Belix's Jetta 2

[Belix]

No idea. You and Morne are the mechanic whizzes. Just what Morne said, maybe I got the wrong part.

Oil pressure was tested - about 0.4 bar on idle, up to about 3.1 bar on revving. I'm guessing that's not great?

Oil leak turned out to be a porous pressure sender unit. Oil was coming up through the electrical connector.
German Auto Salon has a look or a listen to the engine and sent me on my way, saying there are issues, but not terrible...
No charge for the replacement pressure sender and oil so big ups to them.

Mom only does 2000 odd km a year, so hopefully it keep going until she's done driving.

Need to get the front hub replaced so we can get back to 4 wheel nuts...

[Belix]

I get a quote of R15K from the local panel beater to repair the car door. More than I paid for the car...
So I send it to the fool that reversed into the door, and he says he'll offer R1,500 to get it fixed as the car is an old car.
Does it being an old car suddenly make the repairs less expensive?

[Supervan II]

Tell him to GF. A!

[missioner]

I get a quote of R15K from the local panel beater to repair the car door. More than I paid for the car...
So I send it the to fool that reversed into the door, and he says he'll offer R1,500 to get it fixed as the car is an old car. Does it being an old car suddenly make the repairs less expensive?

Tell him that he's welcome to beat your quote, but with conditions:

1. Only insurance approved panelbeater can be used, ie: RMI etc
2. The work must have a guarantee.
3. If for any reason you are less than happy he must pay for any rework required.

[VAG Fan]

On the other hand, is it fair to expect the other guy to invest more than the whole vehicle is worth?
To pay R15k for a repair that transforms your car...
... from "an old, well-used runaround with one dented door and wheel arch"
... into "an old, well-used runaround, now with one perfect door and wheel arch"?
No offense, just wondering, just thinking how I would feel. I would want to make up somehow, to try and return the car to "more or less what it was", but how?

[Edit: seeing that you speak of "insurance approved" and "guaranteed":
No insurer would pay the R15k. If you really insisted on claiming the damage, they would write off the car, pay you the insured value less any excess, and they would keep the wreck. So, should the same logic not apply to the third party? If you really expect him to pay R15k, then you're asking him to invest more in the vehicle than it is worth, so by rights should he not be entitled to buy the vehicle for less than R15k?]

[Belix]

yeah, not sure how it works with a third party claim in this circumstance really.
He's welcome to buy the whole car for 15K too if he wants...maybe I'll put it to him
R1500 is a rediculous offer though.
Car looks tatty, but the bashed door takes it to a whole other level.

[Belix]

Still waiting on mom to complete claim form...after months and months...

Anyway, I need to look at the brakes as they sound like they are metal on metal now. Mom drives until car stops, only then asks questions...

Never changed hub or disks before...

Since the front left hub has been cross threaded, I need to replace that.
I don't have a press though - I've seen some people use a hammer (along with corresponding size socket) to hit in the bearing shells.
How safe is it to do that?

Is there anything weird I need to know to change the hub? Does the car need wheel alignment afterwards? Is there a workshop manual with any torgue setting for any affected bolts.
Other than that, disks and pads. Morne said to get vented disks, car currently has solid. Anything I need to change to go to vented disks?
Any common issues people get wrong changing disks? I know not to hang the caliper on the brake line at least.

[missioner]

I'm sure you know that the whole knuckle must come off for the job if you want to use a press for the bearing.

I wouldn't suggest hitting anything, the metal is softish and it will expand, making your life difficult.

I have made a tool to press the bearing out in place.

This is mine, it was made for a BMW so not suitable for a VW unless I adjust the cup sizes, but you will get the idea. It might even still work if I get a smaller cup.

I had to use a sliding hammer to remove the hub, and then my extractor to remove and refit the bearing. It also pressed the hub in afterwards.

[ICE King]

RE: Solid disc to Vented

Just get the vented disc with the vented disc pad , case of remove old and install new

Must be the vented pad - important

[Belix]

Thanks guys

[ICE King]

Pleasure, use a piece of wire from shock/spring to hold the caliper up without putting stress on the Rubber brake line, Your brake line Could be brittle from its age

I would replace rubber hose and do a full bleed As the old rubber hose could be expanding causing a different brake pedal feel

[Belix]

Does goldwagen have the brake lines?
Not looking forward to taking the knuckle off. Anyway, got other parts, hopefully I got the right hub and bearings as I think it changed in 1992 - but I'm reasonably sure the Jetta is a 1990 model...

I see the screws holding the disk in place are missing and I did not get new ones with the disk or hub. Anyone know where I can get another?

[missioner]

Does goldwagen have the brake lines?
Not looking forward to taking the knuckle off. Anyway, got other parts, hopefully I got the right hub and bearings as I think it changed in 1992 - but I'm reasonably sure the Jetta is a 1990 model...

I see the screws holding the disk in place are missing and I did not get new ones with the disk or hub. Anyone know where I can get another?

Nut and bolt place will have 6mx10 taper head screws.

Parts should be correct. Its hard to get VW parts wrong on older models. Variations are minimal for the low spec model as an example the rear wheel bearing is the same for mk1, 2, 3 and polos from the '90's.

[Belix]

I’m reasonably sure that the power steering line is not supposed to be rubbing on the wheel...



And in other news, the hub nut and tie rod end are refusing to move. I know the hub nut is secured bloody tight, but it’s really being stubborn...

Edit, one trip to Adendorf, one meter long ratchet, hub nut removed. But why does the flaming tie rod refused to come out (nut came off without any issue). I've bashed it with a hammer so much the end of the bolt is beginning to mushroom, and still it won't come out.

[Belix]

Fek sakes, of all the issues I expected, fighting to get the flaming tie rod end out was not on the list. What a waste of time, and it's still not budging. I've hammered it up and side to side, i even put the jack under it and put a bit of the car weight on it, but nothing.

[Jetta2]

If you have a cutting torch or something that can produce a nice flame, heat the knuckle up where the tie rod end sits. It will help.
Or did what I did years ago with my Jetta and moer it out from the bottom with a big hammer. It stuffed the rod en up completely, but it came out eventually after about four smacks.
If any rust forms in that tapered part where the rod end sits in, it takes a lot of force to break it free.

[missioner]

Hit the knuckle not the shaft of the tie rod end. You have to hit the side of the knuckle that the tie rod goes through hard enough to ever so slightly change its shape, this will pop the tie rod out of its socket.

Preferably use a 4 pound hammer.

What I normally do is turn the steering full left to allow some space to beat the tie rod with some force, I have also got a ball joint remover tool for the very stubborn ones on bakkie control arms. Its the rocker type.

[Belix]

Thanks Jetta, Missioner - I've moered the knuckle ring where the tie rod end goes through so hard I'm worried I'm going to damage some other part of the suspension somewhere. Maybe I must try the ball joint remover, but having to buy tolls as I go is getting expensive and I'v enot even got the the bearing yet

[Belix]

ok, nevermind, lost my cool and whacked the knuckle with a full backswing and it came loose. Shoooo

[missioner]

ok, nevermind, lost my cool and whacked the knuckle with a full backswing and it came loose. Shoooo

Nice bro. Losing patience is sometimes necessary.

[Belix]

- No grease came with the bearing so I assume they are a sealed unit that does not need greasing?
- I don't see any specific marks on the bearings so I assume the bearing can go in either way?

I never know a good place to put the jack stands. The stands I have have a crescent top (not sure if they all do) so using the edge of the sill does not seem right. Also, the jack itself is in the place for the jack (duh!) so you obviously can't put them there.

And has anyone else crumpled a seem by using a trolly jack that did not roll and instead bent the seam out? Not that it happened today, but I've had it happen before. Perhaps I just need a smoother garage floor...

[Belix]

Interesting day...
Could not get bearing out, no matter what I try from internet no press methods. Local car shop wanted R220 a side just to press bearing in and out so I decided to by a bearing removal kit.




The kit uses monster 32mm bolt, that you wind to pull out the bearing. Sure. Great in theory maybe, but I could not get a good enough hold on the knuckle to provide enough force to turn it.
In the end I used a drift and receiver sleeve from the removal kit, and bashed on the drift with a mallet, and it finally moved!

Only to discover I had the wrong bearings from goldwagen. Too small.

And in other news, the lower ball joint is torn, brake lines are cracked and inner tie rod end clicks in and out and flops all over the place.




What is involved in changing the inner tie rod end?

And where do I get new brake lines? GW don’t have.

[Belix]

Anyone know where the bottom vacuum line on the carb is supposed to go?

Top line was perished, it comes from under the carb, I think I’ve run a new hose correctly to the top vacuum thingy

[UDC]

Does your car have air con, the bottom vacuum diaphragm looks like the air con idle up valve

[Belix]

Thanks, it has aircon, not that it works.