About to Go Chainless

We made it to 100k, timing belt needed and after a bit of a disagreement with the VW dealership, the OP/BM gets replaced as well.

Discussion on how much gets paid for parts when replaced depending on condition. You can hear more noise as time has gone by but nothing sudden or bad (and I have worked on diesel engines though no longer)

Has a chainless car been through a OP/BM change or inspection due to that shaft issue that plagued the chain driven one inside the module?

I know some are deleting it but VW is not going to do a repair that does that.

I recall there is some setting in the ECM that allows the engine to get same or better fuel economy. If that is correct, does anyone have it.

Will get the temperature gauge working again as well.

Have them pull the manifold and clean out?

Always regretted not being able to have Oilhammer or MoGulf do it.

Not sure what you are asking - if it's about the question over whether to delete the BSM, or replace with a geared version, I would lean toward delete - that's the direction I went, and doing fine 150k later.

There used to be a question about if the engine would withstand the increased vibrations, but I beleive there are enough deleted BHWs out there that that issue has been put to bed.

That said, you are in Alaska - be warned that the BHW and its mount system are more prone to vibration than transverse VW engines, and more pronounced when cold.

I'm in Canada, but in the southern part - we rarely see the same temps as in AK.

Going geared means an extra $1000, with only a moderate reduction in vibration. Also, some who have gone with the geared BSM have still experienced subsequent failure, mostly in the oil pump drive hex shaft.

I am stuck with VW and VW will only replace VW parts, that means the whole module.

The questions is about the shaft n there going and that sounds like an on going issue with the Module then.

We had no vibrations of any degree to start, so its slowly been getting worse and at times worrisome. Not violent but cold feel a serious uptick.

Smokerr said:

I am stuck with VW and VW will only replace VW parts, that means the whole module.

The questions is about the shaft n there going and that sounds like an on going issue with the Module then.

We had no vibrations of any degree to start, so its slowly been getting worse and at times worrisome. Not violent but cold feel a serious uptick.

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my advice is to go with the geared setup and make dam sure the idler gear has 0 tolerance.
If the gears are allowed to rattle back and forth from improper install the ballancers will wear the oil pump drive hex.
Mine was $1300 and change Canadian so us funds should be less than $1000
I put in new motor mounts while I was at it because one was showing the red dye mark and you have to take them out to do the job anyway

Smokerr, to answer your questions, at least some of the earlier build geared BSMs had problems with the hex shaft wearing the corners off stopping the oil pump. Same as with the chained BSM.

BUT... as PEIphil alludes, that could be due or partly due to a little slack in the idler gear on installation. Also, the hex shaft size was increased on the geared BSMs at some point, and that is also thought to help fix the problem of the corners wearing off.

Going geared is better than leaving it chained. I feel for you working with the dealership though. I don't know how you can ensure they install the new BSM with zero tolerance, other than to say it until you're red in the face at the dealership. Between that and the motor mounts, the dealership has you over a barrel on fees. I wonder if you could get them to waive the labor on the motor mounts since they have to be removed anyway as part of the BSM conversion procedure, as long as their Parts Dept. is getting the sale on replacements that they otherwise wouldn't get. No harm in asking, I don't suppose.

Thank you all, if not for this group the Passat would have been server frustration.

Generally its been a reliable rig and as the guy in the Tubo Diesel group, you still won't find anything quite like it around. At 32 MPG average and 100k, its more than paid for itself in cost of fuel savings.

I will be talking to the tech on details, see how that goes.

The good news is I have been working on machinery for 35 years, one of those rare careers that has lasted through the changes.

Its been 20 since I did serious engine work, but prior to that we tore them apart and back together though they were simpler back then by huge amounts.

Also blown disks and not something I want to try to tackle though it would be great to work with someone.

What I did was negotiate with the dealer on the cost of the BM cost. If its as worn as I think those parts will be at cost. The timing belt is due so that is at cost.

I am making sure not to blame the dealer, they sure did not create this fiasco.

I will also keep all the parts and add into that with my complaint on this to VW and the Highway safety, I have all that on file.

Its a new dealer (bought out) my family bought 4 cars from them and so far they have been good to work with.

Previous was ok but an attitude up front, mechanics were ok.

Previous dealer On the glo9w plugs I told them to replaced them, if they were not worn I would pay, if they were, then it was warranty. The Service Manager would not even look at me when I got a "no charge" but a mechanic behind him was holding up a glow plug burned in half and grinning!

I had one headlight harness melt down. Ok, we have to bring it in, check it, then order parts.

How about a mechanic goes outside with me, I open the hood, we look at the melted harness, you order the parts and its a done deal? Worked fine and mechanic was happy to do so.

Hadn't though about motor mounts. Will include that.

Is it worth getting the manifold cleaned? Last pulled the EGR valve and it was dirty but not bad about 50k.

I work with contractors a lot and there is a lot of give and take so used to the negotiating.

Also have come across my share of screw ups by an equipment make that eventually you got the supplier to admit that they had a problem with.

Well wish me luck.

She goes in tomorrow morning.

Old dealer got bought out, generally a nicer attitude but will see on the tech end.

Ok, we are about 3 weeks from the work.

Engine is a lot smoother and more responsive.

Inspection of the parts shows that about 6 of the roller chain elements had serious fretting starting.

Chain has a lot of flex and bend to it, well more than it should in my opinion but I don't have one to compare (new of course)

One oddity is the elements do not roll on the chain. They are fixed. That is new to me.

The hex key to the OP was starting to fret, fair amount of wobble in the pump end though no fretting.

I have a possible reason some of the geared bsm's rounded out oil pump shafts. I think the timing of the balance weights is very critical. I remember spending time getting them as perfectally in time as possible. Any out of time with the weights probably causes problems.

I won't disagree at all with that. The whole design is bad.

What I wills say I was shocked at the type of chain they used.

I have never seen a non rolling chain before.

I did some research. Chain without rolling was been discredited early on due to (big surprise) high wear issues.

And that is exactly what I saw on the chain from our car, bad fretting (early but bad) on 6 of the non rolling elements (what I call them not tech right.

At least for the sprocket wipe out it would have gone a huge ways to lowering wear.

I have shifted a bit, the design may not have been that great and the other flaws (balance, tensioner and the quill shaft) , but the lack of rolling bushings on the chain would be a killer all by itself.