Oil change, better v-belt setup and door seals. MK1 content

[bbob203]

I once had a saturn I side swiped a guard rail in it was held together with good ole 100 mph tape. Id still have it had I not blown the headgasket being stupid and 17

[madmedix]

Hi Tyler,

That foam tape is really useful IN the doors too. Years ago I posted about the wind noise in the driver's door due to the seals getting aged. What I did was pull the door cards; wound up the glass, grease pencilled where it contacted the bottom of the OEM seal, and put a strip of foam across the glass on the outside of the glass so it snuggles up against the seal keeping out the wind...and water.

Cheers,
Andy

[burn_your_money]

Good tip Andy, I think I understand what you are suggesting. This pretty much solved my wind noise issue but if I find more I'll give that a whirl.

So 1000+ kms later, everything is working perfectly. I drove 500kms straight all at highway speeds so if anything was going to fail, I would have expected it to be on a trip like that.

I forgot about another mod I did while I was doing the oil change. I've read a lot about the front motor mount needing to be shimmed to reduce engine vibes. I took mine off and was able to move it 1/4 to 1/2 an inch towards the engine before it contacted the mount. I didn't have long enough bolts or a thick enough chunk of steel to make a plate out of so what I did was used some 3/16 rubber from the bladder of a water pressure tank (used with wells) and put that between the mount and the body. Wow what a difference. I can actually leave it in gear, stopped and the dash doesn't even shake! (remember it's an auto). I highly recommend using rubber instead of steel, although I didn't test with steel so I can't say 100%.

[ORCoaster]

so what I did was used some 3/16 rubber from the bladder of a water pressure tank (used with wells) and put that between the mount and the body. Wow what a difference.

What a great mod!  Sticky That!   I have this dense 1/4 thick rubber mat that goes on metal steps or under wooden floors (my application) and I am going out to work on the car now.  Just happen to have a piece about 6 by 6 that will go there nicely.  Why didn't VW think of double insulating the engine mount from the body?  To much play? 

Thanks for the New Years tip.  DAS

[burn_your_money]

Let me know if it works on your car and if it does I'll make a sticky about it.

[ORCoaster]

I can tell you this.  Before I loosened the front engine mount and slid my 1/4 rubber mat between the frame and the rubber thing on the engine part I had a very annoying shake of the steering wheel and dash buzz.  Not to be confused with buzzes of other sorts from the night before.

I tightened down the two bolts and crawled up and out from under it and dusted myself off.  Can't dirty the GTI seats with oil and dirt now.  I fired up the car and with it not quite catching on all four I could tell that the vibrations were nearly gone.  Once a bit of heat cycled around the engine, about a minute, all was well.  NO MOAR Shakes.  So this definitely makes a difference.  So I would say throw it in the things to do box for all those seeking that final smoothie after realigning the engine and trans for the 1000th time and still not getting the result you want.  Try some layers or a layer of rubber mat or even an old mouse pad.  Just enough to remove that metal to metal conduction from the engine. 

It worked for me, I think it will work for us all.   

[8v-of-fury]

I will be trying this in the up coming weeks as well Ty-Guy. Let you know how it goes

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I'm not sure. It wouldn't solve the contact area problem on the waterpump pulley though. Although I guess you could install 2 tensioners...

Did you have overheating issues with the original belt routing?

As far as using rubber floor mats I'd think an old car or truck tire would have better rubber.

[burn_your_money]

Did you have overheating issues with the original belt routing?

No, no issues. My thoughts were to increase the water pump pulley to belt efficiency, thus increasing the flow of coolant, thus reducing hot spots and hopefully head warpage and cracks between the valves. I know there is no way of knowing if it will make a difference or not but for the cost of some welding wire I figured it would be fun to do.

[ORCoaster]

I think you may have doubled your belt to pulley contact on the WP but I am not so sure the efficiency is all that much better.  One rotation is one rotation.  It isn't like we are grinding anything in the pump, it is just pushing water around right? 

I thought you just were going for a better and easier way to adjust the belt tension.  Which would solve any skipping type problem you might have had.  Do you have a glazed belt that likes to slip on you?  Sand paper and belt dressing, may save you there.

[burn_your_money]

I like to run my belts loose since it seems to keep them alive a lot longer. This setup allows me to do that. Plus, this belt would have been stretched out of adjustment if I hadn't added this piece so it saved me a few coins.

If we assume that the stock setup never slips on the WP pulley then this setup is "useless". I think that it does slip, possibly only 1 or 2% in the rain so the improvements if any are minimal and I would not recommend going out of your way to do this. However if you like to tinker...

[R.O.R-2.0]

also, you are NOT supposed to add tension on the back (face with writing) of the belt..

so, if the belt fails in short order, thats why..

maybe belts have gotten better in the last few years..

[tyb525]

I have seen belt tensioners on tractors and lawnmowers that apply tension on the back of the belt, doesn't mean it's right I guess.

[theman53]

I have seen belt tensioners on tractors and lawnmowers that apply tension on the back of the belt, doesn't mean it's right I guess.

different kind of belt.

[ORCoaster]

B_Y_M   Tinker?  Why in the world would you own a VW that is 30 years old if you didn't have this as part of you blood?  My wife has another name for it.  OCD  Obsession Compulsive Disorder.  And I guess that fits as well.  Guys gotta have a vice.