Polo 86C 1.4 Diesel: Reliability & Durability

Hello everyone,

I'm possibly considering acquiring one of those "pig boxes" with a diesel engine, specifically the 1.4L MKB 1W model, and converting it for use with an LKW (truck) registration (construction vehicle ).

How durable is this engine? I was thinking about adding a turbo, similar to the Golf2 1V, with about 0.5 bar of boost to give it a little more power, since it already has piston cooling.

Best regards,

"These items are rarely found by chance."
A JP engine in a Golf 2 would be a much better fit.

I find left-hand threaded injection pumps odd, because with those two timing belts, you have one more place where something can break or become misaligned.

m;

Gremlin wrote:

I might be interested in getting one of those "pig boxes" with a diesel engine, a 1.4L MKB 1W, and converting it to a truck registration (construction vehicle ). How durable is this engine? I was thinking of adding a turbo, similar to a Golf 2 1V, with about 0.5 bar of boost to give it a little more power, and it already has piston cooling.

I once had one of those. When the engine was warm, it was quite usable, at least for those who aren't in a hurry. Retrofitting a turbocharger is complete nonsense; nothing fits together, and the engine won't be able to handle it. There's also hardly any space in the engine compartment.
The ESP doesn't have an LDA (Low-Pressure Diesel Adapter), and without one, I don't consider turbocharger upgrades to be particularly effective. Due to the unusual left-hand thread, you can't install a typical ESP LDA from a 1.6 TD engine.
I would say that installing a turbocharger is not worth it at all.

I think having two timing belts is more of an advantage. It allows for better compensation of the ESP's rotational irregularities and doesn't put additional stress on the timing belt, which is already responsible for driving the camshaft. The 5- and 6-cylinder TD and TDI engines with VTESP also have this feature, and it works very well in those cases.

Regards,
Jens.

very good?

I only know one 5-cylinder left-hand drive vehicle... and that's my colleague's AAB Kangaroo.
Der Motor ist sowas von zickig und eigenwillig in seinen Regelaktivitaeten ... Hell.

And the AAB engine is much more closely related to the 1.4 D engine than the computer-controlled TDI engines in the T4.

m;

dieselmartin wrote:

I only know one 5-cylinder left-hand drive vehicle... and that's my colleague's AAB Kangaroo.

I can expand your knowledge .

CN (Audi 2.0L 5-cylinder naturally aspirated engine) (which is the older predecessor of the AAB).
DE (Audi 2,0l 5-Zyl. WK TD)
NC (Audi 2,0l 5-Zyl. WK TD with LLK)
:028 (VW Industriemotor 2,0l 5-Zyl. WK TD)
AAS (Audi 2.4L 5-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, the direct predecessor to the AAB).
DV (VW 2,4l 6-Zyl. WK TD with LLK)
ACL (VW 2,4l 6-Zyl. WK TD with LLK)
... various other internal combustion engines (ICE) from the 2.4-liter 6-cylinder range.

and the countless 2.5-liter and 5-cylinder TDI variants found in Audi, T4, and LT2 vehicles.

They couldn't have all been that terrible.

Regards,
Jens.

Hello.
I also have one of those, and a friend of mine drives one, and it's not bad in that regard, but it's definitely not a sports car.
Technically, it's almost the same as a 1.6-liter engine, but it has the exact same "issues," only the 1.4-liter engine with a "PÖL" system is extremely difficult to start.
The 1.4L engine is turbocharged, and it has a piston cooling system. The fuel pump isn't the problem.
Consider getting a truck with a Telecom approval from the factory.
If you need something bigger, consider a Seat Terra, which also comes with the 1.4-liter engine.
Best regards,
Dirk

Then, since you say it's not a problem, could you also explain what a turbocharger without an LDA (Linear Differential Amplifier) actually achieves on the ESP (Electronic Stability Program)?

Sure, here's the translation:

"Well,..."

Don't immediately start arguing .
"Sure, it's possible to do that, but the performance gain isn't that impressive. With the fuel pump set up correctly, there's a bit of smoke in the low RPM range, which definitely shouldn't happen. At least, that's my experience with the 1V engine in my Golf 2."

The turbocharger, of course, needs to be small enough, something along the lines of a VW Bus T3, specifically the AAZ, RA, or SB engines, or possibly the wastegate turbocharger from the 1Z engine.

I think this issue will probably resolve itself anyway. I received an offer from a colleague for an older Passat Syncro with 90 horsepower, manufactured in 1988 (which still has KE-Jetronik). The idea of an all-wheel-drive vehicle is appealing, especially considering the towing capacity, which is quite high, I believe over 1500 kg with brakes.

Best regards,

Of course, you can always find a way to make things work, somehow.
It's best not to do a cost-benefit analysis in that situation.

The fact is that vehicles from this Polo series have very little residual value.
Upgrading the 1W engine with a turbo cannot be done simply by using readily available, cheap, off-the-shelf parts from other vehicles, because there are no suitable ones. Therefore, one is forced to create a completely custom solution, including all the associated problems and costs. This starts with the exhaust manifold and doesn't end with the ESP (Electronic Stability Program).
You might do that with a vehicle that's a passion project, but this Polo probably isn't that kind of car.
Therefore: the project is already doomed to fail from the very beginning .

Hi,

I see it that way now too. It's not really a vehicle for enthusiasts, as you said, and you can't do much with it in terms of carrying capacity. Of course, durability is another matter. When I look at the tiny connecting rod bearings, I can tell that it's not going to last.

"Nevertheless, thank you for the quite numerous responses!"

Regards

Hello,

Jens 16syncro wrote:

Due to the exotic left-hand thread, it is not possible to install a typical LDA (Left-hand Drive Adapter) on a 1.6 TD ESP.

Why not? Or, to put it another way, which components in the left-hand pump interfere with the 1.6-liter pump cover or the LDA (Lambda-regulated direct injection) function?

Quote:

I would say: Installing Turbo is not worth it at all

.

I agree with you.

Best regards, Uli.

The lid is different; it's missing some holes.

The G40 also works well with the "mini" bearings, even when delivering a lot of power.

My colleague just received one of those as a gift.
With 540,000 km on the odometer. Besides the head gasket, nothing else has been replaced.
From my point of view, there's nothing against gentle tuning.
Because if it can achieve such impressive engine power, then with better oil and a truly moderate 0.5 bar of pressure, the engine will likely last for hundreds of thousands of kilometers.
since he doesn't always have to be driven at his limit here, just like with the 45 horsepower.
"He's also asking me if it uses the same connecting rod bearings as the 1.9."

No, warehouses are different.
There's one with a G40 turbocharger that, with the original fuel pump, produced 73 horsepower.