# How hard is it to work on this engine?



## BuPsychBass (Jan 23, 2008)

Like the title says. I'm gonna be picking up a b5 passat wagon and i want to get an idea for how hard it is to work on this engine. im coming from an 8v 2.0 so am i in for anything drastically more difficult? 

also, is there a timing belt or chain on this engine? im sure i'll be picking up the bentley shortly, but i dont have it yet. 

doesn't look like this forum gets much traffic so I'm hoping that means this is a fairly reliable engine...


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

Well, it's more time-consuming than your 8V, and there's less room to work with, which can add some frustration, but with the right tools, I'm sure you'll be fine. And, obviously, 30 > 8, so if you're taking apart the valvetrain...

It's a timing belt. Blauparts, ECS, and a few other places sell timing belt kits with full instructions. Blauparts rents a cam locking bar that makes the job pretty much idiot-proof. Overall the engine is pretty solid. The biggest issues are the cam chain tensioner, which doesn't really fail more often than on other VWs, but it is inexplicably more expensive, and there are two of them, and the PCV hoses and valve have a tendency of clogging/cracking/failing, which eventually causes your valve cover to leak if you don't take care of it. If properly maintained though, you shouldn't have much in the way of engine trouble. The drivetrain and suspension on the other hand...


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## BuPsychBass (Jan 23, 2008)

That bad huh? Where are the trouble spots? Does it make a difference if it's 4mo? Probably makes it worse if I had to guess....


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

1. Front control arms. *Do not *replace them one by one. There are kits you can buy online with all 8 CAs, tie-rod ends, bushings, ball-joints, sway bar links, and full instructions, for about $500. Get a case of beer and a buddy, and spend the day gutting it.

2. Rear wheel bearings. Easy job, and not expensive, but needs doing with unusually high frequency.

3. At that age, the engine/trans/diff mounts are probably getting sloppy. Check for a *thump* when you lightly tap the gas and release quickly at highway speed. The snub, centre, and rear diff mounts are easy enough to replace IIRC, and usually the ones that go bye bye.

4. Check that the steering fluid isn't red/pink/ATF. The rack seals don't like it. It should be clear/yellowish/greenish. The rack is a beeeyotch to swap.

5. Keep an eye on the exhaust. I don't know what emissions testing is like where you are, but you do not want to have to replace the catpipes with OEM. They're probably worth more than the car, and cheaper aftermarket ones may or may not pass an emissions test.

6. If you do fail an emissions test, make sure you have the software update (need to go to a dealer) before replacing any parts or sensors.

7. Electronic gremlins are a problem with any car that age. I never had problems with mine, but others have had problems with the trans. controller (autotragic, obviously), ABS controller (cheap "fix": disconnect the wheel sensors), and LCD display (button under the stalk turns it off).

That's about all I can think of. I think all of these issues (and more) are covered somewhere in this forum. There are a few DIYs, but not that many. Audizine is a better source for those -- the B5 Passat and A4 are practically identical.


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## BuPsychBass (Jan 23, 2008)

as bad as all that sounds, its still not near the hell ive gone through with my golf. it is autotragic, but it has to be, my wife cries every time she has to try and drive my 5 speed... so its just not a conversations i want to keep having with her. 

thanks for the tip on the steering fluid. i'm sure i will have spend some time this summer replacing fluids. as a result i will probably be a regular here. I'll try and snap pictures as i go to build up the DIY's. like you said... not much here.


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

It's not as bad as it sounds. With the exception of the exhaust, the rest is relatively inexpensive. And I forgot the cheapest and easiest fix of all: the coolant temp. sensor.

If you don't already have one, I recommend getting yourself an OBD scanner. VAG-COM is expensive, but you can use it to sample and log specific channels, which sometimes makes it worth the $200. I don't think the sample rate is high enough to use it as an ignition scope though.


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## BuPsychBass (Jan 23, 2008)

You weren't kidding... this is one tight ass engine bay. BUT when it comes time to change a headlight I dont have to take out the whole battery assembly like the 2.0.


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

I had my Passat for 10 years..100K miles...lucky 4 me it was a 2000 and I bought it new..so I got most of my engine work done under VW's then 10year/100K powertrain warranty...
water pump let go at 48K..due to timing belt tensioner failure which overtensioned belt and blew WP bearing...so VW gave me whole new TB set up along with WP....Then at about 80K..oil leaks like mad..I had already replaced the whole PCV system (which Audi/VW said must be done B4 they'd honor oil leak claims)...so I got new cam seals, chain tensioners and of course valve cover gaskets from VW. Work I did on motor:
plugs a couple of times, the PCV system and all the tiny vaccum hoses (replace the vaccum hoses for the "kombi valves" with VW's retro kit..beefier hose fittings etc) since all these parts get a lot of engine heat and age and crack. If you lose vaccum you'll get a CEL and a code "secondary air injection low flow"..because kombi's won't open to let in the SAI to the exhaust manifolds....Took me a couple of hours to do all these lines. Replaced the serp belt and tensioner..kinda a betch and if you have arms like Popeye you'll need to move nose of car into "workshop position" I got away w/o doing that. Same for front motor mount...that cracks and the motor flops up and down as you hit throttle...VW has new (light colored) uprated mount..cheap but a pita to change w/o moving nose of car (so change it if you do TB job and pull car nose forward). Both the antifreeze and power steering fluid (Pentosin 11sh) are special for this motor...so don't use cheapo stuff from Walmart..get real deal or you'll mess up the motor.
I too went thru suspension..twice...many report control arm failures at under 40K miles..so get the kit and be done with em..unless you rack up another 50K miles!....Motor was rock solid except for the issues I mentioned....pulled like a horse till I sold the car.:thumbup: And no turbo issues!!!:thumbup:


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## BuPsychBass (Jan 23, 2008)

Yeah, it was the turbo issues that scared me away from the 1.8's in the first place. Everybody keeps mentioning PCV replacement... I don't even know what the components of that system look like! Ha. Anyways, I just bought the car a week ago, I'm have the TB and water pump done next week, should I have them replace the motor mount while they are in there? I need the drivers side upper control arm replaced as well, he said everything else looked solid for the suspension (got lucky I guess). So far this car is much more solid than the golf I just replaced. Time to pickup the Bentley.


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

Make sure you are gettin a real TB job done...some shops quote low numbers and don't replace everything!....Here's the list:
TB...duh its a "timing belt job":what:
tensioner
tensioner and idler rollers
waterpump
thermostat
cam seals
serp belt and tensioner
front "snub" motor mount
all this stuff requires you to move the front of the car for access which is why TB jobs on these cars are more expensive than the transverse VW set up....you DONT wanna have any of these crap out on yu after doing the TB. Furthermore, if waterpump or tensioner or rollers fail they take TB with 'em and that means $$$$$ repair job on bent valves..and this motor has 30 of those babies ...these are once in 75K mile replacements and should be done all at once!:thumbup:


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## O_o (Nov 12, 2009)

BuPsychBass said:


> I need the drivers side upper control arm replaced as well, he said everything else looked solid for the suspension (got lucky I guess).


Nooooooooooo! Wait until a couple more go (you won't be waiting long), and then do the whole shebang. Doing just one is a complete waste of $$$$.

And X2 to what spit said about the TB job.


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## BuPsychBass (Jan 23, 2008)

O_o said:


> Nooooooooooo! Wait until a couple more go (you won't be waiting long), and then do the whole shebang. Doing just one is a complete waste of $$$$.
> 
> And X2 to what spit said about the TB job.


Fair enough. Sometimes I hate buying cars through dealers cause then you have no idea when service was done. When I had my mechanic (whom I trust COMPLETELY) shake it down for me he said that it was just the one control arm that was "completely shot" but the rest were fine. That was my reasoning behind doing just one. I have my guess that the guy before me replaced them 1 at a time. 

I will ask my guy what he replaces when he does the TB job. He even said to me "there are a couple other things we do while we're in there" so he may be on a similar page.


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## BuPsychBass (Jan 23, 2008)

BuPsychBass said:


> Fair enough. Sometimes I hate buying cars through dealers cause then you have no idea when service was done. When I had my mechanic (whom I trust COMPLETELY) shake it down for me he said that it was just the one control arm that was "completely shot" but the rest were fine. That was my reasoning behind doing just one. I have my guess that the guy before me replaced them 1 at a time.
> 
> I will ask my guy what he replaces when he does the TB job. He even said to me "there are a couple other things we do while we're in there" so he may be on a similar page.


I talked to my guy today and when i asked him what he was gonna replace he rattled off almost everything on that list verbatim. He didn't mention the cam seals, but when I asked him about it he said that typically he doesn't replace them unless it looks like they're leaking, but if I wanted him to they would, To quote Rick "If it was a Toyota you bet your ass I'd do it without thinking about it." Ha... dude cracks me up.


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