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Team GTI

Tech Notes

Technical tricks and tips discovered while working on ITB A3 VWs

Brakes
If the ABS is removed from a 4-wheel-disk car, it may be easy to overlook replacing the sheetmetal ring "cover" that fits over the rear stub axle, behind the rear rotor bearing seal, when the sensor ring is not reinstalled with new rotors. The part number for the non-ABS application is 191-501-639-A and it's supposed to provide additional physical protection for the seal.

AC Removal

Removal of the air conditioning compressor requires different belts and pulleys:

Water pump pulley - 028 121 031 K
Serpentine Belt - 028 903 137 BB
Power Steering V-Belt - 037 145 271 E

If the serpentine belt seems to be marginally too long - which may be the case if you get the cross-reference part with a different letter suffix - try using NAPA part number 25 060408 (41-1/2" long). NAPA has other belts that are slightly plus and minus the OEM length as well, originally specified for other applications.

Bodywork

IT rules require that glass moonroofs be removed and replaced. This piece was fabricated by a local sheetmetal roofing company to this drawing.

You will need to download the free CAD application from eMachineshop.com to see use it. That program is pretty darned good, by the way.

We painted ours black to mimic the original look and so we wouldn't have to worry about matching the original body color.

Exhaust Manifold

The fabricated tubular exhaust manifold off of a New Beetle is a direct, bolt-on replacement for the cast iron manifold on the MkIII Golf ABA engine.

The strut support (smaller tube between the lower two primary tubes) requires a little coaxing and a couple of washers for spacers, to mount on a handy boss on the head. The O2 sensor port must also be plugged with an appropriate threaded fitting - the bright plated hex fitting to the right.

Click image for full-size image of the old manifold

Vehicle Identification Numbers

VIN documentation can become important in Improved Touring, given the update/backdate rule, specific model year eligibility, and the SCCA protest process. This document decodes VIN numbers for 1991-2006 Volkswagen products.
Download VW VIN Decoder

Last updated 22 November, 2005
All photos K. Knestis unless otherwise noted

Project GTI is headquartered in Greensboro, NC

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All text and images © copyright 2003-2011 Kirk Knestis unless otherwise indicated. Other copyrighted images used with permission.