What did you do to your MKIV today?

[Zak99b5]

No, just have a significantly more expensive fuel injection system to deal with, LOL.

(never seen anyone pull the upper intake on a 2.slo for spark plugs, I got a chuckle out of that... I suppose it *would* be easier, but it isn't exactly hard in the first place).

It's more for the wires, actually. When she bought the car initially, I changed out just the plugs, manifold in place. Wasn't too bad. A bit fiddly though with the wires on cyl 2 and 3. I remembered that when I got the wire set, and removing made installing them (especially putting them in the holders) easy. It was worth it.

 

[[486]]

That being said - where do y'all set your headlight levels to? I put mine a little high (I never adjusted them since I replaced some assemblies that were damaged in comp collisions), so I could see better. I live fairly rural, so a lot of my driving is on country roads with not much traffic. If anything, I can use the levelers to aim the lights down a little, but before, I couldn't see $hit that far ahead of me, even with high beams (and all these new cars with LED headlights aimed from the factory are way brighter than my car with high beams on, anyways).

I put mine in the dirt, mostly because I hate poorly adjusted ones something fierce

but I should get some billion watt 10000k led HID halogen laser eye burners to commit war crimes with instead

 

[pkhoury]

I was wondering that that meant. Now it's obvious that you pointed out they are in your signature.

I think others were as well, which is why I referenced them in my signature as well. It's sad my JSW is still listed in my sig; it's been at the body shop for a year and a half, but I've grown pretty accustomed to just using the pair of Golfs and not paying insurance on the JSW.

 

[pkhoury]

I put mine in the dirt, mostly because I hate poorly adjusted ones something fierce

but I should get some billion watt 10000k led HID halogen laser eye burners to commit war crimes with instead

A lot of trucks out here use those annoying ultra bright light bars. Some of them, using those as their PRIMARY lights instead of the factory headlights. The worst is when you see someone with craptastic Chineseium LEDs that are not only insanely bright, but insanely blue.

 

[oilhammer]

These newer lights are not only annoying and dangerous, but they're jaw-dropping expensive to replace. A stripper Jetta's assembly was over a grand last time I checked.

 

[norbert77]

My old beetle lights were so faded I could barely see so I went on RockAuto and bought a pretty set of TYC or something close to it. Don't low beam aims one way and the high beams another way so I sort of had to split the difference. I stripped one head light adjuster right away lucky got sent back and warranty.

Get a tape measure and when a nice level laneway, put the tape in front of the light see very aims and then walk out 30 pieces and see where it aims. As long as it aims down you're probably fine until you put stuff in the trunk

 

[SilverGhost]

Another cheap trick - park on flat, level ground in front of a wall or other flat surface. With the low beams on, slowly back up - if the bright spot rises the lamps are aimed high, if the bright spot falls they are aimed low, if it stays the same the bright spot is level straight ahead.

Free, no tools, double check.

Jason

 

[Rob Mayercik]

Good writeup on headlight aiming: https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

Moving on, brought my '02 home from the mechanic last night - back in August, started running really rough. Thought bad fuel (2 days after filling up), but wasn't - turned out one of the lifters came apart and wiped out the cam/head.

So, since I wasn't ready to part with the car: all-new head/cam, turbo (seals starting to go), intake and EGR valve (very coked up, probably at least in part from the over-fueling injectors I had a few years back, need to research EGR disables that won't mess up my NJ inspection), had the coolant pipe I got from OilHammer swapped in, timing belt (20K shy, but head was off and apparently the tensioner was ready to fail, so dodged bent rods there). Oh, and my starter finally croaked, so new one of those.

Bottom end was fine - even with the wrecked head, no piston-valve contact, and compression was even across all cylinders. Even still have visible cross-hatching from the factory hone in all 4 cylinders, according to the mechanic.

Doozy of a bill, but drives so good after all that I can't complain. Quieter and smoother than it's been in a while, and boy did clearing the intake wake it up - feels even stronger now, and not a hint of smoke (now I think I finally understand what upgrading to .205s was supposed to do for the car). Timing's set to 74, which is a little lower than he usually goes, but it ran too good at that setting not to leave alone.

Now I just have to keep my foot out of it for a tank or two so I can see how the MPG is now (hoping for better now that it's smoking less and breathing in much better).

Small Album with a couple pics: https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?media/albums/cylinder-head-work-sept-2024.14630/
(the closeup of the intake and lifter bore are courtesy of my mechanic, the "after" beauty shots I got this morning).

 

[Sting]

Speaking of headlights, what can you do if it seems like your adjusters aren't working? If not, I'm guessing replacement is in order?

I tried to adjust mine, but it seemed to do nothing.

 

[jmodge]

Good writeup on headlight aiming: https://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/aim/aim.html

Moving on, brought my '02 home from the mechanic last night - back in August, started running really rough. Thought bad fuel (2 days after filling up), but wasn't - turned out one of the lifters came apart and wiped out the cam/head.

So, since I wasn't ready to part with the car: all-new head/cam, turbo (seals starting to go), intake and EGR valve (very coked up, probably at least in part from the over-fueling injectors I had a few years back, need to research EGR disables that won't mess up my NJ inspection), had the coolant pipe I got from OilHammer swapped in, timing belt (20K shy, but head was off and apparently the tensioner was ready to fail, so dodged bent rods there). Oh, and my starter finally croaked, so new one of those.

Bottom end was fine - even with the wrecked head, no piston-valve contact, and compression was even across all cylinders. Even still have visible cross-hatching from the factory hone in all 4 cylinders, according to the mechanic.

Doozy of a bill, but drives so good after all that I can't complain. Quieter and smoother than it's been in a while, and boy did clearing the intake wake it up - feels even stronger now, and not a hint of smoke (now I think I finally understand what upgrading to .205s was supposed to do for the car). Timing's set to 74, which is a little lower than he usually goes, but it ran too good at that setting not to leave alone.

Now I just have to keep my foot out of it for a tank or two so I can see how the MPG is now (hoping for better now that it's smoking less and breathing in much better).

Small Album with a couple pics: https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?media/albums/cylinder-head-work-sept-2024.14630/
(the closeup of the intake and lifter bore are courtesy of my mechanic, the "after" beauty shots I got this morning).

How many miles do you have on that now?

 

[Mozambiquer]

So today I found that my cable didn't break, it was just the bushing on the inside that popped apart. The bushings are all just shot, so I am ordering a whole set of bushings from diesel geek and will be rebuilding the whole system. It definitely needs it. I'll have to take some pictures, since it's pretty nasty LOL

 

[GlowBugTDI]

So, since I wasn't ready to part with the car: all-new head/cam, turbo (seals starting to go), intake and EGR valve (very coked up, probably at least in part from the over-fueling injectors I had a few years back, need to research EGR disables that won't mess up my NJ inspection).

Golfing tee pressed into the egr valve hose. Takes 20 seconds to re-attach for inspection and 20 more to put the tee back in after. The tee only needs to be pressed in a little bit. Doesn't go anywhere. If your worried about the egr valve end getting gunk in it get vacuum caps from the auto parts store.
Another option, you can also remove the tube entirly and vacuum cap both nipples.

 

[Fix_Until_Broke]

Drove it again for the first time since ~May. Started right up, runs good, brakes are a bit "weak" due to rust on the rotors, getting better with use.
Figured if I'm going to be driving it this winter, I should make sure it's good to go before the weather gets crappy. It's everything I remember (good and bad)

 

[P2B]

Golfing tee pressed into the egr valve hose. Takes 20 seconds to re-attach for inspection and 20 more to put the tee back in after. The tee only needs to be pressed in a little bit. Doesn't go anywhere. If your worried about the egr valve end getting gunk in it get vacuum caps from the auto parts store.
Another option, you can also remove the tube entirly and vacuum cap both nipples.

Assuming he doesn't fail inspection due to MIL on for EGR insufficient flow.

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Assuming he doesn't fail inspection due to MIL on for EGR insufficient flow.

That was why he would put it back together for inspection time.

 

[P2B]

That was why he would put it back together for inspection time.

Assuming he has a way to clear codes and check readiness, and doesn't mind having the MIL on constantly.

 

[pkhoury]

Another cheap trick - park on flat, level ground in front of a wall or other flat surface. With the low beams on, slowly back up - if the bright spot rises the lamps are aimed high, if the bright spot falls they are aimed low, if it stays the same the bright spot is level straight ahead.

Free, no tools, double check.

Jason

That's actually what I did, sans the backing up part. Used the grout between stones outside my former house as a guide. I think they're upwards a little more than city driving, but nobody's flashed their high beams at me yet, and now I can see the deer and racoons better up in the distance.

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Assuming he has a way to clear codes and check readiness, and doesn't mind having the MIL on constantly.

Ahhh, understood. Not sure if the auto has an equivalent to the "triple key cycle, pump the clutch ten times, then start" to clear it.

 

[Zak99b5]

Assuming he has a way to clear codes and check readiness, and doesn't mind having the MIL on constantly.

Any cheap scan tool can clear the codes and check readiness. So the only issue is the perma-MIL. Which could "hide" another issue popping up because it's already lit.

I know NY stops testing emissions on cars at 25 years. Does NJ also exempt old cars?

But the real solution is get a Burpod tune and leave the deactivated EGR stuff in place.

 

[P2B]

+1 on tuning out the EGR as opposed to sabotaging it. Otherwise MIL on is not the only issue, it indicates the engine is running suboptimally.

 

[J_dude]

@IndigoBlueWagon I see there’s a sale on for Weathertech floor mats, but you guys don’t carry any of the DigitalFit line for a MKIV, why is that?
I know they don’t list a set for the Golf/Jetta but the set for the New Beetle fits perfectly.

 

[Nuje]

What I did: Had it hauled away. Four manual-crank window regulators that many here were crying out for....gone.
(I stripped pretty much everything else away, though. )

 

[Sting]

What I did: Had it hauled away. Four manual-crank window regulators that many here were crying out for....gone.
(I stripped pretty much everything else away, though. )

There were manual cranks for MkIVs? Dang. Those would have been cool.

 

[[486]]

There were manual cranks for MkIVs? Dang. Those would have been cool.

yeah they're an odd duck
mostly in 2dr cars, but some 4dr cars got them
you could get cable actuated mirrors only with manual windows, since the right side window switch takes the place of the right mirror adjuster

 

[Nuje]

There were manual cranks for MkIVs? Dang. Those would have been cool.

Free for the taking (or close to it) if you can get to Valley Affordable in Royston before it goes to the crusher.

 

[SilverGhost]

(clip)

So, since I wasn't ready to part with the car: all-new head/cam, turbo (seals starting to go), intake and EGR valve (very coked up, probably at least in part from the over-fueling injectors I had a few years back, need to research EGR disables that won't mess up my NJ inspection), had the coolant pipe I got from OilHammer swapped in, timing belt (20K shy, but head was off and apparently the tensioner was ready to fail, so dodged bent rods there). Oh, and my starter finally croaked, so new one of those.

(clip)

ALH has adaption that even dealer techs were changing that "effectively" tuned EGR flow out. Since car thinks it is doing what it is supposed to no MIL, readiness sets because system is still doing its job. No tune to change program counter or tune date.

Old timers on here know of what I speak and can VagCOM it (yes that was intentional)

Jason

 

[oilhammer]

...and it doesn't do what we thought it would do...

 

[Sting]

ALH has adaption that even dealer techs were changing that "effectively" tuned EGR flow out. Since car thinks it is doing what it is supposed to no MIL, readiness sets because system is still doing its job. No tune to change program counter or tune date.

Old timers on here know of what I speak and can VagCOM it (yes that was intentional)

Jason

I made sure the adaptation was done on mine when I got it 4 years ago, and honestly, it seems to have worked. Recently, I saw a video that had the unplug and block the line mod. I did it on mine, and it certainly seems like there is a touch more snappiness when hitting the pedal. No codes either. Also seems like the engine is warming better than before.

 

[Zak99b5]

...and it doesn't do what we thought it would do...

Do tell, what do it do?

Just curious; mine's tuned out anyway.

 

[SilverGhost]

It reduces but does not get rid of EGR coking problem - you still have to hammer on it to keep it clean

Jason