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Semi-OT: (2.0) 16v bent valve diagnosis



Fellow listers,

OK, so my wife had the timing belt go on her Passat last year, back when I was knee deep in Navy doodoo.  I was not available to fix
it, so I got her a Jetta off of the vortex and she has been driving it since.  I finally tore down the belt end of the Passat and
did some testing.

Initial symptom - engine just died while driving, coasted to stop (i.e. crank was spun with cam stopped at some unknown position).

- Carefully rotated crank - no abnormal sounds or resistance.
- Placed crank ~30 after TDC.  Rotated cams - no abnormal sounds or resistance.
- Installed new timing belt.
- Rotated again by hand.  Resistance felt like any other 16v I've ever manually spun (including 'squishy' feeling as working against
compression stroke).

Attempted start.  Typical starter cranking sound, but no actual start.  Engine / exhaust sounds like only lightly firing on one or 2
cylinders.  Light smell of fuel after extended cranking.  Double checked timing (with screwdriver in #1) - dead on.

OK, so since it has been sitting for 1.5 years now, it's likely there are other issues such as gummy fuel / injectors, etc.  What I
wanted to know from the list is - has anyone actually had a timing belt let go and tried just changing the belt first?  If valves
were actually bent, what symptoms were there on the new belt attempt?  I'd like to be able to rule out collateral valve train damage
before I go hunting for the other potential non-start issues.

Thanks in advance for assistance.
Al