From: scottv@rs6413.ecs.rpi.edu (Vaughan K. Scott)
Subject: Re: Rabbit Speedo & Jetta Tranny & horn
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 15:20:02 GMT

cse0075@uoft02.utoledo.edu writes:


>Hi.  I just got my first VW yesterday.  It's an '81 Rabbit Diesel with nearly
>170,000 miles.  I drove it home from Cincinnati yesterday (about 180 miles)
>and got over 50 mpg.  (I was following my SO's '85 Jetta GL which only got
>32 mpg).

>The only thing that seems to be wrong with it is that the speedometer is not
>accurate.  Assuming that the Jetta's speedo is correct (which it may not be,
>see below), 60 indicated = 65 actual, and 50 indicated = 55 actual, etc.
>I don't mind making the adjustment in my head, (unless there is a really easy
>fix) but I need to know if I need to also adjust the placement of the dots
>indicating maximum speed in each gear. (Do I need to subtract 5mph from each
>dot?)  I haven't driven it enough to figure out if the speedo is off at lower
>speeds.

>Regarding the '85 Jetta:  The automatic tranny was replaced about six months
>ago by an auto from a Scirocco (no Jetta tranny available on short notice).
>Consequently, the car runs at higher rpms than it used to (for the same speed).
>I think it is about 4000 rpm for 65mph.  Will this cause any damage to the
>engine?  Will it cause the speedometer to be off (it wasn't recalibrated).

>Also, the horn has been doing strange things.  Since it got cold, sometimes
>shortly after starting, the horn will honk uncontrollably. (not steady, but as
>if some gremlin were standing on the wheel and pushing and releasing a button)
>The problem fixes itself if the engine is turned off and restarted.
	I also have an '81 diesel Rabbit, and I find that if one of the keys on
my keyring slips into the crack between the steering wheel cover and the column
that this will supply 12 V to the horn which will promptly sound off, till I
pull the key out.  I figure that the bright engineer who designed the ignition
switch did it so that the key itself is at +12V when the ignition is on.  This
combines with the fact that the horn switch is "above" (at a higher potential)
than the horn itself, so the horn will go off.
>Any ideas???

>Also, do you have any comments/suggestions on putting a cassette receiver in
>the Rabbit ? (speakers too)
	I got a couple of cheap ($30) shelf-mount speakers, and put them in
the back window shelf.  I ran the wiring under the carpet, and along the 
driver's side door sill (the plastic protector will lift up, and you can run
then under it).  I would expect any standard-size radio cassette player to
fit in tha dash hole w/out any problem (I also replaced the origional radio
in my Rabbit).  One more note on the speakers: I wouldn't recommend getting
a really expensive set for a diesel rabbit, simply because of the great amount
of noise the car generates at higher revs.  The main thing you'll want is 
volume (so get a powerful amp, something I wish I had).  The back shelf
speakers alone will be a great improvement over the stock dash speakers, if
you can't afford dash replacements too (like me).  (The brand of speakers
I use are Pyramid, gotten from one of those electronics warehouse-type places).

>Thanks,

>Mark LaPlante
>cse0075@uoft02.utoledo.edu

Vaughan Scott		I could get 50+ mpg, if it weren't for all these
scottv@rpi.edu		damn hills!
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Newsgroups: rec.autos.vw