Engine revved by itself after hard acceleration

Mocontreras

Member
Joined
May 25, 2017
Location
Hoonah, AK
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon 1.9
Took our 2003 jetta 1.9 tdi out and after a hard acceleration the engine revved really high on it's own until it died. It took a bit to get it started back up, but we were able to drive it the mile home. It seemed to run fine the rest of the way home. The next day my gf noticed it was smoking so she parked it. I took it for a ride after work and noticed a whitish grey smoke. It seemed to have lost power. I took it back home and parked it. I pulled the glow plugs and the number 2 and 3 seemed to be burnt. I replaced them and it still smokes pretty bad. I checked to turbo on the air side and it spins freely with no play. I'm at a loss and live on an island with no vw mechanic. Please help.
 

\/\/0J0

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Location
Knoxville, TN
TDI
Sadly, none anymore
My thinking is that there was oil built up in the intercooler and the hard acceleration caused it to be carried into the intake tract to be ingested by the engine thereby causing somewhat of a runaway condition. The possibility exists that the lingering smoke may be caused by residual oil still being ingested by the engine. May also be that you have some bent rods from the engine trying to compress a fluid that cannot be compressed. Are you able to run a compression check?
What did your turbo look like when you checked? Oil seals intact?

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steve6

Veteran Member
Joined
May 25, 2010
Location
Beaverton, ON
TDI
2003 jetta tdi
You need to get a compression test done, it will tell you you most likely bent cylinder 2 and/or 3 rods, unfortunate.
 

Mocontreras

Member
Joined
May 25, 2017
Location
Hoonah, AK
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon 1.9
The turbo had a white discolored fin on it. I ordered a compression tester for it and I'm just waiting until that gets here. I hope it's just the turbo
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
If it runs better when warmed up then it's most likely bent rods. Lowered compression means less combustion (white smoke); it's made worse when the engine is cold (when cylinder temps are low).
 

Mocontreras

Member
Joined
May 25, 2017
Location
Hoonah, AK
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon 1.9
Still no compression tester. The exhaust really smells of unburnt fuel. Hopefully compression tester will be here in the next day or 2. How can you find out of its a bent rod or bad valve?
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Look at them, either pull the oil pan or pull the head and measure protrusion (best). It sounds like you've had a bit of hydrolock (always bad) when it ingested the stuff in the piping. Turbo might be O.K, but engine likely suffered damage.
 

Mocontreras

Member
Joined
May 25, 2017
Location
Hoonah, AK
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon 1.9
Oil level seemed fine. The turbo also seems to be ok. I can't really pull the head. I don't have a garage to park the cat and if it turns out to be a bent rod. I don't have the expertise to take car of that. I live on a remote island and would have to toe the car onto a ferry and then tow it to a shop. Is there any easy way to get a good idea of what's going on?
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Oil level seemed fine. The turbo also seems to be ok. I can't really pull the head. I don't have a garage to park the cat and if it turns out to be a bent rod. I don't have the expertise to take car of that. I live on a remote island and would have to toe the car onto a ferry and then tow it to a shop. Is there any easy way to get a good idea of what's going on?
Oil level good is a good sign, means it didn't get much, just the 1/4 cup or whatever that collects in the piping. Easiest first step is compression check.
 

steve6

Veteran Member
Joined
May 25, 2010
Location
Beaverton, ON
TDI
2003 jetta tdi
I'm new to the diesel world. I'm not sure what a hydrolock is
When you take in more liquid than you should into the combustion chamber and it cant be compressed anymore, it bends components(typically the connecting rod as its the weakest link).
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
To be more precise, hydro-lock is the condition in which mechanical motion is stopped/impeded* due to a fluid obstruction. Oil, water, and even fuel in too high of a quantity in the combustion chamber that impedes the full compression stroke of the rod+piston will result in a hydrolock condition. Combustion chamber on these engines is pretty small, doesn't take a lot of excess fluids to get into trouble.

* It's possible that the engine's rotation isn't totally stopped, that the rod gets bent just a little, enough to give some "relief" to accommodate the mildly excessive fluids (which can then manage to get pushed out the exhaust valve). No matter how much the rod gets bent the compression test will almost always tell you whether an engine encountered a hydrolock condition.
 

Mocontreras

Member
Joined
May 25, 2017
Location
Hoonah, AK
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon 1.9
Thanks. I've finally got my compression tester. I'm going to try and get it done tomorrow. Any tips on doing the compression test? The tester I have used the glow plug hole.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
Please make sure it's for a diesel and not the gas version.......the gas version pressures are lower than the diesel version.
 

casey823

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Location
Middleton, ID USA
TDI
2002 Jetta sedan, 2002 golf tdi
run the car till you have it up to operating temperature, then unplug the injection pump and do one cylinder at a time and write down each number. If you have an issue with a glowplug the process will take you longer. Its also a good idea to blow out around each glow plug before removal so you dont get crud into the cylinders. Good luck.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
It will but for what your looking for , you want the readings to be consistent, for example all reading about 400 +- the tolerance, not 2 reading 300 and the other two reading 400.
 

\/\/0J0

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Location
Knoxville, TN
TDI
Sadly, none anymore
It should be noted that a battery charger needs to be connected during the compression test and all glow plugs removed

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Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
Not if there is a timing problem instead of a compression problem. Did anyone mention that it is a good idea to remove the wire to the fuel cutoff solenoid when doing a compression test?

Cheers,

PH
 

SoTxBill

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 14, 2000
Location
its not the base, its the additives!!
TDI
13 passatdsg 10 jetdsg, 09 jetdsg, 2006 jetdsg, 2001Jet, 96passat, 86jet, 81 jet, 78pickup all vw diesel.
Reminds me of the early rabbits and pickups.. Around 60 hp.. and would do 75 mph down hill.. but then it would go into runaway.. as it sucked oil fumes out of the crankcase, into the intake... Never hydrolocked, just took off down the road, 75 mph... and a bit of a smoke trail. Vw came out with a modification for the breather that helped somewhat eliminate the problem. Gosh, those were the days... could not hear yourself think for the noise... Had to turn off the a/c compressor and start gaining speed the day before, so you could plan to pass someone. And the radio.. who knows, you could not hear it anyway.


Anyway.. you may or may not have hyrolocked and bent your rods. But if its down on power, hard to start, smokes till warmed up... its not looking good.
 

\/\/0J0

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2010
Location
Knoxville, TN
TDI
Sadly, none anymore
Is there a certain number of engine cranks you do when testing or do you just crank until the tester stops?
Not really a specific number but no more than about 15 seconds. Not that you'll need to crank it that long to get a useable result

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2footbraker

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2005
Location
Ontario, Canada
TDI
06 Jetta, 01 Golf
It's not that hard to replace rods. Aftermarket rods are generally cheaper and stronger than oem. Check kerma for replacements. Engine can stay in the car. I would pull the head to verify not bent valve stems and to measure piston protrusion. You may want a shop to do the work if you are not comfortable but it's not that complicated if you follow the Bentley manual and post questions on here.
 
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