~TDIguy~
Veteran Member
Last weekend I was on a trip to the Midwest and partway into ohio my car stopped cold in traffic. Cranked like it wasn't getting fuel and really fast etc etc.. I called my favorite TDI mechanic and hes like its either your timing belt or turbo.. Im thinking oh boy! Anyway a long story short I found a shop with a 5 star rating that claims TDI knowledge and had it towed in.
Sure enough, a section of teeth were torn off the belt. He got me a quote for a timing job, which looking back I should have known it would be higher but anyway after some discussion I decided im better off having him do the job rather than come to pick the car up and tow it to my mechanic, 10 hours one way from where I broke down, especially given the fact he gives a 100k mile warranty on the belt job. Well when he got it opened up the quote doubled. Smashed lifters and all 8 valves damaged. He went ahead and replaced them, had the head gone over by a machine shop, and put everything back together. The plan was that I would get the car on my way home from my trip 5 days later but needless to say that didn't happen...
This week I went out to pick it up and pay my bill.. I noticed it didn't start quite as energetically as it did before kinda like there was a tiny bit of air in the lines but I figured its from setting for a bit. I restarted it several times and it seemed more like normal. I then drove the whole way home which is all interstate driving and it didn't give any trouble. Ran great, good power. This morning I went to start the car after it being outside overnight and it barely started... 3 glow cycles then I cranked it, and it started but sounded like its running on only 2 or 3 cylinders. it sputtered around and carried on like that for several minutes (with plenty of blue smoke) and finally straightened out and ran normal till the next cold start. Always starts fine when the engine Is hot. I noticed it doesn't smoke black as much as it did on acceleration anymore, almost none and I have a stage 4 Malone. Im thinking its connected anyone have any good suggestions? If I was closer id run over to the shop and get him to fix it up but I wont be able to do that for a few days yet at least.
Sure enough, a section of teeth were torn off the belt. He got me a quote for a timing job, which looking back I should have known it would be higher but anyway after some discussion I decided im better off having him do the job rather than come to pick the car up and tow it to my mechanic, 10 hours one way from where I broke down, especially given the fact he gives a 100k mile warranty on the belt job. Well when he got it opened up the quote doubled. Smashed lifters and all 8 valves damaged. He went ahead and replaced them, had the head gone over by a machine shop, and put everything back together. The plan was that I would get the car on my way home from my trip 5 days later but needless to say that didn't happen...
This week I went out to pick it up and pay my bill.. I noticed it didn't start quite as energetically as it did before kinda like there was a tiny bit of air in the lines but I figured its from setting for a bit. I restarted it several times and it seemed more like normal. I then drove the whole way home which is all interstate driving and it didn't give any trouble. Ran great, good power. This morning I went to start the car after it being outside overnight and it barely started... 3 glow cycles then I cranked it, and it started but sounded like its running on only 2 or 3 cylinders. it sputtered around and carried on like that for several minutes (with plenty of blue smoke) and finally straightened out and ran normal till the next cold start. Always starts fine when the engine Is hot. I noticed it doesn't smoke black as much as it did on acceleration anymore, almost none and I have a stage 4 Malone. Im thinking its connected anyone have any good suggestions? If I was closer id run over to the shop and get him to fix it up but I wont be able to do that for a few days yet at least.