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My TSI has just ticked over 55k miles, and it got me thinking
"How much longer will I keep it for?"

The more i drive it, the more it will depreciate in value.
So I started to think of maybe swapping the engine and gearbox for a younger one.

Is it Plug and Play? I know its a lot of work, but what things should I look out for?

Also, is it possible to drop the BlueGT engine in?

Thanks


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Seriously......a car with only 55k miles and no issues (?), you are looking to swap engines to prevent something happening in the future !

A well maintained engine (Petrol or Diesel), can easily go twice round the clock these days. Seriously, I wouldn't worry about it unless you are fed up of the power and want something more powerful instead ?

I think the effort to transplant a Blue GT engine (with all it's associated electronics, ECU etc), would not be financially viable. Probably cheaper to trade your existing car in against a Blue GT if that's what you want.

A 55k mile car with a 20k engine and gearbox in (for example) will still be valued as a 55k car really. If anything, it will raise questions in buyers minds as to why the engine was changed and 'to prevent problems in the future' probably wouldn't be believed by many!

As for the Blue GT engine swap, it's possible of course, but as already said would be a big financial investment. You'd need the ECU from the Blue GT, and that might not talk to your instrument cluster, so you might need that as well, driveshafts and other running gear would likely need to be transferred along with the GTs brakes etc.

That's before all the DVLA stuff and then getting your frankenmonster of a car insured properly.

Far more sensible to chop the car in for a Blue GT I reckon, but probably not as much fun! Far less stress though...

Im just planning ahead way ahead




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I can't help thinking that changing the motor for one with 20k on it is going to cost you as much as the repairs would in keeping the current one going to 200k...

Can't help thinking the logic is somewhat flawed here. If you're worried about reliability, rather than trying to swap engines from a different model why not just put the money to a newer vehicle?

Apart from the fact that doing the transplant from a different model is going to be fraught with problems, ECU, Re-coding, engine mounts, different exhausted. Plus would you not think it wise to spend money upgrading the suspension and brakes to match the more powerful engine? All these things cost money in isolation, but worse is modifying a car is going to devalue it at resale, no right minded person buys a modified car unless there is a huge pile of bills and receipts with it from reputable companies and it's cheap. (Even then there aren't many people willing to take a punt) Worse than that they de-value the vehicle, as soon as it's modified the trade won't want to touch it. No-one this side of sane is going to buy a car that's been butchered when the can go and buy the real thing. As has been mentioned there's also all the insurance and stuff associated with the DVLA.

In sort, it's a really, really bad idea.

Crispy, I posted about my 1.2 n/a 70ps timing chain go boom @ 65k miles. Since posting on this forum ive had another 3 people send me messages on my personal email saying the same thing has happened with them. Another 1.2 n/a and 2 1.2 TSI engines all 50-75k miles.

I'd be tempted to change the timing chain

daydotz wrote:I'd be tempted to change the timing chain

That sounds like a "cunning plan" to me. Must admit I run a 1.2Tsi and while I'm not unduly concerned I might mention it the next time I get the car serviced. Mines done tiny miles but will be 5 years old next year. I've not seen any post on people having the chain done as service item so no idea of cost. Even a timing belt is £300+ so I'd imagine you could easily add another £100 on top of that. I wonder if there is a method of checking them for excessive wear?

VW completely redesigned the tensioner which can be found in 2013> 6R's. Both have completely different part numbers and physically different design. You can have it fitted and I have read £700-800 from an indpendant garage.

From what I can gather from reading various world wide VW forums, VW North America extended its drivetrain warranty to 5 years with the appropriate mileage adjustment for all vehicles with the tensioner.

VW germany gave 100% goodwill to any vehicles which went boom and further released 'silent workshop bulletins' which instructed dealerships to check effected tensioners and replace them if slack. These bulletins have actually been posted on various forums by VW mechanics.

VW Australia, like germany were giving 100% goodwill to any vehicles which went boom

VAG UK - Skoda made a recall on effected chains and both seat / skoda were giving goodwill if they went boom.

VW UK deny any knowledge of issues but from what I have picked up are giving people goodwill, others nothing.

P.s. VW have removed all chains from new vehicles and have replaced them with belts, which are old tech. But there is no issues with previous tensioners!

I seem to remember that they do use a standard method of gauging wear, or stretch, I'd guess that they could count, say 5 or 10 links and measure current length and have a GO/NO GO figure.

I think with the older 1.2 3 cylinder engines, they could take a plate/bung/inspection hatch/cover off and quickly check the how far the tensioner was extending, with all the trouble with the stretching chains continuing into a complete range of TSI engines, I'd be amazed if they have not learned how to quickly gauge stretch, or work out that chain is scrap. I think that one of the TSI engines, probably higher capacity than the Polo ones, is now on its second upgrade/redesign of cam drive chain. VAG is still "same old - same old" although time moves on, they would not get off with this in USA I don't think.

RUM4MO wrote:I seem to remember that they do use a standard method of gauging wear, or stretch, I'd guess that they could count, say 5 or 10 links and measure current length and have a GO/NO GO figure.

I think with the older 1.2 3 cylinder engines, they could take a plate/bung/inspection hatch/cover off and quickly check the how far the tensioner was extending, with all the trouble with the stretching chains continuing into a complete range of TSI engines, I'd be amazed if they have not learned how to quickly gauge stretch, or work out that chain is scrap. I think that one of the TSI engines, probably higher capacity than the Polo ones, is now on its second upgrade/redesign of cam drive chain. VAG is still "same old - same old" although time moves on, they would not get off with this in USA I don't think.

There is some sort of 'viewing hole' within the engine where a tool can be inserted to measure the slack.

From what I gathered from North American forums, the whole range of VW, from golfs, siroccos, tiguans etc had a poorly designed tensioner and engines were getting wrecked across the range. As you can imagine lawsuits were launched and Volkswagen extended its warranty on drive-chain into the millage bracket where these failures were happening.

If you visit North American forums you can find threads with hundreds of pages, with the uploaded court rulings, VW North-America statements etc.

Pitty they can get away with it in the UK.

lxm, I posted while/after you did, but yes

quote "P.s. VW have removed all chains from new vehicles and have replaced them with belts, which are old tech. But there is no issues with previous tensioners!"

I thought that I had escaped the every 4 years £300>£400 spend, but then VAG came back with belts on these later 1.2TSI engines - then dumped them in favour of South American built 3 cylinder 1.0TSI - maybe that every 4 year spend is needed to avoid "boom/bang" - it did work okay for wife's old Polo 1.4 16V!

lxm, I'm posting again just after you, sorry if anything has been repeated!

A stupid, but true reply:- O J Simpson got off with it in the states, so why can't VAG get off with it in UK? (it has worked for them so far)

Have I read this correctly?

Is there a retro-fit kit (Or at least a list of the required parts) to convert a 1.2 TSi chain drive to a belt drive? (Engine code CBZB) Or is there no a completely different version in new cars?