VW Diesel Pickup: Cheap Tricks

Cheap Tricks

Here are some Cheap Tricks I've employed on my VW Diesel Pickup (a.k.a. Caddy)

• Add a digital tachometer to your diesel
• Caddy Rear Suspension Tricks
• Clicking odometer got you stuck on 0.3 mile?
• A nifty 2" hitch receiver for your step bumper
• Not exactly cheap, but my Caddy Shack is definitely trick!
• CV Joint overhaul procedure
• Fuel Filter Replacement
• Water Pump Replacement
• Wheel well splash guards
• Repairing license plate light bulbs
• AnNoYiNg RaTtLes
• Longer windshield wiper blades
• Polyurethane suspension bushings
• Brighter Backup lights
• Larger Side Mirrors
• Cheap Air Conditioning Tricks
• Starting Fluid
• Manual radiator fan control
• Custom exhaust
• Door alignment
• Smog check (not!)
  
• Jan's VW page has some good fix-it tips as well
  
• What is this Banana Scale?

Return to my VW Diesel Pickup Page...

Door Handles:

Here is a step by step guide on how to remove/repair a door handle:

1. Pry off the metal insert (start at the end nearest the lock).
2. Then you will see a phillips head screw at the opposite end from the lock, remove this.
3. Open the door, and there is a large phillips screw pointing towards the hinges of the door, remove this.
4. Then slide the handle towards the hinges as far as possible, and it should come out. There is a plastic hook on the non-lock end.
5. There really is no adjustment, but you can lubricate them while they're out. More than likely the ones that aren't working are broken.

Tip from John Van Vuren

Door Lock:

Here is a step by step guide on how to re-key a door lock to work with a different key:

1. Remove door handle from truck as previously described
2. Loosen phillips head screw that goes into back of lock cylinder
3. Stick key into lock (not absolutely necessary)
4. Remove phillips head screw, metal "fork", and coil spring, noting their relative positions
5. The lock cylinder comes out the outside of the door handle, towards the key. There should be an O-ring type gasket between lock cylinder and handle.
6. Slowly remove key from lock (the brass tumblers will move)
7. Stick key into lock that you'd like to make the lock work with
8. Look at the tumbler closest to the key, see which way it sticks out, then remove key and pull tumbler out with small needle nose pliers. The slots in the tumblers are in different locations, find another tumbler with the slot in the proper position so that it will be flush with the cylinder when the key is inserted.
9. Repeat for the rest of the tumblers, and then the other side. I have always just been able to rearrange the tumblers to get the job done, but I'm guessing that it's possible you won't have all the proper tumblers. In that case, it's time to go junkyard scrounging.
10. Also note that there are small springs for the tumblers, which push them out a little ways when the key is removed. Be sure they stay where they belong. Now isn't a bad time to clean all the old gummy grease out and re-lube.

Tip from John Van Vuren

Fuel Filter Replacement:

I think VW recommends replacing the fuel filter every 15,000 miles or so. I usually run mine until I start seeing bubbles in the clear fuel line, especially at full throttle, which seems to be about every 2 years and 20,000 miles. Replacement is a fairly easy process, requiring no tools. There are a few tips to make it easier, though.

I have an upper stress bar between the strut towers. It is a lot easier if I remove that first. Mine is held on with 13mm nuts, one of which requires a u-joint socket to remove. Its also easier if you remove the air intake cover and filter, by removing the 4 spring clips that hold it in place. Now, reach in, grab the filter and twist it off. Be careful to keep it level, it holds over a pint of fuel.

With the old filter off, take the new one and fill it with Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF). You could also use clean diesel fuel, but the detergents in the ATF will give your injector pump and injectors a good cleaning. Wipe some of the ATF on the two rubber gaskets and then screw the filter on and tighten by hand.

Now start the engine and check for leaks. With the filter pre-filled, you should see the red ATF in the clear fuel line almost immediately. There should be no bubbles in the fuel line, if there are try checking the filter for leaks.

Water Pump Replacement:

Well, it finally happened after about a year of warning, my water pump gave up the ghost. I had been noticing a drop or two of dark liquid in the plug beneath the pump housing for the last year. Nothing major but this gave me ample warning to the impending failure. One night driving home on a bumpy road, I started hearing a (new) rattle. Upon investigating, I saw the belt to the water pump and A/C compressor looked loose. Upon further inspection, the A/C compressor itself was loose (in fact there were no bolts at the base) and the water pump was gone, as evidenced by my wet hand after pulling the water pump plug.

First step is to get the old pump out. With factory A/C, it is not possible to get the pump housing off while its attached to the vehicle. Several of the bolts are behind pulleys and brackets. So, to remove the pump I did the following:

• Remove the alternator and its belt
• Loosen the A/C compressor and remove its belt and the water pump pulley
• Remove the upper and lower timing belt covers - lower one has a bolt that goes through the water pump
• Remove the radiator hoses and the radiator for more working room (its held by a clip and two nuts at the base; pull the battery for access to the driver's side nut)
• Disconnect the A/C compressor from its bracket (easy - mine wasn't connected - no bolts at its base)
• Then remove the A/C compressor bracket, held in place by 4 bolts, two below the compressor, two above:
  • By lifting the compressor, an offset wrench can get to the two lower bolts
  • A u-jointed 13mm socket will access the left hand upper bolt
  • A 13mm "obstruction" wrench (S-shaped) is needed for the right hand upper bolt
• The pump can now be dropped out from under the A/C bracket

Once out, there are 7-10mm bolts to remove. Most likely they are corroded into place. I found that by heating each one up with a propane torch until it started smoking, then applying a slight tightening torque (to crack the threads loose), they all came out w/o a problem (even the one I snapped off before discovering the heat trick). Then, I wire brushed the bolts and ran a tap down the internal threads to prepare them for re-assembly. Then, with pump housing in hand, head off to the parts store to get a replacement. My pump is the older 40mm hub style. I found VW only carries this part in a full pump (to the tune of $140). Anyway, I found a GMB pump for $32, after first getting a 30mm version, I suggest holding the old and new pump housings up side by side to make sure the hub diameter and offset match.

To make re-assembly a bit easier, I made a few modifications. First, I ran a tap down the through hole in the water pump where the lower timing belt cover attaches. I found a 5/16x18 tap fit w/o drilling and a 1" allen-head screw fit nicely in place. On the A/C bracket, I cut out a section of the web near the hard-to-get-at bolt to allow for a bit more wrenching room. I had to get new bolts for the base of the A/C compressor to replace the missing ones. On the pulley side, the fit is really tight, I ground down a bolt (to 14mm head) to fit. I think an allen-head bolt would be a better choice. Assembly is the reverse of the removal, use anti-seize or thread locking compound on all the bolts. I also tried using a teflon thread sealant on the water pump bolts. Autotech carries a set of stainless steel bolts for this application that resist corrosion.

One tip I have for properly tensioning the v-belts is as follows:

I wrap a nylon strap around the driven accessory (A/C compressor or alternator) then lay a board or piece of angle iron across the engine bay, resting on the passenger side strut tower and extending over the front of the bumper. Then, tie the strap around the lever and use a jack to raise the lever to apply the desired tension to the belt. Once tensioned, tighten the adjuster and pivot bolts and then drop the lever. Works like a charm and I've never had to re-tighten a loose belt.

Rating:
  

Mainly due to the A/C compressor and the restricted working room. I did the job on my non-A/C '78 Rabbit and it was a piece of cake.

Repairing License Plate Bulbs:

You know, those two little plastic encased light bulbs beside your rear license plate. Seems they last about 10 years then burn out. I pulled mine out and couldn't figure out how to get them apart, so I picked up new ones at the dealer (ouch!). Lewis Grimes, a fellow Caddy owner, passed on this tip for repairing said bulbs:

Cost:

  1   New side marker lamp   $1

Rating:

Longer Wiper Blades:

My A1 VW came with 16" wiper blades. I was never happy with the coverage (or lack thereof) of the wipers. There was a section near the top and side of the windshield that was not cleared. I measured the clearances and it looked like an 18" blade would fit. I bought a set of dual-blade aerodynamic wiper arms and installed them. The driver's side fit perfectly, on the passenger side, I had a bit of interference on the outer end. I trimmed a bit (~1/4") of the plastic off the end of the arm and a corresponding bit off the wiper itself to correct the problem.

For additional coverage, I adjusted the driver's side wiper so that it was a bit higher on the windshield. It used to rest on a downward angle, I made it parallel to the hood. Now, at its upper stroke, it runs right the the left edge of the windshield.

After doing all this, I discovered Rain-X and now hardly ever use my wipers anymore.

Cost:

  1   Pr. 18" wiper arms   $10
  ----------------------------
                           $10
  

Rating:

Brighter Backup Lights:

I tried a set of those 50W halogen backup lights a few years ago. The first set I tried had trouble with the leads breaking off inside the socket, so I went back to the stock bulbs. Recently I found some new bulbs. They still had the same design as before, but I tried injecting some hi-temp silicone inside the socket to prevent the bulb from moving and breaking the leads.

These bulbs worked for a while then I noticed I had no backup lights at all. The bulbs and fuse were fine, but I guess the 8A load fried the reverse switch on the transmission. This switch supplies current to the rear lights directly, there is no in-line relay. The switch read open-circuit all the time. A new switch cost me $16 at the dealer and only took a minute to install. On my 5-speed transmission, the backup switch is located just in front of the speedometer cable.

Note:

1. The reverse switch comes in two varieties, be sure to get the part number off your existing switch before buying the part.
2. If you intend to run hi-power backup lamps, I would strongly suggest adding a relay, as the reverse switch does not appear to have much of a current rating.
3. Clean the inside of the reflector and the bulb. With the new switch and clean optics, the brightness of the backup lights are astonishing.

Cost:

  1   Reverse switch   $16
  ------------------------
                       $16
  
  (If needed).

Rating:

Cheap Air Conditioning Tricks:

After using the A/C for an extended period of time you might notice that the passenger side foot well is soggy. Usually this is due to a plugged drain line for the A/C condensation. The easiest way I've found to fix it (usually needs to be done once every year or two) is to pull off the little cover plate right where the passengers left foot would be. From here, you can find the rubber drain hose, pull it off and blow some compressed air through it. The hose is just the right size to insert the tip of an air blowgun into. A blast or two and it is all clear. If it is really plugged you may need to snake some wire down to open it up.

If you get that au-de-locker-room smell emanating from your vents, you may have stuff growing inside your ventilation system. One relatively inexpensive way to combat this is to switch to the Vent position, all outlets open, fan on full speed and then spray in a whole can of Lysol disinfectant (choose a scent you can tolerate) into the air intake (under the plastic cover at the back of the engine compartment. This should suck the disinfectant through the ducts and put a stop to the critters growing in there.

Finally, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The last few minutes of your trip, shut of the A/C while keeping the blower on. This will help dry out any condensation inside the system.

Cost:
 $0 - $2 (for the Lysol)

Rating:
  

Starting Fluid

A can of starting fluid (usually an ether base or good old WD-40) carried beneath the seat will get you going if you loose the glow plugs. Just pop the hood, give a good squirt into a rag placed near the air intake, jump in and crank it. This will pull air/fumes over the rag, into the intake. Alternately, have someone spray starting fluid into the intake as you crank the engine over. Don't cycle the glow plugs, in fact you really shouldn't let them warm up to prevent back firing. It'll catch right away and spit out a cloud of black smoke. Works like a charm, I've gotten going with only one working glow plug a few times. Also great for high-altitude and cold weather starting.

Cost:
 $3

Rating:
   unless you sniff too much ether :-)

Door Re-Alignment:

My driver's side door was sagging (who's isn't!) to the point that the door latch was not working very well. I tried loosening up the hinges and moving the striker plate to their respective limits. No good. Then I tried the jack-under-the-door method and was able to get a bit of adjustment, but the improvement didn't last long. Then one day I read a USENET article from someone who was asking why they had a washer under one of the hinges and that it seemed to be messing up the door alignment.

Well, that weekend I went out to see if I could figure out what they might be talking about. If you look at the door hinge, the door piece attaches to the frame piece with a bolt. The door piece is attached to the front side of the frame piece. By placing a nice fat washer in between the halves of the *top* hinge, you can easily pull the latch side of the door up and permanently cure the sag.

Caveat: If the plastic piece on the latch pin is badly worn from the latch striking it, this fix may produce an annoying rattle in your door. If it does, here's a simple fix for it.

Parts: 
  One or more washers 

Cost: 
  Under a buck (or free if you have a well-stocked junk drawer).
 
Rating:
  

Smog Check (NOT):

Why don't light-duty, diesel-powered vehicles have to get a (CA) Smog Check?

Parts: 
  None (YEAH)

Cost: 
  Free (ALL RIGHT!)

Rating:
  Yes, we have no s.

The Banana Scale:

The Shade Tree Howler Monkey scale was originated by Larry Soo, here's how the bananas rank:

The Banana Scale

Bananas	Description
	Easy.
	Moderately difficult.
	Pushing the limits of a stock howler monkey; opposable thumbs only get you so far.
	Requires the ability to communicate abstract ideas to other howler monkeys.
	The job should only be attempted by a professional orangutan.

Trivia answer: He wasn't (buried anywhere, that is), rather he fell overboard, or was otherwise "lost at sea" while crossing the English Channel, and was never found.