Build Thread: Victoria, my 1990 Jetta GLI

[Volkswageneer1990]

Wow, I read this whole thread over the course of this week. Brew a cup of coffee in the morning, wait for the work email to load, and read about your car.

Great project and you have given me a lot of motivation.

I too have a 1990 GLI going in a slightly different direction, but the same general idea. I am not doing anything if it is half - assed. Every part I strip gets sanded primed and painted and I am looking at a full respray down the road too.

Here is my baby - just got her a month ago and swapped to small bumpers already. Working on trim etc and I am going to take the plunge and tear down/rebuild the motor over the winter I hope.



Keep up the good work kid. You have inspired this 40 year old to dig a little deeper and try a little more.

Thanks so much for the kind words, literally, this just made my day.

If more people adopt our method of thorough work, more Mk2's would be alive today. I too am looking at doing a full respray in OEM Tornado Red. I already bought a spray gun from Lowes, and I already have a compressor.

I have always been jealous of the rare colored GLI's. Like yours which is Calypso Green correct? I always wanted a Black GLI but I have learned to love the T-Red.

Haha, thanks, I always try to inspire where possible.

Please let me know if you need any help finding parts or with any help, I would love to help!

Cheers!

[Volkswageneer1990]

It's been 10 days since I updated this thread... It feels like FOREVER haha.

Anyway, I got more stuff done.

Break #20... Cut out the fabric sound deadening part of the new under carpeting.





Break #21... I then attached the black acoustic sound deadening and the fabric sound deadening together via LOCTITE Professional Performance Spray Adhesive.

(sorry, I didn't take pictures of this step)

Break #22... I put double sided 3M Heavy Duty tape on the vapor barrier backing of the new under carpet mats and then put them all in!





Break #23... Shampooed and AXE'd the carpet pieces to get them nice and clean. They smell marginally better now...





That's it so far, enjoy!

[brandon0808]

Great work and ideas! Thank you.

[riceslayer]

great thread! i too am a young vw enthusiast, im 17 and have had my 92 jetta gl for almost a year now. bought it for $500 and it was BEAT. i always debated on pulling the 8v and doing my own build but didnt have the motivation until the 8v finally gave up on me. im currently doing the swap to a 2.0 16v and all the body work and respray. i LOVE knowing theres other guys my age that share the passion. keep up the good work!

[Mean 'n Green86]

hope your figuring out that digifiz dude!

[steveo27]

glad your still goin at it

[Volkswageneer1990]

Great work and ideas! Thank you.

Haha well thank you for the kind words!

great thread! i too am a young vw enthusiast, im 17 and have had my 92 jetta gl for almost a year now. bought it for $500 and it was BEAT. i always debated on pulling the 8v and doing my own build but didnt have the motivation until the 8v finally gave up on me. im currently doing the swap to a 2.0 16v and all the body work and respray. i LOVE knowing theres other guys my age that share the passion. keep up the good work!

That sounds like you are going in the right direction! Be sure to post a build thread here on Vortex so I can see how it goes! And thanks!

hope your figuring out that digifiz dude!

I finally finished it (minus a faulty coolant temp sensor). I'm planning on posting a Digifiz 16v Plug and Play Install Thread when I organize all the pictures here in this thread. But it was QUITE a challenge!

glad your still goin at it

Thanks!

[Volkswageneer1990]

Alright. Well this is going to be difficult so stay with me.

[If you know what movie that line is from I will forever you]

But this is my attempt at documenting and possibly creating a Digifiz installation help.

I had a Plug and Play CE2 16v Wiring Harness for the Digifiz. So it wasn't too bad.

Okay.

I started out labeling the wires BEFORE I took anything to the car.

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This is the rear wiring harness.


From left to right they are:
Digifiz Icon Light Plug (We'll get to that later down the road)
K - Rear wiring harness
L - Interior Wiring Harness
M - Fuel Tank Wiring Harness


These are the hand brake wires. Pretty straight forward where they go...


These are fuel pump wires. The black plug goes on the actual fuel pump and the white one plugs into another white in the area (See below)


These are rear tail light plugs. From left to right:
Gray Wire - Rear Fog for Drivers Tail Light
Drivers Tray plug
Grounds that go in the center of the trunk (see below)
Pass. Tray Plug


These wires go on the side of the trunk and plug into various wires including the rear luggage compartment light.



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These are the cluster wires. From left to right:
U1 - Cluster wiring Harness
U2 - Cluster Wiring Harness
5 Wire black plug - For Digifiz Icon Lights (See male end above and connection in posts below)
Black 2 Wire Plug - Plugs into the clock adjuster wire plug (See below)
Red 2 Wire Plug - Engine Speed and Vehicle Speed wires.


These are the cluster wires that plug INTO the Digifiz. From left to right:
Black plug goes on the bottom insert in Digifiz
Black 1 wire plug is for Digifiz Front Fog Light Icon Light
White Plug goes on the top insert in Digifiz



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This is the clock adjuster harness X in the fusebox.


From left to right:
Plug X for Extra Warning Lights into fusebox
Random Spade connector that I'm guessing goes to an ABS thingy or the Trailer hitch lights.
Black 2 Wire Plug - The Male part of the Black 2 wire plug from the cluster harnesses (See female end above and connection in posts below)


And then they will plug into this. I have the rare ABS and Trailer Hitch clock adjuster



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And that's it for wire labeling.

The rest of the parts are next.

[Volkswageneer1990]

Here are the rest of the parts.

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Electric Speedometer:


Digifiz Specific Cluster Brackets:


Wire Pins for building the Speedometer plug.


And of course: the actual Digifiz in the rarer 8K version.



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[VDub2625]

I had a Plug and Play CE2 16v Wiring Harness for the Digifiz. So it wasn't too bad.

Based on the questions you were asking me in PM, and this, I'm a little scared to see what you did. You didn't say you had a CE2 harness. Youw ere showing me CE1 diagrams.

[Volkswageneer1990]

Okay now begins the actual installation. So stay with me please.

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Obviously take apart the dash.


Then pull your fusebox down.


I started with the X Harness first. So take out the old one:


Then plug in the new Digifiz one:


Then run the wires to the center of the dash:




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Next is the U1 & U2 Harness for the Digifiz.

So locate the old ones and take them out.



Then plug the new Digifiz specific harnesses and run the wires to the left side of the dash:


You're gunna be left with 3 plugs that aren't plugged to anything yet. That will come together later on down the road.


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Next is the Rear Wiring Stuff K-M

So locate the old ones and take them out:
I plugged everything out in the BACK first then I followed the grouping to the front, then took out the fusebox harness and ran that out.












Then we plug in the new harness FIRST then run the wires to the rear. So basically like the bentley, installation is opposite of removal.


Then run the wires to the rear. Here are the wires going to the side of the trunk. The Digifiz harness was missing plugs so I had to take the plugs from the old one and solder them on.


Here they are plugged in.


Then plug the rear trays in.


Make sure to get your grounds bolted in!


And here's the final look.


And a test that the luggage compartment light works!



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Next up is getting the cluster brackets in.

So first drill out the old rivets on the old brackets. Use the drill SLOWLY so you don't drill through the dash...
[No pictures of this. It's pretty straight forward though]

Then position the new ones:


Grab your riverter and rivets to put new ones in. Make sure that the head is large enough to hold onto the rivet:


Then rivet the new ones in!:



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Testing and final plugs are next.

[Volkswageneer1990]

Based on the questions you were asking me in PM, and this, I'm a little scared to see what you did. You didn't say you had a CE2 harness. Youw ere showing me CE1 diagrams.

Oh well yeah I did have a CE2 harness. The manual that I had was CE1 so I had to work around a little bit and use the bentley to really find out where everthing went.

[Volkswageneer1990]

The next thing I did was to install the Digifiz temporarily to see how if it actually worked and also to see how many KM it had.

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So plug in your Digifiz! White is on top, black on bottom for the Digifiz plugs.


Then turn the key to the ON position, but don't turn on the car. Then just watch...




And here's my little first start video


As you can see it works! And has crazy good milage! 1,730KM?? Insane!


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Finishing touches are next.

[VDub2625]

[No pictures of this. It's pretty straight forward though]

I'm actually suprised, you take pics of every single little detail otherwise

WHy replace the rear harness? COuld have just run a new wire for the rear fog, saves you quite a bit of time. Though you already had the interior out. Also, your medical kit is installed wrong

[Volkswageneer1990]

I'm actually suprised, you take pics of every single little detail otherwise

WHy replace the rear harness? COuld have just run a new wire for the rear fog, saves you quite a bit of time. Though you already had the interior out. Also, your medical kit is installed wrong

Haha yeah it was hard to drill and take a picture at the same time

I had to replace the rear harness because plug K had a Black 5 wire plug coming out of it that plugs into the female end coming from the Digifiz. That's next.

And yeah I know it is when I first installed it you said that as well but I like it this way

[Volkswageneer1990]

Alright. Well now come the little things to make the cluster work 100%


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I started with the Black 5 wire plug coming from harness X (female) and connects to the plug coming from the Digifiz (male)


Next, I recycled a plug from another spare harness I have and put a spade connector at the end, connected it to the Single Black Yellow/White wire for the Front Fog Digifiz Icon and taped into the Yellow/White wire going to the Digifiz switch.


I also had to make a Digifiz Specific Defroster Switch


Then I plugged a Black 2 Wire plug coming from Harness X (male) to a plug coming from the Digifiz (female) to get the clock adjuster working.



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Next up is the Electric Speed Sensor.

I had to make the plug with wires, so I took the pins that were sent to me, put wires in them, and plugged them into the plug.




Alright, now I took out my old speedometer cable:


Then I taped into these wires as follows to get the sensor working correctly.
- Pin 1 is ignition and comes from the wiring G1 / 4
- Pin 2 is signal and goes into the wiring G1/11
- Pin 3 is ground and comes out of the wiring G1 / 5
However because there is no G1/11 in my 16v I realized that that signal goes from the sensor to the Digifiz, so that wire actually connects to the White/Blue wire of the Red 2 wire plug coming from the Digifiz.


And here's the red plug I'm talking about. The yellow wire comes from the speed sensor.


Now with everything wired up correctly, spin the speed sensor with it out of the gear box to simulate speed. If the Digifiz displays speed then you wired it correctly. With me spinning it as fast as I could with my hand, my dad was telling me speeds like 11, 14, and at most 17km/h
[I couldn't take pictures of this as I was spinning the sensor]

Once you are assured the sensor is working correctly put it in the gear box and tighten the allen bolt.



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Next thing to do is Engine Speed (RPM)

For this to work and display correctly, we must tap into F/9 which is green in color, and run that wire to the remaining connector on the red plug. In this case, that red/white wire is for engine speed.




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Now we should be done!! I turned on the car, and what do you know, it works!!





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And well ladies and gentlemen, this concludes my experience installing an OEM 16v Digifiz Electrical Cluster. I'm very happy with the results!!!!

[VDub2625]

Still no clue why you tapped into those wires. THe RPM signal should have already been going to the cluster, I don't understand why the Digifiz harness didn't pick it up from U1/6? Also, all later model VWs send the speed signal to G1/11 as you said, then to U1/11. Would have been a lot cleaner to add a wire to that pin rather than just using a spade like that.

[Volkswageneer1990]

Now onto other things going on with the car:

I got the carpet in (before the digifiz but whatever.)


Then I repaired the Door Open Buzzer and Headlight Warning Chime. I shorted the gray wire you see really badly and almost burnt down the car. But now that is a thing of the past!




Then I received real German license plates from Essen and installed them in the OEM Jetta Euro Plate tub!







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Next I gave my cooling system some nice new parts.

Thermostat replacement:

Took off the PS pulley:


Then dropped the PS system:



Here a little OEM Goodness picture:


Then I tested and drilled a hole in the new thermostat:


Removed two bolts from the rear bracket of the PS pump, lowered it, unbolted the thermostat housing (which btw is metal in my car, so I'm happy about that!), and let the coolant drain to replace the thermostat.



I put the new one in and put everything the way it was. Then proceeded to do the Block & Radiator Fill method of removing the upper rad hose filling the radiator, then putting it back on and filling the block. Then put some coolant in the bottle, ran the car with the cap off and watched air bubbles rise.



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Next, the cooling system got a new radiator cooling fan switch.



Old v. New



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And finally, the current project that is about to be finished is the licence plate light for the Texas license plate. I'm going to wire it to tap into the OEM license plate lights.





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I'm also close to finishing the Passat B2 Headlight setup. Final sanding and painting is all that's left.

Enjoy!

[Volkswageneer1990]

Still no clue why you tapped into those wires. THe RPM signal should have already been going to the cluster, I don't understand why the Digifiz harness didn't pick it up from U1/6? Also, all later model VWs send the speed signal to G1/11 as you said, then to U1/11. Would have been a lot cleaner to add a wire to that pin rather than just using a spade like that.

I had a feeling I was spelling it wrong... Lol.

Idk why not, but that is what the red plug was for. And yes you are correct, I could have just added a pin, but I was unsure at the time is that would work correctly so I did it the way that made sense to me.

Cheers!

[Mean 'n Green86]

this is awesome. i cant imagine how that felt when you turned the key and it came on! i'm excited for the headlights and grill

[08-Jetta]

I love everything about this thread. Awesome writeup on the digifiz. Your attention to detail is inspiring to me.

[NTUNED]

[Dutchsider]

This is my favorite thread to check up on in Vortex. Keep up the good work. I'll likely be copying your methods of sound deadening the interior. I've got a POR-15 waiting for me to get to work.

[Numbersix]

Nice work on the Digifiz. Although I'd be annoyed only having KM/H in a US-spec car, I see why people appreciate the rarity.

I'm pretty sure the movie quote is from Up in the Air.

[black gti]

^ the prisoner

the picture of the digifiz all lit up made my heart skip a beat, your dad is a great to help out!

[Capt.Dreadz]

I haven't posted in this thread in a good while but i lurk @ every post restraining from posting......but i can't take it anymore.... I f*ckin' this build up. Wiring is my thing and its good to see someone that's not afraid of the spaghetti monsters. Great work...great work.

[jimothy cricket]

damn bro nice digifiz!!!!!!!!!

car is coming along nicely, keep up the good work!

[Volkswageneer1990]

this is awesome. i cant imagine how that felt when you turned the key and it came on! i'm excited for the headlights and grill

Oh it was an amazing feeling! Disbelief that I had actually done it. Haha. And yep, the passat lights are pretty much done, I need to do some final sanding and painting then it'll be good to go.

I love everything about this thread. Awesome writeup on the digifiz. Your attention to detail is inspiring to me.

Thanks! And I try

This is my favorite thread to check up on in Vortex. Keep up the good work. I'll likely be copying your methods of sound deadening the interior. I've got a POR-15 waiting for me to get to work.

Thanks so much! And no worries, I have yet to drive the car on the road, but when I do I'll tell you if it really sound deadended.

Nice work on the Digifiz. Although I'd be annoyed only having KM/H in a US-spec car, I see why people appreciate the rarity.

I'm pretty sure the movie quote is from Up in the Air.

I actually kind of like it. It means that now I have to keep my mind working to convert between KM/H and MPH. And plus, for the people who think it's still in MPH I can trick them into thinking we're going 100MPH when it's actually in KM/H

And you sir are awesome. I forever you!!!!!!!!

^ the prisoner

the picture of the digifiz all lit up made my heart skip a beat, your dad is a great to help out!

Oh it made my heart drop too! I wasn't sure if it was going to turn on, or short, or what have you, but I'm glad everything came out okay. And yep, I owe a lot to him concerning this car and amongst other things

I haven't posted in this thread in a good while but i lurk @ every post restraining from posting......but i can't take it anymore.... I f*ckin' this build up. Wiring is my thing and its good to see someone that's not afraid of the spaghetti monsters. Great work...great work.

Haha well I'm glad you couldn't restrain yourself this time, because this post is probably one of my favorites!

Thanks for the kind words, I really appreicate it, especially coming from you. And yeah the wiring can be scary at times, but 9 times outa 10 I have to think about it if it were outside of the car, and draw myself a literal picture to see what I need to do. So far it's worked out okay

damn bro nice digifiz!!!!!!!!!

car is coming along nicely, keep up the good work!

Thanks brah! And I will!

[Volkswageneer1990]

Alrighty. Well the last few days I have really been getting some work done. Yesterday had some big progress as well.


I replaced the headliner with a much nicer minty-er one.







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Then I finished up the interior. The only things still missing are the CE2 drivers tray, which I am putting back on after I drive the car to make sure that the wiring is correct, and the power window custom piece which I am planning on making look much better.




I also installed my rare leather 4+E shift knob. Me like!!





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Then I got the rear license plate in. I dumped the LED idea as it was not bright enough and wasn't working out. So I found a spare domelight bulb and popped it in with a modified trunk light bulb holder. I think it came out okay. Pretty ghetto looking from the inside, but not so bad on the outside. And all I care is that it does it's job.






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Then after all that, I decided to get started on the 50mm Manifold install. This thing is actually a whole lot more of a mess to install than I thought...

(Before Pic)


Well I got the top off so far..




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I'll update with how it goes later today.

Enjoy!

[VDub2625]

I'm pretty sure that 4+E knob isn't leather. It looks like the rubber one that came in my 92. Faux stitching and it's too shiny.

That plate thing is going to catch fire. Don't do that.

What's difficult about the manifold swap? I found it fun

[Volkswageneer1990]

I'm pretty sure that 4+E knob isn't leather. It looks like the rubber one that came in my 92. Faux stitching and it's too shiny.

That plate thing is going to catch fire. Don't do that.

What's difficult about the manifold swap? I found it fun

Hmm interesting... Well it's rare none the less so I'm happy even if it isn't leather.

The light is not touching the cardboard, so I don't believe it will catch fire that easily wouldn't you say?

Oh it is fun! Haha it's just when I practiced taking out a manifold from a 16v Passat it was much easier than my car. The top manifold would not come off that easy, one of the manifold securing bolts from the bracket was inaccessible with the throttle body on so I had to take off the TB and the intake elbow to be able to take the top off.

THEN the bottom half had TWO bolts that were stripped and when I used the extractor, both broke inside the bolt. Luckily one of them had turned loose before the extractor broke, but the other did not. So I had to use the drill as a sort of a gear to turn the bolt. Both eventually came out.

AND I kept dropping bits and tools so they would go into crazy places in between hoses and oil coolers, and alternators, and engine blocks! It's like narnia!!

BUT I did get both halves off so now I'm having fun putting the new one on.

(Sent you a PM btw, heads up)

[NTUNED]

Idk if the shift knob is dirty or is just the picture but a good cleaning with some shoe polish will make it shine real nice!

Also, I got some extra pieces from the lights on the headliner of my 04 that might work for your rear license plate light set up, hit me up and we can see if they work

[Volkswageneer1990]

Idk if the shift knob is dirty or is just the picture but a good cleaning with some shoe polish will make it shine real nice!

Also, I got some extra pieces from the lights on the headliner of my 04 that might work for your rear license plate light set up, hit me up and we can see if they work

It's kinda worn

And yeah sure! I would love something that is nicer than what I have now and that isn't a potential fire hazard...

[Mean 'n Green86]

oh come on that license plate thing is a joke you have more skills than this.

[Volkswageneer1990]

oh come on that license plate thing is a joke you have more skills than this.

It really is, but right now, I'm opting function over form. Until I find something better then unfortunately that's how it's going to be


In other news, I got some more work done.

I finished up putting the manifolds on.
(Comparison)


The lower manifold got new bolts as well! As the old ones were very bad and 2 of them were stripped... So I had to use extractors, but the extractors BROKE inside both of them! Luckily one had already loosened when the extractor broke so that was easy to take out with pliers.

However! When the other extractor broke, it did not loosen the bolt so I was left with an inaccessible head that was not loosened! What I had to do was grab a rather large drill bit, and drill NEXT to the bolt so that the drill bit would act like a 'gear' against the tightened bolt. It eventually worked and I got both stripped bolts out.

So here is the final product.


Then I got a lot more things back on and replaced a lot of gaskets and the injector O-Rings.






And finally. The 50mm swap is DONE!



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Along with the 50mm Swap, I fixed my After-Run Fan system. It turns out the PO deleted it. There was no #31 Relay or the temp sensor in the bay. The wire was also cut.

So I put it all back together.






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I also finished sanding the Passat Grille. I painted it as well.





It didn't come out too nice as you can see, so I am going to go buy some filler and make it flush.


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I also got tired of seeing my foglights have water and condensation in them so I took them COMPLETELY apart. Needless to say because the housing is metal, the water cause some surface rust, and on one it got really bad and the water was the traditional rust color.

But here they are taken apart.





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I also did some work on the power window plate I made a while back. I'm trying to make it look a little more flush and better looking.





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On top of that I lamin-x'd one of the fog lights in the Passat B2 Headlight setup.




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That's all for now. I need to put the strut bar and the fog lights back on, then install the rare dash accessories and that should be it for now!

I also might get OEM VW Euro Fenders from the UK so that will be a cherry on top!

Enjoy!