New engine

[Sunny43.5]

Hi guys I am in need of some advise or direction , my ever faithful 2005 T5 work van with it's unstoppable 2.0 litre petrol engine manual box is in need of some Viagra . It has only gone 295000 kays with just one set of plugs and spark plug leads plus two water pumps and timing belts . Over the last year or so it really is noticeable for lack of grunt on take off hills etc . {especially if the air con is on } Once rolling it's a dream only overtaking is a planned exercise on the open roads , so my dilemma is do I try and find someone who could do a reco job or should I do a transplant with an unknown engine with less kays under the belt . I know selling the van whilst its still going is an option but I love this old girl or boy {hence the Viagra } but it owes me nothing basically and its like a comfy set of shoes a pleasure to get into each day plus its setup just as I like it for work and drive . The engine is the 85kw AXA .

[Umai Naa!!]

Change the plugs!!

They're due every 60K like every other petrol VW.

[Notso Swift]

Agree a good service

A de-coke probably will not hurt either, you could have a heap of carbon build up especially if you are using 91 fuel
Liqui-moly have a product

[Seano]

Do the basics before changing the horses!!!

[Sunny43.5]

Sorry I should have mentioned the plugs were changed only about 17000kays back along with leads which funnily enough one failed two weeks after the plugs were done , something to do with the resistance from the new plugs . I only ever use 95 RON and then once or twice a month 98 RON . So all suggestions so far have been covered . I suppose after 295000 kays compression will be down , that's why I suspect a rebuild or whatever .

[Martin]

Is it blowing smoke?
Have you done a compression test?
Does the engine reach normal operating temperature (90 deg)? (thermostat could be stuck open)
Other reasons for sluggish performance are the O2 sensor going bad (CEL?) and/or a lack of ignition advance

The rebuild or swap out is always a hard call - go to the wreckers and see what you can find

[Sunny43.5]

Thanks Martin there is some food for thought in your reply , first yes it has never flinched from the dead centre of the temp gauge . I often wonder if it gets stuck at that point as I can not ever remember it going past the "normal "temp . The O2 sensor would be a chance and I will check it as the van is due for it's next service with Jmac here in Brisbane he is a very popular VW tech as it can take ages to get a booking with him [ its all those bloody pesky Golf owners who seem to flock to his door ] ha ha .

[Kiels3927]

I Jmac still around?

http://www.vwwatercooled.com/forums/f46/mk2-mechanic-brisbane-87989.html

I had been using Phoenix, but the old guy retired & I don't have any information on the newest guy.

[Rebuild]

I know the diesel bores are plasma/nicasil type material(super hard), am thinking the petrols would be same.
Wouldn't think they'd wear too much in 290K ?
On your service I'd get jmac to do a comp. test, and see if he thinks the engine is "tired" or it's something else, then go from there
I wouldn't be looking for another engine yet

[Bora Sport]

290,000k's isn't a lot really depending on driving style and servicing. Our Vento 2 litre was still going strong after 440,000k's. I suggest that you get it scanned. There is a water temperature sensor that often fails. When it does the engine will still start and run and drive reasonably normally but its like the engine is in limp mode, ie no power.

[Sunny43.5]

No I wouldn't describe it as being limp mode I have experienced that in my wifes old T5 2.5 Turbo diesel , mine drives fairly normally just takes a bit of peddling to get it up to speed from stop . It does accelerate but not at a rate that would keep it up with other traffic from lights etc . No sign of smoke , oil consumption around 1 litre every 3 to 4 thousand kays [that's if I remember to check it ] LOL and from what I have read on some posts that's way better than some brand new model VWs which seem to have a high oil consumption rate from factory . We were warned to keep an eye on our new T5.1 oil level when we picked it new from dealer , they even told us with great glee that they had a "Pit Stop" set up at the service dept so if the oil was low you could just pull in and they would top it up WTF !! I will make a booking with Jmac and see what turns up , I do know the joint between the first section of down pipe in the exhaust is fractured so a trip to an exhaust shop is in order , I wonder if that may be affecting the O2 sensor which is just down a bit further from memory . it makes a sort of whistling sound on acceleration . I wished I had put a turbo on the van when I discovered ten years ago that it was no where near the performer of the T4,s 2.5 petrol which was in my old work van back then , that engine was a real goer a certain hill near home has a small sort of lump part way up and it would lift the front pass side wheel off the ground and chirp the tyre this one just rolls over with very little enthusiasm Sob sob .

[brad]

As others have said, start with the basics.

The first thing I'd do is assess how much unnecessary stuff you are carting about. I know a lot of the 4WD guys add 999kg of accessories & then wonder why the truck isn't overtaking like when it was new.

Check off the general service list of plugs, air filter, fuel filter, clean oil, etc.

Get the exhaust fixed

Get a wet and dry compression test done

Get the codes scanned (there might be some that haven't triggered a CEL yet)

Run 98 ALL THE TIME! Occasional tanks will do nothing for you.

Put a few bottles of Wynns Complete Fuel System cleaner through it.

[volksMuller]

when was the last timing belt service ???? did you notice power decrease after the timing belt service ? only has to be out a poofteenth to affect off line performance,,,exhaust leak...a probable cause depending where the leak is ??? as suggested upper cylinder additives ...seen 660k on a petrol 2.0 T5 record on a T4 2.0 1.1 million km's.....rebuild is a last resort .

[Sunny43.5]

The belt has been done every 100000 approx. give or take a few thou , Jmac has done the job each time and its been perfect . I only sort of realised over the last 12 months that it is a bit sluggish . When Jmac does the next service I will get him to do the belt and water pump as it will only be short a few thou of the scheduled date . The leak in the exhaust is something I will get sorted before the service so it wont give any false signals when its on Jmacs laptop . The funny thing was the last time Jim did the service I asked him about the plugs and I had no idea when they were last done so he fitted new ones , when I picked the van up he showed me the old ones which were burnt right down and expressed surprise the van was actually running at all . As for load carrying the weight I carry never changes more than ten or fifteen kilos all the tooling etc has been in there from day one it's only what I take for individual jobs and that's never more than 40 kg .

[Notso Swift]

Exhaust leak before the O2 is huge
It will throw everything out , more at low revs (ie trying to pick up)
Do that ASAP
Suggest you get support data, maybe do a 0-80 or 100 time, fix it then after 200km do it again