[Vwdiesel] Age, Diesel History and BONUS TDI Tragedy

doonboggle doonboggle at yahoo.com
Thu Dec 10 08:58:29 PST 2009


Taking a diesel VW to the dealer is the worse thing an owner can do.  They, the dealers, in the VAST majority of the cases, know little to nothing about the finite items regarding the diesel engine.  VWoA has failed for years and years of not focusing on sales of the diesel TDI, due entirely to the overabundance of gasoline engines versions.  Their attitude seems to be, 'Well California and east coast states don't allow diesels, so we won't manufacture that many.'

I don't know the exact ratio, but would hazard a guess that out of all the VWs imported and/or assembled, that 5% or less are diesel, with the remaining 95% being gas.  So it is a simple equation ... sales of gas engine versions are where the $$ are.  Thusly their $$ spent on mechanic training, etc. are directed to the gas schools, etc.;
 leaving we diesel owners to suck hind tit.

When we bought our 2 Jetta TDI sedans ... one for us and one for grandaughter ... I had studied up on the model by visiting the TDIClub web site, and reading a lot of lengthy and highly informative posts.  As such, I was aware of the warranty requirements regarding synthetic oil.

As a result, I conducted my own research with 3 dealers; our local Lithia, one in Arizona and one in Denver.  In all 3 cases, the dealers response to my query what oil they used, their responses was the same ... essentially 'whatever is on the shelf.'  

When I pinned them down as to make, grade, etc., one as an example ... Lithia ... informed me that the corporate offices buy oil by the barrel, and the brand, grade (505.01, 507.00, etc.) would vary from order to order.

So then, further to the service managers, I also pinned them down by focusing on the grade numbers, such as the examples of
 above, and each and every one said they, at that moment, could not advise what was used by the mechanic, when the service order merely showed ... 'Oil changed'.

It gets worse.  One time when exiting the service office, I saw a mechanic outside on smoke break, and walked up to him.  Verified that he was one of the ones who did the oil changes, etc., and then asked him what would they used if I brought my 06 Jetta TDI in at that moment for oil change.  His response,  'Pennzoil 10-40'.  I mentioned the 'SPECIFIC" synthetic oil requirements of the warranty, and he sort of chuckled at that.

Moral of story ... at least for me ... I only use VW dealers for warranty work.  I do my own oil changes with the precise oil that VWoA advises ... and further got it in writing from the 'head' office via email ... and document it by pictures, neighbor witness signature, etc. so that if the engine craps out, that they cannot
 claim I let a non-approved oil be used .... even though in my 3 cases of research, 100% of the 3 dealers knew nothing (literally) regarding the correct rating of oil ... even in one case not even knowing that synthetic was the need.

Date: Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:28:03 -0600
From: Shalyn Shourds <sshourds at flash.net>
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Age, Diesel History and BONUS TDI Tragedy
To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
Message-ID: <4B205CB3.7080503 at flash.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed


>
Does anyone have any advice re: What happened !? Where to get a used
engine in Georgia ? Sniff....I think I have something in my eye...

Sadly, I have a lot of experience in TDI tragedies.  I don't quite understand what happened.  You say the timing belt was fine?  Was it loose or were obvious parts (like tensioners) missing?  Did the valves and the pistons meet?

If so, then you really need to get a dealer (not the one that replaced the belt) evaluation of what happened and take it back to the dealer that did the work.  They owe you a new engine.  Unless you were really 
revving the engine, your bottom end is probably OK.  I was running about 2200 rpm on the highway and I don't even think
 I had marks on my pistons when my belt let go.  That just leaves you buying a head which is easier and cheaper.  It may even be rebuildable.  A new one will cost you around $1100 or so.  I got lucky and found an OEM one on eBay for $600. 

If it was something other than the crank/cam timing going bad, it'll  take someone opening up the works and seeing what's awry. 




      


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