[Vwdiesel] Signs of PD worn cam syndrome?

[Shawn Wright]

Yes, I'd never take anything to the dealer, in fact, I haven't had anyone do
work on my vehicles for many years. I priced everything out at retail as a
means of bargaining with the dealer - they're asking $9900, but have said
$8000 is the bottom line. I offered $6500 last week, and funny thing is,
after reducing all the deficiencies from the "book" value of $9200, I came
in at just under $6500...

They wanted me to write an offer, to which they would probably counter at
$7500, which is a waste of my time. I need to decide if I want the car and
the work it requires, and then I'll make my offer of $6500, take it or leave
it. I hate dealers, and refuse to play their game.

The muffler I could probably live with for a year or more, it wasn't that
bad, just starting to rust through, but not about to fall off. The wheel
bearing I've done before on A2s, so I don't imagine it will be much worse,
but still work.

So oil at the inlet from IC is normal? I didn't pay much attention to how
the PCV is routed - where do you fit an oil trap in? Someone mentioned a
hose fitting that usually leaks - which one is this?

Thanks for all the info. I may still make an offer on this one, as I know
they need to move it or it goes to auction. I'm also curious to drive a 2011
Jetta (just arrived here) with the base 2.0 gas, as the price is good, but I
know I'd probably never buy it. But it would be nice to compare how a 2004
drives against a 2011.

On Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 6:48 PM, travis gottschalk <tgott at hotmail.com>wrote:

>
> 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.
> >
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-- 
Shawn Wright