Mk5 GT 2.0TDI BKD Engine shake at idle

[FrenchToGerman]

Hi all, hoping for some help with the BKD engine in my golf basically I have the common shake/judder at idle. The cars been doing it for quite a while but I plan on doing some maintanence and freshening up of the car soon as I plan to keep it for a few more years and this problem is always something that has bugged me about the car and would like to try and fix it if possible.

I have heard about it possibly being an EGR issue or timing, injectors, cracked head? but I’m not really sure where to start, If anyone could point me in the right direction that would be great.

Probably worth mentioning that the DMF has been replaced so it’s definitely engine related and not the flywheel.

[Crasher]

Firstly, check the software version of the ECU is the optimized level to deal with this issues, I can help you on this if you mail me your reg number. Then check for fault code, then that the cam timing is perfect, and I mean perfect. Then check the "torsion value" with the engine running, this needs to be as near 0 as possible. Then the injector balances need checking, anything over +/-1 at any point is too much, even though the spec says 2.88. I like to see it less than 0.5. Check that the fuel filter is not contaminated with engine oil, if it is clean the system right out from tank to head and fit a new tandem pump. Make sure the in tank lift pump is running and that the fuel lines are not reversed. Then have the compressions check but this is quite difficult on the BKD and requires special adapters, don't re-use the old glow plugs. With the cam cover off, check the injector lifter lobes and the injector stoke setting. If all this fails then you are left with injectors and these need to be top quality so either genuine at £2602.60 a set or Bosch which typically cost around £2150 a set BUT you have to account for the surcharge and return postage costs. Even after all this it could still wobble and shudder!

[FrenchToGerman]

Hi, so finally got around to doing some maintenance on the car and have started to check things over, anyway removed the cam cover to get a look at the cams and noticed straight away that the exhaust side cam looks to have slipped, the bolts are all the way to the left and you can see a mark where the bolts used to be, inlet side the bolts are just off centre to the left.. i'm guessing they should be a pretty close match to eachother?

[FrenchToGerman]

Ok, so I have adjusted the exhaust side cam back to where the marks were that its slipped from and its running smoother so far, need to check with vcds to see what the values are like but it definitely seems to have made a nice improvement which is good!

[Crasher]

Did you take any pictures?

[Mudchute]

Hi there, how did you get on with this?

I've had the same problem so went ahead with a belt change. I used the correct tooling and cycled the enge several times to ensure I had the cams synced together however I still have a slight wobble at idle when warm but it has improved.

My Torsion value was 0.5 prior to the belt change and it now varies between 0.5 and 0.0 following the change today.

From what I've read it seems advancing the exhaust cam a degeree or two is the remedy, Before the change my lph was 0.4 but now its mostly 0.6 but occasionally you'll see 0.4 again.

Can anyone help at all?