Reliability 1.4 TSi, 140 ps

[Rogi]

Hi all!

I am thinking about buying an Octavia mk3 with the 1.4 TSI engine. The car has 100.000 miles on clock. Is that a lot for this engine? Should I be careful about something in particular?

[Octy0GG]

This being a direct injection engine means carbon build up is a concern, like most such things I don't think there is a consensus as to how much of a concern.

[classic]

55 minutes ago, Rogi said:

Hi all!

I am thinking about buying an Octavia mk3 with the 1.4 TSI engine. The car has 100.000 miles on clock. Is that a lot for this engine? Should I be careful about something in particular?

If you buy it you’ll be the second member of Skippy’s club. 😁

 

As with all cars evidence of regular services is key and any history of whatever repairs it may have had.

I have a 1.4 on 70000 miles, all good so far, and I have every intention of taking it  well above 150000.

 

[Ranger]

We’ve a Golf with 66000 miles on the 150bhp engine and so far, so good but I’m still a bit nervy about how it’ll be in five or six years with 100000+ miles on it. It’s settled into 42-43mpg with almost 60 on a run so no complaints about that but the technology that powers it hasn’t really caught on and I’m wondering why. Is there something we should know?

[SC03OTT]

What technology?

[Gerrycan]

I have a 1.4tsi which is about 7 years old but relatively low 'mileage' at 66,000 km.

The only issue I have had was a water pump failure and replacement. Common with the VW diesels but relatively rare for this petrol engine.

When the pump was replaced it involved some engine dismantling and they reported some carbon sludge. Not surprising since we do so many local short journeys which does not give the engine a chance to warm up.

 

The questions I would be asking are:

Regular servicing

Type of driving for the 100k mile distance ie stop/start taxi work or regular longer distances. with a preference for the latter.

The type of driving will have an effect on the potential internal carbon build up problem.

Cam belt replacement is another potential issue for this age/distance as well. As far as I know there have not been any actual belt failures reported in this forum though.

 

I think the engine itself is very good, very smooth, potentially very economical depending on how you drive, low rev torque is outstanding with relatively low lag.

While it will happily rev smoothly to the redline, that is not where it does its best work as the torque curve falls off sharply after 4k revs, that is why it only produces 103kw/140bhp max power but very respectable torque of 250Nm for 1500-4000 rev range.

Mine uses little to no oil between annual services.

 

I have one small issue with mine from new  and that is after the first start of the day the engine is often very jerky in first gear for the 50 metre drive to the road. Once on the road and able to rev out then there is no problem. The strange thing is that it does not always happen and I cannot find a factor that could explain it. Doesn't matter if the first start temperature is near zero or 40+ degrees centigrade (Adelaide, Australia).

 

[Phil-E]

5 hours ago, Gerrycan said:

 

I have one small issue with mine from new  and that is after the first start of the day the engine is often very jerky in first gear for the 50 metre drive to the road. Once on the road and able to rev out then there is no problem. The strange thing is that it does not always happen and I cannot find a factor that could explain it. Doesn't matter if the first start temperature is near zero or 40+ degrees centigrade (Adelaide, Australia).

 

 

Funny you mention this. I also have this on my 1.4 TSI 122 bhp version.

 

I've seen it mentioned a few times from other people too.

 

Most opinions seem to point to the catalytic converter pre-heat that it does from a cold start. During this pre-heat the fuel injection is different and the valve timing is adjusted. You will hear from the exhaust that it sound like there's a hole in the exhaust and a bit raspy. Once it's revved once past this jerk it runs fine and then never jerks again.

[EnterName]

18 hours ago, Rogi said:

Hi all!

I am thinking about buying an Octavia mk3 with the 1.4 TSI engine. The car has 100.000 miles on clock. Is that a lot for this engine? Should I be careful about something in particular?

Try driving a similar car with lower mileage and compare how the two cars drive. If there's no discernable difference, you're probably alright.

I'd be looking for a steady and quiet idle, no difference in smoke out the back under hard acceleration between the high-miler and a lower-mileage car. As well as all the usual things you look for when buying a used car.

You can find cars that run sweetly with astronomical mileages, and find utterly ragged cars at well-under 100K miles.

So long as they're serviced properly and not driven by chimps, most cars will last 100K miles and still have plenty of life left in them.

I was talking to a mechanic this weekend, and he said he'd had to replace a clutch on a car at 20K miles.

(I actually prefer a young high-mileage car to an old low-mileage car, when buying used.)

 

 

[Rogi]

Thank you all for you replies! Much appreciated! I think that I got a better picture of what to look after.

 

My biggest dilemma is that it is hard to find high-mileage TSI's of newer generation. At the same time you can find many 1.6/2.0 TDI cars with many miles. For some reason I would feel more relaxed to buy an Octavia TDI with 100.000 miles, but maybe that has to do something with a positive public opinion of the reliability of the diesel engines. I also have to say that I own a 1.9 JTD Stilo Multiwagon with 170.000 miles on clock and as far as it comes to the engine I think that the car has a bright future ahead. Unfortunately I only make 5000 miles/year, so this is why I am looking into buying a TSI instead of a TDI. I hope that the TSI engine can reach 170.000 miles with the regular maintenance only.

 

[Phil-E]

The only real big issue the TSI had was related to timing chains. But that problem was fixed with an improved tensioner and guide design.

 

But I believe the 140bhp 1.4 TSI is now belt driven.

 

As above the other problem (common across all direct injection engines) is carbon build up. A few treatments of intake valve cleaner before it gets too bad can help. Worse case scenario is the valves have to be walnut blasted but this can be done without major disassembly of the engine.

 

They tend to be kinder to the gearbox, clutch and flywheel and suffer fewer failures compared to diesels due to the reduced torque.

 

No DPF or EGR to worry about either.

[Gerrycan]

4 hours ago, Phil-E said:

 

Funny you mention this. I also have this on my 1.4 TSI 122 bhp version.

 

I've seen it mentioned a few times from other people too.

 

Most opinions seem to point to the catalytic converter pre-heat that it does from a cold start. During this pre-heat the fuel injection is different and the valve timing is adjusted. You will hear from the exhaust that it sound like there's a hole in the exhaust and a bit raspy. Once it's revved once past this jerk it runs fine and then never jerks again.

Yes, that initial raspy sound, well I think it sounds like Darth Vadar breathing lol.

On the occasions when it does not happen the average consumption to one kilometre is significantly better than usual.

I think your theory is spot on.

Edited 9 August, 2020 by Gerrycan

[Phil-E]

Yup. That's the one.

 

Mine sounds like this. But after a 30 seconds or so quietens down and.i can't hear it anymore:

 

https://youtu.be/XyL2Eh5i5sA

[Dr Bob]

Mine sometimes does this for the first couple of mins , ie high idle , noisy , bit jumpy , from cold start ( warm weather ?  ) Try turning the engine off for about 10 secs , seems to cure it !  (obviously before driving off )

[skippy41]

On 08/08/2020 at 17:39, classic said:

If you buy it you’ll be the second member of Skippy’s club. 😁

 

As with all cars evidence of regular services is key and any history of whatever repairs it may have had.

I have a 1.4 on 70000 miles, all good so far, and I have every intention of taking it  well above 150000.

 

 

This is taxi miles , so far 2 sets of pads all round , 4 tyres, always use cross climates, one cold start sensor, should have been free under warranty but it was quicker to pay £29, oil and filters changed every 10k oh and new st of plugs at 80k, returning an average 42 mpg local and 56 to 62 long runs.

[Gerrycan]

@Rogi, is the model you are looking at a manual transmission or equipped with the DSG auto?

 

If the DSG then perhaps it might be prudent to ask for responses from high mileage DSG users. 

 

[Phil-E]

1 change if the spark plugs after 80k miles is pretty good going. I think the interval is 40k Miles.

[wiilydog]

guess a good thing is the skoda octavia 1.4tsi doesn't have the complication of Active Cylinder Technology as not sure how reliable this is with age?

[Phil-E]

No idea. I imagine it should be reliable. It's no more complicated than the variable valve timing they've been using for a while anyway.

 

It's certainly cool. We had a Golf 1.5 TSI hire car for a couple of days that had it.

[Rogi]

On 10/08/2020 at 14:58, Gerrycan said:

@Rogi, is the model you are looking at a manual transmission or equipped with the DSG auto?

 

If the DSG then perhaps it might be prudent to ask for responses from high mileage DSG users. 

 

I was looking at a manual transmission.

 

Thank you all again for good advice. At the end of the day I took a look at the aforementioned 100k miles Octavia and also at an Octavia with the same engine but with 46k miles. I bought the latter, as the difference in how fresh the cars were was too large compared to the difference in price. Now me and my wife are going to make a proper test ride by going camping for a week in Norway. 😊

[Gerrycan]

1 minute ago, Rogi said:

I was looking at a manual transmission.

 

Thank you all again for good advice. At the end of the day I took a look at the aforementioned 100k miles Octavia and also at an Octavia with the same engine but with 46k miles. I bought the latter, as the difference in how fresh the cars were was too large compared to the difference in price. Now me and my wife are going to make a proper test ride by going camping for a week in Norway. 😊

I would consider the lower mileage and manual transmission a wise choice.

Enjoy the new car and your camping trip.

[nidza]

On 09/08/2020 at 05:45, Gerrycan said:

I have one small issue with mine from new  and that is after the first start of the day the engine is often very jerky in first gear for the 50 metre drive to the road. Once on the road and able to rev out then there is no problem. The strange thing is that it does not always happen and I cannot find a factor that could explain it. Doesn't matter if the first start temperature is near zero or 40+ degrees centigrade (Adelaide, Australia).

 

 

Happens to 2.0 TSI sometimes. Too rich fuel/air mixture just after the start (used to be 'the choke' on carburetors), nothing to worry about. 

 

edit: in the meantime learned for another explanation, related to catalytic converter, thanks @Phil-E. Yes, this is possible too, indeed. Could be both reasons, all my old petrol cars with carburetors with manual choke needed rich mixture for reliable start-up.

 

Edited 13 August, 2020 by nidza

[Phil-E]

Yeah I think it runs rich, and the exhaust valves open longer or something to heat up the cat.

 

It doesn't bother me too much. As once it's hiccuped once it's smooth as butter and never hesitates even at full throttle.

[ajw1100]

My 2015 Elegance 1.4TSI has been great except for the seizing Turbo Actuator Rod. Now on #4 and I've only covered 21k miles.

 

[PetrolDave]

My 2015 Elegance 1.4TSI is on 45,000 miles and has needed nothing more than normal servicing and one new set of tyres.