louis_2012

Heres a odd one for you.

Passat TDi (PD engine)

Starts, runs, drives etc fine no issues

Warms up to the correct 90 degrees fine, sits there with no issues, fans all work, interior heating working fine, head gasket fine.

If the car is driven normally around town its fine, but if driven hard, or at constant high speed on motorway etc it uses the contents of the water bottle and will take around a litre to bring it back up again?

Cant see any obvious leaks either?

kyle_st200

Head lift, quite common on the fabia vrs when running more power. Depending on which engine it is sometimes fitting the pd150 head bolts one at a time so as not to take the head off cures it

botters

iTrader: (2)

ive done several at work that you could leave idling all day and it would never boil over or miss a beat but like yours take them for a spirited drive and they would empty the header tank it was headgasket on all of them

markk

iTrader: (2)

The impellor has come off the water pump.

studabear

garage near me did the head gasket on a galaxy derv and the impeller had come of the shaft.

botters

iTrader: (2)

didnt think of that , it is also a very common fault on these engines, however the ones i had done were the headgasket

botters

iTrader: (2)

also ive noticed genuine pumps have plastic impellors yet aftermarket have metal ones so i always fit aftermarket

markk

iTrader: (2)

Having managed a VAG workshop for over 10 years I can count on one hand the amount of headgaskets changed on PD engines.
Water pumps I lost count.
I used to have a throughput of approx. 3000 diesel engined (PD/VP/CR) vehicles per annum.

markk

iTrader: (2)

Correct in some cases, though you only get a one year warranty with aftermarket, two years with genuine plus a labour worldwide repair warranty.

botters

iTrader: (2)

ive done several, im not knocking your experience in any way whatsoever but ive done a few various jobs on different vehicles many times that friends at main agents have said its a fault they never ever see or is unheard of. wheras certain people in non main dealers know them to be a common fault i can only put it down to people not wanting to pay main dealer prices when the vehicle has met a certain age therefore the dealers not seeing those sort of faults. and then there are faults like bkp engines spitting conrods out that main dealers just bare faced lie about ha ha

botters

iTrader: (2)

sorry i meant bxe, the bkp's "just" suffer with catastrophic oil pump failure lol

markk

iTrader: (2)

This is the kind of thing I really struggle with when reading on the net.

I'm a pretty worldly wise person when it comes to the motor trade, but I hate seeing people in non-franchises saying 'common fault' when the reality is that there may well have been 3/4/5/6/7/8 of them you have seen, this does not make it common.

You look on the net, all you will even read is the bad news. Someone cars fails, its public knowledge instantly, blaming this person and that person.

Having worked for a brand as big as the VAG, you kind of get to know what is common and what is not, I spent a long time up and down the country meeting with various Master technicians/workshop manager/ VAG UK representatives and if something was an issue we got to know of it.

Just for your info, it take 5 recorded and confirmed failures without doubt before the factory will accept a 'cause for concern'. So really small amount.

Just to look back at your statement, in my 10 years I had two engines throw rods.
Never have I had a PD camshaft fail, nor have I replaced a rear beam bush on the Gold 4 platform - other than on the Golf.
I could go on, but I have nothing to gain by hiding anything, I'm not employed there anymore.

From an engineering point of view, why would a component take over 3/5 years to fail e.g. conrod? surely if this was a manufacturing defect then it would be a concern within a very short period of time?

External influence is usually attributed every time.

Sorry for the OP, I hope you have enough info here to fix your issue.

markk

iTrader: (2)

Balance shaft gear failure you mean? just so happens to be chain driven from the balance shaft does the oil pump. I had two failures in 10 years again, I didn't just see the one car I don't class it as common.

There was a modification in production around 2007 iirc for the hardening process of the gears, was such a small failure rate nothing ever went to recall.
Now, if you want to talk Solenoid PD injectors (not Piezo stack) then I am your man - I even have the stats as to how many units/vehicle/cost to the brand.

botters

iTrader: (2)

i can only go on my experience bud, ive changed 3 bxe engines for rod failure all no2 conrod 2 of those had less than 60k and full service history one had 140k ive done 2 bkp engines for oil pump failure which took out the turbo as well both had less than 100k on them and i have changed 5 or 6 camshafts as they were worn more than a rs turbo cam ha ha! tho all of those had been using the wrong oil. the majority of my friends are mechanics and all of them have done engines/cams/headgaskets on the pd engines. so once again i will say it is most likely down to people not wanting to pay main dealer prices hence the dealers not seeing or being made aware of the problems. either that or its because they are based in preston and have been unfortunate enough to deal with the shocking customer service of our local branch of lookers volkswagen but thats another story for another day!

GVK.

This is OT, but hey it's Passion Ford.

I get where botters is coming from, take the old 12 valve VW VR6 engine, it's very common 'in the forum world' for the upper timing chain guide to fail at 80,000 miles or so.

I worked at a VW dealer a few years back, chatting to the guys there, they'd NEVER done any. As those engines are used in Galaxy V6, I've never seen any come into the 4 Ford dealerships I've worked in over the years requiring the chains to be done.

botters

iTrader: (2)

yeah the injectors can be erm, troublesome ha ha. that is one of the lookers storys i sent a customer there to have them replaced as per the recall, they refused and tried charging her diagnostic costs etc, she then took it to vw in blackpool where they changed them all free of charge valeted the car and apologised profusely!

louis_2012

Another thing ive noticed it does, is when normal driving the heaters are hot, but when idling they will go cold, give it a few revs and it will revert back to hot again, stay hot then slowly run cold again after a few minutes until you rev it again or drive it. Strange car.

I thought the BKD engine in the MK5 Golf TDi etc was the worst? Chocolate turbos etc thought the PD engines were some of the best diesels out there.

botters

iTrader: (2)

a mate at ford has never known the chain guides to fail or little end bearings to fail on transits either but myself and our local engineers blackburn brothers have again done loads!

botters

iTrader: (2)

it more than likely is the water pump then bud, some of the pd engines are fantastic mate if not a little tractor like in sound dont be put off all of them for the few that fail

GVK.

You'll probably cure that with the water pump...

markk

iTrader: (2)

Water pump failure.

Nothing wrong with the BKD 2.0, the turbos don't fail. They become clogged with particulate matter in the VNT housing.
I think the PD is a great engine, just not good enough to meet euro 6 compliancy.
Ive owned 4 of them now.

markk

iTrader: (2)

I just find it weird how there can be so many fail like that. I would love to do a case study on the failed units. I bet I could find the causes no worries.

I am not going to comment for or against any of the dealerships or their customer service, I was in a Preston dealership (been in a few over the last 20+ years) and have had a lot of loyal customers who were happy to pay my prices time and time again.

At least its good business for you in the independents.

markk

iTrader: (2)

I've used/known Dave for since I was 17 years old, no one else will machine my engines other than his family. he knows me well shall we say

botters

iTrader: (2)

same here mate i would not use anyone else dave is always very helpfull and extremely knowledgable what he does not know about engines generally is not worth knowing. next time you see him ask him his opinion on pd engines you may be surprised he told me he has a strong dislike for them and that was before i ever saw one fail!

markk

iTrader: (2)

That's the thing, I only ever had to deal with him on two PD's both mine lol (exact causes known, nothing to do with manufacturer defects) and both 1.9 not 2.0 or 2.5.

I know he struggles to get them or bits for them.

botters

iTrader: (2)

the last two bxe engines i changed i bought reconditioned units from the same guy that the first customer found for me, i forgets the name of the company but i have his card at work he delivered the engines all the way from bristol or somewhere like that in the back of his very very lowered caddy van ha ha and all for £1000 delivered with warranty . i could tell the second they fired up that they were good engines they just sounded quieter than normal and felt really smooth to drive ill post up the name of his company when i find his card tomorrow

louis_2012

Thanks people, so it could be loosing it through that ' hole ' waterpumps have in them when its under load/pressure?

Its due a cambelt change so will get it done at the same time. Cheers

andy888

i have this engine in my A3 sportback, can you prevent this happening or clear it?

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

People say the engines in the mk5 n 6 transits are shite. I work for Royal Mail fixing the vans and in the 5 years ive been there we have only ever replaced 2 of these engines. 1 was cause the cam carrier bolts had pulled out the head and the other had been ran low on oil and fook the bottom end and turbo.

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

when you say 'wrong oil used' what do you mean by that?

i bought an A3 TDI Quattro 1.9 130bhp sport 4 weeks ago.
service book says it had a service in novemeber but i have ordered some oil that should be here today as its propper black (but after a little research it seem diesel oil goes black very quick anyway?)

anyway i ordered Valvoline Engine OilDurablend Diesel Semi-Synthetic 5W40 5 Litre

hopefully its the right stuff

Bailes1992

It needs to have the PD specification or it will nackered the cam! Recommend changing the oil every 6k/6months.

louis_2012

Quantum is the best stuff to use for PD engines.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Fudgey diesel oil does go black straight away.

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

So is the valvoline stuff i bought no good then?

got it off euro car parts, just put reg etc in and it didnt say, well not that i seen PD specific.

arse.

ps i change oil every 6k miles anyway, as i do about 6k a year lol

louis_2012

If its a PD engine you need PD oil, believe it or not its usually pretty cheap from the dealers, or just buy Quantum off ebay for around £25 posted for a gallon. 1.9 TDi PD should be 5w30

Fudgey

iTrader: (4)

arse!

cheers bud

GVK.

One of our customers has 2 x 2011 Transit 2.2 FWDs BOTH Of them have had oil pump failure, one got away with just a pump, the other shit itself big stylee and needed a full engine, turbo and a DPF that was blocked with turbo debris. Same van that had the engine recovered in today, broke down up the road, turbo seized and DPF blocked, has oil pressure this time so that's a bonus

As we pushed it in the workshop - the new Transit advert came on the radio

"The new Ford Transit,helping you go further"

Colin_P

Currently on my 4th PD engined VAG and have driven them for ten years now.

2001 Golf 115hp AJM engine - Head Gasket failed at about 160k
2002 Passat 130hp AWX engine - good as gold, put over 40k on it.
2005 Audi A6 130hp AWX engine - good as gold, put only 15k on it until some twat rear ended it.
2004 Passat 130hp AWX engine - good as gold, current car now at 125k bought at 90k good as gold.

I was on the UKMKIV's forum and the 115hp HG is quite common on there. I also personally know of two others that have gone. Seems to be those early 115's with the lower compression ratio.

The 130's I've had (and still have) are fantastic, no plans on replacing the current car anytime soon.

There were some worries when the PD's were new with injectors priced (then) at £400 a go, thwelve years on they are turning out to be very reliable engines, not like the modern stuff or the French / Ford derv engines!

Saying that.... I've got a MK1 Focus TDDI and that is a cracker..... just waiting for the pump module to fail.

Cossie Sean

5w30 LOW ASH!!!!!!!!!

Also on the water usage thing, EGR coolers can weap when they get hot internally.

changed a few of those myself.

seen 3 PD GT TDis (mapped) and a caddy 100bhp?! do headgaskets but they all got very hot, very quick and none had the usual impeller failure.

just my 2p of worthlessness

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Ops lol. Thats not good.

We only see the bad cars/vans.