pump itself is the exact same. Same part number cast into the pump body.

The shaft that drives the pump has different clearances machined into it for what I assume is differences in the intermediate shaft due to the distributor vs Vacuum pump.

Your problem is that RA isn't known for being knowledgeable for part fitment. I've complained several times for listings they have that are wrong and could cause damage if people bought the parts and installed them, but mostly they just say that it's what the manufacturer told them.

In this case the problem is that in Europe the Mk4 was introduced in 1998 so parts houses get confused with listings. When in doubt check the application listing for the part to see if it looks like it's for mk3 or mk4. That will get rid of most of the wrong parts. In this case there was an option for an oil pump on RA for Mk3 but it wasn't in stock, and a further idiocy is that it wasn't listed for any other year of 1z/AHU tdi cars...B4 or Mk3, only the 1998.

Be suspicious with anything on RA...always verify with a factory part number to be sure....

Steve

 

[alanack]

Yup ive gotten screwed numerous times... but low prices comes at cost... they'll take it back no issue...


Usually i buy from ID parts because they are local but they listed the pump as Backordered with no eta...

 

[BoiseTDI]

Even more fun, there are 1999 mk3s over here.

Your problem is that RA isn't known for being knowledgeable for part fitment. I've complained several times for listings they have that are wrong and could cause damage if people bought the parts and installed them, but mostly they just say that it's what the manufacturer told them.

In this case the problem is that in Europe the Mk4 was introduced in 1998 so parts houses get confused with listings. When in doubt check the application listing for the part to see if it looks like it's for mk3 or mk4. That will get rid of most of the wrong parts. In this case there was an option for an oil pump on RA for Mk3 but it wasn't in stock, and a further idiocy is that it wasn't listed for any other year of 1z/AHU tdi cars...B4 or Mk3, only the 1998.

Be suspicious with anything on RA...always verify with a factory part number to be sure....

Steve

 

[Steve Addy]

Even more fun, there are 1999 mk3s over here.

That's not exclusive to 'over there' because we got 1999 Mk3 cars in the US produced until 12/98, so it's just as bad, and that doesn't count if certain models (aka variant) might have been carried an extra year because that model design was not completed when the sedan was released, which happens.

Steve

 

[alanack]

Rock auto screws up all the time... but they have the lowest prices by far so you're going to pay for that.

Usually I do double check my part numbers, but I didn't this time....

It can be a challenge when manufacturers go crazy with the parts bin

 

[BoiseTDI]

Aah ok was unaware, my bad. 🥹

That's not exclusive to 'over there' because we got 1999 Mk3 cars in the US produced until 12/98, so it's just as bad, and that doesn't count if certain models (aka variant) might have been carried an extra year because that model design was not completed when the sedan was released, which happens.

Steve

 

[thechoochlyman]

Finally got my interior (mostly) swapped to black. Much happier with it now!



So now I've got a whole pile of tan seats, door panels, and trim. If anybody needs stuff, I'll let it go cheap. None of it is in the best condition though.

 

[powerstrokeless]

My oil alert would go off intermittently for a year! So I asked our good ole buddy Steve what he thought. =

"The oil pressure system has two switches, one for low oil pressure at idle or below 2000 rpm and one that should give an alert if pressure is too low above 2000 rpm.

Depending on when you receive the alert ISD going to tell you which switch is probably malfunctioning. If it goes off when you go into 5th it's probably the switch for below 2000 rpm but I don't know that for sure.

If you have the electronic version of the b4 Bentley manual you will find there's a test for the oil pressure switches you can do to determine if they are ok.

On your wagon the switches could both be in the oil filter stand or one of them might be in the cylinder head on the end. I don't remember the colors, one might be blue the other grey.

Let me know what you find out."



So, recently I bought both the switches from IDparts and brought the wagon to my shop for them to replace. And we are all good! No more high pitch noise!

Thank you! Steve!

 

[alanack]

I really should install a oil pressure gauge, i cant stand the idiot lights.

I would have known a long time ago that my oil pressure regulator was failed...

 

[ToddA1]

Problem with these cars, is there’s no good place to put one. You’ll need to be creative and go semi custom. Otherwise a dual sender and gauge will cost about $75.

Edit… just saw you have a Jetta. There’s an available blank that goes to the left of the radio. Steering wheel kinda hides it though.

-Todd

 

[Steve Addy]

My oil alert would go off intermittently for a year! So I asked our good ole buddy Steve what he thought. =

"The oil pressure system has two switches, one for low oil pressure at idle or below 2000 rpm and one that should give an alert if pressure is too low above 2000 rpm.

Depending on when you receive the alert ISD going to tell you which switch is probably malfunctioning. If it goes off when you go into 5th it's probably the switch for below 2000 rpm but I don't know that for sure.

If you have the electronic version of the b4 Bentley manual you will find there's a test for the oil pressure switches you can do to determine if they are ok.

On your wagon the switches could both be in the oil filter stand or one of them might be in the cylinder head on the end. I don't remember the colors, one might be blue the other grey.

Let me know what you find out."



So, recently I bought both the switches from IDparts and brought the wagon to my shop for them to replace. And we are all good! No more high pitch noise!

Thank you! Steve!

I had forgotten about your pm asking about that, glad you got it fixed!

It's not like the oil switches are expensive to replace, thank goodness.

Steve

 

[alanack]

Problem with these cars, is there’s no good place to put one. You’ll need to be creative and go semi custom. Otherwise a dual sender and gauge will cost about $75.

Edit… just saw you have a Jetta. There’s an available blank that goes to the left of the radio. Steering wheel kinda hides it though.

-Todd

I've always been a fan of a pillar gauges... i use the Scangauge II for Mpg, AVG Mpg, volts and boost.

Probably add a dual pillar with oil pressure and EGT... not sure if ill bother though because i dont plan on any HP mods ever

 

[alanack]

Installed new timing belt, crank gear, and stretch bolt. Oiled bolt threads and shoulder... torqued to 66ft-lbs +90*

Got the car running, No more wobbling crank pulley. It looks someone did the front main seal and reused the bolt, and didnt clean the mounting services.

http://imgur.com/a/fdobYC9

Crank snout

http://imgur.com/a/QK9Y6Op

Installed the drive belts and was warming the car up to set the timing with my scann3r, when i heard a chirping sound. Looks like new timing belt tensioner is bent, possibly seized.

http://imgur.com/hsnD9dC

Time to tear it apart again.

 

[Steve Addy]

Something looks bent, maybe it's the stud the tensioner mounts to?

Kinda looks like maybe part of the pulley wall is broken away on the back close to the engine?

Steve

 

[alanack]

The ridge on the Pulley is definitely bent, that was tearing the belt.... its hard to tell if the stud is bent too until i takes it apart.

 

[alanack]

Well long story short.... i screwed up

Old washer stuck to block (isnt supposed to be there, i put it there so i wouldn't lose it bad idea dummy ) threw tensioner off trac, belt crushed it then started to shred itself

Still took me a while to get the belt on correctly not sure why its so difficult to time this engine.... slack in the belt gets stuck beween IP and intermediate shaft causes to the belt to turn the crank...

Anyways the car is running fine now timing is a little above middle range, and the wobbling crank is fixed.

Also i got a T bolt off my blown AHU and reinstalled it because it was missing off the lower timing cover.... Total PITA to get back in but possible, just be patient

http://imgur.com/a/EtulWBc

Piece of wire worked Ok

http://imgur.com/ZkRfYmO

NEXT haha

 

[ToddA1]

I’m not following how that washer would have bent the tensioner….

When I install those t-bolts, I glue it to the water pump with a dab of rtv.

-Todd

 

[alanack]

Washer on the inside (not supposed to be there) pushed the tensioner off trac and bent the inner ridgedthe keep the belt on...

The pulley itself was not bent, nor was the stud.

That washer was probably not oem, and thicker which made the issue worse

Took the car for a drive to warm it up and everything seems to working perfectly... for now haha

 

[Steve Addy]

Washer on the inside (not supposed to be there) pushed the tensioner off trac and bent the inner ridgedthe keep the belt on...

The pulley itself was not bent, nor was the stud.

That washer was probably not oem, and thicker which made the issue worse

Took the car for a drive to warm it up and everything seems to working perfectly... for now haha

That explains it, some early cars had a washer and nut rather than a shouldered nut like the later (and replacements) cars got. I can understand how it mistakenly got left on there, we all have 'good ideas' at the time that turn out to be not so good, at least you didn't lose the engine.

As for the tensioner, you must have one of the unusual all metal (metal pulley) units that aren't available anymore in order to get a bent inner flange? I knew those were out there but I haven't seen one in years nor do I know who originally made them or when they stopped. My theory was that those were originally around from the factory for he AFN 110hp cars and sort of drifted onto the 1Z and AHU engines because they were there. Again haven't seen them in a long time, does it have a factory marking on the inner side from VW?

Again glad you got it sorted and that it didn't wipe out your engine!

Steve

 

[alanack]

I dont think im explaing myself correctly

Just the lip bent, the pulley is a plastic or poly of a sort, you can actual bend it with your fingers.... considering how ridiculous tigh timing belts are theres no surprise it got bent so quickly

http://imgur.com/a/992OqA9

Edge of the belt saw some damage too.

The pulley is still true, i probably could have bent it straight and ran in, but the couple hundred bucks for a new tensioner and belt is cheap insurance imho. I know i make a lot of mistakes but, unfortunately thats how i learn.... its important for me to be transparent about it and post it so hopefully someone reads it and doesnt make same mistakes...

 

[turbodieseldyke]

couple hundred bucks for a new tensioner and belt is cheap

zoiks

 

[alanack]

zoiks

I think it was like $75 bucks for the belt and tensioner I ordered some other dumb stuff that I forgot about

 

[alext91]

sometimes mistakes are how we have to learn! When doing the timing belt for the first time on my B4, I accidentally let the bolt on the tensioner tighten as I tensioned the belt, and bent the tab on the tensioner. I had to order a new tensioner and go through the whole process again. I had bent it back, but similarly I didn't want to take the risk over a ~$40 tensioner.

 

[alanack]

The hardest part for me is getting all the slack out of the belt... especially between the crank and IP. Other wise sliding the belt on pulls on the belt and makes the crank to jump a bit.

Next time im going to pull the pin out of the IP and move it a bit so when the belt gets put on it will hopefully turn the IP and not the crank. Ill probably have to use my Crank sprocket holding tool as well.

So much easier on a 2.0 ABA because the intermediate shaft can spin and there is no IP.

 

[alext91]

The hardest part for me is getting all the slack out of the belt... especially between the crank and IP. Other wise sliding the belt on pulls on the belt and makes the crank to jump a bit.

Next time im going to pull the pin out of the IP and move it a bit so when the belt gets put on it will hopefully turn the IP and not the crank. Ill probably have to use my Crank sprocket holding tool as well.

So much easier on a 2.0 ABA because the intermediate shaft can spin and there is no IP.

Ah when I did mine, I had the crank lock tool which helped. I still had to pull the belt pretty tightly by hand in order to get the slack out of it between the IP and the crank. Took a couple tries, and if I didn't hold it tight it would slip off the teeth on the crank before I could set the tensioner

 

[Steve Addy]

The hardest part for me is getting all the slack out of the belt... especially between the crank and IP. Other wise sliding the belt on pulls on the belt and makes the crank to jump a bit.

Next time im going to pull the pin out of the IP and move it a bit so when the belt gets put on it will hopefully turn the IP and not the crank. Ill probably have to use my Crank sprocket holding tool as well.

So much easier on a 2.0 ABA because the intermediate shaft can spin and there is no IP.

The belt tension problem between crank and IP sprocket can be solved one of two ways,

1) Push down on your IP lock pin so the sprocket rotates toward the crank just a bit, that way the belt teeth engage where it should.
2) Use a flat screw driver to rotate the crank sprocket off of TDC CCW just a tiny amount (toward the IP) and then back to TDC once belt is installed.

I've used both ways, #1 mostly but for one brand of belts I had to use the #2 method.

Both work, #1 is easier if you can get it done that way.

Steve

 

[alanack]

That's a great idea!!! I will definitely try that. Maybe ill do the timing belt one more time just to try it out

Actually my other jetta is due in another 20k or so.

 

[thechoochlyman]

My AC hasn't seemed to be functioning too well lately, so today I hooked up the gauges and dumped in a couple cans of dye-infused R134A. Looks like my severely-worn high pressure line finally gave me the glow of doom.



I noticed this when I replaced the compressor last year, but didn't have the ability to change it at the time. Fortunately I have acquired a new (used) line since then. Can't remember what it had been rubbing against, but it was sometime dumb. More receiver/driers coming from AutohausAZ with another set of O rings.