Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

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TTRACES55
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Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

Hi all.
2018 Polo 1.0 TSI 3 cylinder 95ps

Engine started dripping oil onto driveway. Car is 3 months out of 3 year warranty. Took it to local independent garage. Discovered 2 Allen bolts missing from variator and one unscrewing itself and grinding into cambelt cover. Car was recovered to VW main dealer. Their diagnosis was obviously the same as the independent garage, but they say there is no evidence of missing bolts or metal filings in the area! I have photos that I took in the independent garage. Plain to see the holes where the bolts should be and the loose bolt.
From photos of engines that I’ve seen the cam belt ‘tunnel’ is fully enclosed, so how do 2 x M6 bolts ‘disappear’? Can somebody confirm that the cambelt and gears are fully enclosed?
Has anybody else had this problem? Thanks.
TTRACES55
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

Added photos. One is of the actual car, showing thread where one bolt has fallen out. Bench photo is from internet for clarification.
TTRACES55
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

Photos.
TTRACES55
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

Photos won’t load.
S_94
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by S_94 »

https://imgur.com/ is a good site for photo hosting. Just share the links once uploaded. :)
TTRACES55
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

Find photos here (hopefully). One shows actual engine condition, loose bolt, missing bolts. Other bench photo is from the internet for clarification.
https://imgur.com/gallery/VhkQLrF
RUM4MO
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by RUM4MO »

Not good, the inlet cam shaft variator in the early 1.2TSI 16V engines did cause some issues, they became slack though I don't think the bolts could escape unless they destroyed themselves - they were fitted from the "inside" of the variator assembly.

As in your case, oil escaping was the thing to watch out for, as well as unusual engine noises.

VW Group revised that assembly or changed suppliers very early on in the life time of the 1.2TSI 16V engines, to have this happening with the later 1.0TSI version of this same engine family is sloppy to put it mildly!

Edit:- by the way, I think that it will be your low post count that is stopping you being able to add pictures, 10 postings minimum required I think.

Another Edit:- that cam belt space will be fully enclosed, at least I'm sure it is in the 4 cylinder version of that engine - so I'd think that these screws should be down below the crank pulley end of that space.
TTRACES55
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I agree, the cambelt area must be fully enclosed. I’ve seen photos / videos of cam belt swaps on other VW engines, and it’s clear to see the threaded holes in the engine casting for the cover fixings. If not, the area would get contaminated.
So either the bolts are in there, or were never fitted? I’m going to try and view the car again and examine the area around where the missing bolts should be, and look for any marks which might show if there was ever a bolt fitted.
ho8882000
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by ho8882000 »

I am reading a self study program about the EA211 engines, and I come across this picture of a EA211 1.4 TSi engine, the exhaust camshaft variator cover is missing a bolt in this picture... Very confusing... :shock:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vRpVN8vShMuKQoPT7
TTRACES55
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

Hi Tony. Very strange. Do you have a more complete view of this side of the engine, rather than the cropped one? I’m interested to see the complete cambelt cover.
Thanks.
ho8882000
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by ho8882000 »

TTRACES55 wrote: Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:23 pm Hi Tony. Very strange. Do you have a more complete view of this side of the engine, rather than the cropped one? I’m interested to see the complete cambelt cover.
Thanks.
If I look at the picture of the EA211 1.0 TSi engine in the same document, it have all 5 bolts:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/d27NtCoch8HeGVVy6

BTW, I am reading the SEAT SELF STUDY PROGRAMME No. 161

I can't upload pdf here, but if you can tell me your email address, I can email the document to you.
TTRACES55
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

ttraces46@gmail.com

Thanks Tony.
ho8882000
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by ho8882000 »

TTRACES55 wrote: Sun Jun 13, 2021 6:04 pm ttraces46@gmail.com

Thanks Tony.
Sent.
Gelkins
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by Gelkins »

Just had this on my 2018 Polo. Loud knocking noise started. Called the AA. They found one of the 5 bolts almost completely loose and knocking into the plastic cam cover which was causing the noise. The other 4 were also not tight and the AA wee e able to tighten by hand. I now only have 4 bolts in place as the thread in the 5th hold is damaged so I can’t insert the bolt that was completely loose. Is this safe? Or should I get VW to sort this out?
TTRACES55
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Re: Exhaust cam variator. Loose / missing bolts

Post by TTRACES55 »

Hi. I’m not sure if the repair is so easy. When the VW main dealer repaired the Polo in my posting, they changed many of the parts and seals. This is obviously a build problem in the South Africa factory, and as I originally wrote, VW have been aware of the issue for a couple of years, (June 2020), because they themselves raised an issue notice on their ERwin system. VW originally quoted around £1700 to sort it out, but after a few weeks of negotiation they halved the cost. The car in question was off of the road the whole time. Luckily for you, none of the bolts have fallen into the timing tunnel, but I would think that the bolt that cannot be re-fitted could cause issues.
Good luck.
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