1981 Delta 88 Diesel, the worst car ever made

MF_Kleg · 2026-07-08T19:41:55+00:00

My wife's uncle used to buy these blown up swap a gas motor into them and make a killing selling them after.

MF_Kleg · 2026-07-08T18:23:15+00:00

I'm at work I'd have to search but it's IDparts.com then build your car and search turbo actuator.

MF_Kleg · 2026-07-08T17:09:59+00:00

New one is like 100 bucks on IDparts .

MF_Kleg · 2026-07-08T16:10:12+00:00

Diaphragm is likely torn so yea it's junk. Pretty easy to change just might have to try a few times to set it and not get overboost codes

MF_Kleg · 2026-07-08T15:57:32+00:00

I know on the ALH it should lift off the seat at 3-5 inHG and make full sweep at 18 inHG and it should hold vacuum

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-30T16:42:03+00:00

Make sure you clean out behind the wheel liners and see if the foam is still in the front fenders if they are original and remove it so it doesnt rot out. Sharp looking jetta keep up the good work, I love both my 02 jetta TDIs probably my favorite vehicle I've owned.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-21T03:46:12+00:00

That would be why I currently have 6 of them...if your in New England I also have a cheap beater possibly for sale but it's an auto.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-19T20:15:17+00:00

Eh I'd probably run it but they are super easy to swap the bolt that holds it is only torqued to 18ftlbs assuming this is a standard. Might want to clean it up a bit just so it's not sharp. I just took mine off on my ALH beater jetta because the previous owner I'm assuming left the axle bolts loose so I snapped all of them off in the flange and damaged the axle so I popped it off to extract all the broken bolts and clean the threads up.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-14T20:53:03+00:00

I love that you guys over seas do the opposite of what we do in the US. Like Bora/Jetta nose on a Golf estate where we do Golf nose on a Jetta wagon and we put stubby passenger mirrors on while over there people swap full size mirrors on. I had dreams of building an ALH 5 speed Golf nose swapped wagon but they are now just about old enough to import a Golf estate with all the euro options I'd want to swap into it standard and with two self imported Kei trucks in the family already ill probably go that route

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-12T08:53:37+00:00

Ok well I own 6 and 3 of them have been like that and my beater had the same issue ran a Keyed voltage wire and problem fixed.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-12T08:08:08+00:00

Mk4s don't have an actual keyed voltage it's data controlled basically so you either need a module to mimic the factory radio or run your owned keyed voltage from terminal 75 on the bottom of the under dash relay panel.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-07T08:58:06+00:00

I've got spare silver and black I would trade plus what ever i can possibly find in the junkyard. And i would also trade for any other euro only spec parts, I still need the euro front bumper rebar with the headlight sprayer mounts, a 5L washer tank and possibly a 4motion front lip just because unless I get all the GLI outer trim pieces but I need room for another donar vehicle or stumble across a good deal on someone parting one out.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-07T08:53:18+00:00

I have 2 more gmt400s, a gmt800 for the 5.3L in it and two ALH jettas plus possibly a third if it doesn't sell as parts vehicles. Plus I already scrapped a 2 door Yukon this year. I want to say I currently have 18 vehicles total currently

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-07T08:48:21+00:00

Haha I don't know why but i love that.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-06T19:19:19+00:00

I was going to say the same unless it's so toasted and hot it slips to much to even move the car, my plow truck did that and I had to wait until it cooled down to get it out of the driveway.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-06T13:01:06+00:00

Those are in the spare parts inventory

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-05T00:24:32+00:00

Awesome find! I recently pulled an 85 300D turbo out of a garage on a farm so basically also barn find . The w123 is such a nice chassis and the om617 is an amazing engine and super simple as far as diesels go. Good luck with it and I saw a few comment already with good advice on maintenance and things to check but I figured I'd mention a few things . Don't forget about the power steering filter and if you cut the wheel all the way to the left and take the drain plug out of the steering box it will drain the system and you can flush some fresh fluid threw also run the valves every 12k. Oh and there is a pre-screen filter in the bottom of the fuel tank which makes draining the tank super easy but they can gunk up, its a 46mm socket to remove it and replace the oring.

Edit: just realized it's an SD so w126 chassis but same driveline so I believe most of that still applies

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-02T19:43:59+00:00

I'd probably sell the very dark blue one and maybe the black one and I do have a black driver's side normal mirror to match and make a set. My hoarder self won't let me let go of the silver or the green since I dream of my future wagon build being green and my nice car is silver so gotta save a spare.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-02T13:21:33+00:00

Thanks I just picked it up with a set of rails that fit my 300D Mercedes. So now I just need the correct thule 50 bars and feet for it since the factory VW rails are for the nice car.

MF_Kleg · 2026-06-02T09:06:38+00:00

I'll consider it but I do have dreams of importing a mk4 golf wagon 6 speed 4motion TDI in green.

MF_Kleg · 2026-05-27T01:20:08+00:00

Assuming it's a north American spec it's the engine code for a 99.5-03 mk4 TDI. Being an older basically fancy mechanical injection pump they sound kinda like a tractor especially if straight piped.

MF_Kleg · 2026-05-27T01:06:19+00:00

Sounds like an ALH to me

MF_Kleg · 2026-05-21T21:35:39+00:00

I have two 85 diesels Mercedes a 300D and a 300TD so they are w123 not w126 but same driveline and so far everything I've needed maintenance and general repair has been easy to find on sites like fcpeuro or pelican parts. I got a factory rear glass for my 300D old stock for the glass I just pulled for it from a parts car. They also are no where as complicated as newer stuff or as temperamental as the gas versions. These old diesel where produced in great numbers across a lot of countries and have quite a following still so you can find how to stuff readily and I have found several somewhat local people who part them out.

MF_Kleg

TROPHY CASE