Hello Everyone.

 

Couple of days ago my 2007 Octavia 1.9 TDI had a rather big issue!

 

Driving Normally all day, then suddenly as I pulled out of the end of a junction I could hear a ticking noise as I had my window down then after a few seconds engine just dies, I tried to start it again, but it was if the battery had died, then after another attempt it started , but very poorly and did not last long till it conked out, then after another attempt just a click when turning the key ( as if dead battery ) but ignition lights all came on fine and no warning lights came on,or stayed on when all this was happening.

Car Had to be recovered, and was sent to a independent VW group guy, who has only had time to have a quick look (or so he said) and told me it was not the timing belt. That's what  I thought it may have been ( But was done 20k miles ago).

So far i have not heard any news.

Any Help would be great, Did a search of forum but could not seem to find anything on this matter.

 

Miles: 127000

Serviced every 10000

 

Thanks Very Much.

D

Edited 12 October, 201411 yr by taxi2where

Hi thanks for reply.

 

He is just off the phone and tells me that engine more than likely is stuffed ,the clicking when key is turned, is because the engine wont turn over he said sump had a crack, but still had oil in it. 

He is taking gearbox off also said something about flywheel, but it had Solid flywheel conversion done at around 60k so he does not think it's that.

Things look bleak.

 

D

Had a similar problem when the fuel pump died on my in laws passat just as we changed the fuel filter. The extra strain on priming the system seemed to be enough to push it over the edge.

It didn't take long for the battery to drain trying to crank it with no fuel.

Hi  Taxi2where

 

I think I've had the exact some issue a few hours ago (57 plate1.9Tdi 90k miles)

 

Car starts first thing this morning 100% as per normal. Then I pulled up to park after a short journey (say 7-8 mins), decided to turn round, stalled, tried to restart (ignition on off) then strange noise, restart again, louder noise, "crunchy", turn off, wait a few seconds and then tried again to start to get it out of the middle of the road and dead.

 

Multiple restarts had no effect just drained the battery. Recovery arrived and we tried to jump start no success but looked like very high current drawn on battery from the jump leads (smoke/vapour). Tried roll bump start to rule in/out starter motor and from say 10 mph into 2nd just locked the front wheels.

 

Scan at roadside with the recovery guy's maxiscan showed no faults

 

So its now sat at the local independent  garage to see what they can find, but general confused looks all round and only suggestion so far is that the starter motor may have 'gone' so badly that its jamming, but also a general consensus that's unlikely and needs to go on the ramp to check!

 

Will update this thread with any news I get and if you could do the same I'd really appreciate it

Edited 13 October, 201411 yr by silver_oct

I'm not sure how I would react in the same situation but I wonder how much subsequent damage can be done by repeatedly trying to restart the engine?

"Crunchy" does not sound good :(

drop the auxiliary belt of and see if it cranks, it could be a sized A/C pump and gives the symptom of a sized engine, seen this a few times on all makes

Hi, 

 

agreed, multiple starts probably wasn't ideal but part from the first few when I was trying to get the car safe the other were really just to see if anything was resetting after leaving it a while, got to do something while waiting for the breakdown man......

 

The aux belt seemed to be moving freely when I tried it but will re-check as I'm heading up to the garge jsut before it shuts to see if they ahve any news.

Hi All,

 

so its not the starter motor, its been removed and is fine but engine still seized. So now for gearbox removal as next likely cause is the flywheel........... if it is fingers crossed the gearbox is OK.........

DMF sounds plausible.

 

If it was timing belt it would probably turn over but have absolutely no compression.

 

If the engine isn't turning over at all and there is power it suggests either engine failure or something like flywheel damaged and jamming the engine.

 

Hope you get it sorted soon.

 

Phil

Agreed, timing belt seems unlikely, I should know in a couple of days they are a bit snowed under at my local garage where it is, so they have to take it apart between the booked in jobs

 

If its is DMF, then a bit of reading here seems to suggest switching it out for a Valeo SMF is a sensible and safe option rather than another DMF - anyone care to agree or disagree with a better suggestion?

Yes the 1.9 can have a SMF fitted (unless it's got a DSG gearbox),

 

Skoda themselves have even been known to swap for an SMF.

 

Phil

No DSG, just a boring manual, couldn't find a decent priced DSG when we bought this, tbh, took us a long to find any reasonably priced mk2 when replacing the mk1, ending up at a Renault dealer where they wanted shot of it so had it priced keenly, presumably as it made the rest of their cars look bad  :p

Good News, Bad News!

 

Good news - issue identified and its not the DMF

Bad news - dead BXE engine - oops!

Good News, Bad News!

 

Good news - issue identified and its not the DMF

Bad news - dead BXE engine - oops!

 

Conrod through the block?

 

Does it have full service history?

 

Phil

Hi Phil

 

yes from what they said on the phone its the conrod through the block, I'll go up to the garage tomorrow to see for myself, doesn't have full skoda history, from what I've read i doubt it would help anyway, or have VAG owned up to the issue. I have it 4 years, oil changed at fixed intervals instead of variable, although i did switch it back to variable a couple of months ago after the last oil change.

 

So now the same dilemma as many other seem to have had, scrap it, re-con engine, trust VAG again? was really hoping for a few more years out of it 90km should have been nothing for this car...........

I only asked about the service history as when this happens it's usually down to poor servicing or using oil not meeting the required specifications for the PD engine.

 

Over filling with oil or oil starvation can also be causes.

 

If the rest of the car is good then maybe look at getting a 2nd hand engine put in.

 

Phil

This is another worrying case of conrod through the block on a BXE. Watching this with interest, and hoping you can get a satisfactory conclusion.

 

Mike

 

Yeah it is slightly worrying!

 

It would be nice to get an official report of the cause of these failures.

 

Phil

Oil wise it was certainly not short of oil, it was a recent change and at the incident whilst awaiting the recovery I checks and oil level was fine.

 

a 2nd hand engine worries me, could give a repeat, a recon less so but depends what has been reconditioned!!

 

Does anyonw have any recommendations for a reputable re-con engine supplier?

This is an interesting thread, I've seen a few reports of BXE engines pushing a rod out, but no real cause seems to come to light.

I've read engines failing at 60k... Then others used as taxis covering 250k plus- all BXE.

Hi, from the various forums and threads I've read its looking like a batch of BXE engines rather than all BXE, seems to be around mainly mid/end 2007, as I haven't seen many reports of earlier or later. That would all fit with a bad batch of parts inside the engine but quite what the hit rate would be only VAG will have a reasonable idea and I can't see them publishing that!

I think you're right, they must of made thousands of BXE units so the failure rate is very small.

Mines a March 07, so let's hope all stays well!

Not sure when mine was manufactured.

 

I know it was registered November 2007.

 

Most of the failures seem to happen on around 57/08 plate cars!

 

Very worrying!

 

If it were my car I would fight till the bitter end with Skoda UK and be taking it to VOSA. They are clearly aware there is a problem but VAG have never recognised it and done anything about it!

 

I've even read of BXE engines going at under 10k miles!

 

Phil

From other reports (not Briskoda), some failures occur quite soon after an oil/filter change. Do some brands of oil filter come with both 'o' rings loose in the box?

 

If they sometimes do, what would happen if the bottom (small) one was never fitted to the new filter before it was installed?

 

(All the ones I've seen have been pre-fitted, btw).

 

Would that affect oil pressure (and then damage the big end bearings)?

 

This speculation doesn't account for why other, earlier engines don't fail, unless they are beefy enough to take that abuse.

 

Just wondering?!

I doubt it's that tbh.

 

It definitely seems an issue with this particluar engine. Whether nothing particluar triggers it and it's just a matter of time I don't know.

 

I'm due to do an oil and filter change tomorrow... wish me luck that it doesn't go bang soon after then!

 

Phil