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62K views 30 replies 5 participants last post by  Hastings 
#1 ·
The engine in my 2010 GTI, with 8000 miles on the clock, failed Thursday. I was driving to work, pulled up next to another car at a stoplight, and heard a "clack clack clack clack" noise and thought it was the other car. Then the light changed and the noise stayed with me. And in the half-mile from there to work, it seemed to be getting worse.

The noise seemed to be coming from the front end of the engine, it was kind of like a playing card in bicycle spokes kind of sound -- it went up in frequency with revs. There was no error code, and the car didn't seem to be missing or be down on power. I didn't see or feel any metallic particles on the dipstick. But it sounded dreadful, like a rod knock, turned bearing, or dropped valve kind of noise.

I had VW Roadside Assistance flat-bed the car from my place of work to the dealership, and they gave me a loaner car. Dropped the car off at 5:00 PM Thursday so no one has looked at it yet. The bad news is that the loaner car is a 2011 Nissan Altima, a white 4-door with a CVT. I hate it. It may say "Nissan" on the badge but it drives like a Buick. But at least I'm not stranded.

Anyone wish to speculate what has failed? What would make that kind of death-racket without throwing an engine code?
 
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#2 ·
To follow up, I called the dealer Friday and they said they pulled the oil pan and it was "full of parts". They've ordered a new long block for my car! Apparently the regional VW service rep will be coming to inspect things.

BTW I haven't been beating on the car, I don't think I've even ever slapped the rev limiter.
 
#4 ·
Wow, so you got a dud! Not typical AT all for any VW engine. They will pull codes and check readiness and such so if you are honest about this and you didn't overrev, they will confirm this. Takes two days to arrive all parts and another two days for installation.
 
#5 ·
Over on the GTI MkVI Forum, one tech replied that there was a small batch of TSI engines with bad main bearings in early 2010 (my car was assembled in March 2010). And another tech said they had a GTI come into the shop with a turned bearing a day after mine broke.

I'm kind of surprised it didn't throw an engine code, wouldn't the change in oil pressure set off an alarm?
 
#7 ·
Well, I said "change" not drop...

Assuming there are enough broken bits in there to make the service manager say "the oilpan was full of parts" (his words not mine), wouldn't something of that magnitude either plug or open an oil galley somewhere?

On the other hand, the car was still running on 4 cylinders last time I started it. Tow truck driver was curious to hear what it was doing so I started it for him, and he immediately shouted "SHUT THAT OFF!" when he heard it. :)

Just out of curiosity, how badly can an engine be mangled and (1) still run well, and (B) not throw a code?
 
#13 ·
I dropped in on the shop today, I was curious to see the oil pan full of debris. But they had already bolted the car back together and stuck it outside waiting for the new engine to arrive. It's coming from New Jersey.

Anyway, contrary to what I was told before about the regional rep coming to supervise, it now seems that no one is the least bit concerned about cause, they just wanna fix it and turf it. There will be no tear-down of the broken engine.

Service Manager said you can't even see the crank when you pull the oil pan, there's a shield or something in the way.

So we're not likely to know anything more about this. They're replacing everything that had sump oil in it - long block, turbo, oil lines to the turbo...

I wonder if this will fix the "noise at 2500 rpm" issue? :)
 
#14 ·
So I had to speak too soon. Got a 2010 CC in today with the same complaint. Odd low end knocking noise. Gonna have to call VW on this one. Sounds like a rod knock but only under accel. Anyway, ill let you guys know what I find.

Yeah, the TSI engine has to have the trans off it to remove the SECOND oil pan to access the crank.
 
#18 ·
All warranty parts are new or reman. If it has an x at the end of the part number its reman. The engine is reman but its so new you can't tell. Hell last engine i did i had to thread the cam cover because vw never did....how's that for reman lol.
 
#19 ·
We disconnected each ignition coil and found #4 coil when disconnected would cause the noise to stop. I removed theDSG trans and removed both oil pans. Found the last main bearing cap bolt broken off in the block. If we cannot extract the bolt then we wil replace the engine more than likely.
 
#21 ·
No idea. But i called vw and they seem to know something ;) I have a few pics later.
 
#23 ·
I've turned into a stalker. Sunday I drove by the shop to see if my car had moved. It hadn't. Did it again today and my car was not visible. Which means it's inside the shop, being worked on!

When I got home there was a message on my machine from the Service Manager that my engine had come in!

If I can be out of this Altima loaner car by Friday I'll be very happy.
 
#26 ·
They called me this morning to say my car is ready, so I went and took delivery.

Their guess is that a camshaft journal failed. The repair order says the noise was coming from cylinder #3.

Anyway, they claim the engine is new, not remanufactured, and the part number on the receipt seems to back that up:

Installed 06J100033T :BASE ENGI
Installed 06J145702KX :EXMANTURBO

And the turbo is remanufactured, it has the "X" at the end of the part number.

The new engine seems smoother and quieter than the old one, and so far there's NO 2500 RPM RATTLE from the wastegate actuator rod. We'll see how long that lasts...

I asked about break-in procedures, and they just said to drive normally. What do you guys think? I've always heard things like no overrevving, no lugging, no cruise control during break-in, you guys got any opinions? Thanks.

Anyway, my ordeal is over, and I've seen the last of the dreaded Altima loaner car.
 
#28 ·
Just installed the customers engine today also. It was reman, however. Drives great! Smooth, quiet, etc. I used the old turbo.....only had 12k on it. Wastegate rattle present lol.
 
#30 ·
Thx for the update. 2012 TSI engines have turbo rattle too ;)
 
#31 ·
I once owner a 2007 GTI on that lost number 2 wrist pin at 65 MPH on the highway in 2009 with 20K miles. The sound was to say the least "loud", leaving bits of engine and oil all over the road. The State police had to close the highway for over 30 minute while all the engine bites were swept to the side and speedy dry applied. All this of course was charged eventually to VW, I'm sure they were not happy.
According the the Service Manager there were a number of engines that were suspect, said there was a service bulletin that instructed them to inspect all 2.0 turbo engines for noise and a possible wrist pin failure. Soon after the engine replacement I traded for a 2010. Happily to report no problems. It is, as with all GTI's it is so much fun.
 
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