Repair story on my 1999 TDI New Beetle

K

kxcman

New member
Joined
Nov 14, 2001
Location
Northern Virginia
[Also posted on Newbeetle.org]

I have not been happy with my 1999 New Beetle TDI. Started replacing electrical components in the beginning and recently finished paying for a new timing belt at 51,000 miles. Last Monday, I took it in to the Springfield Volkswagon Dealership because of a blinking glow plug light, a metal fluttering noise in the front right side of the engine compartment and a hard to start warm engine.

The dealer returned the vehicle to me after replacing a break pedel switch $150 and replacing the water pump under drive train warrently. They couldn't diagnose the warm start, because as the service manager suggested, it wasn't broken yet. They needed an error code to diagnose it. I say ok and hop in my car, pull out of the dealer and make two right turns onto the 495 onramp around Washington DC. My engine almost dies, I have no power and I here a major hissing sound coming from the front right side of the car.

Since the dealer closed right after I left I limped the car home and returned the next morning after placing a call with VW USA. Car seemed to run without very much hissing when I didn't step on the diesel pedal very hard. Talked to the manager and went for a test drive. He even wanted to give it a spin, and noted that the hissing sound started disappearing as the engine warmed up. Said that the resident diesel expert was in class for the next two days and wanted me to bring the car in on Monday.

Over the next two days the check engine light came on, the hissing noise got worse under acceleration and more and more black smoke was coming out the back. [Just for the record, I continuously checked underneath the car for drastic leaks. Didn't see any?]

This past weekend I opened up the car with a friend for the first time. Took us 8 hours of fiddling around, but we fixed all the problems, and I love my Beetle again.

Anyone want to take a shot at what they were?


kxcman
 
B

banzai

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2000
Location
East Overshoe, ME
TDI
NB TDI
probably a shop rag left in an intake hose!

My 1998 NB runs like a CHAMP at 54K- you should expect no less- they are excellent cars!

I will buy my next one used,though.
 
V

VWFLITZER

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2001
Location
Inglestate
I've done it myself.
Loose lower intercooler hose.
When you remove hoses make sure you put them back on COMPLETLY or you'll get a weezing lunger TDI.

Takes about 1-2 minutes to fix or 2 days at a dealers.


No code = No problem, right?

That was probably one of the problems. I suspect from my own experiences also that you may have had an EGR problem.
 
K

kxcman

New member
Joined
Nov 14, 2001
Location
Northern Virginia
The FIX
Well, I apoligize for making you guys wait in agony. Pretty much nailed the intercooler problem on the head though.

Pretty much two problems and an oversight.

When they dealer replaced the timing and performed the "40,000" mile service they mounted a hose along the firewall on the bottom of a bracket. This pushed the hose against the anti-shudder valve causing to not open and close properly which caused the hard to start on warm problem. The fix? Mount the hose on the top of the bracket which allows it to clear the anti-shudder valve.

The power loss and hissing noise was caused by a poorly connected intercooler return line. In fact when I crawled under the car, I could put my finger through the gap in the hose. Both clamps where still there, one was just resting on the intercooler pipe not clamping anything.

On top of that the air box holding the screen was shattered. I assume that the bumper flexed inward at some point, hit the cold airbox and broke it enough to severly hamper the flow of air through it. There was not a mark on the bumper, so this it still a mystery to me.

Irregardless, now I need to find a good way to get air in the air box.

Since I had everything open, I also cleaned out the EGR valve and flushed the intercooler. Much easier then I though it was going to be. I also noticed that the battery was leaking, so I replaced that as well, after brushing as much rust off and painting the battery well with rustoleum.

After putting everything back together, the car sputtered once or twice as loose junk/or solvents worked their way out, and ran great. I also put just a bit of fuel injector cleaner/cetane enhancer in a half full tank and the small remaining smoke coming out of my exhaust disappeared.

Wow. What was I waiting for. I should have been maintaining this car from day one. Or at least day 22,000 miles.

Thanks for all the help from this site.

kxcman
 
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