03 TDI Blown Turbo & Warped Valves

03 DZL JET · Jun 11, 2009

Hi all 1st post & new member!

I have just bought a 2003 Jetta TDI with 125,000 Miles. ALH engine, 5 speed, full power,leather interior, sunroof, heated seats, bose sound system.

The bad.. It has a blown turbo & warped valves on 1# cylinder.

Previous owner noticed smoke in exhaust. Car was taken to a schmuck mechanic who said "valve cover was leaking so I replaced the gasket" last time I checked a leaking valve cover gasket won't put oil in the exhaust *cough*

Well on his drive home from the shop the engine began running rough and spitting oil out the exhaust.

So he then took the Jetta to a European Auto mechanic who upon inspection discovered blown turbo seals and the valves on #1 cylinder warped.

At this point the Jetta is put up for sale and I buy it for 1/3 of it's private party book value.

The turbo I will replace. The cylinder head will be rebuilt/replaced. Also will do water pump & Timing belt while I'm in there.

For you TDI guys & gals here I need tips & tricks, info common problems please

I am a 1st time VW Jetta Diesel owner and would like to pick your brains

on these engines.

A bit about me I have 2.5 years of diesel experience on Nissan, Isuzu, Kubota, Deutz, John Deere engines.

And 10 years in Aviation on piston, turboprop & turbine engines so I know my way around an engine or two.

Thanks for the info!

TDICADDGUY · Jun 12, 2009

First off, contact THIS GUY to rebuild your cylinder head. He can also supply you with everything you need for reassembly including a full timing belt kit. You will also need new head bolts and other one-time use stretch bolts which VW likes to scatter around. Frank is the go-to guy for all of this, he is always there to answer questions...and he is the absolute best around for price and service. Trust me, I've been through this a few times. I had some problems a little over a year ago, I was recommended to Frank by others...but I ignored it and went with a "local machine shop." Well that shop screwed up the head work and I ended up with a broken camshaft after only 80 miles. I also paid double what I should have paid for parts. I finally contacted Frank and I am glad I did. He set me up with a good cylinder head and parts for about half the cost of the "local machine shop." BTW...that shop still owes me about $900 for their screwup. But I doubt I will ever see a dime.

Second, read...and read some more around the forums here. There is lots to learn. Take a look at this thread to see what you could be in for: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=249328

That brings up my next point, while you have the head off...check piston protrusion above the deck with a dial indicator and make sure they all measure the same to rule out a bent rod.

As for the timing belt related things, here is the procedure: http://pics.tdiclub.com/pdf/a4timingbelt.pdf
There are a few things in there that need revising, either someone else will chime in with that info or I can fill you in on it later.

You will also need the tools to do the job correctly:
http://www.metalnerd.com/cat02.htm
If you don't want to buy, myself and others gladly rent ours out for a reasonable fee. See link in my sig if you want more details. I know you have been around the block and know your engines, but remember that VW has their own way of doing things and compromising on certain things can caust problems. In case you are wondering, YES you DO need the timing belt tools to do the job right. The only timing mark is the TDC mark on the crank, the IP and cam have to be locked in place with the right tools. During tensioning of the belt, the IP and cam sprockets need to be free to rotate. Once tension is set, those pulleys can be torqued to spec.

You'll also need a Bentley service manual. They can be found on Amazon and ebay for a decent price. Stay away from the CD version, its a real pain to use. Paper is better. Haynes and Chilton manuals just dont cut it, there is not much detail in them and I have seen some notable mistakes. The Bentley manual is almost 3" thick and packed with good info.

That is all I can think of for now. I'm sure others will chime in to fill in some blanks that I may have missed in my sleep-deprived state. I'm tired so I'm off to bed.

Good luck and have fun with your project.

andreigbs · Jun 12, 2009

Welcome, it looks like you have a bit of a project going, YAY!

Some of the preferred vendors that you can obtain your parts, fluids and just about anything else, including special tools for your VW TDI:

VAG-com, best $$$ spent on ECU tool: www.ross-tech.com
TDIparts.com (Turbos, anything else you may want)
Boraparts.com
Dieselgeek.com (TDI stuff plus tools you'll need)
Metalmanparts.com
Worldimpex.com

I'm sure I'm leaving some out, others will add to the list. These are all great, trusted and personal favorites for vendors.

Heed TDICADDGUY's advice about the head work. Contact Frank06 and you'll get a smoking deal plus great customer service and the best quality possible. You can pick his brains for more information and tips via PMs.

Don't forget to clean out all the boost piping and exhaust. You don't want metal particles from the blown turbo going everywhere after putting things back together. Clean all the pipes, intercooler and make sure the cat is still good. All that burned oil did it no favors, for sure.

Again, welcome and all the best. You're in the right place for all the help and info you'll need to get that baby up and running fast and with minimum aggravation.

TornadoRed · Jun 12, 2009

03 DZL JET said:
I have just bought a 2003 Jetta TDI with 125,000 Miles. ALH engine, 5 speed, full power,leather interior, sunroof, heated seats, bose sound system.

The bad.. It has a blown turbo & warped valves on 1# cylinder.
(snip)
At this point the Jetta is put up for sale and I buy it for 1/3 of it's private party book value.

Wow, this is going to be a great car once you get it fixed and back together. And cheap too, or relatively so. Figure on about $1200-1300 for a rebuilt head by Frank Irving (username Franko6) plus a complete deluxe timing belt kit. You might as well get everything from him, the quality is fantastic and the prices are right. He will either rebuild your head or ship you one that's already rebuilt and take your old one to fix for the next customer. By doing all the work yourself -- removing and reinstalling the head, installing the timing belt kit -- you'll save at least $800 in labor. You will need a special timing belt tool kit, which www.metalmanparts.com can rent to you. And you will need VAG-COM software to set the timing -- there are tdiclub members in Arizona who can help you with that, otherwise it's a couple hundred dollars.

Online vendors like www.boraparts.com and www.tdiparts.com have brand new OE VNT-15 turbos for around $850, or you can upgrade for just a few hundred more.

Checking the pistons for signs of bent piston rods is a given -- hopefully the engine was not hydrolocked.

For somewhere around $2500 or maybe even less, you're going to end up with a beautiful and reliable Jetta TDI good for many years of service (hopefully).

03 DZL JET · Jun 13, 2009

Very good news!

Head is off and only exhaust valve of #1 is warped.

I will still have the head rebuilt or exchanged (Frank06)?

Cylinders look excellent can still see the crosshatch.

Checked piston to deck with dial caliper, no bent rods from what I see.

Yes the turbo is gone in a bad way. About 1/2 inch of slop in the impellers.

The intercooler will need a good cleaning.

Don't know what to do with the turbo, I keep reading about the problems with the VNT-15 and it sounds like the VNT-17 would be a good replacement.

Wife is detailing the car right now "Because I'm bored"

For $3,300 I'm very pleased with what I have

shagin'wagen · Jun 13, 2009

TDICADDGUY said:
Second, read...and read some more around the forums here. There is lots to learn. Take a look at this thread to see what you could be in for: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=249328

Welcome to my life for about the past week.

LOL

Get a VNT 17 and adapter. It's worth the extra few hundred bones. I have since vowed to never own another VNT 15. Also, Frank is your man. He'll fix your head right up like new.

Naimanator · Jun 13, 2009

If it were me doing this repair I would be buying a VNT 17/22 hybrid turbo.

http://www.tdiparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=746

It'll run you about $400 more than a straight 17 but will flow more.

TornadoRed · Jun 13, 2009

03 DZL JET said:
Very good news!

Head is off and only exhaust valve of #1 is warped.

I will still have the head rebuilt or exchanged (Frank06)?

Franko6
http://forums.tdiclub.com/member.php?u=31923

03 DZL JET said:
Don't know what to do with the turbo, I keep reading about the problems with the VNT-15 and it sounds like the VNT-17 would be a good replacement.

Wife is detailing the car right now "Because I'm bored"

For $3,300 I'm very pleased with what I have

Someone over at BITOG said recently that buying a new or almost-new car was boring, because it didn't make sense to replace perfectly good parts or to invalidate a warranty.

Your situation is perfect if you want to upgrade, since you started with a cheap car and a relatively blank slate.

TDICADDGUY · Jun 13, 2009

Good news indeed. You're going to end up with a real sweet car there for a nice price. Frank will take care of you. He is your one-stop shop for everything you will need. I would also consider talking to him about sending the injectors off along with the head. He can clean, calibrate, pop-test and shim them to new specs and tell you if you need new nozzles or not. If they could use replacing, consider upgrading to some Sprint 520's or maybe even PP520's.

I would talk with Frank about turbos too, he sells a few I think. I don't know that the VNT 15 is really any less reliable than any other turbo. Many are out there running with well over 200k on them, some even pushing out 18 psi of boost. If you run the right oil, treat it properly, and make sure that you're not overboosting it too much...a new VNT 15 could last as long as the rest of the car.

Upgrading is a good idea though. For less than $600 over the stock turbo, you can upgrade to the VNT 17/22 from tdiparts. They are a direct bolt-on, no need for adapters like the VNT 17...and you can either run it just like the stock turbo...or you can add fuel and tuning and make it turn up to 26 psi, if you so desire.

03 DZL JET · Jun 14, 2009

TornadoRed said:
Wow, this is going to be a great car once you get it fixed and back together. And cheap too, or relatively so. Figure on about $1200-1300 for a rebuilt head by Frank Irving (username Franko6) plus a complete deluxe timing belt kit. You might as well get everything from him, the quality is fantastic and the prices are right. He will either rebuild your head or ship you one that's already rebuilt and take your old one to fix for the next customer. By doing all the work yourself -- removing and reinstalling the head, installing the timing belt kit -- you'll save at least $800 in labor. You will need a special timing belt tool kit, which www.metalmanparts.com can rent to you. And you will need VAG-COM software to set the timing -- there are tdiclub members in Arizona who can help you with that, otherwise it's a couple hundred dollars.

Online vendors like www.boraparts.com and www.tdiparts.com have brand new OE VNT-15 turbos for around $850, or you can upgrade for just a few hundred more.

Checking the pistons for signs of bent piston rods is a given -- hopefully the engine was not hydrolocked.

For somewhere around $2500 or maybe even less, you're going to end up with a beautiful and reliable Jetta TDI good for many years of service (hopefully).

TornadoRed I grew up in Waterloo, IA Only been in Tucson, AZ 5yr

03 DZL JET · Jun 14, 2009

TDICADDGUY said:
Good news indeed. You're going to end up with a real sweet car there for a nice price. Frank will take care of you. He is your one-stop shop for everything you will need. I would also consider talking to him about sending the injectors off along with the head. He can clean, calibrate, pop-test and shim them to new specs and tell you if you need new nozzles or not. If they could use replacing, consider upgrading to some Sprint 520's or maybe even PP520's.

I would talk with Frank about turbos too, he sells a few I think. I don't know that the VNT 15 is really any less reliable than any other turbo. Many are out there running with well over 200k on them, some even pushing out 18 psi of boost. If you run the right oil, treat it properly, and make sure that you're not overboosting it too much...a new VNT 15 could last as long as the rest of the car.

Just snapped some pictures of my old head to send to Frank.

I plan on replacing injectors also, not going to all this work without some TLC in a lot of other places.

I defiantly don't like the cheesy plastic intercooler piping

I'm anal about things being right, clean, and working the best they can

eb2143 · Jun 14, 2009

03 DZL JET said:
I'm anal about things being right, clean, and working the best they can

My crystal ball says you are going to be a very good TDI owner.

andreigbs · Jun 15, 2009

It helps that you have your aviation background, and your TDI will love you for it. You found a great deal and you're going about fixing it the BEST way: by getting all the relevant info BEFORE diving into it. I wish you the best and I'm sure you'll soon be posting how great she runs and the mileage she returns. Keep at it.

paramedick · Jun 15, 2009

1) call Frank. Tell him to send you a complete head, along with everything to install it. Instant repair in one box, just add labor.

2) Ask Frank to toss a set of core injectors with new, balanced Sprint .205s in the box. Send your old injectors back with the core head.

3) Definitely buy the Bentley manual and the relevant Metalnerd tools to complete the job correctly.

With your attitude and experience, you will do well with this repair and future ownership.

03 DZL JET · Jun 17, 2009

paramedick said:
1) call Frank. Tell him to send you a complete head, along with everything to install it. Instant repair in one box, just add labor.

2) Ask Frank to toss a set of core injectors with new, balanced Sprint .205s in the box. Send your old injectors back with the core head.

3) Definitely buy the Bentley manual and the relevant Metalnerd tools to complete the job correctly.

With your attitude and experience, you will do well with this repair and future ownership.

Been on the phone & sending pictures of my head to Frank last 2 days.

It didn't take long during my first conversation with Him for me to decide who to send my head to.

Head & injectors are going out to Him this week.

I tell you what Frank knows his stuff!

No BS here that's for sure

Thank You to everyone who pointed me His way!

This is going to be a fun project

03 TDI Blown Turbo & Warped Valves

03 DZL JET

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