# Another guess that horrible 1.8t noise thread!! (youtube vid inside)



## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Hey everyone. I was driving home from a buddies yesterday in my 04 225. Normal spirited driving on the highway. But when I got to my exit and stopped I could hear a noise coming from my motor.:banghead: To me it sounded like lifters tapping. Or an extremely noisy injector kinda sound. It was rpm dependant. I took a stethoscope to the motor and it sounded much louder up top than around the block. 

Sadly I dont have vagcom and the car didnt throw a cel so Im kinda in the dark. Im running a diode and a 4bar fpr at around 18psi. I also recently installed a wot/nls box. I always shift before redline so It def wasnt getting beaten in that sense at least:laugh: 

It happened last night in the dark and I have to work today so I cant check all the basics until I get home. But I will, so "check your oil" is not what I wana be hearing. Im just looking for some suggestions from anyone who might know the sound. 

And I chose the TT forum because I prefer it to the 1.8t tech forum. Il post the vid from youtube or just go there and search 1.8t TT engine noise by steveogli. 

thanks everyone:beer:


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Video added


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## Marcus_Aurelius (Mar 1, 2012)

Lifters, tensioner, and unfortunately bent rods are all possible causes. 

You can pull the covers and start digging for loose tensioner and check for deflated lifters. You also need to pull the pan and look for clogged oil pick up (a lack of oil flow would starve the head components for oil). While the pan is off, you'll also be able to check the status of the rods (that's exactly what my motor sounded like when the TQ bent the rods). 

If you don't drive it much, you could possibly be just fine without needing much work. Just make sure you find the cause and tackle the repair promptly. You got the forum as a big resource, use it (for starters, if it's rods I have two 20 mm OEM ones that's yours for the cost of shipping. You could use that as a temporary replacement if needed until you can save for a proper bottom end rebuilt).


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

How do you check the lifters? Thanks a bunch for the offer on the rods max. . If it is bent rods though I might as well slap some ie rods in and never have to worry about that again. Especially since I do plan on going BT or F23 someday. I'm really hoping its the chain tensioner or something in the head. I can pick up a used bea head for pretty cheap or maybe even swap a aeb in. Guess il start tearing it down today. Valvecover first then the pan.


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Well I had the car running a bit and noticed I do have a cel for bank 1 too lean. Not a good sign


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Pulled the valvecover to find the intake cam has some abnormal wear were as the exhaust cam is in perfect shape. It looks like oil starvation might be the culprit.


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## peter139 (May 4, 2005)

first step check timing 

sounds like a bend valve or a worn rod bearing... 

ever cleaned the oil pick up in the oil pan? http://i43.tinypic.com/2wq9ws9.jpg 
they are often dirty and will cause oil pressure problems.


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## Forty-six and 2 (Jan 21, 2007)

If it were a bottom end knock or tap, wouldn't the knock sensor cut the timing and possibly throw a code? Knock sensor timing cuts are extremely noticeable. That would, in my mind, lead me to look into the to end, and like you said, the oil pump.


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Yea I'm really hoping there isn't anything wrong with the block.


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## peter139 (May 4, 2005)

Watched the videao agin and it looks like you have some oil pressure problems. 

Hows the performance of the car? still the same, or didn't you check it? 

I should lift the oilpan to check the oil pick up. This is a common 1.8t problem.


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Car drove perfectly fine. But I'm tearing off the oil pan now.


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Well the pickup tube def wasn't clogged. Not too sure where to go from here.


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## DannyA4S (Sep 26, 2012)

luckily the exhaust cam is not damaged


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## Marcus_Aurelius (Mar 1, 2012)

steve-o 16v GLI said:


> Well the pickup tube def wasn't clogged. Not too sure where to go from here.


 While the pan is out, rotate the crank and carefully inspect the rods. Once you're done come back and report, GL!


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Hey I wanted to add that while I was looking at the cams I wanted to rotate them so I put a socket on the cam gear and was not able to budge the motor. Is that normal? When you crank it over it seems to turn fine. 

Also I looked over the rods as best i could and didn't see anything noticeable.

Either way il be picking up a new oil pump since I'm already this far. Although seeing no obviously bent rod or any other damage than the cam I'm really hoping maybe its just lifters.


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## lite1979 (Sep 9, 2005)

It's significantly harder to turn the motor with the cam gear than it is with the crank gear. I always use a 19mm 12-point socket on the bolt that holds the crank timing cog, and I always turn the motor forward (same as forward wheel rotation).


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Ok I was hoping that was the case.


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

well getting rained on today.:banghead: Also Im broke until tomorrow so I cant buy any gaskets or oil pan sealant to replace what Ive taken apart so far anyway. 

Im not sure on whether I want to buy a new oil pump while its apart since nothing directly points to a bad pump. I had no oil light and the exhaust cam had no wear vs the intake. Sadly I should have first hooked up an oil pressure guage before I took anything apart. I didnt think that through the best:facepalm: but pulling the valve cover and oil pan isnt a challenge for me. Getting into timing, engine block and head work thats where I get uneasy because Ive never done it and I dont like doing things when I might not have the proper tools and knowhow to use them. But Im willing to learn. 

If I skip the pump my plan was to put a new intake cam(luckly ie's cams are OOS), lifters and a proper oil pressure guage and start the car up to see if its still happening and what pressure looks like. If pressures good but the noise is there I guess Ill be pulling the head. 

If anyone has any other suggestions while its apart throw it out there. I appreciate all the help.:thumbup::beer:


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

Where is this wear on the intake cam? Cam journals or lobe tips? If it's lobe tips, you've been spinning it too high and/or using shoddy oil. It sounds like you haven't taken cam caps off so I'm assuming tips, which wouldn't be indicative of any major problems. Also, I doubt there's a need for a new oil pump if the pickup had no blockage. If it was a bottom end knock loud enough to hear, then no, ignition timing pull wouldn't be felt, and it would be the least of your worries (for whoever asked about that). CEL for bank 1 too lean isn't a big deal, could be a small vac leak. What were your fuel trims (before you cleared the CEL)? You can't really test lifters, but they are noisy if they're bad. Did you check tension on the cam chain? Plastic guides there fully intact? The lower guide is hard to see. Sorry I can't help more since I can't watch youtube vids at work, but just going off what others have said here.


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Well got under the car to turn the crank n check the rods n guess what I found. 









Do I get an award for not having a "chip" n bending a rod. Hehe. 
Well this blows!!


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## 20v master (May 7, 2009)

You get an award all right, but you must first figure out how this happened so it doesn't happen again.  What's done to this car (see that you have a diode now, but still surprised this happened)? Anything odd happen recently that could have contributed to the need for this surprise repair?


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Nothing happened actually. The car only has an intake, tip, cat back and diode mod with 18psi. I dont redline the car at all. Only thing I can think of is I installed a n2mb wot box a couple months back. It was set at 4k but I haven't been launching every light or anything however I do use the NLS a lot. Maybe that pushed things too far for the puny stock rods.


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## Marcus_Aurelius (Mar 1, 2012)

... and my suspicions were correct again (I was hoping you lucked out though). NLS can be quite hard on components (not a big fan of the flat shift unless it is reserved for competition use), but a set of drop in IE's will laugh at the things that bent the OEM ones. 

Inspect the cyl walls and most likely you will get away without needing to pull the block (that's why I said to stop running it ASAP to not score the walls). Rods and associated hardware + a hone and you're back stronger than before. :beer:


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Yea I just wish I had a garage. I guess I gotta start pulling the head. Sucks that i still have the cam issue too.


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## peter139 (May 4, 2005)

This sucks, the ticking sound is from the piston hitting the spray nozzle.


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Yessir it is. Im gona have to replace that cam that's showing wear and I guess while Its getting a cleaning/rebuild I can afford to do valves. I'm pretty sure it's the exhaust valves that are the weak point in the head? Can't afford a fully built head so springs n retainers are prob not gona be an option. But I'd like to do the valves at least. N I'll prob just hit up IE when I got the money and have them gather all the parts il need for everything. Gotta start saving. I'm broke as hell right now. 

But since this is happening I'll throw it out that I have a 3" SS downpipe for a 225 Im selling. Pm me for pricing. I also have a mk3 I'm parting out in the classifieds. Lots of good parts left including a black glx trunk. Full 3" custom exhaust n complete door cards and dash. Need to get some off this stuff sold to fund this project now. Help me out guys.


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

Well good news I just got approved for a loan. I should have enough to do the rod install and still have enough left to buy the new top I need also. The top I plan to do myself since I"m def keeping the car now that im doing rods. And it might need done again some day. However the rods I think would be best left to a garage. I know I could do it but without a garage to work in it would be a biatch. 

Anyone who can recommend a good shop around Lancaster PA let me know. APtuning(about 45mins from me) gave a rough estimate of around $2k+. I dont consider that bad but I dont really know of any other vw/audi performance shops around my area. And Id like to "expand my horizons" beyond one place. So feedback there would be appreciated and also If anyone has any recommendations about the rod install throw it out there. :thumbup::beer:


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## lite1979 (Sep 9, 2005)

I'm glad you got to it before something catastrophic happened. Now do work, son!


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## Forty-six and 2 (Jan 21, 2007)

Installing the rods isn't near as bad as you would think. There is a step by step series of videos that could walk you through it. You can get it done without pulling the block even. That would be a good chunk of money saved for more upgrades for your build/rebuild. I will try to find the links.

Edited for a link

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...-TO-connecting-rod-install...-(videos-inside)


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## steve-o 16v GLI (Jun 26, 2005)

The video is on YouTube. I've watched it and am confident I could do it. Maybe I will do it myself. Idk yet.


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