To Be or Not to be

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I am new to this site and am a floridian with a 1992 Cabby. I am a bit torn so maybe you all can give me some insights. I bought the car from a coworker was using it for a while till it started overheating. I have changed the thermo switch and i still dont hear the fan running. It is a brand new fan I had installed. So since it is not running, I am guessing I need to change the fuse or relay. I also want to replace the entire cooling system, water pump radiator, hoses, thermostat, thermostat housing, but here is the deal, I also need to replace the rear shocks, the power window motors , lower control arms, I have another steering colum to replaces the one on the car now, and Finally, besides another right side clipper, a paint job, my problem is the top doesnt close completely on right side. I gave it to a mechanic who inturn took it to the dealer where he works, and they dropped the top to not know how to put it back up. Am so mad, brand new top but frame doesnt seem right.

So I proceed to finish fixing, or just release it to the wild. Plus my fuel guage doesnt work. But the damn thing ran like hell when it was working.

[Briano1234]

Welcome to Cabby-Hood, you have now entered one of the more Friendlier forums on the web.

But you aren't a real cabbyholic until you have scraped your knuckles to the bone unscrewing a bolt that the head snaps off on because the
previous owners didn't use never-seize. So then you will need the red badge of ownership, now the red badge of ownership with stitch cluster is more elusive, but doable for young and old alike.





have changed the thermo switch and i still dont hear the fan running. It is a brand new fan I had installed. So since it is not running, I am guessing I need to change the fuse or relay.

The after fan and fan run relay on a 90ish is off a bracket that is on the drivers side fender in front of the battery....



I also want to replace the entire cooling system, water pump radiator, hoses, thermostat, thermostat housing, but here is the deal, I also need to replace the rear shocks, the power window motors , lower control arms/

Changing a water pump:
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2178

Changing the struts:
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=1783

Rears:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1769448

To prevent bolt seizure:
http://www.the152.com/modules.php?name= ... 244c0a9887

Power Windows are probably a rain drain that is plugged and ruined the control unit:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2126843


I have another steering colum to replaces the one on the car now, and Finally, besides another right side clipper, a paint job, my problem is

If you don't disable the air bag system you will not be able to start your car after you replace the steering column.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2026650

For the lower control arms you will need new arms, and bushing, and a ball joint.
Undo the 17mm pinch bolt from the spindle. Pry the strut off the joint. Remove the sway bar.
Remove the rear bushing support.
Remove the front bolt.

To press a bushing into the control arm use a vise: or
http://www.the152.com/modules.php?name= ... 5407#55407

If you have an automatic, then on the driver side you will need to either raise the tranny by removing the 3 tranny mounts
or lower it.



The top doesn't close completely on right side. I gave it to a mechanic who in turn took it to the dealer where he works, and they dropped the top to not know how to put it back up. Am so mad, brand new top but frame doesn't seem right.

From http://www.cabby-info.com a bookmark that you may want to keep.

http://cabby-info.com/top.htm

Also there are 2 struts that are attached to the frame behind the rear headliner, that can get buggered. You can either replace them or unclip them. Remove the "finger" clip on the lower pivot, You get to it via the trunk it is to the left and the right of the bottom of the parcel shelf sides. You should see a thing that looks like:




Hope it all helps.

[bbrown]

Welcome to the forum and Brian is a perfect example of what he said about this forum being friendly as he is giving you the All-Star treatment from day one which is something you won't get just anywhere. So armed with the advice given by Brian I would say go ahead and finish fixing it. Good luck.

p.s. pics of your cabby would be nice

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Thank you all for posting and thank you for the warm welcome. Brian thank you for the pointers and i will start working on it. I do have some pics but going to try and post them here. They are not 100 % but they should do.

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[gull]

I like that paint color a lot.

Definitely check the fuse; if the old fan was seized or something it might have popped the fuse. It's the leftmost one in the fuse box. Should be a green 30A fuse.

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A couple of question, whne you go to order parts at some parts place they ask you if it is a carrat, all i know is that it is a wolfsberg edition, what is carrat?

and second question is, the struts for the top, when you get them are they retractable or they are stiff like the pair I got. One bent on me.

[Briano1234]

A couple of question, whne you go to order parts at some parts place they ask you if it is a carrat, all i know is that it is a wolfsberg edition, what is carrat?

and second question is, the struts for the top, when you get them are they retractable or they are stiff like the pair I got. One bent on me.

Tell them yes rabbits like carrat's. As it matters not.

Yes new struts are stiff, the reason that yours bent was that it was froze.

[kamzcab86]

A couple of question, whne you go to order parts at some parts place they ask you if it is a carrat, all i know is that it is a wolfsberg edition, what is carrat?

It's actually spelled Carat and is the "luxury" model/trim level of Cabriolet. Go to http://www.cabby-info.com/models.htm for all the low-down.

What it boils down to is this: There is no difference, mechanically, of any of the 1990-1993 Cabriolets (sold in the USA), but apparently the parts database doesn't know that. Therefore, it doesn't matter which model/trim level of Cabriolet you tell them you have. Although, now that I think about it, they might just jack the price up on some Carat-listed parts 'cuz unsuspecting owners wouldn't know that little tidbit of info I just gave you and just fork over the extra dinero.

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The after fan and fan run relay on a 90ish is off a bracket that is on the drivers side fender in front of the battery....


BrianO what is all that stuff in front of battery, mine seems to be missing, I saw this big black female type plug, maybe thats where the 90 you are talking about?

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Whoever had the car before did some kind of alteration, where the brown wire is wrapped under the bracket of raditor.

[Briano1234]

The best thing for you is to snap a picture or two.

On my pic, you see the little silver can that is in front of the battery on the edge of the fender that is the after fan run relay. If you have a plug as in what a relay would plug in to then that is probably why.... it's missing.

The two others in my picture, on the gold bracket are my Headlight relays.... You don't have them at all, yet... that is a mod to schedule.

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I dont know how to thank you. you are so helpful. Thank you so much.

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I am sorry but how do i shrink my pics on here?

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