Piston slap and Cobalt Dream Machine, it' not good!

I don't know where to start really except to say our car has piston slap and drinks a lot of oil and has done since buying it. In 12k miles she's drunk 4 and a half litres of oil. I'm gutted really and don't know what to do with the car? The noise concerned has been there since we bought her but it was so small that i just put it down to a worn top end hence why i've been looking for a cheap head and considering a top end rebuild lately thinking the valve guides are the reason she uses so much oil.

If you've read my thread on the car "Cobalt Dream Machine" she ran out of oil on the way home after buying and has drunk it ever since although i've been keeping that quiet telling only a couple people on here. I was hoping it would go away but looking back now the mot test a few months back was telling as it really struggled to get a pass. It's been diagnosed by Rob of Wom Automotive at the A2 meal in Birmingham the other week and the the mechanic who did our cam belt change today, who's a time served Vag tech master technician. I didn't expect this to be the case but sadly it has been confirmed. :(
 
Sorry to read this Mark. I know how much you love this car and that you have significantly lavished time and effort to improve it over the past few months. I hope it can be rescued cost effectively.
 
It is annoying and expensive but after all the work you've done on your dream machine you could now fit a shiny new engine - or even a used or reconditioned one?
One it is sorted I think you will feel happy about it. I think we all will be facing this at some point - I'm on 156,000 miles (Tdi 75hp) and I suspect at some point engine and/or gearbox will demand replacement.
 
It is annoying and expensive but after all the work you've done on your dream machine you could now fit a shiny new engine - or even a used or reconditioned one?
One it is sorted I think you will feel happy about it. I think we all will be facing this at some point - I'm on 156,000 miles (Tdi 75hp) and I suspect at some point engine and/or gearbox will demand replacement.

If you change the oil regularly and use the correct oil you are unlikely to need to do anything on the TDI engine for at least double the miles that yours as done so far. As for the gearbox, I suggest changing the oil every 100,000 miles and that to should last the 300,000 miles with ease. I personally have a TDI (AMF Engine) with 288,200 miles on it. The clutch was replaced (first time) at 272K and the engine and box have never been touched other than water pump/timing belt/tensions every 5 years. Honestly it drives no differently from a car with 1/3 of the miles on it. The CV joints were replaced last year all 4 for £58 delivered and 1/2 a days spanner work, owe and one front and one rear wheel bearing.

Worry not about miles on the TDI's
Cheers,
 
Thanks for the well wishes chaps, nothings imminent but i do need to look at what's possible and weigh up the costs. Just a thought, ours is a 1.4 petrol sport so what would be involved in converting it to a 1.6 fsi?

I can see i'd need an ecu,complete engine/gearbox ,engine wiring loom, springs shocks, rear caliper conversion and exhaust.

Would these parts be the same?

Front struts (just different inserts, ie shocks ) and springs
Anti roll bar
drop links
top mounts
front brakes
internal wiring loom
 
Really sorry to hear that Mark, I had no idea otherwise it would not of been sold. I could of donated lots of parts from my breaker FSi but unfortunately it has now gone. I will keep a look out for any conversion parts or a cheap 1.4 engine with provenance.
 
Thanks for the well wishes chaps, nothings imminent but i do need to look at what's possible and weigh up the costs. Just a thought, ours is a 1.4 petrol sport so what would be involved in converting it to a 1.6 fsi?

I can see i'd need an ecu,complete engine/gearbox ,engine wiring loom, springs shocks, rear caliper conversion and exhaust.

Would these parts be the same?

Front struts (just different inserts, ie shocks ) and springs
Anti roll bar
drop links
top mounts
front brakes
internal wiring loom

Anti roll, drop links, top mounts, front brakes are all the same. If doing a 1.6 conversion use the polo 1.6 16v engine from the GTI. Quite straightforward apparently, more reliable and a lot more power.
 
Thanks for the well wishes chaps, nothings imminent but i do need to look at what's possible and weigh up the costs. Just a thought, ours is a 1.4 petrol sport so what would be involved in converting it to a 1.6 fsi?

I can see i'd need an ecu,complete engine/gearbox ,engine wiring loom, springs shocks, rear caliper conversion and exhaust.

Would these parts be the same?

Front struts (just different inserts, ie shocks ) and springs
Anti roll bar
drop links
top mounts
front brakes
internal wiring loom

LOL - Don't let Tom see you saying this ...

Seriously, unless you need the extra power I wouldn't bother, the FSI's are great engines when running properly, but unless you're handy with a spanner and have expertise in the FSIs they can be very draining on the wallet. The 1.4 petrol is great little engine, albeit rather wheezy on a run.

I agree with most sentiments above, it would be a real shame to give up on your car, especially now you've spent so much time on it.

Have a look at Project X as an example of how poorly engined cars can be brought back from the dead, and made great again. Wifey is very happy with this motor, and I occasionally look jealously on her heated washers, and OSS.
 
Really sorry to hear that Mark, I had no idea otherwise it would not of been sold. I could of donated lots of parts from my breaker FSi but unfortunately it has now gone. I will keep a look out for any conversion parts or a cheap 1.4 engine with provenance.

Thanks James, it's just one of those things, these engines are a bit noisy anyway so unless either of us were experts which we're not how could we have known? You only drove it 2 weeks so again how could you have known about the oil issue. We both love the car as you know so i think we will do our best to keep the car alive with help from the forum especially being so rare with it's twist sports leather and factory fitted options. Hopefully a replacement engine turns up that's ideal, if you could keep a look out i'm all ears. Cheers Mark.
 
LOL - Don't let Tom see you saying this ...

Seriously, unless you need the extra power I wouldn't bother, the FSI's are great engines when running properly, but unless you're handy with a spanner and have expertise in the FSIs they can be very draining on the wallet. The 1.4 petrol is great little engine, albeit rather wheezy on a run.

I agree with most sentiments above, it would be a real shame to give up on your car, especially now you've spent so much time on it.

Have a look at Project X as an example of how poorly engined cars can be brought back from the dead, and made great again. Wifey is very happy with this motor, and I occasionally look jealously on her heated washers, and OSS.

Does Tom frown at things that aren't original or would it be Lol because he would be the man to sort out the ECU swap? It's a difficult one this as we always wanted a 1.6 fsi but have grown to love the 1.4 BBY. Opportunities might present themselves so i can't say which way this will go. Having extra power and better fuel economy would be great from a latter vag engines who knows.

Anyway,...... how do you manage without the heated skooshes? It's not an executive car with skooshes! Lol

I've typed in the search for Project X and can't find it,Have you the link? Cheers.
 
Anti roll, drop links, top mounts, front brakes are all the same. If doing a 1.6 conversion use the polo 1.6 16v engine from the GTI. Quite straightforward apparently, more reliable and a lot more power.


Have you got any links for this conversion Steve that i could look at and what engine code would that be and from what year it first appeared?
 
Mark, see link below to Project X.

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?34067-Project-54-(or-Project-X)-Maritius-Blue

I believe Jeremy is referring to the FSI conversion rather than a non-stock set-up. The FSI is seen as a no-go area and I understand why, unless you have a peach of a car and/or deep wallets. I hopefully have the former, not requiring the latter.

Does Tom frown at things that aren't original or would it be Lol because he would be the man to sort out the ECU swap? It's a difficult one this as we always wanted a 1.6 fsi but have grown to love the 1.4 BBY. Opportunities might present themselves so i can't say which way this will go. Having extra power and better fuel economy would be great from a latter vag engines who knows.

Anyway,...... how do you manage without the heated skooshes? It's not an executive car with skooshes! Lol

I've typed in the search for Project X and can't find it,Have you the link? Cheers.
 
Mark, see link below to Project X.

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?34067-Project-54-(or-Project-X)-Maritius-Blue

I believe Jeremy is referring to the FSI conversion rather than a non-stock set-up. The FSI is seen as a no-go area and I understand why, unless you have a peach of a car and/or deep wallets. I hopefully have the former, not requiring the latter.

You missed an opportunity to pull my leg Darren,i should have remembered Project X as i liked evey single post! Lol. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for yours but i'm very much tending to think it's a peach! :)
 
Alternatively called Project 54, there's a clickable link in my signature below. :)

The polo engine seems to be a route that's been talked about by others, so if you're up for a challenge and don't mind having it off the road for a while it might not be a bad route to take :)


I'm tempted but which polo engine are you referring to?????

I've read your project x again sounded good the first time, and you were lucky with the way it turned out. I kept all the parts of our car from yesterdays cam belt and water pump job and the water pump in our car could be the original as it's stamped 2003. :eek:

All tensioners are stamped INA (INA being factory original) and all in good condition. So i'm just wondering if only the belt was done on ours?!
 
I'm tempted but which polo engine are you referring to?????

I've read your project x again sounded good the first time, and you were lucky with the way it turned out. I kept all the parts of our car from yesterdays cam belt and water pump job and the water pump in our car could be the original as it's stamped 2003. :eek:

All tensioners are stamped INA (INA being factory original) and all in good condition. So i'm just wondering if only the belt was done on ours?!

:) Thanks for the compliments on the progress of Project 54/X - I think you're confusing me with somebody who is at all technical ;) I'm quite happy to have a moniker of a mechanical numpty, as most people who know me would probably attest to. I'm perfectly happy to give Marcus (at WOM) all the credit for actually finding out what went wrong, and fixing it at a very reasonable rate, then Tom for fixing up the BOSE etc etc.

So, as to which engine to go for, I can only really go on the hearsay that the Polo GTi engine seems to be the common one, I'm afraid I have no ideas as to which exact engine code or model variant is ideal I can't help. I know somebody on FB Group is doing the conversion, but I don't believe they have actually started yet and are running around in the Polo at the moment.
 
After some thought i've decided to not mess around with the car as it's a daily and my pockets aren't deep enough so if i can appeal to anyones better natures i'm seriously looking for a 1.4 BBY petrol engine with low miles and provenance of it's service history.This is a special car to us and we're looking for an excellent replacement engine. There are a few on eBay but i'd rather not unless one can be found on there with papers to match with a very good service history. Please keep your ears open and let me know if any of you come across anything suitable.

Thanks Mark.
 
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