That's it from AFN

Hey everyone,
Maybe I should start looking at other car brands! I just don't seem to have any luck with VW. After my Golf 3 TD broke down with engine damage, now my Golf 3 TDI AFN has also given up the ghost. While I was driving, it simply stopped working. I hoped it was an electrical issue, but my timing belt quickly disabused me of that notion. It broke at 80,000 km. But it gets even better:
Yesterday, my mechanic disassembled the cylinder head to inspect the damage and discovered that the timing belt wasn't the cause of the problem, but rather it broke because a cylinder had ingested metal. Now, at the very least, the entire engine is scrap, and I can start looking for a used one or a rebuilt engine.

'Can anyone tell me if they've experienced similar problems? Where did the foreign object come from? Could it be related to the performance issues I've been dealing with for the past 2 years?' If I know what it was, I will post it.

What should I be aware of when using a vending machine or ATM? Where can I find AFN engines?

Thank you for any advice.

Best regards,
Henning

My condolences. The AFN engine is difficult to obtain or is only available at a high price, as it is one of the most popular TDI engines for conversions (T3, Golf 2, etc.).
I would recommend that you look for a car that has been in an accident, but where the engine is still in good condition. Otherwise, I would run the risk of buying a cat in a bag.

Best regards, Albrecht.

So, when it comes to getting an ATM repaired by a service provider, you really need to pay close attention to the costs. I had the same problem when it damaged my SDI.

Almost all repair shops charge a deposit in addition to the price of the engine. However, you only get this deposit back once they have your engine and have inspected it. The cost of the defective parts in the case of an engine failure will be deducted from this deposit. For most people, the collateral alone amounts to €2500.
That means, when you have an engine failure, they will deduct the full cost of a new cylinder head from your claim, plus the cost of the connecting rods, connecting rod bearings, and so on.
The cylinder head and block will be remanufactured as soon as a piston hits a valve.

So, you can't really estimate how much it will cost beforehand. That's exactly why I had mine done at VW; it ended up costing almost the same, and you don't have to do the work yourself.

Okay, that's all for now. I hope you can make something of it.



Oh yes, when you buy a car that's been in an accident, you're essentially buying a 'pig in a poke.' Depending on how severe the accident was.

A friend of mine knows a good place where you can find cars that have been in accidents, or parts from them. The dealer has a good reputation in the area; he's located in Wolfhagen, near Kassel. I can get the address if you need it! Just let me know...

Hello Fidel.

I bought my AFN engine online. It came complete with the clutch, pump, turbocharger, etc. – everything except the transmission. It cost me 2200 euros. I had a 1Z engine before. The engine was manufactured in 1999 and has 55,000 kilometers (approximately 34,000 miles) on it, with documentation to prove it.

I've installed it now, and it's running very well.

If I'm not mistaken, you can get them starting at around 1200 euros, without the charger and pump. But you already have those, I understand. You can modify it.

VW refused to perform the engine swap from the 1Z to the AFN model, mainly because of the ATM (automatic transmission). The cost of replacing the 1Z engine with the AFN, including installation, would have been almost 4500 euros. Well, in that case, it's probably cheaper to do it yourself.
However, there is no guarantee of a remodel.

Try searching on Google for: 'remanufactured engine,' 'used engine,' 'diesel engine,' etc. You're sure to find something. I don't remember where I bought mine. It was definitely a platform that connected people.
Or on eBay... but be careful with those!

Best regards,
Ralf

Fidel wrote:

Yesterday, my mechanic disassembled the cylinder head to inspect the damage and discovered that the timing belt wasn't the cause of the problem, but rather it broke because a cylinder had ingested metal. Now, at least the entire engine is junk, and I can start looking for a used one or a rebuilt engine.

Hi Henning,

My heartfelt condolences Are you heated with the engine? That sounds like it could be a problem with an oil spray nozzle for a piston or a cracked piston ring .

Fidel wrote:

It simply stopped working on me during the trip. . . . My workshop disassembled the cylinder head yesterday to check the extent of the damage and found that the timing belt was not the cause, but rather it only broke because a cylinder had eaten away at some metal.

Hi Henning,

First of all, my condolences to you as well.

...but I don't quite understand the process.
If an engine "simply dies," meaning it slowly shuts down without a loud bang or a seized crankshaft, then, in my opinion, an intact timing belt cannot break. This is because the rate of engine deceleration is similar to normal operation, where the timing belt does not have to transmit excessively high forces to masses that need to be decelerated or accelerated.

Therefore, I would attribute the damage in the engine more likely to the usual piston-valve damage resulting from a timing chain rupture.

Even with one broken piston, the engine should still run on the remaining three cylinders instead of simply stalling.
The fact that he could no longer run on his own confirms my suspicion that a torn cruciate ligament is the primary cause.

Unless all the valves are still straight - but is that even possible in a TDI engine after a timing chain rupture ?
(In some carburetors, with a bit of luck, the throttle valve might catch in a position where the open valves are only slightly open, so that the piston doesn't hit them, meaning the engine can stall with the throttle stuck open.)

ulf wrote:

Unless all the valves are still straight – but is that even possible in a TDI engine after a timing chain rupture

?

Hi Ulf,

To the best of my knowledge, no. The distance between the closed valve and the open (OT) position is minimal (I estimate less than 1mm). No matter the position of the camshaft, one valve is always open enough to cause a collision.

Now the question is whether, for example, a piece of the piston could break off and cause such damage (I don't think so). In fact, a seized piston should not cause any timing belt problems (contrary to my previous assumption). I think your idea about the timing belt is the most likely (maybe the crankshaft pulley? -> that would explain the power loss).

So,

I'm now looking at my disassembled engine. 7 out of 8 valves are bent. You can see a small mark or indentation on the cylinder head.
We suspect that a part, possibly a 'blade' from the turbocharger or the variable geometry turbine (VTG), may have detached and entered the cylinder. It then got jammed, the timing belt broke, and it damaged the valves.
Is that possible? What enters the cylinders unfiltered?
We will definitely also check the turbocharger!

There isn't much activity in the used engine market. Either an AFN engine from a Passat with supposedly 51,000 km and broken glow plugs for €1900, or an AFN engine from a Passat with 150,000 km for €970.

Does an ATM cost 2500 euros? Is that reasonable?

I will keep you updated, and thank you very much for your expressions of sympathy. I will be setting up a donation account soon!

Best regards,
Henning

Fidel wrote:

You can see a small mark on a cylinder head. We suspect that a part, possibly from the turbocharger or the variable geometry turbine (VTG), may have detached and entered the cylinder. Is that possible? What exactly enters the cylinders unfiltered?

Hi Henning,

It's actually quite simple:
- From the outside, it must be small enough to fit through the air filter.
- If something detaches between Lufi and LLK, it must be small enough to pass through the LLK and an open valve (and possibly through the grilles of the LMM).
- Tümmer (small fish) that are behind the spawning substrate (LLK) only need to be able to slip through the open inlet valve.

Fidel wrote:

We will definitely also check the turbocharger!!!

Hi Henning,

Please do it... Removing the hose and exhaust, and taking a quick look at the turbo is enough. However, I find it hard to imagine that, for example, a turbo impeller could make its way through the intercooler to the cylinder head . But anything is possible.

Check out the prices at www.motorensuche.com (but be careful -> I once waited 4 weeks for my cylinder head and only got my money back with the help of a lawyer -> of course, it wasn't repaired ).

Try loosening the crankshaft bolt (center bolt) while the engine is in the 5th gear. This bolt should only come loose with considerable force; otherwise, it could potentially be the cause of your timing belt failure. Did you experience any starting problems before?

Okay, I've had enough.
On Tuesday, I will order an ATM for 2500 euros, including VAT. I got three quotes, and they were all the same.
I still can't understand where the mark on the cylinder head came from, especially if it was supposedly 'just' a broken timing belt.
I wasn't pushing it. Normally, I would rev it up to 3000 RPM, but only on the highway would I drive at its maximum speed. Recently, I've also been revving it up to 3800 RPM, hoping that I could 'burn out' my performance issues.
Starting on Tuesday, I'll be able to let you know if the turbocharger, etc. are okay.

Happy Pentecost weekend!

Henning.

@haehnlein:

Quote:

I can hardly imagine, for example, that a turbine blade could make its way through the LLK (low-loss ketone) to the ZK (Zylinderkopf). But everything is possible.

A fragment of a turbine blade certainly wouldn't make it through the entire low-pressure compressor and then travel almost vertically upwards (against gravity) into the intake manifold.

But maybe there is a shortcut after all:
Let's assume a piece of broken shovel is flung radially outward by centrifugal force and ends up in the exhaust manifold, where it then travels through the open EGR valve into the intake manifold.
IMO, this seems like the path with the least "filtering effect," meaning that the largest debris could potentially enter the engine.

Regards,
Alex[/b]

donalexo wrote:

But maybe there is a shortcut after all: Let's assume a piece of broken shovel is flung radially outward by centrifugal force and ends up in the exhaust manifold, where it then travels through the open EGR valve into the intake manifold. IMO, this is likely the path with the least "filtering effect," through which the largest debris could potentially enter the engine, right?

Hi Alex,

Initially, it might seem possible, but in my opinion, it's highly unlikely because:

Material failures usually occur under high stress.
In the case of a supercharger, a high rotational speed would correspond to a high engine load, operating in the upper range. And then the AGR is closed again.

I consider it practically impossible for a piece of debris from the excavator to be lurking near the EGR valve, waiting to slip through the next time it opens.
It's more likely that it will bypass the closed EGR system and go directly towards the exhaust.

@ulf:

Certainly, the probability that a fragment of a turbine blade makes its way through the EGR valve is almost zero, but in my opinion, it's not entirely impossible.

Quote:

Material failures usually occur under high stress. In the case of a supercharger, a high rotational speed would correspond to a high engine load, operating in the upper range. And then the AGR is closed again.

"In principle, I agree with your statement. However, it is possible that a component may be pre-damaged under high loads, but this damage may not yet lead to component failure (fracture). This pre-damage (e.g.,..." (In the initial phase), it can also lead to component failure (fatigue fracture) even under significantly lower loads.

Okay, I admit it, it's quite a stretch to suggest that a piece of metal could have made its way into the intake manifold through the EGR valve.
Perhaps we will eventually be informed about what ultimately caused the engine failure!

Regards,
Alex.

Hi,
I took pictures of the damage today. How can I insert it here?

Best regards, Henninng.

Hello Henning,

Yes, if you have your own web space, upload the images there. In the forum post, you write

Code:

.

Or you can email me the pictures if they are less than 1MB in total size.
So, it's best to convert it to either JPG or PNG.

webmaster@dieselschrauber.de

Best regards, Rainer.