[Vwdiesel] Signs of PD worn cam syndrome?

[travis gottschalk]

Don't take the car to get the timing belt at the dealer. They will charge the $1200 but rarely replace all the needed things like the bolts. If you don't replace the motor mount bolts you could drop your engine on the ground while driving. For that price you can easily get the Vag Com and the tools and the parts for the belt and still take it to someone more experienced. 

You can put a cheaper muffler in there. Most put a straight pipe across. The exhaust shouldn't cost more then $100 and maybe another $100 to install. Dealer always charges more. 

Yes the lower engine cover will cost $300, but you can get an aluminum one for the same cost of the plastic one. Plastic is basically just aerodynamics and to prevent corrosion on sensitive things (turbo actuator is the common corroded thing that dealers then replace the whole thing at $1500). 

Yes your intake is dirty. Don't worry about it unless very clogged. I have seen some pictures of some on the ALH engine (non PD) that you couldn't fit a hot dog through the clogging. Not to mention the price is all labor to clean as nothing needs replacing (bolts and metal gaskets get reused). 

The oil you are seeing also is normal. It is more from the CCV (crank case vent) hose that goes into the intake. I put an oil catch in the CCV hose and don't have the issue anymore (I hope-only 2K miles). The EGR valve basically cooks that fluids out of the oils from the CCV and turns it to a sticky tar. 

Yes the wheel bearing is more spendy and you need the tools to do it which are more expensive to only do one. Hard to find which one is the bad one. 50-50 chance and most guess wrong (including myself). 

Travis G

> 
> Ok, here's the update (2004 Jetta TDI GLS with 190k kms). Got the car home
> tonight, and pulled the VC. The valve thingy* on the intake which I had to
> remove to get the VC off showed a fair bit of soot in the intake, some
> loose, some not so loose. The hose from IC to intake also appeared to be
> leaking and wiggled a bit in the circlips, a fair bit of oil below that and
> some on upper TB cover. TB looked somewhat worn, said VW so probably OEM,
> but could be original with 190K kms, or changed at 160K, so must assume it
> needs doing. Cam lobes looked even all across, so I didn't bother rotating
> engine, just inspected best I could. Although I could still see chamfer on
> lobes I could reach, I could also catch a fingernail when dragging across
> side of lobe toward tip, so could indicate some wear, but really hard to
> tell. Engine sounds could except there is a slight lumpiness at idle on
> occasion, and what sounds like an occasional soft popping noise. The engine
> cranks longer than it should when starting, hot or cold - up to 2secs, not
> sure what this means on a PD.
> 
> *It is really strange working on an engine where it seems most of the bits I
> don't even recognize. I'm so comfortable with the IDI engines, but this PD
> is really foreign to me. The VC and associated bits did seem to be
> reasonably well designed at least - I like the captive VC bolts
> 
> Here is the bad, which I will present if I decide to make an offer:
> -needs a TB, $1200 at dealer
> -needs a muffler - significant rust holes around rear lip $300?
> -needs rocker panel repair $300+
> -missing engine lower cover $300
> -needs at least one front wheel bearing $200?
> -needs intake manifold cleaned out $100
> -possibly a turbo seal leak, certainly a leak at intake from IC $??
> 
> That's about $2k in deficiencies in a car that has sat on the dealer lot for
> well over 6 months (since Feb at least), has had two accidents, and has *no*
> service history whatsoever.
> 
> The good:
> Looks decent, GLS with alloys, black leather in nice shape, loaded,
> everything seems to work. Aside from wheel bearing noise, it drives very
> well and stops straight.
> 
> Funny thing is, I still find my '85 Jetta with worn out seats to be more
> comfortable. Strange, I know.
> 
> Dealer has indicated their bottom line is $8000 CDN, I offered $6500 on the
> phone last week and they countered with $8000. Depending on my mood
> tomorrow, I may offer $7000, or just walk away. With the number of problems
> I've uncovered so far, I'm just not compelled to go any higher.
> 
> Thanks for all the great advice so far, it has been very helpful.
>