First Post: Couple of Issues

Hi,

This is my first post on TDIclub so I hope I am posting in the right section. I was wondering if someone could just help me out with some advice. I own a 2006 Golf TDI with 205,000 km on it. I recently had my timing belt and waterpump replaced as suggested at this amount of use. Since then I noticed my car had noticeably less torque. (P.S this was done in London, Ontario at Autobahn). I returned the car and he said that on the flywheel the timing was matching up perfect but the computer was giving a weird reading on "advanced timing" he called it. After a day looking at it he said it was good but when I got the car back nothing had changed the torque was still noticeably lower to the point where my wife and I stall sometimes out of first. I learnt to ignore the problem attributing it to maybe the belt needs to be worn in or something.

Now that I have moved to Toronto I have brought my car into VW Don Valley and they say I need a new Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF) and a a glow plug $600 and a new AC fan because my AC is running under high pressure. It makes a whining/groaning noise usually at idle randomly they attributed it to A/C but I'm pretty sure it happens even when the AC isn't on.

I decided to get a second opinion as I am often weary of dealer mechanics. Does this sound right? Should I be worried about the timing belt issue? Can someone suggest a good TDI mechanic in East Toronto? I am thinking of bringing it to Amin at Salim's Auto.

Any help would be much appreciated even if it's just to tell me to post this somewhere else.

Thanks,

Sam

Regarding timing, the flywheel timing was "perfect" relative to what? The camshaft has a two piece wheel and a lock pin. If the lock pin wasn't used, or if the crankshaft wasn't locked correctly, the valve timing can be off. This can be viewed in VCDS as the torsion value, in group 004, value 4. It should be close to 0.0, assuming there's not an "implausible signal" fault set for the camshaft position sensor (0.0 is the static value when it is out of service). It can be corrected, but the belt tension and general condition should be inspected, too.

Your other issues require closer investigation. You should find out if the glow plugs campaigns (or the most current one) have been performed.

Look at this map for VCDS

There should have been more parts involved for a proper timing belt job. Such as this:

http://www.dieselgeek.com/BEW_TDI_Timing_Belt_Kit_p/tbk-bew.htm

Wingnut is on the trusted mechanics list and about 10 miles from you. He wasn't accepting any more work as of 2007 but after 7 years something may have changed. Worth a PM to find out. Failing that a drive would be in order to get to a trusted mechanic either in NY state or up near Ottawa or Montreal. I would question Salim's Auto if they have the proper lock down tools and vcds before committing to any repairs.

The timing belt is critical to be done correctly with all the parts needed, and is worth the time to find someone that knows what they are doing. IIRC the glow plug campaigns have expired now. You can probably still pay to get it done though. My 2005 Beetle just made it under the wire when I was selling it a few years ago. It is worth having the vcds tool for times like this. It can be bought here:

http://www.ross-tech.com/

Good luck!

$600 for a MAF and glow plug replacement seems absolutely insane...