Lifter noise on cold startup.

sdeck

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2006
Location
Northern Colorado Front Range
TDI
2003 Jetta, 253K, 01M, DLC520s, VNT-17(sold); 2014 Passat SE 6M, 61,000 miles (Feb 16 buyback date)
I've got 8400 on my '14 now and started noticing valve train noise about 500 miles ago. It'll be going in for its 10K service in a couple weeks and I will point it out to the dealer. I did check the oil and level was fine, but I thought it was a little thin in viscosity just by how it clung to the dipstick. Is the break in oil thinner than usual?
 

Salsaman06

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Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
Texas
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2013 Passat TDI SEL (sold back to VWoA Dec 21, 2016)
I don't think thin oil is a factor in this. Maybe thick oil but not thin. Reason being is that I don't ever have the valve noise in warm weather. Always in cool/cold weather - 50's or below.
 

Salsaman06

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Dec 30, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL (sold back to VWoA Dec 21, 2016)
.... but I thought it was a little thin in viscosity just by how it clung to the dipstick....
Oil clinging to the dipstick would suggest a thick viscosity rather than thin. The thinner the viscosity the more the oil pours like water. The thicker the viscosity the more the oil pours like honey.
 

Brad95

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Aug 9, 2012
Location
Arizona
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SE Manual since 09/28/12-04/05/18, 2015 Passat TDI SE Manual Since 03/29/2018
Folks, i'm new to this so forgive me if there is thread already out there that addresses this :

i have the 2013 passat SE TDI., DSG

Two issues:

(i) When is DSG mode , at certain rpm, there is a rattling sound coming from the passenger side

Any insights on these issues would be helpful. thanks.
^ same issue here except i have manual. it rattles from passenger side when changing gears on higher RPM.
 

Driver_found

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Apr 21, 2005
Location
Phila
TDI
Former MKV Jetta TDI 5M, Former 2013 Passat TDI SE 6M, 2015 Mazda 6 Touring 6m
New lifters , new ECM, New injectors, New head, and associated parts. Car is now silent and purrs like it should. 'Many' weeks in the shop. The big question is, with the regular maintenance done, why were all of these parts needed so soon @ 50k miles, and what happens when it gets to 100k miles? I had high miles, but mostly highway cruising, where the diesel is supposed to be the hot ticket. Good fuel, with receipts for every tank since new. Scratching head.. The bill was almost $8k. Under warranty. - Now just waiting for my turbo to take a crap.
 

tdiatlast

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Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
In my experience, some engines are noisier than others. It isn't always a sign of premature wear, or impending death.
 

Driver_found

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2005
Location
Phila
TDI
Former MKV Jetta TDI 5M, Former 2013 Passat TDI SE 6M, 2015 Mazda 6 Touring 6m
Wasn't just noise though. Actual mechanical parts failures.
 

DieselBrownie

Active member
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Location
Bedford, Texas
TDI
'13 Passat
Sorry guys, been away from the forum for some time.

Just to follow up, I've put 9k miles on my passat since all the lash adjusters were replaced, and not one time have I had a tick on cold start up. It's been starting and running like a champ!
I hate to hear that more people are starting to have this problem. :-(
 

wyrosjr

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Location
Luverne, AL
TDI
2013 passat se tdi 6m white
Ok, I heard my engine make the same sound today. I cranked it after it had been sitting for over a week. It did go away after a minute or two. I don't think mine was quite as loud as DBrownie. I might youtube my sound also, if it makes it again.
 

tdiatlast

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Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
wyrosjr: After sitting for a week, ANY ICE might have lifter noise for a few moments. Completely normal.
 

Salsaman06

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL (sold back to VWoA Dec 21, 2016)
Mine is starting to get worse. Now happening in warm weather whereas before I only heard it in cold. Noise is getting louder and taking longer to quieten down. This cannot in any way be normal for a car with only 21K miles.
 

wyrosjr

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Location
Luverne, AL
TDI
2013 passat se tdi 6m white
Ok, my tdi made no noise upon cranking today. But my Jeep diesel is now making a knocking sound. Sometimes it's tough being a tdi guy.
 

Justinw303

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Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Location
Silver Spring, MD
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SE DSG w/ Sunroof
Is there a video somewhere, or perhaps a vivid description, of what the standard AdBlue tapping sound is like after cold start? I heard some ticking a few weeks back after startup (it may happen regularly or semi-regularly, but the door was open this time so I could hear much easier) but it disappeared within I'd say about 20 seconds.
 

Driver_found

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Joined
Apr 21, 2005
Location
Phila
TDI
Former MKV Jetta TDI 5M, Former 2013 Passat TDI SE 6M, 2015 Mazda 6 Touring 6m
The AdBlue pump noise happens in the rear of the car. The sound is sort of muted. 10-20 seconds sometimes. That's normal.
What this thread was originally referring to was an abnormal engine valve train racket that sounded like bad lifters, that occur when the car is running. Especially under load. Normally after a cold start. Someone else posted a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPICkoXTOAs
 

jrm

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Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Location
Oregon
TDI
2013 Passat SE with nav (totaled)
that's my video, what's odd is it has never done it since- All I can think is that on the last shutdown whatever lifter was compressed leaked down more than the normal amount and took higher oil pressure to pump back up.
 

rabbit85

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2010
Location
Romania
TDI
2.0 CR CFFB 140 hp
Update for those following this. Lots of parts thrown at this, including new lifters, new ECM, new injectors, new fuel, and @ a month in the shop. VW is deeply involved now, but still not fixed. Loud lifter(s) noise, and dramatic drivability issue when cold started is still present. Dealer has been nice, but this process has taken way longer than I expected.
Especially with VW calling the shots on what to fix.
Observation. If VW doesn't know how to fix it the first time, then who you gonna call?

I don't think is the best way to solve that ticking noise. Only God know if the noise were from the lifters... In real the noise come from the right back of the engine and it has nothing to do with the engine body.
 

jrm

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Jul 24, 2013
Location
Oregon
TDI
2013 Passat SE with nav (totaled)
yup, my car has never made that noise since.... but I have also moved away from that crap 5w30 and went to T-6 5w40
 

rabbit85

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2010
Location
Romania
TDI
2.0 CR CFFB 140 hp
Damn it.... I believed in myself that 5w-30 is a crap, but unfortunately is imposed for DPF. Still when it's cold the oil it's like water. It means your DPF is off, which is very good. The engine should sound like a petrol now :)
 
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