[urq] Miscellaneous bits of info....

Wed Jun 7 12:38:29 EDT 2006

It's being a long time that I've asked/posted infos from my car, baby
Estelle takes the major part of my time, so I will post them as I
remember them. If you want to post a reply, please edit  the subject
line with the related title, for the archives...

Alternator idiot light bulb:

When replacing the idiot lights, I discovered one bulb that was
different: one is a 2 watt bulb, while all the others are 1.2W. Bentley
shows that the 2W bulb is for the ALT idiot light. Why only this one ?
It is not the most catastrophic problem, oil pressure is worst, so maybe
it is a way of preventing the ALT light to glow when the blinkers are on
? It sure makes a difference, now mine is very difficult to see even at
night. 

Normal oil temperature ?

I've installed 2 temperature gauges: water and oil. Both are using the
same sender, a VDO unit that is used as a VW aircooled oil plug.
14x1.5mm, with the correct range for the 150C gauges. One is installed
as an oil plug, while the other is installed in a 4000 elbow at the
front of the engine. The 10mm hole is plugged now but can accept another
sending unit if needed.  Water temp is 100C (this is at the exit of the
water flow), but oil temp is 130C-140C after a short 5 minute ride. Is
this OK ? 

Engine knock ? No.... exhaust leak.

What I thought was knock is now identified as an exhaust leak at the
"test tube", the catalytic converter replacement. I spent the night
trying to install a flex pipe in place of the test tube, but an exhaust
shop will be needed. 

Hot start: a new path for a solution

The CIS hot start booklet that I got from the SAAB lady is interesting,
as it showed me another potential problem area : the hot start pulse
relay. What I didn't know was the fact that even hot, the 6th injector
has a role to play while cranking. Now, from my scapyard hunting, I have
dozens of relays, one of which is the correct 813 906 064 found on a
Jetta 1. More to follow when I'll test them.

Baby seat install: almost a LATCH for an urQ...

Since I am the babysitter, and swapping the baby seat from car to car
was a PITA, I found a way of installing a LATCH equipped seat in my urQ.
First, you need a donor car that has a similar belt buckle (Rabbit,
Jetta 1, early Coupe or 4000) that you can grind a bit to have the LATCH
tie-down attached to it. The other end is attached to the chrome rail
that runs along the door sill. The back tether is just attached to the
rear cented belt buckle, without any modification. Now, the baby seat is
firmly attached to 3 OEM seatbelts points. It even looks a bit like a
racing harness with the 3rd strap that reach the rear seat area.
Pictures on request. Oh, of course, you must install baby in the front
passenger seat.  
WRT the seat itself, it is an inexpensive Graco ComfortSport Convertible
seat in the perfectly matched Bevington Brown fabric
(http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=8639BEV
<http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=8639BEV&Categ
oryID=1> &CategoryID=1). That is, for the 1983 brown interior...

Dragging brakes : where to look ?

I know some of you have the same problem and pointed the Master cylinder
as the culprit, but mine is recent, as well as the 4 calipers. The
parking brake is OK. The hoses are old, as well as the proportionning
valve. I have measured the rotor's surface temperature, with an infrared
thermometer, and usually rears are higher. Is this normal since the
rears are solid, and the fronts are vented ? Or is this a sign of a
failing PV ?

Scrapyard hunting part 2 and 3:

I've returned twice to that same scrapyard to pull some other parts, and
each time prices were lower... So maybe Brandon's was correct: I've paid
too much the first time, but now she his more compliant... I have now a
rare programmable wiper relay (73$), a few washer fluid reservoirs
(front 67$ and rear 84$), 4 dashboard bulbs (17$ each), 1 diff lock
actuator (255$), 1 speedo cable (150$), 2x 4000 elbows (85$), many
window switches (58$ each), 1 interior mirror without "flakes" (135$),
2x gauges panel, and so on... Prices are what my Audi dealer wants for
them... I don't have to say that I paid much less than that... mainly
because each trip I brought back a plastic trunk cover for another
lister... These covers are very convenient because they acts like an eye
magnet and makes everythink else virtually free...  Anyway, we don't do
this for money, right ?

I think I've covered much of the stuff I wanted to share, 

Cheers !

Louis-Alain 