[Vwdiesel] Initial Diagnosis: 1998 VW TDI Jetta

Sun Jan 9 13:58:39 PST 2011

Yeah, no kidding Erik.  Back in the aircooled days, the guys that built the
engines for the motor blow deal at the annual volks extravaganza had to
leave rod bolts loose to get them to actually blow.  I remember the first
one- it ran along at WOT using valve float for a governor for over 15
minutes before they gave up.   Wound up drawing for the money instead.  I
was there on teardown, it wanted some valve springs, and you could have put
it in Mom's car, the bearing shells were mint.
After that, they built accordingly, with finger tight rods, old used shells,
and half gas half oil for lubrication. they still went 5 minutes at WOT
before smoking to a stop, with very little show, and almost no "blow".
Very tough bottom ends, and the watercooled blocks are built with the same
design philosophy.   I know for certain, building stock car engines that a
chev will not do that.  They have to be perfect, then they do okay still
with lots of kissy kissy and maintenance to head off doom and disaster...
-james

-----Original Message-----
From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com] On
Behalf Of Erik Lane
Sent: January-09-11 1:53 PM
To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Initial Diagnosis: 1998 VW TDI Jetta

Well, to be fair those bearings never seem worn in any engine I've ever
seen, even those that come out with 300k on them. These lower ends are so
overbuilt that they never have needed work on anything I or my family has
owned. I always feel a little bad even putting new bearings in - like I'm
wasting a perfectly good set that was already in there. (Of course I do it
anyway, because it's a silly place to save a couple bucks and risk the
engine. It's just the thought of how good of shape the old ones were in.)

Erik

On Sat, Jan 8, 2011 at 9:23 PM, Stephen Kraus <ub3ratl4sf00 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Thanks James!
>
> That was exactly my plan. Hell, the bearings are even unworn!
>
> Current plan:
>
> Get car running via:
>
> New Piston rings
> New Headgasket
> New Oil
>
> Future Plans:
>
> ARP Head Studs
> New Injectors
> Re-build turbo with different compressor
>
> On Sat, Jan 8, 2011 at 10:20 PM, James Hansen <jhsg at sasktel.net> wrote:
>
> >  Sounds good Stephen.  Real good actually.  Definitely check the head,
> add
> > some fresh rings, and you should be good to go.
> >
> > Nice score.
> >
> > -james
> >
> >
> >
> > *From:* Stephen Kraus [mailto:ub3ratl4sf00 at gmail.com]
> > *Sent:* January-08-11 11:12 PM
> > *To:* James Hansen
> >
> > *Cc:* vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > *Subject:* Re: [Vwdiesel] Initial Diagnosis: 1998 VW TDI Jetta
> >
> >
> >
> > James:
> >
> >
> >
> > They didn't try a pullstart, it ran until it got outside the shop, and
> next
> > time they tried to start it it wouldn't crank. The shop is a TDI/VW/Audi
> > only shop and they told him to take NO further action. No bent rods
here,
> > they all look good.
> >
> >
> >
> > Cylinder walls are glazed, so I'm going to have to de-glaze and
re-hatch.
> > Otherwise, no damage to speak of.
> >
> >
> >
> > It has 206k on it right now. I am currently de-coking the pistons with
> oven
> > cleaner
> >
> > On Sat, Jan 8, 2011 at 10:05 PM, James Hansen <jhsg at sasktel.net> wrote:
> >
> > Well, that's pretty cool. Cylinder walls are unscathed, or are they
> scored?
> > How many miles on the engine Stephen?
> > Be sure the piston height is the same as it's neighbours.  If the gasket
> > was
> > leaking, and the PO hydrolocked it on more than one occasion, if he
tried
> > hard, say pullstart or something high powered, there may be a bent rod.
> >
> > -james
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]
> On
> > Behalf Of Stephen Kraus
> >
> > Sent: January-08-11 1:46 PM
> > To: dieseltdi at verizon.net
> > Cc: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Initial Diagnosis: 1998 VW TDI Jetta
> >
> > James: The spot did not change, it stayed constant in one position, I
> could
> > turn the crank back and it would freeze. I had already set the cam to
TDC
> > as
> > well.
> >
> > Discoveries made today:
> >
> > Head pulled, good condition, no dropped valves and no foreign debris.
> > HOWEVER, excessive oil in the #2 cylinder, I believe it was there before
> I
> > pulled the head. The #2 piston also has heavy coking from oil
> consumption,
> > #3 had some minor coking as well, #1 and #4 looked clean. I am beginning
> to
> > suspect the head gasket was leaking oil into the piston and caused it to
> > hydrolock due to oil. Otherwise, once head was pulled the engine does a
> > complete 360 stroke without issue.
> >
> > On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 9:22 PM, <dieseltdi at verizon.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Sounds like a a dropped valve or a broken glowplug.  You may be very
> > lucky.
> > >  Hayden
> > > On Jan 7, 2011, at 9:05 PM, Stephen Kraus wrote:
> > >
> > > > Well as you all know I purchased a 1998 Jetta TDI for $600, siezed
> > > engine.
> > > >
> > > > Well after initial look over, the engine turns freely one way, and
> the
> > > other
> > > > until it hits something. This is looking better and better
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> > > " Those who are willing to sacrifice Liberty for Security, deserve
> > neither
> > > Liberty nor Security."  Ben Franklin
> > >
> > >
> > > Visit my website at:
> http://mysite.verizon.net/resosxp8/mydieselpages/
> > > Proud owner of:
> > > 2004 Jetta GL PD TDI, K&N Filter, ScanGauge II
> > > 1968 Beetle, my latest project, watch for details
> > > And many, many, many VWs; from a 1947 Beetle (13 Beetles total), to
> Vans
> > (5
> > > - 3 splitties, 2 bay window (both were campers), 1 Vanagon Westy,
> Rabbits
> > > (3), Karmen Ghia (1), Jettas (7), Passats (2), Dasher (1), New Beetle
> > (1),
> > > and Rabbit Pickups (3) most now gone but not forgotten.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> >
> >
> >
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