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My 1.4 16V BBY engine is getting long in the tooth with various problems so I'm thinking to swap it for a lower milage engine.

Would a 1.4 16V engine from a manual Skoda/VW/Audi/Seat fit into my 2002 Auto Polo (e.g. remove and swap flywheel, etc.)?

I can't help you, but I would be really interested on how this turns out!

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Please can mods move to Powertrain section (where I probably should have posted the topic)? Thank you.

It's in the right section

And yes, it will providing you swap the flywheel etc

alexperkins wrote:It's in the right section

And yes, it will providing you swap the flywheel etc

Thanks for confirming. I'd read the differing opinions, including that the crankshaft was different, transmission mounting lugs/bolts differ, etc. It sounds like I should be able to adapt it by swapping parts.

I've found a replacement engine which I'll fit sometime in the future. Until then I need to keep the old engine limping along (it drives OK but is a bit noisy at the top end). Replaced the oil pressure switch with a genuine VW sender and seems OK so far. However, I think the oil pressure is low because I fitted a pressure gauge. It was about 10-15psi at idle hot. The Haynes manual says it should be 1 bar hot at idle (and 2 bar at 2000rpm), but that seems low to me.

I've put in Castrol 10W 40 which has quieted the top end down a bit but is still noisy (tappety) and I suspect wear is taking place. Is it worthwhile putting in an oil treatment (e.g. Wynns) and changing the oil more often to try and get a few months more before I need to swap the engine in the summer (when I'll have more time)? The car is used on short local journeys around 20 miles round trip each day. It was on the short journeys (usually near home) when the low oil pressure light came on before. It seemed fine on the motorway.

Be careful using 10W40 in the engine as generally that's semi synthetic and the additives in it can damage the seals in engines designed for fully synthetic oil

Would I be better to drain it off and use a 5W 40 synthetic?

Yes that would be the best option and add some wynns hydraulic lifter aid

Job done. Drained the 10W 40 after a few hundred miles use. The oil that came out was black. Now filled with Fuchs Titan SuperSyn 5W 40.

Since I put 5W 40 fully synthetic in the engine it is noisier when cold and warm compared to the Magnatec 10W 40.

Is this because of the lower 5W value (which I thought is relevant only when cold) or differences between Fuchs and Magnatec oils?

I now have an engine with just over 23K on the clock which I want to fit in the summer. Whilst the remnants of the oil left in it were quite black I had the sump off (since I need to swap it anyway) and found the strainer was spotless, as was the bottom of the engine. Is it worth taking the cam cover off to have a look at the cams, and examine the lifters? Is it worth swapping the water pump while I replace the belts (will swap as I cannot be certain of age)?

First number is when cold
Second number is when warm

5w40 is thinner when cooler so it can be a little noisier at startup on an engine with wear

Depends how much effort you want to put into it. Can you pinpoint where the noise is coming from?

For the cost of a water pump, just fit a brand new one at the same time

Remember if you are buying from a VW dealer, then VW Group tend to offer Xchange rebuild pumps, which are in my mind/experience excellent and you get a body allowance back on the old one. Oh, as far as I know, VW Group still do not include the small top roller in the cambelt kit, my indie says that they always replace that along with all the parts VW Group include in the kit of belts etc - as they have seen some engines with failed small top rollers.

One thing that I found problematic with the BBY engine was the oil separator, so make sure that that part does not dry out while waiting. Or maybe look out for a NOS part on ebay? The oil separator on my wife's latish 2002 Polo turned out to be the root cause of the "oil drinking" which also caused pinging or knocking under load.

RUM4MO wrote: ↑Tue May 30, 2017 6:08 pm Remember if you are buying from a VW dealer, then VW Group tend to offer Xchange rebuild pumps, which are in my mind/experience excellent and you get a body allowance back on the old one. Oh, as far as I know, VW Group still do not include the small top roller in the cambelt kit, my indie says that they always replace that along with all the parts VW Group include in the kit of belts etc - as they have seen some engines with failed small top rollers.

One thing that I found problematic with the BBY engine was the oil separator, so make sure that that part does not dry out while waiting. Or maybe look out for a NOS part on ebay? The oil separator on my wife's latish 2002 Polo turned out to be the root cause of the "oil drinking" which also caused pinging or knocking under load.

I did not know that about pumps. When I swapped the pump end of last year the replacement had a metal impeller and the one I took out was plastic. Which is best?

Any way to keep the separator from drying out?

I've not been troubled by pinking too much recently, but it's started again since the warm weather came. I usually go to a higher grade of fuel every 1/2 tankful as it seems to reduce pinking. Strangely, my Polo seems to have stopped drinking oil at the rate it was doing before.

alexperkins wrote: ↑Tue May 30, 2017 12:05 am First number is when hot
Second number is when cold

5w40 is thinner when warmer so it can be a little poser on an engine with wear

Depends how much effort you want to put into it. Can you pinpoint where the noise is coming from?

For the cost of a water pump, just fit a brand new one at the same time

I thought 5W is the cold rating and 40 the hot rating?

The noise is definitely from the top end/head. I've listened to plenty of YouTube videos (lots of similar problems across VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat engines) and I'm convinced it is not the pistons. The tapping seems more like half engine speed which makes me think it is a collapsed tappet. Is it possible to take the cam cover off to inspect, or does that require removal of the belts and cams?