Current Project-Mini IDI

[plywood]

I posted on TDI and General diesels this morning and their hasn't been a post on either forum all day and I know lots of guys here have owned and love the other little diesels.

I gave up my 09 Versa to the wifey so I set out to find a little mileage car. I'm sorry to the lovers, but I just can't seem to like the Mercedes. Really it didn't matter cause with whatever truck I end up with I'll have the capability to do whatever I want so I just wanted mileage. I would like to have a Jeep with a 5 cyl mercedes though.

So with beginners luck on my side I checked on craigslist for a diesel IDI car so I could use my injector pop tester to tune like on my 93. It runs so good it's sort of addicting and I've never had a diesel car.

I found an 85 Jetta Wolfsburg diesel N/A 4dr 5spd for $800. Fresh fuel and fuel treatment, scrubbed off the green stuff, vacuumed out the kitty litter the PO put in to soak up a little moisture (a few hours worth) and she's coming out pretty nice.

I do have technical questions that are on the TDI and General Diesel forums if anyone has experience with these.

I can't believe what a neat little car it is. I remember driving one about the same year probably 20 years ago that was a 2dr auto and absolutely loved it. When I got in this one and felt the key and turned it and saw the gauges and the lights it really flashed me back so I had to have it.

The tags were expired and it sat for a year to a year and a half so I just decided I'd rent a tow dolly to bring it home behind the 87.

Runs good but can't wait to have her purring like a kitty and driving like a dream like the VWs can when they are set up right.

50 mpg here I come.

 

[89dieselbko]

i have been trying to find a decent older jetta diesel for about 2 years with no luck. PA salt eats them and im to busy most times to make a drive to buy one from out of the salt belt. My wifes mother has one, hers is a turbo tho, and she consistantly sees 60+ and brags about it. She went with us to the Outer banks NC on vaca 2 years ago... she made the trip there with an avg of ~64MPG. meanwhile my gasser bronco rocked out 6 MPG...

Anyways, nice find! GL gettin her going

 

[RLDSL]

Ive got 3 of the Volvo versions of that engine ( volvo made cars that they sold with a 6 cyl version of the VW diesel, some with a turbo) I just got my 740 turbo diesel back on the road about 3 weeks ago after sitting for about 3 years when the injection pump died. not long before that I had rebuilt the engine and replace literally EVERYTHING under the hood except the starter and injection pump, and the dang pump faild, it was the wrong type pump for the engine and i didnt want to spend 700 bucks rebuilding it , finally a friend in the Netherlands located a pump for me , and it was off a 95 ( mine is an 86, last year they sold them in the US ) the 96 Euro spec pump combined with the ULSD fuel timed to the euro spec ironically makes that thing run like an absolute beast
vwdieselparts.com can get you anything you need for that engine.
I had one of those critters years ago, but it was way back before the internet and local parts sources would bleed us dry at the rate of $80 a piece for glow plugs and it got worse from there, so I ended up getting rid of it, but i miss that little thing, if you have teh 5 speed and can keep your foot out of it, plan on 60 mpg I joke of course without the turbo, you won't break 62 mph except downhill with a tailwind unless it's in real good shape.
I went through a bogus speed trap and got pulled over and handed a 70 mph speeding ticket in mine and i went to court. everyone was being declared guilty that day , of course. When it came my turn, judge was about to say guilty, I threw the keys up on his desk and told him that if he could make the dammed car go that fast, I'd pay him DOUBLE the fine After some grumbling about contempt of court he finally let me off. Probably one of the first in history in that town from what I've been able to find out

 

[plywood]

Wow, I've been just hoping for 45-50 mpg.

I the IP looks recently rebuilt so I will tune the injectors. Is it 1900 psi on those. I think the book I have is right about there.

So far I've pulled both A-arms. One had really bad bushing. Then I pulled the steering rack cause it's leaking out one of the arms.

The oil is all the way up to the top inside the cam belt housing so I don't know if that means it's the camshaft seal or if the oil is just following the belt up. The oil pan's under side isn't even oily, just around the bolts at the rear pass side so who knows.

Anyway she's coming along but I won't have time today and didn't yesterday either.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Camshaft seal is not bad, drives in with pully removed, just put it at tdc before pulling the pulley. there is a lock on teh backside of the camshaft to keep it from moving while the belt is off.

 

[plywood]

Hey thanks everybody.

What's funny is that website RLDSL mentions rung a bell with me. I swear I saw a store nearby me with something almost exactly like that on the front of the store and it made me think it was strange that there was a .com on their main sign. Maybe I dreamed it, I'll have to drive where I think I saw that place and see what I see. Not finding it with a net search.

Anyway I feel bad for the guy in PA. That's how it goes for me a lot of times when I'm looking for something, takes months and you passed one up when you started looking that you wish you'd 've bought or something.

Don't hate me for it but all I did is wake up one day and realize I had two big trucks and an SUV and I needed something with mileage so I looked on CL and there it was. Everything I had was for sale and nobody was calling, so I actually wanted this thing bad enough I pulled cash off a credit card for the first time in my life to buy it. Promo deal cost me $32 and no interest for a year.

I think I will try that camshaft seal and see what happens. Kind of makes sense that from sitting that seal would be far enough away from the oil that it would dry up in time.

 

[plywood]

Update:

I installed two new wishbones, a rebuilt power steering rack, and all new anti-sway bar bushings.

I replaced all three block seals on the pass side. I had to bung up the intermediate shaft pulley to get it off so that'll be $120 thank you. Then I'll install the new camshaft timing belt.

I pulled the injectors, cleaned them real good and shimmed them all right at 1900 psi.

Will have all new filters and oil today and hopefull have it running again later today.

I'm curious how a perfectly tuned 4 banger diesel runs.

What is it, just under a fifth of a 7.3l displacement.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

I po,......

I would like to have a Jeep with a 5 cyl mercedes though.


,........pg here I come.

Just thought I would give you the heads up on this:

http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/showt...anche-Turbo-Diesel-(OM617)&highlight=comanche

If you are interested, I would be glad to contact him as I am a member of that site, Let me know.

 

[Darrin Tosh]

When it came my turn, judge was about to say guilty, I threw the keys up on his desk and told him that if he could make the dammed car go that fast, I'd pay him DOUBLE the fine After some grumbling about contempt of court he finally let me off. Probably one of the first in history in that town from what I've been able to find out

Love It!

 

[plywood]

Fired it up yesterday and it ran great. Problem is I still have an oil leak on the passenger side. I didn't do the oil pan gasket yet so hopefully that's all it is but I'm afraid it could be leaking out the head gasket. Didn't think about it before that it must have oil pressure going through it to feed the cam.

Couldn't go to the link Darrin, probably cause, well actually I might be a member but anyway I'm not going to buy a Jeep right now if that's what it is but thanks for the link.

 

[plywood]

WOOHOO

Turns out I'm just a ****** mechanic and put the intermediate shaft seal in all bunged up.

Another $8.92 and she's leak free, well oil leak free. Saw a couple drips of green and red forming but all in all I'm happy.

Took it on the freeway and climbed up a hill to 60 in fourth pretty quickly and idles great. Gotta get the cooling fan working of course.

I'll get a vid of it running here soon.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

The germans (vdub and MB at least) always like to mark their spot in the lot. Don't fix all the leaks, she might get upset.

 

[plywood]

Ha Ha yeah on the trucks I always leave the IP gear cover without sealant so it can shed just enough oil in just the right spot to rustproof the engine.

I actually did the 110 mile round trip to my spot today with a friend in a 300SD and I have to say I'm glad I got the VW. That thing was nice on the highway but made me near sick on the windy bumpy roads. The VW just rides like a magic carpet even with the bad struts. Just my preference but I love the nimble soft riding VWs.