2003 Beetle 1.9 tdi wont turn over

pdxkevy

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Location
portland, OR
TDI
2003 VW Beetle 1.9 TDI
She sounds like she wants to go, but just can't get over the hump. Replaced starter. Checked all battery topside fuses, all checkout. Read that the park/neutral relay (175) could be a suspect. Replaced, still same issue. I made a video of the symptoms from inside the engine compartment.
https://youtu.be/ifGs7dXGaYI

If anyone has any bright ideas let me know. Kinda stumped at the moment.
Thanks
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
As a check, rotate the motor by the crank to see there is no interference. Then rule out weak battery. Then connections, grounds, wire to starter (you can carefully jumper), etc.
At some point we might ask what starter you put in it. Like what it is, where it came from.
 

pdxkevy

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Location
portland, OR
TDI
2003 VW Beetle 1.9 TDI
I am unfamiliar with how to rotate the engine by the crank, as i'm working on this for a friend. If you know of a link to a resource on that it would be awesome. When the video was made the car was jumped to my S10 just as a precaution to make sure it had enough juice. But, the battery seems fine. Charged it over night and even after countless start attempts it was still at 12.8. The starter is from autozone, I tested it before install and the solenoid engaged the starter and it spun. I disconnected cleaned and reinstalled all the grounds I could find. So yeah if you have some info on turning over the crank by hand it would be most useful. Thanks for the reply. Much appreciated.
 

steve6

Veteran Member
Joined
May 25, 2010
Location
Beaverton, ON
TDI
2003 jetta tdi
Any info what lead to this?

You want to turn the crank over using the bolt on the crank on the passenger end.

Given the video.. I would check to make sure the alternator hasn't locked up (Take off the serpentine belt that runs the accessories and see if anything changes, car can be run without it)

If that does not help, you need to check the timing belt. It could be broken/bad/jammed.

There could be something major wrong with the engine in general, such as a dropped valve given the starter cant move it.
 

pdxkevy

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Location
portland, OR
TDI
2003 VW Beetle 1.9 TDI
Yeah, not sure what might have caused it. My buddy just came out of work one day and that's what he found. Had it towed home. I will check in to the other suggestions. Thanks
 

pdxkevy

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Location
portland, OR
TDI
2003 VW Beetle 1.9 TDI
None of the bolts pictured below will turn. In park or neutral (automatic). I assume those were the ones you were referring to. Correct me if i'm wrong...
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Bolts? Check that the belt is nice and tight. Rotate motor and check if any teeth have been sheared and nothing like the tensioner is falling apart. Timing Belt inspection done.
 

pdxkevy

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Location
portland, OR
TDI
2003 VW Beetle 1.9 TDI
Sorry, I work on motorcycles more and I use a socket wrench to turn the engine. Anyway none of those sprockets are budging at all...Belt is tight and looks good but there is no rotation to be had manually.
 

Prairieview

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2017
Location
Too close to Sturgis 'ithole
TDI
Two 2000 Beetles, 2002 Jetta, 2002 gas avh Jetta, fleet of older 1.6 turbo and non's
Did you put a 19 mm 12-point on the CRANKSHAFT bolt? Not the higher-up places?

You may have to remove the plastic side-skirt if you still have one on there. And, you don't want to bear weight on the intercooler piping with an extension.

A guy needs two long (or more) extensions on a ratchet with a piece of pipe to help cheat a bit. If it does not rotate with moderate grunt....oh oh.....

I use a few wood blocks under the head of the ratchet to keep the extensions more-or-less perfectly horizontal as I attempt to rotate. No, I never have the luxury of a hoist in my world.
 
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