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General Information => General => Topic started by: maxfax on August 30, 2013, 08:45:45 pm

Title: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on August 30, 2013, 08:45:45 pm
Been a long time since I've been lurking about, but it seems as though I have ended up in a VW again.. No questions about it as I was sitting along the road with the hood up within 2 hours of putting tags on it..  It's not diesel yet (winter project I hope) but it does run rather well when the Didgifart decides not to be farting..

SO without further delay, here it is:

(http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm124/maxfax3/IMG_0584_zpsd110f1c3.jpg)
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: thegimpster on August 30, 2013, 09:39:36 pm
I think VW's are kind of like having kids. When you first have one  you think "its cute but requires a lot of work". Then they start sleeping through the night and you think "this isn't too bad, I got this". Then they start teething and you think "why in the hell would anyone ever have more than one of these things?" Then they turn like 3 and your like "I think i'd like to have another one" and you completely forget about the on and off again hell you dealt with trying to make it through those years.

 I swore off vw's for like 6 months once because of a damn corrado with electrical problems. After about 6 months of it I thought that i'd get back into one. 2.5 years and 50 cars later I have a vw repair shop and 30 cars of my own. wtf.
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: ORCoaster on August 30, 2013, 10:38:33 pm
and 30 cars of my own

This provides a whole new context to the term daily driver.   One a day for the entire month.  Very different.
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: Syncroincity on August 31, 2013, 12:06:20 am
Nice cab. What's up with those side marker lights?
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on August 31, 2013, 01:00:02 pm
Nice cab. What's up with those side marker lights?

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to catch those...  The original markers went to crap, so the PO got LED trailer lights (which happen to use the same mounting holes as the originals)..  Man are they BRIGHT!  I'm gonna keep my eyes open for some originals, but they're not a pressing matter.. This one actually had the bumpers painted the same as the body..  They looked like crap, and personally I like them in black better anyhow..  


Gimpster, you hit the nail on the head.. At least now adays I don't HAVE to rely on on for a daily driver.. Of course looking at some of the modern GM products, these old VW's look pretty reliable..

I think the oil pressure sender too a poop today..  Lights and buzzers started going off.. Drove it another 20 miles and it didn;t knock or blow up...
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: lovinthedeez on September 01, 2013, 07:15:15 am
Very happy to see this  :D.  hope yer well....
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: ToddA1 on September 01, 2013, 02:59:59 pm
Welcome back, but a Cabby? 

I was just thinking of you this week as I was making one of your custom thread chasers....

-Todd

Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: burn_your_money on September 01, 2013, 03:14:34 pm
Welcome home, we knew you'd be back.
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: CrazyAndy on September 01, 2013, 04:14:58 pm
Yup, good to see you again Brett.

I told you, you'd be back; they always come back. >:)
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 01, 2013, 06:02:21 pm
I'm telling him he needs an ALH.. Plain and simple. lol
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: 745 turbogreasel on September 02, 2013, 02:24:45 am
Im just asking when the crack motor install is? ;D
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: rs899 on September 03, 2013, 10:24:10 am
maxfax, I'm a little ahead of you on the Cabby conversion project, but I've only been at it since 2007.  I went from the original EN engine that actually ran (like crap), stuck in a JH (that I never actually wired up and just decided to go 1.6 IDI like I should have in the beginning).

Now SWMBO just "let" me buy an e34 BMW as the family car, so who knows how long the Cabby will sit.  I have the engine in, but need to put on the manifolds , IP, and do the glow plug wiring...so another 5 years
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on September 06, 2013, 08:22:31 pm
A Cabby wasn't really in the plans.. Matter of fact I sold off a crapton of my VW stuff because I got this wild hair on my bum that I wanted a little convertible to rip about in..  ::) So after looking at a bunch of Triumphs, Healeys, and MG's I finally came to terms that I'm just not going to physically fit in any of them..  :-[. Then out of the blue the neighbor stops in and asks me if I want his Cabby, he's sick of dealing with it.. Price was right, and I am sort of partial to the MK1's and IMO the early 90's Cabbies are probably the most civil of the breed, so here it sits..  


On another note, Jeremy, I'm dickering on a rusted out 2000 Jetta somewhat nearby..  It just might get an ALH MTDI afterall...

Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on September 14, 2013, 07:38:30 pm
Not that this is really gonna be a factor for too long, but.. The gasser cabbies only got mid 20's for mpgs???  I guess it is geared kinda low, but WOW I been averaging 24mpg with 50/50 city highway..  Thats only 1 - 2 mpg more than I'm getting out of an 8 passenger Caprice wagon..
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 14, 2013, 07:41:21 pm
Well.. those were mpg gm cars of the day

The 90 close ratio cabrio was not lol, it was "sporty".
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: ORCoaster on September 14, 2013, 07:52:13 pm
A "Sport ride" comes at a cost,  20-25 mpg versus what I think the normal Rabbits with the gas engine pulled mid thirtys.  The diesel is the ticket on MPGs.  Absoulute King of the Castle there.  What other mid 80's car got 50 mpg.  Granted you have to drive at 50 mph to get that but that is the definition of 50/50 driving isn't it mgh/mph?   
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 14, 2013, 07:53:00 pm
I can get 42-45 driving 75-80mph so I call that good enough ;)
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: ORCoaster on September 14, 2013, 07:58:23 pm
Yeah, I was only kidding on the 50 mph speed.  I think most of us can hit mid 40's to high 40's doing 65-70 with our 5 speeds with the .71 fifth gear.  Not sure what the .76 gets if it is all that much lower.  It it only a few hundred rpms less with the taller gear.

Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 14, 2013, 09:02:27 pm
I have the 3.94 and .75 in that car. Can do 50+, if I do the speed limit.
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on September 14, 2013, 10:55:28 pm
Crawled under the thing tonight..   Has an AUG  3.67 Final 0.89 5th.. Which isn't too terrible ??? 2nd gear syncro is crap on it, so I was gonna use the ACH (3.94 final, 0.75 5th) from the old Crackbunny.. Which equates to 299 RPM more on the Cabby..

  I remember getting 29 to 35 outta the original gasser that was in one of the bunnies.... Of course this thing is much peppier than that thing ever was.. After talking the the PO indeed he never saw better than 28 outta the thing..  How sad.. Even sadder that General Motors (King of screw-ups) could manage a solid mid 20's from an early 90's v8 underpowered full sized wagon.. Now I remember why I have no time for petro VW's..  >:(


The crack bunny never EVER saw less than 46mpg..  Hammering it up mountains, loaded with tools, and a crap engine..
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: theman53 on September 15, 2013, 06:44:08 am
Never got more than 32 out of my GTI. Best was that 32mpg, average was probably 28 but it routinely saw 26-27mpg most of the time. I have heard of VW gasser 1.8s getting mid 30's but never met someone in person that actually did it.
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on September 15, 2013, 02:22:17 pm
I have heard of VW gasser 1.8s getting mid 30's but never met someone in person that actually did it.

Same here it seems..  Asked a few others that had 1.8 Jettas and 24 - 28 seems to be the magic numbers..

 
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 15, 2013, 02:38:44 pm
whatever 650km to a 55l tank is what my 90 1.8 digi does. and a 3 speed too.
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on September 15, 2013, 02:46:25 pm
whatever 650km to a 55l tank is what my 90 1.8 digi does. and a 3 speed too.

That'd be 27.8 mpg..    So let me throw this out there, since I really don't pay attention to anything made after '95, what's the new crap getting?
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: 8v-of-fury on September 15, 2013, 06:13:27 pm
Similar?
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: bbob203 on September 15, 2013, 06:29:09 pm
I have a .75 5th gear for sale if your interested..
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on December 08, 2013, 11:16:17 pm
Is there an issue with cabby temp gauges that I'm not finding in my searches??  I've checked the wiring, and the grounds before anyone asks..  The gas ( >:() gauge works so I'm ruling out the voltage regulator in the cluster..  I cleaned the contacts on the the back of the cluster and it's still dead most of the time.. Once every blue moon the thing does work for a while..
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: homerj1 on December 09, 2013, 01:49:37 am
Is there an issue with cabby temp gauges that I'm not finding in my searches??  I've checked the wiring, and the grounds before anyone asks..  The gas ( >:() gauge works so I'm ruling out the voltage regulator in the cluster..  I cleaned the contacts on the the back of the cluster and it's still dead most of the time.. Once every blue moon the thing does work for a while..

Did you clean the grounds on the back of the cluster itself?

Also,  sometimes the long plug that connects into the cluster can be loose. If you put a small piece of tape on the backside of the female part of contacts that are on the cluster, then connect the plug - it will press the contacts on the male part of the plug and the female contacts of the cluster together tighter.

I hope this make sense - as I'm only 1 espresso into the morning. 
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: RabbitJockey on December 09, 2013, 06:00:58 am
the membrane that has the circuits going through it on the back of the cluster will often break and lose connection so you may have to jumper the signal straight to the back of the temp sensor(stud and nut).  this is a really common problem on all vw clusters.
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: maxfax on February 06, 2014, 12:21:17 am
Back on this darn temp gauge..  I addressed all that was mentioned above, some of it a second time..  I have it hardwired now, gauge works when it wants.. It almost has to be the gauge at this point..  Oddly enough in these super cold temps when I have the misfortune of having to drive the cabby (heat sucks!) the darn thing works every time..  Anyone done any surgery on the gauge itself?
Title: Re: So, I guess I'm back in a VW..
Post by: srgtlord on February 06, 2014, 05:30:36 am
I have the same problem with my temp gauge, works whnever it wants. I even took apart the darned thing and put it back together. My fuel gauge decides to occasionally work as well. In my instance Im thinking its bad grounds somewhere...