Golf 118 TSI Engine Failures and Service Campaign 24S4

[Bel]

I would expect the smoke to b the result of a combustion issue, not a gear shifting transmission issue.

Agreed.. seems weird that the transmission would have anything to do with the car blowing smoke.. but hey if thats a fix for it then I want it done!

[regu]

I was told that the mechatronic (if faulty) is selecting the wrong gear and therefore the wrong amount of fuel is injected causing the sound (trying to up/down shift) and the fuel not burned properly causing the plume of black smoke. This is what the tech explained to me (if I remember correctly)

[Sentinel]

Alternatively, shortening the spark plug gap to 0.70mm - 0.75mm overcomes the problem entirely. Doing this also leads to a much smoother and calmer running engine. The nearest the dealer can do is fit the new 1.4TSI 118Kw revised NGK plug 03C 905 601A VW have introduced. (NGK - PZFR6R8EG) which has a plug gap of 0.80mm. This is because dealers do not gap plugs on fitting.

I have a very similar problem, so I may end up needing these plugs. Can I (or my non-VW mechanic) buy them directly from an NGK dealer?

I haven't been able to find the NGK part number for this plug. The closest I can get so far is the plug for the 90TSI engine - which of course is not the same. That's a PZFR6R. A set of those costs about $100, so I expect the new ones would be about the same if I buy them from NGK and not Volkswagen.

Can anyone help?

[cktsi]

I have a very similar problem, so I may end up needing these plugs. Can I (or my non-VW mechanic) buy them directly from an NGK dealer?

I haven't been able to find the NGK part number for this plug. The closest I can get so far is the plug for the 90TSI engine - which of course is not the same. That's a PZFR6R. A set of those costs about $100, so I expect the new ones would be about the same if I buy them from NGK and not Volkswagen.

Can anyone help?

Just purchase them from a vw service centre. Phone around a few for the best price though. Its surprising that prices vary between dealers

[Lucas_R]

I have a very similar problem, so I may end up needing these plugs. Can I (or my non-VW mechanic) buy them directly from an NGK dealer?

I haven't been able to find the NGK part number for this plug. The closest I can get so far is the plug for the 90TSI engine - which of course is not the same. That's a PZFR6R. A set of those costs about $100, so I expect the new ones would be about the same if I buy them from NGK and not Volkswagen.

Can anyone help?

Its the same spark plug as used in the 90TSI. Its just that it has "8EG" added to the end of the part number which means they are gapped to 0.8mm. Just get the normal ones and re-gap them to 0.8mm. VW will charge you a leg and 2 children if you buy them through the dealer.

1x NGK Platinum Spark Plug PZFR6R (575 | eBay

[Sentinel]

Thanks for the advice.

My local mechanic says the computer indicates that Cylinder No. 1 is misfiring at speeds of under 3000 RPM, computer error code P0301 - and it's a VW problem that he can't fix.

I'm taking my vehicle in for warranty service today, so I'll see what the dealer's techs have to say. Unfortunately they have a one-and-a-half week waiting list, and no loan cars available. However, I don't want to drive the car any further than strictly necessary while the engine warning light is on.

[cktsi]

Its the same spark plug as used in the 90TSI. Its just that it has "8EG" added to the end of the part number which means they are gapped to 0.8mm. Just get the normal ones and re-gap them to 0.8mm. VW will charge you a leg and 2 children if you buy them through the dealer.

1x NGK Platinum Spark Plug PZFR6R (575 | eBay

Just out of interest, if anyone decides to go DYI in replacing the plugs, is there a special tool required to remove leads etc?

I remember trying to replace the plugs on my dad's VS commodore and i didnt realise i damaged the leads which were made of some carbon compound. Apparently even that car had a special tool for plug removal. In the end we had to buy new leads and have a qualified mechanic install the new leads.

[RW1]

To remove the spark plugs, the coil packs have to be removed using the Coil Pack Removal Tool T10094A. What ever is the equivalent of £35 UK prices to the A$.

Without it, it is very difficult as the first time, the Coil Packs will held in with thick solid grease used for moisture protection which makes extraction very difficult. It is not advisable to try and pry the Coil Packs out as they will be damaged. Secondly No.1 cylinder Coil Pack is very awkward to remove without the correct extraction tool T10094A or equivalent 3rd party tool.

Plugs just need a long reach extension bar on the standard small plug socket. 25Nm tightening torque.

Transfer as much of the grease as you can to the new plugs. Aids coil pack extraction as well as moisture blocking. Its very expensive high temperature white grease - G052 141 A2 (20g tube).

[Sentinel]

My ongoing 118TSI story:

On 9/11/12 I booked the vehicle in to the service department of a major VW dealer in Sydney. That same day, I was informed that electronic diagnosis had revealed lack of compression on Cylinder No.1, and that the engine would need to be disassembled for further examination. Since it was in a queue, it could be a couple of weeks before that could be done.

I asked if I could get a loan car during that period, but the dealer told me they were all booked out. However, they mentioned that Volkswagen Customer Care might be able to provide a loaner while I waited.

So I rang VW Customer Care. They told me that they might be able to provide a loan car, but before they could, an authorised VW service mechanic would have to certify that the vehicle needed extensive service. I replied that the car was currently with an authorised VW service mechanic, who had informed me that the engine would need to be disassembled, and that this couldn't happen for at least a week and a half. VWCC informed me that they needed confirmation from the mechanic.

So, back to the dealer's mechanic again. It's a big dealer, you'd recognise the name. The mechanic promised to get in touch with VWCC so I could get a loan car. More than once.

Fast forward two and a half weeks. Still no action from the mechanic, still promises to ask VWCC for a loan car, still no loan car. I called VW Customer Care again, and this time I was answered by a fellow called 'Nathan'. He was the first person who actually helped, and I hope his supervisor is reading this.

It turned out that the prominent Sydney VW dealership, despite its repeated promises, had not contacted VW Customer Care at all. Nor, after more than two weeks, had their mechanics actually opened the engine for further examination. Nathan contacted them, and they explained that the bloke assigned to my car was sick, but he'd be back the next day to pull apart the engine and authorise a loan car.

Guess what? Next day that guy was still sick, and there was no loan car authorisation. But Nathan managed to do something, and arranged for a loan car the day after that. It's a nice car - a top-of-the-line Nissan X-Trail with leather seats and automatic adjustment, among other things. Finally, I have wheels again, and I'm happy - patiently waiting for the dealer's service centre to do something. The Nissan is a nice car, but in many ways its finish and presentation falls short of the Golf Comfortline - and it uses about 40% more petrol!

After the first day, for all this time, I had received no communication from the dealer at all. Just silence. Everything I learned about the progress of my car was only a result of my calling them, or someone else, such as Nathan, calling them. Not terribly impressive from the perspective of customer relations.

So, two days ago - exactly four weeks after my 118TSI engine broke down, I called the dealer's service department again. The person who answered was very polite, helpful and informative. He told me that the engine had been pulled apart, and had suffered damage from pre-detonation. It would be reassembled with new pistons, rings, and injectors, which hadn't yet been delivered.

I talked a bit about this, mentioning that I'd only ever used 98RON petrol in the car. This mechanic said that Australian "98" petrol was usually closer to 96RON in real life. Though, the manual says, the 118TSI can run on 95RON - so I don't think the petrol grade should have been a problem.

Anyway, the upshot is that in a week or two, I should have the car back, with many new engine parts and a two-year warranty on the engine service. I'll have to run it in and treat it as a new engine. Also, it will have the latest software upgrade for the DSG.

Does anyone have suggestions about what I should do when I get it back? I love this car, and I don't want it to break down like this again.

Is there any way to prevent pre-detonation, gearbox shudder, and the other problems that seemingly plague this model? Is it worth while getting the APR Stage 1 upgrade, or the aftermarket DSG upgrade, or different spark plugs? Is any brand of "98 octane" fuel better than another?

Any advice would be appreciated. Also, I'm reading through various threads to see what other forum members have to say.

If you've read this far, thank you for your attention.

[Ryan_R]

Your welcome

Sad to hear about your car (what year is it?) and the dealer experiences (it wasn't Chatswood, was it?).

If bad petrol was in fact the problem, then don't go for Stage 1 since that absolutely requires 98-RON. If you're in the middle of nowhere and have to fill up with 95-RON you're advised to turn off the tune.

I haven't had engine problems (only once I got a misfire error but no problems since), but have battling with the DSG and after spending quite a bit of money have got it running very nicely. As you say you wonder whether to upgrade and avoid any potential future issues but then the thought of leaving that fantastic twin charged engine (asp when running Stage 1) seems unbearable.