fisherdanski
Well-known member
Hi everyone,
I've been lurking on the forum for about 18 months now and have finally become a member. I only wish my first post had better news. Before I begin - I definitely should have known better.
I bought an 1999.5 MK4 about a year ago from a mechanic who works on VW diesels, and who on occasion buys them and fixes them up. The car had 196,000 on it at the time, and he'd done a full timing belt replacement with a Conti kit. Since then, the car has run alright, though there have been some limp mode issues that he has been sorting out over the past year and very little cost to me. He did an intake cleaning, replaced the vacuum hoses, and the N75 - I picked it up 2 weeks ago, and the car was running great. I put about 400 miles on the car after picking it up, including about 3 miles of Vermont spring muddy road (access road to a friend's house). While driving on that road I could hear grit and dirt pelting the undercarriage, but the car never quite bottomed out. I came very close to getting stuck on one steep part.
Anyway, about 70 miles after the driveway, I felt a little vibration in the car and about 30 miles later, the CEL came on, and the limp mode issues were back. I pulled over to get grab a bite, restarted the car, and while limp mode came back after a few minutes, the vibration was gone. I planned to take the car back to my mechanic ASAP once I got home, so I put about 70 miles on the car driving home, and it sat by my house for the rest of the week until the mechanic would have time to look at it. On the way there, the engine idled rough and then cut out as I was coasting to a light. I got it towed straight to the shop, and the diagnosis is a jumped timing belt.
From what I've read, a jumped timing belt is not something that's supposed to happen after 12,000 miles. My mechanic is saying that I must have driven the car hard in order to do that, but I don't believe him. The car has been in limp mode for the better part of a year, precluding putting my foot to the floor from creating anything more than moderate acceleration. Does anyone have any insights as to whether this is something I could have caused, or whether the installation sounds like it was faulty?
I've been lurking on the forum for about 18 months now and have finally become a member. I only wish my first post had better news. Before I begin - I definitely should have known better.
I bought an 1999.5 MK4 about a year ago from a mechanic who works on VW diesels, and who on occasion buys them and fixes them up. The car had 196,000 on it at the time, and he'd done a full timing belt replacement with a Conti kit. Since then, the car has run alright, though there have been some limp mode issues that he has been sorting out over the past year and very little cost to me. He did an intake cleaning, replaced the vacuum hoses, and the N75 - I picked it up 2 weeks ago, and the car was running great. I put about 400 miles on the car after picking it up, including about 3 miles of Vermont spring muddy road (access road to a friend's house). While driving on that road I could hear grit and dirt pelting the undercarriage, but the car never quite bottomed out. I came very close to getting stuck on one steep part.
Anyway, about 70 miles after the driveway, I felt a little vibration in the car and about 30 miles later, the CEL came on, and the limp mode issues were back. I pulled over to get grab a bite, restarted the car, and while limp mode came back after a few minutes, the vibration was gone. I planned to take the car back to my mechanic ASAP once I got home, so I put about 70 miles on the car driving home, and it sat by my house for the rest of the week until the mechanic would have time to look at it. On the way there, the engine idled rough and then cut out as I was coasting to a light. I got it towed straight to the shop, and the diagnosis is a jumped timing belt.
From what I've read, a jumped timing belt is not something that's supposed to happen after 12,000 miles. My mechanic is saying that I must have driven the car hard in order to do that, but I don't believe him. The car has been in limp mode for the better part of a year, precluding putting my foot to the floor from creating anything more than moderate acceleration. Does anyone have any insights as to whether this is something I could have caused, or whether the installation sounds like it was faulty?
