The problems continue....

Ok it sounds to me like it's turning over, though it would be good to see the engine while you turn then key- is the accessory belt moving while its trying to start? One thing in surprised no one suggested is to take off the bottom skid plate, put a ratchet on the crank bolt, and turn th engine by hand. Is there a great deal of resistance? If you have a stuck valve and you're running the engine with the starter, you're going to bend the valve. If you turn by hand you can stop is there's a sudden increase in resistance.

Carbon stuck under two valves. You can hear easy spinning on two cylinders then compression on two cylinders.

^^ Totally agree, only compression in 2 cylinders.. Carbon stuck between the seat and valve of the other 2.

A compression check will show it.

So how does he fix it?

Head comes off, gets disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, and reinstalled c/w new headbolts and headgasket.

whitedog said:

Carbon stuck under two valves. You can hear easy spinning on two cylinders then compression on two cylinders.

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Yup...that's exactly how mine sounded when I had some carbon gunk in the valves on cylinders 2 and 3.

Vince Waldon said:

Head comes off, gets disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, and reinstalled c/w new headbolts and headgasket.

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Unfortunately...yes. As I mentioned earlier...he could do a quick test like I did. I pulled my glow plugs, and using a rubber tipped air chuck exactly the same as the one below, I applied 10psi to each cylinder at TDC. Cylinders 2 and 3 were blowing straight out the intake.

https://www.acklandsgrainger.com/AG...obalProductDetailDisplay.do?item_code=MTNS153

Off comes the cylinder head.

If the starter is spinning the engine, like in his video, there's no need to try towing or jump starting the car.

Rem

Rembrant said:

If the starter is spinning the engine, like in his video, there's no need to try towing or jump starting the car.

Rem

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2X... and of course the real worry is that if this is about carbon it can shift and hold a valve open enough to hit a piston...if it hasn't already.

I'd be inclined to stop turning it over (other than by hand), except to do a quick compression test or, perhaps more safely, a leakdown test.

Just my opinion, of course.

Well...I got it started...and it doesn't seem to be carbon deposits. I rebleed fuel lines to injectors and then then bleed the injectors using the bleeding knob...and the car started. Runs fine. Sounds good. Should I still be concerned about carbon deposits? It drives fine and accelerates good

Glow plug holes...didn't seem to have an issue

Probably blew the carbon out.

What is a bleeding knob?

The video with the cranking @ 50 seconds in is a stuck-closed ASV (no compression at all). The OP's video with the uneven compression when cranking sounds like stuck valves.

Glad you got it sorted out. Lesson: never scrape the gunk out of the intake manifold while the manifold is still on the car. Even if you don't push something in directly, you can loosen carbon that will later get sucked in by the engine.

FirstJettaTDI said:

Well...I got it started...and it doesn't seem to be carbon deposits. I rebleed fuel lines to injectors and then then bleed the injectors using the bleeding knob...and the car started. Runs fine. Sounds good. Should I still be concerned about carbon deposits? It drives fine and accelerates good

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Sounds like you blew all the gunk out of there by continuously trying to start it. You got lucky...I love happy endings. I don't think there's any doubt that it was carbon deposits. If your intake was as plugged as you said it was, and you were digging around in there with a screwdriver while it was still attached to the engine...you sucked a bunch of gunk into the engine.

Should you be concerned about carbon deposits? Not really any more...but you should have been when you were trying to start it. This is why it was suggested above that you not continue trying to start it. If you have dirt and debris in the engine...running it isn't really the safest way to remove it.

In any case, if you're running you're running. Fill car with diesel, and drive it until your next problem. Repeat.

Rembrant said:

Sounds like you blew all the gunk out of there by continuously trying to start it. You got lucky...I love happy endings. I don't think there's any doubt that it was carbon deposits. If your intake was as plugged as you said it was, and you were digging around in there with a screwdriver while it was still attached to the engine...you sucked a bunch of gunk into the engine.

Should you be concerned about carbon deposits? Not really any more...but you should have been when you were trying to start it. This is why it was suggested above that you not continue trying to start it. If you have dirt and debris in the engine...running it isn't really the safest way to remove it.

In any case, if you're running you're running. Fill car with diesel, and drive it until your next problem. Repeat.

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What about removing the deposits beyond the intake manifold? I helped the OP with the intake (I did not tell him to do it on the car!). the chambers beyond the intake manifold are approximately 30-40% filled with soot. Any easy way or just leave it.

The OP is also wondering about cleaners/conditioners. Its been many years since I had my 01 TDI so i am going with vague memory. Assuming diesel kleen is still the go to?

The other recommendation I had for the OP was to change all the vacuum lines. He had concerns of lack of power and I had suggested the intake manifold/egr cleaning, maf sensor clean, and to change the air filter. After fixing the car, the OP now has an issue with the vacuum pump (lack of brake pressure). I can only assume that lack of power and lack of brake pressure I'm leaning towards a vacuum leak and not the pump going as the lines are all 15 years old at this point and probably never changed.

big1 said:

What about removing the deposits beyond the intake manifold? I helped the OP with the intake (I did not tell him to do it on the car!). the chambers beyond the intake manifold are approximately 30-40% filled with soot. Any easy way or just leave it.

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http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=434238&highlight=intake+ports

big1 said:

The other recommendation I had for the OP was to change all the vacuum lines. He had concerns of lack of power and I had suggested the intake manifold/egr cleaning, maf sensor clean, and to change the air filter. After fixing the car, the OP now has an issue with the vacuum pump (lack of brake pressure). I can only assume that lack of power and lack of brake pressure I'm leaning towards a vacuum leak and not the pump going as the lines are all 15 years old at this point and probably never changed.

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Yup, good idea to replace all the vacuum lines if they've never been done.

Replace all of the 3/5mm cloth covered vacuum line.
Replace the main vacuum line between the vac pump and brake booster if it has not been done. (They crack and split at both ends, and in the middle.)
Check the suction nipple on the vacuum pump...they get loose and leak.

Roseland will have all of the parts you need.

Rembrant said:

Replace the main vacuum line between the vac pump and brake booster if it has not been done. (They crack and split at both ends, and in the middle.)
Check the suction nipple on the vacuum pump...they get loose and leak

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Be sure to check the line carefully. Typically, they crack on the bottom where it's tough to see.

...and it's important to remind yourself that they are vacuum lines, not pressure lines, so they may look different under 18" of vacuum than they do with the engine off.

This may partly explain why some people inspect 'em, find no issues, then later replace 'em out of frustration and boom, problem solved.

Vince Waldon said:

...and it's important to remind yourself that they are vacuum lines, not pressure lines, so they may look different under 18" of vacuum than they do with the engine off.
This may partly explain why some people inspect 'em, find no issues, then later replace 'em out of frustration and boom, problem solved.

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Thats why I think he should just spend the cash (unfortunately) and rule out that issue. As i explained to him, nothing is more frustrating that tracking a vacuum leak. I also do feel for the guy as he has now spent the original cars value 3x over trying to get a decent working vehicle. Kinda hard to show him the value these diesels provide after having to do an entire engine swap and maintenance already with more to come.

From my experience of the TDI, you put in the wrench time and the vehicles are bulletproof (save for nuisances like broken air vents). Hoping he can see the light at the end of the tunnel after he gets through all the good maintenance

Thanks to everyone's comments. Yes, it is a lesson learned about the intake manifold...wish I searched the forums before cleaning...sigh.

As for not trying to start it...I had several other people/mechanics look (friends so free of charge), and they all said it was not carbon build up. I do not know what to say about the conflicting information except thank you for your help. Lesson here is go get the info before starting any project.

Thanks big1 for your help and support! Couldn't of problem solved alot of the issues without ya!