Engine cranks but will not start

[zeus7980]

2002 jetta tdi auto 122000 miles. Engine cranks but will not start. It seems like it’s not getting any fuel. Timing belt was replaced about 275 miles ago.

Heres the story. Wife was driving car. Crusing around 20 mph. engine shut off. Timing belt broke. I replaced the timing belt and car started back up. I sent the crank to TDC using the timing marks you can see through the hole in the top of transmission. I could not find any timing marks on the cam shaft pully so I took the valve cover off. I made sure the 2 first lobes made a V. removed vacuum pump from end of cam shaft (if that’s what its called). Used that tool to hold cam in place. Locked injection pump in place with lock tool that goes through hole in timing gear into a small hole. Put timing belt on. Turned engine manually 3 times. put car back together. Car started after about 10 seconds. Drove car for 3 days (about 275 miles).

On the day the car broke down the 2nd time, heres what happened. Drove car to work in the morning (55 miles). Later that day I drove from work to 711 (1 miles away). went to gas station (next to 711) with diesel. Refueled car. (shut car off and it started back up each time at 711 and gas station). whet back to work (2 miles round trip). Came back out 3 hours later and car would crank but not start. I’m hoping it’s one of these things. Fuel filter or maybe timing is not perfect (I don’t know how that could be since the car ran for 3 days) I read something about setting the injection pump timing using some type of dial that you screw into the back of the injection pump but the car ran for 3 days. I checked fuses.

I pulled fuel hoses off fuel filter and fuel came out. anti shutter valve is not stuck shut. Any ideas ? thanks

[Seatman]

Is the glow plug light coming on as usual? If not I'd have a look at the 109 relay, it's the main one for the ecu and one of the symptoms of it going are no glow plug light.

[Keith_J]

Whoa, timing belt broke and you didn't pull the head? You had valve-piston contact. First, pull the valve cover and check for spider cracks on the tappets. Check the valve clearances too. Get ready for pulling the head, you probably have slightly bent valves. These will eventually fail, broken valve head in a cylinder will toast that connecting rod and possibly the cylinder too.

Right now, you have at least two valves in need of replacement along with guides and seals. If you wait, it will be $500 more.

If you are convinced it is fuel, check for voltage at the cut-off.

[zeus7980]

Got car fixed Saturday afternoon. Car wasn't getting fuel. I changed fuel filter. Hooked a vacuum pump up to the injection pump and sucked all air out of fuel lines. After that it started after about 10 cranks. Before that i checked the fuel shut off switch in injection pump, glow plugs & timing. All were good. So far, car runs good

It seemed like the fuel filter was clogged up. It still dosent make sense to me as far as the way the car broke down.

Maybe if air is in the fuel system and you don't bleed it out, the air gets trapped in the injection pump and can’t work its way out. If this is true, then i guess it adds up.
Thanks for the help.

[YMZ]

Originally Posted by Keith_J

You had valve-piston contact.

Any bets on how long it will be before the engine's completely trashed? I'd give it no more than 4000 miles...

Yuri

[zeus7980]

engine sounds great. no new sounds. took valve cover off and lobes on cam look and feel smooth. I did not see any spider cracks on the tappets.

If a valve was bent, wouldn't the engine sound different (like something is wrong with it?)

I'm thinking that if a valve and piston hit each other, you would here this happen (like a loud knock)

Just to be on the safe side, I will take head off this weekend. would a compression check confirm if a valve is bent, (the valve would not close all the way)

[chittychittybangbang]

On most engines a compression check will show low because valve is bent but on these engines the valves go straight up-down instead of at an angle. If there's valve-piston contact it just pushes the valve up into the lifter or mushrooms the stem. Good check is remove cam and lifters and inspect for damage to lifters. Best check is head removal and valve inspection.

[zeus7980]

OK. thanks for the info. I will remove head and check.