HELP my car died on the road

[homestead_us]

I have a 04 jetta gli, I'm cruising down the hwy with.cruise on and all the sudden the engine just quits on me. I'm now stuck on the side of the road waiting for a tow. The engine won't turn ovet but I can hear the starter turning over. I don't know what happened but there were no symptoms at all before this happened. It's a 6 speed also. Can anyone help me out please.

[BradenE]

Dude this is certainly not enough info i'd be surprised if anyone can help

[WolfsburgNate]

I'm gonna guess fuel pump

[scirockalot8v]

i will guess timing belt.

[homestead_us]

Ok scratch the engine not turning over, it sounded like it wasn't but I just looked at the tach. As for not enough info I don't know what else I can say. I checked the fuses, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. If I knew more I'd be able to diagnose it myself.

Timing belt is good, I just checked it.
Is there some kind of fuse or relay for the fuel pump? I'm starting to think that may be related. The engine turns over but it's not trying to start, it's just pumping air.

[zippome]

i hate it when that happens haha. in all seriousness though, give us more information if you actually want help

[Blujett18T]

crank position sensor maybe? any CEL or EPC light?

[WolfsburgNate]

i will guess timing belt.

That's a better guess, pull off the upper timing belt cover and see if theres a belt there

[homestead_us]

Thanks for helping everyone, I updated my post. The training belt is good and intact, when I turn the ignition on I get the epc, traction, battery, engine and the other lights. The engine doesn't even sound like it wants to fire, almost like its out of gas

[dubluv2003]

turn the key position to on and listen to see if the pump is priming, its easier if you flip up your back seats so you can hear it better. Also the CPS could be the cause. But I would start with the fuel pump.. if it was the timing belt, you would know it. Does it sound awful and terrible if you try to crank it or does it sound normal, just nothing fires?

[dubluv2003]

Thanks for helping everyone, I updated my post. The training belt is good and intact, when I turn the ignition on I get the epc, traction, battery, engine and the other lights. The engine doesn't even sound like it wants to fire, almost like its out of gas

training belt?

Run a voltage test on the relay, and on the pump itself, that is if it isnt priming once you turn the key to on.

[WolfsburgNate]

training belt?

Run a voltage test on the relay, and on the pump itself, that is if it isnt priming once you turn the key to on.

Doesn't the pump prime when you open the driver's door?

[dubluv2003]

Doesn't the pump prime when you open the driver's door?

That would be new news to me.. I just had to replace my pump about 6 months ago, this is how I tested mine.

[WolfsburgNate]

That would be new news to me.. I just had to replace my pump about 6 months ago, this is how I tested mine.

Mine definitely primes when I open the door, maybe it got changed in the model years. Regardless, I'm sure you (OP) have heard that strange noise that lasts for about 2 seconds coming from the back of the car. If either opening the door or turning the key to on doesn't make the pump turn on, there's your problem.

[homestead_us]

Well some of you guys were right, it was the timing belt. A few of the teeth sheared off and it wasn't turning at all. I'm at a shop now, they are going to replace the belt and water pump. I just hope the head isn't trashed, I never heard any noise when it happened

[dubluv2003]

Well some of you guys were right, it was the timing belt. A few of the teeth sheared off and it wasn't turning at all. I'm at a shop now, they are going to replace the belt and water pump. I just hope the head isn't trashed, I never heard any noise when it happened

Ouch, 90% of the time when the timing belt goes, valves get bent. If you are in that 10% make sure you thank the lord, and keep you mainenence up to date!!!

[homestead_us]

Looks like it was the water pump that went bad which caused the belt to go. Supposedly the water pump was changed at 60k miles. I don't really know for sure since I bought the car new. It looks like half the impeller just broke off. I'll try to post some pics when I'm all done here.

[Jetta02AWP]

Looks like it was the water pump that went bad which caused the belt to go. Supposedly the water pump was changed at 60k miles. I don't really know for sure since I bought the car new. It looks like half the impeller just broke off. I'll try to post some pics when I'm all done here.

You bought the car new and don't know the history? How many miles are on the car now?

[homestead_us]

You bought the car new and don't know the history? How many miles are on the car now?

I didnt buy the car new, my spell checker messed up pretty much every post. Either way, if you read any of the posts you would have seen that the pump was changed at 60K miles according to car fax and now it has 88K miles 4k of which are my miles.
Time for me to pull the head and figured out if I want to have it rebuilt, replaced or worked over.

Thanks to all you people who tried to help, Im new to the VW scene but have plenty of time wrenching on my lightning. Its definitly a different beast coming from a big supercharged V-8 to a turbo 4 banger. Thankfully I still have my reliable truck, and I would love to get this car right.

[Rice Rice Baby]

Are you talking about the serpentine belt vs timing belt?

[Jettuh]

What where the previous symtomps? runs ****ty? hoppy? cel? give us more to work with...

[dubluv2003]

Well some of you guys were right, it was the timing belt. A few of the teeth sheared off and it wasn't turning at all. I'm at a shop now, they are going to replace the belt and water pump. I just hope the head isn't trashed, I never heard any noise when it happened

Looks like it was the water pump that went bad which caused the belt to go. Supposedly the water pump was changed at 60k miles. I don't really know for sure since I bought the car new. It looks like half the impeller just broke off. I'll try to post some pics when I'm all done here.

What where the previous symtomps? runs ****ty? hoppy? cel? give us more to work with...

He knows what happened already. Read above.

[jettaaddictionII]

did you try cpr??

[scirockalot8v]

sorry i was right. as soon as you said it wasnt turning over i knew it was the t-belt. be prepared to fork out about $1000 bucks for the repair.

[eurolicious]

I am also going with crank position sensor. The one that goes onto the block with one bolt and is near the oil filter adapter. My car had the same symptoms. I changed it and it is fixed.


Sent from my toolbox using pliers and a screwdriver.

[homestead_us]

If you guys could see my poor car now you would cry. The shop I took it to when I first broke down wasnt by choice but necessity since I was in BFE, Rocky Mount NC if anyone knows. They pulled the belt and pump, tried to replace them but determined there was no compression. At that point I figured I would jsut do all the work myself since the head needs to be replaced and after watching them work on it for 6 hrs and not even finish, I knew I was better off. Anyways I finally got the car towed back yesterday and the passenger side engine mounts aren't even installed and my oil pan is smashed up pretty good. I have a jack under it now to support it but I was pretty pissed. Now Im trying ot figure out if it would be worth it to send the head of to get the vales replaced or just replaced the entire head. Does anyone know if its worth it to have the head ported and get a good valve job done, or is that a waste with the small port heads?