Introduction, 1997 vw jetta tdi ahu engine pump leaking

[NYSW4052]

I've been signed up for a while but haven't posted before. I have a 1997 Jetta TDI with the AHU engine. The car has 472,000 miles on it and is looking its age. Had to replace the turbo at about 300k miles, changed the clutch finally at about 400k. The car has been getting mileage in the mid 40's and has been relatively trouble free but lately it is showing signs of failing/sticking injectors (still original) and the injector pump itself is leaking from the rear.

On my older diesels (previously I have owned a 1981 Dasher, a 1985 Jetta, a 1991 Jetta (all diesels) and every one of them had over 300k on them when I passed them on. On the non turbo ones, I did all the work under the hood myself (timing belts, head gaskets, injector replacements) but I have not ventured into the innards of the TDI. I have until now paid someone to do the timing belt changes as they became due. Part of the problem is that I am not as young as I was back in the '80s and bending over a fender/radiator to work of the engine is a bit more painful than it was back then, and the other issue is the electronics on the TDI.

If I were to tackle the pump replacement and a timing belt change on this car, is it necessary to have VAG-COM or similar tool to talk to the thing, or can I approach it just as I did with the non-turbo non-computer non-fly-by-wire diesels that I am familiar with? Does the TDI need a different cam lock and pump pin, or will the ones I have for the older units work? (Of course, the car would wait until this time of year to act out..)

[chittychittybangbang]

My family used to have a dasher diesel and it was a horrible car. It had a runaway and so much rust that if it rained, water would drip onto my head from the roof. I'm very glad modern cars don't have the same rust problems!

VCDS is not necessary for pump replacement or TB change. It is necessary to fine tune these as timing is electronic. The car will still run fine but with optimal pump timing, it should start easier and run better.

To replace middle seals on the pump you would have to remove the quantity adjuster (like electronic throttle) and do need VCDS.

Not sure what the older ones used but the basic layout is very similar to the older engines. The tools are cheap and I rent them anyways.

also, post moved to mk3 since it's technical and detail added to title