01 I have a problem with my car? What do I do? How should I go about fixing it?
Description
This article is from the VW Technical FAQ, by with numerous contributions by Jan Vandenbrande others.
01 I have a problem with my car? What do I do? How should I go about fixing it?
A: Diagnose the problem as well as you can: When does it happen? Is it speed
dependent? Is there a noise associated with it? Where is it coming from? Is
the problem temperature dependent? Happens at start up/after a while? Are
there any physical signs such as fluids/grease/wear marks? Does everything
look in good order/everything still attached?
While you are going over your car, check whether all the basic things are
in order.
VW engines run hot and the 4 cyl. vibrate a lot. As a result things rattle
loose and dry out quickly. This in turn causes a host of other problems.
Electrical connections & wires: Connectors tend to corrode, wires break
internally. Older VWs have a lot of problems which will make you think the
car is totally gone while all it may be is a loose wire, or a bad ground.
Also check out less obvious things: alternator brushes, fuse box, Hall
connections *inside* the distributor?
Vacuum hoses: They crack, they leak. Replace where needed.
Beware of all rubber components. They wear out with all the heat.
If your engine does not run, there are really two main sources: Mechanical
and periphery. Generally, VW engines hold up mechanically rather well, and
even with mechanical problems you can often get the engine to run.
Usually the problem is located with the periphery. You really only need two
basic things to make an engine run: Fuel and a spark at +/- the right
moment. Suspect a problem with either one first and trace it from there.
If for example the problems occurs each time it rains, suspect something
wrong with an electrical connection or water leaking onto the fuze box.
Yours truly once had problems with a carb and was able to start and run the
engine while spraying carb cleaner directly into the intake manifold (with
the carb REMOVED).
Cleaning the car and engine is often helpful in locating the problem,
especially leaks. It also make working on the car so much easier, for you
and the mechanic.
If you haven't found it yet, read through your manuals and try to identify
the offending piece?
Ask around. r.a.vw is an excellent source for help, but please be as
detailed as you can. If you are having trouble diagnosing the problem, just
imagine how hard it is for us not even having seen the car.
So *please* don't post: "My car makes a funny noise. What could it be?"
Start with make, model, year, and an accurate diagnosis.
After you narrow it down to a couple of potential sources, start with the
easiest and cheapest fix.
My experience is that a majority of seemingly serious problems can be
traced to very simple problems.
Mechanics do NOT have the time to check individual components.
Many work on commission (like department stores) and the more cars they
work on (not fix) the more they earn. Therefore, they usually take the
quickest route for them (replace stuff), and of course you end up paying
for that shiny new part through the nose even though it does not fix the
problem.
Besides, would you pay a mechanic $200 to fix a 50 cent connector because
it took him/her the whole day to find it?
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