Saturday, January 30, 2010

my vw passat is broken?

Question 1
my vw passat is broken?...  i cant select any gears when the engine is running, when i put it in gear without the engine running and clutch in, i can find the biting point so i dont think its the clutch or cable
its a 52 plate manual diesel dont think its the cable cos when starting in gear it jumps forward but when clutch down and starting in nothin and i can let off the clutch and feel the car pulling but when engine running and car in neutral it wont go in any gear

Answers
1)   Could be the gear linkages, have you also checked the transmission fluid levels? - JenJen

2)   It is quite common for cables to break, but it is more common to have the transmission links "pop" off, as you didn't specify the year or mileage/Kilometerage (yep my new word for the day) it is hard to give you exact fixes. - Briano

3)   Manual or automatic ? As you can select the gears when not running doubt that the linkage is at fault. Are the engine revs too high? could also be the clutch not fully breaking the drive, is there a lot of free travel on the clutch pedal ? - Nick C

4)   Sounds like it's time to rebuild the trans, in my opinion, you have a bad synchro in your transmission. that's the thing that slides over the gears in the trans if it's bad, worn, or disfigured somehow, then it could prevent your from finding gears while the engine is running. - James

5)   Sorry but your problem does sound clutch related as the later diesels used a duel mass flywheel which sound to me as if it is sticking to the flywheel this is probably due to a worn friction plate or a failing dmf bearing which is a common problem. Do you get any distinctive knocking sound or rattling noise from the gearbox area with the engine running in neutral. If yes does it go when the clutch pedal is depressed?
A new clutch kit and flywheel costs £125.62 from euro parts.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Volkswagen_Passat_1.9_2002/p/Car-Parts/Transmission/Clutch-and-Associated-Parts/Clutch-kits/?641780150&1&8cdf319a4317950db0070c7f7e8f668601d207f4&CLUK

To confirm the right part enter your registration in there vehicle search and select the transmission menu then clutch menu. The Sachs clutch kit is the oem quality part as supplied by vw without the vw stamp and price mark up.

If you replace the clutch i recommend replacing the slave cylinder also see below for details:
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/c/Volkswagen_Passat_1.9_2002/p/Car-Parts/Transmission/Clutch-and-Associated-Parts/Clutch-Hydraulics - turboextreme

6)   100% dual mass flywheel
you also need a clutch kit with release bearing
they dont have a clutch cable ,as they are hydrallic - SHAHID


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Question 2
My 2000 Volkswagen Golf Tail lights won't work!?...  I have a 2000 Volkswagen Golf 2 door, and I have just found out that my tail lights do not work! My brake lights work fine, and the reverse and signals work fine, but why won't my tail lights come on?? I haven't checked the fuses yet, but could it be a fuse? Also, my front bumper corner lights don't come on either. They are also supposed to illuminate when the headlights are on. Can anyone help me?? Thanks!

Answers
1)   likely a simple matter of changing the bulbs
These bulbs are dual filament cause they perform more
than one function from the same bulb - Mike H

2)   Check the fuses first if NONE of the lights are working. If only one side is out, then it's likely to be a bad bulb. It is possible that both bulbs have failed- maybe you had one working for a while and didn't notice. - Win S

3)   If it's that big of a mystery then just take it to the dealer. They will at least tell what's wrong so you can fix it on your own. - the fullback

4)   As stated before, check the bulbs, the bulbs on the rear (tail lights) are usually dual filament bulbs, and if one goes out the other will still work, causing the brake lights to work, but not the running lights. Same for the side marker lights on the front. - James

5)   Fuse! Open the fuse box and check if it is blown. Other possibility is the switch. - Johnka


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Question 3
Are Passats good cars?...  I'm looking to buy my first car. I am 17 years old. I'm looking at Passats because they are very cute and don't look like cheap cars. I'm looking in the year range of about 1999-2003. Are they even any good? Would you buy yourself one. Or even your daughter one? Are they a good first car? If anybody has this car what do you think of it? Tell me stories about this car. Is it any good. Is this car worth 2000-4000 dollars with 100,000-125,000 miles on it. Just please help me.

If you have a better first car in mind let me know to thnak you sooo much

Answers
1)   NO. for your 1st car get a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. VW's have too many problems for u. - Colby B

2)   The problem with VW in your year range and mileage is the poor transmission they put in them. If it hasn't been replaced, be prepared to spend some money. - REV B

3)   I have an 2003 VW passat W8 4.liter 4Motion & I love every minute of it!!!

Yes it has costed me alot of money... But every penny is worth... The Pure Joy of driving a W8 is priceless!!!


So get A W8 Passat...


~Dr3amz~ - ~DR3AMZ R 4 EVER~

4)   Wouldn't the passat be too big for a 17 year old? I think a smaller car would be better. Get a VW jetta instead. Looks like a passat but only smaller - ♫♪♫♪ I love music ♪♫♪♫


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Question 4
Where could I find an automatic volkswagen beetle that is under $5,000?...  Somewhere not to far from Oklahoma City.
Volkswagen New Beetle
With in 75 miles of Oklahoma City

Answers
1)   Why ask here. Type it into your browser. "volkswagon beetle for sale" and pick you one out. - Frankie

2)   www.thesamba.com - dickcharlton2002

3)   thesamba.com
craigslist in your area
autotrader.com
news paper
used car lots

I could send some links if I knew what year range to look for - Rod Knocker

4)   Have you tried your local Craigslist? Check the Thrifty Nickle also. Unless you're talking about an older Beetle, and not a new beetle, then you're S.O.L. since original beetles did not come with automatic transmissions. - James


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Question 5
VW rabbit 82 the oil light is flashing?...  the dash light for the oil is on and flashing and its full of oil and not over filled so what do i do

Answers
1)   faulty sensor or sending unit - Mike H

2)   oil presure switch bad also called oil sending unit
cost like 30 bucks maybe easy to replace they unscrew most are on side of block or by oil filter

less than a hour work
can call any shop and ask about replacing it

id do it at home that is easy repair - kelly_f_1999

3)   Have the oil pressure sending unit replaced, and make sure the wire from the sending unit isn't bare in spots, and touching metal. - James

4)   Worn engine or faulty sensor. - Johnka


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Monday, January 25, 2010

I have 99 Jetta and went to put oil in and noticed a white paste on the inside of the oil cap.?

Question 1
I have 99 Jetta and went to put oil in and noticed a white paste on the inside of the oil cap.?...  

Answers
1)   wipe it off - Dave

2)   Sounds like someone jerked off in your engine now thats nasty - Awesome

3)   An homogeneous mixture of oil and condensation - nothing to worry about. Simply clean off the cap and you're good to go. - LeAnne

4)   some oils cause that its moisture in the cap alot of paraffin based oils do that as long as u are not loosing coolant from a unknown spot i wouldn't worry about it - Cyclonicblade

5)   very common in VW's more than any other car i deal with

check your breather hoses coming from the motor,they get a little age on them and they get soft and suck shut or stop up,otherwise get you a can of carb cleaner and clean it off - wondering

6)   Like the person above me is saying without saying it, VW uses the cheapest junk rubbers and plastics and water gets into the crankcase. - p3200tmz

7)   Change your oil to a different brand, NO VALVOLINE! - Bob S


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Question 2
Is it worth it to buy a beetle with 125,000 miles?...  I recently ran across a New Beetle that is either between 2000-2002. The cost is from a whole sell dealer for $2900. I want to know that since the miles are 125,000 would it even be worth it or would I be paying for it in the long run. Because I have heard stories about German cars being expensive to fix and that they don't retain their value. Any help would be appreciated.

Answers
1)   you check shape not miles and with any car made out of country part cost more German hard to get part s for sometimes yes had a rabbit once needed radiator took two months to get it had to be ordered from overseas - kelly_f_1999

2)   Run a carfax on it, see if you find out the previous owner(s), and then get it checked out by an independent VW tech. German cars are not really expensive to fix, its the parts that can be expensive. They do retain their value, however at 125K, it has been significantly diminished. - djaca70

3)   That's a good buy. Check for service records, has it had its timing belt, tensioner and waterpump changed? If it has , should be good for at least 75K more, if not, set you back about a grand!
Good maintenance and service is crucial , they get very costly without! - Bob S

4)   The people that perpetuate the Myth that VW parts are higher than other quality manufacturers really have not done their research.
Sure when a part breaks or wears out, nobody likes to part with their money. And it seems it always comes at a time when you least can afford it.
I have owned Ford, Toyota and Mazda. Believe me , part for part VW is no higher. Now I admit to buying most of my parts from the dealership of the particular car I drive. Yes, parts at a dealer ,whether it be a Mazda, Honda or VW , are more. But I think its worth it.
The above info applies to VW only of course. The other German cars, Audi, BMW, Mercedes are luxury cars and their parts prices are going to reflect that.
However, these premium German parts prices are no higher than say, a Jaguar, Volvo or Cadillac.
As far as retaining value, visit Kelly Blue Book .com. and compare a Civic with a Golf. You will find that they both hold value well.
Case in point, whenever I pass a pre-owned car lot, if they have a New Beetle Ive noticed that they always park it out front. That tells me the car is still in demand.
Plus, we had a 1999 NB and kept it for years. The car never let us down. In all those years of ownership, we only replaced a water pump. Great reliability, I think.
Of course, with the mileage of the NB you are considering, there are bound to be parts that are worn and will need replacing. Same goes for any other brand of car.
Hope you get it soon and things work out for you. NBeetles really are fun cars. - fenton

5)   First of all I think 'fenton' works for VW. And he ONLY replaced the water pump without changing the belt? I smell a rat! Anyone that tells you they had a car for x years and "only did 1 repair" is full of it.

The New Beetle is junk. Plain and simple. Regardless of the fact that the motor is junk, VW uses the worst garbage plastics and rubbers known to man, the body design of the New Beetle adds to labor costs significantly.

I know people with these cars that spend $8000 on repairs in a single year! Before buying any VW go on GOOGLE and type in VW problems.

If you do buy it get ready for timing belts water pumps dipstick tubes ignition coils hoses $170 battery electronic control modules leaky radiator wheel bearings oil sludge, and did it mention oil sludge? - p3200tmz

6)   You also should compare car insurance quotes for cars before buying one, for example here - carquotes.fateback.com - Jerry


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Question 3
can a vw thing body fit on a bug frame?...  i have a bug but want a thing

Answers
1)   No, the thing is much larger - PMack

2)   unibodys no frame here - Gort

3)   if you modified the floorpan a little, yeah, you could just swap them. - Ron

4)   The Thing is based on a Type 1, but you'd need some advanced fabrication and welding skills to actually make it fit. Things aren't all that expensive, just find a good one. - Jay S

5)   The closet pan that a VW Thing will bolt up to is a Karman Ghia pan. The bug pan is too short. If you are looking for a Thing, be prepared to pay a decent amount of $ for a rust bucket, or a hole lot for a nice Thing.
I bought my 73 Type 181 last May for $1700 (I watched it for sale for 4 months, the price dropped from $3500 to $2200 when I bought it). It ran (well enough to drive onto the trailer) and had a lot of rust, no windshield, destroyed seats, 4 colors of paint, and one front fender was in the back seat. About $500 later and a bit of my time, I am driving it daily. - Rod Knocker


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Question 4
Does anyone like the Volkswagen Corrado?...  They're dying out unfortunately.

Answers
1)   Nope its crap!!!!!!!!!! - Chris has the news

2)   Obviously some people must like them or there would be none left at all. - Timbo is here

3)   love them. good car especially the VR6! - caesar_orient12

4)   nice cars... we owned scirocco's for 10 years... they were fast enough, but the handling was crap. the brakes didnt work... but in 18yrs it never went rusty...

the corrado was the replacement for it... but, like all other gas guzzling dinosaurs, they have had their day... pity really, as i loved my GTX... - fivetoze

5)   i loved my canary yellow vr6 93 corraddo

it was powerful for its time and very fun and sporty car to have, plus its rare and you only see one or two every year. the supercharged I4 was a problematic engine with the supercharger failing and oil leaks.

had to get rid of mine because i wanted more power so a v8 mustang 351 took its place. - Shaft


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Question 5
How much would it cost to insure a Vw golf 1.6 - 2.0 litres for a 17 year old ? Thanks :)?...  I was just wondeing because i want a Golf for my 1st car
and i dont know the insurance rates etc....

Answers
1)   More than the car is worth. - Sal*UK

2)   You could log onto one of those - to remain nameless - comparison websites to give you a figure based on your personal circumstances. - Acka

3)   Its would be expensive, maybe around £2000 per year, i would recommend you to check out some comparison websites to compare quotes. Try http://theycompare.co.uk , http://confused.com , http://comparethemarket.com etc - Jay

4)   More than you can afford. Start off with a bog standard Fiesta and it'll still cost about £1000+ - Citizen DeCat


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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Updated January 24, 2010, 6:10 pm

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Updated January 21, 2010, 6:10 pm

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Updated January 20, 2010, 6:10 pm

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

I want to do drifting in my 1971 vw bug?

Question 1
I want to do drifting in my 1971 vw bug?...  I have a vw bug and want to go drifting. Around how many horses do i need to break the tires lose? Ive thought about doing a Subaru engine swap. not sure to go with the older 100hp carburetor engine or the newer more electronically complex 200hp engine. Id prefer the older engine just because its more simple.
I will do this, no shooting down unless a solution is proposed.

As for tranny, I might buy a beefed up tranny or if possible put in a different one.

As for the radiator. I will just let is hang off of the back. ; )

As for my answer, have not got one yet.

Answers
1)   Very Likely Doubt if you will be able to do Drifting. Never heard of being able to Drift in a Car with a Rear Engine. - Danieltba

2)   Doubt you could do that in your bug with out damaging trans. . Rear transaxles are independent and most likely break a spider gear if you try it. You could chirp it straight but not advised on turns. - 1960vw

3)   Rather difficult chief. As for the Suby transplant, that is only good for Vanagons. It is watercooled, not air cooled, where are you going to put the radiator? - djaca70

4)   If you take out the stock engine and transaxle, put a small block chevy in the back seat with a 4 speed and a 411 rear end in, you can make a mean drifter out of it! - Bob S

5)   you would ruin your transmission. - Manders :)

6)   No matter what you do, it will reduce the value of the car, which is now a 29 year old classic.

If you just want the back end to break out more easily, just increase the rear tire pressure.

The subaru engine kit is for the bus transmission because it has a removable bell housing. The only way to put a subaru in a bug is with the subaru tranny, with the engine in the back seat.

If you want to play around with a car, get a crummy one that is not worth as much. - Motorhead

7)   Please, PLEASE, P L E A S E do not ruin that old Bug!!!!
Rear engined vehicles are poorly suited to drifting simply due to the amount of weight and grip in the rear. They also tend to snap into oversteer which can be hard to control - not what you want out of a drifter. I have had a number of Bugs and find that 130hp is generally enough to break the rear tyres loose. One thing to consider with engine swaps in the Bug is the width of the proposed motor from rocker cover to rocker cover. You might find that the Subie motor is too wide. Being water-cooled, it's also heavier which would make your handling woes even worse. Water cooled conversions have been done on Bugs before - the radiator is mounted up front with an air duct under the bumper and a couple of electric thermo fans.

If you must destroy that little car, may I suggest a 13B rotary? I've seen it done and the results are awesome! Great power, light weight and plenty of parts available. To keep it strictly VW, call CB PERFORMANCE. They have a reputation for building some pretty awesome turbo/injected VW motors. - bugmatic

8)   drdracingheads.com has the most powerful motors i've ever seen meant for the vw. Another, cheaper, possibility is the use a flat 4 subaru motor so you can have the water cooling and more horsepower, but it's kind of a pain to run the electronics and the cooling setup. you'll definitely need a beefier transmission, i'd say go with rancho prostreet... and tires meant to last a long time are generally harder material so they break traction easier so check out maybe jbugs.com for some tires. best of luck! - Travis

9)   I like your style......drift your bug!
The more hp you have, the easier it will be to drift.
The suby is a good engine choice, but you will want at least 200hp to the rear wheels to really be abe to light them up.
I am running an Eco Tech 2.0 supercharged engine in my buggy and will soon be running one in my Thing. My buggy has 220 hp to the ground and will light up the tires all day long on the street. It had a fully built 002 bus box, but I blew up second drag racing. Now it has a fully built 6 rib that I hope lasts. I am running a mendeola in my Thing cuz it is heavier,
Toyota 22R is also a great choice for bugs.
We put a 4.3 Chevy V6 in a friends baja bug. It was hard to handle on the streets when he got on the gas. It loved to pull torque wheelies!

Don't let others here discourage you. I had built a Manx many years ago with a 1915 in it. That little car would break loose in any coner, but was only 1300lbs

KEP makes adapters for almost any engine to bolt into a bug!

You can hang the radiator off the rear engine cage if it is a Baja style bug or mount it up front under the hood with an air scoop and under the car forcing the air up through the radiator with vents (louvers) in the fenders for the air to escape.

GOOD LUCK and have fun! - Rod Knocker

10)   Unlikely you can do it because the rear engine puts some great traction on the rear tires.

If you swap the engine, then you must also swap out the transaxle which means you need to re-engineer the frame.

The simple solution is to get a small Subaru and (somehow) simply bolt on a VW body. Yeah.. thats sort of cheating but it will give you what you want to do and it will LOOK like a vw.

You will save yourself more then a few grand in the process also.

. - ca_surveyor


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Question 2
If sum1 offered u an old L reg vw golf thats done 60,000 miles only, for 50 pounds, would you drive it?...  i have just passed my theory and hopefully soon will pass my practical, i was looking for a cheap car round about 1000 pounds when one of my friends said i can take her mums for 50 pounds as her mum is very old and no longer needs the car. Is it too risky as a first car or should i buy it and do it up?

Answers
1)   BUY BUY BUY BUY
ITS WORTH MORE THAN THAT IN SCRAP AND PARTS BUT GOLF ARE PRETTY BULLET PROOF EVEN THE OLDER ONES - jules

2)   No. dont buy it. it may have failed its MOT, it may be uninsurable it may have been in a serious crash and it has affected the normal drive there will be faults with it.
DONT BUY IT. - Nic Antoniou

3)   please buy it.. even with or with out a mot its worth more in scrap, - suparuss

4)   yes i would buy it and drive it and say thank you very much as well, and be proud that you managed to get a good car for £50 even if you have to spend a little bit on it you have still got a real bargain, and a good car you can use the rest of the money to go on your tax and insurance as your insurance will probably be quite high as you are young and insurance companies like to rip off young drivers and you would have to pay that regardless of how much you spend on a car. - simmonsmrk

5)   absolutely, its a volkswagen one of most reliable cars and safest on the roads today - nufcjo53ph

6)   I would look at it as £950.00 towards insurance and the odd part which may be required.
I doubt her mum has thrashed it either.
You don't get a chance like that every day so take it. - Black Panther

7)   Firstly £50 is about half what the scrapman will pay for it. If it needs a bit of work say £300 you will still have a very cheap and probably reliable car. - Mark B

8)   Buy it as fast as you can, buying it so cheap means you can put a few dollars into it the way you want. I would have the oil changed, and 4 new plugs put in it, an air and a fuel filter, make sure the tires are good, replace them if necessary and this little car will go a long ways without putting any more money in it! You will get tired of the car before it wears out, so just drive the heck out of it! - Bob S


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Question 3
I have 205/55/R16s on a VW Passat that calls for 195/66/15s! What harm does this casue?...  I just realized that my tires are oversized!

What does having bigger tires do to your vehicle?

Answers
1)   Speedometer will be inaccurate. Other than that it won't make much difference. - mustanger

2)   They are actually pretty close in height but they are wider, would have more rolling resistance, so you might lose a mile or two to the gallon! If they don't rub, they should be ok. Check with a tire manufacturer or someone like tirerack.com to check out the diameters of the two tires, but they should be pretty close! So your speedo isn't going to be off by much, if any! - Bob S

3)   How could you possibly fit 16" tires on 15" rims? That doesnt even make sense. Are they the stock rims that came with the car? If not then you need to see what the rim manufacturer suggests for tire size. - Mike

4)   The only issue is rub... but that is a good plus size. - djaca70

5)   Apparently Mike is the only person on the board who can read.

205/55/16 and 195/65/15 are pretty close to the same diameter, and should be just fine. In fact, the 16"s that you have on the car were a factory option for the Passat. - Richard R

6)   the 205 should be just fine i run a 235 on my jetta and they don't rub, its a very fine line though. i think the car is a little more stable with the wider tire due to it having a wider stance. but even the 195 to 205 width shouldn't cause a huge amount of loss in mpg's. the wheels with the tires on the other hand most likely will hav a bit more weight though. - vr5 power!

7)   No harm at all on your car.

195/65r15, 205/55r16, & 225/45r17 are the primary tire sizes from the factory. - cant_think_of_1


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Question 4
how much do Volkswagens sell for?...  I have a 2001 VW passat and i'm thinking of selling it i'm wondering how much I can get for it.

Answers
1)   $ 800-1,100 - bulldog755

2)   Depending on the country you are in, but go online on autotrader.com and look around, miles, condition,tires just compare with yours :)
the VW usually have a good resale value there is a link fo the states :http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/searchresults.jsp?lastStartYear=1981&num_records=25&search_lang=en&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&search_type=both&distance=0&address=55604&marketZipError=false&style_flag=1&make=VOLKS&model=PASS&make2=&start_year=2001&end_year=2001&min_price=&max_price=&seller_type=b&transmission=&engine=&drive=&doors=&fuel=&max_mileage=&color=&keywordsrep=&keywordsfyc=&keywords_display=&sort_type=priceDESC&body_code=0&certified=&advanced=&highlightFirstMakeModel=&showZipError=y&default_sort=priceDESC&awsp=false&systime=&rdm=1263820831231 - georgi m

3)   Depending on the mileage and options, $5-7K - Bob S

4)   Go to KBB.com and look it up. - Vad

5)   kelly blue book

kbb.com - Jiao


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Question 5
1955 Volkswagen Beetle?...  Ive been searching for hours on the internet for specs of this car and i could not find anything useful, im looking for:
frame/body
suspension
steering
wheels/tires
brakes
powertrain/engine/trans/fuel
occupant safety- ABS, Airbags, traction control..

Im looking for all this for a school project so can someone give me some info.

Answers
1)   You can forget about occupant safety in the car. In 1955, you'd be lucky if it had seat belts. ABS, airbags, and traction control were not even a pipe dream at 55 years ago.

Edit: How badly do you want it? Check the link below. - Ralfcoder

2)   In original form, it was definately old school. It had 36 hp at the best, 4 speed, swing arm rear suspension, drum brakes you had to adjust, tall skinny bias ply tires, no seat belts, it even had small flags(semaphores) that popped out the sides that were used for turn signals. Adolf Hitler had Ferdinand Porshe design and build these simply, and cheaply, so every working German could have one! Nowadays they are very sought after and collectible, but not too many of them left, for sure. Volkswagen roughly translates into "The Peoples Car" - Bob S

3)   Check out the 'Bob S' answer. It's perfect. Give him a thumbs up. I did. I think the only way that you will obtain that info is ifyou had a 'parts and service manual. The manual for VW's from 1955 to 1960 were practically the same. And you could probably obtain one from VW, International. They're on the internet. Good Luck. - Joseph

4)   BobS all good apart fro engine size. 1955 Beetle had a 1192cc 30hp, 36hp engine was introduced in 1960. - Owen

5)   here is a link to the original owners manual for a 1956. the specs are exactly the same. click on the small pics for a larger one. it has all the specs and tons more. start looking around page 65 for tranny, motor, power, and dimensions specs.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/9_55bug.php - Air-Cooled ACVW


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Monday, January 18, 2010

Updated January 18, 2010, 6:11 pm

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Updated January 17, 2010, 6:10 pm

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Jetta TDI doesn't like to start in cold, help!?

Question 1
Jetta TDI doesn't like to start in cold, help!?...  I have a VW TDI 2000. I keep it in a garage at night, and it starts fine then (most of the time), but when I leave it outside for more then 8 hours, for school and such, it doesn't like to start. It killed my battery once even. What should I do?
I live in Wisconsin where it's usually a high of 10 degrees right now.
Any suggestions?

Answers
1)   check the condition of the glow plugs. - Kenny

2)   have your battery change. - Zeus

3)   Check the battery, the glow plugs, you may want to change the oil to a thinner weight, also consider an engine block heater. - djaca70

4)   Let the glow plugs warm up about 2 cycles. Add anti-gel additives to the fuel (ie Power Service Diesel Fuel Supplement or the VW recommended Stanadyne additive).

The battery is pretty old, so it would benefit from a new one. You need a battery with the high Cold Cranking Amps and at least 80 Amp-Hour.

Also... www.frostheater.com to help you with the cold winter engine starts. - cant_think_of_1

5)   Go to TDIClub.com, look in the forums, or throw the question up in there. All the TDI gurus hang out in there, they know what works and what doesn't! More than likely , it's in the glow plug circuit, or just needs new glowplugs, any CEL lites on? - Bob S

6)   Diesel motors hate cold weather.I had a GM diesel car where I changed the glow plug light from" wait" to "wait till spring."Get a car starter installed or start it every 4 hours when it gets close to zero. - Zyklon420


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Question 2
Dune Buggy Blueprints?...  Hi every one i am in a welding class at my high school and we get to pick a project we can work togeather. I got a group togeather we plain to make a dune buggy. Our teach siad that would be ok but we need a good set of plains first i can read most blue prints. I just need some one to send me a link to a good set of them. I have not faund any good ones and iv been looking the last few days so some help would be great thank you all
one person in the group father owns a welding shop and he siad he would give us the parts we need to make it so mony is no problem and trust me time is no problem eaither

Answers
1)   Good luck building a car from the ground up with high school students in a couple of months... or scraping up the cash for that matter. Pick a different project, and fast. Maybe focus on building one really good chassis? - booyahbd

2)   ok bud you didnt need to tell us you were in shop, we knew!now if you get yourself a few pics of 1 you like, then just scale it by the size of a known component.its very easy to copy cat a design from a mag or website. - idontgivafork

3)   The only way to make an old skool dune buggy is to use the floor pan out of a bug, and add a body. otherwise you will have to build a tube frame sand rail, which is a whole bunch of work. You can get plans and ideas in most of the Hot Vw magazines out here whichever way you want to go - Bob S

4)   I have never seen blue prints to build a buggy. There are a lot of frame manufactures out there, but they sell the frame either in pieces or pre welded.
I would buy a hot VW magazine or a cycle trader and find a picture of a nice looking buggy (I like the Cheowth frame) and build your own prints. You can also start with a VW pan (old bug) and use the front beam along with the trans/trailing arm horns for your suspension mounts. The brakes can also be re used. Then you will need to build the rest out od .120 wall mild steel. .090 will work, but is not as strong - Rod Knocker

5)   forget the dune buggy if you dont build the cage right when you flip it will collapse on you.. build a baja bug, go on craigslist or a junkyard and pick up a standard(not super) bug for about 1-300 dollars and that way it will be street legal too.. a rail/dunebuggy will be wayy too much work.

check out some people's baja bug builds here...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewforum.php?f=9 - Jack D


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Question 3
Should I buy a 2003 Jetta GLS?...  I am interested in this perticular 2003 Jetta GLS with 76k miles on it. Carfax came back fine. But i am reading a lot of negative reviews on this car and jettas in general. Any advice on if i should buy this vehicle? Thanks!

Answers
1)   get it - testikleez

2)   Get the car thoroughly checked out by an independent VW mechanic. It will be the best $75-100, you will ever spend. They are good cars, as long as they have been maintained. - djaca70

3)   to many problems with them look at a Civic SI instead - pickmefirstplz

4)   check out these if you live in the uk

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201001349748954/sort/priceasc/usedcars/make/audi/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l/maximum-age/up_to_5_years_old/price-from/6000/price-to/7000/radius/1500/postcode/nn116yb/page/1?previous=%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2Fusedcars%2Fpostcode%2Fnn116yb%2Fradius%2F1500%2Fmake%2Faudi%2Fmaximum-mileage%2Fup_to_60000_miles%2Fengine-size-cars%2F2l_to_2-5l%2Fmaximum-age%2Fup_to_5_years_old%2Fprice-from%2F6000%2Fprice-to%2F7000%2Fsort%2Fpriceasc%2Fpage%2F1&logcode=p

or somin like this

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201053349416316/sort/priceasc/usedcars/make/alfa_romeo/price-to/7000/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l/maximum-age/up_to_5_years_old/price-from/6000/radius/1500/page/1/postcode/nn116yb?previous=%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2Fusedcars%2Fpostcode%2Fnn116yb%2Fradius%2F1500%2Fmake%2Falfa_romeo%2Fprice-to%2F7000%2Fmaximum-mileage%2Fup_to_60000_miles%2Fengine-size-cars%2F2l_to_2-5l%2Fmaximum-age%2Fup_to_5_years_old%2Fprice-from%2F6000%2Fpage%2F1%2Fsort%2Fpriceasc&logcode=p - Nerhjs

5)   You should also consider that such a car may be expensive to insure. Check your insurance rates before buying one, for example here - carquotes.fateback.com - Phil


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Question 4
Should I buy an warrenty for the used 2004 VW Beetle I am buying?...  They are known for having problems with the transmission. I don't know a lot about the after market warrenties but think it might be a good idea since these cars seem to often have transmission failures.

Answers
1)   The car you are looking to buy can have alot of problems, Volkswagens are expensive cars to repair, and they need work alot, so get the warranty. Beetles are poorly designed car you might want to look at something else, many options out there. I am a tech for a dealership and I would never suggest anyone buy a VW out of manufacture warranty or own one past the warranty, just my opinion. - Tim

2)   WHY on earth would you buy a car KNOWN for trans problems, and YES, buy the warranty and make sure it covers the trans. - Paul

3)   I would go with the warranty, but if the car was properly serviced, the automatic transmissions were good, but the manual 5-speeds are great transmissions. Make sure the car has documented service records, and you won't have any problems. I prefer the 5-speed to the automatic, better performance and mileage! - Bob S

4)   Buying warranty for car is a good idea especially if you have no knowledge about cars. you should shop around and online. You'll be able to find great deals. In this economy there are super deals and also watch out for !!!! bitter saleman!!!! - monsieur joy


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Question 5
how to add lucas transmission fix to a 2002 jetta?...  my 2002 vw jetta gls 1.8t has a transmission that slips a bit when driving... i want to add lucas transmission fix just to temporarily fix the problem... there is no dipstick to the transmission fluid on this car..or is there? there is a small cap where the transmission is under the hood way down.. it is red and when i turn it it just spins it doesnt come off. is this where i can add the lucas transmission fix? i dont want to change the fluid i just want to add some of this stuff to it...

Answers
1)   if the cap just spins then maybe you have to pry it off but make sure it,s low enough before using the lucas. - bandit_60

2)   before you add it just know it doesnt repair damage parts
and slipping is not a transmission problem but a clutch problem

but you add fluids thru a plug in side of manual transmisson

any thing you can pour into a motor or transmission doesnt repair them if they bad only slows down the wear help prevent it
does not repair it after its bad - kelly_f_1999

3)   The trans is probably going south, but what you have to do is warm the car up to operating temperature, pry the cap out of the hole in the trans, the fluid should be almost up to the hole when warm, you can add the lucas, but more than likely it wont help! - Bob S

4)   that transmission is sealed you cant add fluid, that would be a dealer fix and sound like 3-4000.00 dollars - drail


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Saturday, January 9, 2010

Updated January 9, 2010, 6:11 pm

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Updated January 7, 2010, 6:11 pm

Monday, January 4, 2010

Updated January 4, 2010, 6:10 pm