What did you do to your MKIV today?

[GlowBugTDI]

What is this knocking sound I’m hearing from the tailpipe?

2003 ALH

youtube.com

Sorry I must have covered the mic a bit but you can still hear ok.

It sounds like a tappet. I wonder if the exhaust is muffling the sound making it deeper. Up by the bay it sounds like a tappet or possibly injection pump sound. The latter of which wouldn't make much sense. Listen to the the engine near each of the injectors using a screwdriver against your ear and see what you hear. You can add some 2 stroke oil to the tank which will help quiet the pump a little making it easier to listen.

Did this just start? Any recent changes in tuning?

 

[J_dude]

It sounds like a tappet.

Better not be, I just replaced them last year.

Did this just start?

Sort of, I havent run it in a while because of the hard starting issue, but I think it might have been doing that the last time I had it running.

Any recent changes in tuning?

Lol, I’m running Burpod tune, there’s always new updates.

 

[GlowBugTDI]

Better not be, I just replaced them last year.

Sort of, I havent run it in a while because of the hard starting issue, but I think it might have been doing that the last time I had it running.

Lol, I’m running Burpod tune, there’s always new updates.

Try the oil and screwdriver trick.

 

[norbert77]

Almost had the front buttoned up, had a guy come to buy my excavator and it was about 2 hours on deciding. Now to do the dash and radio, and to redo the door wire.

My son has some numbered 30 wire bundle, going to redo every one with a unique number.

 

[[486]]

Sort of, I havent run it in a while because of the hard starting issue,

you give it the ol 4500 rpm tuneup lately?
might be a collapsed lifter that just needs a little oil pressure to pump back up

 

[norbert77]

So, front buttoned up. Home made alignment (toe in) so I don't kill tires while new struts settle.

New radio! What a giant pain, I sawed lots of the dash and moved around heater controls.


Door wire. Yes I cut the whole harness, now I'm committed.


Edit, update, speaker works, window goes up and down. Needed a single 14awg and 12 of the 18awg wires, though about 4 were 22awg.

 

[northern diesel]

I installed my 3 bar MAP sensor today with some issues (broken head of one screw )
https://flic.kr/p/2qq5VeA The one on the left (cut up) came stock in the ALH IC I salvaged from the wreckers so that when I was doing my boost pipes I could forget about the BEW clip connection nonsense.
Notice the difference in sizes- my 3 bar is the smaller sized sensor.
So after hearing air escaping during my first test run to log measuring blocks from the new tune, I thought maybe I had a boost pipe come loose, but I could feel air escaping around the new sensor.
Long story short, and lots of JB welding, I think I got it air tight again- but maybe not.
That IC is pretty busted up- so if this gets really bad - I might look to buy a better condition used one- or some improvement of the IC set up.

 

[[486]]

there's a bushing that you'd use to deal with the different sensor size
the broken screws come out pretty easy if you heat them up to soften the plastic

 

[northern diesel]

there's a bushing that you'd use to deal with the different sensor size
the broken screws come out pretty easy if you heat them up to soften the plastic

I’ll know for next time - I wish I would have posted this before taking the grinder to the sensor and drill to the screw.

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

What did I do today? Well it would be a stretch to say me, I was very heavily helped by my brother. We were going to install my new brakes, and what do you know? I lost my security nut key... woohoo. I have been meaning to get rid of them for quite some time, but I guess I was not motivated til I had to. Tried hammering in a triple square, tried heat and a hammer/chisel to spin it, no luck. Ended up taking it to a local shop and they helped me out, but at 59CAD and some new Canadian tyre bolts went in, regular 17mm. Then we got all the new brakes in, finally replaced my RR caliper so my handbrake will work for the first time, and did a full brake fluid flush, in order of FL, FR, RL, RR, clutch. It took a lot longer than expected, especially because of the key dangle, but upon testing wow, I had no idea brakes could be that smooth. I no longer hop under braking. And I feel better with new prestone fluid, I know it has been over 4 years since it has been flushed. I just did a little test and bedded them in.

IMG_2150.jpeg

• The Cream Dolphin
• Oct 25, 2024

Full brake job.

Oh, and while the airbox was out, I checked my snowscreen - it was basically clean as it was.

 

[P2B]

Maybe splurge on a pair of jackstands

 

[Bradm]

I do all my work the same way, blocks of 6x6.

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Maybe splurge on a pair of jackstands

As @Bradm says, 6×6s work pretty well, haha. Especially when they are free, from work.

 

[Nuje]

there's a bushing that you'd use to deal with the different sensor size

I try to keep one of those in my shopping cart at idparts.com (way too expensive to ship such a small thing to Canada) so I can add it in to my next order.

https://www.idparts.com/bar-map-grommet-05616640-p-3230.html

(Wurth part # 05616640 )

 

[Nuje]

What did I do today? Well it would be a stretch to say me, I was very heavily helped by my brother. We were going to install my new brakes, and what do you know? I lost my security nut key... woohoo.

Maybe splurge on a pair of jackstands

Is the front end being held up solely by that hydraulic jack? In which case...yikes!
There's no way I'd let anyone crawl under a car being held up by only a hydraulic seal.

And with your Arcadian Tire lug bolts - did you get ball seat bolts (your avatar photo looks like OE wheels; again - bad idea to use typical aftermarket conical-seat lug bolts on ball-seat wheels (which are all VW/Audi as far as I've seen).

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Is the front end being held up solely by that hydraulic jack? In which case...yikes!
There's no way I'd let anyone crawl under a car being held up by only a hydraulic seal.

And with your Arcadian Tire lug bolts - did you get ball seat bolts (your avatar photo looks like OE wheels; again - bad idea to use typical aftermarket conical-seat lug bolts on ball-seat wheels (which are all VW/Audi as far as I've seen).

The front has a 6×6 across/in the middle, so it can drop an dnch or two, but not to the ground. And yes I did get ball seat bolts, but I meant to ask, are all ball seats the same shape where they actually contact, or are there different profiles? The ball is physically taller on the new ones, but the mating surface itself looks to be the same profile. I do plan on picking up a set of 4 oem ones from a junkyard though. The one per wheel being different and shiny is not my favourite.

 

[norbert77]

The front has a 6×6 across/in the middle, so it can drop an dnch or two, but not to the ground. And yes I did get ball seat bolts, but I meant to ask, are all ball seats the same shape where they actually contact, or are there different profiles? The ball is physically taller on the new ones, but the mating surface itself looks to be the same profile. I do plan on picking up a set of 4 oem ones from a junkyard though. The one per wheel being different and shiny is not my favourite.

I once had a 2 ton jack fail and drop under a dodge ram, only went down about 3-4 inches when it bottomed out, but yeah, 6x6 is great

 

[Bradm]

Yeah i don’t understand the snark comment about jack stands. Maybe it was just a friendly jab. I own jack stands but would rather use wood any day, especially if im going underneath it. I have a pile of various blocks in the corner of my shop use them on cars, trucks, trailers and tractors

 

[norbert77]

I hate interior work. New arm rest panels, I can't time the contact cement just right. Not sticking in some spots, stretching in others. Overall it has more wrinkles than my ball sack

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Yeah i don’t understand the snark comment about jack stands. Maybe it was just a friendly jab.

I think it was just a friendly jab. And I think Nujes was genuine concern. 6×6s are honestly great, we cut a pair into ramps as well, love the things.

Today I had to pull the hatch interior panel from inside, my least favourite thing to do. But I got the trunk open, cleaned the mechanism with sensor clean til it was smooth, then lubed with wd40̷ white lithium. Lubed the sunroof with the same stuff and wiped off the excess, so water repellent and not sticky, should be good. Tested the drains and replaced my CCV grommit. Then I replaced a screw to hold up my sagging belly pan, and tucked up my zerostart extension cord. Busy day of little chores to prep for winter. Ignoring my beginnings of sagging headliner... Oh, and tucked in my stealth grille block too

 

[P2B]

I think it was just a friendly jab.

Hence the wink emoji

Then I replaced a screw to hold up my sagging belly pan

I wouldn't be without my steel belly pans for winter, saved my oil pan a few times.

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Hence the wink emoji

I wouldn't be without my steel belly pans for winter, saved my oil pan a few times.

I know, I would love a steel one. I have a 1.5" lift instead, not the same.

 

[northern diesel]

I know, I would love a steel one. I have a 1.5" lift instead, not the same.

I think my 2” lift and atlas skid plate might be overkill- but we do have some rough logging roads and quite a bit of snow to deal with.
I need to figure out the rear hatch lock for my daughters alh golf- when it closes- it doesn’t stay latched -
Might just need to order a new locking mechanism - but yeah stayed shut until we replaced her hatch struts - now it’s a bungee job.

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

I think my 2” lift and atlas skid plate might be overkill- but we do have some rough logging roads and quite a bit of snow to deal with.
I need to figure out the rear hatch lock for my daughters alh golf- when it closes- it doesn’t stay latched -
Might just need to order a new locking mechanism - but yeah stayed shut until we replaced her hatch struts - now it’s a bungee job.

Hm, yeah I guess that would be the latch itself. Mine was just dealing with all of the arms and stuff spinning within the mechanism. With the screwdriver, can you make it close at all? Also, where again in BC are you?

 

[Nuje]

Hm, yeah I guess that would be the latch itself. Mine was just dealing with all of the arms and stuff spinning within the mechanism. With the screwdriver, can you make it close at all? Also, where again in BC are you?

I think he's just a short drive away from you over in Smithers.

To @northern diesel: have you pulled the interior trim to look at the workings of the latching and locking mechanism? If it won't stay closed, that's related to the actual latch itself - the black thing you see from the outside, held on by two M8 triple-square bolts. I had assumed that it was all mechanical to keep the latch in place after it hits the striker bar. My first try would be to just replace that thing with a different one. (Two M8 bolts, plus there's a three-pin wiring connector that you have to finagle out of it).

https://www.idparts.com/upper-trunk-latch-golf-1j6827505cb41-p-7512.html

That connector tends to collect moisture and thus corrosion, so it might be green (copper pins) and in need of some contact cleaner; or one or more of the pins may have turned to dust. I've seen and dealt with both. But - both of those can be addressed by the aforementioned first step of replacing with a known good one.

 

[northern diesel]

I think he's just a short drive away from you over in Smithers.

To @northern diesel: have you pulled the interior trim to look at the workings of the latching and locking mechanism? If it won't stay closed, that's related to the actual latch itself - the black thing you see from the outside, held on by two M8 triple-square bolts. I had assumed that it was all mechanical to keep the latch in place after it hits the striker bar. My first try would be to just replace that thing with a different one. (Two M8 bolts, plus there's a three-pin wiring connector that you have to finagle out of it).

https://www.idparts.com/upper-trunk-latch-golf-1j6827505cb41-p-7512.html

That connector tends to collect moisture and thus corrosion, so it might be green (copper pins) and in need of some contact cleaner; or one or more of the pins may have turned to dust. I've seen and dealt with both. But - both of those can be addressed by the aforementioned first step of replacing with a known good one.

Yeah - ok thanks - that’s good to know. I just ordered one (latch) after looking at it again last night. And yes - we live between Smithers and Hazelton BC.
I also think I need to source a new IC now- my botch job of the 3bar sensor using JB weld to try to seal up the escaping air from the mis sized holes isnt really doing the trick- the boost requested and actual are within range (no limp mode) but not tight. And it was a better boost seal before i ripped out the 2 bar one. 🫤
I can drive it like this - but I can hear and feel the escaping air when I stomp on it.
So I’m going to check the wreckers - but also open to anyone who is happy with an IC they installed and recommend.
I do have the parts for a water to air barrel style IC (meant for my van swap) - which is on hold at the moment - but that seems insane.
When I was fixing my brake light issues the other day; I did kind of eyeball that one little storage cubby (the one with the styrofoam shelving in the way) and thought I could fit a little water tank in there …

 

[PakProtector]

Stuffed the '02 swap Jetta into the pole barn along with the '05 Golf for dry keeping over the winter. And am gathering bits for a TB job on the '02 2D car at 200k miles. Gathering an order to IDP IOW...and seeing a Yeti cup on the horizon this time... The serp belt idler is going to get replaced too.

Douglas

 

[Sting]

Brakes are serviced and winter tires on as of yesterday afternoon. Up next, timing belt with Mr. Nuje in the near future as well as next oil, air and fuel filter changes. Bring on winter and our USA road trip at Christmas!

 

[GlowBugTDI]

As @Bradm says, 6×6s work pretty well, haha. Especially when they are free, from work.

Heck ya man, if it works it works. I use 2x4's, 6x6 iron pipe free off a jobsite, and as many widow makers as I need. Never had an issue. If you do come across a set of cheap jackstands they can be really nice to get the "right" height for certain jobs.

 

[GlowBugTDI]

I once again had to go save my wife from the stiff braked jetta. This ALH is giving me more grief in the past 2 months then most other car's I have had. Every week it is some little thing that breaks. Hopefully here in the next few weeks it will decide to become as reliable as my sacked out beetle. Her Jetta drives great, but between the coolant leaks that keep popping up all over and the hard brake pedal issues I'm about to make this my car and give her the "reliable one".
Will report back with what it ends up being this time.