Club 80-90 Forums

hello!
I have a 1.6td JX - owned now for 10 months, and was loving it.

I was on my way back from Swanage last night, on the motorway cruising at 65 - no problems, then the engine loses power and sounds like its revving free. I tried changing down to 4th and there was no response.

then it conked out and left us on the hard shoulder.

called out AA - and they tell me 'its a serious mechanical failuire'.

The engine had been reconditioned 55000 miles ago.

What do i do?
pay for an engineer to diagnose the problem?
write it off and sell it without the engine?
replace the engine?
anyone?????

thanks

First of all find your self a VW friendly chap/chapess who can give you a detailed diagnosis, this should include stripping the engine rather than guessing.

From what you have described may well have been the cam belt letting go, which can cause all sort of damage to the top end of the engine.

The decision to fix or replace the engine is dependant on the size of your wallet,,,



Regards

Fritz,,,,,,,,,,

PS, has the Cam Belt been changed recently ?

I would agree, get garage assessment as to what problem is. AA ok but their answer to anything they can't fix seems to be 'it's a serious mechanical fault' They told me that (not with van) and it turned out the main fuse had blown.

Not trying to get your hopes up, just saying get an independent opinion.

thanks for replying -

The cambelt is sound! - it was changed 10K ago. and the aa guy checked it.

his empty diagnosis was 'engine bearings'.

My mechanical knowledge only goes as far as what i can see on the outside.......

If it was bearings i think you would have heard them before engine died (usually a heavy knocking under load). How did he diagnose, bearings are internal so unless he had x-ray vision

[quote="jpee"]If it was bearings i think you would have heard them before engine died (usually a heavy knocking under load). How did he diagnose, bearings are internal so unless he had x-ray vision[/quote]

yes he didnt really instill confidence, he just listened to me starting the engine again and told me to turn it off.

the only problem is the van is at my house so the engineer will have to come out to me - he wont strip the engine there - so then i need to get the van to his garage......can a t25 be towed?

My brother towed me with both his Chrysler Neon and his Transit. It can be done but he vowed never to do it again they are heavy beasts. But yes it can be done. Have a look in your local rag, see if there is anyone that will come out.

OR any 80-90 members with a bit of knowledge around that can help.

Mayor Goldie Wilson wrote:hello!
I have a 1.6td JX - owned now for 10 months, and was loving it.

I was on my way back from Swanage last night, on the motorway cruising at 65 - no problems, then the engine loses power and sounds like its revving free. I tried changing down to 4th and there was no response.

then it conked out and left us on the hard shoulder.

called out AA - and they tell me 'its a serious mechanical failuire'.

The engine had been reconditioned 55000 miles ago.

What do i do?
pay for an engineer to diagnose the problem?
write it off and sell it without the engine?
replace the engine?
anyone?????

thanks

"then the engine loses power and sounds like its revving free"
Sorry to be picky but that just don't make sense to me. What you seem to have described is the engine has lost power but will "rev free". With the clutch disengaged or in neutral or what. And was the engine turning over when you changed to 4th? In the nicest posible way I suggest that you may not know enough to give an accurate forum description of your predicament so a hands on approach is required. You are in serious need of someone who knows a bit about engines and who's prime objective isn't make money fixing or selling them. There are hundreds of good people in this club who fit that bill so find one not too far from you to give it the once over.
Cheers
Smiffy

yes , i wasnt expecting a full diagnosis!

just a pointer in what to do.

I appreciate your help though. I have just arranged for a mechanic to come and have a look listen and smell! he is not VW specialist but he said he owned a 300K miles passat with the same engine, sounds legit?
I will wait and see his verdict....

Any forum members near Caterham? how do i find out?

Put a thread in General.....or ask in this thread!


Em
x

If the engine was revving without the van moving it sounds like smiffy is correct with clutch/gearbox

If you start the engine will it:-

A: rev up and down in neutral?

B: drive when in a gear?

let me clear up the breakdown conditions:

-i was cruising at 65mph in 5th
-all of a sudden the engine is revving freely but there was no power coming through to the wheels
- i attempted to change down to 4th gear ease off the accelerator and the van was still rolling to a standstill with the engine still revving quite high.
- i pull over to the hard shoulder and the engine cuts out and the van rolls to a stand still.

maybe it is the drive from the engine to the wheels can this fail suddenly like that?
the other factor is that the engine when i restarted it for the aa guy it sound like a bucket of bolts.

thanks all for your help by the way!

oooo gearbox has died

My ten pence

Something as simple as a broken drive shaft?

Certainly sounds more like a drive train problem (clutch, gearbox, driveshaft) rather than an engine problem to me.

If you need your van towing to a garage you could always call the AA again to get it towed, i had to do this with my Fiat Scudo van a few weeks ago and another vehicle in the past.