PD element defective?

Hello,

For the past three days, my Bora has been making a noticeable noise – a light ticking sound – coming from the engine. However, there are no other noticeable issues, such as a lack of power.
This morning, the car had a very rough start; it sounded like one of the cylinders wasn't firing, and it was also making a sputtering noise. After a brief initial phase, everything was normal again, except for the tapping sound.
I then drove carefully to work, and afterwards to my trusted mechanic. He suspected a faulty injector(s) or something related to the camshaft. Unfortunately, he didn't have the equipment to service injectors. So, let's go to VW, after all,

Do you have any ideas about what else might be affected or what the possible cause could be? I shudder to think about loose timing belt gears, etc.

Second question: Considering the amount of work involved, would it make sense to also have the timing belt replaced when the tensioner pulleys (PD-Elemente) are being replaced? That's because it's due for a service at 10,000 km, and I'd have it done at the same time if the engine is going to be disassembled anyway.

Oh yes, when he was parking at home, he was smoking heavily, like an old Mississippi steamboat. However, he had already driven a few short distances to and from workshops (and supermarkets) on his way home. I can't say whether he smoked during the drive, as it's always dark at that time. I definitely won't be driving the car until the appointment at the workshop, better safe than sorry...

First, test the spark plugs and their connections.

Thank you in advance. But shouldn't the engine still run normally after about 30 km of driving? Shouldn't these issues only be relevant during the initial cold start? Can it still sound like that after the kilometers?

I forgot: The error memory shows no entries. Shouldn't there be something mentioned about defective PDs there?

No, after 30 kilometers, the glow plugs absolutely no longer play a role. They're definitely out of the running no later than four minutes after the start.

Regarding the noises, I would suggest taking a look at the hydraulic lifters. It's a relatively quick and easy fix to check. Remove the lid, and a visual inspection should already provide some clues.

Regards,
Guste.

'Good idea, the lifters on my old Passat 2.0 16V sounded exactly like that, and for 100,000 km.'
How does that relate to black smoke? Could a valve not be sealing properly?
What is the typical pattern of damage observed in PD (Plasma Display) panels? Is it more likely that too much or too little is injected?

You're asking somewhat too general questions. Based on current knowledge, a faulty PD element should be easily detectable through the connected diagnostic device if there are discrepancies. I don't know to what extent these discrepancies might also indicate other errors. I consider it risky to diagnose a faulty PD element by ear. If there's a suspicious ticking sound coming from the camshaft area, the likelihood of a faulty hydraulic lifter is higher. Black smoke has many causes, but fundamentally, it can be traced back to insufficient air during combustion. This could be due to low boost pressure, a damaged air filter, and so on. It is also important to note that the color of the smoke cannot provide a 100% certain solution.

Check the spark plugs. If they're okay, remove the valve cover (be careful of the gasket, as it might be brittle and could break... I usually keep some liquid gasket sealant on hand). Then, check the hydraulic lifters and the entire camshaft drive.

Hi,

Okay, I would also suspect a hydraulic lifter. However, it could also potentially be a broken spring from the pressure regulator valve. I'm not sure if that would necessarily cause an uneven idle or jerking. 'Des' is a tricky word, and its meaning depends on the context. Without more information, it's hard to say exactly what 'Des qualmen ist halt komisch...' means. However, here are a few possible translations:

* 'That smoke is just weird...'
* 'That smoke is kind of strange...'
* 'That smoke is really odd...'
* 'That smoke is just funny...' (in the sense of being amusing or peculiar)

Ultimately, the best translation will depend on the specific situation and the intended meaning of the speaker.

Best regards, Christian.

Hello,

First of all, a huge thank you to those responsible (and of course, the users) for this forum – it's incredibly informative. Keep it up!

I would like to add my question to this topic. I have the opportunity to buy a Passat Estate (wagon) with 115 horsepower from my brother. Unfortunately, it makes a ticking noise, and based on what I remember from our old days of tinkering (which was a long time ago), it sounds a lot like the lifters, but I'm not completely sure. Is there an easy way (other than taking it to a dealership) to determine if it's the lifters? How much work is involved in replacing the lifters? The extent of the repair will determine the price I have to pay my brother for the car. Is there anyone nearby with a 'trained ear' who might be able to help me with this ticking sound?


Regards,
Andreas

Hi,

Before you definitively blame the hydraulic system, also consider the tandem pump. These little pests often make noises too.

Please provide a diagnosis of the idle speed control system. If everything is okay, then the PD elements are likely not the cause.

Greetings.

Hello,

'In my AJM Golf, a PD injector also failed at 19,000 km. It became noticeable by a slight, light ticking sound (similar to the noise of hydraulic lifters), mainly around 2000 rpm when the car was stationary. Then, after a week of completely normal driving, without any black smoke or loss of power, it suddenly failed while driving on the highway at approximately 3000 rpm. Again, there was no smoke or anything like that. The diagnostic log showed misfires in cylinder 2, and the idle speed control data also clearly indicated the problem.'
During the warranty replacement of the PD element, a new timing belt was, of course, installed by the workshop.

Okay, here's the feedback and diagnosis from the workshop:
The guide of the piston pin in the 2nd cylinder had play (the compression was therefore zero. It's strange that it even ran that smoothly ). The 'tackern' then referred to striking the piston against the bolt at the top dead center/upper top .

The death certificate has been issued, and the Bora has been traded in. Goodbye VW, I simply can't afford your products anymore .

GerTDi wrote:

So, here's the feedback and diagnosis from the workshop: The guide for the piston pin on the second cylinder had excessive clearance (resulting in zero compression). It's strange that he was still running so smoothly ).

Hm, that a piston pin without any other defects can bring the compression down to zero sounds like another workshop myth to me.

It is conceivable that the piston now shoots too far up in the top dead center (TDC) position and has bent at least one valve.
But then the workshop should also mention that.

Hi,

Quote:

It's certainly possible that the piston now shoots up too far in the top dead center position and has bent at least one valve. But then the workshop should also mention that.

They did, indirectly.

Quote:

"Tackern" then referred to the act of striking the piston against the bolt at the top dead center (TDC) position.

If he hits something in the OT (operating theater), it's quite likely that the object he collided with is a valve.

It's likely that the system gradually expanded over time until the valve was damaged, and from that point on, the symptoms appeared – which also explains why it happened suddenly, whereas "gradual failure" would typically be a longer process.

Best regards,

Jan.

The game was 2mm, and I was also shown that. According to the workshop, the head was still okay, but 'only' the block needed to be replaced . However, VW insisted on an AT engine, 'because anything else isn't worth it' due to... 'To avoid subsequent errors or initial settling of the components.'
I then did some research online to see what rates repair technicians typically charge. That was still more than I wanted to invest in that penny stock, also known as Bora.

But honestly, I didn't care about it from that point on, all I wanted was to get rid of it. It cost me way too much of my sanity... VW then tried to rip me off during the trade-in process, but that's another story...
Toyota has now offered me a very fair trade-in offer that has reduced my loss from €5,000 (repair costs + depreciation when reselling) to just over €2,000, which is less than I would have to pay to a mechanic (€2,000 for the installation of a removed engine). Of course, when buying a new car, it doesn't really matter, but starting in March, I'll be driving the serial winner in the ADAC breakdown statistics and the J.D. Power report .

Thank you again to the forum and its creators for the opportunity to read. I haven't written much during my time here, but I've learned a lot. It's something, .

The internet isn't always the cheapest source of information; I had a similar problem.
And then I found a local shop that was 50% cheaper than the online offer.
I would always check the Yellow Pages for something like that; it can save a lot of money.