I've heard plenty about 117's breaking a rail, and eating some valves, but I honestly don't recall reading anything about 119's doing so.
If it were me, I would check the car out...For my suspicion would be that the wiring harness went south and the car is either in limp mode or it ate one of the coils (happened to me) and is only running on 4 cyls. See if the check engine light is on, and if it has the LED button, run the test on it, and see how many codes it spits out. If some of them don't make any sense, when compared to how the car runs, suspect the harness. You can find the harness going into the brainbox (between firewalls, where the batt. ought to be). If it looks as old as the rest of the car, I would suspect it as the culprit. In my case, the wiring harness also ate the ign. control module ($$$), besides a coil.

Anybody else wanna chime in about the 119 chain and rails?

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D