Defective PD Elements: Loose Spring & Piston

Hi.
We have just removed the valve cover and both rocker arm shafts for the PD (pump distributor) elements from an AJM engine that is exhibiting ticking noises and an uneven idle.
The springs are loose on two of the pressure accumulator elements, and it is possible to easily remove the springs and pistons from those elements.
Can the components be reassembled, or are replacement parts needed?
Sure, here's the translation:

"Thanks and greetings, Matze."

Something like that is "normal" for first-generation pressure die casters (PDCs). You can identify them by the quill above instead of the ball joint.

Theoretically, nothing should happen as long as the retaining clips are in place. However, I would recommend replacing them anyway, before they break down further (which has happened before).

If you're already doing it, then convert the other two pressure relief valves to use ball joints instead of pins; the necessary parts are included in every pressure relief valve seal kit.

Hi.

Okay, thanks for your help. I'll continue to investigate where the ticking sound and the irregular idle are coming from. Also, I need to figure out why there's white-grayish smoke when starting the engine cold (a typical smell of poorly or unburned diesel).

Under load and when warm, the car seemed to be running normally, but it had a mechanical ticking sound, poor idle, and rough cold starts.

Ergänzend noch die Frage: kann man das PD Element wieder reparieren, so dass die Federn wieder richtig drin sitzen? Wenn ichs recht sehe, ist die Hülse die in der Feder sitzt, oben gebrochen. GCan you translate them individually?

Greetings.

It is not normal that the pins can be pulled out. This part (PDE) is also mechanically broken under the pin. Take a closer look.

A new one needs to go in there!

Hi.
Okay, that makes sense. The sleeve is damaged; it's the one that sits inside the spring and forms the upper limit stop for the drawbar when the tilting lever shaft is removed. The question is whether this sleeve is available as a separate part...
Greetings.

Hi.

Okay, to give you a final update: Unfortunately, I couldn't find any refurbished or used parts available quickly.

We then reinstalled the partially defective PD injectors using four different sets of seals and converted them to ball joints, all reassembled according to VW RLF specifications. The engine now runs with significantly less mechanical ticking, but unfortunately, it still smokes heavily white when cold at idle and doesn't run smoothly.

So, it seems that some new PD elements are really needed. Since none of us want to put any more money into the car, the beautiful Bora Variant Highline will probably be sold for export .

"Thank you very much."

Greetings.

Quote:

It is not normal for the feathers to be able to be pulled out.

"Normal" referred to the fact that with these engines (the ones with the "older" PDE injectors), and mileage exceeding 150,000 km, at least one PDE injector would exhibit this type of failure. My personal record so far has been 3 injectors failing at 180,000 km; who can beat that?

From which production year were the "new" PD elements installed? I wouldn't want my ATD to have those.

Starting around the year 2000, the older system only applies to certain AJM and ATJ models. If the PDE (presumably referring to a component) is ever replaced, the new version will always come with the plunger already installed. You just need to order the ball joint and locking nut, and it can be easily converted to the new system. With the 2003 ATD model, you don't have to worry about these things anymore.
Image 1 shows the old system. It can be identified by the pin that protrudes from the back. In the pivot lever shaft, there are sleeves similar to finger protectors that slide over these pins.
Image 2 shows a current, original Bosch replacement high-pressure pump (PDE) for the same engine. Unfortunately, the lifter is not particularly visible in the photo, but that's all I have for now.

"I also have this ticking sound in my 2001 Sharan with the AUY engine, which I've had since I bought it about 40,000 km ago, although it wasn't as intense as it is now. Now it has 230,000 km on the odometer. I want to fix this problem, but I wanted to hear your experiences first."
The engine makes a ticking sound similar to what you'd hear with a hydraulic lifter or camshaft problem. What's strange is that it seems to be load-dependent; the lighter the load, the less you hear it. However, it's definitely present in overrun (engine braking), so it's not related to combustion. It's also an automatic transmission, so it can't be coming from the dual-mass flywheel (DMF).
I've read about damage to the connecting rod bearing on the AJM engines, but based on the severity of the issue, I wouldn't necessarily say that's the cause. What do you think? I find it hard to believe that an engine with such damage could run for 40,000 km or more; eventually, the piston pin would break, the connecting rod bearings would fail, etc.
The engine actually runs smoothly at idle, and the readings from the idle speed control system are within range. However, it sputters and smells like unburnt diesel when stationary, but that doesn't worry me too much with 230,000 km on the clock; the fuel injectors probably aren't in the best condition anymore.
I think it's more likely related to the valve or actuator operation. Now, here are my questions:
Are the camshafts of the PD-TDI engines prone to failure? Do their bearings in the cylinder head often break down?
Does the AUY engine from 1/2001 also have this plunger system on the PD elements, like the AJM engine?

I was planning to remove the valve cover and then inspect the camshaft. I might also replace the hydraulic lifters as a precaution and re-install the camshaft with new bearings.

Is it worth cleaning fuel injectors with ultrasound? I wouldn't want to remove them unless I have to buy new gasket sets anyway because I'm switching to the ball valve system.

Hi Nikolabob!

Nikolabob wrote:

... However, it is definitely also present in the drawer, so it doesn't come from combustion. ...

I'm experiencing the same/a similar problem with a T5 equipped with mPD.
The hydraulic components have already been replaced, but it didn't achieve any positive results.

Try this:
Turn off the ignition while the engine is running and see if the clicking sound suddenly stops.
If so, disconnect the vacuum hose from the shut-off valve and repeat the process.
In the latter case, the ticking sound persisted, which led me to suspect a problem with the piston or something similar, so I decided not to investigate further at that time.

Perhaps there are parallels .

Best regards from Munich!

I already tried your suggestion today: As I suspected, the automatic transmission disengages without power, so the engine cannot be towed in a throttled state.
I also considered piston tilt, but I think that would also damage the cylinder liner. The engine uses about 1-1.5 liters of oil every 15,000 km; if the liner were damaged, it would use significantly more. And another question is why only one cylinder would be affected? Pistons typically wear down relatively evenly. So, I'm leaning towards ruling that out.

Hi there!


I wouldn't necessarily agree with that. I once had a 1.8T engine that also consumed about a liter of oil every 1000 km, and in that case, only one piston was slightly worn on the side. Otherwise, everything else seemed fine; I have no idea what happened to it. With gasoline engines, there are a few possibilities, such as a piston getting too hot at some point.

Stummel wrote:

Hi. mhm, I wouldn't necessarily agree with that... I once had a 1.8T here that also used about a liter of oil every 1000 km

.

"Mine needs a liter every 15,000 miles, so between oil changes. Therefore, I think the piston ring pairing is still relatively okay and shouldn't cause such intense ticking/knocking."

Hey there!

Nikolabob wrote:

I already tried your suggestion today: As I suspected, the automatic transmission disengages without power, and the engine cannot be towed while being throttled.

Ah, you have shares in a company - that's too bad in this case...

Regarding this, I recall that pulling the main fuse in "push" mode can serve as a substitute for turning off the ignition.
Proceed with the external powering of the main valve for the shut-off flap while in the unplugged state (logo visible) from within the passenger compartment.
This should prevent the transmission from disengaging during testing.

Best regards from Munich!