Hi guys - Lurking for a while *91 ecodiesel/novice mechanic*

[habitat0789]

Hey everyone,

Ive been lurking for a while now and figured id introduce myself officially. Got a 91 ecodiesel with like 260k on it all original except some body pieces.

been driving it as is for the past year and a half now but its starting to get to that point if you catch my drift. My first trip with it was to a ski resort up mountains with 3 passengers, all manner of gear, and boards strapped to the roof. she got us there and back. took a while to get her started in the ice cold and i def ran through the starter as a result. that was about a year and a half ago.

For the past year or so ive been driving her very minimally and have only put a couple thousand on her since i got her. I lived in the city so i biked to work for a while now i live on the farm so not too much need for driving to work and so on. We use my fiancees subaru for most of our getting around town stuff now as the jetta is begenning to show her age, and i fear maintenance will soon be necessary before we are able to garage her for a while while it tear it apart.

I replaced the starter not to long ago, a simple fix, and shes a truckin still.

Took her on a 3 hour round trip recently and my v belts started making a terrible noise when i hit a pot hole(sounded like metal against my brake rotor, quieted itself after a mile or so) so im attempting to replace them right now and having trouble figuring out how to loosen all of them. Its raining right now so i cant go tinker with it until that stops. I trust ill be able to figure that one out by spending another hour or so messing with it but if anyone has a decent picture or thread to point me towards id definitely appreciate it.

As i said i am a very novice mechanic and have begun maintaining my vehicles a couple years ago in the basis of if it breaks i try to fix it and it typically takes a while for me to figure it out, much sweat, scrapes, and swear words, but im usually able to get the work done.

Unfortunatly for me right now we are in a transitional period, looking for some perm real estate and until that happens i do not have a garage i can park it in and really get comfortable with the diesel engine. my head gasket has leaked only a little since i got it and i def have an oil leak on the drivers side of the case because there is a bunch of oil crud on what i think is the shifting mechanisms. and after this recent haul my oil pan leaked a pretty good amount of oil, first time seeing oil there... oh any my cold start cable is stuck in the advanced position...

So needless to say she needs a rebuild. or does she? Either way hey guys, i look forward to using your experiences to help me keep this beast on the road and one day, hopefully in the near future, REBUILD!!!!

[habitat0789]

[bbob203]

I doubt it needs rebuilt just some tlc. I would start with a thorough cleaning of the bay to pin point oil leaks. I bet its due for a timing belt and waterpump. vbelts.. 2 8mm allen bolts need loosened on ac compressor 2 13mm nuts that need loosened there too you adjust it with a 13mm bolt on the end wherecthe lines go in. 17mm nut on alt idler 13mm bolt on that bracket to tighten alt belt..( Your metal on metal noise could be the bearing in the idler pulley failing)

[TylerDurden]

I'm gonna guess the goofy waterpump pulley is shot.

The stock ECO has a double sheave waterpump pulley: a fixed sheave drives the waterpump and connects to the PS pump, the sheave that runs the belts to the AC compressor is free to spin and has a composite bushing that wears away... then it grinds metal-on-metal.

The PS belt is essential to the WP properly turning, unless the WP pulley is changed to an earlier (non-freewheeling) version.


Primary leak areas are IP, turbo, drive axle flange seals, IM shaft seal, Cam seal, valve cover. A reseal with the engine out is a good way to clean it all up and prevent future problems.

First I'd get a compression test, pop test the injectors and put clear lines in and out of the IP. Then plan for when a work area is available.

[habitat0789]

thanks for the insight with the allen bolts. that aught to make my life a little bit easier.

Idler pully huh, sounds reasonable.

never cracked an engine to replace gaskets but ive been reading alot about it and collecting the tools and information necessary to do a timing job. The timing belt is in pretty good shape from what i can tell when i took the cover off last. I think it still has some life in it.

was thinking that it would be best to do a timing job when i replace the head gasket and fix the Cold start cable, while the IP is out of the way i want to replace glow plugs and redo the wiring thereof, and not to mention PO said the injectors could use replacement in the near future but that's when i started to get bogged down because its a lot of work all at once to someone like myself, and the no garage at the moment is definitely the biggest hold up.

Should i just take a pressure washer to the engine compartment, that has always rubbed me as a dangerous undertaking with all small parts and wires and what not. But again, inexperienced.

either way i should be able to yank those v belts now a little easier, thanks!

[8v-of-fury]

I have washed my bays with pressure washers.. depending on the angle of the nozzle and pressure of the washer you need to get really close or stay far away. If you can get a good degreaser on there to soak prior to even better.

You should replace it all if you have the means, nothing like doing it all.. and then having something fail where you have to take it allll back off again. Been there done that. Sucks man.

[habitat0789]

I'm gonna guess the goofy waterpump pulley is shot.

The stock ECO has a double sheave waterpump pulley: a fixed sheave drives the waterpump and connects to the PS pump, the sheave that runs the belts to the AC compressor is free to spin and has a composite bushing that wears away... then it grinds metal-on-metal.

The PS belt is essential to the WP properly turning, unless the WP pulley is changed to an earlier (non-freewheeling) version.


Primary leak areas are IP, turbo, drive axle flange seals, IM shaft seal, Cam seal, valve cover. A reseal with the engine out is a good way to clean it all up and prevent future problems.

First I'd get a compression test, pop test the injectors and put clear lines in and out of the IP. Then plan for when a work area is available.

great advice! thank you

[habitat0789]

I doubt it needs rebuilt just some tlc. I would start with a thorough cleaning of the bay to pin point oil leaks. I bet its due for a timing belt and waterpump. vbelts.. 2 8mm allen bolts need loosened on ac compressor 2 13mm nuts that need loosened there too you adjust it with a 13mm bolt on the end wherecthe lines go in. 17mm nut on alt idler 13mm bolt on that bracket to tighten alt belt..( Your metal on metal noise could be the bearing in the idler pulley failing)

How does one loosen that power steering pump. do i have to get at that bolt right behind the pully?!? i am at a loss here.


edit found a thread that might help. Suggestions still welcome though!

[habitat0789]

If anyone can point me towards a descent ps/ac delete write up i would definitely appreciate it very much. Now i know.

[theman53]

WAI automotive catalog number. 24-2106    ---- SEARCH IT. Same pulley is on ebay now, but you have to use the Ford part #s listed as the cross reference on the WAI page to find it. Also it is in Grainger *as much as I hate to give them any kind of business* Or my Local alt shop has them and I could ship one to you.

http://www.waiglobal.com/partsearch.html

Rotate alt down after removing A/C. Build a custom tensioner bracket or custom turnbuckle setup. Get a belt that fits.
From this thread, and the threads linked therein.
http://www.vwdiesel.net/forum/index.php?topic=32520.0

I did it differently as I had 2 MK I gasser alts and no double row a/c alt pulley. I cut the alt mounting bracket so the pulley lined up with the belt, added a turnbuckle for a tensioner, and added wiring for the MK I style plug. It is in the same thread.

This is for non power steering, but I am sure the power steering is close to that.

[TylerDurden]

How does one loosen that power steering pump. do i have to get at that bolt right behind the pully?!? i am at a loss here.

There is a secret bolt. Really...

The webs of the bracket casting hide a bolt that is accessed with a >5" socket extension inserted along the outlet of the waterpump (aka thermostat housing). The head of the bolt points toward the left side of the car.

There is also the long pivot bolt that goes through the casting, spacer and alternator/AC bracket.

So, the PS bracket has six bolts:

Tensioner
Pivot
Right facing locker bolt in long slot
Left facing locker bolt in hidden short slot
Long vertical bolt holding bracket to block flange by thermo housing
Short vertical bolt holding bracket to block flange by thermo housing

This borrowed pic shows the location of the hidden bolt.

[habitat0789]

Awesome. Thank you guys so much.

need to get a few tools to make the job easier then i should be back in business. Definitely look forward to yanking the ac and ps when i get some serious garage time. Thanks again yall ill be around 

[8v-of-fury]

I do my work in the drive-way you can too! lol Car looks GRAET BTW!!!!

Sometimes that works out to be two engine swaps back to back when it is -33C out in January.. lmao!

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I do my work in the drive-way you can too! lol Car looks GRAET BTW!!!!

Sometimes that works out to be two engine swaps back to back when it is -33C out in January.. lmao!

Tell the truth. Was it really -33C? Did you lift the car with the hoist and take engine out the bottom?

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Don't bother with the turnbuckle if it's made from aluminum. Lessons learned it will strip.

 This is what you want to do if you want to remove AC.  I went through many iterations before getting to this.

 
 
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