Polo GTI High Oil Usage - Discussion Thread

[prcurrie]

Just stumbled across this article. Appears a UK magazine has printed about the 'faulty piston rings' on the Polo GTI (early models)

Polo GTI 1.4 TSI Twincharged Factory Recall – Engine Piston Rings – StrikeEngine

[Karly101]

I'm now 1400km post rebuild and thus far checked the dip stick and oil level hasn't moved ...not going to jinx it though as its still early days!

[gavs]

I crapped my dacks last tuesday when I checked my oil level when the engine was relativley cold (~50 degrees oil temp) because it looked to have almost reached the bottom of the dipstick! I then checked it whe hot yesterday, it was back up to 3/4s full.

Shows why the manual says to check the oil level when the oil is up to temperature....

[GraveDilute]

Got my car back the other week after replacement of the rings.
Haven't been looking at the oil yet but all seems good at this stage. Pre replacement, after two weeks the oil light was coming on!

[prcurrie]

Well I think all this oil consumption business is just in everyone's head.

Response from my dealer on oil consumption reassuring me.....

Some oil consumption is to be expected typically during the running in period. The vehicles have a ‘Running in’ oil from the factory that is designed to aid the bedding in of the piston rings. Once the vehicle has had its first service I think you will find the oil consumption will settle down. Having said this I would expect all Volkswagen engines to require an oil top up between services.

I'd like to know more about the running in oil. Sounds magical!

[omos]

Once the vehicle has had its first service I think you will find the oil consumption will settle down.

Its an interesting point. I've done 18,500 km in my gti (09/10 build) and I topped up 4.5 litres up to 15,000 km. At the service, as they normally do, they replaced the oil (4.5 litres as stated on the invoice) and the oil level hasn't budged from the top of the stick in the last 3,500 km.

[GraveDilute]

Look, it is clearly an issue and not in people's minds.
AFAIK, VW wouldn't be replacing piston rings for fun.

Touch wood people don't have an issue but if like me, you do notice unusual oil consumption then FFS go into your VW dealer and kick up a stink with the service department. I did and got new rings. At this point, now 3k kms later it seems OK. AS IT SHOULD BE WHEN BUYING A NEW F$%^&KING CAR!!!

[gavs]

Exactly and every VW affiliated person I have spoken to have denied any knowledge of a specific "running in" oil. As far as known, castrol crap 5w-30 is factory fill and is meant to last 15000kms.
Ask any engine builder. No reputable engine builder will leave "running in" oil in the engine for 15000kms and after seeing the grainy state the oil was in after 6700kms and the foul colour and smell, I highly doubt that the oil is for running in.

BUT! Again, that's not the point. The point is there is a clear issue that isn't really being fixed. Now, to add fuel to the speculation fire, the Germans have uncovered a new engine that based on the specs, (1.4, forced induction, 180PS/132kw) would seem a natural successor to the faulty polo motor....

[nicholas_egan]

Got a flashy orange light in the middle of buttfk out the back of Ulverstone, in Deliverance territory after a hard sesh...

Took it to VW, she drank 1.4 litres of oil...=/

[gavs]

in the middle of buttfk out the back of Ulverstone

Nick, is that near "out-the-back-of-bumfk" by chance?

Sorry to hear that mate, there isn't many a VW dealership down on the isle....

[Dazza]

In my head, I'm seeing a gti parked on the side of a lonely country road with the driver's door open. In the distance, a banjo starts playing....

[kaanage]

in the middle of buttfk out the back of Ulverstone, in Deliverance territory

Harsh, dude - it's halfway between Devonport and the raging metropolis of Penguin.

Now once you get to Paradise...

[kawabanga]

Hi guys!

Here in Italy we have the same problems: more than 50% of the Polo GTI (present on the various web's forums, we don't have a global statistic) have an high oil consumption...
The problem is not only just for Polo GTI, but all the VW group cars that mount this engine: A1 TFSI, Scirocco, Ibiza FR, Fabia RS and so on, also some Golf... (may be some of the mentioned cars are not imported in AUS?)

Anyway, it seems that VW doens't have a definitive solution till now...
The actions are usually the replacing of the whole engine or simply the replacing of pistons and pistons's rings. This last solution rarely is resolutive, the whole new engine sometimes works, sometimes not...

By my side I'm lucky (for now) that my GTI doen't eat oil (less that 0.5l on 5000Kms), but my concernings are after the warranty expiring: what will happen?
Yes, because some forum users found an high oil consumption only after a certain milleage (10.000 or more)...

I'd like to share info with you and if possible solutions. The best should be to "force" VW to a global recall (when they finally find a definitive solution!)

On Jenuary 10th 2012 compared on ETKA (VW spare parts database) a new code for piston rings, this could be the solution, but we don't have a good feedback till now...
From May 2012 the whole code of the engine mounted on the Polo and Ibiza is going to change: now its' identified as CAVE, will change in CTHE, but we don't know exactly what this mean or what will reallt change...

For you information I'll post a picture "stolen" from a workshop: this is a head of a replaced engine that travelled only 3500Km.
This guys had a high oil consumption on his Ibiza FR (1liter every 1000Km), they replaced him the engine in December 2011 and this is the result: same oil consumption and head encrusted after few kms....

They must find a solution and recall all of our cars to fix the problem!!!

[Hooti3]

Driving on the weekend during my oil consumption test the check oil light came on.

Looks like it's an engine replacement for me.

I had to top it up myself as I had more driving to do over the weekend. Put in 750ml of oil and it only came half way up the dip stick.

For shame VW. FOR SHAME!

[pologti18t]

Hi guys!

They must find a solution and recall all of our cars to fix the problem!!!

What makes you think they aren't doing this?