[Vwdiesel] Initial Diagnosis: 1998 VW TDI Jetta

Mon Jan 10 08:02:50 PST 2011

James, thanks for that link.  SUPER educational stuff.  I will keep this link 
for a long time.

 Bryan Belman, Pt. Pleasant, NJ
04 Jetta Wagon TDI PD, 100hp, 5sp -- running :<)
92 Jetta 1.6 Eco-Turbo Diesel, 5sp -- running :<)
82 Diesel Westy 1.9NA -- running :<)
70 Type 1 stock Elm Green Beetle -- Under Restoration :-) 

________________________________
From: James Hansen <jhsg at sasktel.net>
Cc: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
Sent: Mon, January 10, 2011 1:25:53 AM
Subject: Re: [Vwdiesel] Initial Diagnosis: 1998 VW TDI Jetta

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
> > >
> > >
> > >
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> >
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-- 
*          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]
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