Author Topic: Timing belt broke - help!! (Read 2400 times)

Jetta Fan · « **on:** September 29, 2006, 05:29:16 am »

I have a 97 Jetta with a 1.9 TD. The timing belt just broke. Now, I know this can cause huge amounts of damage, especially to the head. How hard is it to change the head (I can have it rebuilt locally)? What else is involved? What should I look for? Or should I be looking for a mechanic?

Also, since I am now in rebuild mode, can you offer any performances mods (inexpensive would be best, but all suggestions will be appreciated) can I do while I have it torn down?

QuickTD · « **Reply #1 on:** September 29, 2006, 06:18:31 am »

Are you sure the timing belt broke? Thats kind of an unusual failure on a 1.9TD, more often the crankshaft pulley shears the key and comes loose. Same result as a broken belt but more expensive to repair as the crank requires welding/machining.

The head is generally fixable provided none of the lifters shattered and messed up the lifter bores. New valves and lifters are cheap. I've never seen piston damage from a broken belt or loose crank pulley. If the engine wasn't using oil I wouldn't bother to do a full rebuild. The 1.9TD seems to be exceptionally durable with the exception of the crank pulley.

Jetta Fan · « **Reply #2 on:** September 29, 2006, 06:44:53 am »

Oh yeah, I'm positive it's the timing belt and not the crank pully. I removed the timing belt cover and sure enough....it's broke. The crank pulley is still good because I had to put a new drive belt on (tensioner pulley bearing fried at the same time and I lost the belt) and the crank pulley seems fine.

Here's an odd thing though. I have a 70A alternator, and the belt listed for a 70A wouldn't fit, I had to use the belt listed for a 90A unit.

Slave2School · « **Reply #3 on:** September 29, 2006, 08:50:13 am »

Jetta if you are looking for a used head or a place that is competent enough to rebuild them for you you might want to give a call to Jack Lowe's Automotive in Cambridge (just near coldbrook) 902-538-1486 and ask for Chris. He sees lots of destryed heads, in fact where I was there last time he had a nice passat 1.9TD in there with the keyway that let loose...ouch.

Who knows he might even have a used one kicking around that he could clean up and send out your way. It never hurts to ask. As long as yours just has broken lifters/valves it is usually a salvagable head.

As for performance bits you can get uprated valve springs for high rpm use, ARP head studs and now main studs too from what Chris was telling me.

Jetta Fan · « **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2006, 04:32:56 am »

Thanks for the info guys.

Slave2School, I know of Jack's place...I used to live about half an hour or so from there. (I've since moved further away.) I spoke with my mechanic over the weekend and he is really good with VWs (that's why he's my mechanic) and he's going to look at it. I was going to do it myself as I would like the experience, but time is not on my side.