Polo TDI Connecting Rod Bearing Failure?

Hello,

I'd like to ask if anyone has any experience with connecting rod bearings failing in a Polo 1.4 TDI PD manufactured in 2000 and with 70,000 km (approximately 43,500 miles) on the odometer. Also, does VW offer any warranty coverage for this type of issue?

My mechanic told me that a new replacement engine needs to be installed.
Is this procedure okay, or is my workshop doing something wrong?

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

Thank you very much for your posts.

"Good question about whether it's allowed to break. In principle, no, and in my opinion, it's unusual for such a low mileage. If it's really defective, there's generally no reason for an engine replacement, since, according to your statement, it's just a faulty bearing. It's usually "relatively" easy to replace, unless the crankshaft is also severely damaged, which I can't tell from your statement. How did the damage manifest itself? What was done to make the diagnosis?"

Hello,

With proper maintenance (always using the correct oil and maintaining the correct level), it shouldn't happen, but it can. If the bearing is damaged, the crankshaft is usually no longer economically repairable. This means a new crankshaft, new bearings everywhere, and the uncertainty of what other damage might have been caused by metal shavings. In almost every case, replacing the entire engine is the right decision.

"Goodwill," I'm not sure exactly what it means, but it's definitely worth a try. Wasn't there something about the 1.4 TDI engines with frozen crankcase ventilation and engine damage, especially in situations with mostly short trips?

Best regards,
Christian.

@chris11
No, the TDI engines were not affected by this issue. Only the 1.4-liter gasoline engines experienced problems with the crankcase ventilation system when subjected to frequent short trips.

I would also like to know how the error manifested itself and how the diagnosis was made. Could insufficient maintenance or a lack of oil be considered as possible causes?

Dirk.

Well, "lack of maintenance" is a broad term. I believe that only if someone skimps on oil and exceeds the recommended intervals can they be blamed for crankshaft bearing damage under the pretext of "lack of maintenance." Otherwise, there are no maintenance instructions specifically related to that part of the engine.
Okay, a replacement is definitely the last resort; everything else is preferable for minor damage. I know of several bearing failures in engines that were repaired without even removing the engine. Of course, they were always detected very early on, so I'm interested in hearing about how your damage occurred.

I commute to the university of applied sciences five times a week, and each trip is 35 kilometers (a total of 70 kilometers per day).
The service intervals have ALWAYS been followed; I am very attentive to this and have every little thing checked by my workshop. I also regularly check the oil! (Only the most expensive oil, costing over €10 per liter, which is recommended by the workshop, goes in the car).


How did the noise manifest itself?
Every morning, I drive to the university of applied sciences. On the way back one day, I noticed a clicking sound coming from somewhere in the engine compartment. I tried to figure out where it was coming from. I played with the gas pedal while idling and realized that the clicking sound depended on the engine speed. Since I had a complete TÜV (technical inspection) appointment the next day, I decided to be safe and took the car to the workshop.

They started the engine and let it run. The technicians themselves didn't know what the problem could be, so they exposed the camshaft and ran the engine again.

After waiting for two days and consulting with Volkswagen technicians through my workshop, a connecting rod bearing failure was diagnosed, requiring the engine to be removed. Specifically, the middle connecting rod bearing is damaged, and there is 1 mm of play in the piston.

If there are any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask!


Thank you very much for your posts!

"Now, they didn't remove the oil pan and are claiming to be able to diagnose piston issues. I don't understand that. If they only opened up the timing cover, it's difficult to determine if there's damage to the crankshaft bearings; for that, you need to take off the oil pan."

Well, I can't really estimate that, but it does sound quite strange that a crankshaft bearing damage would only be diagnosed after consultation.
I don't want to cause any alarm, but based on your description, the diagnosis still doesn't quite make sense to me. Has the car had any problems with engine performance before?

Even 1 mm of clearance.

When I think about my old Golf 2 with 360,000 kilometers on the odometer, it still drives like a brand new car.
'When we had the engine open (because of two stripped spark plugs), I would say the clearance was at least that large. However, the engine was still fully functional. What does this clearance even have to do with the crankshaft bearing?'

Best regards, Manuel.

They started the engine and let it run. The technicians themselves didn't know what the problem could be, so they exposed the camshaft and ran the engine again.

After waiting for two days and consulting with Volkswagen technicians through my workshop, a connecting rod bearing failure was diagnosed, requiring the engine to be removed. Specifically, the middle connecting rod bearing is damaged, and there is 1 mm of play in the piston.


'So, they've already partially disassembled the engine and essentially created a situation where they have to proceed in a certain way. The car is probably still there, and just the diagnosis alone is costing money. If the oil pan was removed, they could have replaced the bearing at the same time, which would have been good.'

'If they managed to reassemble it, I would go to BOSCH and have them perform another diagnosis. Those 20 euros aren't that important anymore, and at least you won't be left with the uncertainty of being misled, because, as others have already mentioned: a new engine is not necessary just because of a simple PL (Piston Lining) damage.'

If he stays with Volkswagen and the car is potentially replaced, one can hope for some leniency regarding mileage and maintenance costs.

Do you usually warm up the car before driving?

What does the game even have to do with the crankshaft bearing???

It probably concerns the ball bearing.

Regards,
Master craftsman.

@Silverseraph:

Hi,

Quote:

Only the most expensive oil, costing over €10 per liter, goes into the container.

Well, that's almost a friendly price for a synthetic oil. It's more on the lower end than the higher end.

Which standard did you use, 50501 or 50601?

Sure, here is the translation of the text from German to English:

'Hi,'

Okay, if the engine is really worn out, I would put in a new one. Those metal shavings that are circulating inside, you'll never get them all out. And what's the point of fixing it if it breaks down again after only 3000 kilometers?

Best regards, Christian.

Hello everyone,

@matthiasTDI96

My workshop had no idea what the problem could be; they only had a guess.
They posted the problem on a Volkswagen forum, where it was addressed by Volkswagen technicians.
Based on Volkswagen's response, I believe my workshop has progressed to the point of replacing the cylinder head gasket and discovered that, with the crankshaft stationary, the piston in the middle cylinder could be moved up and down by 1 mm.

Possibly, I may have shortened my account a bit, but they started by opening the engine and checking the camshaft to see if there was any damage, and it took them a whole day to find nothing. Then, they sent an inquiry to VW, and that's how things continued from there.

The engine was running normally, just like always, until that day.

@roger

Okay, I just quickly checked and it's Castrol SLX Longlife 2 (SAE 0W-30).
with the VW part number: VW50300/50600
Is that enough information for you?

@Silverseraph

...are you sure about the oil?? 50300/50600 is not suitable for PD engines; VW only approves oils that meet the standards 50501 or 50601 (Longlife). Other oils are definitely unsuitable and harmful to PD engines! If your workshop has really been using the wrong oil all along, then they have a problem. Hopefully you still have the invoices!

'For your car's year of manufacture, the issue is likely with the piston pin that moves within the connecting rod because the brass bushing is defective. I've replaced many of these at MKB AJT. A set of connecting rods will fix it; you can reuse the old bearings. You'll also need a head gasket, and then it should be okay again, unless someone else has found another problem!'

Castrol SLX Longlife 2 is definitely approved for the 50601 standard and is therefore the right choice. If they sell it to you for €10, that's a really fair price for a workshop. However, I agree with my predecessor regarding the new developments: if you push and pull on the piston and notice some play, the first suspect is the connecting rod bearing.

A new engine is complete nonsense at this point. Just replace the bearings, verschandeln the filter, change the oil, and it should be fine.

Hi!
"Built in the early 2000s... that should be a 6N2 (the facelifted version of the 6N), right? They weren't available with an automatic transmission."
I strongly doubt that the problems of one specific AJT engine can be simply attributed to a 3-cylinder AMF engine just because they were manufactured in the same year, and I believe it's very premature to make such an assumption.

Dirk.