What did you do to your MKIV today?

[ts888]

Temperatures are supposed to climb next week, so I decided I should check the AC charge. The AC seemed to be cooling OK, but maybe a tad weak.

Recovered 284 grams. That's about 1/3 of the system capacity, I am impressed it was cooling at all. Filled it back with 750g per the AC label. Blows some seriously cold air now.

 

[03TDICommuter]

Temperatures are supposed to climb next week, so I decided I should check the AC charge. The AC seemed to be cooling OK, but maybe a tad weak.

Recovered 284 grams. That's about 1/3 of the system capacity, I am impressed it was cooling at all. Filled it back with 750g per the AC label. Blows some seriously cold air now.

How did you extract and weigh the existing charge?

 

[Zak99b5]

Not mine and not a TDI: replaced the a/c clutch on her 05 Golf. Compressor is under the alt (on top) amd above the PS pump (on bottom. Removing the alt, I noticed that the top inner ear (with bushing) was totally broken off. Then I noticed that the bottom outer ear was almost snapped off, so called her to go buy a new one.

Got the compressor free, but it sits at a bad angle to work on the clutch. Of course, I cannot discharge and recharge the system, so I had to work around that. Took a bit longer to r&r the clutch than it did on my ALH, since that drops down nicely without anything in the way.

Got it all back together, and now she has cold a/c.

In other news, also not mine but my son's new-to-him 2001 Jetta TDI, I took him to a bit empty parking lot to practice driving with a clutch. He can do it ok, but he lacks confidence. At the lot a portion of it is on a hill, so we did a lot of practice starting from a stop there. He'll get the hang of it. It really seems the diesel is easier/more forgiving to a person learning stick.

 

[Nuje]

Discovered a hunk of black aluminum gets scorching hot when it's 90* out, especially when the sun shines through the windshield right on the damn thing.

Been there; burnt that.

 

[Nuje]

It really seems the diesel is easier/more forgiving to a person learning stick.

Low-end torque - very forgiving for the noob learning to shift the way the car gods intended.

 

[Nuje]

How did you extract and weigh the existing charge?

Same - very curious how the home DIYer can extract and contain the R134a; as @Zak99b5 illustrates above, sometimes it'd be nice to disconnect things without knowing a $200+ service is required to get it back to where it was.

 

[03TDICommuter]

Same - very curious how the home DIYer can extract and contain the R134a; as @Zak99b5 illustrates above, sometimes it'd be nice to disconnect things without knowing a $200+ service is required to get it back to where it was.

I've done the 'dry ice' method on a different car. We have these small but high pressure refrigerant bottles at work that get disposed of when empty. Perfect for reclaiming refrigerant. Hook up the manifold, vacuum the manifold and bottle, close off the pump, open manifold to car, sit bottle in a tub of dry ice. Did that to reclaim R12 as it wasn't available anymore.

There are used recovery machines out there, but they're usually expensive and beat up. Wish I had one.

 

[dieseldonato]

You just do like everyone on planet earth does that isn't certified to work on hvac systems and crack a line and walk away. No need for the $6k recovery machine or vacuum pumps, or micron gauges etc..... I just love that I can buy a 12oz jiffy can of refrigerant for $60.00 over the counter, but had to show my certification certificate to purchase a 30lb tank of r134a. The double standards are getting worse by the day.

 

[J_dude]

the diesel is easier/more forgiving to a person learning stick.

Yep, I had a heck of a time learning on an old squarebody Chevy but when I hopped in the boss’s 2nd gen 12 Valve Ram I had no trouble at all. Also taught my sister to drive manual on that same Ram pickup. Much easier than on gutless gassers lol.

 

[csstevej]

There are used recovery machines out there, but they're usually expensive and beat up. Wish I had one.

Funny you say this…. I was looking for something too .
Came across several YouTube videos where they used a compressor from an old 6000 btu air conditioning unit. The guy made his own bottle from a propane tank but for about $80.00 I’d buy a real one ( tank ).
The sucker worked really well. Discharged a car ..did the repair then put the Freon back in…

 

[Nuje]

Poor man's wheel alignment.

Probably not great, but it should be a lot closer than simply eye-balling it. I've got ~200km to drive to cash in on my Firestone lifetime of wheel alignments, so hope that this saves too much wear on the tires.


And on the other car (the one for sale), while not glass, still a lot better than the clouded lenses that were on there before.

 

[csstevej]

How do you like your Quick jack?
I’ve bought one but haven’t had the chance to use it….

 

[Nuje]

Oh - it's great. Not quite as convenient as I'd envisioned*, but for getting the car in the air, knowing it's stable, and getting sufficient height to drop a transmission out....awesome!
(*Example: I figured I'd make use of it to swap summer <--> winter tires on multiple cars, but by the time you get the jacks in place, carefully position the blocks, drag out the compressor, hook up the hydraulic lines....then the inverse when you're done, it's much simpler / quicker to just move a floor jack to each corner.)

 

[Zak99b5]

Daughter reported a ringing noise when on the gas in her car.

Guessing one of the circlips on the A/C compressor has come unseated. (I just fixed her A/C by replacing the clutch coil.) Most likely the pulley one, as that one didn't seem to lock in fully when I put it back together, though I wasn't able to budge either the circlip or the pulley and thought it good.

 

[benIV]

Spent a few hours on Sunday trying to get a snake out of its hiding place between the hitch and wheel well. That was fun. Non venomous but idk what exactly

 

[Fahrvegnugen]

Getting ready for @burpod festivities, decided on a UK filter for my N75. Should keep out most of the snakes.

https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?media/tempimage4tv55k-png.153716/full

Got a vacuum nub to seal airbox nipple and tried running without n75 check valve. Tomorrow should be ready for new n75.

 

[Zak99b5]

Daughter reported a ringing noise when on the gas in her car.

Guessing one of the circlips on the A/C compressor has come unseated. (I just fixed her A/C by replacing the clutch coil.) Most likely the pulley one, as that one didn't seem to lock in fully when I put it back together, though I wasn't able to budge either the circlip or the pulley and thought it good.

Welp, took out the compressor again and disassembled the clutch. All good with my assembly.

But there were metal shavings and a few nicks on the clutch plate and the pulley. They weren't engaging smoothly/properly, I guess.

Still had the original pulley, so I wire-wheeled & sanded it clean then put that back in. The original clutch I had to hammer on quite a bit to get off, so it was too damaged to reuse. I had to keep clutch plate from the coil kit on there. Filed smooth the little spots where the metal was dinged.

Noise is now gone, but the clutch doesn't always engage properly--testing it, I noticed that even when commanded on, it will sit still for a moment, catch a little, then engage. And when it's spinning, it seems a bit wobbly. I realize it's sprung, but it doesn't seem quite right to me. I should take a video and post it in a new thread.

 

[benIV]

Got my idParts goodies for Orville although I’m thinking I should’ve gotten all the other stuff too but was a day late on the Memorial Day sale. Lol. Wanted to do a full suspension, axles, hubs, and steering refresh. Maybe next sale. Lol
View media item 153750

 

[gforce1108]

I've been doing some work on my 04 Jetta getting it ready to put back on the road. Painting the GLI side skirts and the Bora/GLI style front and rear bumper skirts plus replacing a rusty fender. But... this 05 Beetle is clogging up my space right now!

Dead compressor, leaking condenser, reverse lights don't work, occasional overboost, exhaust leak, both front springs broken (I replaced a few years back with 03 GLI springs), front tires bald - one to cords, intermittent coolant loss (held 15psi for 48 hours). At least struts are simpler with the fenders off!!!

While working on the struts I noticed that the trans side cover appeared to be seeping (skid plate, no side covers). I sprayed it off and sure enough - fresh fluid seeped out... Luckily I had a spare from my parts transmission. Fluid looked horrible!!! The real scary part is that I replaced the side cover and pulled the fill plug and fluid ran out - a good amount! I'd never be able to refill the 5th gear area with the car level. I knew oiling was bad - but not that bad (before my lift, I'd fill with the nose jacked up high. I think I need to go back to that.

 

[ts888]

How did you extract and weigh the existing charge?

Robinair automatic r134a machine. Perks of working at a repair shop and being AC certified.

 

[ts888]

You just do like everyone on planet earth does that isn't certified to work on hvac systems and crack a line and walk away. No need for the $6k recovery machine or vacuum pumps, or micron gauges etc..... I just love that I can buy a 12oz jiffy can of refrigerant for $60.00 over the counter, but had to show my certification certificate to purchase a 30lb tank of r134a. The double standards are getting worse by the day.

Yes, and don't forget the $40,000 fine the EPA can hand a certified tech for any mishandling of refrigerant. Or an uncertified tech. Or the fines the shop will incur. Gaptooth Gary the shadetree hack can eliminate the entire ozone layer and the EPA seems oblivious.

And nothing makes a customer happier than when you tell them you cannot recharge the system you just recovered because it has a leak. Now their marginal AC is no AC. But they seem unamused when I say I'll fill it up if they post a $40,000 deposit to cover my risk.

 

[benIV]

So I got my stuff in and the springs were supposed to be Suplex made in Germany but are Lesjofors made in Sweden. Does anyone know if these springs are the same? I thought the Lesjofors were for the VR6 and were lowering and the Suplex were stock height? Anyone have any info on these two manf's?

 

[ts888]

Daughter reported a ringing noise when on the gas in her car.

Guessing one of the circlips on the A/C compressor has come unseated. (I just fixed her A/C by replacing the clutch coil.) Most likely the pulley one, as that one didn't seem to lock in fully when I put it back together, though I wasn't able to budge either the circlip or the pulley and thought it good.

That's how circlips are designed -- they hold like a weld until you look away. Especially if they are holding the u-joints on a brand new Sprinter driveshaft.

 

[IndigoBlueWagon]

So I got my stuff in and the springs were supposed to be Suplex made in Germany but are Lesjofors made in Sweden. Does anyone know if these springs are the same? I thought the Lesjofors were for the VR6 and were lowering and the Suplex were stock height? Anyone have any info on these two manf's?

Assuming those came from IDParts, we switched from Suplex to Lesjofors several years ago. Lesjofors are better quality and have better PN/Paint Code matches for VW springs. The springs you bought are the same as the Suplex for your application. Give us a call if you have questions.

 

[benIV]

Assuming those came from IDParts, we switched from Suplex to Lesjofors several years ago. Lesjofors are better quality and have better PN/Paint Code matches for VW springs. The springs you bought are the same as the Suplex for your application. Give us a call if you have questions.

Oh thanks. I won’t lie I felt stupid asking but I just had no clue. I also forgot you were idparts and also emailed hahaha. Hope you all aren’t tired of me yet. Lol

 

[SilverGhost]

I'm slowly backing away before I get in trouble. Blowing off Freon is big no no and I'm very annoyed by the complexity of the new YF machines because of such debauchery suggested here.

/soap box

 

[dieseldonato]

Yes, and don't forget the $40,000 fine the EPA can hand a certified tech for any mishandling of refrigerant. Or an uncertified tech. Or the fines the shop will incur. Gaptooth Gary the shadetree hack can eliminate the entire ozone layer and the EPA seems oblivious.

And nothing makes a customer happier than when you tell them you cannot recharge the system you just recovered because it has a leak. Now their marginal AC is no AC. But they seem unamused when I say I'll fill it up if they post a $40,000 deposit to cover my risk.

Yeah, I agree thats what annoys me with the sale of the little cans of refrigerant to anyone. You told them, sorry I can't and they will stop by autozone and grab a few cans and "charge" the system themselves.

 

[csstevej]

I’m from the government…..and I’m here to help you……

Yeah hide your women and children….

 

[benIV]

With all the lies and corruption it makes me wonder whether it really would actually be bad for the environment. Lol

back to the subject of the thread though:

Wilbur:
snake was seen crawling away so hopefully it will stay gone. I’m taking off the hitch anyway and now have to decide how to plug the holes remaining.

Orville: bought the DG shifter bushing kit and feeling likethere might notbe muchof any bushing left in there at all.

Non vw related but I’m really trying hard searching for a cousin for the jettas in the form of a wagon MB 300td. W123

 

[J_dude]

With all the lies and corruption it makes me wonder whether it really would actually be bad for the environment. Lol

Right?!