Hey guys,

Sadly it's looking like my Octavia days which have been pretty brilliant could be at an end, unless I can find a replacement engine. Looking like a blown head gasket/cracked/warped head so it's not driveable now and boiling away (95C+ even without the thermostat in). It's also had a burning engine oil issue for years.

It's a 110 ASV engine.

So my options are:

Say goodbye to my brilliant Octavia ☹️

Try and find a replacement engine, throw it in and hope. Downsides are obviously they are bound to be old engines with high mileage

Pull the head off my car and get the head checked and possibly skimmed. Attempt a rebuild to sort out the oil burning. My mate is pretty handy around VW engines and very knowledgeable but doesn't live local. He knows a place to do any machining who also is a VW head so that helps too. I spoke to the machine guy who said the rebuild is the only real option if I want a reliable engine.

I've worked on my own cars for years and have tools. What I don't have is a workshop or experience/knowledge of engine work.

What would you do?

Cheers

Vijay

Edited 22 June22 Jun by Vijay2018

Have to be honest, I'm leaning towards refurbing the engine but no real idea what's involved. Done 2 cylinders heads in my time and no further engine work. Always done normal servicing and tackle most jobs, but out of ten how bad would it be?

Would any timing have to be locked into place when you remove the head and pistons? I assume not as everything has to be removed?? How difficult is it to time everything back up with a new belt kit?

I would remove head and check gasket anyway. You may be lucky and a new one is all thats needed. Could be valve stem seals thats causing oil burn or failing turbo seals. On the 1.9tdi BXE there are cheap kits to lock up engine when replacing timing belt and fairly straight forward to do. On the cam pulley there are three bolts that sometimes need loosened to tweek belt position/timing slightly.

Alasdair

Edited Thursday at 08:295 days by Alasdair1

Hello bud,

I'm definitely leaning on removing the cylinder head and going from there. I'm looking to see if I can find a write up on the timing belt and cylinder head first

timing belt change:

write up https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/timing-belt-marks-wandering.413904/

another https://pmmonline.co.uk/technical/how-to-install-a-skoda-octavia-timing-belt/

Handy video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coS1uZFRPwc

Edited Friday at 13:444 days by Vijay2018

Before removing head maybe a compression test. If its down on one or two cylinders then somewhere to start looking. Timing belt on the 1.9tdi wasnt difficult including water pump replacement at same time.(not sure re wpump on 2.0tdi) Got a cheap locking tool set off amazon plus you will probably need triple square spline set. Got this one off amazon for £15 and so far havent broken any.

Alasdair

The water pumps on these had a plastic impeller which was renowned for shearing off or breaking up. Try filling up with water removing the small pipe that goes back to the top of the expansion tank, start it up and see if water is coming out of that small pipe....if not pump is not pumping. You may get away with a belt kit and pump if this is the case.....still doesn't explain the burning oil though!

On 26/06/2026 at 16:43, Alasdair1 said:

Before removing head maybe a compression test. If its down on one or two cylinders then somewhere to start looking. Timing belt on the 1.9tdi wasnt difficult including water pump replacement at same time.(not sure re wpump on 2.0tdi) Got a cheap locking tool set off amazon plus you will probably need triple square spline set. Got this one off amazon for £15 and so far havent broken any.

Alasdair

Good idea with a compression test, never know what it might help with later if anyone asks.

Will have to get a locking set. Watching videos to get my head around everything and what's needed. Already got a square spline set

On 26/06/2026 at 17:50, Peterj222 said:

The water pumps on these had a plastic impeller which was renowned for shearing off or breaking up. Try filling up with water removing the small pipe that goes back to the top of the expansion tank, start it up and see if water is coming out of that small pipe....if not pump is not pumping. You may get away with a belt kit and pump if this is the case.....still doesn't explain the burning oil though!

And I had a Gates kit fitted about 5 years ago which AI says used a plastic impeller as per OEM. Before seeing a lot saying about the plastic v metal impeller, I'd wondered if my water pump was working properly. I tried seeing what water was coming back through that expansion pipe a few weeks back. I looked at idle and at 2k revs. I'm not sure how much water should have been flowing but it certainly didn't look that much of a flow to me and made me wonder if my water pump was working as it should.

MY HG or head definitely has an issue as it's failed a gf sniffer test and it's bubbles galore in the expansion tank. It also gets to 100C on idle with the thermostat out