ALH or BEW

Hello I am new to the form and first post. I am going to look at a co-workers car this weekend it is 2004 Jetta TDI that he is selling. The car is in great shape leather int new tires clutch timing belt waterpump he told me $1500. Its a one owner car with 250km. its had a bit of a reduction in power and gone into limp mode during the last month. His mechanic checked it and reported cam lobe failure and possiable injector problem. Hes a salesman so almost all highway miles. I have being pricing parts on the net, but I am not sure yet if its a ALH or BEW engine or the difference of the two will the s/n tell me? Are they different engines, heads or just emissions? Thanks for any info for now.

YUP you have an expensive issue on your hands

its not an ALH ( up to 03)
its the PD motor

2004 would be a BEW. Sounds like complete cam failure. Expensive repair, but if he is only asking $1500 for the entire car it would probably be worth it to have the cam repair done as long as its done by a reputable independent shop and not a dealer... dealers I think have charged as high as $5000 (US) for cam repair on the Pumpe Duese engines.

Most likely a BEW. If the body/interior are in good shape that is a great price snatch it up! Does it have a small chrome strip running around the circumference of the body at the top of the idiot strip? If so it is a 2004 to 2005 1/2.

If you lift the hood and find a visibile injector pump it is an 2003 with an ALH engine.

If ya get the cam and TB replaced it should cost aprox. 2K.

If your turbo is shot that is about another grand. I happen to have a turbo/manifild for a BEW for sale if you need one.

Hope this helps...............Frank

Frank is there a concern of metal dust from cam wear in the oil?

Guess so. I would say common sense dictates, any metals in the oil would be bad.

Metal in the oil is bad, but I have not read of issues with cam wear causing wear on other parts. Remember, the metal worn off occurred over 250Mm, not just in the last oil change. I think the rest of the motor is fine. As long as synthetic was used and changed on a regular basis, I think you're all set--at this point, you wouldn't care about if it was 505.01 or not, since the cam is already shot!

At this point, the only other problem area is the EGR lower pipe, but that's pretty cheap, as long as the cooler isn't shot.

The price for the car is a steal - grab it up. to fix the cam and injectors wont cost more then $2K. BleachedBora sells a deluxe cam repair kit for just over $1000 - any reputable place can get that installed for you for about $500 - 800. If the injectors are bad you are looking into about another $1000 for the injector body and injector seals plus labor and if turbo is bad another $1500.
So worst case scenario:
$1500 for the car
$2000 for cam
$1000 for injectors
$1500 for turbo
you looking at $6000 +tax for that car. Dunno about the value of the car in B.C but in Ontario that about $2000 cheaper then similar mileage/age car on the classifieds ads.
Thats WORST case scenario - chances are injectors and turbo are fine, you mostly have a bad VNT actuator on the turbo and the injector problem is due to a bad/failing cam.

I have bought the car really nice shape. One cam lobe bad and one injector lobe/rocker bad. I am in B.C. so Im close to Cole Cams have talked to him and he will supply a new stock cam reground for $450 or a little more for perf. Black followers $16 each bearings/ seal ect. I will mod the upper bear shells and drill the caps and head for additional oil press. Are rockers dealer only? I am mech at a Cat dealer so no problem. The car seems to be full load except upgraded suspension it came with four week old Hankok directional tires as well. Thanks for your help.