Bad Fuel Pressure Regulator-- Help! (Please)

Y2KBuggy

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Location
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri area
TDI
New Beetle, 2005, gray; 2000, yellow
Looks like my fuel pressure problem afer having the head replaced may be a bad fuel pressure regulator (thingee that's attached to the end of the head on top of the engine). And this could have caused the whole broken valve/destroyed head by sending air instead of fuel...

So...

Is there a recall on these? If not, how do I ask for one/get the process started?

And importantly, so I can get my car back on the road, which replacement do I buy (which brand/model), where should I get it, and how much should it cost? The stealership told my mechanic $900, but I saw them for as low as $33 online. Of course, I could be looking at the wrong thing...

Thank you, in advance.
 

Corsair

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Location
Weedsport, New York
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS TDI 5M
my 0.02-
A-s-s-uming the reference is to the 2000 Beetle...
Sorry, but the info or the terminology doesn't make sense to me.
The thing on the end of the head would be the vacuum pump, and I have never known that to be the cause of a broken valve or destroyed head.
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Let's start at the beginning-
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Confirm what is the car- how many miles ? Transmission: auto or manual? What is the maintenance and "event" history ? (sounds like there may be quite a bit....)
 

Y2KBuggy

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Location
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri area
TDI
New Beetle, 2005, gray; 2000, yellow
Info

It's the 2005. Yes, it is a diesel. The stealership wanted almost $5000.00 just to replace the head :eek: , with no guarantee the car would run or wouldn't need anything else, so needless to say, it got towed elsewhere. There was visible breakage in the head.

The diagram in a shop manual shows the offending part to be a fuel pressure regulator. The stealership quoted $900 for the part... we haven't done anything with this because I found the part soooooo much cheaper online, and I was hoping someone could tell me which brand was best...

When my car died this time, I was driving at about 25 mph on a paved, city street, heard a pop and then a whirring buzzing noise, and then the vehicle stopped and would not restart. The headlights, radio, etc. still worked.

The %#@$$$$$$ transmission is a tiptronic or whatever VW calls their version (never, ever, ever again!)


The 2005 has approximately 135,000 miles. Since I have had it: Oil changed every 5,000 miles. Major services as prescribed in the owner's manual. New shifter lever, 2 transmission services, and it still slips and loses power sometimes. The problem started at 96,000 miles, but the first transmission service got it past the 100,000 mile mark and out of warranty. Glow plug problems requiring towing at least 4 times. Lousy fuel mileage. Fuel guage stuck showing 1/4 or 1/2 a tank, so the car ran out of fuel because I didn't know to put any more in, and based on the number of miles driven on that tank, there is no way I should have needed fuel then. Air bag recall service completed and the light is back on. Other recall services completed.

This vehicle was purchased used with 40,000 miles on it from a stealership, with one previous owner. A condition of sale was the installation of a 100,000 mile timing belt. AFAIK, this was done. New timing belt at 130,000 miles at the stealership. The mechanic I had it towed to found the bolts on the wheel the timing belt goes around to be loose. The mechanic thought at first this might have had something to do with head breaking, but even after this was addressed and the head was replaced, the engine will only run with sprayed starting fluid and when that is all gone, the engine stops. There's a ton more stuff... All in all, I could have almost bought another car with the money I have spent fixing this one over and over and over.

I am soooooooo sick of this car. When I get it back in running order it's getting driven as little as possible and traded in on somehing else as fast as I can get this done.

Thanks, in advance, for any help...
 
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PDJetta

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 6, 2003
Location
Northern Virginia
TDI
'04 Jetta GLS TDI Pumpe Duce Platinum Grey w/ Leather
This has to be OP's 2005 Bug with a BEW engine. The only thing I could equate this description to would be the tandem pump on the driver's end of the cylinder head. There is no "fuel pressure regulator" on this engine. The fuel pressure regulation occurrs in this pump. It also supplies vacuum to the brake booster and EGR and turbocharger actuator and a couple of other emissions control items. Failure of this pump would simply cause the engine to quit running or could fill the engine crankcase with diesel fuel, depending on the mode of failure.

Is there a part number associated with the part description?

The OP needs to get this car to a guru on this list for a proper diagnosis and then a a decision can be made as what to do. It appears there may have been a timing belt mishap due to improper intallation. Since the car is in Missouri, Oilhammer comes to mind. He is in St. Louis. He is one of the best. You can't go wrong with him.

--Nate
 
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jetta 97

Vendor
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Location
Dallas (McKinney) ,TX ,USA
TDI
2 X Jatta MK5 2006
Ok ,so head was replaced and car won't start after that, correct?
Did your mechanic prime fuel system to get all air out?
Did he checked does fuel coming to tandem pump?
When he install head ,Did he adjust injectors properly with special tool?
You have two fuel pumps in that car , if one of them does not work , it will not run car.
And that car does not have Fuel Pressure Regulator .
 

Y2KBuggy

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2004
Location
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri area
TDI
New Beetle, 2005, gray; 2000, yellow
The mechanic can get the car to start and run by spraying starting fluid. But when that is gone, the car quits and won't restart. The fuel line is fine, as are the fuel pumps and fuel filter.

Thanks...
 
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maxwellp

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2011
Location
VERONA, WI
TDI
1998 TDI Beetle
Oh please get your car away from the "mechanic" that is spraying starting fluid in it. I have seen what it can do and you will not like the results.

You need to take it to someone that knows how to repair TDI's.

As Nate said, "The OP needs to get this car to a guru on this list for a proper diagnosis and then a a decision can be made as what to do. It appears there may have been a timing belt mishap due to improper installation. Since the car is in Missouri, Oilhammer comes to mind. He is in St. Louis. He is one of the best. You can't go wrong with him."
 
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