What parts to keep from a GLX VR6 B4 ?

[Mcgink]

No luck with the search function so I'l make a post.
I have a rusty GLX VR6 Passat sedan (Automatic) parts-car and I want to make list of what I need to take from it before it goes on the scrap metal scale. I'm planning to use most of the bits in a 97 B4 TDI sedan.
So far:
Leather interior.

Harness and switching for heated leather.

Cluster.

MFA wiper switch.

Fog lights, Fog light center blanks.

Headlight switch w/fog switching.

Leather wrapped steering wheel.

Door handles.

Trunk lock mechanism, with vacuum widgets.

Leather parking brake and manual shifter boots.

Window regulators and motors.

Wiper motor and linkage.

All electrical switches.

Headlights, tail lights, front corner amber lights, turn signals.

Air bags and Airbag Controller.

Possibly all the glass in the car except the windshield ( storage room might be a problem here, I don't know ).

Outside Air Temperature (OAT) sensor take as much of those two wires as you can grab. These wires run along the right side of the engine compartment, then across the firewall, and then pass through the firewall, via a rubber grommet. It would also be good to get the grommet.

Oil temp sensor, unscrew the oil temp sensor from the top of the oil filter stand. The wiring for this sensor is already in place in a B4 TDI.

Heater core box and AC evaporator box ( you can rebuild these at your leisure and then install them in the new car ).

Sunroof motor, Sunroof glass.

VW badges.

Possibly the suspension bits, but that depends on whether you want the Plus Axle or not, and if you want 4 or 5 lug wheels.

Rear axle beam, if you don't use it, sell it. Make sure to keep the 5 lug spare if you go for the brake/5-lug upgrade.


Please make suggestions and I'll add them to this list. Include what wiring/harness and/or hardware needs to be kept from the donor car so that it can be fitted to the TDI because once they go to the scrap-yard, all is lost.
TIA

 

[DieselFahrer]

Scavenging a VR6 parts car

No luck with the search function so I'l make a post.
I have a rusty GLX VR6 Passat sedan (Automatic) parts-car and I want to make list of what I need to take from it before it goes on the scrap metal scale. I'm planning to use most of the bits in a 97 B4 TDI sedan.

Please make suggestions and I'll add them to this list. Include what wiring/harness and/or hardware needs to be kept from the donor car so that it can be fitted to the TDI because once they go to the scrap-yard, all is lost.
TIA

Door handles.

Trunk lock mechanism, with vacuum widgets.

Leather parking brake boot.

Leather shift boot.

Window regulators.

Wiper motor and linkage.

All electrical switches.

Headlights, tail lights, front corner amber lights, turn signals.

Air bags.

Possibly all the glass in the car except the windshield ( storage room might
be a problem here, I don't know ).

Heater core box and AC evaporator box ( you can rebuild these at your
leisure and then install them in the new car ).

Possibly the suspension bits, but that depends on whether you want the
Plus Axle or not, and whether you'd rather have 4 lug or 5 lug wheels.
I like 4 lug suspension with 280mm ( Girling 54 caliper ) front brakes myself,
but this is a matter of personal taste and some other folks prefer the 5 lug
setup with the Plus Axle, and maybe even the twin-piston Girling 60
caliper ( boy are those calipers heavy ! ).

Just unscrew the oil temp sensor from the top of the oil
filter stand. The wiring for this sensor is already in place in a B4 TDi,
and if you install an MFA cluster you will have an oil temperature readout
once this sensor is installed ( and connected to the harness ) in place of the plug which occupies its mounting hole in the original TDi configuration ( a 6mm Allen wrench removes that plug, if memory serves ).

The OAT ( outside air temperature ) gauge uses two wires. I'd take
as much of those two wires as you can grab. These wires run along the right side of the engine compartment, then across the firewall, and then pass through the firewall, via a rubber grommet. It would also be good to get the grommet.

Sunroof motor ? Sunroof glass ?

VW badges ?

That's all I could conjure up. I'm sure someone else will add more.

 

[Mcgink]

That's all I could conjure up. I'm sure someone else will add more.

Thanks for getting this going DieselFahrer. I have updated the list. Even though some of those parts are NG on my parts car, it can be a good guide for others.

 

[rdkern]

Leather seats? Are these bad?

 

[Matt-98AHU]

The 5 lug brakes are a definite worthwhile upgrade. If you don't find any takers here, you can advertise a "5 lug swap" on Vortex and should get a few pennies for it.

Sell the front knuckles with calipers and everything.

 

[TDeanI]

Rear axle beam, if you don't use it, sell it.

A $1000+ part at the dealership and hard to find at junkyards. Most people parting one won't sell it, because they can't move their car anymore without a trailer.

 

[Windex]

Is the rear axle beam required for a 5 bolt conversion? Or can you just swap hubs in the rear?

 

[DieselFahrer]

5 lug not required for a big front brake swap

The 5 lug brakes are a definite worthwhile upgrade.

I agree that big ( e.g. 280mm = ~ 11" ) front brakes are a nice
upgrade for those who want or need better brakes. I have these brakes
on several of my cars and there's no way I'd go back to the 256mm /
10" front brakes.

However it is worth noting that it's possible to install 280mm ( 11" ) Girling front brakes as were used OEM on VR6 Jetta III / Golf III and VR6 B4 Passat without using 5 lug hubs or wheels; the "Plus Axle" spindles are not needed for the swap to big brakes either.

To convert a stock B4 Passat TDi to 280mm front brakes, you need :

Two Girling brake caliper carriers 357 615 125C or 857 615 125

You can find these carriers on a B4 Passat VR6, or a Golf / Jetta III VR6, provided the car
has Girling calipers and not ATE calipers.

The above carriers will fit the OEM B4 TDi spindle, and you can use the stock
bolts which originally attached the 10.1" caliper carriers to the spindle.

Two Girling brake calipers : 443 615 123F ( left ) & 443 615 124F ( right )

You can find the above calipers on a VR6 B4 Passat, unless the car has
ATE brakes in which case it will have ATE calipers.

Two 4 lug brake rotors as found OEM on the Corrado G60 535 615 301

A set of front brake pads as used on the Corrado G60.

The B4 TDi stock front brake flex ( rubber ) lines are compatible with the above parts.

You WILL need 15" wheels, because 280mm brakes will not clear 14" wheels.

Be aware that not all 15" wheels will clear the 280mm brakes. I feel it's important to use wheels which are hub-centric, because VW uses the hub and not the lug bolts to center the wheel relative to the hub, and sometimes wheels which are not hub-centric will cause vibration because the wheels are not correctly centered. Some people claim spacers can be used to cure this
vibration, but I've never spacers solve such vibration, myself. Using hub-centric wheels is a proven solution.

The Corrado steel wheels are a proven wheel in this application, and they
fit the car well and clear the brakes. These wheels are part number
357 601 025M, and you can as of this writing still get the wheels from a VW dealer, for a price somewhere between $60 and $80 each, depending on
the discount the dealer gives you.

Remember to upgrade your spare wheel to 15" if you upgrade the road wheels to 15" during fitment of 280mm brakes. The 14" spare wheel
will NOT fit the 280mm front brakes. This can be a hassle if you get a flat
tire on a front wheel, because you will have to change two tires in order to
be ready to drive again.

 

[TDeanI]

Is the rear axle beam required for a 5 bolt conversion? Or can you just swap hubs in the rear?

No not required for B4 either axle hub will bolt on. In other cars with rear drum brakes (A3), you need to swap the rear axle beam to one that already has disc brakes for a bolt on conversion.

I think that passats are stripped of their rear beam to use on other VW cars to make a bolt on rear disk conversion, that it is why it is hard to find them. I don't know the capatibility of a B4 Beam on other cars.

I was looking for a rear beam recently and found them extremely hard to find, luckily I didn't need one because it turned out my axle hub was bent, and not the beam itself. The beam can't be straightened per the Bentley and a new one is over $1K. It is a dealer only item.

 

[Lug_Nut]

How far do you wish to go with saving parts before it becomes more effective to save the car as an assembly?
Radiator, condensor, end trim from the knee bar, hood insulation and clips, B and C pillar rubber covers for door lamp switches, relays, fuses, fresh/recirculate solenoid, battery hold down plate, rear plate lenses and lamp mounts, front fender rub strips, and on, and on....

 

[Mcgink]

How far do you wish to go with saving parts before it becomes more effective to save the car as an assembly?
Radiator, condensor, end trim from the knee bar, hood insulation and clips, B and C pillar rubber covers for door lamp switches, relays, fuses, fresh/recirculate solenoid, battery hold down plate, rear plate lenses and lamp mounts, front fender rub strips, and on, and on....

Good point, I'm (personally) mostly interested in pillaging the parts that are unique to the VR6 which can be used on the TDI. Maybe I shouldh've titled this thread differently. I thought it would be good to have a list of parts to take from a parts car before sending it to the crusher. I'm sure that someone on a different venue can use a running driveable VR6 drivetrain for cheap, but I haven't really even pursued that as of yet. Now that "I-red" is back from paint, I want to wrap-up the pillaging from "Kandy White" so that it can be scrapped.
PS, I'm still waiting on the head for "The Family Waggin" and left a message earlier this week.