My 2003 VW Jetta TDI has a major problem. The engine has likely been damaged by an oil leak that was not discovered until the oil ran out. I now have much reduced compression (340lbs or less) and the car doesn’t like to start in cold weather and when it does it smokes much. I need to know if it is worth rebuilding and, if so, where I might have this work done. I live in the Chicago area. I may also consider purchasing a used engine and would like advice on how to get this done.
A proper rebuild can get very expensive so you have to decide if you want to go this route. An equally expensive option would be to buy a new from VW long block.
Used engines are a coin flip because the people selling them often know little about what they’re selling. This is especially true with salvage yards who “guarantee it to be good”. How do they know? They’ve probably never even heard it run before.
Consider the age of the vehicle I couldn’t see getting too deep into it financially. You might check around to see if you can find a salvage yard who will install what they sell. They often do this for a nominal fee and guarantee it in those circumstances. That way if there is a problem they’re on the hook for it.
One comment though. Your engine was not damaged by an oil leak. It was damaged by your apparent failure to maintain a check on the engine oil level. Unless you develop a habit of checking the oil level every few weeks (even on an engine that uses no oil) then you will probably face this situation again. Just a word of warning.
You might want to check out TDICLUB.COM. They have lots of TDI experience and likely can help you out. I suspect they can recommend a Chicago area Mechanic.
That said, I suspect you are going to get about the same advice ok4450 has suggested.
Thank you for your comments. The oil leak I mentioned was a near immediate total loss which was not detected until there was little oil left. It took only a few moments for this to occur. Of course I am aware of the need to monitor oil levels. My last car was a Saturn which lasted for 300,000 miles before I gave it to my nephew. It is still running.