B5 Passat BHW engine problems

As documented in the TDIClub B5 forum, 2004-2005 Passats with the BHW engine are having problems with chain driven balance shaft and oil pump. VW has replaced the chain assembly with a gear driven one in the parts channel and, by all accounts, it's a great improvement. There's a nice write up about how to do the fix here: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=233651

But there didn't seem to be anybody in Ontario, on TDIClub at least, who had experience doing this. Then somebody from Orangeville ON (ScotR) made a single post about how to improve the fix, and said they had done several conversions already. Then he disappeared. The improvement he suggested was a good one.

So I called Orangeville VW and talked to the service manager. Sure enough, they've done several chain to gear conversions, knew exactly what I was talking about and how difficult it was. They also knew about the parts shortage and seemed willing to accept user-supplied parts, and, yes, a Scott is a mechanic there. We didn't talk price.

So Passat owners looking to have this done, might consider Orangeville VW for a start. For me, it's just a relief finding a reasonably close place (ANY place) that appears competent to do it.

what's the kms on your car? is it making noise yet?

yatzee said:

what's the kms on your car? is it making noise yet?

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103,000 km but I've got an extended warranty to 160,000. These things can break from 100,000km on up. Maybe earlier. In many cases it is the chain tensioner that breaks first, and later the chain. Sometimes the chain just explodes randomly (?).

Some of the noisier cars had a broken chain tensioner.

I really can't tell if mine is making more noise, especially with the winter tires. But I may just go in and see what the dealer thinks. It would cheaper for them to fix it before the chain goes I think.

whats the noise that it makes..what does it sound like?

Gaggu P said:

whats the noise that it makes..what does it sound like?

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What I heard is that is sounds like "marbles in a blender". But that may just be after the tensioner breaks and the chain is flopping around. Apparently there are other cases where everything is pretty quiet until the whole assembly just goes at once with a big bang, and you're looking at the low oil pressure light.

who is your extended warranty with? Is it a CPO (from VW themselves) or a 3rd party Warranty

yatzee said:

who is your extended warranty with? Is it a CPO (from VW themselves) or a 3rd party Warranty

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It's a VW warranty. 5yrs/160,000km, purchased when the car was new from the dealer.

maybe the dealer will help you out...

yatzee said:

maybe the dealer will help you out...

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Yes, I'll be talking to them when I go in for a tranny flush. We'll see ...

I went to look at and drive a Passat BHW today. The engine seemed to vibrate more at idle than I thought it should and there seemed to be a "tinny" sound coming from the engine. I couldn't pin it down to a pulley. Beside the ALH it was pretty loud. Do these symptoms describe the early stages of chain failure?

mogly said:

I went to look at and drive a Passat BHW today. The engine seemed to vibrate more at idle than I thought it should and there seemed to be a "tinny" sound coming from the engine. I couldn't pin it down to a pulley. Beside the ALH it was pretty loud. Do these symptoms describe the early stages of chain failure?

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Could be. The bottom line is that the conversion has to be done for any car you want to hold on to. If it's out of warranty, I'd do it right away.