Oil Comsumption / Engine Problems with 2010/2011 Cali's

[Spartan]

Was there ever an answer to engine numbers affected or is this a red herring and the real issue is the dodgy EGR breaking up inside and particles thereof wearing the bores?
...

Neither! There is a shoal of red herrings swimming through this issue ...

I've noticed on the FB group a few people are reporting compression test results equal/comparable to that expected for new vehicles, on lower (20k) & higher (60k+) mileage vehicles of varying ages and EGR cooler, even in the presence of high wear metals in oil tests.

I would follow @BerndRos advice but above all, if you buy it, enjoy it (and stop reading threads like this)! Put away the money you 'save' for a rainy day ...

 

[sidepod]

No there was not an answer.

You say the van is a good price, therefore you have some financial protection for if it develops issues in the future ?

As for now, why not see if you can hire it off the owner for the weekend, put 500 miles on the clock, check the oil dipstick and you will know if it's afflicted or not.

If you can negotiate the price of a new motor off the purchase price of the van then simply drive it straight to the nearest dealer and instruct them to put in a new engine. Result - a perfect van at a good price.

 

[Hannah Adams]

That's just terrible. From memory mine was using about a litre of oil every 350 miles, you will recall I had to get really pushy with VWCS in order to get the the new engine etc.

Have done about 5000 miles on new engine and not a drop of oil needed.

Hello

I have just had the same problem with my van and am trying to get pushy with VWCS to get help towards a new engine but am getting nowhere so, I am plymouth too!

H

 

[AlanC]

H

Hello

I have just had the same problem with my van and am trying to get pushy with VWCS to get help towards a new engine but am getting nowhere so, I am plymouth too!

H

Hi Hannah,

I wouldn't hold your breath. BerndRos was the last person I heard of to get any support from VWUK

They have not contributed to any issues regarding the high oil consumption for some time now. As your van is a 2011 it is out of warranty, so this will be their argument.

If you bought from a VW Commercial Vehicle dealer recently, then there may be some 'good will' available here as they will have to honour their own used vehicle warranty. However, if you bought privately, as we did, then there is no 'good will' to be had from any quarter. We ended up paying for a new base engine to be fitted at great expense. The best I got was some discount from the dealer I used, who were very supportive of the situation.

Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news.

Alan

 

[Max-Felix]

Don't expect help from VW. I'd look at asking some good trustworthy VW indies and specialists to source something from a write off maybe?

 

[calicasas]

Hello

I have just had the same problem with my van and am trying to get pushy with VWCS to get help towards a new engine but am getting nowhere so, I am plymouth too!

H

Hi Hannah,
VWCS will do nothing for you. You are better off placing the pressure on the dealer who sold you the van. I asked them constantly what they were going to do about the issue, they kept pushing back to VWCS, but I kept pushing the dealer. Eventually, between the dealer and VWCS they paid for 70% of an D type EGR replacement after my oil analysis showed up bad. We have a 2011 with 30k miles. No oil consumption, just poor oil analysis results. This course of action was advised to me by someone senior in the motor industry.. Might be worth a try. I wish you luck.

 

[AlanC]

Hi Hannah,
VWCS will do nothing for you. You are better off placing the pressure on the dealer who sold you the van. I asked them constantly what they were going to do about the issue, they kept pushing back to VWCS, but I kept pushing the dealer. Eventually, between the dealer and VWCS they paid for 70% of an D type EGR replacement after my oil analysis showed up bad. We have a 2011 with 30k miles. No oil consumption, just poor oil analysis results. This course of action was advised to me by someone senior in the motor industry.. Might be worth a try. I wish you luck.

How long ago was this?

Alan

 

[RodCouncil]

Can someone remind me how to check for a Type C or D EGR?

 

[markh]

Hi

Look downwards at the front of the engine (see images). Next to the oil filter is a sticker with details of the cooler. At the end of the part number there is a letter. This denotes the revision. It's either A, C, D or nothing.

Mark

 

[RodCouncil]

Hi

Look downwards at the front of the engine (see images). Next to the oil filter is a sticker with details of the cooler. At the end of the part number there is a letter. This denotes the revision. It's either A, C, D or nothing.

Mark

Thanks Mark, this vehicle is type A, so ok?

2012 bus

 

[markh]

Yes, this one's an A, but not OK. Only D is regarded as OK and even that is debatable. D supposedly has a coating on the cooler fins to stop them corroding. However, I suspect, if the coating exists at all, it will only delay the corrosion. The D revision hasn't really been around for long enough to see how much of an improvement it is.

 

[Mr T]

Does anyone know when type D made it's way into new vehicles, roughly?

 

[RodCouncil]

How does one discern the engine code and potentially EGR from the log book I have been sent?



I have the chassis no now from log

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yft1831h5p8hjaj/edition_log.jpg?dl=0

 

[RodCouncil]

looks like it's a type A

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yft1831h5p8hjaj/edition_log.jpg?dl=0

This van is 2013 Edition Comfortline, surely this is ok?

 

[2into1]

Your first picture shows you have the cfca engine, which is the type potentially hit with this problem (in box 3, under the 132kw).
As far as I know, you need to look at the cooler itself to establish which version is fitted. I've not seen anyone try and do it through the codes. Even if it's possible, the cooler could have been replaced with a more modern one since production.

 

[RodCouncil]

Your first picture shows you have the cfca engine, which is the type potentially hit with this problem (in box 3, under the 132kw).
As far as I know, you need to look at the cooler itself to establish which version is fitted. I've not seen anyone try and do it through the codes. Even if it's possible, the cooler could have been replaced with a more modern one since production.

It's a Type A and confirmed on the FB group, the issue is if the damage is done I'd find it out driving back from Germany to Sweden. 2013 with 90,000km, 4M so not sure if that adds more strain. Full VW history with 15k intervals on service.

I have updated my buying advice thread

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/buying-advice-on-type-a-egr.20342/

 

[WelshGas]

It's a Type A and confirmed on the FB group, the issue is if the damage is done I'd find it out driving back from Germany to Sweden. 2013 with 90,000km, 4M so not sure if that adds more strain. Full VW history with 15k intervals on service.

I have updated my buying advice thread

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/buying-advice-on-type-a-egr.20342/

VW admitted there was a problem with the 180 engines fitted in MY 2010/11 due to a production fault. All the internet chatter is circumstantial without any causal link, certainly for any vehicle post 2011 MY.
Comments made on that group are laughable. No comparison oil tests with non affected vehicles and I don't think there is an engine ever made where some had high oil usage and others low with the majority having moderate. There are so many variables involved. Boy racer/ granny driver/ load Luger/ long distance/ commuter etc.
The decision is yours ultimately but if it was a widespread problem then there would be more than one small FB group.

 

[RodCouncil]

EGR in the same place on 140?

 

[WelshGas]

No.

 

[AlanC]

I would suggest 886 members of the Facebook group is not a small number. Admittedly many may not have the problem ...yet. But they are concerned enough to join.

The problem of the Bi Turbo engine is internal. Corrosion of the internal aluminum of the EGR cooler cannot be down the the way a vehicle is driven. And before you say this is not proven, a number of these coolers have been cut open and the corrosion is available for all to see on the group pages.

Our van, admittedly was an ex-hire one, but serviced regularly as a result. I drove it with care but after 2 years it drank oil at 350mls to a litre, kicking in very suddenly at 86k miles. We struggled on, feeding it with oil, for 12 months before it gave up and went into limp mode on the way up to the North East of England. The only solution was a new base engine last December at a cost of over £7k. As retirees, paid for from savings which we had earmarked for other things and will never get back.

VWUK couldn't have been more UNhelpful.

Both Breeze in Poole and Heritage in Bristol were as supportive, as far as they could be.

Many owners have had oil analysis together with compression tests done and found that the oil contains high quantities of aluminum in the oil. Usually one or two cylinders are excessively worn as well.

I personally think it is only a matter of time before all of these engines fail due the same problem.

If asked, I say avoid them and look at a 140bhp version of the T5. This has a stainless steel EGR and cooler which will not corrode.

Alan

 

[RodCouncil]

Does anyone know when Type EGR's started to appear on Calis?

 

[WelshGas]

I would suggest 886 members of the Facebook group is not a small number. Admittedly many may not have the problem ...yet. But they are concerned enough to join.

The problem of the Bi Turbo engine is internal. Corrosion of the internal aluminum of the EGR cooler cannot be down the the way a vehicle is driven. And before you say this is not proven, a number of these coolers have been cut open and the corrosion is available for all to see on the group pages.

Our van, admittedly was an ex-hire one, but serviced regularly as a result. I drove it with care but after 2 years it drank oil at 350mls to a litre, kicking in very suddenly at 86k miles. We struggled on, feeding it with oil, for 12 months before it gave up and went into limp mode on the way up to the North East of England. The only solution was a new base engine last December at a cost of over £7k. As retirees, paid for from savings which we had earmarked for other things and will never get back.

VWUK couldn't have been more UNhelpful.

Both Breeze in Poole and Heritage in Bristol were as supportive, as far as they could be.

Many owners have had oil analysis together with compression tests done and found that the oil contains high quantities of aluminum in the oil. Usually one or two cylinders are excessively worn as well.

I personally think it is only a matter of time before all of these engines fail due the same problem.

If asked, I say avoid them and look at a 140bhp version of the T5. This has a stainless steel EGR and cooler which will not corrode.

Alan

And you have a 2010 vehicle, and you can extrapolate from that to include ALL CFCA engines and FB group members are even mentioning the T6 204 as well.

 

[T5.1 Yorkie]

First post on this forum.

I have a 2010 T5.1 Kombi. 180 DSG. Not a Cali but same engine and we're sharing the pain.

I bought it from a friend at 53000 miles. He was not aware of the oil issue. Neither was I at first.

On my first major journey at 54000 I was shocked when the oil warning light came on. That was a year ago. I kept an eye on things as advised by my VWC dealer. They first suggested it may be the turbo oil seals but this has been ruled out.

This year I did 3000 miles around Europe and used 11 litres of oil. It's only done 65000 miles. I've been in touch with the dealer who's asked me to drive as far as I can before the light comes on and to take a photo of the instrument cluster.

It's a version A EGR dated 2014 so must have been replaced.

I was also persuaded to move from the long life service.

I'm currently getting good advice and support from my dealer.

I'm advised by an engine specialist that a rehone and new rings would be around £1500 plus VAT. £2200 plus VAT for a rebore which I assume would include new liners but need to check.

Really would like to know for certain what has caused this so I can make decisions.

 

[calicasas]

How long ago was this?

Alan

Hi Alan, this work was carried out in June 2017... I had been pestering the dealer since about April 2017...

 

[AlanC]

Hi Alan, this work was carried out in June 2017... I had been pestering the dealer since about April 2017...

You did well.

My problem was that we bought privately, so there was no dealer support, although Breeze were as helpful as they could be. At the end of the day VWUK says no.

Alan