My car wont start

1999 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

98,000 MILES

CHARLIE

MEMBER
1 POST
FOLLOW

Hello.. I have a 1999.5 VW Jetta GL 2.0L.. i had the waterpump put in recently and the timing belt put it new last year. anyway the car was driving fine until i noticed a antifreeze leak where the pipe that feeds to the block is connected.. so when i drive it would every now and then the temperature light would go off.. I stop the car and turn it off and open the antifreeze cap and alot of hot air and pressure comming out.. i would add more antifreeze and as its taking it since it was so hot it would bubble up like hot water.. i kept just adding antifreeze when needed it. Then it was low on oil and that car takes 10w 30 i went into advance auto part and asked if i can put a stronger kind they said 10w-40 so thats what i put. the car was running ok other than i having to stop constantly to fill antifreeze until it started burning oil and white smoke comming out of exhaust and also exhause backfire sound.. the car would try to cut off while i was at a light. at times it did and i would have to get a jump to start it back up.. then all of a sudden i started hearing a loud noise comming from engine. The engine sounded like a diesel or a tractor... I put lucas oil stabilizer and it stoped the oil leak but then the engine started sounding like a tractor or a diesel car.. The acceleration petal felt very hard to press and as i would press the petal the sound gets louder.. i was driving it then it started making a screeching noise whinding noise whoooo whooo whoooo whooo then check engine light came on, temperature light came on, and oil light again the shut off completlely while driving around 60 mph.. I refilled the antifreeze, got a jump from someone but the car did not want to restart at all.. It was just making a whinding sound but no compression at all..

Sep 15, 2011 at 2:42 PM

DRCRANKNWRENCH

CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
3,380 POSTS

The head gasket is blown. If the exhaust smells like burnt oil it maky have bad valve seals to. The symptoms you describe incline me to say that the motor is in need of a re-build.

Dec 20, 2016 at 11:18 AM

PROAUTOTECH

CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
288 POSTS

Definate head gasket leak. The diesel sound is exactly that. You had coolant in your combustion chamber causing excessive compression which was causing it to detonate. Most likely, even if you fix the head gasket, you have done damage to the rod bearings which will cause severe problems including lack of oil pressure. I would hunt for a used motor with as few miles as possible.

Dec 20, 2016 at 11:18 AM

BUDDY ALLEN

MEMBER
1 POST

I have a similar problem with a 03 Jetta but it never sounded like a tractor or a diesel as far as I know. I bought it used of the street so I have no idea what it was put through. But what I do know is it ran fine for about a month. Everything on the cooling system failed one after another. The last time I drove it the it overhead before I knew it was leaking I let it cool down added more antifreeze and drove it home. Next morning it wouldn't start. I ended up replacing the radiator and head gasket. Now it still won't start. I checked the timing today and it was in line still not starting. Any idea what to do or where to look next?

Sep 5, 2020 at 10:48 PM

STEVE W.

CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
15,158 POSTS

Buddy Allen, could you please use this link and ask this as a new question.
https://www.2carpros.com/questions/new
Please give as much information as you can about the vehicle, the problem and anything that has been done or tried. Thank you.

Sep 6, 2020 at 1:31 PM

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