What did you do to your MKIV today?

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
What did I do to my Golf... got rid of what looks like some Chinese POS driver's side axle with a GKN. idparts kept showing backorder status, this time until like March, so I ordered from CARID.com. They don't have the best reviews, but I had the specific part and it did ship out promptly.

Then, I fixed my non-working AC from my accident. Dirt/rocks shoved up against the solenoid wire, ruining the connector. A replacement snipped from a junkyard compressor (on the motor I ended up pulling) fixed that.

Lastly, I replaced the engine mount with a Rein I got from idparts, but misplaced while I still had my concussion last year. No play in the new mount, but the old mount had some play for sure.

Oh, and I almost forgot - I cut out the old worn bushines from my replacement torsion beam. I'm going to have a local shop remove and reinstall the hubs. New FAGs are going in. One of them is bad, the other okay, but I opted to get both done for peace of mind, especially with the towing I do.

And the top bushing came out in my driver's side swaybar link. Didn't want to pull one from the wrecked car, but amazingly, it's not bent or anything, so in it went. Saves me about $25 from another idparts order.

Also a picture of my engine bay. Not the prettiest, but it works for me.


 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
What did I do to my Golf today.... I decided to do some crazy stuff. Like, I had this bright idea of just swapping out my torsion beams. Putting in my new Whiteline bushings from idparts was easy peasy. Well, I started around 16:30 and finished up maybe around 22:45?

No surprise that alignment is off, despite having just got the front aligned. The steering wheel is now off, the opposite it was off before the last alignment. I get new wheel bearings/hubs on Tuesday from a local shop (because I don't have a hub shark). Bought a pair of FAGs from rockauto for that. I'm also wondering if I can get away with an alignment early, and then get the bearings done.


 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
I have been thinking about it. Not sure I'm going to get into tweaking it as much as @KrashDH though. I get nervous thinking about the ECU. 😁
You and me both! Believe me I didn't want to have to touch the ECU, but when your hand is forced, things change. I'm seriously thinking about cutting out the "vents" that are in front of the ECU and installing a mesh screen "doggy" door that can be removed, and making myself a little "hook" tool that can grab the posts of the ECU and pull it out.
I loathe pulling that cowl off, they are so fragile and mine never quite goes back in correctly.
 

Fix_Until_Broke

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 8, 2004
Location
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, USA
TDI
03 Jetta, 03 TT TDI
Maybe the cowl is different on Jetta's than Golfs, but I haven't pulled the cowl or wipers to swap an ECU in years. Pull off the rubber weather strip, slide your hands under the cowl, pull the connectors and slide it out.

It's easier in the summer (or in the heated shop :)) when it's warm, but not impossible in the cold if you're careful. A bath towel in hot water (wrung out) will warm the plastic quick.
 

Judson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
Cheyenne, WY
TDI
2001 Jetta
40 psi - pffft :)

If your engine cover is missing, that's a likely root cause of the dipstick tube breaking. Put it back on and put these on while you're at it (or get them from a junk yard). Seriously, one of my favorite and most appreciated modifications

agreed. Love that mod!

if one takes the engine cover and puts a layer of Noico on it then a layer of high temp insulation it does a decent job of quieting the motor and helps it to warm up faster in the morning.
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
I have been thinking about it. Not sure I'm going to get into tweaking it as much as @KrashDH though. While I have worked with electronics and updated firmware. I get nervous thinking about the ECU. 😁
Even a Stage 1 tune makes a difference. My mom had a tune on her 2015 GSW. Otherwise, bone stock, and she can notice a HUGE difference.

And the ECU on a mk4 is practically bulletproof. I've never heard of anyone bricking it, unless you do something stupid while updating it.
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
You and me both! Believe me I didn't want to have to touch the ECU, but when your hand is forced, things change. I'm seriously thinking about cutting out the "vents" that are in front of the ECU and installing a mesh screen "doggy" door that can be removed, and making myself a little "hook" tool that can grab the posts of the ECU and pull it out.
I loathe pulling that cowl off, they are so fragile and mine never quite goes back in correctly.
Wait... on an ALH? Why would you remove the ECU, unless you're doing an immobilizer delete? The only other reason I can think of is swapping it into another car. I didn't want to pay Malone twice for my ALH, and learned via ross-tech that I can swap an ECU and instrument cluster into my car (which is exactly what I did).

That aside, I seriously can't think of any reason why you need to pull the ECU on an ALH, except for the immo.
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
Wait... on an ALH? Why would you remove the ECU, unless you're doing an immobilizer delete? The only other reason I can think of is swapping it into another car. I didn't want to pay Malone twice for my ALH, and learned via ross-tech that I can swap an ECU and instrument cluster into my car (which is exactly what I did).

That aside, I seriously can't think of any reason why you need to pull the ECU on an ALH, except for the immo.
Shouldn't have to, correct. but some times when loading a lot of tunes back and forth this happens:


It shouldn't happen again, but if for some reason it does, it will be easy to pull and remedy.

I agree that it's not necessary for the average person, but working with a tuner, late nights, logging, back and forth email, files can get lost in the mix. It was an accident and under normal circumstances wouldn't happen. It was my fault for not double checking, but these things are possibilities.
 

Itsbrokeagain

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2021
Location
Long Island
TDI
2000 Jetta
Picked up the Jetta from the shop last Friday, finally has good heat and smell-free. Got to experience driving it in the frigid cold we had in NY this week, idled it at work on and off for most of Monday, and drove it out to Long Beach this morning in -5 degree temps.

Things learned: It definitely doesnt start as smooth as my X5 diesel. Wait for the glowplug light to cycle off and it fires right over. The jetta not so much. 3-4 tries before it coughed to life quite angrily and settled into a high-ish idle. Also learned the hard way that the seat pin doesnt like being moved in these temps..went to adjust the seat forward a little (driving it with work boots all week) and suddenly it wouldnt lock..just sliding back and forth. Pin frozen/gummed up from the grime. Took my small propane torch and popped it off a few times at the pin under the seat to get it to un-stick (DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME lol) Will be on the list of things to clean when it gets warmer out.

Filled it up for the first time, 9.8 Gallons consumed, averaging 43mpg (had over 400ish miles when I topped off) in this weather. Not bad.

Just ordered new control arms/balljoints, tie rods, timing belt kit, new fuel lines from the filter to IP, fuel filter, and will look at getting all the coolant hoses replaced when its all apart getting the waterpump done. Going on vacation in a week so the shop will have it for 4 days. Usually I would do all this myself (was a mechanic for 20+ years and still wrench on the side a bit) but its frigid out and with my career finally paying off I can afford for someone else to do it for me.
 

Mozambiquer

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Mar 21, 2015
Location
Versailles Missouri
TDI
2004 VW Touareg V10 TDI, 2012 Audi Q7 V6 TDI, 1998 VW Jetta TDI. 1982 VW Rabbit pickup, 2001 VW Jetta TDI, 2005 VW Passat wagon TDI X3, 2001 VW golf TDI, 1980 VW rabbit pickup,

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Took a Sunday morning drive, which I hvaen't for a while, in the '99.5 Golf. Went to western MA to have coffee with my son. About a 365 mile round trip, 5F here when I left, -5 there. Car did fine. Grateful for the winter front.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
Well, on the Mk4 that *used* to be mine...(I've kept in touch with the new owner and when he bought it from me, he had some upgrade ideas of his own....:D )
  • Metalnerd 2" lift kit
  • Sparco Terra 16" wheels
  • Bridgestone K02 215/65-16 tires
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
Well, on the Mk4 that *used* to be mine...(I've kept in touch with the new owner and when he bought it from me, he had some upgrade ideas of his own....:D )
  • Metalnerd 2" lift kit
  • Sparco Terra 16" wheels
  • Bridgestone K02 215/65-16 tires
Dang I kinda like it! The lifted Golf is growing on me...
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
The lift is a good thing if you drive where you need it. I don't get the wheel/tire combo, however. Bad for noise, ride, and suspension geometry and therefore handling.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
He wants something he can take out out the FSRs (old logging roads) around here and not have to worry about snow (avid skier) up / on the way to the ski hills. I took it out for a spin and it actually handles quite well; definitely loses some zip with all of that extra rotating mass, but handling felt OK and noise at highway speed, while certainly greater, not a whole lot worse than some meh winter tires.

Dang I kinda like it! The lifted Golf is growing on me...
I know, right? I'd never really considered it before, but the whole package like that....I quite like it!
 

justin71105

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2014
Location
SC
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon (BEW)
Went to the store to see how bad the roads were and if I was going to chance the drive to work. Highway was like driving on an old logging road. Not used to this here in SC lol, hopefully it will melt away with the highs in the 40s today.

About 1-2" of compacted snow turned to ice built up so not holding my breath. Speed limit through their is 45, lucky to do 20 and not bounce/slide off the rd.


 
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csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
Nice repair…..
 
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Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Looks pretty good, especially since the insurance company didn't total it.
They almost did. Original quote was to paint the entire hatch, but I'm friends with the owner, they said only the bottom half at the body line needed repair/paint, so they did so feather working to make it look nice and prevent it from totalling out. Total bill was still $2080 though.
 
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