Doin's at Dan's

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
Someone is usually doing something at my place - it seems about half the weekends, or so. Just in case anyone wishes to drop by and shoot the breeze (or help) I thought I would start this thread. I have been sending PMs to those I thought my be interested, but thought I would try this instead. If anyone wishes to drop by PM me for directions and contact info (unless you already have it).

Saturday and Sunday May 30, 31 2009. Working in the shop on a 98 New Beetle Gasser. Waiting parts on UG's car.

Andreigbs and I are planning to inspect his cam, clean and inspect his fuel pump, and do a TB job on his BEW this Sunday (5/24/2009) starting about 0800.

I have Ugly Greasanova's car in the shop checking out hard/no starting, as well. (http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=2563472#post2563472) So far I have found that the main fuel tank is full of varnish (at least that is what it looks and smells like - marine varnish or linseed oil - dark brown with a slight odor) instead of dino diesel. The fuel filter appears to be plugged slightly - it takes about 8-10" of mercury vacuum to pull fuel rather than 4-5" Hg - and I am getting a whole lot of entrained air (continuous bubbles) as well. I plan to clean out the main fuel tank, put in another fuel filter, clean the fuel pickup unit and drill it out, then see if it will draw fuel normally, with no entrained air.

UG's car did start when a positive pressure feed of dino diesel was supplied.

I am a bit concerned since the timing is showing severely retarded (UG's ALH); has it skipped a tooth on the timing belt? I will be checking this evening.



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dieselfueler

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2003
Location
Greater Jenkinsville, SC Metroplex Area
TDI
04 PD100 Jetta Wagon
Hey Dan I 'll try to drop by on Friday. I drove the '09 to CLT yesterday and experienced the dreaded CBEA hiccup but so far in 3 tanks (1500 miles) we're averaging 43mpg. Seems like UG's car is succumbing to it's diet of grease would hate to think what the stresses the IP is enduring.
 

The Shootist

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Location
Hixson, TN
TDI
2002 New Beetle GLS TDI
In the Bio-diesel crowd a varnish smell indicates bacterial growth in the veg-oil. Commonly associated with moisture in the oil or processed fuel.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
Update on Ugly Greasanova's ALH Jetta

I could not check the timing on UG's car because the greasecar system covers the timing mark window.

The timing belt is shredding along the outside edges and the teeth are deformed on the inside edge. But there is no evidence of missing teeth or skipped teeth.

The car has been running - I checked the timing after it was warmed up last night and it was severely retarded. It would start ok once it was warmed up on dino fuel.

The belt is bad enough in appearance to give me concern about continued operation. I'll try to get some photos posted.

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I am not sure you can see this very well, but the teeth along the back of the belt are crushed and damaged. Very strange.
[/IMG]
 
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DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
My best guess right now is that fuel is leaking out the injector pump shaft seal, softening and dissolving the belt.

I will keep looking for mechanical interference, but have found none yet.

Pretty spectacular.
 

vdubdezl

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2007
Location
FL
TDI
06 Jetta TDI 5MT, 05 Honda Odyssey EX-L
Hey dan is the belt tensioner loosening up???
 

TornadoRed

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Location
West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
TDI
2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
Man, those pix are UGLY. UG has the right handle, all right.
(subscribed)
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
update on Ugly Greasanova's car

The timing belt seems to have jumped a tooth. The photo below is the timing mark shown with the pin in the injector pump and the cam plate installed.

No wonder VCDS showed "timing severely retarded".

It seems to have skipped only one tooth, and the cam and IP are still in time with each other - just out of time with the crank by one tooth. The car still runs, though it takes about 10 seconds of cranking to fire.

[/IMG]

As for the leaking IP shaft seal, I asked MTBR (Steve in Fort Worth) for some advice. It was well worth the PM. Steve suggested sending the IP to a re-sealing specialist. For $165 (plus shipping) he will replace all the seals in the IP. UG may well want to pay this rather than have he and I learn on his IP. His IP was performing well - no other issues.

So UG is reviewing his options. $50 in parts and tools from Dieselgeek (and two rookies learning on his IP, and potentially at his ultimate expense), about $200 for the expert resealing, or $500-$1,300 for DFIS to refurbish completely.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
Pictures of UG's fuel pickup assembly. It was originally built as a "C" model, then altered to be an "H" model. This was apparently done by some vendor, as it now has a paste on label that says it is an "H" model. UG says it has only been in service "a very short time."

[/IMG] This is the inner fuel pickup canister. Note the sediment, some of which looks as if it is granular. Since this fuel had to go through the VO fuel filter, I am postulating that this is a precipitate of some sort. Or else the filter is blown through?

The fuel system seems to have had a control failure such that recirc flow always went to the dino fuel tank, even when it should have been going to the VO fuel tank.

[/IMG] This is a photo of the outer fuel pickup canister. It is much cleaner. None of this stuff was in the main fuel tank (no sediment or crystals), it all settled in the fuel canister, which is where the return fuel is dumped.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
It is a 2001 Greasecar Jetta with an automatic transmission.

Both of his cooling fans have issues, too. Neither one would run until I tapped on them, then the passenger side started running pretty good. The driver's side fan never did more than a few hundred RPM, then it would slow and stop.

Dan
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
So, I guess I will be working on UG's timing belt disassembly, or perhaps make another attempt to determine where he is losing coolant - and why.

It may be due to his fans not working, but there have been signs of a leaking connection during past operation. Twelve hours at 10 psig air overpressure did not result in find the leak.

Maybe I will just work on his fans.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
mopower said:
I always learn about this mini events too late....
I will try to update this thread as soon as I know anything.

Maybe I should keep the lastest in post #1?

You are always welcome to call and start a "mini-event" - really more like normal than an event.

I will be in Asheville Jun 5 and 6, so those dates are taken.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
Today UG and I finished the inspection, disassembly of the timing belt area, and dismounting of his injector pump.

The shaft seal of the Injector pump was the culprit. We could not tell for sure until we had removed the IP sprocket. The back view of the sprocket told the tale. It was very interesting to note that there was no tell-tale trail running down from the shaft. No trail on the timing belt back cover.

Just evidence of atomized fuel all over everything on that side of the engine. Dried fuel, dirty nasty plastic looking stuff. We literally could not tell until we had the sprocket off. Pics to follow.

We also fixed both of his radiator/evaporator fans. Before we started repairs one would work if you tapped it, the other not at all. We cleaned the brush holder area out, put them back together and back in, taking about an hour each. Both work in slow and fast now.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
Injection pump sprocket dirty from shaft seal leak

The dirty sprocket.

[/IMG]

One section partly cleaned.

[/IMG]

The inspection of the timing belt and valve train was done by the following method.

Turn the crank and look at each tooth on the timing belt. Ensure none were missing.

Turn the crank and inspect each cam lobe when up and each follower when fully depressed (so as to show the most surface area), shine a bright light from all sides and look for radial (starburst) fracture lines, ensure the top surface of the follower was perfectly flat with no circumferential grooves worn in it.

Set the timing and lock the cam and Injection pump. Verify that we are within 1 tooth of normal timing.

Everything came out very good. No problems noted. UG is probably not going to remove the head on this event based on the above inspection, and the fact that the engine never stopped in a sudden or abnormal manner.

When we get the deluxe TB kit and the IP back from being re-sealed we will start the reassembly. (UG has a lot of cleaning to do first!)
 

vdubdezl

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2007
Location
FL
TDI
06 Jetta TDI 5MT, 05 Honda Odyssey EX-L
hey dan .....the coolant leak....what about the EGR cooler? They will leak into the exhaust and this problem happens a lot in Cat, Cummins, Powerstroke(ford). just a suggestion.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
The EGR cooler fell off of this car at some time in the past.

12 hours at 10 psig overpressure did not cause any coolant loss.

I suspect the fans were not coming on when required, and temperature/pressure spikes were occurring - mostly just after shutdown.

We fixed the fans, so time will tell.
 

The Shootist

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Location
Hixson, TN
TDI
2002 New Beetle GLS TDI
Dan,

Contamination in the tank will be from the changeover between diesel and wvo. Everytime you change fuels, the pump and lines are full o9f the other fuel.

Thats the problem with wvo...cross contamination cannot be avoided.
 

vwcampin

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Location
Omaha
TDI
2002 GLS TDI Auto
The Shootist said:
Dan,

Contamination in the tank will be from the changeover between diesel and wvo. Everytime you change fuels, the pump and lines are full o9f the other fuel.

Thats the problem with wvo...cross contamination cannot be avoided.
A proper 2 tank system will have two, 3 port valves. When you switch from WVO to diesel, you are sending diesel back down the WVO line, essentially removing all WVO from your fuel loop. With a proper conversion, and a proper purge, you should get little if any WVO in your diesel tank.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
Saturday and Sunday May 30 and 31

I will be puttering around in the shop again this weekend.

UG's car is pretty much at a standstill until he gets here with the TB and re-sealed injection pump.
He might (is welcome to) come by and work on cleaning up his car.
About the only other thing we can do to his car is glow plug work to clear a CEL.

I will be troubleshooting my wife's Suburban air conditioner, loss of control power, no fan in the front. Rear fan needs a resistor pack installed.

Zeb (my son) is bringing by an older lady's 98 NB gasser to see if we can fix her AC, her driver's side electric window, check out a CEL, and see if we can find the cause of a hesitation during operation.

Drop by if you wish. Send me a PM and I will send you contact information, address and directions.
 
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