Belix's Jetta 2

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Belix
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Belix's Jetta 2

Post by Belix »

Finished up the wheel bearings today at least. New brake disks and pads. Why the stuff don't they provide the locating screw with the new disks???

The lower ball joints were both cracked and floppy but those where an easy fix.

Steering needs attention, outer tie rods are also both floppy and boots are torn. Inner left is really loose and has about half a cm of play in and out; inner right is loose too and has no boot at all.
I'd like to, but I'm not gonna try that without the right tool. Looks like a pig of a job without taking out the steering rack, and given it's power steering, I'm not wild on doing that either.

On that subject, I bought right and left out tie rods...but somehow I think I managed to throw one brand new on out into the bin, because I discovered have a box full of old nuts and bearing balls instead of a tie rod. What a numb scull :bang: :bang:

Braking, calipers could probably do with an overhaul. The caliper boots have some cracks. although they seem to move ok, as do the pins (one side is missing the pin rubber things, whatever they're called). I'd like to find a caliper and pin refurb kit, but can't find any locally.

Image

One thing I noticed, the pads are very unevenly worn. Left side outter is through the braking material down to the metal, inner has about 1mm on one side up to 2mm on the other; while right side has about a lot of the friction material left...

Image
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Belix
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Re: Belix's Jetta 2

Post by Belix »

I'm looking at rewiring the car after an engine fire :bang: :bang: .
Short of trying to find a used harness at a scrap yard, what other options do I have? Does anyone make up new harnesses or is that an experience for lottery winners only?
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missioner
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Re: Belix's Jetta 2

Post by missioner »

Send me a PM. I did repairs to a golf 2 over the lockdown for my work colleague. The wiring in the engine bay was a mess. I redid the whole shebang for him. Image

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Re: Belix's Jetta 2

Post by Unobeat »

Belix wrote: Sun Dec 27, 2020 11:44 am I'm looking at rewiring the car after an engine fire :bang: :bang: .
Short of trying to find a used harness at a scrap yard, what other options do I have? Does anyone make up new harnesses or is that an experience for lottery winners only?
Oh no, sorry bro.

I went through this on my Fuel Injected Uno after my engine bay caught fire due to an injector that exploded.
My reliable mechanic assisted me, car is running well but i need to replace the Coil positive wire as it has a shot.
THANAS wrote:Mix them together to create Shellstrol, and then mix that with Winstrol to create the ultimate, maximum performance oil for your engine.
panic-mechanic wrote:When I build engines and do stuff like this I do it when there is nobody else around, No distractions, No phone nothing so that you don't forget what you should be doing. It's the little things that make them run right. Anybody can slap a basic bottom end together. that is the easy bit. It's all the little things that makes these builds a success or not.
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Belix
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Re: Belix's Jetta 2

Post by Belix »

Thanks guys. Will drop you a pm missioner.
The worse part was after the engine was extinguished, I forgot to undo the battery, and thirty seconds later smoke was pouring out the dash. It took ripping open the dash and stuffing the hose into it for 5 minutes or so before the smoke finally died down...
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Re: Belix's Jetta 2

Post by missioner »

That does not bode well for a speedy repair.

It seems you may just have accidentally gotten a project car.

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Re: Belix's Jetta 2

Post by Jetta2 »

That is terrible Belix.

Magic smoke from the dash means one thing: project car, like Missioner said.

The wiring on those cars may be quite simple, but it is always a good idea to strio everything down and check/rewire everything you can.

Many years ago I had an minor accident where the battery itself got damaged and smoke came out the dash as well. I was lucky enough to find a smashed Jetta at a scrapyard and got the complete harness. There were even wires burnt under the rear seat area where the harness goes to the rear lights.
Rather strip everything and check every part of the harness from front to back.
Ryan Demoser

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Re: Belix's Jetta 2

Post by Belix »

Thanks R, it is a rather sad state of affairs. Assessor was out and insurance is offering R14K if I keep the car or an estimate of R32K odd if they keep it, which seems fair but won't buy much. Given my lack of expertise, tools and prior knowledge, I'm leaning towards them taking the car, but I do wonder what comes off their "estimate". If they deduct for every scratch and nick, then it may be worthwhile to keep the car and see how far R14K gets...although I'd imagine not far.
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Re: Belix's Jetta 2

Post by missioner »

With time and lots of legwork R14k will get you a very large part of the way. Mk1 and Mk2 parts are still relatively cheap.

Possibilities are as follows:

Take the money and look out for a donor car, non runner with maybe some slight accident damage. The auction websites might be a good place for this. If you take the time to find the right car you will then get loads more for your money than just the harness. This can have some additional costs going this way, but the big benefit is that what's left over gets sold and brings back much of the money spent initially

Second look at the scrap yards (with help) all over GP till you find a harness, and we fit it to the car over a few weekends.

Third option, strip the car open identifying the damage and doing repairs as needed.

Last option let the insurance take the car and use the money as a deposit on a little econobox. A R100k car with a R30k deposit will cost about R1800 pm over 5 years without a balloon payment. There are lots to choose from in that price segment and many will be low milage under 5 years old possibly balance of factory warranty. Insurance on many of the cars in this group is under R1000/m which is affordable.

It will be sad to see a car like this go to the scrapyard, but you must do what works for you and your situation.
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