What did you do to your MKIV today?

[pkhoury]

I was actually falling asleep writing that post and had to proof read it a few times, not that successfully apparently.
So I'm thinking my pump was also 180 degrees out,, given that it was set when cylinder 1 on the head was TDC, but not on the crank, The original owner complained of a blown head gasket. Eventually, I'll do a compression test though just to be sure., and I need to pull the head off the motor on the Ute at some point; that car originally had a bad IP when I bought it, and that owner didn't know what the f*** he was doing (which is why it was $300).

Anyways, I'm not 100% certain, but feeling pretty confident that this Beetle was blowing out white smoke because of the fuel pump set incorrectly, rather than blowing a head gastket, though there's evidence there might be a leak from the coolant reservoir somewhere.

 

[Nero Morg]

Cheap cars with the silliest fixes are the best, good find!

 

[Rrusse11]

Golf back up and running, charging, steering! Removal of the main pulley, a Fluidampr in my case, to access the crankshaft
bolt for the recent TB joh, had not been torqued properly upon re-installation. Access to drill out the one sheared bolt was a nuisance, but doable.
No charge. Did an oil change while up on the lift. Ordered a new VW battery, after ~5 yrs the original is losing some steam.
I'll do the glowplugs and check my turbo adjustment next trip to the shop.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

I wonder if the Fluidampr loosened the bolt.

 

[PakProtector]

With the PS front wheel off, and the top belt cover out, you can watch for the approximate TDC mark on the balancer and peek over the fender to watch the pump slot come up to the hole. Going to need the valve cover off...it was a happy revelation for me when the pin went in, and I pulled the cover and found No.1 on split overlap... It was just a matter of putting things where they needed to be. All this just to prove the O1M still worked...

For the swap I pulled the engine and did a new timing kit with an Isoran belt and all new bits( after I put on clutch.flywheel and the manuual box to establish timing ).
cheers,
Douglas

 

[Rrusse11]

"I wonder if the Fluidampr loosened the bolt."

No. I actually did the install of that myself 5yrs or so ago. Never a hint of trouble. A simple failure to properly tighten
it back up after removal.

 

[P2B]

Drove it another 250 highway km after Saturday's incident with no coolant loss or overpressurisation of the cooling system.

I guess you really can run an ALH without coolant - at least in cold weather - not that I recommend it.

 

[Mozambiquer]

Drove it another 250 highway km after Saturday's incident with no coolant loss or overpressurisation of the cooling system.

I guess you really can run an ALH without coolant - at least in cold weather - not that I recommend it.

I had a similar thing happen.
I lost heat yesterday. I thought maybe one of the foam plugs had come loose or something.
Nope, the hose from the reservoir to the engine near the thermostat, had rubbed through and the coolant was low. Not super low, just low enough to keep the heat from working. I fixed the hose and added two quarts of coolant and heat was restored!
This morning, I drove it to work in the snow. The hardest part was getting out of my driveway.

 

[norbert77]

It is freezing and snowing, my poor buggy is tucked away until spring... I already bought $2500 of new parts for it, all new suspension, brakes, struts and headlight, right now I need a new clutch... then surgery can begin

 

[tdidieselbobny]

Oof. Driving yesterday to work thought I heard growling coming from right front. Turn wheel left gets louder. So I did the MyTurboDiesel trick of holding spring while spinning wheel -definitely vibration in spring, and there is some play when I wiggled wheel at 12&6, so another item on the list along with the tranny that's starting to get noisy. Registration coming due next month along with inspection. Might take it in early to see if it passes. If not, may start looking for '03 ALH wagon and save parts I already bought for that...

 

[snakeye]

Rebuilt a caliper that'll go on my golf. Made a blasting cabinet out of styrofoam cardboard and a gravity feed gun out of a $4 gun and a juice bottle. Works great lol

 

[pkhoury]

pkhoury, at least your guy did the timing right. my '02 had its pump 180-degrees out. squirting on the spilt overlap. Not that I am complaining; the beast refusing to fire was why it got put for sale...
cheers,
Douglas

That's still subjective.... I should've checked to see if it was really spot on or not. I'm just eager for the ice/snow to melt, so I can get busy this weekend, provided my IDparts order comes in.

 

[Mozambiquer]

We got about 8" of snow with ice underneath it here, and I loaned my Passat out to my sister, as her car went down, so I was driving the golf to work. It wasn't too bad. Hardest part was getting out of the driveway.
I am a tow truck operator in addition to being a mechanic. Guess which one I did mostly these last couple days? Yup, tow truck. We had at least a dozen snow plows we pulled out, and we weren't even towing anything unless it was a snow plow or was blocking the roadway. There's a ton of cars still out there in the ditches.

 

[pkhoury]

We got about 8" of snow with ice underneath it here, and I loaned my Passat out to my sister, as her car went down, so I was driving the golf to work. It wasn't too bad. Hardest part was getting out of the driveway.
I am a tow truck operator in addition to being a mechanic. Guess which one I did mostly these last couple days? Yup, tow truck. We had at least a dozen snow plows we pulled out, and we weren't even towing anything unless it was a snow plow or was blocking the roadway. There's a ton of cars still out there in the ditches.

I can only imagine the money you made! The roads here in town were pretty decent last night. Only took me 57 minutes to get my car to operating temperature, but I still didn't get most of the ice on it melted off. Tomorrow, I might buy a used U-Haul tow dolly, from a U-Haul dealer (apparently, U-Haul is selling 20-25 year old tow dollies from its fleet). I'd been wanting one for a while, from buying more TDIs, to taking a wrecked car to the body shop. And related to this thread... I might buy yet ANOTHER ALH! LOL

 

[PakProtector]

Thanks for the notice on the U-Haul sale. Going to go trouble my local shop and see what can be had, and if they'll help find me something... way to useful. Unfortunately I can't fit it in the TDI tools box...LOL
cheers,
Douglas

 

[Nero Morg]

Took the BEW wagon to DEQ, passed flying colors. Helps that its 100% stock. In the trip I found the inner right CV is shot, high vibrations at cruising speed, and the lift pump is dead. Luckily it's the older style pump where the tandem kept it running.

 

[Nuje]

Chipping away at little things in preparation for swapping an ALH into a 2002 AEG Golf. Rear suspension a while ago (Bilstein TC w. wagon springs as well as Cupra axle bushings). Got the front done today with matching Bilstein TC, Moog 81134 springs, and stacked two OEM spacers for a poor man's ($20/side) 20mm lift kit.
And put the solid TT bushings into the lower control arms...and discovered that my sway bar is 21mm (not 23mm), so waiting on the proper bushings for it.

 

[Mk4coop]

It is freezing and snowing, my poor buggy is tucked away until spring... I already bought $2500 of new parts for it, all new suspension, brakes, struts and headlight, right now I need a new clutch... then surgery can begin

Which brakes did you go with for your car? I’m in need of new ones and don’t know what to get

 

[benmarks]

Which brakes did you go with for your car? I’m in need of new ones and don’t know what to get

What’s your budget?

 

[Nero Morg]

Just got back from two wrecking yards, picked up a passenger fender, both doors, front bumper/grill, gate, and tail lights. Oddly there was three silver wagons between the two yards. One was an 01 with that ridiculously short bumper on it.
Now to find time to install all the things.

 

[PakProtector]

Which brakes did you go with for your car? I’m in need of new ones and don’t know what to get

GO by the friction code, assuming it is a good manufacturer. GG is what you want. Few come out and say it. If off at the auto parts store, look at 'em...it is written on the backing plate. I think that IDP has the premium euro ceramic akebono that are GG. Of all the suppliers I am sure they'll tell ya what it is they're selling...
cheers,
Douglas

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

One was an 01 with that ridiculously short bumper on it.

'01 and '02 Wagons had short rear bumpers. Mine has one. You should have grabbed it along with the brace, it'll bolt on. I like it a lot better than the '03 and later bumpers.

 

[Nero Morg]

I would have, however it's not my car so not my call. My buddy wanted to keep the longer bumper.

 

[Redneckeric]

Yesterday i finished putting together the passenger side front suspension including coil over, new conrol arm, ball joint, tt knuckle, new wheel bearing and hub, new rotor, inner and outer tie rod and tt sway bar/end link. I realized i did not have the hardware to mount the caliper carrier to the knuckle so the rest of the brake parts are on a hold. I then tore apart the rear suspension and beam in order to clean and repaint the beam, new poly bushings, then coil overs and new big brake parts. Got dark and cold and my water hose is frozen so i cant use my pressure washer to help break apart loose paint this weekend.

 

[pkhoury]

Thanks for the notice on the U-Haul sale. Going to go trouble my local shop and see what can be had, and if they'll help find me something... way to useful. Unfortunately I can't fit it in the TDI tools box...LOL
cheers,
Douglas

Douglas (and others), here is the URL for U-Haul sales:
https://trucksales.uhaul.com/Vehicles/Specs/TD?key=507

Apparently, they only sell trucks and tow dollys; the other trailers are cut up/recycled at the end of their useful lives.

Oh yeah, and what did I do to my mk4 on Friday? Hit a f***ing deer on the way to buy said tow dolly. I figured pictures would be good:


I've since swapped in a headlight from my Ute to get me by until I get repacement front fog lights (that I found on ebay, but from a seller in Malaysia).

 

[pkhoury]

'01 and '02 Wagons had short rear bumpers. Mine has one. You should have grabbed it along with the brace, it'll bolt on. I like it a lot better than the '03 and later bumpers.

What's with that exhaust Peter? It almost looks like a rain gutter, but it's kinda cool looking.

 

[pkhoury]

What did I do? Brought home another mk4, with my mk4. Got a 2003 Beetle TDI with the cursed 01M for $600. It was contingent on me buying another 2003 Beetle TDI with the same crappy transmission for the same price, but that one supposedly has a bent rod/cracked piston, according to the supposed industrial diesel mechanic previous owner (who was not super knowledgeable on TDIs it seemed). Both are also bright colors - brought home an orange beetle and the parts/rebuild Beetle is yellow!

 

[PakProtector]

That is awesome. Two for the swap block... Would not mind doing another... Should start hunting gearboxes and bits...
cheers,
Douglas

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

What's with that exhaust Peter? It almost looks like a rain gutter, but it's kinda cool looking.

That was the tip of my 2.5" exhaust. My fabricator made it. But it's gone: That photo is a couple years old. I've replaced it with a 2" downpipe with no cat and a stock system cat back. Much quieter.

4-motion valence is gone, too. Now stock. new taillights, however.

 

[JDSwan87]

Checked the oil and broke the dipstick tube off... which meant it was time for my IDPARTS order... my wallet is now $283 lighter.