head replacement ????

[mainer]

  this is an 01 alh jetta 5spd with 140k

I had the car towed in after it had abruptly began to run like it was firing on three cylinders.  They didn't offer any suggestion as to why it may have happened, but after talking to people about it I think it is because at one really cold point this winter I had the oil changed with synthetic after running conventional for a long time and some sludge or residue was released into the oil and caused a blockage.  The tech said it definitely needs a cylinder head, and that in order for the block, cylinder bores, and crank bearings to be evaluated the head would need to be removed.  I considered the price for the head and told them not to go any further.


This is the printout I got from local VW dealer. 

CUST STATES ENGINE SEEMS TO SPUTTER AND LOW POWER WHEN PRESSING ACCELERATOR. VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. ENGINE RUNNING VERY ROUGH. BARLEY MOVES. FOUND P0302 AND P0304 IN ECM FAULTS. CHECK TIMING, IS 22. OUT OF SPEC BUT ENOUGH IN RANGE TO NOT RUN AS DOES. REMOVED GLOW PLUGS. NOTE #3 CAME OUT VERY HARD THREADS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BEFORE. CARBON ON IT AS THOUGH NOT SEATING TIGHT. CHECKED COMPRESSION GOT 300, 330,350,295 IN ORDER LEFT TO RIGHT. 4 IS THE LOWEST. REINSTALLED GLOW PLUGS. CHECK ENGINE RUNNING FUEL AT INJECTORS. FOUND ALL HAVE FUEL. CLY 4 NO CHANGE WHEN OPEN. IS THE BAD CYLINDER. HEAR TAPPING IN VC AREA. REMOVED VALVE COVER FOUND CAMSHAFT AND INTAKE LIFTER EXTREMELY DAMAGED. WILL NEED REBUILT CYL HEAD. MUST REMOVE HEAD AND INSPECT CYL BORES AND PISTONS BEFORE DECIDE IF DAMAGE TO BLOCK OR IF BLOCK TOO WORN TO LAST. NOTE COMPRESSION VALUES VERY BOTTOM END OF SCALE WHICH CAN BE WORN RINGS/BORES WOULD NOT WANT TO PUT GOOD HEAD ON BAD BLOCK. PRICE TIME TO REMOVE HEAD AND REPLACE. TIME TO DO BLOCK AFTER. PUSH VEHICLE OUTSIDE. NEW HEAD $2800 COMPLETE ENGINE $7600


any guess on if the block is ok and its just head damaged with poorly sealing valves on #4 ?? also what would cause lack of oil flow to the head?

[jtanguay]

hmmm very pricey.  i personally don't think that switching to synthetic from conventional will do any harm.  but running a conventional oil in a diesel requires oil changes in the 3000 miles or less range, depending on soot contamination.  true that synthetics do clean out the engine, but its unlikely that it will cause a major blockage. it might fill up the oil filter though if the engine is that bad, but by that point i think there would be much more problems... like low oil pressure, and a worn out oil pump.  i'm wondering more if the turbo gave out from the EGR gunk that gets passed through.  did they inspect the turbo at all? foreign object damage to me is the likely cause of the failure.

go over to TDI club and talk to frank06.  he can rebuild your head for much cheaper.  there's also guys on TDI club that would probably give you a much better deal than bending over for that vw dealer... 

[subsonic]

  this is an 01 alh jetta 5spd with 140k

I had the car towed in after it had abruptly began to run like it was firing on three cylinders.  They didn't offer any suggestion as to why it may have happened, but after talking to people about it I think it is because at one really cold point this winter I had the oil changed with synthetic after running conventional for a long time and some sludge or residue was released into the oil and caused a blockage.  The tech said it definitely needs a cylinder head, and that in order for the block, cylinder bores, and crank bearings to be evaluated the head would need to be removed.  I considered the price for the head and told them not to go any further.


This is the printout I got from local VW dealer. 

CUST STATES ENGINE SEEMS TO SPUTTER AND LOW POWER WHEN PRESSING ACCELERATOR. VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. ENGINE RUNNING VERY ROUGH. BARLEY MOVES. FOUND P0302 AND P0304 IN ECM FAULTS. CHECK TIMING, IS 22. OUT OF SPEC BUT ENOUGH IN RANGE TO NOT RUN AS DOES. REMOVED GLOW PLUGS. NOTE #3 CAME OUT VERY HARD THREADS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BEFORE. CARBON ON IT AS THOUGH NOT SEATING TIGHT. CHECKED COMPRESSION GOT 300, 330,350,295 IN ORDER LEFT TO RIGHT. 4 IS THE LOWEST. REINSTALLED GLOW PLUGS. CHECK ENGINE RUNNING FUEL AT INJECTORS. FOUND ALL HAVE FUEL. CLY 4 NO CHANGE WHEN OPEN. IS THE BAD CYLINDER. HEAR TAPPING IN VC AREA. REMOVED VALVE COVER FOUND CAMSHAFT AND INTAKE LIFTER EXTREMELY DAMAGED. WILL NEED REBUILT CYL HEAD. MUST REMOVE HEAD AND INSPECT CYL BORES AND PISTONS BEFORE DECIDE IF DAMAGE TO BLOCK OR IF BLOCK TOO WORN TO LAST. NOTE COMPRESSION VALUES VERY BOTTOM END OF SCALE WHICH CAN BE WORN RINGS/BORES WOULD NOT WANT TO PUT GOOD HEAD ON BAD BLOCK. PRICE TIME TO REMOVE HEAD AND REPLACE. TIME TO DO BLOCK AFTER. PUSH VEHICLE OUTSIDE. NEW HEAD $2800 COMPLETE ENGINE $7600


any guess on if the block is ok and its just head damaged with poorly sealing valves on #4 ?? also what would cause lack of oil flow to the head?

Check out hermtdi.  He is in the vender section and is up in your neck of the woods.  He has a good rep.  He might be able to help you out with diagnosis and repair.

[diesel smoke]

Definitely get a line with frank06. Either way, running non synthetic in a ALH TDI will result in a worn cam/lifters.