Where's the radiator? It's in here somewhere

[GCroyle]

Oh the joy and privileges of owning a 23 yr old high mileage VW TDI. This is how far I got this AM. It's been using a little coolant for a while but no tell tale until this week when it marked its spot in the driveway. Kinda scary looking ain't it.

 

[Topzide]

@GCroyle, Look at the HF radiator pressure tester. I've got this one, https://www.harborfreight.com/radiator-pressure-tester-kit-63862.html , and has saved me a bunch of time looking for leaks! Have used on many vehicles. Like the fact that it has setup to test even if it doesn't have cap to fit. At $90, great tool to have in the arsenal! Have fun. Good luck on the repair!

 

[bcbender]

Wow, that looks alot tighter than my 01 Jetta TDI... is that a beetle?

 

[GCroyle]

I found coolant on the bottom of the fins and no where else. Hoses are recent replacements. With the condenser in front and dual fans behind it’s really hard to even see more than a glimpse of the rad.

And yes it’s a Beetle.

 

[Ozymandias]

Keep talking....

 

[SnoKing]

View attachment 136911 Keep talking....

Worms, I see worms!!!

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Also a 23 year old VW, but this 1.8T gasser only has 133K miles. Spent 133K miles as a 1.8T with 150 hp. It’s now right around 400hp. My son and I tore it down, rebuilt it, reinstalled and had it running in 23 hours. VW’s are pretty simple to work on and are easy to improve performance. We’ve also got a ‘99 Audi wagon with the same 1.8T that’s now running right around 700hp on E85.

 

[GCroyle]

TRAMPLINEMAN,

Ouch that looks sorta familiar. Mine is the lowly 1.9L TDI and only thing minor special about is its taken two direct deer hits and has over 450 on the clock. Head has never been off and all original pump and injectors.

OK update on the heat transfer thingy. Leaker is out and new is in. The cooling fan shroud showed telltale misting stain from the leak. The rad support, condenser, rad and cooling fans are all sandwiched together. Like the 4 Musketeers. I'm working alone and I didn't want to mess with AC so that for me meant supporting the condenser and peel back the layers.

Still a ways to go but good progress after taking a week off for a State Park getaway. And radiator came from Idparts a nice house for euro diesel stuff.

Gary

 

[Shelby Griggs]

I just traded my 2005 TDI A4 car with the BEW engine in on a gasp, Tesla Model Y.

The VW was starting to cost me money at 175k miles, Turbo in last two years, and I think I had a bad injector, a few electrical gremlins and I just decided it was time. I do realize I could have probably sunk a few $1000 into it and been cheaper than a new car, but I figured now or never while I am still working.

The Tesla is fun to drive, and even a non performance will run 0-60 in under 5", the poor VW TDI was really slow in comparison.

Now to see how it lasts over the next 10-20 years or maybe I will trade it off before end of warranty, time will tell.

Honesty if I could have still bought a 2023 TDI, I probably would, no gasser or hybrid really excited me, so a new world for me. Of course the 2001 Ram isn't going away anytime soon, so there is that

SHG

 

[bcbender]

sigh.... I would've fixed the TDI if it were me... I regret selling my 2001 ALH TDI all the time and should've ponied up for the third timing belt instead. I hope it serves you well, to each is own i guess but never going to get an electric car in my house, I laugh when I pass them sitting like tools for ever to charge while I fill my car on road trips, did 500 mi yesterday in 8.5h and leaving soon to do another 300, (should be about 5h) glad it wont take all day .

 

[Shelby Griggs]

Glad we have choices! Lots of misconceptions about charging times. Does it take longer than filling a tank? Yes, but not like most people think. With Tesla at least and their supercharger network, most of the time 15-30 minutes is all you need. Stop, charge, bio break a snack and it is ready to go. You have to change your plans a bit and take more breaks, but not a bad idea anyway to get out and stretch. A 600 mile trip requires three charging stops typically, adds about 90 minutes to trip time with about 30 minutes at each stop. I doubt anyone in any vehicle drives 600 miles non stop, so not sure how much real difference there is in travel time on road trip. Sure you can't make it without stopping in the Tesla and my TDI I could on one tank of fuel, but that doesn't mean I wasn't taking breaks along the way in the Jetta.

The cost to charge on a road trip with superchargers is about same as fuel, but all my local driving with charging at home (and this will vary depending on your electric rates) is about $0.02-0.03 per mile, so way less than even a TDI which is one of the more economical vehicles per mile as far as fuel costs go.

The performance of the Tesla (and I think most other EV vehicles) is in a different league than ICE vehicles, my non performance version does 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, has changed my driving habits as far as merging, lane changes, passing vs the Jetta TDI.

I am not anti VW or even diesel, my pickup still burns #2, but VW not having a TDI caused me to look elsewhere. The VW EV's didn't excite and a large part of the negative for any other EV besides Tesla was the charging experience. Now a ton of other makes are joining the Tesla family as far as charging in the next 2-3 years, AFAIK, VW is NOT one of those makes yet.

SHG

 

[GCroyle]

Blame this on the heat wave most are experiencing. A from memory list of notable repairs in almost 460K on this lowly commuter car.

Purchased it used to avoid moving from a nice out in the country a bit 3 acre half treed lot with a brick 3 floor home with a walk out basement (unheard of here) and 3 garage doors and trying to find something affordable and downsizing in CHS SC after the company moved the plant to CHS. The IIRC 280 mile round trip was just more miles than I could accept putting on the Dodge so I bought it from a known source at about 38K on the clock. It drank #2 and put the highway behind it all day long.

Early on I visited a VW TDI get together and was introduced to this group of wacko's and their passion for VW TDI's and the mysterious VAG COM diagnostic software. Yup, I have it too.

That lead to pulling the exhaust manifold and cleaning out the YUCK and giving the system cleaner air to digest. Same time I found that the variable vane thingy was not so variable. A bit of head scratching and judicious custom fitting of a sticking vane and badda boom we gots boost as designed.

In no particular order.
Front struts, strut mounts, shocks, front wheel bearings, motor mounts, rear brakes, 3 full timing belt system replacements every 100K, T-stats & fancy coolant, starter, drive shafts, cooling fans a couple of issues there, batteries, MAF sensor, front control arm bushings, some kinda HVAC vent door hack to get air flow back, blower fan, oil pan due to me crunching it IN MY driveway oh what a mess, oil and filter changes every 10K, alternator, oil dipstick tube assy, a fairly minor injection pump seal ring R&R due to a leak, radiator, relay #109 good luck finding that in the Bug, complete headlight assy's, tail light assy's. A squirrel chewed an injector return line that was fixed on the fly with fuel line hose from auto parts store and at home that night fixed some wiring that put it into no boost mode from chewed up insulation snacking. Two windshields and several sets of Michelins. Oh yeah I did install a clutch #3 about 225K? back while I was still yuck "employed" and I think a rear main at the same time.

The Bug looks a bit rough around the edges, it was a tool that saved way more than its purchase price, commuted me back and forth 5 X week at 280 miles/day fueling up every other day, it's taken out two deer one a nice buck that hit like a pro football tackle from the pass side and cost a pass side door and nose to tail denting. AC still works decent, injectors never been touched, pump still pumping and injecting. And one of the big oh poo things is the interior plastic. Its all cracking and can't stand being disturbed w/o pieces breaking off, cracking and just not cooperating.

Here it is a few years before I bought it.

Gary

 

[fest3er]

... I doubt anyone in any vehicle drives 600 miles non stop, so not sure how much real difference there is in travel time on road trip. ...

When my '98 gave me good mileage, I often drove up to 600 miles non-stop. These days, the truck's down to maybe 500 miles full to empty. (Excluding toll booths, stop signs, traffic lights and traffic jams, that is.) Hmmm. I could probably still reach 600 if I kept it under 65, but that adds a couple hours to a 1200 mile trip.

 

[Shelby Griggs]

When my '98 gave me good mileage, I often drove up to 600 miles non-stop. These days, the truck's down to maybe 500 miles full to empty. (Excluding toll booths, stop signs, traffic lights and traffic jams, that is.) Hmmm. I could probably still reach 600 if I kept it under 65, but that adds a couple hours to a 1200 mile trip.

My body and bladder won't allow that and really isn't healthy for anyone. Even when I drove big truck which was less tiring than any four wheeler I have owned I still stopped every 2-3 hours. FYI, I can drive way longer at a stint in my old Ram than I ever could in the VW Jetta, haven't driven the Tesla long enough to say, first road trip tomorrow.

Enjoy the journey and not just the destination.

SHG

 

[endoscott]

+1, I go 2 or 3 hours, take a break, stretch. My prostate now dictates that, but it's way less risk of a blood clot in your calf too. The young guys don't worry about such things I guess, I know I never did, but pushing 70 it's probably good to take frequent breaks. Retired anyway, who cares? I try to never be in a hurry as a stress reduction strategy too.

 

[Topzide]

Another thing to think about is compression socks! Helps with the fatigue. The nerve nephropathy I have to deal with makes compression socks a must on a long trip. Was pretty shocked on the difference it has made when traveling. I agree with @Shelby Griggs about enjoying the journey and not just focus on the destination! Amazing what is going on while traveling the roads. Have a dash cam to catch the good stuff and help protect me from the idiots! My son caught a meteor on his when he was traveling cross country. Have to say that I enjoy traveling in my RAM! Easier on my back and the added seat heater helps with muscle spasms!

 

[Ozymandias]

Quite impressive

https://evclinic.eu/2023/07/27/real...LHx6fCqDbRze0C6vK_-IOBezjhNaFVUEogDFFjk1KnjAA

 

[Extreme1]

I learned last year that the injectors are only good for about 150k, the needles aren't hardened and the lack of sulfur wears them out. On the Golfs and Jettas you can turn threads the end of a piece of round bar and thread it into the bolt holes where the "lock carrier" is attached and then you can move it to the "service position".

Here's a link to the How-to I used: https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/diy-removing-front-lock-carrier-to-service-position.2368291/

 

[slowmover]

When my '98 gave me good mileage, I often drove up to 600 miles non-stop. These days, the truck's down to maybe 500 miles full to empty. (Excluding toll booths, stop signs, traffic lights and traffic jams, that is.) Hmmm. I could probably still reach 600 if I kept it under 65, but that adds a couple hours to a 1200 mile trip.

Higher speed only works where maximum vehicle separation distance is maintained. Never in a pack of other vehicles. Not once. High traffic volume and you’re a danger to others, not just to self & family (pickups are least stable vehicles onroad).

The average distance someone re-enters my lane is 80-feet, when I need over 700’ to stop. “Stupid” ain’t the word needed, it’s “suicidal”. This has become universal. Count off minimum 7-8 lane stripes before re-entering travel lane and stay at 77-78/MPH passing speed to get three football fields or more ahead if I’m running 70-MPH at 78k gross. Your grandad was smart enough to do this . . . why aren’t you?


Enjoy the trip is what works. Plan a meal stop that ain’t fast food:

https://roadfood.com/


I get a kick out of those who state they love America . . but drive thru as if they hate it. On trips one day apart there’s differences to note on same road. Enjoy them.

“Gotta fit in more quality time with the TV remote today!!” ain’t how to do it.

Put the assertive cruise control on and let Clessie flatten the hills while maintaining a very good average. If she’s hitting those upgrades too hard, back off set speed by 2-MPH (average will remain the same).

A higher travel speed ain’t an equal increase to the average in most of the US. That’s anywhere in tbe green (below).

Burn more fuel and create more wear on the truck for higher risk to “save”. Save what?

Between millions of low-IQ invaders and those dumb enough to have taken The Jab, the highways are considerably more crowded and dangerous. More wrecks, and they’re worse. (Take the clue).

.

 

[slowmover]

“ . . the Rockies way out west are calling you!”

On the way into Echo Canyon a few days ago:

Echo Canyon was described in 1860 by Sir Richard Burton: "An American artist might extract from such scenery as Echo Canyon a system of architecture as original and as national as Egypt ever borrowed from her sandstone ledges or the North of Europe from the depths of her fir forests."

Behind the wheel? Anywhere in this great land?

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Y’all that ain’t Texans gotta work a little harder at this part.

.