LCARC
Member
A few months ago my 2001 Beetle TDI's engine seized up, cause undetermined although the timing belt was still intact. I took it to European Auto Repair in Alameda to get some assessment of the damage, which amounted to removal of the battery and valve cover; they charged me for 2 hrs of labor, and admittedly, I wasn't ready to spend even more just to hear that my whole engine was toast. When Albert saw that some lifters were scarred, he concluded that he would warranty his work only with an engine rebuild, approx. $5-6k. He seemed hesitant about proposing to do anything less. However, he did rule out biodiesel as the culprit.
The cylinder head was not removed nor was the oil checked for debris (what did the shop do during the 2 hrs?), so the true extent of the damage is not known. As you might expect, I'd like to get a second opinion though I am not a DIY when it comes to cars. Can anyone assist? One option is to take it to a garage such as Tomas Sport Tuning in Berkeley, which I've never used but has a 5-star rating on Yelp. Another is to hire someone with decent TDI experience to pull the head here at my home and assess the damage. I'd hate to tow it to the garage, see bent valve rods, and hear that a major engine rebuild/replacement is needed, then tow it back to my house if i decide it just isn't worth it. Money's kind of tight right now, as you might have guessed.
Any advice or suggestions about someone with enough skills to do this bit of work are most appreciated. Feel free to PM as well. Thanks!
The cylinder head was not removed nor was the oil checked for debris (what did the shop do during the 2 hrs?), so the true extent of the damage is not known. As you might expect, I'd like to get a second opinion though I am not a DIY when it comes to cars. Can anyone assist? One option is to take it to a garage such as Tomas Sport Tuning in Berkeley, which I've never used but has a 5-star rating on Yelp. Another is to hire someone with decent TDI experience to pull the head here at my home and assess the damage. I'd hate to tow it to the garage, see bent valve rods, and hear that a major engine rebuild/replacement is needed, then tow it back to my house if i decide it just isn't worth it. Money's kind of tight right now, as you might have guessed.
Any advice or suggestions about someone with enough skills to do this bit of work are most appreciated. Feel free to PM as well. Thanks!