Golf 118 TSI Engine Failures and Service Campaign 24S4

[TheOne]

Presumably you bought it privately? Because if you bought it through a dealer, the car's under a statutory 3-month warranty.

Yeah privately unfortunately

[jdw]

Bought a 2010 Jetta 118 TSI two weeks ago. Engine died 3 days ago Wish I knew about this thread before purchasing. Having lots of trouble finding a replacement engine. Will probably cost about 4-5K to get an engine and get it replaced.

I called VW themselves, they said it would be better in the long run if I took the car in to them and get them to fix the engine. They said even with a new engine the same issue may occur. Said they would rebuild it in a way so that this issue would never happen again. But it would cost 6K+

I bought the car for $9400

Sorry for your bad luck ....do you know what they mean by "they would rebuild it in a way so that this issue would never happen again"

[TheOne]

Sorry for your bad luck ....do you know what they mean by "they would rebuild it in a way so that this issue would never happen again"

I'm not that car savvy so apologies if none of this makes sense. I did a lot of research after the engine stuffed up and thought that the reason my engine failed was because of the ECU mapping in my car made the engine run lean. I thought they fixed that issue with the 2011 model of the Jetta. So i was trying to source an engine from a 2011 Jetta so I could know for sure that I could be getting an engine that wasn't running lean due to bad ECU mapping. I called VW to confirm if it would fit with no problems. He said it should be fine but he wasn't exactly 100% about it.

He said that the issue would still happen down the line even with a 2011 engine. He said if I brought the car in, they would rebuild it and rebuild the pistons so they wouldn't stuff up in the future. He told me to 'be careful about what I read on the forums'.

[Mk R]

I'm not that car savvy so apologies if none of this makes sense. I did a lot of research after the engine stuffed up and thought that the reason my engine failed was because of the ECU mapping in my car made the engine run lean. I thought they fixed that issue with the 2011 model of the Jetta. So i was trying to source an engine from a 2011 Jetta so I could know for sure that I could be getting an engine that wasn't running lean due to bad ECU mapping. I called VW to confirm if it would fit with no problems. He said it should be fine but he wasn't exactly 100% about it.

He said that the issue would still happen down the line even with a 2011 engine. He said if I brought the car in, they would rebuild it and rebuild the pistons so they wouldn't stuff up in the future. He told me to 'be careful about what I read on the forums'.

Firstly, Sorry to hear about your predicament. Many of us have been there before.

Secondly, anyone who tells you they can fix an engine so a failure "never happens again" should be trusted about as much as a dodgy used car salesman with all gold teeth. The forums can't always be trusted but i'd trust them more than a VAG service rep. Ask him what the ratio of apprentices to qualified VW mechanics is in his workshop and compare it to your local mechanic or a private Euro mechanics shop. You might be surprised who'd be doing your rebuild at VW.

Keep calling all the large wreckers, I picked up a late 2011 CAVD central block with 20,000 on it for $2k. I'm sure there's still plenty of them out there for that price. I run a stage 1 tune and it is now 50,000km down the track and going strong. The lean map wasn't the only issue and if you want to be even more certain of avoiding another failure get in touch with the guy on here who replaced his CAVD engine with a CTHD version which has the forged pistons and a few other strengthened internals. I understand that engine fits into our cars too. Those may be more $$$ as they're newer and rarer at the wreckers. Those CTHD upgraded parts are most likely what VW will be selling you and there's a good chance you wont get all of them with a rebuild.

Also have a look at getting the latest high pressure fuel pump, spark plugs and coil packs. If you want to keep the car also consider a bigger intercooler to keep the temps down, the Golf R intercooler from the Mk VI golf/Audi S3 fits straight in. Only use 98 octane.

Bottom line: low km used CAVD from 2011 on for $2,000 and about $1,500 for the install from a good mechanic. Negotiate from there and don't be afraid to call bull**** on the VW $6,000 quote.

[TheOne]

Firstly, Sorry to hear about your predicament. Many of us have been there before.

Secondly, anyone who tells you they can fix an engine so a failure "never happens again" should be trusted about as much as a dodgy used car salesman with all gold teeth. The forums can't always be trusted but i'd trust them more than a VAG service rep. Ask him what the ratio of apprentices to qualified VW mechanics is in his workshop and compare it to your local mechanic or a private Euro mechanics shop. You might be surprised who'd be doing your rebuild at VW.

Keep calling all the large wreckers, I picked up a late 2011 CAVD central block with 20,000 on it for $2k. I'm sure there's still plenty of them out there for that price. I run a stage 1 tune and it is now 50,000km down the track and going strong. The lean map wasn't the only issue and if you want to be even more certain of avoiding another failure get in touch with the guy on here who replaced his CAVD engine with a CTHD version which has the forged pistons and a few other strengthened internals. I understand that engine fits into our cars too. Those may be more $$$ as they're newer and rarer at the wreckers. Those CTHD upgraded parts are most likely what VW will be selling you and there's a good chance you wont get all of them with a rebuild.

Also have a look at getting the latest high pressure fuel pump, spark plugs and coil packs. If you want to keep the car also consider a bigger intercooler to keep the temps down, the Golf R intercooler from the Mk VI golf/Audi S3 fits straight in. Only use 98 octane.

Bottom line: low km used CAVD from 2011 on for $2,000 and about $1,500 for the install from a good mechanic. Negotiate from there and don't be afraid to call bull**** on the VW $6,000 quote.

Thanks mate that's great advice! I think after I get it fixed I'll sell it. This has been a pretty disheartening experience. I did love the car though, just had a reverse camera put in, tinted windows and had a custom android head unit put in too. If I had say $15K for the next car I buy, what VW car would you guys recommend? I loved everything about the Jetta but don't want to touch anything with a 118 TSI engine.

EDIT: Just wanted to add I'm a big guy and don't like how I look in a hatch lol. So a sedan is what I'm looking for!

[Rawcpoppa]

Thanks mate that's great advice! I think after I get it fixed I'll sell it. This has been a pretty disheartening experience. I did love the car though, just had a reverse camera put in, tinted windows and had a custom android head unit put in too. If I had say $15K for the next car I buy, what VW car would you guys recommend? I loved everything about the Jetta but don't want to touch anything with a 118 TSI engine.

EDIT: Just wanted to add I'm a big guy and don't like how I look in a hatch lol. So a sedan is what I'm looking for!

Jetta with a 2.0T engine instead might be what you're looking for. Better yet in manual.

[tigger73]

If I had say $15K for the next car I buy, what VW car would you guys recommend? I loved everything about the Jetta but don't want to touch anything with a 118 TSI engine.

EDIT: Just wanted to add I'm a big guy and don't like how I look in a hatch lol. So a sedan is what I'm looking for!

Or you could look at a Tiguan SUV - can also get it with the 2.0T also and if you get a DSG (instead of auto) it's the much stronger 7speed DQ500. The earlier MY09-MY10 models came with conventional auto or manual only. DSG was introduced in MY11.

[Mk R]

Or you could look at a Tiguan SUV - can also get it with the 2.0T also and if you get a DSG (instead of auto) it's the much stronger 7speed DQ500. The earlier MY09-MY10 models came with conventional auto or manual only. DSG was introduced in MY11.

No worries, maybe a B7 or maybe B8 Audi A4 or a 4 motion Passat? Could get you awd with a sedan shape and a 2.0T or 2.0TDI engine...

[TheOne]

Or you could look at a Tiguan SUV - can also get it with the 2.0T also and if you get a DSG (instead of auto) it's the much stronger 7speed DQ500. The earlier MY09-MY10 models came with conventional auto or manual only. DSG was introduced in MY11.

Thanks guys. Will have a look. I just called volksaffair in Melbourne and asked them how much to swap a CAVD engine with a CTHD engine, they said 7k!

[Mk R]

Thanks guys. Will have a look. I just called volksaffair in Melbourne and asked them how much to swap a CAVD engine with a CTHD engine, they said 7k!

Yeah, you need to source the block yourself. I see the sequence of events as follows:

1. Use this forum to find someone who has a good value VW mechanic in Melbourne. For example my guy is a small local guy in Sydney that had done a couple of these swaps before. Call the recommendations and ask how much to swap an engine block that you provide. Keep $1,500 ish as your guide. Also remember, this is not to include a regular service or any of the other crap you'd normally get done.

2. Start at google and call all the big wreckers in Melbourne and surrounding areas and ask them how much for a low km VAG CAVD engine. You're selling after the job so you don't need to worry about getting a CTHD. Tell them you've had a quote for $1,999 delivered. I'd take anything after mid 2011 up to 50,000km in your case but obviously later years and lower km are preferred.

3. book in the work and get them to give you the printed notice of the engine swap for the sale of your car. Keep the invoice from the wreckers which will include the odometer reading for your replacement engine, this will be useful for potential buyers.

Don't be afraid to let people know that you know these are the prices you're willing to work with. You could be done with all this in as little as 2 weeks.

[OilBurna]

Have you tried volkwerke in Greensborough


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheOne]

Sorry for the late reply, been very busy! I've actually taken the car to someone else for a second opinion. The first guy said two cylinders have lost compression and thus a new engine was needed. However this other guy said that the compression is fine on all cylinders and he thinks the issue is with the on board computer and calibration.

He sais he's going to send the on board computer off to someplace in Tullamarine, (Power House?, I can't remember the exact name) but they'll diagnose and fix as necessary.

I'm wondering why the first mechanic said there was no compression on two cylinders. Is it possible for it to have lost then regained the compression? Unless he was trying to rip me off?

[brad]

Sorry for the late reply, been very busy! I've actually taken the car to someone else for a second opinion. The first guy said two cylinders have lost compression and thus a new engine was needed. However this other guy said that the compression is fine on all cylinders and he thinks the issue is with the on board computer and calibration.

He sais he's going to send the on board computer off to someplace in Tullamarine, (Power House?, I can't remember the exact name) but they'll diagnose and fix as necessary.

I'm wondering why the first mechanic said there was no compression on two cylinders. Is it possible for it to have lost then regained the compression? Unless he was trying to rip me off?

None of us can really comment unless you post what the wet & dry figures were.

Unfortunately you appear to be not very astute mechanically so it's going to cost you a lot no matter what path you go down as you can't do anything yourself. $120-$150/hr soon adds up.

[Mk R]

Compression tests are cheap, if you don't know who to trust you can always get another one. Getting people to mess around with the ECu sounds expensive and suspect. If you post the results of them you'll get feedback from the forums.

[michaelfstanley]

So I signed up after finding this thread via the google and am impressed with the knowledge and depth people have covered this issue with. I promise I'm only seeking help because I've hit a brick wall googling stuff and would appreciate a little help understanding my options.

We (me and the missus) own a 2010 comfortline bought second hand in 2013. Now has 105k on the odometer and has run very well otherwise.

To cut a long story short at our last service the mechanic told us the pressure was failing in two cylinders and the engine needed a rebuild at around $8k and that replacing it with another engine would be in the same cost range.

I took it for a second opinion from a cheap mechanic recommended by a family friend who offered to replace the pistons for ~$5k but seemed to have little appreciation of the situation and did not inspire much confidence.

The missus contacted vw who said they would only consider any claim after the car was inspected by a dealer. the missus then contacted a local dealer and chatted with the mechanic who said in most cases vw would only assess the claim after the engine had been partially dismantled for assessment at a cost of ~$1,000.

So I see my options as falling into four boxes I'm trying to decide between

1.Get my established mechanic to rebuild the engine for ~8k
2.Go the route of handing the car to sit at the dealership for a few weeks, possibly getting a partial amount of the parts cost covered and paying the dealer premium for the rest of the work - I don't imagine I'll come a lot better out of it cost wise than option #1.
3. Try to engage vw a little differently by arguing the problem's been diagnosed by an mechanic with considerable vw experience and I should be able to get a better kind of commitment from them without having to fork out a grand and leave the car sitting at a dealer.
4.Go the route suggested on the previous page and replace the engine with one from a wreck.

Keep calling all the large wreckers, I picked up a late 2011 CAVD central block with 20,000 on it for $2k. I'm sure there's still plenty of them out there for that price. I run a stage 1 tune and it is now 50,000km down the track and going strong. The lean map wasn't the only issue and if you want to be even more certain of avoiding another failure get in touch with the guy on here who replaced his CAVD engine with a CTHD version which has the forged pistons and a few other strengthened internals. I understand that engine fits into our cars too. Those may be more $$$ as they're newer and rarer at the wreckers. Those CTHD upgraded parts are most likely what VW will be selling you and there's a good chance you wont get all of them with a rebuild.

Bottom line: low km used CAVD from 2011 on for $2,000 and about $1,500 for the install from a good mechanic. Negotiate from there and don't be afraid to call bull**** on the VW $6,000 quote.

I want to investigate this option further but have very little understanding and can't understand what sorts of engines I can put in - can any CAVD engine go in? What's the difference with the CTHD engines and how do I know that the same sort of engine isn't likely to have the same piston issue - is there something I should look for (e.g. made after a certain date?)

Any advice would be welcome as I'm drowning a bit trying to figure out what to do.....