1986 Golf 1.6 N/A Crank No Start

[scrounger]

 Running the engine until it is a bit warmed then unplugging the relay would ensure easy testing. Just taking my word and that of others doesn't really build the confidence of what is going on.

[air-cooled or diesel]

you just have to start it up, pull relay, by the time you pull relay it will run. if you dont have a good charge, belt will still squeal until you have a charge. then check with multi-meter.

[theman53]

you are in AZ and order from NY with AutohausAZ in your state? I don't understand.

[jhax]

D'oh...i completely forgot, I thought i already looked at their site and couldnt find it. Turns out the site was MJM autohaus that didnt have it. See what senior year of college is doing to me. Increasing my ADD levels tenfold. Oh well, thanks for pointing that out though.

[jhax]

Well turns out its cheaper to get it from GAP than AAZ anyway. And without a job, money counts.

[jhax]

So perusing through vortex and found a build thread on a mk2 with an S2 engine and I got to thinking, why is it we dont see more gasoline powered turbo cars with VVTs? Is there an advantage of using standard turbos on gassers and VVTs with turbo diesel vehicles?

[TylerDurden]

FWIW, the GP relay can be tested without a DMM by using a test-light (or 12V LED from the shack). It's actually a good idea to just install the LED in the dash to always know when/if the GPs are getting power.

[scrounger]

Hi TD:
Could you outline the GP relay circuit that can drive a LED rather than just monitor the timing circuit?
Do you mean that you can plug a LED into an empty LED slot in the dash display?
TKS

[TylerDurden]

I'm too lazy to add an led into the cluster, or to mod the relay.

I just put long leads on a 12V amber LED and mount it somewhere convenient in the dash. (E.g.: The blank plugs in the MK2 dash (where optional switches might go) are handy and can be modded or replaced in minutes.) I connect the leads between the GP buss (+) and ground. Putting a spade terminal on the (+) lead makes it easy to move from one screw to another (before fuse, after fuse, etc.)

[jhax]

so i bought a cheapie dmm and i turned it on and it blew up on me, guess im waiting until tuesday

[R.O.R-2.0]

I may have had an apostrophe, lightning has just struck my brain. So that whole bit about tightening the two bolts in the right pattern? order? So that the belt does not squeak. After doing some adjustments, the belt didnt squeak as much and I got a charge! I drove around with the AC on high and high beams on. Pulled back in my space and it read 11.8v but as soon as I turned all accessories off it held steady at 12.5-12.8V. Turned the car off and held at 12.6V so the pulley adjustments seemed to have worked. The real test is to go to school and my job interviews and safely make it home without jumper cables. So my next question is, is there a procedure for adjusting the tension on the belt? Tighten one bolt all the way before the other? Tighten each one little by little?

tighten the long belt, the one that drives the a/c pump and water pump..

then, after that belt is tight, go ahead and tighten the alternator belt..

you MUST tension the long belt first..

if you tighten the alternator belt first, then go to tighten the a/c belt, it will just untension the alternator belt..

what are these 2 bolts you speak of? there are only 2 bolts holding the alternator to the engine, neither one adjusts the alignment of the pulleys.. one bolt is the pivot bolt, and the other is the tension bolt..

the a/c compressor is held on by 4 bolts, 2  pivot bolts, and 2 tensioner bolts..

[TylerDurden]

tighten the long belt, the one that drives the a/c pump and water pump..

then, after that belt is tight, go ahead and tighten the alternator belt..

you MUST tension the long belt first..

if you tighten the alternator belt first, then go to tighten the a/c belt, it will just untension the alternator belt..

Correct.

what are these 2 bolts you speak of? there are only 2 bolts holding the alternator to the engine, neither one adjusts the alignment of the pulleys.. one bolt is the pivot bolt, and the other is the tension bolt..

Well, it does not pivot, on the MK2 w/ AC...

The alternator is held in a fixed-position by a long bolt on the bottom and a short bolt on top.

The two bolts for positioning the idler pulley control the belt tension:

Loosen nut "A" slightly.
Tighten bolt "B"  (moving the idler pulley toward the radiator) until the belt holds the alternator fan from slipping when pushing with a thumb, .
Tighten bolt "A".

[jhax]

yeah i understand now. touche TD, im definitely a visual learner.

[TylerDurden]

Well, in that case...

To follow up on ROR's comment to tension the AC compressor first:

Loosen nuts X and Y
Tighten tensioner-bolt Z (partially hidden behind the bracket) until the AC belt is deflected only 1/2" with a firm push midway along the belt.
Tighten nuts X and Y
Then proceed to tighten the alternator belt, as in post above.

[jhax]

my AC compressor is good, thanks though