VW -- Complete failure of cam and rockers in PD

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Just posted by a mechanic on the TDI forum
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=171502
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I have a PD that came in which has a complete failure of the cam and rockers. I need to get a VOA of Castrol TXT to compare to the sample taken from the sump.




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No real good pictures yet... The motor is still together at this point. #1 Intake valve lobe COMPLETELY wore thru the lifter top exposing the adjusting piston and groung away on the cam lobe...THE CAR STILL RUNS!

The other lifters (cam followers) all have severe wear and the associated cam lobes have severe micro-pitting damage and deformation.

Ironically, ALL FOUR PD actuator lobes (so far) appear to be in good shape. Easy explanation for that since the PD lobe has a wider lobe and the heavy duty roller rocker.

I will swing by the dealer today and get a bottle of the Castrol and have it sent out to get a VOA.

The owner has had the car serviced completely by VW including all oil changes.

They were getting the run around as to what is wrong with the car leading them to bringing it over to my place. 20 minutes into the diagnosis it was obvious what was wrong...

More to follow as I get it.
DB
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Well, here we go again.
 
German over-engineering. LOL. VW is the only automaker that needs to create new oil specs on a monthly basis. Wonder what the cause was?

On a side note, our neighbors Audi A8 is in the shop again.
 
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Wonder what the cause was?




No, you don't. You already know the cause, Madame Zelda. The cause was shame.
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...Wonder what the cause was?....




The VW in question pulled up next to my GTI at a stop light. As the completely inferior VW in question set it's gaze upon my VW's illustrious example of German uber-engineering, tornado red color, and the 1.8T growl that only 150HP
crazy.gif
can produce, it's poor little PD heart literally melted. It may still run, but make no mistake, it is forever heart-broken.
crushedcar.gif
 
Have you been/R U a member over at www.TDIClub.com? That is THE place for hard TDI tech info.(I've been a fan for 6 years) Post over there RIGHT AWAY and you'll get sound advice on the most cost effective way out. BEWARE: many stealerships are utterly clueless when repairing TDI's and have created much unneeded chaos. Best Regards
 
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Have you been/R U a member over at www.TDIClub.com? That is THE place for hard TDI tech info.(I've been a fan for 6 years) Post over there RIGHT AWAY and you'll get sound advice on the most cost effective way out. BEWARE: many stealerships are utterly clueless when repairing TDI's and have created much unneeded chaos. Best Regards




Oops. Forgot to read thoroughly.
 
If I have understood things right, after reading a lot of posts here, Dino oil is the best thing that have ever happened to mankind. Maybe even better than sliced bread....
 
It seems that this is the downfall of the TDi engines. Ive seen maybe a total of 6 or 7 TDi failures and all but one have been related to a cam and lifter issue. The most recent one camshaft had worn thru the lifter and was grinding away on the valve spring and valve itself. The amazing thing is that the car actually ran into the shop, the customers only complaint was that the there was a "slight" power loss. To many people are letting Dino oil be installed and then running it for 10k miles like normal.
 
I think the only thing that can stop a TDI dead is the TB snapping. We can still clunk along with missing lifters lol.
 
In all seriousness, what is the reason for all the German car oil specs? Mainly VW/Benz. Why do most domestics and Japanese cars not require more specific specs.?
 
In a nutshell, because typical API and ACEA spec'd oils don't meet their (VW/MB) high requirements. Read up on them if you can. It's interesting stuff.
 
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because typical API and ACEA spec'd oils don't meet their (VW/MB) high requirements.





ok, same question different angle; why can't they build an engine that uses API only oil.




Aside from the PD engine, I think you are missing the point. These are European car companies that adhere to European viewpoints on motor oils: make them really good and run the oils longer. The big difference between most of the VW/MB oil specs and simple API oils are generally long drain capability. They handle high temperatures well too. VW/MB have made many turbo engines. Honda did not until the MDX Turbo engine and they wisely made a new oil spec for that engine. The latest VW/MB specs are a move to lowering SAPS for emissions protection. I don't claim to know much about the VW PD engine/oil matter so won't waste anyone's time talking about it.
 
"In all seriousness, what is the reason for all the German car oil specs? Mainly VW/Benz. Why do most domestics and Japanese cars not require more specific specs.?"

If VW/MB made vehicles with a unique level of performance that required unique oils then it'd make more sense, but that doesn't seem to be the case. If the other makes defer to VW/MB for developing new oil specs that they in turn benefit from it might make sense, but still suggests that they might be a model year behind in being able to take adavantage of the new specs, so it's more a case of not making sense. Trying to meet some level of performance with the typical extended drains seems the most likely candidate, as others have suggested.

The other side of the why coin is why aren't Japanese vehicles, with their simpler oil requirements, more popular in Europe ? Some US/domestic vehicles seem popular, but word is that historically they have tended to use thicker oils.
 
Hadn't noticed any US made vehicles giving 45 US gallon mpg on diesel, whilst meeting emission requirements. Design goes back to 1999 intro in Europe. The PD was intended to ensure good control and atomisation, beyond the then capabilities of common rail.
 
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