bad news - need advice

[84_rabbitGTI]

I know man, I was just updating this old thread to say the progress is being made...

[tosoutherncars]

Good for you! Keep going, and keep us updated.

[hillgiant]

It's a beautiful thing. Keep up the good work.

[84_rabbitGTI]

accomplished some more stuff over the weekend. using a spring compressor is something that I had never done, and was always something I was sort of afraid to even try. well, it's not so bad!

yesterday I disassembled my struts and put 'em back together with new inserts, and new strut mounts and strut mount bearings. also, I replaced my brake caliper guide pin bushings (old ones were totally worthless), new bleeder valves, and installed a shiny new set of rotors that I had bought years ago and never installed.

I also started the process of replacing my broken passenger motor mount (and plan on doing the timing belt and tensioner while I'm in there). So far, I removed the upper cover, water pump pulley, and crankshaft outer pulley/shims (a/c car). stopped after I rounded two of the socket head bolts on the hub with flange.

getting there!

so here's what I've done so far:

new axles and all cv joints
new rear shocks and bushings
new rear motor mount and its bracket (which was broken)
new alternator mounting bolt/bushing (made new bushing out of old shock rubber material and washers, new bolt)
new struts, strut mounts, strut bearings
new brake caliper bushings

as I said above, right now I'm doing the passenger motor mount and timing belt. then it's new tires and alignment, tune it up, and put her back on the road!

[OLDSKOOLVWS]

I would have to say after reading your first post in this thread, I felt a certain "inexperience" level with your comments and the fact that you actually took your car to a mechanic.

Now looking at your updates, I would have to say great job and keep it up. Get her back on the raod and you'll enjoy the car even more because you'll know it's "yours".

[84_rabbitGTI]

thanks, oldskoolvws

after almost 10 years of daily driving this car, it feels great to be tearing into it on a level than I hadn't before. a lot of that is because the pressure is off - it hasn't been on the road since that first post and we're not depending on it to get to work every day.

that said, I am feeling pretty confident working on it lately. and it's fun and satisfying. this place has been an invaluable resource, as always.

I love my rabbit and I'm so ****ing glad that I didn't sell it last year. I can't wait to be driving it again.

[84_rabbitGTI]

okay, time for an update. I eventually got the passenger motor mount out. the final obstacle was the notorious 6mm hex bit bolt. I finally got it loose with a chisel and hammer. chiseled a gouge into it, then punched it around with a flat head screwdriver.

I managed to snake the bracket out from the car without removing the inner timing cover (and without removing the intermediate shaft). Had a new mount pressed into the old bracket.

I've been procrastinating the reassembly because the parts and bolts and washers are all in little groups inside the car and I know it's going to be a pain in the ass to remember what goes where. But I started on it yesterday and easily managed to snake the bracket back into place and bolt it hand-tight to the block.

Before I put the center bolt back in, I want to replace that difficult 6mm socket head (the one at the top-rear of the bracket) with a longer one, threaded in from the rear. I've read, somewhere on the vortex, that you can do this. But I can't find that thread.

Can anyone tell me what length/thread I should get for that? I'll probably want to be able to use a box wrench on it next time.

Got the daylight after work again, the weather's warming, and it's time to reassemble!

[84_rabbitGTI]

update

a milestone! cross the passenger-side motor mount off the list.

but before I put in the center bolt I reinstalled the timing belt tensioner (otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get it on the stud). had to jack the motor up a bit to get it on there. upgraded to a "new style." my old stud wouldn't come off with vice grips 'cause my grips are toast but I did get it off by threading two nuts on it and turning the inner one.

so, back to the mount: I ended up replacing the top-rear 6mm allen on the mount bracket with a longer 13mm hex bolt threaded from the other side (w/nut and lock washer). this should help simplify things just a little if I ever need to get the mount out again.

the whole thing lined up for the center bolt with little fuss. just felt around with a small allen to get an idea of how much higher or lower I needed to jack the motor. took just a few minutes. aligned it and tightened down the rest of the mounts.

I feel like I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. just in time for spring!

what's left to do:

- put new belt on and time, reinstall pulleys and covers
- reinstall the front strut assemblies
- install the new rotors (already replaced the rubber in the calipers and the pads are fine)
- new battery
- replace coolant hoses
- flush and change brake fluid, coolant, oil
- distributor cap, rotor/points/whatever, spark plugs
- 4 new tires and an alignment

I can't wait to drive it again.

Modified by 84_rabbitGTI at 1:53 PM 3-27-2009


Modified by 84_rabbitGTI at 1:54 PM 3-27-2009

[84_rabbitGTI]

I wish I could change the topic of the post to "brought back from the brink" or something!

here's what I got done over the weekend:

- new rotors, anti-rattle clips, grease/guide pins, and put the brakes back on the car
- bolted the struts back on and did my best to set the camber
- drove it down the road and back

well, the camber is nutty of course. but it's good enough for me to drive it three miles to where I'll be getting new tires installed, alignment, etc.

but it feels real nice to have the car back on the ground and mobile. I just need a battery and tires and it'll be ready for driving again!

Modified by 84_rabbitGTI at 2:38 PM 4-13-2009

[84_rabbitGTI]

Wow, time flies. I took the car off the road about a year ago mostly because of an exhaust leak, intake manifold leak, and my hood latch finally pooped the bed. Used this as an excuse to finally do some of the mods I've been wanting to do for the better part of a decade.

Took me almost a year, most of the time I wasn't working on it, or was sourcing parts bit by bit. I started to really feel badly about letting the car sit there, so for the last several weeks I've been getting up early before work to squeeze in 30 minutes here and there.

Here's what I did:

Audi 5000 throttle body and gasket
Port-matched my intake, and new gasket
dual output exhaust manifold, and new gaskets
dual downpipe
exhaust braces
TT 2" cat-back exhaust
fixed vacuum leaks
new hood latch

I know, I know, this would take most of you guys a day or less to do. But hey.

After sitting for a year, she fired straight to life. What a major difference. Unbelievable. After cooking off the smoke, I took it for a rip around town. SUCH FUN. All of a sudden, it's fun to drive this car at high rpms. It's noticeably faster, and it sounds great.

Gave it a nice bath.

This weekend I plan to Seafoam the car (1/3 intake, 1/3 crankcase, 1/3 fuel tank), then change the oil and plugs.

Just a few things (as far as I can tell) to pass it through state inspection: headlight, horn fuse, wipers.

Here's the car yesterday after a quick joy ride, pre-bath:



It was just getting downright depressing seeing the car up on jack stands in the front yard for a year. Here's hoping for a triumphant return to daily service next week!

PS: I need front seats, so if anyone is in Virginia (or Western PA, since I'm there often) and knows of some A1 or A2 buckets that will somewhat match the blue interior, let me know!