Dealer says bent valve wanted $5600 for head work HELP

[superdad]

I love my 06 TDI It has been a problem child at times 3 clutches a tranny now this. I put the bad boy in the shop to do the timing belt and mentioned it was smoking a bit. They said that it seemed a valve was sticking, so I said how much do you think it would cost they said maybe $1-2k so they pull the head and come back with a $5.6k. After i changed my underwear I asked them about a new crate engine they said you can't get one. So i said put it back together and put a new timing belt on I will take my chances. The car has 136k on it. I can get a used engine with 40k installed at my local junk yard.
Parts are hard to find for these cars. So are good mechanics that know how to deal with diesels. My question is where do I find a head or are there sleaves in the head that can be replaced for a reasonable amount and then do a valve job?

 

[tomo366]

get it out of there and find a local GURU.........That price is nuts!!!

 

[dieseldorf]

Dad, you're only 100 miles from Metal Man!! Good news!!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Walnutport+PA&daddr=sunbury+pa&geocode=&hl=en&mra=ls&sll=40.913513,-76.195679&sspn=0.992129,1.755066&ie=UTF8&z=9

 

[superdad]

Thanks, Tomo that is what I should have done in the first place! My bad! I got it out of there, I'm looking for a Guru. My wallet is $1750.00 lighter.

 

[superdad]

Thats funny I was in Shamokin all weekend which is only 20 miles from Sunbury. Is Metal Man listed in the forum. Thanks deiseldorf!!

 

[osesu96]

If you go to Metalman, keep us posted on what he finds. very interested in the outcome.

 

[TDICADDGUY]

Is Metal Man listed in the forum.

Yes. Look here: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=130044

Marquette Automotive
360 W Fox Rd
Sunbury PA 17801
(570) 286-4240
Dennis Marquette- "Metal Man" - Also has a parts business
mavwp@ptd.net
http://www.metalmanparts.com

I would be very interested as well to know what is up here. It sounds as though you have been violated repeatedly by this shop in the most violent fashion. 3 clutches and a transmission??? DMF issues aside, that is not normal at all unless you have 750k miles on this car or have no clue how to drive a stick (I'm sure this is not the case, this is just for illustrative purposes only).

Dennis will get you sorted and on the right path. I don't believe he does any heavy work like transmissions or clutches, but he does timing belts, maintenance, and I'm assuming he'll do suspension work and cylinder head work. I would go to him for all your future needs, if there is something he doesn't do I'm sure he can point you in the right direction.

This shop may also have botched the TB job, causing the bent valve. Dennis may be able to find signs of any mistakes which might give you some recourse to get some of your money back.

Never go to that shop again. Good luck.

 

[PDJetta]

Valves do not just "stick" in these engines. I just wonder if the shop person messed up on installing the timing belt and caused a piston/valve contact incident and is now saying that the "sticking valve" problem existed before you brought the car in. This just does not sound right at all!

Is the head still off for you to examine it and the piston tops for collision marks? Ask them why the think the "valve is sticking". Honestly, I have not heard this term used in the last 30 years, since detergents have been added to engine oils!

This just sucks!

Other opinions?

--Nate

 

[jasonTDI]

Guys, They didn't botch the belt job the smoke is cause by the cam and lifter failure.

Clutches/transmissions. Join the club. This is a common occourance. The DMF is crap, they replace it with another crap one instead of the newer one, the trans blows up, they install another crap one....See the cycle? Proper parts, proper shop, no problem.

Just get a single mass flywheel installed and you'll be good forever.

 

[RT1]

3 clutches, a transmission AND head work in a three year old car with 136K miles...!? And you haven't driven it through the show room window? That is LOVE!

 

[superdad]

I bought the car from my brother who had a steep driveway facing heavy traffic. He killed the first 2 clutches! When he sold me the car it had 47k and the 2nd clutch was on it way out. I think they were mixing clutch components. So it wasn't me I have put 80k on this one and no problem. I think this may have messed up the tranny which gave up reverse at 96k and was covered by the extended warranty I had purchased. The dealer never mentioned that the belt was due for replacement at that time. This mess with the engine caught me be surprise I have owned several diesel's since the 70's ( Peugeots, Benz's, Rabbits, Navistar. Unlike gas they start to break in at 100k? All cars have issues that are common to there breeds. For me it is not just the miles per gallon, but the torque and simplicity,reliability and longevity. It kills me that all boat motors are not diesel! The good news is that I have contacted Metal man and will drop my car off in the following few days! Thank you guys for the help the insight and the proper direction to follow.

 

[superdad]

RT1, Maybe dumb love!!? Patience is a virtue! My car came from Jersey. At my age I just deal with it! I put 90k on this car in 2 years it is the highway king. I hope that I can put another 90 on it before it goes boom!

 

[tdidieselbobny]

Holy crap!!! A newbie that actually took the forums advice and scheduled a visit w/ a guru within 24hrs,and actually kept us informed and didn't screw around asking a million questions ....you will not be disappointed! I have visited Metalman twice, and highly recommend him to the TDI owners here in WNY .....

 

[superdad]

Bob, are you kidding this forum is a life saver!! Dennis called me this morning after i emailed him. He thinks it is the cam and lifters?. He will determine that after he get's it. I feel lucky that I have a guru within 100 miles! My prayers were answered. To be continued!

 

[TDICADDGUY]

Some people come here and ask for help, but then they ignore the advice given and go on their merry way to fail and tooef another day. Some even like to argue and call us names.

I'm glad you listened, your car and your wallet will thank you. Cam and lifter wear is an issue on these engines and it is important to use the right oil at the correct interval. It does sound as though you have probably holed a lifter, causing the smoke and poor running. Dennis can get you fixed up right.

There are some oiling modifications being proposed by an excellent machinist here, Franko6. Take a look here, it might be worth asking Dennis what he thinks: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=253137

 

[Steel]

I have to say, having the car parked on a steep hill will not wear out the clutch. The clutch only wears when there is a difference in speed between the flywheel+pressure plate and clutch plate... and if one feathers the clutch a lot, such as in heavy traffic.

 

[superdad]

Steel, These clutches are made by 2 different manufactures and the parts are not interchangeable, this is what happened on the 2nd clutch.. My brother's problem was he had a steep drive way up to the busy street and rode the clutch excessively. I understand from the forum that I can change the setup with a single plate design. But I have had good luck with the clutch since around 50k and noticed when I dropped it off at Metalman i actually had 139+k . You start to hear the clutch go long before it dies. Knock on wood?

 

[superdad]

Thanks, TDIforum dudes! Metalman has done the deed! There was a hole in the lifter and the cam was worn on some of the lobes. JasonTDI and TDICADDGUY win the prize! Hit the bulleye. The highwayking is back on the road and running as new. Metalman replaced the lifters, he said the new one's are better than the OEM. No more smoke and rough idle!!! I still have a bone to pick with the dealer (Gilboy)! They should have known this is a common issue with these motors. I will talk to my lawyer and find out what there liability is and what I can do to them. They tried to bang me for $5600.00 for this repair and sell me a new head. Bastards, will not soon forget superdad! I want to stop them from robbing someone else or at lest scare the cr*p out of them. My hat is off to the forum and Metalman is the man!! He has my business for life. Thank you all for your advise and pulling this ol'boy out of the fire. Superdad

 

[turbocharged798]

And people wonder why we call them 'stealerships"

Glad it's fixed. As long as you use the proper oil and keep up with all maintance, you tdi will live a long happy life(like 500K+ miles )

We are around 215K now and the car still runs, sounds, and drives like a brand new car. Original clutch and DMF too.

 

[ninedee_golf_tdi]

so they pull the head and come back .....

Who wants to bet the head was never taken off at the dealership ?

 

[jasonTDI]

That's what they do, they actually replace the head. Hence the cost,

 

[Dimitri16V]

And people wonder why we call them 'stealerships"

Glad it's fixed. As long as you use the proper oil and keep up with all maintance, you tdi will live a long happy life(like 500K+ miles )

We are around 215K now and the car still runs, sounds, and drives like a brand new car. Original clutch and DMF too.

you didn't say that , did you ?

 

[turbocharged798]

you didn't say that , did you ?

No I didn't. Somebody else must have typed that. It must be a guru hacking my account and changing what I say. After all, why the hell would you want to spend all that money on good quality oil when you can buy walmart brand dino oil for a fraction of the money and change it every 3,000miles while it wrecks your engine and turbo.