40-page thread about a Jetta

[the Teuton]

yea, the 9-5 one has a turbo, right?

Uh, no, but it does make 200 hp instead of 180ish.

[The Pirate]

Uh, no, but it does make 200 hp instead of 180ish.

Yes, the V6 had a low-pressure turbo.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Yes, the V6 had a low-pressure turbo.

I should aquire one of those and do a "high-pressure conversion"

[Eye of the Tiger]

I got scanned the trouble codes today...

P0134 O2 sensor bank1 sensor1 no activity detected
P0135 O2 sensor heater circuit bank1 sensor1 malfunction
P0141 O2 sensor heater circuit bank1 sensor2 malfunction
P0172 fuel trim bank1 system too rich
P0300 random/multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0303 Cyl #3 misfire detected
P0304 Cyl #4 misfire detected
P0411 secondary air injection system incorrect flow detected
P1128 long term fuel trim mult, bank1 system too lean
P8008 omgwtfbbq this car is a pos drive it off a cliff malfunction detected

Here's my theory: Since the misfiring is normally the worst in high humidity, fog and rain, and the wires/cap/rotor/plugs are all new, I think the ignition coil is bad. This causes unburnt fuel to go out the exhuast and foul up the O2 sensor. In addition, the vacuum lines to the fuel pressure regulator and the secondary air injection valve were toast.

I just replaced the vacuum lines for $3 - easy enough. The ignition coil is $60-ish on rockauto.com. Too 'spensive to buy without knowing for sure.
If I can ever find some kind of spray mister, I will mist the ignition coil with the engine running and see if it poops out or not.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I can't find a damn sprayer. Should I just order the coil? I can't think of anything else it would be, aside from a bad MAF, but there are not MAF codes.

[Eye of the Tiger]

To do list:

Engine
Ignition coil  $53
Breather hose  $24
O2 Sensor  $60

272 Street/Sport Cam  $140
Dual Valve Spring Upgrade  $110
Chrome Moly Valve Spring Retainers  $50
Hydraulic Lifters  $112
Performance chip  $100

Brakes
Porterfield R4S SHOE662 Rear Brake Shoe  $80
Brake shoe hardware  $13
Turn drums  $0
Brake line  $0

Suspension
H&R OE Sport Spring Set  $205
Koni STR.T shocks  $328

Misc
Clock spring  $134


Total: $1409 

[Rupert]

If the car is such a WTFBBQ mess, do you think it's really worth it to upgrade all that? It looks like $260 or so will cover the car's needs...

[Secret Chimp]

To do list:

Engine
Ignition coil  $53
Breather hose  $24
O2 Sensor  $60

272 Street/Sport Cam  $140
Dual Valve Spring Upgrade  $110
Chrome Moly Valve Spring Retainers  $50
Hydraulic Lifters  $112
Performance chip  $100

Brakes
Porterfield R4S SHOE662 Rear Brake Shoe  $80
Brake shoe hardware  $13
Turn drums  $0
Brake line  $0

Suspension
H&R OE Sport Spring Set  $205
Koni STR.T shocks  $328

Misc
Clock spring  $134


Total: $1409 

Why would you do all of this performance bullshit on a goddamn Jetta?

[Eye of the Tiger]

If the car is such a WTFBBQ mess, do you think it's really worth it to upgrade all that? It looks like $260 or so will cover the car's needs...

I require moar funness.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Ok, if I find out I can keep this stupid car street legal, this is my must do list:

Engine
Ignition coil ???  $53
Breather hose  $24
O2 Sensor  $60

Brakes
Cheep Rear Brake Shoe  $22
Brake shoe hardware  $13
Turn drums  $0
Brake line  $0

Suspension
Shitty boring cheap NAPA shocks and struts $159
Strut mounts/bearings? I dunno if I need them yet.. $?
Right front wheel bearings is going bad. $30-60

Misc
Clock spring  $134
Rear power window is now falling into the door. Superglue? I already have some of that  $0
Ignition wiring is still screwy. It's going to fail eventually. I don't know WTF it is.  $?
Timing belt could be about due any time now. Damned if I know.

Total = no less than $495

[Eye of the Tiger]

I needed something to do today, so I ended up putting new rear shocks on the Jetta, and it basically drives like a race car now. One of the old shocks was so rusty, it started squirting oil through the flakes of rust when I took it out. lawl

Ok, if I find out I can keep this stupid car street legal, this is my must do list:

Engine
Ignition coil ???  $53
Breather hose  $24
O2 Sensor  $60

Brakes
Cheep Rear Brake Shoe  $22
Brake shoe hardware  $13
Turn drums  $0
Brake line  $0

Suspension
Front struts NAPA Resonse  $112
Rear shocks NAPA Response  $63
Right front wheel bearing  $30-60
Alignment needed badly!  $0

Misc
Clock spring  $134
Rear power window is now falling into the door. Superglue? I already have some of that  $0
Ignition wiring is still screwy. It's going to fail eventually. I don't know WTF it is.  $?
Timing belt could be about due any time now. Damned if I know.

Total = no less than $495

[Eye of the Tiger]

Rationalizing a turbo kit:

I really like this stupid car. It is quality machinery in stock form, and the only thing keeping it from being a real hoot to drive is the 2.slow motor. If I invest in a turbo kit, the Jetta will just be awesome, period. 160 whp is a big deal for a little Jetta like this. It should keep me happy for a while... maybe? I should keep the rest of the car basically stock, as the suspension and brakes can probably handle the extra power just fine, and money is otherwise best spent keeping it maintained and running.


Derationalizing a turbo kit:

I will blow up the motor, the clutch, and the transaxle, and flip over in a ditch and crash into a flaming tree. Yes, the tree is already on fire before I crash into it.
For the price of the kit, I could find a VR6 which has the same power, although it weights 300 lbs more, but then put a turbo on THAT.
For the price of the kit, I could find a decent Saab 900 SE

[The Pirate]

Terbow! 

[Eye of the Tiger]

Terbow! 

[Laconian]

You need a semi truck turbo. Twenty seconds to spool up, then you are shot back 20 seconds into the past where you crash into a tree and set it on fire, thus creating the flaming tree causality paradox.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Wait... won't I need a nuclear reaction to generate the 1.21 gigawatts?

[Laconian]

30 pounds of boost is the equivalent, the units cancel out or something

[Eye of the Tiger]

Oh. I was never good at math.

[Laconian]

it's mechanical philosophy!

[Eye of the Tiger]

it's mechanical philosophy!

[The Pirate]

+1

[Eye of the Tiger]

+1

I'm not so sure anymore...

[Eye of the Tiger]

Ok, if I find out I can keep this stupid car street legal, this is my must do list:

Engine
Ignition coil ???  $53  Coil is good. Something else is causing misfire....$???
Breather hose  $24
O2 Sensor  $60
New coolant leak!  $??? 

Brakes
Cheep Rear Brake Shoe  $22
Brake shoe hardware  $13
Turn drums  $0
Brake line  $0

Suspension
Front struts NAPA Resonse  $112
Rear shocks NAPA Response  $63
Right front wheel bearing  $60
Alignment  $0

Misc
Clock spring  $134
Rear power window is now falling into the door. Superglue? I already have some of that  $0
Ignition wiring is still screwy. It's going to fail eventually. I don't know WTF it is.  $?
Timing belt could be about due any time now. Damned if I know.

Total = no less than $425

[3.0L V6]

On the bright side, the timing belt probably won't fail until after you fix the misfiring.

[Eye of the Tiger]

On the bright side, the timing belt probably won't fail until after you fix the misfiring.

If the engine explodes, I can just rebuild it in engine performance class next semester.

I just need to makes sure I get a rebuilt title from the state before I put ANY more money into this thing.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Yay, I got a rebuilt title! Somehow, I expected this to take a lot longer than it did, and/or they would deny my request because I didn't make any repairs. Whatever! Now I can sell it and get money!

[Eye of the Tiger]

Sold!   

Now it's just me and the Volvo

[the Teuton]

Sold!   

Now it's just me and the Volvo

You could have at least waited until we made it to 50 pages for this mundane car.

[Eye of the Tiger]

You could have at least waited until we made it to 50 pages for this mundane car.

I THOUGHT I needed some fast money... OH WELL. Less cars scattered about the world that I have to worry about. I can focus everything on the Volvo for now.

[the Teuton]

I THOUGHT I needed some fast money... OH WELL. Less cars scattered about the world that I have to worry about. I can focus everything on the Volvo for now.

Is your Volvo RWD?