Any VW techs here? 1.8 TSI question

[resolute]

Considering the MK7 Golf. I would like to know about potential problems with the 1.8 TSI engine. There are a bunch of threads on Vortex about how the rear main seal leaks. The leak seems to come early in history, and most guys are having them replaced under warranty (for now). It seems to be caused by a PCV system failure leading to overpressure that blows the seal. Nothing is being done about the root cause, so this could be a recurring problem after warranty. I would like to know how common this is. Have you seen it in your shop?

This is the main reason I'm holding off a MK7 purchase.

[danosaur]

Re: Any VW techs here? 1.8 TSI question

Haven't seen too many rear mains on the 1.8ts. I would be paying more attention to the camshaft issues than anything. So far the 1.8ts have been pretty good! We don't see too many high mile ones yet, however.

[resolute]

Re: Any VW techs here? 1.8 TSI question

Thanks for the reply. What's "too many"? Two? Ten? Twenty? In my mind any RMS issue on a two year old model is too many - it shouldn't be happening at all. I had the RMS go on a MK4 after 15 years - now that's understandable!

The guys in the Vortex Sportwagen forum at least are seeing the RMS leak fairly early. I gather it's not so much the RMS itself, but a PCV valve clogging that builds pressure that ruptures the seal. I don't know how you'd see that coming - who checks their PCV system every week?! So it seems to me to be a huge risk.

Yes, the camshaft is the other issue with lots of conflicting info. Though the cars are assembled in Mexico I gather the engines are assembled in various locations and only certain ranges of VINs are affected according to where the engine (i.e. the camshaft) came from. What scares me on this is that there is a temporary software fix being applied but there will likely be a camshaft replacement down the road. Will that really be a recall item? With the software fix lessening the pressure on the cam, the cam failure may happen after warranty. Does this story fit with what you know?

It's such a shame, because I waited for the 2016s so all the bugs in a new model could have been worked out. The engine is kind of important...

[CGY_GTI]

Re: Any VW techs here? 1.8 TSI question

I only remember seeing one or two rear main seal replacement posts on Vortex, and I thought there was a stop-sale order for the cars with the camshaft issues. We only have 2,500km or so on our GSW, but it's been perfect so far.

[resolute]

Re: Any VW techs here? 1.8 TSI question

Glad your GSW has been perfect so far.

Here's what I've been reading about the RMS.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...1-8T-yet/page3
It's a rambling thread, but start at post #75, then #80 and onward. Post 80 says "Haven't seen the main seal be too much of any issue on the new 1.8. It's a known issue on the Gen 1 TSI due to PCV failure." but it's affecting Golf Sportwagens which I believe is a Gen 3 engine.

Also here in the GSW forum (look at post 23, the OP is a bigger issue and ended up having his whole engine replaced):
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...t-normal-is-it

I would hope the camshaft issue is history and not applicable to a new car being sold today or ordered.

[danosaur]

Re: Any VW techs here? 1.8 TSI question

I've seen one, personally. This was not a pcv issue and I believe that it could be chalked up to a regular failure. For the sheer volume of these engines that are out there, I would not be worried about it. As far as the camshaft issue, I believe that if we start to see camshaft failures at a later date because of the lessened load on the hpfp lobe, vw will release an extended warranty on them. This also happened with the 2.0t manifolds, and injectors, which both received a generous extended warranty. The camshaft replacement has the hpfp key case hardened as well, so if your car happens to be affected, I do not believe there will be an issue after replacement and reprogram.

[resolute]

Re: Any VW techs here? 1.8 TSI question

Thanks, danosaur,
I can see how they'd cover the camshaft issue because that's an outright mechanical failure due to design.

The oil leak is another question. The RMS issue apparently is a known issue for VW/Audi turbo engines going back a while and continued in the latest Gen 3 EA888. What bothers me here is that Vortex members are a teeny tiny minuscule portion of all VW owners, and several have had this RMS failure early in their warranty period. So I'm mentally scaling this up and wondering what portion of total owners are affected. That's why I thought I'd ask for a tech to comment. I'd feel OK if VW would warrant this repair past the warranty period because it is a design problem they have chosen not to rectify. Presumably they feel it is cheaper to do warranty work than redesign around the problem, but that does not help me after the warranty expires.

Thanks again for your responses.