HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mark@wdcwdc.sps.mot.com (Mark Shaw)
Subject: Re: alternator light comes on in the rain
Organization: Motorola Western MCU Design Center, Chandler Arizona
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 16:19:35 GMT

In article <73386@cup.portal.com>, CPS@cup.portal.com (CHRIS PATRIC SMOLINSKI) writes:
|> I have a 88 Golf that recently (well, a year or so ago I guess, it has just
|> recently become annoying) started having a problem in heavy rain. The 
|> alternator indicator LED comes on (not bright, usually quite dim in fact).
|> Then, after maybe a minute or so, it goes off, and you can hear the squeal of
|> a belt just as it goes out.
|>  
|> Ideas? I suspect that some sort of guard may have fallen out or come loose,
|> allowing water from the road to splash up inside under the hood. Of course,
|> if it is completely missing, I may not know it isn't there. Has anyone seen
|> this type of problem before? 

I have found this to be a common problem in the rain on the older water-cooled
engines as well.  Check your belt tension the water is allowing the slip and
the squeal is when the water has just been rubbed away.  There may be a guard
on the later models, but even without it the belt should not slip that much
when it is wet.  The problem will be aggravated just after starting your
engine or with a heavy electrical load.

Mark
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: bjgaed@bb1t.monsanto.com
Subject: Re: '74 Super...Valves
Organization: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 13:11:09 GMT

In article <ZOWIE.93Jan5225223@daedalus.stanford.edu>, zowie@daedalus.stanford.edu (Craig "Powderkeg" DeForest) writes:
> In article <foo> db6j+@andrew.cmu.edu (Douglas S. Brashear) writes:

[Question re Valve Adjustment deleted]

> yes, do the valves.
> 
[Lotsa Good Advice deleted]

> first time around.  You'll get better.
> 
> To get the feel of a feeler gauge, try loosening the gap, then sliding the
> gauge back and forth as you slowly tighten the gap.  You'll definitely 
> feel it make contact just before it seizes up.  That's the feel you're
> looking for.  You can double check your .006" clearances by trying to
> slip a .008" gauge in.  If it goes in, it's too loose.  If the .006" doesn't
> go in, it's too tight.

I've never worked on a super, but aren't all valve clearances .004" 
since all heads since the 40hp have short studs?

> Putting the valve covers back on can be a bit of a pain:  you've got to
> align the cork gaskets, and may even need new ones.  I once trashed a cork
> gasket by not lining it up inside the head cover, and spent a quart of oil
> driving to the dealership to get a new one.

I've always taken Muir's advice and cemented the gaskets into the 
covers (**NOT** onto the heads).  If you have really smooth, brand new 
valve covers the "no cement" approach works, but if there has ever 
been cement on your valve covers, or they are at all scratched on the 
sealing surfaces, my experience has been that you will leak oil.
> 
--Electric Monk            (Bruce Gaede); 
                            e-mail: bjgaed@ccmail.monsanto.com

"...and then time started seriously to pass."
--Douglas Adams, _Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency_
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: mark@wdcwdc.sps.mot.com (Mark Shaw)
Subject: Re: GTi dashboard electrical problems
Organization: Motorola Western MCU Design Center, Chandler Arizona
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 23:09:37 GMT

In article <104332@netnews.upenn.edu>, noorder@aurora.cis.upenn.edu (Alexander Noordergraaf) writes:
|> In article <C0MLyD.JJ4@sdf.lonestar.org>, davidb@sdf.lonestar.org (David Brandon) writes:
|> |>  i have a 85 cabriolet and the instrument panel works sometimes...
|> |>  since this has started, i have replace the voltage stabilizer and
|> |>  this fixed the problem for the next 1000 miles, but once again
|> |>  the panel doesnt work. i have the vw service manual and the
|> |>  schematics only show the stabilizer as the weak link.
|> |>  Doth anyone have any idea on why this thing either doesnt work
|> |>  or why it keeps on commiting suicide?!
|> 
|> 	Howdy,
|> 
|> 	I have also been having problems with the dashboard on an '83 GTi.
|> The speedo works, but the tach and none of the check lights work. Also,
|> the 5 Amp fuse for the dash has shorted out.  Does anyone have a suggestion
|> as to what might be the problem?  Also, the temp/gas/voltage gauges don't
|> work either.


Same dash configuration, check for a missing ground connection to the cluster.
Everything is powered thru one pin on the connector.  Some of the lights are
powered by more than one source, but all share the same ground.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: blaine@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu (Greyland Blaine Mull)
Subject: Re: [W] '90 Passat with gear shifting problems
Keywords: Passat, transmission
Organization: North Carolina State University
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 21:58:59 GMT

haskins@mipps.myapc.com (Robert D. Haskins) writes:

>I have noticed a problem with shifting into reverse, though not all of the time.
>The vehicle will be stopped for at least 5 seconds (with my foot on the brake, 
>obviously), at which time I attempt to place it into reverse.  I can hear the 
>'grind' of the teeth. If I move the car a foot or so forward, and repeat the 
>procedure, it shifts fine.

>Has anyone else noticed this phenomena?  

	YES!!!

	I have an 88 Jetta GL that I purchased new and it has had this
problem all along.  The bad thing is that I have never been able to show
the people at the dealership(s), because when I am near that area it
shifts fine.  So they just shrug their shoulders.	
	
Here is the moral of the story:  

	Last March (my car had around 50k on it), I shifted into reverse
with the usual difficulty to leave my church parking space. SLAM, the car 
made a loud jerking noise.  Then "clanked" really loud and kinda jerked
when backing up.  The next day I took it to the VW shop and come to find
out 1 tooth popped of reverse gear, and after bouncing around for a day
also messed up first , second and the syncro.  All this adds up to
$1400+ in parts ONLY.  The dealership knocked off all labor after I rant
and raved for a little while - I mean gee whiz, my family has only
bought 5 cars from them over the years.  The car has a brand new
transmission now and about 62K miles...and it is still hard to get into
reverse and first sometimes.

	please, I love VWs, but persist to have this fixed no matter
what!

-grey

 Grey Mull	       +Disclamer:  I didn't say it,-+  Macintosh
 blaine@catt.ncsu.edu  |   You didn't see me say it, |       to
 gbmull@eos.ncsu.edu   +---You can't prove anything!-+      NeXT...
NC State CATT Program				Steve Jobs continues...
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: andyh@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Andrew J. Huang)
Subject: Re: Engine mods
Organization: Brandeis University
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 19:18:08 GMT

In article <1993Jan6.205429.9900@aio.jsc.nasa.gov> mike@drseus.jsc.nasa.gov (Mike Ross) writes:
>In article <6JAN199310345747@nessie.cc.wwu.edu> 8635660@nessie.cc.wwu.edu writes:
>>
>>With that in mind, let me list some of the modifications that I am
>>considering...
>>5) Get the crankshaft balanced (I'm not sure what this is either, but a local
>>   VW guru told me it was a good idea to increase longevity and reduce
>>   vibration, &c.)
>
>All those mod's look good, but unless you're racing or high-revving,
>the balanced crank will be expensive.  I would suggest taking your 

>-mike

I'm not certain what would be considered expensive, but around here
(Boston) there is a shop specializing in balancing all of your
reciprocating parts.  Recent price for a complete balance job (crank,
rods, pistons) was $160.  That is you bring them your parts and they
put them on their machinery and remove metal from various and sundry
places until it is perfectly balanced. (Balanced better than factory).
The balance job should not affect longevity adversely.

After my Lotus motor was balanced, I could sit a glass of water on the
cam cover and see no vibration at idle (or so it seemed).

-andy
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: andyh@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Andrew J. Huang)
Subject: [W] Plastic Radiator: a Warning and a Repair
Keywords: VW, Rabbit, Radiator
Organization: Brandeis University
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 17:03:24 GMT

My 84 GTI has an aluminum radiator with plastic end tanks.  Recently
it began leaking from the pocket into which the mounting bracket fits.

The warning: the bracket is steel and water collects in the
pocket.  The steel rusts, expands and distorts the pocket badly enough
to tear the plastic, leaving your radiator with a small leak.  If your
radiator is attached this way, remove the brackets, clean off the
rust, fill the pocket with grease and replace the brackets. The grease
will prevent rust.  RTV will let water seep in but not evaporate.

Secondly, the repair.  Nothing sticks well to the plastic.  RTV, vinyl
gutter cement, PVC pipe cement, contact cement all didn't bond.
Although epoxy will not bind either, it has good inherent
mechanical strength.  Thus if the epoxy is worked into and around the
crack, it will act like a custom formed plug.  The important part is
to get the epoxy _into_ the crack.

After cleaning the tear thoroughly (PVC pipe cleaner and primer) I
used a plastic syringe to inject epoxy deep into the crack and over
the whole general area.  I also tossed in some fiberglass strands
bridging the tear to prevent the tear widening.  After replacing the
bracket while the epoxy was still liquid, it set up overnight and has
been leak-free for over two weeks.

I used System Three epoxy and a syringe from a West Systems repair
kit.  System Three has a good $10 trial kit.  You might be able to
find these at a marine shop.  Note that polyester resin for
fiberglassing is not as strong as epoxy, although it might work.
Ditto "Epoxy" in tubes or twin syringes from hardware stores.

System Three: (206) 782 7976
P.O.Box 70436
Seattle WA 98107

andy huang
From: hgg@icf.hrb.com (Herbert G. Greene)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: [A] Re: VW Bug Front Tires should be 18 lb
Date: 11 Jan 93 07:44:24 EST
Organization: HRB Systems, Inc.

After reading the 18psi discussion, I lowered the pressure in the front
tires on my '70 Bug and it definately corners differently now.  I'm 
confused though as to why lowering the tire-pressure induces understeer.
Is it always the case that lowering pressure in the front tires will
increase their drift angle during cornering or does this only occur in
in vehicles with aft cg's?  Any explanation would be appreciated.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: eric@mis.Tandem.com (Eric Prior)
Subject: For Sale - 1989 VW Jetta GLI  $10,900
Reply-To: eric@mis.Tandem.com (Eric Prior)
Organization: Tandem Computers., Inc.
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 01:48:40 GMT

For Sale ====== For Sale ====== For Sale ====== For Sale ======

1989 Volkswagen Jetta GLI 16V    $10,900

I am the original owner and have all service paperwork. This car has only
36K original miles and is in excellent condition. The color is black with
alloy wheels and gray velour Recaro sport seats. I bought a new VW Corrado
so I'm looking to sell the Jetta. Below is a partial list of features.

Sunroof
Air Conditioning
Pioneer AM/FM Cassette Pull-out Stereo
Floormats, Front and Rear
Car Cover

The car is located in Campbell, CA.
If interested, call Eric Prior at (408) 285-1936.


Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: peter.hertler@rose.com (peter hertler)
Subject: 88 VW Jetta Fan Repl.
Organization: Rose Media Inc, Toronto, Ontario.
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:32:41 GMT
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.70)


Date Entered: 01-12-93 15:59
Subject: 88 VW Jetta fan replacement
X-Gated-By: Usenet <==> RoseMail Gateway (v1.70)
Organization: University of Toronto Computing Services
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:28:08 GMT

C>My 88 Jetta heat/AC fan is dying (making awful noise when cold). How
C>easy/difficult is it to replace ?   
C>The dealer wants Can$500 for the work, I am sure it can be done alot 
C>cheaper by myself.   
C>
C>Any information will be appreciated.
C>
C>Thanks in advance.

Not difficult, I have done 3 in several Jetta's.

I paid about CDN$300+ for the fan.

Take of the glove box and it will be very obvious from then on
what else must come out.

Regards

Peter Hertler

Peter.Hertler@ROSE.COM



---
   RoseReader 1.70 R002637
   RoseMail 2.00 : RoseNet<=>Usenet Gateway : Rose Media 416-733-2285
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: BARANSKI@veamf1.nusc.navy.mil (Jim Baranski)
Subject: Put pop top on regular bus?
Organization: Lanman Hill, Norwich CT
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 17:32:51 GMT
X-News-Reader: VMS NEWS 1.20

Is it possible to put a pop top on a regular bus, or are the camper models
specially reinforced or something?

Jim Baranski
From: morton@gaul.csd.uwo.ca (Brent Morton)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: [W] '90 Passat with gear shifting problems
Keywords: Passat, transmission
Date: 9 Jan 93 21:57:54 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Dept., Univ. of Western Ontario, London, Canada

In article <1993Jan8.180605.4463@bmerh85.bnr.ca> seymour@bnr.ca (Jeffrey Seymour) writes:
>I have the same problem with my '91 although not very pronounced. What I do is shift between 1st & 2nd a couple of times then into reverse.  It seems to help.  I have had this problem with a few cars over the years.  Extra shifting seems to help.

I've noticed this too with my '91 Passat. I've discovered that, in my case 
anyway, it happens after some driving, perhaps 20 minutes or so. Additionally,
it only occurs if I'm trying to shift quickly into reverse. 

My solution is to let it sit in neutral for perhaps one or two seconds
before shifting to reverse -- this eliminates the grinding noise. This is also
a technique recommended in the owner's manual.

-- Brent
morton@artifis.gaul.csd.uwo.ca
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: edb17@bih.no (Svein)
Subject: Re: test
Organization: Bergen College of Engineering, Bergen, Norway
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 93 12:43:21 GMT

Svein (edb17@bih.no) wrote:

> just a test...

And thats what it was...

Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: shade@chdasic.sps.mot.com (Douglas Shade)
Subject: Re: [A] brakes suck in my '63
Reply-To: shade@chdasic.sps.mot.com
Organization: Motorola SPS ASIC, Chandler, AZ
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 21:04:29 GMT


>My brakes, in my '63 Bug, don't work.  At all.  .......

Helpful hint.

Buy a large (1 liter) bottle of brake fluid.  Pop two holes in the lid.
One to hook an air compressor up to (dial it in arount 5 to 10 PSI), the 
other with a feed tube to your master cylinder.

The whole mess charges the brake system up with 10 PSI brake fluid making the
job almost enjoyable (not to mention a one man operation for bleeding).

The thought of doing a _complete_ rebuild (all 5 cylinders) is not nearly
so intimidating.  You'll maike friends with other VW owners as well!




    ***10 PSI From Air Compressor->->->->***     *******To Master Cyl->->***
                                           *     *
                                           *     *   
                                        _____________
                                        |            |
                                        |            |
                                        |            |
                                    ____              ____

                                    | Jug 'O Brake Fluid  |
                                    ______________________|
 


Don't go passed 10PSI or the bottle may go (very messy).

---
shade@chdasic.sps.mot.com                        \/
602-821-4096                                    \/\/...its not a car
From: boubez@tastesgreat.rutgers.edu (Toufic Boubez)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: busted horns on 88 Golf
Date: 6 Jan 93 22:13:06 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

Hi there. Welcome back to everybody, and Happy New Year! As a Christmas
present, my horns stopped functioning. Oops, let me rephrase that :-)
The horns on my 88 Golf stopped working. The deterioration was slow coming,
starting as an intermittent problem a couple of weeks ago (the horn
would sometimes sound, and sometimes wouldn't). Before examining the
relays, which look like a whole lot of pain to get at (why did they ever
put them in such an inaccessible place?), I'd like to check whether it's
just a grounding problem. I did some preliminary testing, and found out
that at least one of the two horns is getting 12V when the contact on the
sttering wheel is activated. The other one is not getting anything. This
might be a compounded problem, in that the horns are probably not grounded
properly, _AND_ one of the relays is busted. Any other thoughts, tips,
ideas, etc? Thanks in advance.

toufic

            R 2 4      Toufic Boubez
            |_|_|      boubez@cesl.rutgers.edu
            | | |      Computational Engineering Systems Lab
            1 3 5      CAIP Center, Rutgers University, NJ
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: poirot@widget.jsc.nasa.gov (Daniel Poirot)
Subject: Re: I have leaky spark plugs!
Organization: NASA Johnson Space Center
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:45:59 GMT

In article <C0nCt2.KF6@umassd.edu> rgolen@UMASSD.EDU writes:
>In article <1993Jan10.150547.28292@aio.jsc.nasa.gov>, poirot@mickey.jsc.nasa.gov (Daniel Poirot) writes:
>>
>>Howdy from Houston!
>>
>>I have a 84' Audi 5000S with a NEW problem.  (~100K mi. 125-140 psi on all 5!)
>>
>>I started the car, just to see it work again, and saw BUBBLES coming
>>out from around the spark plugs.
>
>At the risk of sounding "trite" but was it bubbles as a result of
>air escaping or bubbles as in water boiling? The water will tend to
>boil at or near the plug because the plug is sitting directly on
>top of the combustion chamber.

The car was STONE cold.  I was working on the radiator, remember?

Actually, I only saw bubbles at two of the five plugs.  

My question should have been something like: "How high to torque my
plugs?" or "How many trips in and out of the head can a gasket stand?"
or "Are Champion plugs crap?"

-- 
Daniel Poirot           poirot@aio.jsc.nasa.gov
NASA JSC                "The mind is a terrible thing."
ER3                     tel: (713)483-8793
Houston, TX 77058       fax: (713)483-3204
From: daris_b1@verifone.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: Re: Petronix/Perlux ignitorexit
Date: 9 Jan 93 05:21:32 -1000
Distribution: usa
Organization: VeriFone Inc., Honolulu HI

In article <1993Jan4.214056.5230@vestek.com>, don@vestek.com (Don Labutay) writes:
> Anyone out there in California, using the Pertronix (was Perlux)
> ignitor.  

The Ignitor works great.  It's not to difficult to install, and is 
completely contained within the distributor.

>	    I was wondering if this is smog legal.

No, it is NOT smog legal (at least not the last time I checked, but
they are "working on it", that was six months ago). However, since
the whole thing is in the distributor, the only tip off would be the 
missing condensor.
  
>						       If you don't
> what this is, it's a magnetic device that replaces the points/condenser
> in the distributor.
> 
> don@vestek.com
> 
Daris
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: anbo@wuee1.wustl.edu (Albrecht Jander)
Subject: Re: decelerating by downshifting 
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis Mo.
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 16:08:37 GMT

In article <C0Iw5o.9ox@news.udel.edu> bew@brahms.udel.edu (Ben Williams) writes:
>
>Someone recently asked about warming up the engine before driving.  The
>following is possibly another `old husband's tale`:
>
>Quite a while ago I got into the (I thought good) habit of downshifting
>whenever I needed to slow down.  The rationale I was told was to save the
>brakes.  So whenever I am approaching a red light or STOP sign, I will
>downshift until I get to 2nd gear and then brake (that is assuming I have
>enough space in which to pull this off).  Is this a good driving technique?

Personally, I'd much rather do a brake job than replace the transmission, or
clutch, or even overhaul the engine.  Brakes are the cheapest components to
replace, so use them.

Albrecht
>
>This isn't a specifically VW question I know, but I do drive a VW bug.
>
>Ben.
>
>-- 
>Ben Williams
>bew@brahms.udel.edu
>
>               What we got here is a failure to communicate... 


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Peltier was a cool dude!!
From: gt6280d@prism.gatech.EDU (John S. Cobb)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: [W] Hor Technology Cam
Keywords: camshaft, water-pumper, jetta, a2
Date: 10 Jan 93 01:05:13 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

Yesterday, I ordered a Hor Technology Hydro-Sport cam for my '90 Jetta...
$99!!!!

Lifetime Warrantee
U.S. Billet
270-degree duration, 449 lift(?)
$99

Too cheap for me to pass-up.  Does anyone have any experience with  
Autotech, or Hor Tech.?  Autotech carries some high-quality stuff, so
this price caught me off-guard (has anyone seen their T-6 ALUMINUM 
upper stress bar, beautiful).

I expect it a week from Tuesday, I'll post once it's installed.

Please use email.
 
-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________ 
 John S. Cobb                            |<THE WORDS ABOVE ARE EXCLUSIVELY 
 Georgia Tech/Saturn Corporation (Co-Op) |      THE OPINIONS OF THE AUTHOR>
 INTERNET:  gt6280d@prism.gatech.edu     | 
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
From: cmk@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Chiu Kwong)
Subject: 88 VW Jetta fan replacement
Organization: University of Toronto Computing Services
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 20:28:08 GMT

  My 88 Jetta heat/AC fan is dying (making awful noise when cold).   How  
easy/difficult is it to replace ?   The dealer wants Can$500 for the work, I am
sure it can be done alot cheaper by myself.            Any information will be
appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

ck
From: jgladu@bcm.tmc.edu (grungy (John F. Gladu))
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw
Subject: More Vanagon Tires
Followup-To: rec.autos.vw
Date: 4 Jan 1993 17:28:10 GMT
Organization: Systems Support Center, BCM
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: j.ssctr.bcm.tmc.edu

I'm still looking for those reinforced sidewall tires...

Noone in the Houston area seems to have the MXL P205/70R14 97R in stock. 
One kind soul looked up their suggested application and it listed only
Vanagon, Westphalia and Carat.  I guess this explains why I'm having
problems around here.  I have yet to find any other tire in that size with
the reinforced sidewall.

The price on the MXLs has varied from $77 to $99 at the various dealers
(and they'll all have to order it).  The $99 price didn't include valve
stems or balancing [OUCH - I'm not going there...]

One of the local tire dealers told my wife NOT to get the XH4s as they
would have poor wet-weather traction.  He's telling us to get the cheaper
tires, which gives him one check-mark for sincerity - but, is he crazy? 
Does anyone out there have any XH4 experience that they can relate here?

Can someone please send me the phone number and/or address for Michelin,
Continental and Pirelli?  I'd like to here their highly-biased side to all
of this...

Thanks in advance.

bcnu - grungy (John Gladu) '61 Panel, '68,'69 Bug, '90 Vanagon
Systems Support Center -- Baylor College of Medicine
INTERNET: jgladu@bcm.tmc.edu  | VOICE: (713)798-7370
 US MAIL:  One Baylor Plaza, Houston, Texas  77030
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw