1996 Volkswagen Jetta Intake Blows Air

VOLKSWAGEN
Avatar
JDAWG
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have a 1996 Vw Jetta w/ 120,000mi. on it. Two months ago heard clanking in the engine and found that water pump was going bad, replaced. Yesterday car stalled out, cranks but won't start. There is spark, gas in the chamber, and checked the timing witch seems to right. However, when placing my hand on the intake manifold to check for suction, my hand was blown off. What could cause this? [b]Please help it's the only car we got to transport my kids![/b] :(

Don't know if you need this it's a GLS 2.0 litre
Dec 9, 2006 at 1:31 PM
Avatar
CARUNDELL
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 602 POSTS
[quote:eb791e24ef="jdawg"]I have a 1996 Vw Jetta w/ 120,000mi. on it. Two months ago heard clanking in the engine and found that water pump was going bad, replaced. Yesterday car stalled out, cranks but won't start. There is spark, gas in the chamber, and checked the timing witch seems to right. However, when placing my hand on the intake manifold to check for suction, my hand was blown off. What could cause this? [b:eb791e24ef]Please help it's the only car we got to transport my kids![/b:eb791e24ef] :(

Don't know if you need this it's a GLS 2.0 litre[/quote:eb791e24ef]

Hey jdawg,
When you replaced the water pump did you also replace the timing belt? It sounds like there might be a timing belt issue there. Remove the t-belt cover (top) and rotate the engine over by hand (wrench/socket on crank pulley) and see if they both spin together if not, then the t-belt failed, if they both spin together then align crank and cam timing mark and verify both are timed correctly. Hope this helps!

Regards,

Chris
Dec 9, 2006 at 9:18 PM
Avatar
FRIEDEMANN
  • MEMBER
  • 47 POSTS
as was stated, I would look at the timing belt(which are suppose to be changed every 80,000 miles. If it hasn't, chances are there are teeth missing and it slipped. The belt would need replacement and a compression test done to see if any damage was done for the intake valve is opening on a compression stroke instead of closing. Piston and valve will hit, bending the valve and more damage.
Dec 10, 2006 at 4:31 PM

Suggested Repair

Inspect the timing belt, which may not have been replaced with the water pump. Remove the upper timing-belt cover and rotate the crank by hand to confirm the cam and crank turn together, then verify the timing marks. If the belt slipped or failed, replace it and perform a compression test to check for bent valves.

Conversation Summary

A 1996 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 stalled and cranks but will not start despite spark, fuel in the chamber, and timing that appears correct. The owner felt air blowing out of the intake instead of vacuum; the water pump was replaced about two months earlier. Experts say the timing belt may have slipped or lost teeth, so the cam and crank should be checked together and the timing marks verified. They recommend replacing the belt if needed and doing a compression test because a slipped belt can bend valves.

Add a reply
Join 2CarPros for free, one of the most advanced car repair communities on the internet. From first-time drivers to seasoned mechanics, everyone is welcome to reply, share details, and get better answers. You can add a temporary image or video first; uploads are limited to 20 MB.

Frequently Asked Problems for This Vehicle