Fans move but it is like the engine is not there???

Help. This morning I went to start my passat and when I turn the key I get a fan like noise and the engine does nothing. I do not have any resistance and no strange clicking or screeching noises. When my wife turns the key and I am looking under the hood, the fan is turning and I think that I can see all the belts moving but the engine is not turning (or even trying to turn) over. It is like the engine is not there.

Any ideas?

8O
Reply to
eikonal
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It would be very very helpful if you would tell us the year of the Passat, as well as the engine size/type.

It could be the key switch, it could be the starter, it could be a bad clutch switch, or.....

Tim Wohlford '89 Golf '98 Jetta

Reply to
geek49203

sounds like it is broken! ;-)

Just some questions: Year? Engine size? Transmission? Mileage? Country?

Answers a little more informative than YES or NO might help get a helpful answer or two! ;-)

I would guess that the timing belt is broken. I hope it is an engine with a non-interference engine like an 8V 2.0 liter in maybe a '95 year Passat.

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

with how many miles? plus or minus 750 miles and should the waterpump and tensioner be replaced too? >:| note sarcasm plz doc ;-)

Reply to
samstone

The first thought that went through my head was that it was broken too. :lol:

Year - 2000

My first thought is that it was the timing belt. The car was in the driveway when I tried to start it and it just would not go. When the key is engaged and turned, the belts are moving and it appears the the timing belt is not off but there seems to be little resistance from the engin. If the timing was off I suppose that I would lose compression and it may appear that I have low resistance to the engine.

Anyone have a similar experience?

Thanks all. :

"dave AKA vwdoc1" wrote

Reply to
eikonal

Perhaps your fan is electric; that is what I would expect. Try turning the air conditioner off to see if the fan stops.

I don't think you could see the belt that drives the alternator or air conditioner compressor moving if the engine is not turning over, since the crankshaft drives the belt(s).

Reply to
Tom's VR6

That's what I thought too but I think he didn't quite explain it clearly when he said "seeing belts move". My guess is he's seeing things move while the starter is cranking but the engine never catches and never fires up.

Reply to
Matt B.

I had a look again and I think that it is the serp belt that I am looking at

"Tom's VR6" wrote

Reply to
eikonal

I am still not sure which engine the OP is talking about. Still sounds like it could be the timing belt broken if it has one.

PLEASE put necessary info in the Subject. Year......Model.....Engine Type.....Trans. Type......Country.

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

Yes. However, it was with a '78 Chevette. The timing belt didn't break, it didn't even strip out. The camshaft broke. I kid you not, the camshaft just snapped in two while running at normal speeds around town.

The local Chevy regional rep said that, at 45,000 miles, this was "normal wear and tear." I haven't bought a Chevy since, even used.

Tim Wohlford

Reply to
geek49203

The car is a 2000 passat glx. it has around 116k km and ia located in Houston, tx. The belts I was refering to look as if they are the serp belt. I was looking at few web sites that explained the process of changing the timing belt and water pump and by the dissasembly pics there is no way I could see the timing belt without removing a ton of stuff. I will get it to a mechanic tomorrow for a look.

Thanks everyone.

Reply to
eikonal

Sounds like it could be the timing belt broken on your (V6?) engine. Had you changed that timing belt before?

Reply to
dave AKA vwdoc1

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