Hello all,

I have just nursed my Octavia VRS Estate (03Reg) back home.

I was stuck in traffic and stalled the car in gear.

When I restarted I had no Temp guage and the engine was decidedly louder.

I got onto the open road and the engine got quite noisy at 3,000rpm.

It pulled okay but not as strongly as usual and was very "rorty" at the upper rev range.

I pulled in and turned off for a while but on restart there was loud knocking that I had not noticed before.

The engine has a full service history and has done 49,000 miles.

Could there be big end damage? Is this an exceptionally rare occurence of engine failure?

Please advise.

does sound rare, not heard of it myself. best of luck getting it sorted

i have an engine that hopefully needs nothing but a recon head so could do you well if you want it

Thanks!

Having the engine inspected tomorrow so will let you know.

Good Luck!

its still in my car so won't be available for a few weeks but if your interested then i'm sure a deal can be made

It could just be a TIP popped off if you are lucky

the tip doesn't cause a knocking and metallic noise, mine came off a couple times and it just made a fault code and funny power i think.

Just depends on how well the noise is diagnosed...

Slightly off topic - but what is the replacement engine you have Ben? Is it like for like?

yup, mine has a knackered head apparently and it was cheaper to buy an engine than get the head done. we don't know 100% if its the head but if it is i will have a bottom end for sale and a head that needs rebuilding for sale when my change has been done

Hello all,

I have just nursed my Octavia VRS Estate (03Reg) back home.

I was stuck in traffic and stalled the car in gear.

When I restarted I had no Temp guage and the engine was decidedly louder.

I got onto the open road and the engine got quite noisy at 3,000rpm.

It pulled okay but not as strongly as usual and was very "rorty" at the upper rev range.

I pulled in and turned off for a while but on restart there was loud knocking that I had not noticed before.

The engine has a full service history and has done 49,000 miles.

Could there be big end damage? Is this an exceptionally rare occurence of engine failure?

Please advise.

It would be a complete first if you've done that sort of damage IME.

Its the no temp gauge thats making me think & still cant think of the answer. The 1.8T bottom end is as far as I know bomb proof, it can handle over 300 bhp & massive amounts of abuse without failing, Im assuming theres some oil in it !!

The temp gauge is making me think "sensors", but I can't think which one if there's nothing else showing wrong.

The temp gauge is making me think "sensors", but I can't think which one if there's nothing else showing wrong.

Check the water level, if all the waters gone the temp sensor could read zero as no water to measure, thats assuming the level sensors stuck etc, if the Engines overheated then that could cause it to go bombedy bang. On modern cars with modern management I cant believe this is in the slightest bit plausable but it did happen in the "good old days"

Thanks.

I have full oil and water levels and it was service 2,000 miles ago.

Think overheating could be the answer as I was stuck in a que for ages and if temp not telling cooling fan to come on?

Don't know if there is just one sensor to do this.

Car now being looked at Wednesday, by Audi Technician, so will let you know what the outcome is. I'm hoping just a sensor !

Will be checking out the costs of new lump though just in case :-(

Thanks.

I have full oil and water levels and it was service 2,000 miles ago.

Think overheating could be the answer as I was stuck in a que for ages and if temp not telling cooling fan to come on?

Don't know if there is just one sensor to do this.

Car now being looked at Wednesday, by Audi Technician, so will let you know what the outcome is. I'm hoping just a sensor !

Will be checking out the costs of new lump though just in case :-(

With all the sensors the car has you will be incredibly unlucky for it to overheat, Its got to be something obscure to have caused it & I have no real ideas. I was just thinking aloud

If god forbid it is a new lump which I would guess is extreemly unlikely they are bullet proof so there will be loads of s/hand ones around at reosnable cost, I would cross that bridge if it ever gets that far. If it does the Audi tt 225 lump & 6 speed box fits, and after a remap !!!!

Could there be big end damage? Is this an exceptionally rare occurence of engine failure?

Please advise.

An easy, reliable way to check for white metal bearing failure is to cut open the engine oil filter and examine the paper element.

If a bearing has failed small particals of white metal will be trapped between the folds of the paper element.

If you dont find any white metal, then you can rule out big end/main bearing failure

bill.

I'd be surprised to find a modern engine using white metal main shells. Any I've seen have used bronze.

I hope i's not the thermostat & water pump failure problem I had on my old RS. I was very lucky that this went while the car was still under warranty.

I'd be surprised to find a modern engine using white metal main shells. Any I've seen have used bronze.

I didnt know that some modern engines use bronze main bearing shells running in contact with a cast iron or steel crank

The bearings I'm familiar with use either steel or bronze backing but are coated in white metal at the bearing face.

Bronzes of course are alloys of copper, tin and in some cases phosphorus, and are fairly hard (though softer than steel), and are not normally used in applications which involve high rubbing speeds, because of the likelyhood of seizure and resulting severe damage.

The white metal bearings I was referring to in my original post are basically an alloy of tin with small amounts of copper and antimony and have a melting point of about 300 - 350 degrees C.

Please accept my apologies if I have given out-dated and/or inaccuate advice relating to a 1.8T in my original post.

Bill

Well,

Thank you to everyone that viewed/replied and I now have the answers!

The temp gauge was indeed randomly functional and has been changed BUT THE MAIN PROBLEM was that the gearbox mounting bolt, holding the arm from the front chasis, had fallen out!

This was what cuased the noise and the power loss.

I was lucky that I nursed it home and major damage could have occured all over the place (they tell me!).

Again thanks for your help and the new bolt is going in with the worlds strongest locktite!!!

Well,

Thank you to everyone that viewed/replied and I now have the answers!

The temp gauge was indeed randomly functional and has been changed BUT THE MAIN PROBLEM was that the gearbox mounting bolt, holding the arm from the front chasis, had fallen out!

This was what cuased the noise and the power loss.

I was lucky that I nursed it home and major damage could have occured all over the place (they tell me!).

Again thanks for your help and the new bolt is going in with the worlds strongest locktite!!!

Glad to hear that you got it sorted

Excellent new for you mate!

I bet to say you were over the moon is an understatment

Glad to hear its ok. Them octys are built like brick **** houses.

Thanks!!

Now that it's sorted I think there may be a trip to Jabba coming up in the next couple of months!!!