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my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009
There seems to be a lot of questions about maintenance and troubleshooting for Volkswagens and Audis in the Stupid Questions thread so I figured a manufacturer-specific thread might be helpful. I'm a VW and Audi certified technician so if any goons have questions about their VAG vehicles I'll do my best to help. I also have access to all VW and Audi shop manuals from 1990 on and TSB/RVU literature if anyone needs it.

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Commodore 64
Apr 2, 2007

The sky was the color of a television tuned to a dead channel that was orange
I'll bite; I've got a question about my 05 BEW Golf that'll soon hit 80K.

Overall I'd say I know how to do routine maintenance, but I know when I'm getting in over my head (engine replacement, body work that doesn't look like rear end).

For clarification, I've done my own fluid and filter changes, gasket replacement, brake + tire work, and electrical system diagnosis on many different vehicles.

With the proper tools; is the timing belt job (water pump and all the goodies) possible for someone like me?

I've been in touch with a local guy from TDIclub and he seem to know what he's talking about (wants to look at the cams for wiping) and he charges $250 less than the local VW dealership, but I'd really like to learn it myself.

Also, how different is removing the BEW intake manifold from removing the ALH manifold?

tehllama
Apr 30, 2009

Hook, swing.
Oh goody. This never got an answer in the stupid questions thread:


2001 Passat GLX, 162k miles, 5 spd, VR6
What are the likely causes of an ABS fault light coming on on the dash when the car goes over 65 for more than 5 minutes (it's a pretty exact duration, maybe not 5 minutes but it always happens at the same spot on the interstate during my commute)? Once I turn off the car and turn it back on the lights go away and won't come on again unless I go fast. The ABS and TCS both still work at low speeds (even after the fault has been tripped), but I don't have anywhere to test whether or not they work at high speeds once the fault light has come on. Forcing the car to engage the ABS or TCS will clear the fault lights.

Also the passenger side front window will fall all the way into the door if it gets rolled down more than half way. Do the 4th gen Passats use the same plastic clips the Jettas did? How hard is to work on the inside of the door panel. I want to know what I'm getting into before I spend a few hours taking it apart.

Aaaand the check engine light has been on for about a year, the computer reports the car needs a new catalytic converter. We just get the light disabled right before we get emissions checked and it still passes. What are the chances it would pass if the catalytic converter were actually shot?

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

Commodore 64 posted:

I'll bite; I've got a question about my 05 BEW Golf that'll soon hit 80K.

Overall I'd say I know how to do routine maintenance, but I know when I'm getting in over my head (engine replacement, body work that doesn't look like rear end).

For clarification, I've done my own fluid and filter changes, gasket replacement, brake + tire work, and electrical system diagnosis on many different vehicles.

With the proper tools; is the timing belt job (water pump and all the goodies) possible for someone like me?

I've been in touch with a local guy from TDIclub and he seem to know what he's talking about (wants to look at the cams for wiping) and he charges $250 less than the local VW dealership, but I'd really like to learn it myself.

Also, how different is removing the BEW intake manifold from removing the ALH manifold?

If you have the proper tools you can easily change your t-belt, water pump and tensioner on your BEW as long as you remember that a diesel engine's timing has to be dead on before you start it. Typically when I do a diesel t-belt I paint mark the belt on the cam in 2 spots and on the crank in 3 spots to help confirm the timing is correct. There a VAG tool that makes the t-belt job on the BEW much easier - Diesel Injection Pump Locking Pin 3359. It's a perfectly-sized pin the fits a hole in the pump to keep it from moving while you change the belt. The passenger-side engine mount is kind of in the way but you can work around it. Overall, be cautious and you'll be fine.

Since the ALH and BEW have a shutdown flap and EGR assembly instead of a typical intake manifold, they're fairly similar to remove and re-install. The main difficulty is getting at the many hex bolts (especially in the BEW because of the EGR cooler that's attached to the intake) that VW uses to mount them. On the BEW, the EGR cooler has a pipe that's secured to the bottom with two 7mm hex bolts that are usually in bad shape because of the heat generated by the turbo. The ALH is a much simpler design so you can just pull bolts and nuts until it comes off.

shy boy from chess club
Jun 11, 2008

It wasnt that bad, after you left I got to help put out the fire!

my1999gsr posted:

If you have the proper tools you can easily change your t-belt, water pump and tensioner on your BEW as long as you remember that a diesel engine's timing has to be dead on before you start it. Typically when I do a diesel t-belt I paint mark the belt on the cam in 2 spots and on the crank in 3 spots to help confirm the timing is correct.

It may be the way you worded it but just to be clear please tell me that you don't paint mark timing belts on an ALH. I've never worked on any PD belts so it may be possible to do them properly with marks.

I also have a question about my car (95 GTI VR6). When the engine is cold (just started) it will buck and missfire (its still driveable but its very annoying) until the oil temp reaches 190ish or hotter for more than 20 minutes or so. Ambient temp does not affect the situation. Then when its warmed up it's just not as fast as it used to be. It feels like it is bogging until 5-6k rpms then vtec kicks in. I don't get any codes beside the one for the SAI since it was removed. Does this sound like a MAF failure? My other thought is the IAT or coolant temp sensor and I plan on replacing them anyway since the car has 195k on it. The MAF is expensive because its obd1 and I won't replace that unless it is suspect.

I can also help with some questions in this thread, especially ALH TDI ones.

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

tehllama posted:

Oh goody. This never got an answer in the stupid questions thread:


2001 Passat GLX, 162k miles, 5 spd, VR6
What are the likely causes of an ABS fault light coming on on the dash when the car goes over 65 for more than 5 minutes (it's a pretty exact duration, maybe not 5 minutes but it always happens at the same spot on the interstate during my commute)? Once I turn off the car and turn it back on the lights go away and won't come on again unless I go fast. The ABS and TCS both still work at low speeds (even after the fault has been tripped), but I don't have anywhere to test whether or not they work at high speeds once the fault light has come on. Forcing the car to engage the ABS or TCS will clear the fault lights.

Also the passenger side front window will fall all the way into the door if it gets rolled down more than half way. Do the 4th gen Passats use the same plastic clips the Jettas did? How hard is to work on the inside of the door panel. I want to know what I'm getting into before I spend a few hours taking it apart.

Aaaand the check engine light has been on for about a year, the computer reports the car needs a new catalytic converter. We just get the light disabled right before we get emissions checked and it still passes. What are the chances it would pass if the catalytic converter were actually shot?

Ok, your Passat's ABS/ASR/ESP system does a number of self-checks depending on a couple of factors. One of the self-checks is a wheel speed sensor integrity check that isn't initialized until the vehicle is driven at speeds over 60 km/h for 30 seconds. If a fault in the sensor electronics is detected after this test has begun than it trips your warning light. I'd like to see what stored trouble codes you have in the ABS control module to make a more specific diagnosis, but it looks like you've got some kind of wheel speed sensor or reluctor ring problem on one or more wheels. If you have a local place to pull the fault codes, post them here and I'll try to be more specific about what you can do about it.

Your Passat uses window clips that are very similar to the failure-prone ones on the Jetta/Golf but we've seen very few failures in the Passat for some reason. There's 2 ways the clips fail: one, the plastic guides that secure them to the slides shatter which allows the window to fall into the door or two, the rubber pads in the clips dry out and the window simply pulls out. It's very easy to remove the inner door panel to inspect the clips to see what happened:

Remove the inner door pull handle. There's a plastic insert that pops out right on the inner side of the handle - use a small screwdriver to remove it. Then, pull up the panel on the door handle that houses the window switches - it's secured by some spring clips that will resist and then pop right up. The switch panel you just pried up has one or 2 plugs in it - disconnect them and set the handle aside. Behind the handle are three #2 Philips screws or three T30 Torx screws - remove them. There'll be 2 or 3 screws on the bottom of the door - T25 Torx or more Philips depending on build date. After that, the inner door panel is held on by 6 pop clips (three on each side of the panel) which are removed by grasping the bottom of the door panel and pulling it toward you. Once the clips pop out the panel is held by a tongue in groove on the top edge where the window glass seals are - just lift the panel straight up and it'll release. There will be a couple of other electrical plugs for the door tweeter and courtesy light - disconnect them. After that, the bowden cable going from the door handle (a small hook attached to the release handle) needs to be removed. When the cable is disconnected, sit the panel aside. There'll be two 2" black rubber plugs in the inner door panel - pop them out. Reconnect the master door switch (with the window switches etc) and key the ignition on. With your window glass all the way up, activate the window motor and slowly raise or lower it until you can see the window clips in the holes where the rubber plugs were. The clips have 10mm bolts so make sure you have a 10mm socket and a 3" or longer extension to loosen/tighten them. Odds are you've just got loose clips so use your 10mm socket, loosen the 2 bolts in the clips and settle the window back into them then re-tighten the clips. Be very careful not to over-tighten the clips - I had a window explode in my face doing one once and it wasn't fun. Before you re-assemble everything, use the window switch and test the window for full open and close movement to be sure it operates freely. After that, reassemble the door panel and you're done.

Some final tips:

Before you finish tightening all the screws for the outer panel make sure you've re-attached the bowden cable for the handle and you have all the plugs re-connected. Also, make sure you leave the plug for the window switches accessable for when you snap them back in the panel.

If the clips are broken then you'll need to buy new ones and install them which is a little more time-consuming.

If you've got a cat efficiency fault stored it's usually a death sentence for the cat. Basically, your ECM is looking at what's going into the cat and what's coming out and comparing those results to a table to see if it's up to stuff. Now, if you're passing your e-tests then obviously it's not an issue from a purely emissions-related standpoint. It's possible that you've got a lazy secondary 02 sensor on one cylinder bank or the other and that's causing the problem but it would take a little more diagnosis to confirm that.

Sorry about the wall o text!

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

Pipkin posted:

It may be the way you worded it but just to be clear please tell me that you don't paint mark timing belts on an ALH. I've never worked on any PD belts so it may be possible to do them properly with marks.

I also have a question about my car (95 GTI VR6). When the engine is cold (just started) it will buck and missfire (its still driveable but its very annoying) until the oil temp reaches 190ish or hotter for more than 20 minutes or so. Ambient temp does not affect the situation. Then when its warmed up it's just not as fast as it used to be. It feels like it is bogging until 5-6k rpms then vtec kicks in. I don't get any codes beside the one for the SAI since it was removed. Does this sound like a MAF failure? My other thought is the IAT or coolant temp sensor and I plan on replacing them anyway since the car has 195k on it. The MAF is expensive because its obd1 and I won't replace that unless it is suspect.

I can also help with some questions in this thread, especially ALH TDI ones.

Sorry, yeah I didn't word that as clearly as I should have in regards to paint marks on the belts. I paint mark the pump and crank pulley and the old t-belt before I remove it with the crank and pump locked in position. With the old belt on the bench I use the marks on it (on a single tooth that corresponds to the marks I made on the pulleys) to make new marks on the new belt in the exact same spots. This is by no means the way I use to confirm timing - I use the marks as outlined in the service manual - but I use it as a failsafe after I roll the engine over a few times to check belt tension. If the paint marks match up then I can be sure the timing matches and the tensioner isn't faulty. If those marks don't match exactly I know there's something wrong and it's time to re-check my work.

Ok, on to your VR6. We've had a lot of VR6 engines with complaints like yours that ended up being bad injectors - poor drivability, bogging, misfires and the like. Without being able to watch your MAF numbers it's hard to pass or fail it but a bad MAF usually has a fault code associated with it. Same thing with the ECT - when they go bad they usually throw a code for an internal short or something similar. Do you ever have a MIL on for misfires? Your symptoms sound like a failing MAF but you're right - they're expensive to replace unless you're sure. I forget what it looks like on the VR6, but does your FPR's vacuum hose look ok? If your car were in my shop, I'd hook it up to the 5 gas analyzer and see what the emissions look like when it's running crappy - once you know if it's a lean or rich condition you can move ahead.

star trek extra credit
Jun 3, 2007
Mods, please close thread, OP fraternizes with the company that brought us the G60.

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

VanFullOfMidgets posted:

Mods, please close thread, OP fraternizes with the company that brought us the G60.

Every time a G60 Corrado shows up I'm embarassed for it and the owner. At least VAG only offered it for a short time.

star trek extra credit
Jun 3, 2007
Really, don't ever buy one. It is impossible to find parts for-

A) the sunroof, which WILL be broken
B) the G60 charger itself, which also WILL be broken and costs a lot to fix
C) 3.5mm vacuum hose is expensive, and it requires a lot of it
D) everything else will be broken (spoiler doesn't work? $800!!! at least mine works there...)

Also, I'm about 5'8" and this car is built for midgets or something, even for me it's kind of a squeeze to get inside it. I'm selling this thing and buying a BMW or RX-7.

Do you happen to have the rebuild guide for the charger handy and available to post? I'd love you forever.

edit: Also, why doesn't VW put the VR6 in every car they make? It is the best sounding engine ever.

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

VanFullOfMidgets posted:

Really, don't ever buy one. It is impossible to find parts for-

A) the sunroof, which WILL be broken
B) the G60 charger itself, which also WILL be broken and costs a lot to fix
C) 3.5mm vacuum hose is expensive, and it requires a lot of it
D) everything else will be broken (spoiler doesn't work? $800!!! at least mine works there...)

Also, I'm about 5'8" and this car is built for midgets or something, even for me it's kind of a squeeze to get inside it. I'm selling this thing and buying a BMW or RX-7.

Do you happen to have the rebuild guide for the charger handy and available to post? I'd love you forever.

edit: Also, why doesn't VW put the VR6 in every car they make? It is the best sounding engine ever.

I'll have a look in my old SSP's - I might have a rebuild manual for the charger but that's a while back. I'll post more if I find it

The VR6 just wasn't that popular an option - they're by far the most rare engine I see in the Mk3/4 cars. I think it's got something to do with how it sold in the main VW markets in Europe - they tend to prefer a smaller, more fuel efficient engine and that trickles down the the North American market. That didn't stop VAG from using the VR block design as the basis for most of their modern V6 engines though. And yeah, they do sound pretty mean for a V6.

EDIT: I checked my online manuals and what I have printed at home with no luck. In fact, VW's online manual has no info at all about the G60 Corrado. I'll have a look in the archives at the shop next week - there's manuals in there from the early air-cooled days.

my1999gsr fucked around with this message at 16:54 on May 1, 2010

tehllama
Apr 30, 2009

Hook, swing.

my1999gsr posted:

wall o text!

You are awesome, thank you. I probably won't be able to get the door panel off until the end of next weekend, but I'll post what happens with that and take the car to my local shop to have them pull the codes.

Nuclear Tourist
Apr 7, 2005

Thanks for this thread, maybe now I can finally figure out what kind of voodoo is going on with my car.

I own a Mk.1 Jetta TX from '84 and about a month and a half ago it developed a crack in its radiator. I've since had the radiator replaced with a shiny new one, however- before it was replaced the old leaky radiator managed to spray coolant all over the engine block and various components which I would assume probably don't react too well with getting soaked.

So while the new radiator appears to be working just fine the car seems to have developed some other issues. It began as occasional vibrations when I pushed on the throttle, at first these vibrations were relatively minior and would come and go so I didn't think too much about them because, hey, it's a well-used 26 year old car and every time I drive it I seem to notice something new rattling/making noise. Anyhow, the vibrations grew progressively worse over the course of a week or two until the point where I'm at now, where the car is basically undrivable. It bucks and shakes like a rodeo horse when I try to drive it and the engine also likes to cut out and die when I lift off the throttle at low speeds, which is quite scary.

So basically I'm not sure what could be causing this. Did the old leaky radiator spray coolant into somewhere where it really shouldn't have? Could it simply be bad spark plugs? Is the seal between the air filter and carburetor leaky? Could it be some sort of fuel supply witchcraft? Compression issues? Also, for what its worth this problem only seems to manifest itself when the car has warmed up slightly. On a cold day I can maybe drive around for half a kilometer before it starts acting up, but on a warm day it basically craps itself from the get-go.

Please help me internet :(

copperblue
May 21, 2003
My 2001 GTI VR6 occasionally has the secondary air pump run on startup. It runs for about 1-2 minutes, during which time the car will backfire if I accelerate moderately/aggressively. Is this cause for concern?

angryhampster
Oct 21, 2005

copperblue posted:

My 2001 GTI VR6 occasionally has the secondary air pump run on startup. It runs for about 1-2 minutes, during which time the car will backfire if I accelerate moderately/aggressively. Is this cause for concern?


Any trouble codes? I wonder if this an issue with a catalytic converter.

copperblue
May 21, 2003

angryhampster posted:

Any trouble codes? I wonder if this an issue with a catalytic converter.

The CEL isnt on, but I'm assuming anything emissions related would turn it on. It passed emissions this year, and seems to run fine otherwise. Any backfiring could gently caress up the MAF or catalytic converter to my knowledge, two very expensive items.

I'm pretty uptight on maintenance, but haven't had it onto the dealer in maybe two years.

Mathturbator
Oct 12, 2004
Funny original quote
2001 Audi A6 2.4 Avant (euro-spec). What will cause the brake-warning light to come on, even after replacing the front brake pads (twice)? It's on every god drat time I start the car - the brakes are ok :argh:

KillerFuzzball
Jul 1, 2007

taste the pain
This might be going a bit far back in time for this thread, but what are you guys' opinions about working on this thing? Worth it?

shy boy from chess club
Jun 11, 2008

It wasnt that bad, after you left I got to help put out the fire!

my1999gsr posted:

Ok, on to your VR6. We've had a lot of VR6 engines with complaints like yours that ended up being bad injectors - poor drivability, bogging, misfires and the like. Without being able to watch your MAF numbers it's hard to pass or fail it but a bad MAF usually has a fault code associated with it. Same thing with the ECT - when they go bad they usually throw a code for an internal short or something similar. Do you ever have a MIL on for misfires? Your symptoms sound like a failing MAF but you're right - they're expensive to replace unless you're sure. I forget what it looks like on the VR6, but does your FPR's vacuum hose look ok? If your car were in my shop, I'd hook it up to the 5 gas analyzer and see what the emissions look like when it's running crappy - once you know if it's a lean or rich condition you can move ahead.

Thanks for all the info. I had planned on having the injectors sent out to be cleaned and flow checked before I drive it again so hopefully that will eliminate that possibility. The MIL is on only for the SAI, I've checked it a few times hoping for a code for something that would help me diagnose. All the vacuum lines are in good shape since they are one of the things I always replace when I first get a car. It runs eye-burningly rich.

I thought of one other thing since my post this morning. I need to replace the lifters as they are making a lot of noise. Do you know if that sound might affect the knock sensors and pull the timing? It retards something like 11 degrees if a knock sensor is tripped and I thought that also may be the cause of the bogging and slowness. I have not checked the sensors with a meter yet but its on the list of stuff to do this summer.

You had me concerned with the paint marks but that does sound like a good way to check the tensioner. I always just looked at the needle and v-mark after turning it a couple times to make they were still lined up.

Mathturbator
Oct 12, 2004
Funny original quote
Depends on how you define "worth it" - is it the beater to get you through college, or a child-hood dream come true no matter the cost?

shy boy from chess club
Jun 11, 2008

It wasnt that bad, after you left I got to help put out the fire!

KillerFuzzball posted:

This might be going a bit far back in time for this thread, but what are you guys' opinions about working on this thing? Worth it?



Yes. You will have tons of fun with it just make sure its not too rusty.

copperblue
May 21, 2003

Mathturbator posted:

2001 Audi A6 2.4 Avant (euro-spec). What will cause the brake-warning light to come on, even after replacing the front brake pads (twice)? It's on every god drat time I start the car - the brakes are ok :argh:

Any of your brake lights out? Did you get the new/recalled brake switch installed?

KillerFuzzball
Jul 1, 2007

taste the pain

Mathturbator posted:

Depends on how you define "worth it" - is it the beater to get you through college, or a child-hood dream come true no matter the cost?

Somewhat both. It'll probably retain beater status through college, and if it's still around by then, I think restoring it could be fun. I just want to make sure it's not a complete pain in the rear end to work on before possibly selling my beater E30.

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

Nuclear Tourist posted:

Thanks for this thread, maybe now I can finally figure out what kind of voodoo is going on with my car.

I own a Mk.1 Jetta TX from '84 and about a month and a half ago it developed a crack in its radiator. I've since had the radiator replaced with a shiny new one, however- before it was replaced the old leaky radiator managed to spray coolant all over the engine block and various components which I would assume probably don't react too well with getting soaked.

So while the new radiator appears to be working just fine the car seems to have developed some other issues. It began as occasional vibrations when I pushed on the throttle, at first these vibrations were relatively minior and would come and go so I didn't think too much about them because, hey, it's a well-used 26 year old car and every time I drive it I seem to notice something new rattling/making noise. Anyhow, the vibrations grew progressively worse over the course of a week or two until the point where I'm at now, where the car is basically undrivable. It bucks and shakes like a rodeo horse when I try to drive it and the engine also likes to cut out and die when I lift off the throttle at low speeds, which is quite scary.

So basically I'm not sure what could be causing this. Did the old leaky radiator spray coolant into somewhere where it really shouldn't have? Could it simply be bad spark plugs? Is the seal between the air filter and carburetor leaky? Could it be some sort of fuel supply witchcraft? Compression issues? Also, for what its worth this problem only seems to manifest itself when the car has warmed up slightly. On a cold day I can maybe drive around for half a kilometer before it starts acting up, but on a warm day it basically craps itself from the get-go.

Please help me internet :(

I wish I could help you but there's so few Mk1 cars left in my area (rust belt) that I've only had experience with a handful. Still, check the basic stuff like cap and rotor and plugs because it sounds like you have some kind of ignition problem. Maybe one of the other goons has some input here.

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

copperblue posted:

My 2001 GTI VR6 occasionally has the secondary air pump run on startup. It runs for about 1-2 minutes, during which time the car will backfire if I accelerate moderately/aggressively. Is this cause for concern?

The secondary air pump will run at startup so that's not likely the problem. Do you have a MIL light on at all?

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

Pipkin posted:

Thanks for all the info. I had planned on having the injectors sent out to be cleaned and flow checked before I drive it again so hopefully that will eliminate that possibility. The MIL is on only for the SAI, I've checked it a few times hoping for a code for something that would help me diagnose. All the vacuum lines are in good shape since they are one of the things I always replace when I first get a car. It runs eye-burningly rich.

I thought of one other thing since my post this morning. I need to replace the lifters as they are making a lot of noise. Do you know if that sound might affect the knock sensors and pull the timing? It retards something like 11 degrees if a knock sensor is tripped and I thought that also may be the cause of the bogging and slowness. I have not checked the sensors with a meter yet but its on the list of stuff to do this summer.

You had me concerned with the paint marks but that does sound like a good way to check the tensioner. I always just looked at the needle and v-mark after turning it a couple times to make they were still lined up.

I doubt your lifter rattle would be enough to trip the knock sensor - they look for a particular frequency output before yanking the timing. On the other hand, the ECU retarding the timing would explain your performance issues. Certainly check your timing and see what it looks like.

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

Mathturbator posted:

2001 Audi A6 2.4 Avant (euro-spec). What will cause the brake-warning light to come on, even after replacing the front brake pads (twice)? It's on every god drat time I start the car - the brakes are ok :argh:

First off I'll say that I have little experience with any engine/trans combo that wasn't offered in North America so your 2.4 Avant is an oddball to me. Having said that, Here's my advice for troubleshooting:

Pull off both front wheels so you have access to the plugs for the pad wear sensors.

Unplug both sensors (if your Audi has one on each side) and use a paper clip to bridge the 2 pin plug on the vehicle side (to simulate a brand new pad with an intact wear sensor).

If you turn on the car and the light is off then one of your wear indicators in the new pads have a problem. I'm guessing that if you've already replaced the pads twice and the light persists then you've got another problem. I'd be looking for damage or corrosion in the wiring going to the wear sensors. Also, how's your brake fluid level?

bennyfactor
Nov 21, 2008
I have a '04 Passat GLX Wagon (B5); the passenger HID low-beam has gone out, but the rest of the headlamp assembly still works (high beams, DRLs, turn signal).

The only thing I can find online as a replacement part is the entire assembly, which is a few hundred dollars. I got the Bentley service manual for the car for Christmas, and I can see that the assembly opens up and that individual light can be replaced, but it doesn't list a part number. Could you give me the p/n? Is there something that I'm missing here that is the reason I can only find the whole headlamp assembly and not the bulbs?

I was just about to post in the stupid question thread and happened to see this. This looks like a lot of great information so far. Thanks!

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

bennyfactor posted:

I have a '04 Passat GLX Wagon (B5); the passenger HID low-beam has gone out, but the rest of the headlamp assembly still works (high beams, DRLs, turn signal).

The only thing I can find online as a replacement part is the entire assembly, which is a few hundred dollars. I got the Bentley service manual for the car for Christmas, and I can see that the assembly opens up and that individual light can be replaced, but it doesn't list a part number. Could you give me the p/n? Is there something that I'm missing here that is the reason I can only find the whole headlamp assembly and not the bulbs?

I was just about to post in the stupid question thread and happened to see this. This looks like a lot of great information so far. Thanks!

I'll check it out for you on Monday and get a part number. What country are you in?

fromoutofnowhere
Mar 19, 2004

Enjoy it while you can.

KillerFuzzball posted:

This might be going a bit far back in time for this thread, but what are you guys' opinions about working on this thing? Worth it?

If that's the van you're going to be working on then you'll probably have a good time. I had a glow bug green camper that broke down all the time but it was fun fixing poo poo on the side of the highway. Or crawling under it to tap the starter with a screwdriver and hoping to god you didn't zap yourself when it was raining. or the fact that it loves to drive itself when there's strong winds.

overall, fun. I wish I still had mine.

1337JiveTurkey
Feb 17, 2005

OK, I got my car back from the dealership after paying way too much to fix barely half the things wrong with it. Among the things skipped was a gasket around the antenna which inevitably dries out after a few years and can only be replaced by replacing the rest of the antenna as well since they don't keep it as a part on its own. After they accidentally left my car undriveable until they got a replacement shipped in I got a New Beetle Convertible as a loaner. Then when I get my car back there's broken glass in the rear hatch hinge from where they crushed my old taillights by leaving them there after replacing them, the moment I stick my key in the ignition the car alarm goes off and none of this even fazes me. Have I finally achieved the absolute Zenith of VW ownership, the point where nothing else will give me as strong of a feeling that yep, I'm driving a Volkswagen?

Autism Monday
Mar 18, 2005

anime comes to life and kisses me on the lips
^^^^^ What do you have, a Jetta?

copperblue posted:

My 2001 GTI VR6 occasionally has the secondary air pump run on startup. It runs for about 1-2 minutes, during which time the car will backfire if I accelerate moderately/aggressively. Is this cause for concern?

What does it sound/feel like when the secondary pump comes on?

bennyfactor
Nov 21, 2008

my1999gsr posted:

I'll check it out for you on Monday and get a part number. What country are you in?

Thanks! I'm in the US.

Somewhat Hairy Ape
Apr 15, 2010
How big of a deal is the carbon buildup problem in Audi/VW DI engines for long term ownership? Are you pretty much guaranteed to lose a poo poo-load of power in your engine after a few years unless you disassemble the engine and clean out the deposits at a fairly regular interval?

1337JiveTurkey
Feb 17, 2005

Autism Sundae posted:

^^^^^ What do you have, a Jetta?

2000 Golf TDI

omgitstheinternet
Apr 28, 2005

Money, Clothes, and Hoes;
All a Nigga Knows
I can usually help with older watercooled VW questions, I've had more than a handful of mk1s and mk2s. I'll pop in once in a while and see if there's any questions I can answer.

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

Somewhat Hairy Ape posted:

How big of a deal is the carbon buildup problem in Audi/VW DI engines for long term ownership? Are you pretty much guaranteed to lose a poo poo-load of power in your engine after a few years unless you disassemble the engine and clean out the deposits at a fairly regular interval?

I can honestly say that carbon build up on the TDI is non-issue unless you're using it as a super-short trim vehicle. From time to time carbon can interfere with shut down flap operation but it's so simple to clean and it so seldom happens that I wouldn't even think about it. We've got several 300,000 km+ TDI cars that are regular customers that haven't had an issue. The one thing I will say about the TDI is that it really, really needs to be driven hard once in a while - get on the highway and wind it out a little bit to blow out some of the soot.

my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

1337JiveTurkey posted:

OK, I got my car back from the dealership after paying way too much to fix barely half the things wrong with it. Among the things skipped was a gasket around the antenna which inevitably dries out after a few years and can only be replaced by replacing the rest of the antenna as well since they don't keep it as a part on its own. After they accidentally left my car undriveable until they got a replacement shipped in I got a New Beetle Convertible as a loaner. Then when I get my car back there's broken glass in the rear hatch hinge from where they crushed my old taillights by leaving them there after replacing them, the moment I stick my key in the ignition the car alarm goes off and none of this even fazes me. Have I finally achieved the absolute Zenith of VW ownership, the point where nothing else will give me as strong of a feeling that yep, I'm driving a Volkswagen?

Did this really happen to you? If it did, would you mind telling me what dealership it was?

ManMythLegend
Aug 18, 2003

I don't believe in anything, I'm just here for the violence.
I'm glad this thread popped up because I'm looking at buying a Jetta TDI. Kind of like Hairy Ape I'm trying to get a feel for what I have to look forward to if I do. I've read tons of reviews and such, but I'd really like to hear from folks how deal with them every day. How is the long term reliability? Are there any weird gremlins that have shown up after everyday use? I guess, in general, was it a good purchase?

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my1999gsr
Mar 21, 2009

ManMythLegend posted:

I'm glad this thread popped up because I'm looking at buying a Jetta TDI. Kind of like Hairy Ape I'm trying to get a feel for what I have to look forward to if I do. I've read tons of reviews and such, but I'd really like to hear from folks how deal with them every day. How is the long term reliability? Are there any weird gremlins that have shown up after everyday use? I guess, in general, was it a good purchase?

Here's the thing with TDI/PD Volkswagens: if you're going to use it as a short trip commuter then you're not going to get your money's worth out of the diesel's efficiency - it really shines on the highway. Since you pay a premium for the diesel engine option and it gets synthetic oil and an expensive timing belt change you've got to make your money back in fuel mileage which is hard to do with mainly city driving. I can tell you that the TDI engines are nearly bulletproof if you stick with the manufacturer's recommended service intervals - the engine will literally outlast every other part on the vehicle.

What year of Jetta are you thinking about? The last 2 generations have a few different gremlins to consider. Every customer we have in a diesel Golf, Jetta, Touareg or Q7 LOVE them.

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