1991 Jetta TD for parts $350

[shwartzbewithyou]

I've got a 1990 Jetta TD for $350 (firm).  I'd like to part it out but I can't get it to my new home (I'm moving) so it's gotta go this week.  It's got 419,000kms and the body is very good condition considering.  The colour is that light pearl-ish blue/green (VW enthusiasts know what I'm talking about).

It's Located in Hamilton Ontraio, Canada

The bad:

-The bracket that holds the pumps on the side of the engine has some bolts (2 I believe, maybe 3) that have cracked off and thus the bracket is not sitting completely solid.  Because of this, it's having trouble holding the alternator belt tight and so it's not charging because the belt isn't spinning the alt fast enough.  
-The power steering pump bearing is gone.  Mind you I've been driving it like that for over a year (really loud) and it hasn't seized yet.
-The dash lights don't work, most likely an easy fix, I just don't want to put the time into it.
-The heat barely works.  The heater core is only 1 year old but when you crank on the fan the temperature of it starts to drop so I know it's getting hot but the flow of coolant isn't sufficient.  I've wanted to change the thermostat ever since figuring that it would fix it because their was alot of crap in the coolant from a hose that desintigrated (sp?) so I figured that the thermostat is probably gunked up and stuck open or partially closed and thus not getting complete full flow to the heater core.  I wanted to fix this but most people say changing the thermostat on th VW would require removing the power steering pump so I figured I would do it all at once and replace the power steering pump while I was at it.  Sooooo that never happened.


The good:
-Alternator isn't even a year old
-Battery is just over a year old with motomaster lifetime warranty
-The brake proportioning valve is just over 1 year old (expensive little bugger)
-Rear brake lines are just over 1 year
-Clutch cable isn't even 6 months old
-Injector lines have 1 used and 1 new in the last year
-A couple new coolant hoses around the water pump area
-Safety and E-test were done January of 2006
-No rust holes on trunk or hood
-Sunroof that functions and DOES NOT LEAK!

That's all I can think of for now.  I'd still be driving it today if it was charging the battery and had heat.  However when I started thinking about puting the time and money into it I came across a 98 Ford Escort ZX2 for $1000 and I'm sorry to seem unfaithful guy's but I was an Ford Escort man long before I was a VW man.  The LX versions last forever, now let's cross our fingers and hope for the best with the ZX2.

You can call me at home (905) 523-6572 or message me here during the week days during business hours because I spend far too much time on the net at work.

Thanks Paul,

[foxracer1]

Sell the engine? 1.6 or 1.9?

[burn_your_money]

If I drove down could I drive it home?
I'm 5 hours away from you.

[Darkness_is_spreading]

I could chec kthe car out tomorrow I live a stone throw away from hamilton,   where are you located so I could see this beast...... I'll give you a call tomorrow

[jtanguay]

i know its the thermostat... my car used to drop the temp when sitting and heater is on full.

the temp outside is around -5C or so and my car stays hot with the heater cranked.  there is a huge difference with the thermostats you buy at stores and the one you buy at VW.  only buy the OEM thermostat (they charge like $30, but its worth it... i've seen another car that had the thermostat replaced with one of those ones from crappy tire i think... and just bootin down the road, the motor could be at full running temp, and it will drop right down because of the wind flow over the rad... talk about garbage thermostat!

the only way to drive the car home would be to replace those IP bolts...  :lol:  would NOT be fun driving with that... i would be crapping myself wondering when the timing would shift and totally screw everything up.

[burn_your_money]

I read it that the WP and alt weren't holding on tight enough... which would only worry me a little bit

I have a crappy c-tire thermostat installed in my car. It worked awesome for about 8 hours, then it bounces from 3/4 to just under 1/2

[craiggroombridge]

even in my 2 gassers a vw thermostat works better that any from an aftermarket parts store, went though 5 in my 85 to get it right, learned the hard way quality is better that quanity

[shwartzbewithyou]

Thanks for the replies guys.  

I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere.  It drives fine and will take you anywhere until the battery power get's low enough.  
I'm not sure what it is but their is a small electrical connection on the side of the IP (you guy's will all know what it is) and when that connection is pulled off, the injector pump doesn't work.  So since that's electrical, it works the same way with killing the battery.  Once the battery is so dead that it won't power that connection anymore, then the car cuts out.  The last time I had it actually do that was when I drove it for over 2 hours on an already dead battery.  If you charge it (which I have been doing) it'll last for 2 trips to and from work (about 4 hours total) before it won't start anymore on it's own, after that you can still jump it from another car.

Come and take a look at it this week for sure.  

And yes if it wasn't for the battery I wouldn't hesitate to drive it to North Bay.

Keep in mind if you loosened off the Alternator bolt and reemed it back up to where the belt was tight, and then cranked that bolt right tight with a breaker bar I betchya it would hold tight till it got home from wherever.  Or you could just go up to Canadian tire and buy the one bolt that was missing from the Alternator tensioner arm.

Other than that it's been driving that way for months with no issues.

Paul

[jtanguay]

why not just remove the solenoid all together??? just dump the clutch to stall it or just block the intake.

my polish mechanig even told me you can rig up a pull start to the motor??? although i think you'd have a hernia trying to start the damn thing on a cold day lol.... spray ether, pull start... repeat... damn!!!

[shwartzbewithyou]

why not just remove the solenoid all together??? just dump the clutch to stall it or just block the intake.

my polish mechanig even told me you can rig up a pull start to the motor??? although i think you'd have a hernia trying to start the damn thing on a cold day lol.... spray ether, pull start... repeat... damn!!!

I'm confused, what does this have to do with charging the battery?  Turning the car off isn't the issue.

[craiggroombridge]

dissabling the electric shutoff means with no power the engine will keep running untill there is a lack of air or fuel

[burn_your_money]

"I'm not sure what it is but their is a small electrical connection on the side of the IP"

The stop solenoid. As you know it needs 12V to open and allow fuel to the engine. You can take it apart though as jtanguay mentioned

[shwartzbewithyou]

Ahh I understand now.  You're to remove the selenoid so that it does not require power and then shut off the engine by dumping the clutch or blocking the intake because the stop selenoid is what usually does it for you.
Well as much as I appreciate that, it still doesn't get my car started when the battery is dead from mulitiple starts, or daytime running lights.  It'd be a whole lot more effective to just fix the alternator tensioner arm.

[burn_your_money]

To disable the daytime running lights (headlights only) there is a single spade connector on the DS strut tower. It's yellow. Unplug that and the headlights only come on when the switch is turned on. All the side markers still come on though. Good way to save some fuel too

[duffer]

That's a steal.
   I'm surprised it's still here.

    If I had some way to get it to Markham,
    I'd take it  for sure.
    But it'd cost  about another $300 to tow it,
   
    Too bad.