What more of a pain in the a$$? Ford 4.0L Timing Chain or VW's 1.9TDI Timing Belt.

[Jnitrofish]

I have to ask your opinions, I have been debating buying a VW Jetta with the 1.9 Turbo Diesel engine in it for about a year now. Previously this just meant buying a car, but as money gets tighter, I fear I may have to choose between my baby ('01 SportTrac) or the Jetta. Yes I'm considering the unthinkable, trading in my Ford for a VW, or even worse... Selling it to my brother.

But what makes this all come up is I have the timing chain tentioner problems that seem to be all too common in the 4.0L Cologne V6 SOHC engine (see link in my sig). I want to get it fixed for fear of one of my chains jumping, but I don't have the tools, experience or patience to do the job myself (as it would require me to remove most of the crap under my hood to get to the right cam chain, tentioner and guide, including my engine.) nor as in my previous statement have the cash to have ford or some of the sketchy mechanics around here do it. (I trust no one in my engine, I do all other work myself in all 3 ford trucks I have.)

So I find myself wanting to trade a reliable ford with a problem that is a pain in the ass to fix. vs buying a Jetta Diesel (getting better fuel mileage and having side curtain air bags, I'm all for safety (yes I'm aware diesel is a dollar more than unleaded, one of my fords is a 7.3L powerstroke )) and having a timing belt thats easy to replace, but has the potential to snap at any time without warning causing untold damage to the engine. (of course if the chain went on my ford cause I didn't fix the tentioners and guides, the same could happen).

My SportTrac is on the chopping block, you can help decide its fate.

Your advice is much appreciated.

-J

P.S. I will note that I have a daily commute of 100 miles round trip and I go on longer road trips on a regular basis, what I save in fuel money going with the Diesel Jetta over time adds up.

 

[Rick]

We had an '00 Golf with the TDI. Never again. Did you know that a single water hose on that engine cost $80 from VW... and there are ELEVEN of them??

 

[Rick]

BTW, here are a few of the other problems which plagued our Golf.

Air bag light came on SEVEN TIMES. They finally found that a wiring harness was installed in such a way that when the seat was moved it would short out the circut

Both passenger and drivers windows fell into the door! This was a BIG problem for VW for several model years of the Jetta and the Golf. The day we brought ours in to be fixed for the first window breaking, there were four others there for the same thing...

Timing belt replacement is a PITA and required too often.

Unfortunately while the TDI is a fuel miser, anything saved on fuel is eventually going to be spent on maintenance

 

[Rick]

Oh, one more! I can't forget when the MAS went bad on my wife in Tuba City, AZ. She called VW and they told her to have it towed to the nearest VW dealer. She called around and found it would cost $900 to get towed to the nearest dealer

I retrieved the car myself, and diagnosed the problem online. I found it was a bad MAS and that this was a common problem.

The Internet Forum fix was to replace the $350 diesel MAS with a $50 gas engine MAS. You see, the gas MAS works on the diesel, but not the other way around...

So I went to VW and asked for the gas engine MAS. Their parts guy wanted the VIN from my car saying they can only sell me the MAS which is meant for my application. There were other customers in line behind me and they all agreed with me when I became pissed and told them to just sell me what I needed, that since this was an electrical component, they wouldn't warranty the part whether it was for a diesel OR a gas engine... Finally after getting **** from me, and the other customers the guy gave in and sold me the $50 MAS. Guess what? It worked fine, right up until the day we sold the car.

 

[Jnitrofish]

Hey, I appreciate the feedback Rick. I have had some reoccurring electrical problems with a harness in my tilt steering wheel that affect the function of my lights in my sporttrac, so that's no big deal to me.

But the price of the hoses, thats a little steep. A friend of mine has a VW beetle and its had A/C and coolant leaks on it before, so I expected to have to replace some hoses, its a good thing to note.

So far as timing belts go, I'm a little paranoid so the more often I change them the happier I am (within a reasonable amount of miles), in the forums I looked around in there were some arguments on how often those belts need to be changed, I think ultimately people decided it was something like every 80,000 miles. Correct me if I'm wrong.

As for the MAS/MAF, I hate dealing with dealerships for that reason, they can he hard headed no matter what department you are dealing with sometimes... (o'rileys is my friend). One article I read just a second ago said the TDI can still run if the MAS/MAF sensor fails.

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q_how_to/multi/MAFfaq.htm:

A faulty MAF signal will cause the car's computer to give too much or too little fuel. In fact, a TDI can run without a MAF signal at all, as can most cars. The car computer knows that there is either no signal or a nonsense signal and uses a default value so that the engine will keep running. The computer takes the engine load and speed, modifies the value for some fuel and engine temperature readings and MAF value , etc., to determine fuel injection timing and metering.

Just to be clear the car was still running once the MAS failed (check engine light or something), it was just suggested by VW that it be towed? Or not.

I'm curious as to how many miles did you have on the golf Rick when you sold it?

 

[redneck21]

IDK about a VW then run good but if they do brake down is a PIA to fix and cost a lil way to much. IF it would have to be a VW i would say keep ur SportTrac. What about a honda accord or something like that.

 

[Jnitrofish]

We were actually looking at the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight for my old man. I personally don't like hybrids and like the future of diesel alternatives better than that of the gas burners.

As for the Accords... I can get as good of mileage in them as the Ford Focus (which I like alot better), even the hybrid Accord.

For the record for those that don't know you can get up to 50 MPG (if you know how to drive a stick shift right, keeping the engine well maintained and not in a hurry etc. Better chance that you can get 45 MPG for average highway driving in the south where its warm and there are no hills.) with the smaller VW TDI engines.

Handy site for fuel economy ratings in the real world:

http://fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList

 

[redneck21]

Im like u hate hybrids on average only get 45 or so mpg for MPG and look to SUMGISH for me. I would get one for the MPG been thinking of doing it myself or a benz just cost a lot more . 2 reasons 1 like you said 40-50 MPG with just the diesel engine and 2 for under $500 kit you can put in a 2nd tank and run straight veg. oil with you can get for free if you got a local place that will give it to you. All you have to do is get a pump and a tank pump and a nice filter then u got free "gas".

 

[Jnitrofish]

Yeah, you know I love exhaust fumes that can make me hungry. In my town my exhaust would pretty much be fries and mexican food. I could get a deal with one of the local mexican restaurants they give me free fuel and I have a bumper sticker that says "Powered by Los Compadres." or "Like what you smell? Eat at Los Compadres!" Though some people might think of a different kind of exhaust with that second one... lol.

From what research I have done on the VW's, its the 1999-2002 year models that have issues. So far people in VW and TDI communities agree that the Mark V Jettas lack alot of the reoccurring issues thats the Mark IV Golfs and Jettas did.

Still though the MAF sensor seems to have issues, but they dropped the price on them to 115 from the $350 that they were making Rick pay (they came up with a cheaper design, oh goody, its fragile I hear, so handle carefully and forget about cleaning it like you could the old ones.) I personally would buy and have a spare MAF sensor in the car just like I have a spare headlight.

As for the windows falling into the doors, there is a kit to fix that on the Mark IV Jettas and Golfs (don't know if they used it in Rick's old Golf), on the Mark V's I have not heard complaints of windows falling into the doors, so maybe they came up with a better design.

As timing belts go, VW does market a longer life belt that I heard was rated for 100,000 miles.

And best of all VW's designers figured out that putting a cheap flimsy pop-out cup holder right above the stereo (where if its holding a drink you cant read the display on the stereo) might not be as good of an idea as it originally seemed, something about water and electronics that doesn't mix well.

 

[redneck21]

I heard the chines places have the cleaner veg oil so if youcan get that. I wish the US would have a lot more then benz and vw for diesel, honda should have one by 2010 but don't do most ppl any good. Mark V would be my chose as well out of the VW line. Hear a link to wear i was looking to get my kit when i get one that is.
http://www.greasecar.com