No rpm gauge?
Personally, I would adjust the rack until it idles evenly, then you can lean it out, to the right idle speed if need be.

__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

Other than a cheap optical reflective tachometer. If the automatic transmission is not pulling at idle. You are probably good to go.

Reason alone suggests that time and wear alone can modify the original idle speed of these engines in service.

so ..

1. adjust rack damper to stop shaking

2. adjust idle so the car does not move forward on idle?

Woah woah woah.

Trying to get the car to not move when in drive and the brake off is not only dodgy but illegal* and most likely it would make your problem worse. (hills aside)

The rack damper is just to smooth out the idle speed. If you idle is up and down all over the show then by all means sort that out...otherwise don't touch it.

Just dial up the idle until the shaking stops. RPM not so important as long as it's not overly high (say 900 RPM+). You'll know if it's too high. Bear in mind that dialing the external idle up can mess up other things and you might find the revs not dropping as fast as they used to when letting go of the juice pedal...

Not really a slush box person but that's my take on it



(*think in certain states its illegal but I have no idea...)

__________________
1978 300D, 373,000km 617.912, 711.113 5 speed, 7.5mm superpump, HX30W turbo...many, many years in the making....
1977 280> 300D - 500,000km+ (to be sold...)
1984 240TD>300TD 121,000 miles, *gone*
1977 250 parts car
1988 Toyota Corona 2.0D *gone*
1975 FJ45>HJ45
1981 200>240D (to be sold...)
1999 Hyundai Lantra 1.6 *gone*
1980s Lansing Bagnall FOER 5.2 Forklift (the Mk2 engine hoist)
2001 Holden Rodeo 4JB1T 2WD

what do you mean it "sorts out the idle speed." By adjusting the idle speed up it eventually starts to smooth out. What is the rack damper doing to help the idle smooth out. I feel like the idle might be too high in it's current state.. but haven't quite figured out how many turns i should do on the rack damper (i assume turn clockwise (clockwise relative to if i was sitting in the car).

If your idle is lopey - that's the rack damper. I'm unsure if your idle is revving going up and down or was just low enough to shake or both? Couldn't take a video and put it up for us?

Bringing the external idle up is actually the same as adjusting the "throttle" and takes control away from the idle governor, which is why your idle is smoothing out - its like having your foot on the juice slightly.

__________________
1978 300D, 373,000km 617.912, 711.113 5 speed, 7.5mm superpump, HX30W turbo...many, many years in the making....
1977 280> 300D - 500,000km+ (to be sold...)
1984 240TD>300TD 121,000 miles, *gone*
1977 250 parts car
1988 Toyota Corona 2.0D *gone*
1975 FJ45>HJ45
1981 200>240D (to be sold...)
1999 Hyundai Lantra 1.6 *gone*
1980s Lansing Bagnall FOER 5.2 Forklift (the Mk2 engine hoist)
2001 Holden Rodeo 4JB1T 2WD