If buying a tdi octavia ... Pros and cons of 140bhp 16v .... To .... 105bhp 8v ??

PD 2.0 140

Pros: standard 140hp. 6 speed gearbox, better torque figure

Cons: issues with porous cylinder heads on early models causing water leaks, weak turbo, dual mass flywheel (which can't be converted to solid flywheel system). So a failed DMF needs to be repaired with another DMF.

 

PD 1.9 105

Pros: generally thought to be bulletproof and the better more reliable engine of the two. Turbos no where near the same problem. Remaps beautifully to 140 giving same power and torque as the standard 2.0, with far better economy

Cons: 5 speed gearbox, with DMF which can and does fail like on any other car, but easily converted to solid flywheel, eliminating any future problems

 

There are a couple of 1.9PD Octavia taxis running around town here, one is an 08 plate with over 500k trouble-free miles on it, another is an 11 plate with over 300k, and yet another is an 09 plate with over 400k - the taxi lads here wouldn't consider anything else for the high miles they do

 

I've had 2 1.9s (54 and 08 plates) converted to solid flywheel, and they have never looked back since they were done - the conversion makes them smoother, quieter and far more driveable. The one I have now has been remapped by Shark performance to 140, and it has transformed it totally into a lovely car to drive. When I sourced my 2nd diesel 4 years ago, I made certain it was another 1.9 and not a 2.0.

 

Please take this info as a genuine well-intended reply to your question, and don't shout me down in flames like you did in your last thread that the moderators have now locked. I don't post inflammatory replies myself and don't expect them in return.

 

Mike

Thank you for your valued information, I am putting the last car down to bad luck and a really poor garage and apologies for my frustrations ..... I am possibly going to see an Octavia elegance 105bhp on an 06 plate with 79k on the clock ...two owners and reported full history with cam belt and w pump having just been done ...advertised at 2799 .... I was a little worried about power as I travel around 60 miles a day but on reflection with traffic as it is these days ...better economy is good and the sixth gear I would only really use on motorways so five speed not really an issue .... what sort of costs are involved in remapping to 140bhp? And I'm guessing converting to solid flywheel is pretty much same cost as replacing a dmf?

Having run a 2.0 TDI PD Octavia along side a 1.9 TDI PD Fabia for the last 4 years with nearly identical mileages, I can tell you this........

 

I have not had to take a spanner anywhere near the 1.9 TDI (apart from servicing).......the 2.0 TDI has had quite a bit of expensive attention.

 

I wouldn't have another 2.0 TDI PD....I would have another 1.9 TDI all day long. Even if you don't remap a 1.9 TDI the power difference isn't noticeable in general everyday driving.   

Actually my current car the vw bora is 1.9 tdi and a 130 Bhp .....guessing hardly any power difference between them ... the more I read about the 1.9 Skoda's .. the more I like ..... I have made contact with a garage about a poss purchase and px for one so fingers crossed a deal can be done ... thx for both input

I think the power of my 1.9 is perfectly adequate (not sure what it actually is but pulls well) and I don't find it hard to achieve decent MPG figures.  It is starting to drop off a bit now with the colder weather and winter diesel but still in the low 60's.  Best tank so far, measured from brim to brim is 71.3mpg.  Overall average from 11,500 miles is 65mpg (see signature) but like I said, it's on the way down now.

Edited 14 November, 20169 yr by andy-fisher

The 1.9 TDI PD engine with the code BXE has an unfortunate habit of ejecting cylinder 2 piston via the side of the block.

The earlier BKC engine was a lot more reliable.

The 105 Bhp engines are woeful in comparison to the mighty 130 bhp ASZ engines.

The 1.9 TDI PD engine with the code BXE has an unfortunate habit of ejecting cylinder 2 piston via the side of the block.

The earlier BKC engine was a lot more reliable.

The 105 Bhp engines are woeful in comparison to the mighty 130 bhp ASZ engines.

Now you have chucked a spanner in the works lol .... I'm not clued up on engine codes .... BXE would be in what? A mk11 and BKC in a mk 1 ?? And I'm guessing 130bhp ASZ engine to be the same as in my 2002 bora

The BKC is in earlier mk2s and the BXE came in later on - 2007 onward.

The ASZ was in the mk1 which shared the same platform as the bora.

The BKC is in earlier mk2s and the BXE came in later on - 2007 onward.

The ASZ was in the mk1 which shared the same platform as the bora.

That's ok then as the car I'm seing Saturday is a 55 plate 1.9 105bhp ......so when you say they are woeful compared to the 130bhp ....really that bad.... as in slow or reliability .... or both?

My bora has 198k on the clock and I'd keep it but everything's worn out and for the last year it needs water top up quite regular ....not boiling it but pressuring and blowing it out

The ASZ is really punchy with buckets of torque where the BKC/BXE is more tame. It's understandable with the 25bhp difference.

The ASZ and BKC are both very reliable and some BXE have made it high up the mileage ladder before giving up the ghost.

I have a 140 break BMM engined mk2 on a 2008 with 160k on the clock that still runs sweet as a nut, original DMF, DPF, EGR, Turbo etc. Other than fluids and filters, brake pads/discs and cam belt/water pump at the prescribed times all she has needed is a differential pressure sensor at 150k which is a very common fail (USA version) and was only a £60 fix. Absolutely rock solid motor. Shame I might have to get rid soon really due to a new company Passat.

Out of interest, would my BJB be in the same category as the BKC?

I still have my 55 reg 1.9PD TDi 105BHP, with the solid flywheel conversion, and since having the conversion I have put 57K more miles on the clock. I was nearly put off buying this car, because I had heard reports that it was woefully underpowered, yet I took it over to Italy, and it was maintaining 80 - 90 MPH up real motorway hills (not just drags) with ease, and it still gives over 50MPG regularly.

I got my flywheel/clutch conversiion kit from this company and they were superb to deal with.

 

http://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/transmission/

Go for the 1.9 if are after good economy as my 2.0pd mpg isn't as good and only achieves 42mpg around town and 50mpg on motorway.

Absolutely yes - the BJB is one of the earlier engines that was used until around 2006.

 

Don't be put off by the reports that most BXEs throw conrods - they don't . Yes there are reports of it happening across all the VAG forums, but like I said on another thread, reading stuff on an internet forum will always focus on issues rather than good points. You are far more likely to read a thread about folks complaining about crap BXEs throwing conrods than brilliant BXEs never letting someone down. Not having a go in any way here shacky, but your thread about your 2.0 were were had the, err, discussions (!) purely cited what was wrong, not how good the rest of the car was. See my point? That's the very nature of posting on the forum - Look back at my previous posts citing the high mileage on the local taxis - 08, 09 and 11 plates - all BXEs with troublefree mileages way above 300k. It has been suggested that the conrod issue was down to an oil pump failure because of lack of oil changes and/or cheap inferior oil being used. With a full history of proper oil changes with the correct oil there shouldn't be any issues at all. My own 08 plate estate was remapped to 140 at 47k, has just over 64k on the clock now, and is as sweet as a nut. It only does around 4k per year, but still gets a yearly service and oil change with the proper long life VW507 spec oil. Al in all, the VW 1.9 is one of the most reliable diesel engines out there, and nothing to fear if looked after properly. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours - that's exactly what the engines are like - look after them, and they will reward you tenfold.

 

The 54 plate I sold in the summer had the BJB engine, and that was an absolute peach - and as standard was more responsive and significantly more economical than the BXE I have now. 

 

The BJB and BKC engines are Euro 3 emissions standard, the BXE was introduced in around 2007 in an attempt to better emissions, and the extra emissions components on the BXE took it to a Euro 4 standard. Ha, not that emissions on a VW diesel engine mean a lot anyway (none of the 1,9s are affected by the recall service campaign that is ongoing). 

 

The 2006 model you are looking at will probably have the BKC in it - certainly too early for a BXE, so calm your worries and don't be put off by what's been said. 

Hope it's the right car for you, let us know how you get on.

 

Mike

My mistake ... it's a 55 plate .... first owner only did 3k a year maximum in it and second around 15k ....old mot's have nothing major on, mostly no advisories although last mot stated front tyre worn on inner edges, I phoned the dealer about this and they say they are not and the tyres are 80% new .... on paper it looks a fab car, a little out of my price bracket but they say they could prob do something with my bora so going to see it on Saturday if it's still for sale ..... will let everyone know the outcome ...... oh and the 2.0ltr I had ....money has been returned. Dealer claims the cars been on vag diagnostics with no fault and that a vag mechanic said the odd few cars have a funny idle on warm up .....can't see it myself as even my nine year old daughter was like ' what's wrong with your car daddy' as it was that bad ..... plus no 1st and reverse gears now .....glad to be away from that one

Go for the 1.9 if are after good economy as my 2.0pd mpg isn't as good and only achieves 42mpg around town and 50mpg on motorway.

The 2ltr I had for a very short period was amazing on fuel 60+ on motorway and easily mid fifties going to work on B roads ....but yes .... I'm liking the sound of the 1.9s

I still have my 55 reg 1.9PD TDi 105BHP, with the solid flywheel conversion, and since having the conversion I have put 57K more miles on the clock. I was nearly put off buying this car, because I had heard reports that it was woefully underpowered, yet I took it over to Italy, and it was maintaining 80 - 90 MPH up real motorway hills (not just drags) with ease, and it still gives over 50MPG regularly.

I got my flywheel/clutch conversiion kit from this company and they were superb to deal with.

 

http://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/transmission/

I drove a 90bhp mk1 Skoda the other day .... that was fine .... my bora is the 130hp engine ... 0-60 reported 10.1 .... 105hp Skoda state 11.8 ..... it would hardly make it a snail by comparison .... I'm not to worried about 105, I'm sure it's lively enough, more economical and less strain on the car I'm guessing due to the lower torque

I have read it all through and I can only add that in mine BKC I have had a problem with warm starts which were taking slightly longer than when cold. This is common issue with BKC (same with my brother in law Golf MKV) engines but can be solved quiet easily with VCDS. 

 

Im not sure about next MOT but its due next month so fingers crossed that changing some settings in VCDS wont affect emissions!

You may well miss the Bora engine if you upgrade. I had one of those 130 bhp engines in my Mk1 Octavia and even with the 140 I have now I didn't get the mix of economy and fun I got with that older engine, at least not until I mapped the 140 last year.

Whichever you buy, whether its the 1.9 105 or 2.0 140, I think you have to view the newer car as a better overall and safer car (which it is) that's hopefully more reliable. Don't spend too much time on the "pokiness" side of the comparison as you may get hung up on it. Someone said as much to me when I bought my 2.0 140 5 years ago, and as much as I miss the old engine, I haven't regretted the upgrade - the pre FL Mk2 diesel in either guise is a great motor.

Adam

Edited 20 November, 20169 yr by adamal