T4 DIY & How to.

[jets]

Changing Alternator Belt Tensioner 2.5TDI

Changing Alternator belt tensioner 2.5TDi - Page 3 - VW T4 Forum - VW T5 Forum

[jets]

T4 Buyers guide. Not strictly DIY but very useful nevertheless.
VW T4 Buyers Guide

[Syncrofan]

1996 T4 2.0 AAC transporter non-running 259k km
Newbie here, bought this van not knowing what has been done and tried, replaced or messed with. It’s a good, solid rust free van and will make a good camper.
The engine cranks over, but does not start. I checked the plugs, they are wet and smell of petrol, so suspect my issue is electrical. Could be they tried to replace the cam belt and moved the crankshaft, could be timing, could be ecu, ecu relay,hall sensor or any of the above. I will be removing the grille and radiator, bumper and bash plate then start testing - compression test, check coil with multimeter, timing, etc.
Questions:
what workshop manual would you recommend?
what would you suggest as a sequence of tests, where to start and check in the correct order?
what tools would you recommend to buy, and which ones can you make or substitute from other worskshop stuff, thinking about crankshaft holders, compression tester, timing light, etc? I have next to no automotive tools at this point thanks to moving countries.

[Transporter]

If you have fuel, check spark then timing, then compression.

Quickest way (possibly also cheaper) would be to find a friendly mechanic near you.

[Syncrofan]

It’s also to learn to do it myself ��

[Syncrofan]

AAC 2.0 petrol transporter T4 question - I am replacing conrod bolts, but cant find a supplier for the ones that goes from the top down, with the nut at the bottom?

[Gold Coaster]

Hi Syncrofan, if you ask your questions here https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/forums/f136/* then you'll have a much chance of them being seen and then hopefully receive the help that you need. The part of the forum that you are currently posting in is more for people to post detailed, step by step advice of they have gone about a particular repair, replacement etc. It's not really for asking questions.

I'm surprised that it hasn't already been moved for you?

*just hit the '+ Post New Thread' in the top left hand corner rather then going into 'T4 DIY & How to'

[Seano]

Simple add on here...

If your T4 has a build date newer than June 2001 then none of the commonly available control arms on the front suspension will be long enough. So if the rear bushes fail then replace them. Not the control arm...

[INSTG8R]

Here's an absolute cracker of a mod for the manual T4's from Baxter at the Brickyard

T4 Short Shift - How to - The Brick-yard

In an attempt to try and quell the amount of phone calls I keep receiving about the short shift modification I thought I would write a FAQ so people can understand what's going on and how to do it.
I used to modify old T3 gear levers for short shifting, but it involved welding, cutting and drilling the gearlever, not rocket science but out of the realms of most DIYer.
It wasn't long before short shift kits came on the market and they made the job a simple, quick, easy operation taking around 15 minutes to fit.
Once I bought a T4 I was a bit disappointed about the shifting, nothing like what I was used to so it went on the ramp, I had a look, had a look at ETKA to see how it worked, took some bits off, drilled a hole, put it back together, bingo!
It's only when people drove my van they commented on it and asked for theirs doing.
You must be aware that there are 2 types of gear linkage set up.
The earlier style is fitted on all 4 cylinder models and the 2.4D
The later style (which was revised in 2000) was used on 2.5TDI and VR6 models, and obviously came in around 1996 when the 2.5TDI did.
The same principles apply to modifying the linkage, there are just 2 slightly different ways of achieving the same result on the different set ups.
I will confess that I have not modified the earlier system personally, but I will show you the principle and then give you a few pointers from good old brick-yard user “Elvis” who has come up with a good method, but like I say, i've not done it personally.

Early style - 1991 to 2003



The parts we are interested in are the "Relay lever" marked in Orange.
As you can see, this converts a Forward motion on the Blue rod to a rearward motion on the opersite end of the relay lever.
I have marked the ball joint to the end of the lever with red, the idea is to fit another ball joint further inboard of the original to mess about with the leverage of the rod, the effect is that you reduce the amount of movement you need at the gearstick to achieve the same amount of movement at the gearbox end.
I am told, and this is open to verification that you can buy a ball joint from VW (Part No. 701 827 439 B) drill the relay lever and fit the ball joint further inwards. I'm not sure of dimensions but I would say 30mm further in should do it. The balljoint costs about £2.50.

Later style - TDI and VR6 engines.



This one is simple!
Same principle as the other, move the hole on the relay lever inwards!

You will need.
10mm spanner.
13mm spanner.
drill with a 14mm bit.
Under van.
Unbolt the 10mm nut and 13mm bolt through the bottom of the gearlever.
Unbolt the relay lever (Orange)
Remove the bush from the end of the relay lever that was connected to the rod from the gearlever.
Find the hole centre, mark 35mm further inwards.
Drill to 14mm.
Refit bush.
Replace relay lever!
That's it!
Soooooooo easy.
Great time to replace the bushes, they are usually sloppy, we have spares on the shelf as we use a few of them, due to popularity of these at the moment I have put them together into kits, I'll upload those to the webshop shortly.

Here is a customers van we did recently, you can clearly see the old hole! (2.5TDI)



Either of the methods above will only shorten the throw in the forward-Aft plane and will not affect left to right movement.

If you increase the distance between the hole centres the shift will become shorter! I wouldn't go more than 35mm though, reduce the distance and the shift will become longer.

This was my first mod. Love it!!