Thanks! and update

[pastvast]

Thanks to all the people who worked hard to put this GTG together and take care of folks once they arrived. My husband and I definitely needed help once we got there as our Jetta started having power surges with belching black smoke en route =( We were the ones whose local mechanic did a "bang up job" while replacing our timing belt two weeks ago. Jason and the other TDI gurus got us fixed up and in driveable condition. Can't say enough thanks or good things about that!!

On the way back home, Scott noticed that the power just wasn't what he thought it ought to be. Get this... he found a crack in one of the pipes (see a post called mystery power problem continues for full details and pics) that someone (ahem... local mechanic) had caulked over, but the material wasn't holding up (hence the hole). This morning I had a chat with my local mechanic (who's no longer my local mechanic) about that damage and about getting my money back for the botched timing belt job he did. He admitted the pipe "might have gotten broken while he did the timing belt" and is ordering a replacement. He didn't think he did anything wrong while installing the timing belt. So, I gave him Jason's phone number to talk details about what was found. Needless to say, I'd LOVE to hear that conversation... not that I'd understand all the technical details. You can imagine I'm impatiently waiting to hear from the local guy regarding if he still thinks he did a quality job and doesn't have to reimburse me.

Ohh... the other thing that was great about our GTG experience, was learning about the presence of Marty (Jettaah) in Fowlerville. After our experience with the local mechanic, I'm not letting anyone without TDI experience get under that hood! I will gladly drive 1.5 hours to have someone that knows what they're doing work on the car. We're already setting something up with Marty to replace the frayed timing belt.

Long story made short:
Our time and money were very well spent in coming out to the 2005 Fest! We can't say enough good things about the TDI community and are looking forward to being more a part of our regional community. However, given that our Jetta Wagon is a "wifemobile", I suspect we won't be getting a rocket chip installed in the near future!! ;->

THANKS!!!
-Stephanie

 

[jasonTDI]

Well...The conversation went as follows. Mechanic- We did it the way our book said and there is no lock down procedure and there are no special tools it you don't remove ANY of the pullys you just remove the belt and put a new on back on. ME- Ahhhhhhh...no, not exactly. blah, blah, blah....for 5 minutes. Vag-Com, blah blah blah, Frated belt, blah, blah, blah, you DID replace the tensioner didn't you? Mechanic- aaaahhh I think so....?

Hope you get it sorted out. He REALLY didn't know how to do this as he admited to me. If he knew it was going to be as bad and hard he would not have done it. And he says that they NEWER loosened the injector pump bolts. Hmmm....85K and they were loose from the factory all this time? I don't think so.

Keep us informed.

 

[pastvast]

OH MY GOODNESS... I could be having a better time banging my head up against a brick wall.

Mark (local mechanic) *still* doesn't think he did the job wrong because he followed the instructions in his book. And it clearly states that he doesn't have to even touch the injection pulley bolts. His book is not the Bentley book for VWs or anything from VW.

So... I'm in the process of printing out the TDIClub timing belt instructions that clearly state you must loosen them, retighten, use Vagcom to see if timed properly, and get the bolts torqued as necessary to get within timing limits.

Just because I figure Mark won't be inclined to view the TDIClub's instructions as authoritative enough (compared to his published in 2003 hardback book)... I'm actually enlisting the help of the VW dealership/repair shop! I got the impression that they thought I must be off my rocker because everyone knows you have to adjust those bolts. So, my part of that conversation included "you know that, and I know that, but his book tells him differently and he requires something in writing to refute his book". I'm currently waiting for them to fax me something that says that during a timing belt change the bolts need loosening then tightening, etc. I hope I don't go blue in the face waiting.

Here's the other kicker... Mark didn't think to inform me that he had broken the above mentioned pipe because things break all the time while working on cars and you just fix it. What's the technical term for that part??? In any case, I highly doubt that using the same plastic material used for auto body work is an approved method for fixing that pipe. The break is over 2" long and it looks like I'm going to have to add more duct tape because more of the plastic fix-it is coming off.

Hmmm... can you tell I've been pushed over the edge and lost my cool??? I'm quite impressed I've managed to have several conversations about this and NOT curse or shout.

Part of the sucky thing is that if I didn't know him from non-auto related dealings, I'd have no problem putting his name in a "slimebag" book. Instead I find myself wavering between "slime" to someone who bit off more than he could chew and made a VERY bad decision in not telling me about the break/attempted fix.

*sigh* ... off to see if there's any faxes for me.

-Stephanie

 

[pastvast]

YAY!!!!

After talking with Scott this morning, the local mechanic has agreed to reimburse us the FULL amount we paid for the botched timing belt job and to reimburse us for the cost of the intercooler pipe part.

Just as an aside... if there hadn't been downright lying and lack of willingness to own up to having botched the job, we would have been willing to negotiate for less than full reimbursement.

-Stephanie (whose happy dance is in progress!)

 

[MAW]

A little knowledge can go a long way! Good job on your persistence.

 

[pastvast]

A little knowledge can go a long way!

Not quite completely true... how about this instead:
Knowledge: a little can either go a long way or be dangerous

In this case it was both. I got into this mess by someone thinking that since they'd worked on plenty of "gassers" without problem that my TDI would be no different. That attitude was then enabled by me not knowing how wrong that statement was. However, Scott and I got out of the mess by learning lots with the help of TDIClub members who were willing to share their expertise and time.

-Stephanie

 

[Mark of Diesel]

Well, you know what his means… You now HAVE to come to a GTG! If a lttle knowledge is a dangerous thing then the amount of knowledge you can soak up at a TDI GTG is just right!

Watch the GTG forums for the midwest. We're a pretty active bunch between the Columbus group and the Michigan group, I'm sure you'll be able to pick up tons of tips and ideas for your own car. Marty (Jetaah) throws some dandy GTGs! Ask anyone that's been to one.

The best part is you may be able to someday give back to someone less informed by this great community with something you've learned here or at a GTG, very satisfying! See you at a GTG soon?

 

[251]

What Mark Of Diesel said!

 

[jasonTDI]

Great news! Hope you get the new one in soon! Keep the miles off that car until then.

 

[pastvast]

Marty's going to be doing the job for us next week. We bought dieselgeek's kit while at the Fest. Until then, just the normal 100 miles/day (long commute). I can't believe duct tape is helping to keep my car running... very McGayver-ish. I can't wait to tell my dad, he'll either be very impressed or horrified!! Maybe I'll wait until *after* the car's all fixed to tell him.

We haven't decided if we're going to the Michigan or Ohio GTG. Toledo makes it to where it's feasible to go to either or both. However, we have tentative vacation plans for the same weekend as the OH GTG. Which would make it to where MI seems more logical. However, I've heard that it's COLD at the MI GTG. This is problematic because I don't produce much of my own body heat and it's no fun losing all feeling in your fingers and watching them go stark white. Everyone who sees this agrees it's quite freaky. I suppose Scott could go without me... but then what would be the fun in that???

-Stephanie

 

[Mark of Diesel]

Not every Mi. GTG is cold, some are blastedly hot! But most are juuuust right!

Excess body heat is overrated.

No one has to work until frostbite sets in and Marty does have a beautiful home with heat and everything that can be used as a warming house. We haven't lost any fingers yet. Besides, I don't even want to think about the cold yet. C'mon over! Lew will have you ventectomized in no time.