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

[Benjamis]

Parts from a donor car.

Do you happen to have a part number or pic of the radiator hose cradle handy? I never knew there was one, so I've had a couple layers of caulking tubes protecting the radiator hose in that region. Looks very professional.

 

[Abacus]

I do but they’re not uploaded yet. I’ll do that and post a picture. It’s just a u-shape cradle that mounts to the front motor mount. Although this one was jacked so I had to get creative.

 

[Benjamis]

Awesome, thanks.

 

[powerstrokeless]

On the fence about selling my B4V. Only drive it once a week, feel bad about not giving her attention. At the same time, I don't want to give it away. Have kept up with the maintenance, had things repaired at TDI suggested shops. Has only 205,000 miles on her. Any input? Advice? In Winchester VA. In case someone wants to visit her.

 

[Starion_slider]

Had a coolant leak that looked like it was from the crusty rusty steel water pipe that runs over top of trans from heater core. I had 2 in the basement brand new so i tossed one on and figured it was fixed. Had 430k on it so no big surprise. 2 days later coolant light was flashing again and it was low and leaking on top of bellhousing again in same spot. It ended up being the o-ring on the coolant flange on end of head. That was definitely original and untouched for sure since I’ve owned it (over 12yrs) . All fixed now. I honestly can’t complain about having to work on this thing much. Thats the first problem Ive had in well over a year aside from normal door handle issues that pop up. Only other thing I’ve touched in past year was i cleaned the contacts on the fuel gauge sender and fixed the gauge randomly dropping off at 1/2 tank. I still daily it everyday like 50miles with no worries.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

These two are in the IDParts warehouse right now.

They make me smile when I see them. A little bit of TDI history. And still great cars.

 

[Starion_slider]

B4’s are honestly my favorite of all the tdi’s ever made.

 

[alanack]

Honestly my B4 wagon is so much nicer than my A3. I need to get rid of the KV coils in it, its way too low.

 

[Mcgink]

These two are in the IDParts warehouse right now.

They make me smile when I see them. A little bit of TDI history. And still great cars.

Nice to keep them safe from the NE winter weather When was the last time "P" Wagon went out for a spin around the block?

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

2017. And it's not going anywhere right now. The radiator give up a couple years ago, so there's no coolant in it. The clutch hydraulics don't work. And it's been long enough since the last timing belt change that I wouldn't start it without a new timing belt.

 

[Mcgink]

A time capsule then. Hopefully the leather is holding up (We know what happens) since it's in the protection of the great indoors.

 

[Starion_slider]

My drivers seat is really the only damaged leather in my car. Rear seats are still all intact. Its my work car so it’s always full of junk and both my dogs claw up the back seat but surprisingly that 90’s vw leather has only hardened up a bit but still holds up good.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

The seats look good. And I have some VW boxed leather care That I'm going to apply. I will say that the GLX seats are significantly more comfortable than the TDI cloth seats.

 

[alanack]

Blew the intercooler hose off behind the battery.... that's what i get for acting like a degenerate.
I must have not tightened the v band clamp enough

 

[tdidieselbobny]

These two are in the IDParts warehouse right now.

They make me smile when I see them. A little bit of TDI history. And still great cars.

What year and how many miles on the Windsor Blue wagon? Didn't know you had one of them, only one I remember was an sweet Indian Red wagon you had back in '07....

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I think around 150K. Odometer's been replaced, not surprisingly.

 

[alanack]

Repaired the damaged glow plug harness. Someone did a really crappy job with spade connectors. I repinned the factory connections.

Also ordered all new coil springs, bilstein struts, coolant flanges, and some other maintenance items from ID parts!!!

 

[alanack]

Did some work to the 96 Wagon..
Cabin air filter.
Topped of oil. Shes using a little under a quart every 1000 miles, not terrible for an engine with 320,000 and has been tuned a minute.

Installed front struts and new springs to replace the KV coils that would bottom out on literally anything.

I cannot source the upper coil spring retainer for the rear struts. I can probably use front ones with washers but thats not ideal. (Im replacing the coil overs with stock susp so im missing a lot of pieces)

Or maybe steal them out of mk3 parts car?

Anyone have a source/ link?

 

[JordanTr]

I replaced the 109 relay with a spare after thumbing a ride home with coworkers to get my spare relay. Won’t be caught like that again.
Thankfully I’ve spent enough time reading on TDI club to know about the ECU error checking on the glow/CEL lights so I knew most likely where to go to troubleshoot it!
I should have paid more attention to the couple random stumbles I had last week which probably indicated it was getting flaky….
Jumper wire is in the car now until I can get a spare 109 relay on hand.

 

[TDIDaveNH]

Finally moved my grey B4 indoors after an almost 3 year stay in my father's backyard. Unceremoniously drug backward with a locked left rear wheel with my brothers Bobcat 863 to get into position for a tow dolly ride. Freed the wheel up by removing the pads. It got squirrelly on the highway since it had no engine and the trunk and backseat were packed with parts in totes. Was able to get it under control again but took up both lanes to do so. After that, it got a wash at a pull-through self service car wash and isn't looking so forlorn as before.
Had a run-in with a small fast deer tonight with I-red, no real damage just a small crack on the left corner lens. I was like, really? REALLY? it had all day yesterday and all day today to think about getting across the road. There are no coincidences. Grateful it wasn't worse, good to make strides again with B4's

 

[Abacus]

I’m pretty sure I have that lens.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Swapped out the Rocketchip tuned ECU in my sedan for an allegedly bricked stock ECU that Jack (PO) gave me with the car. At my guru's suggestion I opened it and reset the chips before hooking it up. Turns out it works perfectly.

Stock tune drives smoother at low speeds, and car seems quieter, probably because it's running less timing advance and fuel. Significantly less pull in 4th and 5th, but I kind of like that with 90 HP this thing can happily cruise at 75-80 MPH.

 

[Abacus]

Jeff’s chips had an issue with low speed shudder he refused to acknowledge and always blamed the car, but went away with the VSS wire disconnected. It’s why I switched to Malone tunes, which did not have the same issue ancross many tunes…until I got Windex’s wagon. It has the slowdown shudder so I put the VSS on a switch to just shut it off if I was cruising in that range. It’s also why I’ll be working with Burpod soon for a new tune. After driving a stock car out here for a test drive I’m not sure I can go back.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I agree on the RC tunes. I found it was manageable with stock injectors, but if you increased fueling it was for sure present. I gave up on the tune on my A3 and ran it stock with .205s. I briefly had a Kerma tune for it and dyno'd it. All it did was increase boost, so no shudder, but not much of a power increase either.

I actually think I like the Passat stock. My son and I always joked that a B4 is never going to be fast, but tuned it would give that illusion at low speeds. Now it's just smooth and slow. I think it suits the car. Still has no trouble running at 75-80 with the .71 fifth gear.

 

[alanack]

Anyone have a link to a short cut for rear struts in a wagon?
Looks like the entire backseat/ trunk has to come apart...

Struts must have been the 2nd thing rolling down the assembly line...

 

[Coldlogik]

B4’s are honestly my favorite of all the tdi’s ever made.

I agree, though a guy at a shop near me took me to the back of his shop to show me his B3 and I nearly **** myself, it looked so nice... I asked him if I could buy it and he said, not for sale. I cried.

 

[Abacus]

Anyone have a link to a short cut for rear struts in a wagon?
Looks like the entire backseat/ trunk has to come apart...

Struts must have been the 2nd thing rolling down the assembly line...

The wagon rear plastic doesn’t have to come out so long as it’s not brittle enough to crack when bent just enough to get the two bolts out. I’ve done them many times this way.

 

[prsa01]

The wagon rear plastic doesn’t have to come out so long as it’s not brittle enough to crack when bent just enough to get the two bolts out. I’ve done them many times this way.

There was a shortcut version using a wobble socket that required much less internal disassembly. If i can find it I'll post it here.

post 15 and others in this thread discuss the method with less interior dismantling

How to: B4V rear shock access, 1 of 2

So you want to change the rear shock absorbers in your B4 variant / wagon. YOU FOOL! I have two pieces of advice…the first now, the second later in the instructions. Advice #1: If planning other work on the car, remove the trim first while your hands are still clean. Corollary: Don’t...

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[alanack]

There was a shortcut version using a wobble socket that required much less internal disassembly. If i can find it I'll post it here.

post 15 and others in this thread discuss the method with less interior dismantling

How to: B4V rear shock access, 1 of 2

So you want to change the rear shock absorbers in your B4 variant / wagon. YOU FOOL! I have two pieces of advice…the first now, the second later in the instructions. Advice #1: If planning other work on the car, remove the trim first while your hands are still clean. Corollary: Don’t...

forums.tdiclub.com

Thanks I will attemp this next week!

 

[alanack]

Rear struts and coils in!!!
It wasn't bad, remove rear parcel shelf/ cover.
Obvious bits over seat belts.
Remove rear trim.
Stuff a rag to push the plastic out.
Swivel socket (not a u joint!!!) Comes right out. I ended up taping the socket to the bolt to get it started.

Put it back together and went to start the car..... andddd the clutch stuck to floor.
D'OH!!!