[Vwdiesel] Initial Diagnosis: 1998 VW TDI Jetta

Sun Jan 9 22:59:44 PST 2011

James, thank you for that link. Makes me feel a lot better about my
bearings, and helped me to diagnose one of the bearings that looked odd.

On Sun, Jan 9, 2011 at 11:25 PM, James Hansen <jhsg at sasktel.net> wrote:

> Actually, you do use observation to diagnose bearing wear, stuff a mic
> simply cannot tell you.  The wear pattern definitely diagnoses certain
> things, what the oil was like, if the rod is bent, if the installation is
> correct, bearing crush, all sorts of stuff.  Mic internal bore, and crank
> external journal, and you only know size, not orientation- if it is still
> square, or if it needs to be align bored (honed) or what have you.  Not to
> dis the measuring tools, but diagnostic disassembly is a lot of touchy
> feely
> stuff, some tolerance checking (I have seen perfect looking cranks that
> were
> worn undersize) but a lot of how it looks kind of technical diagnosis.
> Check this out, specifically things that are really really hard to measure
> for a home shop guy- like journal alignment, bent rods, etc.
> http://catalog.mahleclevite.com/bearing/
> Shoot, I bet there is maybe one mechanic at best in any shop in town that
> even knows how to check this stuff, let alone measure it or correct it.
>
> I tell ya, I have years of engine disassembly behind me, and you can learn
> more from ten minutes with this link, than I did in years of pulling apart
> dead stuff. It's pretty cool to have this resource available online.  I
> have
> learned- plastigauge is a guideline, nothing more. The mensuration tools
> are
> only as good as the experience of the observer reading them. (use a dial
> bore indicator and get back to me if you don't agree) That said, you can't
> spend enough on good measuring tools if you really want to get it right/
> technically perfect/race the bag off it.  The more I learn, I learn I know
> a
> lot less than I thought I knew before I learned I needed to know more, (and
> usually it involves spectacularly broken expensive parts).  I should put
> that on my cabinet that has all the race engine stuff in it, it's easy to
> forget.
> -james
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com] On
> Behalf Of brian hoeft
> Sent: January-09-11 4:07 PM
> To: Erik Lane
> Cc: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Initial Diagnosis: 1998 VW TDI Jetta
>
> I'm not trying to be wordy or combative here, but I see more observation
> and
> speculation than actual diagnosis, as the title reads.
>
> Stephen, what evidence do you have other than observation to make your
> determination on the bearings and other internals? I agree that they are
> very good for upwards of 300k miles, but a plastigage/micrometer session is
> much more accurate than casual observation, even if you had a trained eye.
>
> I don't see ANY measurement of anything for that matter.
>
> From reading other recent posts, I see a lot of pre-determined objectives
> based on casual, well-intentioned observation, NOT fact, which -unlike the
> disease that is eroding our society today- is very easy to obtain when
> dealing with man's metal fabrications.
>
> Just adding my take on it to encourage listers out there to do it right the
> first time instead of being one of the many do-over patients I have been
> reading about and working for a lot as of late.
>
> -Brian
>
>
>
>
> .
>
> On Sun, Jan 9, 2011 at 2:52 PM, Erik Lane <eriklane at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > 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
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > > > > > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > > > > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > > > >
> > > > > " 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.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > > > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Vwdiesel mailing list
> > Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> > http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
> >
>
>
>
> --
> *           Groundhog Day 2011*
> This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address occur on
> the same day.
> "It is an ironic juxtaposition of events: one involves a meaningless ritual
> in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication
> while the other involves a groundhog." -A.A.
>     http://208.53.138.125:8068/
>      [blinders off&earplugs out]
> _______________________________________________
> Vwdiesel mailing list
> Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
>
> _______________________________________________
> Vwdiesel mailing list
> Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
>