[Vwdiesel] 89 Jetta NA diesel experience?

[James Hansen]

Doyt.
I had a td 89 german production Jetta.

Just buy it.

That has to have been the best chassis they ever made from the longevity and
robustness standpoint.  It handles well, corners well, never gave me a
minute's grief.  I sold it with original motor, at 560000km, and for all I
know, it's still going.  The only motor work ever done was 2 cam followers
at 570000 (still by me for the second owner), and the usual maintenance.
Hands down, the best car I've ever owned.

There are a couple weak spots.  The usual leaking windshield killing the
fuse panel/ glow plug relays thing.  I built a silicone dam so if moisture
ever got that far, it was diverted...  BECAUSE, the plugs on the relay back
are kind of flaky, and are subject to corrosion.  In fact, that would be the
first thing I would do, is de-battery it, and pull the fuse panel, remove,
clean, and dielectric grease each plug on the fuse panel back.   Second
would be to install relays on the headlamps, particularly the high beams,
but the lows aren't hurt by that either.  This pretty much turns the
headlamp circuit into a signal wire only, which will head off any resistance
heat- fuse block melting to wiring harness plug issues.

On that note, the DOT headlights do indeed suck, and are worthy of a Yugo
award.  There's no help for them, maybe glass ones from China, but they have
to go, they're dangerous, horrid light polluting POS.  I acquired a gti
style conversion grill that housed the 2 big 2 small round headlamps. 100w
in the small driving lights, 80/100 in the big high/lows make for good, safe
night driving.  There's lots of deer here, and without light, you hit them.
You can use them to remove paint from your garage door too if necessary,
just park close, and hit the high beams...

Hope you get it.  The A2's are a wonderful car.
-james



> -----Original Message-----
> From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]
> On Behalf Of Doyt W. Echelberger
> Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 6:37 PM
> To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Subject: [Vwdiesel] 89 Jetta NA diesel experience?
> 
> I have an opportunity to acquire a German-production 1989 Jetta na
> diesel
> at 97,000 miles, and would appreciate input from owners of similar
> vehicles
> regarding characteristics and eccentricities of the model.
> 
> My own experience is with TD Jettas and na Rabbits from the middle
> 80's.
> They were relatively responsive cars.
> This one doesn't feel that way.
> 
> I wonder if I could (safely) improve performance a little bit by
> swapping
> in the turbo from my 85 Jetta TD, and run it with the na injector pump
> (because the special TD pump from the 85 is leaking and would require
> an
> overhaul.)
> 
> I drove it for about 20 minutes and found it to be alarmingly
> underpowered
> for pulling out into traffic and accelerating to highway speed. It
> sounded
> like it was reving really high while cruising in 5th gear at 60mph. And
> the
> sound level was high at all speeds. The ride was very good and the
> steering
> and handling precise, with good braking and a working emergency brake.
> 
> A part was missing from the module that adjusts for altitude....some
> kind
> on aneroid device that included what looked like a vacuum advance that
> you
> would normally find on a distributor. I saw the picture, but the device
> was
> missing from the vehicle.
> 
> The heater and blower worked, but the AC was only slightly noticeable
> at
> Max setting.
> 
> Wipers, horn and lights all worked....no bad glass, interior 9/10. Ext
> 8/10.  Several rust spots...one at lower edge of windshield driver
> side,
> one the size of a fist below the door sill on the driver side.
> 
> Tires look 9/10 but might be old. The car was towed behind a motor home
> for
> much of its history. It has a set of tow bar eyes welded into the front
> bumper, and a rear trailer hitch for a trailer that weighs about 150
> lbs.
> 
>   Real cash value estimate would also be appreciated.
> 
> 
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