Author Topic: Refreshing 2002TDi  (Read 5378 times)

Offline ColinJames

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Refreshing 2002TDi
« on: 30 July 2021, 11:22 »
I posted queries about cv boots but I thought I would explain.
My daughter is doing a post grad course and on a Covid induced Zoom call said a car would be useful. She may not have said but I heard “cheap car”. I don’t know why; maybe with lockdown I needed something. Checked Gumtree & other ads. What looked good went before I could send a text. A Golf came up and I went, to get practice of looking at a car; I hadn’t done that for a while. With the reg. no. checking MOT’s is easy, nothing of concern (take that with a pinch of salt.)
It was a mechanic and part time dealer, surprise, surprise. He wanted £600 for a 2002 1.9 GT TDi. The meant little to me, other than a diesel, which I prefer. He said it was in perfect condition, lady driver, etc. I said nothing is perfect. Looked at it, solid underneath (amazing), no oil leaks, no coolant staining, no accident damage/repair (rust front wings, not extensive.) Rear discs new. Interior good, a couple of clips missing and a cutting edge cassette tape. Engine bay sound. Drove well, it had been warmed up. I was … stunned! This car looked good, I not expecting that. I offer £400 and after some words and counter offers agreed on £475.
Other than the front subframe and wings, one bottom ball joint, no repairs need, just some “deep maintenance”. Two wings and one liner < £100, bolt on, easy but my painting poor. On YouTube, taking the subframe off is simple. Scraping it down, small weld repair, rust stabiliser, etch primer and underseal all cheap; should have left it there. Decided to replace the large bushes, old ones out, new ones fought all the way (using threaded bar). To local garage and he pressed them in and deliver them later same day. Decide to do the rest of the front bushes; a set of wishbones, with bushes & ball joints was cheapest way. Anti roll bushes are small, cheap and awkward but got done. Then glow plugs… gave the wiring harness a look and it crumbled. Got a replacement & soldered it in. One plug dead, ordered 4 to replace the set, UK supplier, arrived 10mm less than original. I understood with glow & spark plugs, length matters, to be in the correct position. Back to supplier, who didn’t argue, checked numbers with the originals, all ok. Got out three/four from different manufacturers, all short by 10mm. Suggested must be change not listed on computer. Possibly correct, new ones work but it cost a day. Removed near side driveshaft, cleaned & painted, replaced outer cv boot, inner boot… from another UK supplier, didn’t fit. Took it back, checked against computer, its’ correct, must be the car? Spoke to local VW; item no longer supported, no spare but the latest version of the cv joint would fit (at £171 it should). Spoke to local garages no-one had heard of this. Back & forth, stripped the boot from clamped flange and fitted after reforming grip lip on the shaft. Another day gone. Replaced the timing belt. Done this before, always a major job. Got a timing lock (ebay), didn’t fit, the comparison list which says “This part fits…XXX” really means it might fit. Sent it back, replacement received a week later…still didn’t fit. Back to basics and reset using cam position & compression. Discovered how awkward designers can make a belt tensioner, made locking tool to finish. Took full day+ longer than needed. Damaged crankshaft pulley bolts, new set… didn’t fit, got the correct ones. Refit loose exhaust bracket & heat shields. Got tracking checked & adjusted (hadn’t tightened lower suspension ball joint..duhhh!!) then early MOT, a broken spring, got garage to complete. 500 mile test drive, delivered safely to daughter. Hopefully will run for years; solid car with good mechanicals.
I’ve never had a new car, had to do my own repairs; recently leaky crankshaft seals on wife’s car which meant clutch off. I buy from parts suppliers, scrapyard & eBay. Never any trouble with parts & information. VW didn’t want to know anything pre 2015. Parts suppliers were polite but struggled to explain why new parts didn’t fit. A professional mechanic would have sorted out the glow plugs, cv boot & locking tool quicker but it shouldn’t need sorting out. None were unusual parts. I’m retired so I have the time to sort these out and keep this car on the road. Could not do that if I needed it for work and driving the family around