There is a non-running 2001 5-speed diesel Golf for sale not far from my house. I've been building my Golf as a better-on-gas-but-still-fun alternative to the Forester. This might be a better option.
Here is the description- Run far away or is this something that somebody like me (handy, but I've never worked on diesels) might be able to fix?
Does not run: The cars was running fine - drive daily - when the engine threw a code for EGR flow too high. So we had the EGR and intake cleaned, but never ran right afterwards. We figured some crud got in the valves so we had the cylinder head redone, valves ground, and a new head gasket along with new injectors. The car still will not run due to low compression. There were no scratches in the cylinder walls and the pistons come to the same height so a rod is probably not bent. There is no ridge at the top of the cylinders so the cylinders are not wore out. Most likely the block needs honed. I have too many cars and something has to go.
Depends on the price and where you are located. It would cost $5k for a used engine from a salvage yard in california and thats like a $6k car here in good condition. In other parts of the country those engines arent so crazy expensive and it might be a better deal. I wouldnt pay over $1500 for it at most even if its perfect though, you can get TDI new beetles for that cheap that run sometimes.
Ian F
PowerDork
10/28/12 7:29 a.m.
I agree on the $1500 value. Too many unknowns to risk much more.
To me, it sounds like the cam timing is a bit off. Not so much that there's valve contact, but enough to affect compression. Did the person who replaced the head have the various TDi tools for locking down the various bits at TDC? VagCom is also a necessity. It's hard to know for sure without seeing the car.
Tdiclub.com is where you need to be.
Danke. The price is a bit too high. I figured it was too good to be true, the closest used engine to me has over 100k on it, but is only $1600.
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/3318475892.html#.UI2Ji8XA_ng
Yeah that's way too much, you can get a diesel jetta or new beetle for that price that runs, or a running golf for less than that car plus a new engine. If they are taken care of well it's nothing for them to go 400k with only maintiance parts replaced.
