Hi there,

 

As the title says, I just purchased an Octavia MK II 2.0l diesel with 134000 miles. It has full service history up until now, and the cambelt was done a couple of years ago.

 

I've heard these engines aren't quite as reliable as the old PD ones, but should still hold out for a while longer.

 

I've purchased oil/filters etc to give it a refresh, but are there any common issues I need to look out for and any preventative maintenance I can do to make sure it gives me a few more years happy motoring?

 

Cheers!

Rob

The DPF has a life depends how it’s been driven. Also the EGR valve can go with out without the emissions fix. Regular oil and filter changes annually or 10k ideal. 

13 hours ago, gav_is_con said:

The DPF has a life depends how it’s been driven. Also the EGR valve can go with out without the emissions fix. Regular oil and filter changes annually or 10k ideal. 

 

Cheers mate. what is the emissions fix?

VW Group used defeat devices in Euro 5 TDI's and were caught in late 2015.

They came up with new Software / Engine Management to keep governments happy and did a Voluntary Recall and some cars had this carried out.

Millions of them.

 

You could google.  VW the emissions fix. 

 

Maybe yours had, maybe not. It would be after 2017 that it got done if it was.

http://skoda-auto.com/services/recall-actions

 

Edited 19 January, 20233 yr by toot

40 minutes ago, toot said:

VW Group used defeat devices in Euro 5 TDI's and were caught in late 2015.

They came up with new Software / Engine Management to keep governments happy and did a Voluntary Recall and some cars had this carried out.

Millions of them.

 

You could google.  VW the emissions fix. 

 

Maybe yours had, maybe not. It would be after 2017 that it got done if it was.

http://skoda-auto.com/services/recall-actions

 

 

"ŠKODA Partner has confirmed to us the service action (Diesel EA189) had been performed for this VIN"     

19 minutes ago, RobSuf said:

 

"ŠKODA Partner has confirmed to us the service action (Diesel EA189) had been performed for this VIN"    /cdn-cgi/mirage/5743e71b2929cd34ec7dffabb57f89f4f5bbc7c9f6d828f9fc72e73d5da851e1/1280/https://www.briskoda.net/forums/uploads/emoticons/emoticon-0100-smile.gif 

Some owners say it affected the drivability and maybe consumption of the car post fix. Some also say the car is performing DPF regens more often. That said I have a 2011 170CR superb  and the EGR went without the fix being applied. 

Edited 19 January, 20233 yr by gav_is_con
Missed info

5 minutes ago, gav_is_con said:

Some owners say it affected the drivability and maybe consumption of the car post fix. Some also say the car is performing DPF regens more often. That said I have a 2011 170CR superb  and the EGR went without the fix being applied. 

 

When you say 'went' does that just mean the EGR fails and needs replacing, or does it take the engine out with it? Might look into an EGR delete kit

Just now, RobSuf said:

When you say 'went' does that just mean the EGR fails and needs replacing, or does it take the engine out with it? Might look into an EGR delete kit

The EGR is needed for the DPF regeneration process, so don't delete unless you want to create issues.

 

Speaking of DPF, yes the EA189 recall seems to increase the regens, but if you make sure to use the correct low oil ash content oil, then you should in theory make it to about 200k give or take as that's the rough end of life mileage.

11 minutes ago, varooom said:

The EGR is needed for the DPF regeneration process, so don't delete unless you want to create issues.

 

Speaking of DPF, yes the EA189 recall seems to increase the regens, but if you make sure to use the correct low oil ash content oil, then you should in theory make it to about 200k give or take as that's the rough end of life mileage.

 

Ok good to know, cheers mate - I've ordered some Petronas Syntium 5000 AV 5W-30 oil which is fully synthetic, so should be ok 🤞

4 minutes ago, RobSuf said:

 

Ok good to know, cheers mate - I've ordered some Petronas Syntium 5000 AV 5W-30 oil which is fully synthetic, so should be ok 🤞

Here is a static link to the approved oils, https://erwin.volkswagen.de/erwin/downloadStaticFile/skoda/files/oil/oil_pdf.zip

Use this to see if your ordered oil is approved 🤝

19 minutes ago, RobSuf said:

 

When you say 'went' does that just mean the EGR fails and needs replacing, or does it take the engine out with it? Might look into an EGR delete kit

I replaced the EGR at a VAG specialist and I also had to replace the turbo. I drove on it after it went into limp mode quite a few miles. Cost about to £1700 to change both. I believe the EGR alone is about £700

They are great cars. I do also have a 1.9PD octy 2 on nearly 260k. They are pretty bulletproof 

3 minutes ago, gav_is_con said:

They are great cars. I do also have a 1.9PD octy 2 on nearly 260k. They are pretty bulletproof 

When the Universe is cold and dead, the last 1.9PD will finally stop running 😆

29 minutes ago, gav_is_con said:

I replaced the EGR at a VAG specialist and I also had to replace the turbo. I drove on it after it went into limp mode quite a few miles. Cost about to £1700 to change both. I believe the EGR alone is about £700

 

Wonder if you can remove and inspect/clean the EGR unit to try and prevent failure

 

15 minutes ago, gav_is_con said:

They are great cars. I do also have a 1.9PD octy 2 on nearly 260k. They are pretty bulletproof 

 

11 minutes ago, varooom said:

When the Universe is cold and dead, the last 1.9PD will finally stop running 😆

 

Should have done my research and got a PD! 😅

34 minutes ago, RobSuf said:

I've ordered some Petronas Syntium 5000 AV 5W-30 oil which is fully synthetic, so should be ok 🤞

 

do not use it if you are looking for DPF longevity, it is not a low SAPS oil.

50 minutes ago, varooom said:

The EGR is needed for the DPF regeneration process, so don't delete unless you want to create issues.

 

I think I disagree with that but am 800kms away from my VAG literature on DPF regeneration so cannot check to verify.

 

I believe that EGR is suppressed during a regeneration in order to raise the exhaust gas temperature, I do agree that deletion will cause issues, I used a blanking plate on my PD engine and it went into limp mode each time, I had to drill a hole in the middle of the plate and keep enlarging it until enough gases passed for the MAF to give a plausible reading.

 

On the CR engined Yeti I have fitted an EGR emulator which passes no gas but modifies the MAF sensor signal to the ECU to fool it into thinking there is less airflow during the time the ECU thinks it has commanded the EGR valve, it also does a similar thing with the throttle valve position sensor, it no longer restricts the intake to favorise EGR when commanded but the output from the position sensor tells the ECU that it has.

16 minutes ago, varooom said:

When the Universe is cold and dead, the last 1.9PD will finally stop running 😆

But the echos of its rattling, growling and knocking will linger for centuries afterwards!

 

I can still here mine , I'm amazed at how quiet and smooth the CR engine is but then so was my mechanical injection MK1 Octavia, ASV engine perhaps? it was a 110TDi.

@J.R. Petronas Syntium 5000 AV  SAE 5W-30  50400/50700

He should be ok with that oil AFAIK?

He really should look for one with the relevant VAG approval number, they call it "mid SAPS" but what does that really mean? It is not low SAPS which the VAG approval requires.

 

I shot myself in the foot buying 20L of Mannol oil which was described as low SAPS by the seller but it does not say anything other than suitable for post combustion treatments, it does not mention SAPS at all on the packaging or the Mannol specifications, it's all very wooly and intended to mislead and I fell for it.

 

I am using it for now but keeping a close eye on the DPF differential pressure readings.

23 minutes ago, J.R. said:

I think I disagree with that but am 800kms away from my VAG literature on DPF regeneration so cannot check to verify.

I suspect you and me will always do this dance, you are right about the turning off of the EGR recirculation, but as mentioned that you had to drill a bigger hole in the blanking plate to stop it going into limp mode.  I did blanking plate on an old Mondeo I had some years back, and had to do the same to that also.  I suspect the truth of the matter lies somewhere in the middle, as a working EGR has to exist and open/close as requested, and perhaps it measures the air mass and knows something is off.

 

This is why I seem to always mention the EGR as having an effect on things, as they suggest to check these if a car is having trouble

• The EGR system
• The throttle flap
• The pressure differential sensor
• The air-mass meter
• The brake and clutch pedal switch function

It will keep going fine with the Engine Oil sold in a ASDA Container or a TESCO, 5w 30 FS III to VW 504 00 / 507 00.  Even if not on any VW Approved list.

 

Proper oil from a proper oil producer. There will be those that say not the correct SAP. Not low. not Mid.

 

They use the oil in the Price Wars to stuff up the competition and some hours, or days it is 'much cheapness' in some stores.

 

The car will run fine on the Derv / Diesel sold at super market filling stations.  

 Millions of vehicles in the UK use the stuff, the stuff that comes out of the same depots as special standard diesel with additive packages that are for special people with special needs.

 

 

Edited 19 January, 20233 yr by toot

11 hours ago, varooom said:

I suspect you and me will always do this dance, you are right about the turning off of the EGR recirculation, but as mentioned that you had to drill a bigger hole in the blanking plate to stop it going into limp mode.  I did blanking plate on an old Mondeo I had some years back, and had to do the same to that also.  I suspect the truth of the matter lies somewhere in the middle, as a working EGR has to exist and open/close as requested, and perhaps it measures the air mass and knows something is off.

 

My knowledge and experience is that removal or disabling of the EGR system has to be done in such a way that the ECU still thinks it is fitted and operating correctly, hence the existence of the EGR emulators.

 

As we agree, EGR is not required for DPF operation, the ECU actually inhibits it but removing it, disabling it or blocking the port will cause the engine to go into limited operating strategy.

 

The ECU program when EGR is commanded will be looking for a drop in the mass air flow corresponding to the calculated volume of EGR gases being ingested, when it commands the EGR flap to move it expects the position sensor to show this has happened, when it commands the throttle valve to partially close to pull the EGR gases through it will again expect the position sensor to reflect this, if any of these signals do not change to within the correct values it will put the engine in limp mode.

 

The EGR emulator disconnects the wiring from the EGR, it becomes a dead, passive unit, if the valve is closed it can be left as is, if it is stuck open then the port blanking plate needs to be used, it modifies the outputs of the mass air flow sensor, the EGR position sensor and the throttle body position sensor when EGR is commanded so the the ECU sees the values it is expecting to see and not the reality.

 

I believe that during these periods of commanded EGR( but in fact no EGR) the fuelling is probably out of whack because it will have been modified to allow for the recycled exhaust gases which are not present.

 

You probably know all of the above, let me know if you think I have made any wrong assumptions, I did a lot of thinking before deciding to go for the EGR emulator.

@J.R.That all sounds good to me, I suspect I always have a knee jerk reaction to disabling parts of the car these days.

 

Some disable parts, maybe poorly removed by a bad engine tuner (I had this myself years back with a disabled part that kept flagging up)

 

I suspect your bang on the money with an EGR simulator device, if well made and programmed the engine ECU should be satisfied.

 

 

So tl;dr is I tend to react about disabled parts due to past experiences 😆

I had the same experience with the blanking plate on the PD engine which was supposed to be fit and forget, guaranteed to work faultlessly 🥴

 

I worked out that I had to allow some EGR gas flow so that the MAF would see a drop in airflow, I kept enlarging the hole until it ran correctly without a fault code but was well aware that in the future, any small change in another parameter o maybe the metering hole closing up would put it into limp mode again.

 

You have to be able to set out on a journey confident that you wont break down or if you do that you know what it is and can deal with it, with the EGR simulator I can disconnect the plugs and reconnect the loom to the EGR, throttle body and MAF and it will be back to standard.

 

Now that I have had the emissions fix rolled back I probably dont need the emulator but I keep it because I dont like Polar Bears! 😆

Have now done 119k+and had the emission fix done. before the fix had been done the regen hardly came on but now it comes on with the slightest journey. Also at the beginning had the oil change every two years but now each year .