Bickerton Posted July 2, 2011 Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 II had no savings hence why I had to do it myself Baker by trade lol.If it does need splitting id defo recommend getting the stem seals done as they are really cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2011 I say savings....I mean money for bread, water and petrol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 For F***'S SAKE!!! Why won't garages ring me back/look at the f'ing car for at least a week!!! This is getting bloody ridiculous... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 So have you checked the sparks and fuelling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 The sparks are fine, I've already checked the leads etc last week, they are all sparking ok when the ignition is on. How would I go about checking the fuelling? I believe the pump is still buzzing when you turn the ignition on....forgive my ignorance, my tools and knowledge stops at changing oil/brake pads/sparkplugs I'm afraid.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 Crank it and pop a plug out, you should be able to smell the fuel. Dont smoke whilst doing this mind.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 (edited) Gotcha, cheers. I'll take five before doing this, a bit pissed at people telling me all day how busy they are and how much work they've got on...."that's great mate, but it doesn't help me get my car back on the road does it?" That's directed at the garages, not anyone here btw Edited July 4, 2011 by renandstimpey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Right, so from here on in, no one take any mechanical/engine related advice from me!Compression tested, only one cylinder has full compression (left hand cylinder), 2 of them are on the floor (centre left and right hand cylinder), the fourth one is barely registering anything (centre right cylinder). There is fuel getting to the engine....At best it's headgasket failure, though there is no coolant loss or oil in the mix....at worst I could have some melted pistons and other bits F**k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bickerton Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Head gasket it piston rings isn't too bad, a lot cheaper than a gearbox could be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 I don't think it's the gasket, as from previous experience of h/g failure the car would start and run - I have a feeling it's something in the bowels of the engine that has failed. It may well be cheaper than a gearbox job, but that doesn't really make me feel any better!...a bit like saying "well, yes, you've been stabbed, but hey! you could have been shot!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Got to say, if those reading are correct, this if the first major GTI engine failure I have heard of.Did you test it yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Got to say, if those reading are correct, this if the first major GTI engine failure I have heard of.Did you test it yourself?Nope, it was done directly in front of me by two mechanics with all the proper kit, that's what the gauge showed when they cranked it over. Who knows what delights await when they get the head off the thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defcon5 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 No idea, but get some photos.Has it ever had any other issues? How long have you had it for/mileage etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bickerton Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) Have you lost any significant levels of oil or coolant up till now?Could just be valves hit each other Edited July 6, 2011 by Bickerton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 I bought it in July 2007 with 18 and a bit thousand on the clock, it was a demo car for about 9 months then owned by a chap in Derby who did no more than 4000 a year - the service history was as thick as a phone book, he had VW do EVERYTHING....even buying new Toyo's at about £90 a corner! Since I have had it, it has been to Midland VW for all it's servicing needs, and had the belts and tensioners done in late '07/early '08 - these are due again now. It's never missed a beat, it has the usual faults of the high level brake light failing and the front passenger window having a mind of it's own, but that's it. Other than tyres and brake pads, it's wanted for nothing and has never blinked since I've owned it. There's no reason for anything to just fail like it has as far as I can see, unless it is some kind of freak failure of something? It has 58,800 on the dials now, it does about 7-8k a year max, it's not thrashed everywhere - yes sometimes I use it's performance but then who with a Gti doesn't? It's a weird one, I'm pretty flummoxed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 (edited) Have you lost any significant levels of oil or coolant up till now?Could just be valves hit each otherNo loss of any coolant or oil, it was serviced in March (I think) this year and both are still as they should be, no leaks or nasty holes with fluid leaking out Edited July 6, 2011 by renandstimpey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CasperGTI Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Any smoke when this failure happened? Otherwise there is no way it's piston/ring related.You said it sounds weird when it cranks over? And therea no compression, you sure the tensioner on the head hasn't lost tension? I'd check the timing from top to bottom, doesn't sound right to me.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bickerton Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Yeah is does seem odd, as it's essentially a catastrophic failure with no actual evidence to support it.Different car i know, but just showingthe pic as will be similar.Tensioner Casper mentiones is the little thing between the pulleys Edited July 7, 2011 by Bickerton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 It was the Auto electrician who originally said it sounded funny - what he meant was it sounded like a car that has a compression issue in the engine, I guess to him he recognised something in the sound when I cranked it over - he clearly was correct after all, as we found when it was actually compression tested? To me it just sounded like an engine struggling to spark into life...I'm thinking you mean the reddish looking disc behind the large pulley/below the two camshaft pulleys - this would be one of the tensioners that is changed in the 3 year/60,000 mile cambelt change? (never having seen the kit or the work being done I wouldn't know) Bearing in mind the car is over the prescribed 3 year change period by a month or 3, that would be pretty f'ing amazing if it has gone and that's what has caused it? A simple belt and tensioner change could in fact fix the problem then?Mr. Casper, yes no smoke, oil or anything when it cut out, the complete opposite of when my old Rover 200 Vi let go, sending a cloud of oil and water out of the exhaust, along with two of the pistons in pieces down the exhaust, and a third one sticking out of the front of the block! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris27 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Have you got the results of the compression test? Also was a cylinder leakage test carried out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CasperGTI Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I'd check the timing mate, take the belt cover off, put a jack under the sump on a block of wood and take the engine mount off, check the tensioners and timing marks.We have seen cam belt go before the three year 60k mark before, the idler pulle is a known weak point.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bickerton Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 My cam belt snapped before it was meant to You can sorta see if the pulleys are well out if you crank the engine till the locking holes line up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Have you got the results of the compression test? Also was a cylinder leakage test carried out?The only thing that has been done so far is the mechanics coming out to my place, popping the compression gauge on each of the cylinders and checking the readings when cranking the engine off the ignition....I'm still waiting for them to have the space in their garage to tow it over there to start pulling things out, a week after it cut out - yes, annoying isn't it? Unfortunately they are the ones that can look at it the soonest, hopefully this Monday....Midland VW can't do anything until next week. I'm stuck until then with a very heavy red paperweight outside.I'm leaning towards the timing being the issue, only because there are no symptoms that would point to one of the other problems that has been suggested, however my engine skills ran out about 2 1/2 pages ago! Don't know if this helps at all, but when I turn the ignition to start the engine, the camshaft pulleys are rotating backward and forward, rather than turning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CasperGTI Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Don't know if this helps at all, but when I turn the ignition to start the engine, the camshaft pulleys are rotating backward and forward, rather than turning?Theres your problem. The crank shaft pulley to camshaft pulley belt could be missing teeth, or the inlet camshaft pulley (VVT pulley) has come loose. Whatever it is, do not try and start the engine any more, you are making the damage that has been caused worse.Check the timing belts/marks its an easy task to do on your own, even with limited knowledge.If you want i can give you a how to on the way to check it.John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renandstimpey Posted July 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Aaaaargh!!! Right, well the damage has been done by now anyway when I tried to start it on the day, plus the mechanics that have turned it over etc, no doubt the sodding valves are all bent to buggery by now The how-to would be useful, as I have no idea at all what I'm looking for, cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.