Octavia 2.0TDI vRS Cranking but not firing

[PeterHF]

2009, 88k miles, full service history - Just bought it and done lexx than 200 miles when I was in traffic and the engine just died. It cranks, but doesn't fire. No fault or monitoring signals. Garage is saying that they think they can hear something from teh top end and the compression appears to be low.  They suspect cam followers are to blame.   

 

Does anyone know if this is a common problem on these cars? Or is the garage just taking a flyer? 🙂

 

 

[Warrior193]

Hello Peter, welcome to the forum. I believe your engine family is EA189, can you confirm? 

Is there anything in the service history for cam belt tensioner replacement? Get the tensioner checked - there is a history on this engine for failure of it.

There are also a number of recent reports for TDIs failing to start due to low cranking speed - is the battery good?  

Edited 21 March by Warrior193
correction

[PeterHF]

Hi Warrior, apologies for the delay in responding. Engine is a CEG105. Cambelt and waterpump was changed as part of a kit in 2019 at 63K (Currently on 88k) by a skoda dealer, so I assume that the tensioner was part of the kit.  

 

I don't think that its the battery unfortunately: \the engine simply died whilst I was in queuing traffic.  When the engine is turned over though,  there sems to be a ticking sound from the top end and it turns over as if there was little compression. No lights, no codes, no clues!   Wouldn't be so bad but my Tiguan, with a very similar engine did exactly the same thing three weeks ago and the garage has still not been able to either get it start or diagnose the fault.  Will be going to a Diesel specialist after Easter 😞

 

Rgds

[Warrior193]

I suggest getting the compression tested first.  

[J.R.]

If it turns over like there is little compression then the cam belt is toast and you have at least 4 bent valves for the most optimistic outcome.

[PeterHF]

Well, strange result. Garage was struggling to diagnose, two weeks tinkering, no codes, no pressure problem, nothing nada, nix. And then it started.  No codes, no issues, no misfires nothing, just runs like nothing ever happened.  Bizarre: now I'm nervous!

[PeterHF]

4 days later, 40 miles later and....exactly the same fault: Just queuing in slow moving traffic, and the engine just died. No dash lights, no noises, nothing. Just dies and wouldn't start. Will have to get a code reader on it and see if there are any faults. Am also taking a replacement rail pressure sensor: garage seems to think that this might be the cause, though it seems a low probability diagnosis to me.

 

Just wish I'd bought the Yeti I really wanted rather then the Octavia vRS that my grandson persuaded me to buy 🙂

[PeterHF]

Latest update:  Gee Diesel Engineer, Hucknall, Nottingham got the car going again: they reported no ECU recorded faults or issues , but that the engine was showing low/no compression. They eventually go the engine started by cranking it using a heavy duty batter large battery and spraying brake cleaner (!) into the inlet.  They suspect that the problem is caused by poor quality oil resulting in particulate build up under the hydraulic tappets, forcing the vales to remain open and hence no compression. 

 

They've advised that I should do an oil flush (recommendation for this engine is a pint of diesel in the oil and let it run for 2 - 3 hours) and then fill up with a quality brand of 5w -30.   

 

Car is currently 1/2 through its oil flush and I'll update when I get it back on the road

[Warrior193]

In your OP you wrote 'full service history' do you have the record for when the engine oil was last changed - and by whom?