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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