1981 Rabbit Convertable

[andymccauley]

my intake manifold was loose!! n it was missing 2 bolts!!

its tight now but still missing a bolt i didnt know the one closest to the pulleys was longer so ill have to get another one of those.. runs better than when i got it now!!

i changed the fuel filter and its leaking a lil bit. i changed out the washers with new ones but i think maybe the inlet side washer is a lil to big it can move around a lil on the bolt.

[andymccauley]

got the fuel leak fixed. had to put an old washer back on.

[Tougemachine]

Take the old copper washer. Heat it up till it glows. Drop it in a cup of cold water. Van. It's like new. Trust me. It works. If its really old than do it twice. It really soften up nice

[andymccauley]

ill have to try that next fuel filter

got a wierd problem that just started happening 4 some reason im guessing due to bad grounds. the water temp light blinks constantly and when the lights get turned on the tach n dash lights stop working but with lights off the tach is fine.

also washed it 4 the first time the other day n it was fine after that til this dayzz later. also cleaned out the rain tray, alot of rotting leaves in there.

[mk1daily]

If you're going to do the ball joints, you should just swap the tie rod ends and replace the strut bearings now while you're in there.

Check your shocks too, now's the time to replace all that stuff so that you don't have to do another alignment in the near future.

While you're at it, you could replace the A-arm bushings - use OEM rubber ones, not poly.

Basically, freshen up the whole front end so you don't have to worry about any of it being worn.

-Fab

What he said.

There was someone on here selling a whole kit for like $50.

P.S. I'll take your snowflakes if you don't want them

[RedWabbitVR]

tops are not stupid expensive, just a little expensive

two places I found:

http://www.mtmfg.com/category/view/1015

http://www.chucksconvertibleparts.com/rabbit_tops.php

good luck and let me know which one you go with and how you liked it. I still need to pick mine out.

[andymccauley]

tops are not stupid expensive, just a little expensive

two places I found:

http://www.mtmfg.com/category/view/1015

http://www.chucksconvertibleparts.com/rabbit_tops.php

good luck and let me know which one you go with and how you liked it. I still need to pick mine out.

any with a rear window already cut? i was looking at some stickies on another site on how to replace a top. doesnt look very hard n kinda straight forward but the back window is what kind of discourages me.

as 4 the front suspension overhaul. this rabbit has ALOT of rust some in some bad spots some in some spots that can be fixed with just a body panel replacement or a door. i mainly bought this car 4 a back up vehicle just need it to be driveable n efficiant.

issue in my last post is what im really worried about.

n keeping the snowflakes gunna throw em back on after the alignment n balljoints.

[andymccauley]

super wierd but i know its got to be a ground now. after a few days of the temp gauge light flashing and the dash lights, and tach not working with the lights on. it rained n the problem went away. also when i turned down the dimmer the tach would come on half way also the hi-beam indicator light would come on kinda dim too. its fine now tho.

[andymccauley]

used one jack to hold the car up n used the other one to put tension on the hub so it would b up n out of the way.



balljoint out.



new one almost in.



finished (sept for the 17mm bolt)

[lmta20]

used one jack to hold the car up n used the other one to put tension on the hub so it would b up n out of the way.

PLEASE use jack stands.

You're from Astoria? I lived there not too long ago, and Warrenton.


P.s. I hate Astoria..

P.s.s. Use jack stands

[andymccauley]

astoria born n raised. used jack stands when i did the CV axle love it here but cant wait to get out.

im pretty sure my cat is shot. so ive been pondering cutting it out cutting the flange off of it and welding it to a glasspack n sleeving it over the existing pipe. sound good??

also put down the crack pipe n put some new vaccum line in 4 the brake booster line cuz it had a leak.



snapped a pic of both my rides too.

[lmta20]

astoria born n raised. used jack stands when i did the CV axle love it here but cant wait to get out.

Do you know the Palmerton's?

[ftillier]

im pretty sure my cat is shot. so ive been pondering cutting it out cutting the flange off of it and welding it to a glasspack n sleeving it over the existing pipe. sound good??

Pull off the cat, take a long screw driver, and chip away at the junk inside. Empty it out into the trash. Now you have a hollowed out cat, that looks like a cat from the outside, so it will pass a visual inspection when you go get DEQ.

Alternatively, just get a new cat, they're not that expensive, and they're there for a reason. If you burn through your cat, fix the root of the problem before replacing.

Cheers,
-Fab

[andymccauley]

Do you know the Palmerton's?

cant say i do. im only 21 my brother might hes 24.

Pull off the cat, take a long screw driver, and chip away at the junk inside. Empty it out into the trash. Now you have a hollowed out cat, that looks like a cat from the outside, so it will pass a visual inspection when you go get DEQ.

Alternatively, just get a new cat, they're not that expensive, and they're there for a reason. If you burn through your cat, fix the root of the problem before replacing.

Cheers,
-Fab

as 4 DEQ there is none around here. so that isnt a issue. i know they are there 4 a reason but i like the glasspack adding a lil more resistance than alot like a cat would, seems to have alot more flow.

[ftillier]

Ahh, forgot DEQ is only portland area... Still, hollowing out the cat is a lot easier and cheaper than making a glasspack fit.

[andymccauley]

well ya. but where is the gain in having a hollowed out cat?? might as well just weld a pipe in there n take it out all together. at least a glasspack will ad a lil more back pressure before the muffler.

[andymccauley]

got this 4 round yesterday 4 $30, anyone got any Hella 7" rounds they wanna get rid of??

[andymccauley]

still waiting on tirerod ends i think they came from overseas. also was underneith my car today degreasing the back of the motor and i remembered from the last time i was under there that my steering rack boot on the passenger side is torn in a few places so i bought a set off techtonics. only $21 4 the boots . cant wait to get the parts.

if anyone has any shocks, springs, struts they wanna get rid of 4 cheap let me know. im really considering overhauling all that too before i get the alignment done.

[andymccauley]

got my CD player wired to the defrost switch last night so it turns on the with the ignition, i hated having to turn it on n off everytime i got in the car. most of the time i never turned it on.

and i got my rear defrost working i think. i havent had a chance to test it aside from me blowing on it. lol. it needs to b cleaned too. also got my trunk light working too. i was working but then stopped from corrosion i think.

can someone tell me where i can buy a blower resistor 4 the blower motor?

[andymccauley]

i was reading some past thread about removing the glove box. and from what i have read most of the dash needs to come apart to get this style of glove box out. does anyone have any tips or maybe a trick to get it out easier? i was thinking of drilling through the heat welds and putting button headed bolts where they used to b.



only reason i need to get it out is to get to the blower motor resistor.

[andymccauley]

i found these rims today at my house i think my dad found them at the dump (hes worked there 4 20yrs). n i believe they were on my brother babys mamas MK4 4 a lil bit til the studs went on. well they were rusting n sitting, i think they are old honda rims. but i cleaned them up a lil with a wires brush n spray bombed em. they look alright now. 13x5s.







no center caps

[keeton]

^^

Anything's better than what's on it.

[andymccauley]

haha. selling those rims 4 double what i bought em 4.

[andymccauley]

anyone got any idea what these rims came off of??

[andymccauley]

well i put the black rims with the chrome lip on them yesterday... bad news. not enough backspacing. they hit the brake calipers in the front. so i put the snowflakes back on. also had an issue taking the driverside tirerod end off last thursday, finally got it to turn but it didnt want to back off so i had to pretty much cut it off. got a new steering arm coming from TT. heres some pics.

passenger side tirerod end installed with new steering rack boot.



the mangled steering rack arm



removed





driverside steering rack boot ready to go in.



also my top doesnt leak anymore and since i have it on the ramp im prolly gunna redo the exhaust.

[andymccauley]

black rims came off my dads 1981 i-mark desiel prolly b y the backspacing was wrong. the calipers are tiny on that car..



snowflakes went back on. after i do the tire rod im going to get it aligned. struts n shocks will be next. but that will have to wait 4 a lil bit when i park the truck in about a month n turbo it

[syracusegli]

what the hell is that mcguyver deathtrap your car is parked on? Thats so not safe.

[RedWabbitVR]

what the hell is that mcguyver deathtrap your car is parked on? Thats so not safe.

funny I was thinking the same damn thing.

[andymccauley]

not SAFE??!! its been there 4 about 20yrs my dad built it when they bought the house. believe me its had alot heavier vehicles on it than my rabbit. its pretty much a drive on ramp. ive done a few clutchs on it rearend swaps n its a dream 4 taking the bed off my truck. also is a good spot 4 oil changes. its made out of all railroad ties so there is no chance of it breaking.

[andymccauley]

picked up some fender flares a few days ago for $40 got to installing them today.

[keeton]

There's a lot of hate in here, mostly totally justified hate, but I'm glad you put the snowflakes back on. Flares look good too.

[andymccauley]

There's a lot of hate in here, mostly totally justified hate

yes, but no constructive critisizm, or advice either. makes me wonder how any info is ever obtained from this site other than digging through old threads for hours on end, its pretty inconvinant.

[keeton]

yes, but no constructive critisizm, or advice either. makes me wonder how any info is ever obtained from this site other than digging through old threads for hours on end, its pretty inconvinant.

That's pretty much the only way to find anything as far as I know. I've posted threads and gotten no help at all.. My bad for that comment, by the way. It was unnecessary.

[andymccauley]

got the alignment done today. it drives Awesome!!

[andymccauley]

should b pickin up some teardrops at the end of the month with new tires, want to get some wheel spacers next. H&R spacers are way 2 pricey new 4 me. anyone got some for sale?? or know where to get a good set 4 cheap?

really wanting to get some coilovers when money allows it. slowly workin on getting the interior more usable as well. fixing broken things n such.