What did you do to your MKIV today?

[Zak99b5]

Took it for a drive afterward. It seems to run smoother, though it didn’t run rough before. Could be placebo I guess.

I do not think it’s any quieter. It seems pretty clattery to me. Sounds like a diesel lol. Since this is my first, I really have nothing to compare it to in that regard.

 

[Cleenlivin]

Well…technically not all done in a day but I changed out the Koni FSD’s in the rear of my 04 Jetta TDI PD for Koni Special Active shocks. I had already done the fronts but had to order new shock bump stops as the old one were pretty crumbly. The FSD’s lasted about 11 years and had not failed per se but I just felt they weren’t performing like they should.

I was also having a problem with the engine not shutting down smoothly. I removed and cleaned both the Anti-Shutter Valve and EGR Valve. There were carbon “gummies” and black goey goodness in the intake. The EGR valve was covered in crusty soot and the ASV was covered with black goo. I guess I’m not driving long enough distances to burn this stuff off. The car drives so much better and causes you to realize how you come to accept a gradual degradation in performance as normal.

 

[braddies]

Installed a BRM intake on the ALH. The most noticable difference so far is that required boost is lower than before, for example with stock alh intake boost at idle was 1.0-1.1psi, now 0.6-0.7psi. also flat highway cruising @ 60 used to be about 3.7 psi and during today's test drive it only took 1.9psi in 5th to hold 60 on flat ground. Has anyone got a pinout for the ASV? next step is to get the shutdown valve workin

 

[kennethsime]

Well…technically not all done in a day but I changed out the Koni FSD’s in the rear of my 04 Jetta TDI PD for Koni Special Active shocks. I had already done the fronts but had to order new shock bump stops as the old one were pretty crumbly. The FSD’s lasted about 11 years and had not failed per se but I just felt they weren’t performing like they should.

I was also having a problem with the engine not shutting down smoothly. I removed and cleaned both the Anti-Shutter Valve and EGR Valve. There were carbon “gummies” and black goey goodness in the intake. The EGR valve was covered in crusty soot and the ASV was covered with black goo. I guess I’m not driving long enough distances to burn this stuff off. The car drives so much better and causes you to realize how you come to accept a gradual degradation in performance as normal.

Tell us how you like those Special Actives! I'm installing them in a week or two.

I've heard that BEWs don't build up soot in the EGR & intake nearly as badly as ALHs. I'm only at 135k, but I don't drive long distances very often. I wonder how bad my EGR is...

 

[Diesel Fumes]

I changed out my glow plug harness today. Wasn't a terribly hard job but I definitely didn't wire the new one in as clean as factory wiring. The glow plug related check engine light has gone away but it continues to stutter and smoke for like 30 seconds during a cold start. Not burning any oil or coolant. Glow plugs all test good with proper resistance. I just pretend like it doesn't smoke

 

[PakProtector]

I changed out my glow plug harness today. Wasn't a terribly hard job but I definitely didn't wire the new one in as clean as factory wiring. The glow plug related check engine light has gone away but it continues to stutter and smoke for like 30 seconds during a cold start. Not burning any oil or coolant. Glow plugs all test good with proper resistance. I just pretend like it doesn't smoke

That is on the plate for the BEW today. Assuming the ALH I salvaged will fit...have to check that. Or I get a BEW one from IDP.
cheers,
Douglas

 

[Stupendous60]

Installed a BRM intake on the ALH. The most noticable difference so far is that required boost is lower than before, for example with stock alh intake boost at idle was 1.0-1.1psi, now 0.6-0.7psi. also flat highway cruising @ 60 used to be about 3.7 psi and during today's test drive it only took 1.9psi in 5th to hold 60 on flat ground. Has anyone got a pinout for the ASV? next step is to get the shutdown valve workin

One of mine had an inop ASV, researched through a search on here, found out it was common to have the wires break at/near the ASV connector and sure as shootin, mine was. Grafted new wires and done.

 

[JDSwan87]

That is on the plate for the BEW today. Assuming the ALH I salvaged will fit...have to check that. Or I get a BEW one from IDP.
cheers,
Douglas

BEW glow plug harness is different from ALH harness.

 

[PakProtector]

BEW glow plug harness is different from ALH harness.

I did discover that. ALH is angled off to each side, the BEW's are all parallel. One more thing in my IDP cart...LOL
cheers,
Douglas

 

[kennethsime]

I did discover that. ALH is angled off to each side, the BEW's are all parallel. One more thing in my IDP cart...LOL
cheers,
Douglas

There's always one more thing in my ID Parts cart!

 

[Zak99b5]

I got tired of using my toe to pop the brake pedal that last little bit up. Put an extra return spring on it (found a DIY here; it goes from the hole in the pedal arm to a screw for the under dash panel).

On my drive in this AM, I noticed that my fuel gauge barely moved, instead of going from above a tick mark to below it.

So my brakes have been dragging (no wonder the PO had so many receipts for brake jobs). I expect my FE to increase a good amount. Before I was getting around 43-44 MPG, which had seemed low to me. But I did this with just under half a tank left, so it will be a while before I get real numbers.

 

[kennethsime]

I got tired of using my toe to pop the brake pedal that last little bit up. Put an extra return spring on it (found a DIY here; it goes from the hole in the pedal arm to a screw for the under dash panel).

On my drive in this AM, I noticed that my fuel gauge barely moved, instead of going from above a tick mark to below it.

So my brakes have been dragging (no wonder the PO had so many receipts for brake jobs). I expect my FE to increase a good amount. Before I was getting around 43-44 MPG, which had seemed low to me. But I did this with just under half a tank left, so it will be a while before I get real numbers.

Can you double check that link for the DIY kit? I'd be interested in trying this.

 

[Zak99b5]

Can you double check that link for the DIY kit? I'd be interested in trying this.

Not sure of the link at the moment, but it's really simple.

I had a spring with hooks on the ends. Spring part is about 4" long, and the hooks are about 1 1/2" each, maybe 7" overall.

I unscrewed the torx screw for the bottom edge of the underdash panel, hooked the spring on it, and reinstalled.

I put a zip tie through the hole in the pedal arm (above the pad for your foot) and hooked the other end of the spring to that.

Then I tightened up the zip tie until there was a bit of tension on the spring.

You cannot see it sitting in the car, and the brake pedal feel is unchanged. But now the pedal returns fully.

I'll try to snap a pic or two later today.

 

[Nero Morg]

I wonder what you'd normally have to replace to fix that the right way. Wonder if my car does it.
Something to ponder.

 

[Zak99b5]

I wonder what you'd normally have to replace to fix that the right way. Wonder if my car does it.
Something to ponder.

I think the return spring in the booster gets weak with age, or at least that's what I read in the thread with the DIY.

 

[hey_allen]

Not in my own car, but just finishing up doing a timing belt for a friend of a friend's car.

Some prior mechanic had left a mess, the cover was missing and the tensioner was sprung.
The owner was lucky the timing belt only skipped a couple of teeth on the IP.
Digging into the car as I looked it over and started the replacement, I found that the cam was within a couple degrees of TDC, but the IP was retarded by about 10 degrees beyond the adjustment range of the slots on its sprocket.
Either the mechanic messed up thoroughly and it never ran, or it hopped time.

The next step is retrieving the SKC since the cluster lost track of the key somewhere along the recent timeline as well.

Such fun, since I'm due to do the timing belt again for my car in the next month as well!

 

[BobnOH]

That key business is just annoying. Try leaving the key in the ignition, on, for like an hour.

 

[PakProtector]

That key business is just annoying. Try leaving the key in the ignition, on, for like an hour.

With a battery charger on it.

No undervoltage allowed.

Douglas

 

[Zak99b5]

Here’s the pic of the spring installed to pull the brake pedal fully released.

362058C3-FDB7-48B2-A46D-4F7E8E7867A3.jpeg

• Zak99b5
• Sep 27, 2021

Brake return spring

 

[kennethsime]

Not sure of the link at the moment, but it's really simple.

I had a spring with hooks on the ends. Spring part is about 4" long, and the hooks are about 1 1/2" each, maybe 7" overall.

I unscrewed the torx screw for the bottom edge of the underdash panel, hooked the spring on it, and reinstalled.

I put a zip tie through the hole in the pedal arm (above the pad for your foot) and hooked the other end of the spring to that.

Then I tightened up the zip tie until there was a bit of tension on the spring.

You cannot see it sitting in the car, and the brake pedal feel is unchanged. But now the pedal returns fully.

I'll try to snap a pic or two later today.

Oh I misunderstood, you meant you found the DIY tutorial here on the club! Excuse my ignorance.

That does sound reals simple. I think I might try this out - I'm trying to look around for stuff that might be holding my mileage back.

 

[runningallday]

I changed out my glow plug harness today. Wasn't a terribly hard job but I definitely didn't wire the new one in as clean as factory wiring. The glow plug related check engine light has gone away but it continues to stutter and smoke for like 30 seconds during a cold start. Not burning any oil or coolant. Glow plugs all test good with proper resistance. I just pretend like it doesn't smoke

I had endless glow plug issues until I used dielectric grease on the contacts. started up better than ever, and never had any glow plug issue since then!

 

[runningallday]

Took it for a drive afterward. It seems to run smoother, though it didn’t run rough before. Could be placebo I guess.

I do not think it’s any quieter. It seems pretty clattery to me. Sounds like a diesel lol. Since this is my first, I really have nothing to compare it to in that regard.

You should look up the TC-W3 recipe (1 oz/gallon), I use it in my ALH and it really quiets everything down. Never run better!

 

[runningallday]

What I did to my MK4: I drove 250 miles and couldn't figure out why my mileage was 42 mpg. (the strong headwind and driving at 75 mph probably didn't help) when I realized when I replaced the bumper cover vent, I blocked off the intercooler. Not sure if it was a tailwind but got 50 mpg on the way back!

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

What I did to my MK4: I drove 250 miles and couldn't figure out why my mileage was 42 mpg. (the strong headwind and driving at 75 mph probably didn't help) when I realized when I replaced the bumper cover vent, I blocked off the intercooler. Not sure if it was a tailwind but got 50 mpg on the way back!

Unless you're driving at full throttle (pulling a trailer or similar), having a blocked off intercooler will actually (theoretically) increase your MPG.

 

[Andyinchville1]

Unless you're driving at full throttle (pulling a trailer or similar), having a blocked off intercooler will actually (theoretically) increase your MPG.

Hi

Just curious but why is that? Better aero or higher intake temp ? Or ??

I blocked off the lower grill on the non intercooler side but it helps mpg I'd block off the intercooler side as well ... i don't hot rod around or tow.

Andrew

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

Picked up my '99.5 Golf today at Kraftwerke. It got:

• IDParts stainless downpipe, no CAT
• OMI
• New Bosio nozzles (stock size to go with the RC3 in the car)
• 02J shift box and cables with DieselGeek short shifter
• Right rear ABS sensor
• Dash panels under the steering wheel re-attached with proper fasteners and buffers

Car drove fine before (except for the very occasional ABS fault) but is much better now. The nozzles that were in the car didn't pop or atomize well. It's a little hard to keep track, but it's likely these were IBW's original nozzles from 2002(!). Part throttle response is much better with the new ones.

The car now has a nice, subtle VNT-15 whistle. Getting rid of the CAT will do that. And I haven't driven a DG shifter for a long, long time. I like it!

With the dash panels (and console) properly attached the car is as rattle-free as you can expect a 22 year-old, 272K mile car to be.

 

[kennethsime]

With the dash panels (and console) properly attached the car is as rattle-free as you can expect a 22 year-old, 272K mile car to be.

The things I don't know about car interiors could fill a few volumes - I recently figured out that removing the radios is pretty simply, for example.

That said, I'd love to read an article about common sources of rattle in Mk4 vehicles, and I'd love for ID Parts to offer a kit that would help me fix them!

 

[Diesel Fumes]

I removed the fuel filter today. I've been chasing a white smoke on start up problem in my car since I bought it. I thought maybe air is getting into the fuel filter at the t fitting. In the middle of swapping the black lines out for clear ones where applicable. Have never done before.

What's the easiest way to do this? Can I just swap the lines and fire it up with dry lines? I'm speaking mostly the one that goes from the fuel filter t fitting to the engine.

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Hi

Just curious but why is that? Better aero or higher intake temp ? Or ??

I blocked off the lower grill on the non intercooler side but it helps mpg I'd block off the intercooler side as well ... i don't hot rod around or tow.

Andrew

In general (theory) it will lower the engines pumping losses during compression - On a stock ALH, the car drives down the road at zero boost so the engine is bigger than it needs to be and air fuel ratio is very lean. By "heating" the combustion air (not intercooling it) the engine will ingest less air mass, therefore build less heat during compression which reduces the heat rejected to the cooling system and overall uses less fuel.

In my MPG days, I had a full frontal block on my Jetta and intake air temps were routinely 30-50F over ambient (from memory). Only time I noticed any issue was when I forgot to take off the grille on the SMIC before towing a trailer. Why are my IAT's 178F? Oh yeah, forgot to allow some air to the intercooler . Between the aerodynamic advantage and the thermodynamic advantage I don't know which one was better, but both helped in theory.

 

[Nuje]

Can I just swap the lines and fire it up with dry lines? I'm speaking mostly the one that goes from the fuel filter t fitting to the engine.

You'll crank forever trying to purge all the air and getting the engine to catch, once you've introduced air into the fuel injector lines.
Pull the fuel return line that comes off injector #4 at the injection pump, pull vacuum on that line until you get drips of fuel coming through.
Clamp it (so you don't lose vacuum and suck in a bunch more air) and then reattach the line back to the injection pump; remove clamp.
Then crack injector #1 at the top hard injector line nut and crank the engine until you get a bit of fuel spitting out (maybe 10sec). Tighten that nut. Crack nut on injector #2 - most likely as you start to crank there, the engine will start to fire.