Shedding properly, 2004 Passat Estate 1.9 TDI
Discussion
F***king Hell, what a nightmare.
At the start I looked at the Haynes manual, rolled my head back and laughed like a pirate, then closed the book. Turns out that was a good call as it would have been useless, skipping out ALL of the man traps.
Five hours work and the heater box is out of the car. I would say at least half of that time was spent scratching my head working out what was stopping whatever bit coming out I was trying to take out.
The biggest man traps are, in no particular order...
1, The cross member, so, so many cables clipped to it with those stupid stupid clips, many of which you cannot see.
2, The cross member, so, so many bolts holding things and it in, many of which you cannot see.
3, The cross member, for some bizarre reason there are two legs that extend forward towards the engine bay which act as a support cradle for the ECU connector plate.
4, Did I mention the cross member?
5, The right hand side plate which forms the stereo housing, two hidden impossi-bolts near the bulkhead.
6, The sunlight sensor loom was a casualty right at the start, snapped the really thin cables, thankfully an easy fix.
7, The heater ducts, some are clipped, some have fixings and you never know which is which.
I knew it was going to be tricky and it lived up to my expectations. I'm currently in the position thinking how the hell am I going to get it all back together and I'm normally supremely confident on all things car.
Anyway, some photos. There is so much to do I didn't even begin to take them of all the stages but the order of work is basically;
a, Stereo out and all associated gubbings
b, Glovebox out
c, Panel above pedals out
d, Front section of cener console out
e, Dash top off
f, Clocks out
g, Drop steering column onto axle stand
h, Cross memeber
i, Heater box out.
First of all, the human cost. Not too much claret was spilt but there are plenty of sharp edges!
Will it ever look like this again?
Stereo gubbings out
Everything out ready for the dashtop to come out
Yey
Coolant everywhere
There are two screws that need to be undone via the ECU housing not mentioned anywhere
Crossmember finally out, there is also a single bolt engine up under the scuttle so the wipers have to come off.
Crossmember out
Disconnecting the A/C manifold
Heater box partly out, at this stage I was undoing and unclipping cables
I put the right hand bracket back once it was finally off, this is the one with the impossi-bolts on it. Note to self when things go back in...
Impossi-bolts are at the end of the arms
And finally the heater box came out of the car. All I did was take the matrix out to have a look. It is pretty bad.
A bit wet in there
The infamous V71 motor, not where internet folklore mainly says it is. It is actually on the far left hand end of the heater box and knowing this I reckon it is do-able with the heater box in the car like it is on a MK4 Golf which I've done.
Took out the auxiliary electric heater which was soaking wet.
I've got to get it all cleaned up, new matrix fitted and back together now. That is going to be fun.
At the start I looked at the Haynes manual, rolled my head back and laughed like a pirate, then closed the book. Turns out that was a good call as it would have been useless, skipping out ALL of the man traps.
Five hours work and the heater box is out of the car. I would say at least half of that time was spent scratching my head working out what was stopping whatever bit coming out I was trying to take out.
The biggest man traps are, in no particular order...
1, The cross member, so, so many cables clipped to it with those stupid stupid clips, many of which you cannot see.
2, The cross member, so, so many bolts holding things and it in, many of which you cannot see.
3, The cross member, for some bizarre reason there are two legs that extend forward towards the engine bay which act as a support cradle for the ECU connector plate.
4, Did I mention the cross member?
5, The right hand side plate which forms the stereo housing, two hidden impossi-bolts near the bulkhead.
6, The sunlight sensor loom was a casualty right at the start, snapped the really thin cables, thankfully an easy fix.
7, The heater ducts, some are clipped, some have fixings and you never know which is which.
I knew it was going to be tricky and it lived up to my expectations. I'm currently in the position thinking how the hell am I going to get it all back together and I'm normally supremely confident on all things car.
Anyway, some photos. There is so much to do I didn't even begin to take them of all the stages but the order of work is basically;
a, Stereo out and all associated gubbings
b, Glovebox out
c, Panel above pedals out
d, Front section of cener console out
e, Dash top off
f, Clocks out
g, Drop steering column onto axle stand
h, Cross memeber
i, Heater box out.
First of all, the human cost. Not too much claret was spilt but there are plenty of sharp edges!
Will it ever look like this again?
Stereo gubbings out
Everything out ready for the dashtop to come out
Yey
Coolant everywhere
There are two screws that need to be undone via the ECU housing not mentioned anywhere
Crossmember finally out, there is also a single bolt engine up under the scuttle so the wipers have to come off.
Crossmember out
Disconnecting the A/C manifold
Heater box partly out, at this stage I was undoing and unclipping cables
I put the right hand bracket back once it was finally off, this is the one with the impossi-bolts on it. Note to self when things go back in...
Impossi-bolts are at the end of the arms
And finally the heater box came out of the car. All I did was take the matrix out to have a look. It is pretty bad.
A bit wet in there
The infamous V71 motor, not where internet folklore mainly says it is. It is actually on the far left hand end of the heater box and knowing this I reckon it is do-able with the heater box in the car like it is on a MK4 Golf which I've done.
Took out the auxiliary electric heater which was soaking wet.
I've got to get it all cleaned up, new matrix fitted and back together now. That is going to be fun.
I had the most fun ever in my passat 1.9 tdi.
The whole time I drove it I was saving for something better and couldn't wait to get out of it. Then when I bought that something better (A3 2.0t FSI) I didn't have half the fun. I had to watch where I parked it (or so I thought) etc.
Though driving a passat around a city at night is a ballache because people think you are a taxi and taxi companies think you are nicking trade!
Fun times though!
The whole time I drove it I was saving for something better and couldn't wait to get out of it. Then when I bought that something better (A3 2.0t FSI) I didn't have half the fun. I had to watch where I parked it (or so I thought) etc.
Though driving a passat around a city at night is a ballache because people think you are a taxi and taxi companies think you are nicking trade!
Fun times though!
twoblacklines said:
I had the most fun ever in my passat 1.9 tdi.
The whole time I drove it I was saving for something better and couldn't wait to get out of it. Then when I bought that something better (A3 2.0t FSI) I didn't have half the fun. I had to watch where I parked it (or so I thought) etc.
Though driving a passat around a city at night is a ballache because people think you are a taxi and taxi companies think you are nicking trade!
Fun times though!
Yes, they are a park and leave it anywhere without a care kind of car.The whole time I drove it I was saving for something better and couldn't wait to get out of it. Then when I bought that something better (A3 2.0t FSI) I didn't have half the fun. I had to watch where I parked it (or so I thought) etc.
Though driving a passat around a city at night is a ballache because people think you are a taxi and taxi companies think you are nicking trade!
Fun times though!
I've done the new(er) car thing a few times and always end up back in something older.
Not much to say really.
I took the heater apart to clean the leaked coolant of it and to have a look more than anything. Also a good to check if there was anything silly that had happened causing the matrix to fail. There wasn't.
I took a load of pictures more for my benefit in case I had trouble working how it all goes back together but I might as well post them up.
The heater assembly splits into three main parts, the heater section, the A/C section and the air intake section
Heater section below
A/C evaporator
A/C evaporator left, heater matrix right
Manky and well worth the effort of splitting it open and cleaning it all up
All cleaned, dry and back together
New matrix in
The V71 is not going to happen as this clip is broken and would be impossible to obtain.
I took the heater apart to clean the leaked coolant of it and to have a look more than anything. Also a good to check if there was anything silly that had happened causing the matrix to fail. There wasn't.
I took a load of pictures more for my benefit in case I had trouble working how it all goes back together but I might as well post them up.
The heater assembly splits into three main parts, the heater section, the A/C section and the air intake section
Heater section below
A/C evaporator
A/C evaporator left, heater matrix right
Manky and well worth the effort of splitting it open and cleaning it all up
All cleaned, dry and back together
New matrix in
The V71 is not going to happen as this clip is broken and would be impossible to obtain.
Sheepshanks said:
Would now be a good time to point out that you could have leased a brand new one, with DSG & 4Motion, for about £120/mth? 
Any links to that deal as I would be very interested!Very impressed you have stripped the car down to replace the heater matrix, I would imagine that the vast majority of people would have thrown in the towel and put the car on eBay!
Joey Deacon said:
Any links to that deal as I would be very interested!
Very impressed you have stripped the car down to replace the heater matrix, I would imagine that the vast majority of people would have thrown in the towel and put the car on eBay!
I'm in too deep with the car now to let it go.Very impressed you have stripped the car down to replace the heater matrix, I would imagine that the vast majority of people would have thrown in the towel and put the car on eBay!
I really, obviously, didn't want or need the heater matrix failure to contend with. If that had happened before I'd done all of the other work, it may well have ended up on e-bay.
Having done all of the other work I was looking forward to simply using the car without worry for the next few years with only minor servicing needed and more importantly putting my spanners away. Hats off to mechanics who have to do this day in, day out, whilst I enjoy it I couldn't do it every day (although it seems I am at the moment) and it makes you appreciate life behind a desk!
[edit]
Your name..... are you the JD? the one who has the special friend who is the only one who can understand him. Kids of a certain age circa 1981, Blue Peter, a certain article on JD and then the next day in the playground.... and for years afterwards; cruel child like takes on it, not what Blue Peter were hoping.
I find it funny to this day.
So, are you a Joey or a Deacon recruit ? ....
He must be long dead now as he was knocking on a bit then. A genuinely nice chap with a genuinely nice friend, how cruel we were.
Edited by colin_p on Thursday 17th March 12:38
Edited by colin_p on Thursday 17th March 12:39
twoblacklines said:
I had the most fun ever in my passat 1.9 tdi.
The whole time I drove it I was saving for something better and couldn't wait to get out of it. Then when I bought that something better (A3 2.0t FSI) I didn't have half the fun. I had to watch where I parked it (or so I thought) etc.
Though driving a passat around a city at night is a ballache because people think you are a taxi and taxi companies think you are nicking trade!
Fun times though!
I have done basically exactly what you did. I swapped mine for a Mk7 GTI. I can't take it kayaking, I can't leave it in a car park without worrying (stupidly). The passat just took everything and I just didn't care. Still, onwards and upwards.The whole time I drove it I was saving for something better and couldn't wait to get out of it. Then when I bought that something better (A3 2.0t FSI) I didn't have half the fun. I had to watch where I parked it (or so I thought) etc.
Though driving a passat around a city at night is a ballache because people think you are a taxi and taxi companies think you are nicking trade!
Fun times though!
Joey Deacon said:
Sheepshanks said:
Would now be a good time to point out that you could have leased a brand new one, with DSG & 4Motion, for about £120/mth?
Any links to that deal as I would be very interested!If the links works, it starts 3rd post down but goes on for quite a while: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Joey Deacon said:
Very impressed you have stripped the car down to replace the heater matrix, I would imagine that the vast majority of people would have thrown in the towel and put the car on eBay!
I've got a Merc C270CDi Estate of the same age and I'd be suicidal if mine needed this sort of work! I was going to cut and run to the Passat deal as I noticed a drip of oil underneath the other day! Turned out to just be a common bung in the autobox needed replacement.Don't forget I'm doing extreme shedding far above and beyond what could be considered the actions of a reasonable person on this car.
As has been pointed out, I'm not shedding at all, not even close to it.
At least i'll have the satisfaction that any and all dashboards rattles will have been caused by me and not the fault of the car.
In fact as I type this, I'm about half way through putting it all back together. There have been a few false starts when I've got on / in only to have to take it off again as a part needing to go on first was forgotten about. The biggest nightmare thus far has been getting two cross head screws in, the ones that hold the ECU connector plate down, it took a good 45 minutes to get those two screws in.
Tea break over, back to it.
As has been pointed out, I'm not shedding at all, not even close to it.
At least i'll have the satisfaction that any and all dashboards rattles will have been caused by me and not the fault of the car.
In fact as I type this, I'm about half way through putting it all back together. There have been a few false starts when I've got on / in only to have to take it off again as a part needing to go on first was forgotten about. The biggest nightmare thus far has been getting two cross head screws in, the ones that hold the ECU connector plate down, it took a good 45 minutes to get those two screws in.
Tea break over, back to it.
Sheepshanks said:
Would now be a good time to point out that you could have leased a brand new one, with DSG & 4Motion, for about £120/mth?
but...........1. you pay ALL the depreciation up front
2. you then pay an extra £3k
so you pay £5k in 2 years for a car
well buy the car new, use for 2 years and then sell and its prob cost you £1-2k less
this passat isn't just about shedding its about having a really useful hobby that doesn't cost £££
i'll send you my father in laws for a similar treatment
he's just done front and rear lights and its made a huge difference to the look
JJ
Bloody hell! I've been following with interest but that heater matrix job looks an utter nightmare. Well done sir!
About 10 years ago I had a Cavalier V6 with the same fault but fortunately I don't remember having to take the dashboard out to the fix it (and I did do it myself so surely I'd remember that pain).
I now have a 3 year old Exeo estate (it's a re-badged B7 Audi A4) with the same front suspension set up as you've got. I am not looking forward to future repairs!
About 10 years ago I had a Cavalier V6 with the same fault but fortunately I don't remember having to take the dashboard out to the fix it (and I did do it myself so surely I'd remember that pain).
I now have a 3 year old Exeo estate (it's a re-badged B7 Audi A4) with the same front suspension set up as you've got. I am not looking forward to future repairs!
Sheepshanks said:
Would now be a good time to point out that you could have leased a brand new one, with DSG & 4Motion, for about £120/mth?
Nah, this way is supposed to be fun. Not on my radar at all so don't know prices but surely something similar be current would be £200 to £300 a month?
But my sanity is being tested by this heater matrix adventure.
problemchild1976 said:
but...........
1. you pay ALL the depreciation up front
2. you then pay an extra £3k
so you pay £5k in 2 years for a car
well buy the car new, use for 2 years and then sell and its prob cost you £1-2k less
this passat isn't just about shedding its about having a really useful hobby that doesn't cost £££
i'll send you my father in laws for a similar treatment
he's just done front and rear lights and its made a huge difference to the look
JJ
It'd be more like £8k I'd have thought and you own nothing at the end. Depends what value you attach for peace of mind and how much a month you are prepared to chuck at a car.1. you pay ALL the depreciation up front
2. you then pay an extra £3k
so you pay £5k in 2 years for a car
well buy the car new, use for 2 years and then sell and its prob cost you £1-2k less
this passat isn't just about shedding its about having a really useful hobby that doesn't cost £££
i'll send you my father in laws for a similar treatment
he's just done front and rear lights and its made a huge difference to the look
JJ
pfnsht said:
Bloody hell! I've been following with interest but that heater matrix job looks an utter nightmare. Well done sir!
About 10 years ago I had a Cavalier V6 with the same fault but fortunately I don't remember having to take the dashboard out to the fix it (and I did do it myself so surely I'd remember that pain).
I now have a 3 year old Exeo estate (it's a re-badged B7 Audi A4) with the same front suspension set up as you've got. I am not looking forward to future repairs!
I have currently had a guts full and am all car'd out for the time being.About 10 years ago I had a Cavalier V6 with the same fault but fortunately I don't remember having to take the dashboard out to the fix it (and I did do it myself so surely I'd remember that pain).
I now have a 3 year old Exeo estate (it's a re-badged B7 Audi A4) with the same front suspension set up as you've got. I am not looking forward to future repairs!
I've almost got it all back together, almost but gave up about half an hour ago 10.30pm!
That's about 12 hours so far and if I were paying a garage, they might be an hour or two quicker but I'd still be crying about the bill.
Well, that's that.
The car is back together. Inevitably there were some screws and bolts left over but only six!
Pictured below are the casualties of the heater matrix swap, all snapped bit of plastic along with the six screws / bolts.
I never, ever, ever want to do that again.
[edit]
Forgot to mention, the heater is hotter than a oven now, it must have been partly clogged and in a really bad way.
The car is back together. Inevitably there were some screws and bolts left over but only six!
Pictured below are the casualties of the heater matrix swap, all snapped bit of plastic along with the six screws / bolts.
I never, ever, ever want to do that again.
[edit]
Forgot to mention, the heater is hotter than a oven now, it must have been partly clogged and in a really bad way.
Whoa well done, that's some achievement and all for relatively minor part. Why have they designed it this way?! That would probably have written off a perfectly good car (and in your case it really is perfect).
Let's hope you get a break, but sadly that means we'll all miss out on the updates!
Let's hope you get a break, but sadly that means we'll all miss out on the updates!
pfnsht said:
Whoa well done, that's some achievement and all for relatively minor part. Why have they designed it this way?! That would probably have written off a perfectly good car (and in your case it really is perfect).
Let's hope you get a break, but sadly that means we'll all miss out on the updates!
Yes I'd think twice about doing a job like that again. If I were not so deep in, I would have probably punted it on.Let's hope you get a break, but sadly that means we'll all miss out on the updates!
Not quite finished, just pulled another late one, the pics are uploading now....
And the front comes off yet again...
I may have mentioned that a boost hose popped off and popped off again. That'll teach me to mess about with things that are not broken. Corrosion was probably holding it in. I did also mention I had designed an elegant solution using nothing more than my imagination. Well I put it into practice and it sure as hell beats spending £50 on a new hose from the dealers!
I give you an exhaust clamp.
And another. And some head scratching working out the "technical" details of my design...
Itchy head being scratched some more
I think you can see where this is going now
Offered up
Done
That clamp works a treat, I have thoroughly tested it and there has been no boost pipe pop-off-age. Well chuffed, the cost was less than a fiver. Obviously not do-able unless you can weld some nuts onto the clamps.
I may have mentioned that a boost hose popped off and popped off again. That'll teach me to mess about with things that are not broken. Corrosion was probably holding it in. I did also mention I had designed an elegant solution using nothing more than my imagination. Well I put it into practice and it sure as hell beats spending £50 on a new hose from the dealers!
I give you an exhaust clamp.
And another. And some head scratching working out the "technical" details of my design...
Itchy head being scratched some more
I think you can see where this is going now
Offered up
Done
That clamp works a treat, I have thoroughly tested it and there has been no boost pipe pop-off-age. Well chuffed, the cost was less than a fiver. Obviously not do-able unless you can weld some nuts onto the clamps.
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