Newbee Looking for help if possible..located in london ontario

[london96td]

Hey everyone, not sure where to post this. After viewing the forums for a while and finally figuring out how to become a member, i thought I would introduce myself. I purchased a 96 golf about 3 months ago and since have put on about 12,000km. I have had the timing belt changed by a vw mechanic. Today i took my car in to have the alternator pulley replaced as recently the car started acting up and the mechanic told me it was the pulley. I did notice the pulley under the alternator jumping up and down when the engine is idling under 1000 rpm (for some reason the idling rps recently dropped).. anyways, I feel I am going to be over paying for something which can be done by someone with the tools and knowledge for a fraction of the cost... I am wondering if there is someone around that can help me out with advice when needed.. or knows a thing or two about these cars. I currently have 222,000km on the engine and want to make it last much much much longer. Have a few weird noises I am curious about so any help would be appreciated. In return I can trade a favor, I am an experienced electrical apprentice so maybe we could trade favors?

Thanks again for an awesome forum community and hope I can make some sort of contribution.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Hey everyone, not sure where to post this. After viewing the forums for a while and finally figuring out how to become a member, i thought I would introduce myself. I purchased a 96 golf about 3 months ago and since have put on about 12,000km. I have had the timing belt changed by a vw mechanic. Today i took my car in to have the alternator pulley replaced as recently the car started acting up and the mechanic told me it was the pulley. I did notice the pulley under the alternator jumping up and down when the engine is idling under 1000 rpm (for some reason the idling rps recently dropped).. anyways, I feel I am going to be over paying for something which can be done by someone with the tools and knowledge for a fraction of the cost... I am wondering if there is someone around that can help me out with advice when needed.. or knows a thing or two about these cars. I currently have 222,000km on the engine and want to make it last much much much longer. Have a few weird noises I am curious about so any help would be appreciated. In return I can trade a favor, I am an experienced electrical apprentice so maybe we could trade favors?

Thanks again for an awesome forum community and hope I can make some sort of contribution.

i would be thinking that the crank sprocket might be wobbling..

thats a HUGE problem on these engines, and its often fatal, if not caught, and corrected, in time..

[vwnut84]

It sounds like you either A) have a failed "one way" alternator pulley or B) you dont have one at all.  The reason the tensioner pulley is jumping like that at idle is because the belt is continuously being fed and pulled by the alternator.  The later cars have a clutched one way pulley on the alternator just for this reason.  You can buy the pulley for about $80 US and the tool to remove/install for another $30.  Not very hard to do at all. 

The clutched alternator pulley also helps prevent the wobbling crank pulley that ROR is talking about.  There are many discussions going on about this issue.  Just search for AAZ pulley or AAZ wobble in the IDI fourms. 

[london96td]

Update:

I went to a local vw specialist (not a full blown vw dealer) and I feel like I was completely ripped off... I paid $98 for the pulley and $112 for the labor. Ive been reading these forums for a while and according to everyone else it shouldn't take more than 15-30 minutes to sway out the pulley, specially if you have the right tools.

I am now on the hunt for an at home mechanic or someone who works on these cars for a hobby and knows their stuff. I can't afford to be paying $200+ for something which should not cost more than $120 or so.. if there is anyone located near or around london, or maybe even a bit further who can offer their services when needed it would be greatly appreciated and I am willing to pay for your services. Thanks.

[Fredrikkk]

Go to David Rock! He has one of these in his Chrysler Caravan, and he can fix it for you most likely.

[Dakotakid]

No, what you NEED to do is buy a Bentley manual, some tools, cut up some old t-shirts (for grease rags) and empower yourself to do your own work. If you are doing electrical work, there is no reason you can't do other things as well.
Automotive places will continue to take your money and laugh as you close the shop door. I made this same decision in 1979.

[mtrans]

Right said Dakotakid,look like it`s his first car,so dont give a fish,just learn how.

[london96td]

hahaha. thanks for all the replied guys, but this is actually not my first car, previously I owned a 2.slow golf which I did do some work on myself. Unfortunately it is hard for me to store tools at the moment since I moved out of parents house with garage, bought a condo and I'm sure you guys can figure out the rest.. parents sold the house so no more free storage. I have no issues working on the car myself but due to stupid condo policy, I can't do jack on a car in the building.. and living downtown doesn't help either..

[ORCoaster]

When it comes to condos that part of the policy sucks.  I offer this idea.  Find a nearby apartment complex that has surplus garages and rent one of them for the week or the month.  Maybe all year.  Gives you a storage and a work place.  Drive in, turn on the lights and heater (you provide) and close the door.  No one is the wiser you are doing mechanic work out there. 

My son did this until he moved into a different apartment complex and got a unit with a one car garage.  Now he uses that as a wood working shop.

[vanbcguy]

Update:

I went to a local vw specialist (not a full blown vw dealer) and I feel like I was completely ripped off... I paid $98 for the pulley and $112 for the labor. Ive been reading these forums for a while and according to everyone else it shouldn't take more than 15-30 minutes to sway out the pulley, specially if you have the right tools.

I am now on the hunt for an at home mechanic or someone who works on these cars for a hobby and knows their stuff. I can't afford to be paying $200+ for something which should not cost more than $120 or so.. if there is anyone located near or around london, or maybe even a bit further who can offer their services when needed it would be greatly appreciated and I am willing to pay for your services. Thanks.

Honestly the rate you paid is pretty typical.  You pay in time, or you pay in money - your choice.  If you've got the time to spend, these engines can be kept running quite inexpensively.  There's a pretty good tool investment to do things reliably, and experience ain't free.  If you were doing things yourself, and you're not planning on doing the same job on several cars there's a good chance you'd be about net zero by the time you were equipped to do the job from not having tools at all.

The 1.9's have a particular issue with the alt pulley, and I can see the shop's rate carrying a little insurance on the fact a certain percentage of the ones they bring in are going to be FUBAR'd and not pay out.

The good thing is once you have whatever bugs your current engine has worked out, you're good to go for a LONG time without too much expense.  Jezzie has been probably the cheapest car I've ever owned per km, even with her temperamental nature.

[JamesT]

Most shops charge a minimum of 1-hour to look at the car. Although the job takes half an hour, because you're paying them, they have to ensure that it's what the problem was and that they fixed it. If you fix it yourself, you drive it and figure out if you fixed the right thing. If it leaves the shop and they didn't fix the problem, if they didn't take the time to figure it out, they'll only know by an irate customer storming back in.
That being said, I never take my car to a shop because I wouldn't trust a stranger to fix my car, and I know they're just going to find a way to jack my bill sky high. I've worked in both kinds of shops, and sometimes even honest shops miss something. Were I in Ontario, I'd probably help you out, but the best advice I can give you is be fearless. It's just a car: the worst you can do is ruin it. The best you can do is fix it. You're more likely to fix it than ruin it, so have a go. There's a great community here to help if you can't put it back together correctly.

[8v-of-fury]

Its not that he is not capable of doing the work I don't think guys, but more so the fact he lives in a condo downtown and is unable to physically do the work where he is..

[burn_your_money]

I'm in Bright, but am usually pretty busy. It won't hurt to ask though