carson

[carsonharte]

my daughters high mileage (93K) three cylinder 2002 (55) polo has a weird prob with breather system. The 1 cm pipe from the left side rear of cylinder head has sucked flat and has now split. when the pipe was replaced, the car would not start, but seems dependent on getting air in thru the split, it runs fine with the leaky hose in place. The plastic valve downstream seems to be fine, there's no pressure in the crankcase indicating a blockage.... any ideas

[g40jon]

how odd, try resetting the ecu, it may have 'learnt' to run with the split in the breather pipe.
you may be able to reset it by leaving the battery off overnight, or it may need to be done at a garage with vagcom (most decent indipendants will have this facility

[Crasher]

Yes, the ECU has adapted to the air leak and will require a throttle body clean and ECU rematch. Be careful who you take it to for this, if they are not familiar with these engines they can end up running very badly, and then they ring you up and tell you that you need a new Thrust sensor and when that doesn’t cure it, a new EGR valve. Then when that doesn’t fix it, they give up and give it you back running poorly with the check engine light on.

[carsonharte]

Crasher, G40 jon. thanks for the response.
Yesterday, I yanked off the pipe completely, while the engine was running,,, she ran "like a badgers bum" for a few seconds then settled down, on reconnecting, she ran rough again, then settled within seconds....... so maybe we underestimate the ECU's ability to learn and adjust.

I'll have a go with the new pipe this evening when daughter gets home from work and report back... if it works, there will be rejoicing... if not, we'll try resting the ecu overnight without a battery, then if that doesn't work, we'll seek a man with a laptop and a OBD II connector.

By the way, just in caseyou guys think we're all 55 horsepower wimps in this family, my other car is a VR6 and not even petrol at 1.16 will pry it from my cold dead hands.Eldest daughter is wishing her life away until she is 25 and gets on the insurance

best wishes

[carsonharte]

Help.

It just gets worse and worse.

The new tubes are now fitted, they are much thicker walled. The VW dealer tells me it is an upgradded part and they all "suck flat" in older cars, bcause the rubber degrades and loses it's will to live.

The little beast refused to run, but let me clarify that, it refused to idle. My local chap with OBD connector reset everything and no luck.

Having run out of time, i had to go to work, the whole problem was handed over to VW, a pretty decent lot, who loaned me a "fox" for a week, since eldest daughter can't drive my Golf, being too young to insure for a group 15 maniac (much to her disappointment)

After two days of diagnostics (£239) and head scratching, it turns out we have a "light cylinder", apparently a valve problem. Compression is down and the ECU is compensating for that, as best as it can... but the upshot is, she's now running on a fast idle, while I get my head around the proposition that it "needs a head".

I havn't the quote yet, but we're looking at the thick end of a grand for a new one.. fitted. Not the best news for the owner of a well thrashed 2002 motor worth barely more than twice that.

having talked to service manager, he tells me they've had a few like it. some valve guide issue, is all he can tell me. He say's he's had to "do up" a couple of other car's heads, but it didn't work out. Hence he recommends a new head.

Needless to say, I've started looking for a crashed 2002 polo, hoping to severe the head from it's broken body.

I've empowered my local man to look out for one, and quote me for the job.

Question:-- has VW missed something obvious that someone else has come across... I'm still hoping for a quick and cheap fix. Can anyone else confirm that three cylinder polos are prone to needing new heads.

[Crasher]

Valve failure on these is common and if you find a used head, how do you know that won’t fail in a few months? Have a genuine exchange VW head fitted, two year guarantee and peace of mind.

One issue I do get with these is the EGR valve can get very upset after fault code deletion and can need re-adapting to the ECU. A clue to this is if the car produces a MAP/Thrust sensor fault code.

[carsonharte]

I'm tempted, but 50% of the value of the vehicle is a big swallow. What are the odds of getting another bum head... any idea what the failure rate is??

Let me just confirm,,, the EGR valve, if "out of kilter" with ECU, could it confuse a VW tech into thinking there was a light cylinder.

I must say, not at all impressed by this,, I bought the darned thing on the basis of a raft of previous unbustable V dubs, including a 19year old passat estate, that worked like a donkey, that's living out splendid retirement in the hands of my father in law.

has anyone any previous with levering discount out of our german friends for this "known fault"

[Crasher]

I have no idea of a failure ratio and I don’t gamble.

How did they ascertain this was a low compression, did they do an actual compression test?

VW’s are not built how they used to be and the Polo 9N is not a strong car, no matter what the adverts say. The Passat you used to have would have been a type 31 and they were very strong cars but if VAG had kept on building cars like that, they would now be a sub brand of Toyota.

[carsonharte]

I'm afraid I've gone the cheap way, having sourced a head (second hand off a 32K engine (three month guarantee).. gasket set, head bolts etc are winging their way from volkswagenspares.com

The head is £125, gasket set and bolts, new,, plus DHL,, still have change out of 200.

They could have sold me the whole engine for a tad under 350 including P&P..

We'll see how it goes.... Fingers crossed


When oldest daughter is mature enough to slay the insurance dragon, I'm gonna get her a 15 year old mark III GTI and dare her to bust it.

[DFMM]

I'm tempted, but 50% of the value of the vehicle is a big swallow. What are the odds of getting another bum head... any idea what the failure rate is??

Let me just confirm,,, the EGR valve, if "out of kilter" with ECU, could it confuse a VW tech into thinking there was a light cylinder.

I must say, not at all impressed by this,, I bought the darned thing on the basis of a raft of previous unbustable V dubs, including a 19year old passat estate, that worked like a donkey, that's living out splendid retirement in the hands of my father in law.

has anyone any previous with levering discount out of our german friends for this "known fault"

The 12Valve version of your engine ( the AZQ ), as fitted to the skoda HTP, and IBIZA, and some Polo's, is well documented for breaking its cam-chain, when the plastic chain-tensioner parts break-up. VAG brought in a revised kit of parts in 2004, largely altering the plastic parts :-- long guide, similarly long tensioner, which relies on a hydraulic capsule filled with engine-oil, to push the bottom of it. Jumping of the chain often results in alteration of valve timing, often with bent valves.
VAG have been giving good-will payments to owners who have suffered from chain problems, so long as a VAG garage does the work, but they do not seem to have let you know about the history of chain troubles.
You may need to contact Customer Relations to get some help.
I have paid £376 to have my Son's IBIZA ( 03 reg ) fitted with a new chain and the revised plastic parts, including an oil & filter change, using the top grade oil recommended for short-trip use, as I am of the opinion that the capsule is vital in maintaining chain tension, so I will be shelling out £45 to KWIK FIT every 6 months for the fully synthetic MOBIL 1 ESP 5W30 oil + filter change they do.
I don't attract any help from VAG, as I have not waited for a catastrophe.
I got most of my info about VAG problems thr'o SEATCupra.net website.