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

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
A while back (probably well over a year ago), I heard a pop in my driver door. Window would lean forward when going down, but went up fine. It never went off track, so I did the responsible thing and ignored it. Today, I heard a loud pop, as it went up. Well, I guess I’d better investigate…

Opened the door and saw the rear ball stud popped out of the blue glide. Popped it back in and hoped for a 10 minute fix. I still had the pop, going up. I reluctantly pulled the regulator and saw vampire teeth…. I’m used to seeing a small patch of missing teeth…

Went into the shed and found a replacement that I’d already welded some teeth to. The small area of 4 teeth is typically what I’ve encountered, in the past. Never saw damage like the current.



Disassembled the new, old replacement and cleaned the tracks and blue glides with 93 octane degreaser and applied a thin coating of white lithium grease, to the contact points. I didn’t touch the eccentric wheel. Reinstalled and heard a pop going up. Something caught the eccentric wheel, on its upward travel, broke a piece off and scratched my tint…. Don’t care about the wheel, but my tint…! Adjusted the wheel for proper operation and tested fine, so far. I’ll listen for leakage, on my morning commute. With the Weathertech wind deflectors, I had to manually tweak the windows to stop the whistle. I will say this regulator is way faster than the old. Not sure if it’s the lube or the motor… maybe both.

So, I guess my laziness really screwed up the regulator, and ultimately scratched my tint. .… it could have been a 10 minute fix. The vampire toothed regulator is trash. I’m not welding all those teeth back on. I’ve got another spare, and aftermarket replacements are cheap… one I saw came with that rear guide hook, that people seem to want.

This OE regulator will go to scrap, and made into a Chinese regulator.

-Todd
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Todd -- I LOVE that you welded on new teeth and filed them down to fit. That was brilliant.
I doubt I’m the first to do that. I figured the weld is at least heat hardened and should last longer than the stock metal. After welding, I do a quick shaping with the rotary tool with cut off wheel. Doesn’t need to be perfect, just perfect enough that the teeth engage.

It’s actually been years since I needed to mess with a regulator, which is nice.

The windows still leak air, and still need to be manually tweaked to make it stop. Not sure if I want to spend the time trying to fix it… I think it’ll always be, if I choose to keep the wind deflectors.

-Todd
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Picked it up yesterday after another new rear caliper. The parking brake mechanism broke on the previous replacement (of unknown origin) after only a few weeks.

Filled it up.


Works out to 49.9 MPG. There's a reason to keep these old cars going.
 

jdulle

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Location
Ithaca, NY
TDI
96 B4, 97 B4
I changed my transmission fluid, filling through the speed sensor, on the silver one. Also put some new tires on the front of the green one.
 

PassatLife

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2019
Location
Coquitlam, BC
TDI
1996 Passat Tdi Wagon
So, maybe a month ago, maybe a bit more, the B4 started complaining via limp mode. It didn’t happen every time it was driven and didn’t always throw a code. My commute is an arduous 7 miles, one way, so I easily ignored the issue. When it did happen, key off/on was the fix. I like easy fixes.…. To be perfectly honest, I’ve been ignoring both B4s and the new Jetta, showing the Rabbit GTI the love.

Yesterday, I decided to get off the couch, and investigate the limp mode. Silicone vacuum tube in the ECU is good, but replaced it, since I was there. That led to vacuuming and blowing out rain tray debris. Pulled the n75 and bench tested it. Blowing though the respective ports and applying 12v to the solenoid, verified it was good.

I went back to the car, and stared blowing though the silicone hoses to/from the n75. Red and black were clear, but not blue. I could blow shop air through, but not lung air. Pulled the blue hose, added some scrap silicone hose at the waste gate, then stabbed in some nylon door lock tubing from the recently deceased Rotbox. Rotbox lives on….!

At the n75, I used 6” of the blue hose that was pulled, to keep the color code correct. I chose the clean side, that was originally at the n75. Blew through it, or at least I tried to… lung power didn’t work. I split the hose and found a black, sticky oil booger. I could easily blow through the hose that was downstream, of this. I honestly thought the clog would be at the low point, at the wastegate.




I figured I found my issue, but got sidetracked when I saw an oily mess at the rear right mount. TIP bolts were loose, but never fell out. I pulled the TIP and the o-ring was pretty beat. Cleaned up the best I could and reinstalled it and the TIP. Ordered some 224 Buna o-rings, which are scheduled to be delivered tomorrow. This means I’ll be getting greasy again, tomorrow.

Road tested the car. Did about 5 third gear pulls from 1.5k to 3.5k rpm. No issues… problem solved.

Drove it to work today, and I was really getting on it, going back and forth to company buildings. I never drove this car this way…. and eventually went into a no CEL limp. Got home, scanned the car and saw 00575- control difference.

Put the car on ramps, disconnected the blue, from the n75 and slowly applied shop air to the hose. I wanted to watch the wastegate lever move. All that happened was the tubing blew off the nylon tubing. Repeated this a few times with the same results. I tried to get my hands to the lever, with pliers but that wasn’t happening.… driveshaft is in the way. Tried prybars and other tools, but no go. Time to pull the driveshaft, which I hate doing on these cars.

Driveshaft out, pliers in, and popped the lever free. Exercised the lever with shop air about 50x, occasionally hosing it down with Kroil and silicone lube. Got it moving effortlessly. Cleaned up and road tested. This time I did about 5 third gear pulls starting at 1.5k to redline. I’ve never redlined this car, since I bought it. I guess me driving like grandpa, helped that lever soot up, although it took over 7 years to happen.

Long story short, limp mode definitely seems fixed.

-Todd
Do you have a size/link to the TIP oring you replaced? Mine is also dumping oil over my freshly cleaned rear mount lol
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
I took a deposit on the B4 yesterday, and I told the buyer I’d change the oil and gear oil. The engine oil met its 1 year time limit, although the gear oil was due.





Looking at the oil filter, I saw a lonely drop of coolant, on the lower rad hose. Turned out to be one of those crimp style clamps on the 3 way hose. Coolant level wasn’t low, so either this just started, or was dripping very little. I never noticed a puddle under the car. The 3 crimp clamps were replaced with Norma clamps.



I fill the trans through the speed sensor hole… less mess. I noticed one of the shift bushings was slightly worn. Replaced it with a spare.



Finding reverse is now, a tad finicky, so the ends will need to be adjusted…. Getting rid of it, but I’m still maintaining it…

-Todd
 

snoopy smiles

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 26, 2021
Location
tuscon, arizona
TDI
B4 and Touareg
I would be glad to offer the guy $5,000.00 for your black B4 - he could make money just reselling it. I am serious. Thank you for asking him. I would have it transported out to Arizona - a nice warm home for it. Thank you also for keeping me in mind for your B4v when you decide to sell. I would appreciate your consideration. roxanna at 541-591-1430
 

snoopy smiles

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 26, 2021
Location
tuscon, arizona
TDI
B4 and Touareg
I took a deposit on the B4 yesterday, and I told the buyer I’d change the oil and gear oil. The engine oil met its 1 year time limit, although the gear oil was due.




Looking at the oil filter, I saw a lonely drop of coolant, on the lower rad hose. Turned out to be one of those crimp style clamps on the 3 way hose. Coolant level wasn’t low, so either this just started, or was dripping very little. I never noticed a puddle under the car. The 3 crimp clamps were replaced with Norma clamps.



I fill the trans through the speed sensor hole… less mess. I noticed one of the shift bushings was slightly worn. Replaced it with a spare.



Finding reverse is now, a tad finicky, so the ends will need to be adjusted…. Getting rid of it, but I’m still maintaining it…

-Todd
looking for a cruise control module for a 1997 B4. Any ideas or any one have one?
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
looking for a cruise control module for a 1997 B4. Any ideas or any one have one?
Is it a 97 B4 tdi? If so it doesn't have a separate cruise 'module,' cruise function is handled by the ECU. If you don't have cruise you have another issue.

Steve
 

snoopy smiles

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 26, 2021
Location
tuscon, arizona
TDI
B4 and Touareg
I would be glad to offer the guy $5,000.00 for your black B4 - he could make money just reselling it. I am serious. Thank you for asking him. I would have it transported out to Arizona - a nice warm home for it. Thank you also for keeping me in mind for your B4v when you decide to sell. I would appreciate your consideration. 541-591-1430
Is it a 97 B4 tdi? If so it doesn't have a separate cruise 'module,' cruise function is handled by the ECU. If you don't have cruise you have another issue.

Steve
thank you for the info
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
They’re found in B4s… post your wtb threads, in the classifieds.

-Todd
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
New starter in the B4. I've been chasing hard starts for ages, it seems, first from a battery with a dead cell, then two alternators with parasitic drains, and finally with a starter that quit. A friend and I push started it today to get it to the shop. Now it spins over really quick.
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
Washed the sedan, for the last time. Figured I’d let it exchange hands looking decent. Car carrier is supposed to be coming this week.




Was looking for documentation for the alarm, stereo, etc., and I stumbled upon these. I almost forgot I had them…






Humorous, how everything other than the sunroof is no charge… anyhow, that’s what I did, to someone else’s B4.

Bought a new battery for the wagon. Battery was dated 2015, so I guess that’s not terrible. If it’d been driven on a more frequent basis, it’d definitely have lasted longer.
The battery I bought was never installed. Got it home and placed it on a battery tender. Now that the sedan belongs to someone else, it’s staying parked in the driveway, until the carrier comes for it. Rain is in the forecast, and until I swap the trans solenoids in the A4 Jetta, I need a car.… the GTI stays parked, when it rains.

Installed the battery, in the B4V, and it started effortlessly, after about 2 months of sitting. Looking pretty sad, with spider webs and dust all over the engine.… I’ll need to give the bay a cleaning. I also need to clean the interior and swap a few LEDs, in the VDO gauges. 3 of 5 gauges are out, or flickering.

CEL is on, for some reason, but I didn’t run a scan. Drove the car about 15 miles and it feels very different than the B4. Vibrates a bit more at idle, too. I‘m pretty positive I changed the front mount, but don’t remember if I did the other two.

Always working on something…. at least it had a full tank, of fuel.

-Todd
 

snoopy smiles

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 26, 2021
Location
tuscon, arizona
TDI
B4 and Touareg
Washed the sedan, for the last time. Figured I’d let it exchange hands looking decent. Car carrier is supposed to be coming this week.




Was looking for documentation for the alarm, stereo, etc., and I stumbled upon these. I almost forgot I had them…






Humorous, how everything other than the sunroof is no charge… anyhow, that’s what I did, to someone else’s B4.



The battery I bought was never installed. Got it home and placed it on a battery tender. Now that the sedan belongs to someone else, it’s staying parked in the driveway, until the carrier comes for it. Rain is in the forecast, and until I swap the trans solenoids in the A4 Jetta, I need a car.… the GTI stays parked, when it rains.

Installed the battery, in the B4V, and it started effortlessly, after about 2 months of sitting. Looking pretty sad, with spider webs and dust all over the engine.… I’ll need to give the bay a cleaning. I also need to clean the interior and swap a few LEDs, in the VDO gauges. 3 of 5 gauges are out, or flickering.

CEL is on, for some reason, but I didn’t run a scan. Drove the car about 15 miles and it feels very different than the B4. Vibrates a bit more at idle, too. I‘m pretty positive I changed the front mount, but don’t remember if I did the other two.

Always working on something…. at least it had a full tank, of fuel.

-Todd
It looks beautiful. I have a black B4 - very special. A Atlas recently rear ended it when I was at a stop sign. The driver said they had stopped, but not in my opinion. They stopped when they hit the back end of the B4. Trunk was pushed into the rear, bumper demolished, and the rear quarter panel buckled. Also no rear lights on drivers side. Not sure if it can be salvaged. Anyway, glad to see you have kept this one in such great shape. I am serious about your B4v - and I was serious about offering the person more dollars for the black B4. The B4 is like no other. Thank you for keeping me on your list and would appreciate contact when you are ready to sell. I appreciate your postings. 541-591-1430
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Todd
Car looks great! Do you have a hi-res copy of that window sticker? I'd really like to have that for my files for reference if you do. I saved the one but it's kind of hard to read.

Steve
 
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