What did you do to your car today? - page 11 - General - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

• #150 by ORCoaster on 17 Apr, 2022 22:03
• I am surprised that line lasted 11 years.  I don't think it is fuel rated, but maybe people's water is so bad in places it needs to be about equal in its' ability to withstand petrol. 
  
  Throw a few spare tools in a towel and wrap it up like a burrito and store it someplace.  Never travel without a basic set and a knife. 
• #151 by ORCoaster on 01 May, 2022 22:13
• Today I walked into the shed where I had started to take apart the IP I bought a few weeks back.  I had it in pieces that I thought were in an orderly arrangement.  That was supposed to help me put it back together correctly.  I had to take the vane pump into the house and get it cleaned up in there and that was several weeks ago.
  
  Funny how sleep makes you forget things.  Like how to reassemble the pump.  I decided to skip that task until I could review the pictures on this site and reset my pea brain.
  
  I took the time to clean a couple of Briggs and Stratton pistons I removed from and engine the day before instead.  The twin-cylinder beast sheared the two rods for some reason and that was the reason for the no-start condition.  I ordered some up this morning and will have a project in a couple of weeks.  Luckily the case was still in good shape and the crank too.  Those rods being light aluminum must be a sacrifice piece for the engine. 
  
  
  
• #152 by sean86 on 25 Aug, 2022 03:07
• The fuel pump broke yesterday.  Unfortunate eh, I don't know why it died so quickly, it was unfortunate
• #153 by ORCoaster on 29 Aug, 2022 21:44
• A slipper?  As in something that goes on your foot? 
  
  You will have to explain this word and its meaning to us.
• #154 by ORCoaster on 02 Sep, 2022 21:40
• I was able to find a little time today to put two new locking handles on the Gem Top canopy on the Pickup.  I broke one of the plastic pieces that slide back and forth to lock the liftgate a while back.  I tried to source another and even thought of making one as they are just a wedge with a piece cut out to catch a latch.
  
  But I decided to buy a couple of those Bauer handles and drill some holes in the canopy and have twice the locking power to keep my tools safe from those who would like to have them.  Not that they couldn't just break a window out but generally they want to be discrete in their task.
  
  Drilling the canopy went well but I did have to do the last enlargement with file work.  I don't own a big enough drill bit for metal.  All my stuff is for wood.  Once I had them on I tried to lock them with the tailgate closed and found that I needed to swap the keepers to make the clearance I needed between the nut that locks them on and the tailgate.  But overall a good upgrade.  30 bucks shipped on Amazon.
  
• #155 by ORCoaster on 13 Nov, 2022 21:37
• The rain pulled back yesterday and it was cold but sunny and damp in the driveway today. 
  
  I had an issue come up with the cold weather and I did what I could to try and get the engine started but no dice.   
  
  I pulled down the glow plug relay and unplugged and plugged it together and saw the yellow light come on but at times I had to hold it still or it would go out. 
  
  Then I hit the starter but it was not firing off.  OK, that probably means there is a blown fuse on the firewall or a bad connection in the wire to the plugs themselves.  Put a meter on the #4 plug.  12 VDC is not a problem.
  
  Hmm, so maybe a bad plug or two?  Time was getting short and I already exhausted my jump and carry down to the yellow zone so I just took the other truck to work.
  
  I threw a battery charger on as I knew I would need to do that eventually.
  Today I find that #4 and #2 plugs are DOA.  So I swapped them out and I have to say getting that #2 out without pulling the IP is a royal PITA,  Or in my case hands.  I ran my left one through a table saw several years ago and have all the digits but they don't have the streangth or coordination I really needed to get that nut on the tip once it is in the hole. 
  
  So I have individual wires to each plug and that came in handy.  I kept the wire connected and was able to use a wrench, a little this way, turn it over, a little that way, repeat.  I finally got the GP in, the wire rethreaded and all the other stuff put on that I took off.
  
  Injector line for #1 cylinder, the cold start cable and all the little hoses to injector 1.  But hey I didn't have to time the thing when I was done but overall.  I would  have better doing that.  Just my experience. 
  
  It did fire right up and was a tad smokey at first from all the fuel I had poured into it the day before I guess.  But it runs much better now.  The two cylinders don't have to heat up before they start working full performance.  Maybe I can pull away from the drive going uphill in the morning instead of having to circle the block to the light.  One can only hope. 
  
  Later
• #156 by srgtlord on 15 Nov, 2022 17:27
• I added a gallon of gasoline to the tank and swapped the snowtires onto the 85 golf today. Were going to see freezing temps and snow tonight
• #157 by Rabbit79 on 24 Nov, 2022 11:58
• OR Coaster I see you guys have been getting some cold weather on the coast. It's been bitterly cold over here on the east side as well. Day time highs of like 15 or so and down to 0 at night. I keep the old v-dub plugged in at home so it starts fine in the morning but when I park it at work there is no place to plug in, and I noticed she was getting pretty hard to start in the afternoon. Checked and sure enough #2 glow plug was dead. 1 dead one is all it takes in cold weather. I went ahead and changed all 4 since I was in there. And yes 1 and 2 are a royal problem but I manage to get them with just taking the injector lines off.
• #158 by ORCoaster on 24 Nov, 2022 16:54
• Yeah, removing the injector lines is mandatory, I think.  Getting clearance for the plug out to the IP is a bit of a squeeze with that cold start cable in the way of #2 but it can be done.  I just choose to get it out of the way.  That is my moto for most everything I work on.  Clear the decks and working area of stuff that can hang you up at the worst possible time.
  
  I went ahead and bought two more plugs as I think like you, all 4 will be dying about the same time.  I also picked up a starter relay for a Ford pickup and I will pimp the plugs and get rid of the big drain of current to and from the GP relay.  I did it on my other Rabbit and the short reach from the battery to the plugs is plenty strong enough to get them to glow properly.
  
  Just spent a little time wrenching on the IP fuel adjustments.  Throttle hang at about 2500 on upshifts.  I took out some of the main fuel with the screw in the back then had to reposition the throttle lever a notch to get enough adjustment to get a 1000 RPM idle.  Smooth now with all the accessories on like defroster, lights and the things I don't normally need until it gets cold and wet outside.
  
• #159 by ORCoaster on 03 Dec, 2022 19:24
• Yesterday it was only in the low 40s and no rain.  I spent about two hours under the hood wiring up some fuses and a Ford starter relay to pimp those GPs.  All seems to work.  Popped a 20 amp fuse on a set of two of them wired together.  Bumped it to a 30 and all is well.  Used 12 gauge wire so I hope it holds.  I will watch the insulation on them to be sure I am not heating the wires. 
  
  I didn't think those plugs pulled more than 10 amps but I guess they can.  Maybe 12? 
• #160 by ORCoaster on 16 Dec, 2022 20:48
• Pulled the head to install an MlS head gasket.  Found it was for the 1.9L and won't fit.  Ordered another and I will take the other back to NAPA in the morning.  So, it sits up on stands while I wait.  Going to be raining next week so I don't think I will get it together any time soon.
  
  So much for a one-day project.
  
• #161 by RustyCaddy on 20 Dec, 2022 23:48
• Lucas(?) used a 1.9 liter gasket on a mechanical 1.6liter head and block.  If that was the fitment issue you experienced, he cut a viton plug to fit the cut out in the gasket where the 2nd oil return line normally runs for a hydraulic motor and he never mentioned that failing, IIRC
• #162 by ORCoaster on 21 Dec, 2022 20:57
• The 1.9-liter gasket was a bit weird for fitment as the water return holes were way different than the 1.6-liter single hole I have.  I found a 1.8-liter gasket is the way to go, I think, as I have not received it as of yet.  but it does look like I will have to either block a hole off to the side of the main water return or it may not even matter.
  
  What I did find out today since I had luck in obtaining one of those rubber valve gaskets is that my issue with oil loss at the cover may have been related to the fact that several of the studs that were in the head were only finger tight.  So it didn't matter if I cranked down the tension on the nuts holding the cover.  There was still no bind to the head itself with the loose studs.  The gasket kit I bought came with replacement studs and I used them and I think all will be fine now. 
  
  So anyone seeing oil under the valve cover should check to see if the studs are tight on the block. 
  
  Dodging the rain these days so perhaps I will be able to get a fold out canopy from work and get the mechanical things done over the weekend.
  's
  I had to pull the instrument cluster out of my Ford to fix the odometer and I found that the little gear that goes on the motor that drives the digits round and round was between 89 and 34 dollars.  That's right, a little piece of plastic no bigger than the last digit on your pinky finger was that much money.  I did find the correct one for 13.5 on Amazon, I ordered two to get the free shipping and have a spare in case I lose the one. 
  
  Trying times here on the coast.  But managing just the same.
• #163 by ORCoaster on 19 Mar, 2023 22:09
• Welp, I can't believe we have had just one new post so far this month. 
  
  I also can't believe I have been struggling with the weather since Dec to get the head fixed on the PU.  But fixed it is!  This week I took delivery on a rebuilt head from Parts Place Inc.  They left a couple of studs off the piece so I had to take mine and put them on to make it work.  So much for quality workmanship. 
  
  One thing I had to fight with, there were many, but for the first time ever I could not get all the coolant I took out back in.  I generally spill some and so I end up with extra being added once it gets warmed up and then cools down.  This time I couldn't fit somewhere close to 2 quarts of it in before I started it.  Then once I did start it I could not see any coolant returning to the reservoir, and then I saw it was getting hot.  This was like 3 mins of running.  I figured I had an air pocket around the impeller and I was not circulating any coolant. 
  
  So I pulled the thermostat housing off again and drained it.  Then I slowly poured it all back in.  If I had the coolant up to near the top of the reservoir I could get tiny bubbles of air to show coming out of the return line.  I was surprised that nearly all the bucket went in this time.  So I fired it up and like normal there was a sudden depleation of the amount in the reservoir.  So I added the last of the bucket and went for the spare gallon of mix.  Just like normal. 
  
  So what gives?  Why didn't I get that result the first time I filled it?  It just doesn't make sense to me and I have not had that happen before.  I also don't want it to happen again. 
  
  Ideas anyone? 
  
  
• #164 by Dennis Froelich on 20 Mar, 2023 08:57
• I always take off the upper coolant(radiator) hose off and fill the engine up with coolant that way. Have never had a problem with air pockets.