89, 1.6td died on the highway

[hairyhuevos]

First and foremost, thanks to all you guys for posting your advice and experiences.
If it hadn't been for this forum i would not have gotten as far as i have with my 89 jetta, 1.6td or my 93 golf also a td. A real motivator to work on these cars.
This time is the jetta giving trouble. Had a leak in the cooling system for the past month or so and had to constantly refill. Hard to start in the cold. But it would be in the bitter cold that it would heat to the point of hissing and emptying once the overflow cap was off. Hard to find those cooling hose flanges around here.
In the meantime, i did an oil change and not long after that work the light started to come on when it was coasting, but once i stepped on the accelerator it'd turn off and then back again when off the pedal.
I added about a quart to bring it up just past the half of the hatch on the dipstick. But on this cold night after another hard start the light would not turn off at all while doing 140 km/hr and it just died with a trail of thick smoke.
Tried to start again while coasting but no go. The rest is a story on its own. Anyway, a mechanic friend tells me the crankshaft maybe leaking and oil pressure is low and not to waste anymore time on that old car. I have seen enough in this forum to think the jetta may have a fighting chance, then again, i'm new at this and maybe just wishing. Tried starting it again after a week sitting there and engine turns and makes hard noises but won't start, there's also a smell to it now. Just before it died i heard knocking noises, Valves? crankshaft? I will greatly appreciate any input and thanks again for all the advice you guys dish out here and looking forward to crack open the wrenches again to get the little engine going

[8v-of-fury]

Ok, here is my input..

Because the light came on after you did an oil change.. you probably had a defective oil filter, that caused some bad oil pressure problems. (read: no oil psi)

I do not think it was coolant related this shut down.. as they will continue to run without coolant. (oil too for a little bit)

I think the cold start night it failed you had no oil flowing, I say I think because obviously this is my best guess over the internet. The Jetta does have a fighting chance, but if you trashed it with no oil it is gonna need a lot of work. It is gonna cost a lot to have a mechanic do it. It would be easier to swap engines, if it has in fact been run down with no oil pressure.

You should not have attempted to try and start it again.. Doesn't make sense why it wont start though, unless you lost compression too somehow.

We need more information, is the timing belt still intact? You took it to a mechanic, but I have seen some pretty *adurrrr* mechanics in my time. Can you spin the motor around freely by hand with a socket wrench on the crank bolt?

[hairyhuevos]

Hard to believe it wouldn't start. Has always been reliable but this time i knew i was flagging a dead horse but had to give it a try.
Haven't checked the belt or anything at all. With the little i know i do think i lost some compression. I do hear noises in the engine i never heard before so i know this time is serious work.
As far as the mechanic, well he doesn't have the same enthusiasm for VW's as some of us do. Especially of that age. I just talked to him over the phone. No one has seen the car yet. Nevertheless, he is not the first one i meet like that either. Seems most like to work on newer cars and once a year or less if possible.
Body has issues too so i'll have to consider it before spending more time on it. Bought it for 350 in '08, drove it since nov 09, changed starter motor, rear bearings, water pump last september, front left axle last month and muffler 3 weeks ago. Was looking forward to replacing flanges, heater core, brake lines, and coloured doors. It was running smooth too. What a shame.

[8v-of-fury]

That is a shame.

Well if it only cost the $350 and you got a couple years.. Worst case I'd take off the new parts you've put in and find another 85-92 Jetta.

Before you attempt to start it again (damage may already be done) I would check some things out.

Pull the upper belt cover off, and make sure the belt looks at least OK. Make sure it isnt broken, and that everything in fact is intact. From there I would get under it and spin the motor by hand with a wrench. You can jack it up on one side to get the tire off the ground and put it in gear and then spin the lifted tire, that will work too.

Make sure you can easily and cleanly spin the motor while listening for grinding, scrapping noises. If not then I fear you ran it out of oil and piston/cylinder damage may have occurred.

If it was knocking while trying to start it a week later, then it may already be done for.

[CRSMP5]

when you over heat them bad things happen to bearings and pistons...

sadly when low on coolent the temp gauge DOES NOT WORK. it cannot measure air temp.. must have fluid..

gotta pull it apart... pull head first.. make sure you did not crack it.. when my td cracked the head.. still no idea why it did... anytime i got it over 5psi of boost it would empty the bottle...

if head ok... then time to pull the pan... pull rod caps and main caps and look at the crank/bearings...