Best Source for new ALH Engine? - Rod Bearing Gone!

Spokane Walt

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2006
Location
Washington State, USA
TDI
2000 Jetta Sedan GLS TDI 5sp, 2000 Jetta 2.0 AEG Gas, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon 5sp (wrecked - have some parts!)
Anysuggestions for a new/used ALH engine? Good Source?


Details:

My 00' Jetta TDI with 185K on it stared knocking really bad on the freeway yesterday. Had it towed home and dropped the oil pan.

I didn't even look in the pan - I just grabbed the available connecting rods and shook them. One had about 1/8 inch of play in it - Ugg! Not good!

I then looked in the pan (emptied by a pella extractor prior to removal) and there was a nice pile of "sand" - Silver/Grey and Brass colored. Well, I guess that pile used to be a rod bearing...

Anyway, I bought the car with 153K on it and changed the engine oil every 5K to 7.5K, and ran anywhere from 99% bio in summer to 20% bio in winter. I used Mobile1 0W40 for 2 oil changes and then switched to Valvoline Synpower 5W-40 for the last three. I was just comming up on an oil change - I have put about 30K on the car in the past year.

I pulled the intake - just for grins - and it was in good shape with just a light coating of black stuff. The Turbo spins free and true - no noise. Lifters and cam look fine as well. The previous owner drove the car for about 50K and used the old Mobile1 Truck and SUV (Diesel Approved Formula). The owner before that had the vehicle dealer maintained. First Timing belt changed at 70K second one at 140K. Timing belt is in good shape.

At this point, I am looking at my options to replace the Long Block (Block and Head) or even an entire engine (new or used)
 

Fourdiesel

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2003
Location
SW Wash. USA
TDI
'04 Touareg V10 TDI
New ALH engine

I got my replacement engine from Parts Place in Michigan (that was before BleachedBora started selling engines). Ended up paying more that I should have including $600 core charge and $300 for shipping (to return my core). The engine was supposed to be new "in perfect shape" but when we tried to put oil in it, it had TWO large holes in the pan [wearhouse damage]. Partsplace replaced the pan but wouldn't cover the labor for installing it.

Advice: Get a whole new engine if the price vs long block is even close. You get a new turbo [no worry about what some previous owners oil might have done to the turbo bearing], new injection pump, injectors, etc. About all you have to transfer over is the starter and generator. The new engine MAY NOT however, have the 100,000 mi timing belt - depends on when it was built in Mexico.:D And use DELVAC 1 in it from now on! NOT Mobil 1!
 
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EddyKilowatt

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2006
Location
Carmel Valley CA
TDI
2003 Golf GL 5M
Yikes, and there was just a thread where the consensus was not to bother doing a "Bearing Roll' cause the TDI bottom end is so stout. Hmmmm.

Eddy
 

david_594

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 28, 2004
Location
Cheshire, CT
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS Silver
Why not pull the rods and get them checked out at a machine shop. Have the crank ground .010 over and go to the first oversize on the bearings?

.... actually no, just replace it all and I'll give you $500 for your core. Im good with that.
 
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jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
david LOL! Cheaper to ship it to me! I'll give you $500 too!
 

C H

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
Location
Winnipeg
TDI
2002 Jetta
Try the machine shop method as mentioned above. Might be only a few hundred $$. At worse just buy a new/used crank.
 

Spokane Walt

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2006
Location
Washington State, USA
TDI
2000 Jetta Sedan GLS TDI 5sp, 2000 Jetta 2.0 AEG Gas, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon 5sp (wrecked - have some parts!)
My Primary Car

Reasons for wanting a new engine:

1. Time it will take to rebuild vs. just swapping in a new engine. I'd like this car back on the road ASAP

2. Whatever caused the damage to the connecting rod Bearing likely wasn't any good for the rest of the engine.

3. This is my primary commuter car - I commute from Spokane, WA to Seattle, WA (300 miles each direction) on a fairly regular basis. I need reliability. Tinkering with something that has 185K on it just isn't something I am willing to gamble on.

4. Another option I am looking at is a complete rebuild of the engine - take it in and have a machine shop go through the head and block and check and clean everything. I'll be calling a couple of local places in the AM.

5. I will not give up the core without first inspecting the bottom end and the head - if they are in good shape, I'll likely rebuild and sell it as rebuilt.
 

Spokane Walt

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2006
Location
Washington State, USA
TDI
2000 Jetta Sedan GLS TDI 5sp, 2000 Jetta 2.0 AEG Gas, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon 5sp (wrecked - have some parts!)
Fourdiesel said:
Advice: Get a whole new engine if the price ve long block is even close. You get a new turbo [no worry about what some previous owners oil might have done to the turbo bearing], new injection pump, injectors, etc. About all you have to transfer over is the starter and generator. The new engine MAY NOT however, have the 100,000 mi timing belt - depends on when it was built in Mexico.:D And use DELVAC 1 in it from now on! NOT Mobil 1!
Whole engine for not much more is my thinking.

The Mobil 1 0W40 is a 505.00 Certified Oil. I somehow doubt the oil caused the problem, but it didn't help either. It was while using that oil that a "knock" started to develop. I switched to Valvoline SynPower 5W40, which is also 505.00 and "formulated to meet 505.01"

I never let the engine go below half a qt low, and changed the oil well before the 10K interval, as suggested by BioDiesel usage. In fact, the Pella removed 4 quarts from the pan prior to taking the pan down, so I wasn't "way low" on Oil, either. I also checked the screen for the oil pickup - it wasn't clogged.

This engine likely failed from one of the following causes:

1. Mfg Defect - I know most last 300K miles, but 185K isn't bad in this day and age.

2. Negligence on a prior owner's part - like wrong oil, letting the oil go low, or failing to change the oil for an extended period of time.

3. Some previous failure - the Turbo looks brand new and has a Green sticker on it that says "Garrett" with Honeywell in little letters on it. If it blew a turbo, even under waranty, who knows what other damage was done? Over-reved with no oil pressure could "damage" a bearing, causing shorter life.

4. ???

Walt
 

redmondjp

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2004
Location
Redmond, WA
TDI
'96 Passat Sedan
If your turbo is in good shape, you should be OK with a new long block. Just have to find a good shop in your area that can do the swap without botching it (buys new stretch bolts for the mounts, etc). You may want to install new injector nozzles at that mileage as well.

You may be onto something--did turbo go and cause an engine runaway which over-rev'd the motor? You seem to know something about the history of the vehicle--do you think the PO is hiding anything?
 

Spokane Walt

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2006
Location
Washington State, USA
TDI
2000 Jetta Sedan GLS TDI 5sp, 2000 Jetta 2.0 AEG Gas, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon 5sp (wrecked - have some parts!)
redmondjp said:
You may be onto something--did turbo go and cause an engine runaway which over-rev'd the motor? You seem to know something about the history of the vehicle--do you think the PO is hiding anything?
The car was bought down the street from your neighborhood - Bellevue, WA, last May.

Who knows - the PO didn't mention anything, I am just guessing based on the fact that the Exhaust Manifold looks like it had been removed at one time and that the turbo looked like it was in "newer" condition than the rest of the engine. The PO worked for an Audi Dealership somewhere in the Seattle area. I drove it for 30K... The first 20K was with no issues. So, who knows. Rod Bearing failure isn't common, so it is hard to say what caused it.

I'll likely pull the engine out of the car this weekend. I am just wondering - how long until the Inj. Pump fails? Maybe I should buy new injectors? Maybe Cam and Lifters? New Crank? It all adds up- Soon you realize you might just as well bite the bullet for a new engine. If I werern't travelling long distances over a mountain pass - like just around town, then a patch job might be OK.

Anytime you buy used, you spin the "wheel of luck." My last car was a Subaru with 210K on it - I drove it to 260K and sold it. It now has over 300K on it, according to the new owner...
 
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bikeprof

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2005
Location
Pagosa Springs, Colorado(YEAH!)
TDI
1996 Passat B4 Variant white, 1996 Town & Country 3.8 LXI
Okay...

I am IN the bidding process here!

$501.99 for the core...;) .

1. rent a car while the VW is sick...
2. upgrade the accessories-dice, curb feelers...:rolleyes: lolol
3. get more UMPH..., a chip!
4. gearing, like .681 :D

Get a good running engine or a complete long block WITH warranty(since you drive so much!), you'll be happier this way for the longer run of things!
I.P. pumps will last about 350K+ since you have a newer version that is BIO compatible.
(Diesel Injection Service in Portland CAN answer that one better)

Good luck!

B4 w/279.600K, with a "couple of MODS."... :D
55MPG+ @ 55MPH :cool: !
 
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BleachedBora

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Location
Gresham, Oregon
TDI
'81 DMC-12, '15 GL350 CDI 275 hp/448 tq - '81 Caddy CJAA, '05 E320 CDI 250hp/450 tq, '23 ID4 AWD Pro S Plus
Was I called? ;)
Engines are available--feel free to PM me if you need one. My vendor just ordered in a lot more, and his price has gone up $500 on them. He's selling them to me until the end of the month by splitting the difference (reflected already in the prices in the Bargain Bin), then I'm going to have to raise my price a bit :(. They are OEM engines that were never installed at the factory. The only things missing are the ECU, PS pump, Alternator, and AC compressor.
Sorry to hear of your misfortune!
-BB
 

Fourdiesel

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2003
Location
SW Wash. USA
TDI
'04 Touareg V10 TDI
Who knows what oil the dealer used for the first owner. In my years of reading this forum, one thing is VERY clear - trust NO dealer to do it right, EVER!

Even the Mobil SUV oil is suspect and the Valvoline oil "formulated to meet 505.00 and 505.01" does not necessarily MEET those standards - see the Lubricants thread.;)
 

Spokane Walt

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2006
Location
Washington State, USA
TDI
2000 Jetta Sedan GLS TDI 5sp, 2000 Jetta 2.0 AEG Gas, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon 5sp (wrecked - have some parts!)
Decided on a route

Well,

I took the cap off of the bad connecting rod this weekend to see how bad the damage is - no big gouges, but the bearing was totally gone and the connecting rod and crank journal were both "rough" and worn.

I am wondering if the crank can be taken out "in car" - it didn't look like it. Then I'd have to be able to change at least one connecting rod out to facilitate any sort of temporary repair.

I think I am going to go the "new engine route" as soon as I can scrape the cash together.

Then,I think I can save this engine for use on vehicle that has a broken timing belt. If I can get a cheap car with a good bottom end, but a broken up valve train, I can then learn how to do a timing belt job and cylinder head swap without the time constraint of needing a primary car. This would allow me to "take my time."

Who knows- if I can get a nice car that has a broken timing belt cheap enough, I might be able to make enough back to offset much of the cost of the new engine for the current car!

Spoknae Walt
 

Spokane Walt

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 2006
Location
Washington State, USA
TDI
2000 Jetta Sedan GLS TDI 5sp, 2000 Jetta 2.0 AEG Gas, 2003 Jetta TDI Wagon 5sp (wrecked - have some parts!)
That is the plan - hope to have the cash by the end of next week

Walt
 
Joined
Apr 27, 2003
Location
Stafford Virginia 22556
TDI
96 glx variant tdi
I pretty much gave an engine (the whole car actually) away that had only 5032 miles on it just last month. I can give you the new owners name if you want, he's just going to sit on it til he finds a project for it.
 
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