Friendly Confusion: Advice and Help Needed

Hello everyone!

Bin hier neu und nicht nur hier sondern auch neu im Diesel Welt. Habe vor etwa zwei Monate mein erstes Diesel gekauft und es war G3 TDI mit MKB 1Z. Es war wirklich ein gutes Fahrzeug wie optisch so auch technisch. Ich habe mit dem Wagen überhaupt keine Probleme gehabt. Vor ungefähr 2 Wochen musste Ich das Auto verkaufen wegen Platzmangel (Kind, Frau, Kinderwagen und und und... ). Jetzt habe ich mir ein G3 Variant geholt auch TDI und auch MKB 1Z. Genauer gesagt BJ. E'nde '95.'

I hope I haven't bored you with the story above, but I have to start somewhere.

Regarding my problem:

I bought the car from a private seller, and it has a service record, although it's not entirely complete. The previous owner (seller) replaced the timing belt, but he didn't have it done at a reputable mechanic; instead, he took it to a small workshop at a gas station.

Symptoms:
'Der schnelle braune Fuchs springt über den faulen Hund.'

The car sounds unhealthy, and unfortunately, I can't explain what kind of noise it is making (like hammering or a metallic sound).

'The serpentine belt is moving over a small roller (the roller is located almost at the height of the ESP), and it's wobbling like crazy???'

'The car reaches a speed of approximately 190 km/h (according to the speedometer), but after 160 km/h, the engine becomes extremely loud (which was not the case with my previous 1Z).'

Above 2200 RPM, I feel like the engine is just screaming without producing any power (it pulls normally up to 2200 RPM).

What I have already checked:
'Die Sonne scheint hell und warm. Die Vögel zwitschern fröhlich in den Bäumen. Ein leichter Wind weht durch das Gras. Es ist ein wunderschöner Tag.'

The sun is shining brightly and warmly. The birds are chirping happily in the trees. A gentle breeze is blowing through the grass. It's a beautiful day.


'The timing belt pulley doesn't appear to be wobbling, so hopefully the issue isn't with the crankshaft pulley (as far as I can tell).'

2. Diesel supply using small air balloons (How should I bleed the air?)



My questions:
'Der schnelle braune Fuchs springt über den faulen Hund.'

'Could it be that the timing belt replacement wasn't done correctly? (The small workshop was likely using old-fashioned methods without diagnostic equipment.)'

Should I replace the tensioner pulley for the V-belt, or should I just tighten the V-belt? (The pulley already has a lot of play and is also making a strange noise.)

3. I went to the friendly mechanic #1, and he told me that the injection timing needs to be readjusted. Then I went to the friendly mechanic #2, and he said, 'What's the problem? The engine is running great! And besides, if the glow plug lights aren't on, there won't be any problems anyway.' HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE???? Should I believe my ears?

Conclusion:
Bitte gib mir den deutschen Text, den du übersetzt haben möchtest.

Please help me; I'm completely desperate and have no idea what to do.

Unfortunately, I don't have a VAG-COM yet, but I'll get one soon. Until then, I want to avoid the car breaking down.

Thank you very much!

Okay, it seems the tensioner is likely defective, and to prevent future problems, I would replace it; that could save you from a lot of trouble. While I'm not familiar with the G3 specifically, it's probably a good idea (to save money) to first try checking if any fittings have come loose. There isn't much you can do wrong with the timing belt. I probably wouldn't go back to "friendly mechanic number 2." Also, I assume you don't have a VAG COM system to check your injection timing yourself. Therefore, to rule out any errors, I would either visit VW dealership #1, find a Bosch service center, or locate an independent workshop that can perform this check at the most affordable price (your friendliness might help with that).

Regarding the air bubbles in the fuel supply line, it could be due to a 'faulty' diesel filter. Several other TDI drivers have already had negative experiences with filters from companies like ATU.
It's best to replace the filter (I would recommend using an original part).

Hi,

1Z-TDI wrote:

My questions: "Der schnelle braune Fuchs springt über den faulen Hund." "Could it be that the timing belt replacement wasn't done correctly? (The small workshop was likely using old-fashioned methods without diagnostic equipment.)"

With the 1Z engine, this isn't a major problem. However, after replacing the timing chain, the timing should be checked using the diagnostic software.
It is important to check the alignment of the NW (needle valve) relative to the KW (control valve). If this has been overlooked, it can happen that the valves lightly strike the piston, which initially causes terrible noises and later leads to serious damage.

Quote:

Should I replace the tensioner pulley for the V-belt, or should I just tighten the V-belt? (The pulley already has a lot of play and is also making a strange noise.)

The tensioner pulley seems to be a common problem with the 1Z engine. I've gone through three of them on my 1Z. Try using the search function; it will likely provide more information.
Switching is no problem.

Quote:

3. I went to the friendly mechanic #1, and he told me that the injection timing needs to be readjusted. Then I went to the friendly mechanic #2, and he said, "What's the problem? The engine is running great! And besides, if the glow plug lights aren't on, there won't be any problems anyway." HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE???? Should I believe my ears?

A faulty fuel injection timing after a timing belt replacement can damage your engine and reduce its performance. I find statement No. 2 to be somewhat naive. While it's certainly an indicator, the engine control unit (ECU) doesn't detect all critical problems, especially in the 1Z engine. Therefore, it may not necessarily lead to the "glowing coil" warning light illuminating.

Thank you for your help and suggestions.

I will go to the Bosch service tomorrow to have the fuel injection timing checked. Regarding the tensioner, I will also replace it.

Could it be that the fuel injectors are no longer working correctly? The car has been driven for 240,000 kilometers.

Thank you again for your suggestions and ideas.

1Z-TDI wrote:

Could it be that the fuel injectors are no longer working properly? The car has driven 240,000 km.

If these are the original injectors, I would at least have the spray pattern and opening pressure checked. I think they might be quite worn out. This could also contribute to unusual engine running.

@Bertil

Thank you very much, I will do it (or have it done), as I don't have much experience myself yet.

Well, one learns throughout life.

Thank you very much.

OKAY!

Yesterday I had a service appointment with Bosch here in Frankfurt, and here's what happened:

The nice gentleman from Bosch told me that the ESDs are completely fine and that the car is running normally (thankfully). Maybe I'm just used to the noises from my old 1Z sedan? Well, it's better to prevent than to repair, so I still made an appointment for them to check the injection timing and spray pattern.


This Bosch service seems perfectly fine to me, and I've decided to go directly to them whenever something needs fixing. I no longer want to go to the regular mechanic because I feel like they are just ripping people off (of course, not all VW mechanics are like that, but the ones I've been to). They wanted 150-200 euros for an injector timing adjustment, while Bosch charges 50 euros plus the cost of a new diesel filter.

I will post here again when everything is finished.

Best regards,

Here's a quick question for you in the meantime:

'When my engine is running, this belt tension damper isn't quiet at all. I estimate that it wobbles up and down with an amplitude of 1cm or more... Would it make a difference to replace it? Is this very noticeable?'
Does anyone know how much the parts cost from the official dealer?
I think my engine mounts are probably worn out after 250,000 kilometers and 10 years.

Would you replace the shock absorber and/or engine mounts if you were in my position, or is it something you can live with?

Thank you for the responses...

Okay, I went to my spare parts dealer (not a VW dealership) and bought a tensioner pulley along with the main belt and the smaller belt (there are two of them on my car) for 60 euros. I don't know how much those parts would cost in your city. The spare parts from my dealer are also high-quality products, such as belts from Conti and filters from Knecht or MANN.

Regarding the engine mounts, I'm unfortunately not able to provide a definitive answer, but logically speaking, they could be worn out due to the mileage (although this isn't necessarily the case). These are just my thoughts in response to your question. Unfortunately, I can't give you a 100% certain answer (yet).

Best regards,

Hello.

"There are three engine mounts installed. As long as they are dry, everything should be fine. If silicone oil leaks out, the mount needs to be replaced. Here's how you can test them: Open the hood, put the car in reverse, engage the parking brake, release the clutch while idling, and observe the motor and specifically the two rear mounts. If a guide pin is visible protruding from the engine mount, it's defective. The same procedure applies to the front mount (engage first gear, etc.)."


Best regards, Robert.

Last Friday, I had an appointment with Bosch, as I mentioned earlier. The following points were to be checked:

1. Check and adjust the start of injection.

Replace the diesel filter.

3. Read error codes.



Results:
'Der schnelle braune Fuchs springt über den faulen Hund.'

'Injection start dynamically adjusted, but not exceeding tolerance limits (new setting).'

Replaced the diesel filter because it was producing air bubbles (no noticeable difference in performance or top speed compared to the old one).

3. Error codes read; the following error was found: 'Load signal at generator terminal DF.' The signal is implausible. (Can someone explain what this means?)

'Die Sonne scheint hell und der Himmel ist blau. Die Vögel zwitschern fröhlich in den Bäumen. Ein leichter Wind weht durch das Gras. Es ist ein wunderschöner Tag.'

'The sun is shining brightly and the sky is blue. The birds are chirping happily in the trees. A gentle breeze is blowing through the grass. It's a beautiful day.'

The engine is still unusually loud, and it doesn't run as smoothly as the one in my old 1Z sedan.

'Die Sonne scheint hell und der Himmel ist blau. Die Vögel zwitschern fröhlich in den Bäumen. Ein leichter Wind weht durch das Gras. Es ist ein wunderschöner Tag.'

'The sun is shining brightly and the sky is blue. The birds are chirping happily in the trees. A gentle breeze is blowing through the grass. It's a beautiful day.'

Suspected.

Timing belt replacement performed without replacing the tensioner pulley (could the tensioner pulley be too noisy or worn?).

'Timing belt replaced approximately 20,000 km ago, but there are already signs of wear on the smoother side (elongated lines running across the entire timing belt, 3 in total), and the lettering with the timing belt data is no longer visible. Is this normal?'

3. Zahnriemen sitzt nicht in der mitte auf dem oberen Zahnrad beim ESP. Is that normal?

4. The tensioner pulley for the serpentine belt is making too much noise (I've already mentioned this in previous posts, but I haven't had time to replace it yet. I will do so sometime next week).

'Die Sonne scheint hell und der Himmel ist blau.'

The sun is shining brightly and the sky is blue.

I will continue to post updates on how things are developing here. However, I would still appreciate any further suggestions and tips you might have.

Regards