I need a new BKD engine for my Octy after developing the little known but apparently still known about crankshaft 'wobble' - the symptoms are similar to those of a badly-bled clutch line, more or less. Anyway, the long and the short is that I'm going to need to do an engine exchange for another second-hand one.

So the question is, are there any points I should look for? The car dates from July 2004, so a compatible engine might have a porous cylinder head - does anyone remember the code-letters of the two (or more) series of heads to have this? Apparently it's stamped into the metal, but I can't find the thread again.

And are there any developments that were applied to later-build engines that might make a newer engine incompatible with my car? I'm thinking here about the trouble they had with the flywheel, for example - and so on.

So if anyone can give me a few pointers towards possible pitfalls, I'd be very grateful!

Oh dear! Sorry to hear that. What are the symptoms? I've not heard of this before and cannot find mention of it on Google apart from this thread??

I've the same engine/year as you :|

Basically, it's clutch drag at low speeds in low gear - first and reverse - and a tendency to lock in gear so you can't get back into neutral if you're not moving. At speeds over about 5 or 10 mph, you don't really notice much if anything, other than that the clutch pedal is sometimes a bit lazy and a bit 'floppy' and lacking in response. It isn't apparently that serious - the dealer (highly trustworthy) said it is a rare but known condition that you find more frequently on other VAG vehicles than on Octavias... They say that you should be safe enough to drive as long as at very low speeds you have your foot ready to hit the brake if it locks in gear! At worst, stop and switch off the engine, and it'll go back into neutral; then start up again! Bit of a drag, but you get used to it. Best to avoid congested areas though...

Forgot to mention - while the flywheel trouble and the porous cylinder head problem are widespread enough that VAG couldn't really not admit the existence of the problem, they seem to want to keep this one quiet. It is rare, and it comes only after a fair few miles.

Edited 23 September, 201114 yr by ndicki

Have they removed the gearbox to have a look or is this their speculation based on the symptoms? It seems an extraordinary conclusion to come to based purely on symptoms of clutch drag. I have never heard of this on any VAG diesel.

Does the engine use or leak any oil? Any strange noises or vibration?

Sounds very strange to me, never heard of this in the 10 years I have been involved in Briskoda.

Are you sure its simply not the clutch master cylinder, or DMF as these are known to have issues.

My previous Skoda with a 2005 PD140 BKD Octavia and it did 100K miles without any of the symptoms you describe.