BHW Balance Shaft Module replacement

[Lug_Nut]

We hear about the total BHW figures for cars sold in North America, but are these more common proportionally in Canada like other TDIs?

Reason is, while I have serviced quite a few of these, most have come from great distances. There are only 4, including my own, that I see regularly in the STL area proper.

I know I read somewhere once that VW sales of TDIs in the US were less than 6%, but in Canada it was more like 30%. But the US total vehicle sales is likely exponentially higher than Canada's. So, are there actually MORE total TDIs in Canada, or is it just a higher percentage but fewer total cars. And, where does the BHW equipped Passat fit into this?

18,102 BHW Passats in North America (and two 1999 AWD GLX TDI! )
5,051 in Canada or 53.9% of the 04, 05 Passats.
13,061 in USA, or 12.3% of the 04, 05 Passats.
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzerziy1/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/Passat_production_numbers.xls

 

[johnboy00]

18,102 BHW Passats in North America (and two 1999 AWD GLX TDI! )
5,051 in Canada or 53.9% of the 04, 05 Passats.
13,061 in USA, or 12.3% of the 04, 05 Passats.
http://mysite.verizon.net/vzerziy1/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/Passat_production_numbers.xls

My car is one of only 42 in the Country in that configuration!

USA 2005 GL Variant TDI Tip FWD SILVER, REFLEX SILVER ANTHRACITE Leatherette 42

Who's got one of the rare ones where only 1 was produced in that configuration?

 

[KALaBenne]

The service manager mentioned that the VW tech rep for this area happened to be in while the BS work was underway. Apparently he was "fascinated" by the work being done and made copies of some of the documentation I had supplied them with (Thanks again Oilhammer and MOGolf). And after all the letters to VW, he knew nothing about this prior to his visit. I hope he spreads the word within VW.

'Fascinated' because he had no clue that engine or those parts even existed. I hope Oilhammer and MoGolf are ready to sue them for copyright infringment when their instructions show up in the hands of VW service techs.

I guess mine is rare, because it doesn't show up on the list . Actually it's probably because either I have the paint color wrong or they do.

When I looked up the paint code that was in the trunk, I got the color called 'urban grey metallic' but on vortex it says 'silverstone grey'

Anyone know wich name is correct? the code is LD7W

over here it says LD7W is urban grey also.

If it's silverstone grey then I have one of 52 in the US with 13 more like mine in Canuckistan

 

[aja8888]

Nice ride!

I took the Passat on a 250 mile run down the highway (I - 10) today to Louisiana. This was actually the first real steady highway speed run since the major balance shaft job was done. It was early morning and I had the A/C on low and the radio off and was crusing between 65 - 80, depending on where the State Troopers were. The engine is so much more quiet at highway speeds than before and sounds crisp on a quick acceleration up to 80 from say 60.

I have to say I am pleased and feel justified that the job was done when I did it. RI_TDI can vouch how loud my engine was next to his a couple of months ago when we met one Saturday morning. Steve Glover said he heard me coming a 1/2 a block away from his shop.

If you have one of these BHW's, I urge you to get this upgrade done when you can afford it. It's like a different car (and won't crater on you).

One happy camper for hopefully 100,000 more miles....

 

[oilhammer]

Just finished another one today. Once again, night and day difference. Amazing how QUIET the engine is from outside the car afterwards. Sitting at a warm idle, it is nearly as quiet as the CBEA common rail engine, just the faint sound of the uber-high pressure PD injectors.

 

[sschnath]

...Sitting at a warm idle, it is nearly as quiet as the CBEA common rail engine, just the faint sound of the uber-high pressure PD injectors.

I can't say that mine is that quiet now. With my mileage I don't think I should expect it to sound like new. Certainly much, much quieter than before. But I'm hearing more than the injectors. I'm also still hearing a slight rattle that I need to investigate further.

It's subtle so I'm not going to put any money into chasing it down. Even though I've got a rebuilt timing area, new BS, new belts, there's still a lot of things that haven't been replaced so I suppose I'll have to wait until it gets louder or stops functioning to track it down. At least I know it's not the balance shaft!

 

[DickSilver]

I can't say that mine is that quiet now. With my mileage I don't think I should expect it to sound like new. Certainly much, much quieter than before. But I'm hearing more than the injectors. I'm also still hearing a slight rattle that I need to investigate further.

---------------------------

I don't remember who did your BS module, so my questions are not directed in criticism. Two things that anyone installing the new geared BS module needs to be very sure of:

Were all the bolts properly torqued?

In particular, was the idler gear held tightly against the two other gears and properly torqued?

Getting back in even to check these things means near-total dismantling of the job.

 

[volkswagendude]

Just finished another one today. Once again, night and day difference. Amazing how QUIET the engine is from outside the car afterwards. Sitting at a warm idle, it is nearly as quiet as the CBEA common rail engine, just the faint sound of the uber-high pressure PD injectors.

If one was to compare a brand new BHW engine (o mileage) with chain, VS the exact same brand new engine with the gear assembly replacement...I'm assuming that the geared one would still be quieter right?

 

[2004PassatTDI]

Glad the BS is over.

Got mine done last week at Fast Enough Performance in Lexington Kentucky. Thanks Dick Silver for recommending the shop and the lift from the airport. It was a pleasure meeting you! With 60,000 miles on the clock, foot on the brake at a stoplight, the steering wheel vibrated a bit more than I recall when it had 45,000 miles. Air gauge and CD cases have not been buzzing in the door pockets either.

All the belts, water pump, brake/transmission fluids changed too. I have to say that visually there was no excessive wear (at least what I consider to be excessive) on the sprokets. I’m glad the upgrade was done.

I also had the resonator and muffler replaced with a same diameter straight pipe. Muffler and resonator weight is 15 and 25 pounds respectively. Edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4XgJFi6kdQ . Droning...a little at about 60MPH. Just have to drive fast enough to outrun the sound!

Now to replace the glow plugs.

 

[oilhammer]

If one was to compare a brand new BHW engine (o mileage) with chain, VS the exact same brand new engine with the gear assembly replacement...I'm assuming that the geared one would still be quieter right?

Absolutely. My car had 1.7 miles on it when we got, brand new, and it is without a doubt smoother and quieter now at 84k miles than it was then. I cannot even hear my wife pull in the garage anymore. The sound of the electric door opener, a good one, drowns out any TDI sounds.

 

[myULSD]

So you got it done. Lucky bastage. I'm trying to figure out if my Power steering pump or alternator pulley is bad.

How does that new exhaust sound? Any droning on the highway?

Got mine done last week at Fast Enough Performance in Lexington Kentucky. Thanks Dick Silver for recommending the shop and the lift from the airport. It was a pleasure meeting you! With 60,000 miles on the clock, foot on the brake at a stoplight, the steering wheel vibrated a bit more than I recall when it had 45,000 miles. Air gauge and CD cases have not been buzzing in the door pockets either.

All the belts, water pump, brake/transmission fluids changed too. I have to say that visually there was no excessive wear (at least what I consider to be excessive) on the sprokets. I’m glad the upgrade was done.

I also had the resonator and muffler replaced with a same diameter straight pipe. Muffler and resonator weight is 15 and 25 pounds respectively.

Now to replace the glow plugs.

 

[Lug_Nut]

If one was to compare a brand new BHW engine (o mileage) with chain, VS the exact same brand new engine with the gear assembly replacement...I'm assuming that the geared one would still be quieter right?

It is a different sound.
I'm no longer as certain as I was immediately post replacement that the gear whine that I now hear is louder than the chain was. Remember: Mine at the TDIfest was commented on as being much quieter than most. I only had evidence of a loud chain system the last 2 miles before the swap.
The difference between the geared drive and a quiet chain was fresher in my memory a month ago and back then my opinion was the chain, before the tensioner broke, was quieter than the gears.
I still hear the soft whine of something that wasn't there before the swap, so I presume it to be the gears. I may be aware of it because it might be 'louder' than my quiet chain had been, or it might be because it is just plain different. For whatever reason I am aware that it is not the same as it was before.

 

[DickSilver]

Since the gears are helical: that is, the teeth are ground on a spiral, or helix, pattern, there is very little meshing noise from the teeth.

 

[Lug_Nut]

"Very little meshing noise" yes, but there is something different from the very little chain noise I had prior to tensioner breakage. Which was the lesser noise? Which was the greater? That is no longer certain in my mind. They are that close.
Suffice it to say that the gears will be very unlikely to become louder than the very little noise they produce now, but the chain system, even without tensioner fracture, would only become louder and louder.

 

[aja8888]

......... but the chain system, even without tensioner fracture, would only become louder and louder.

......Until things go completely *silent* and you have to call a tow truck to get the mess off the road......

 

[deming]

We have two 05 Passat TDI-- GLS wagons. The 40k car was driven the last few days and remarkably it is pretty quiet. The 50k car is another story. It is loud and making that marbles rattling around sound.
You can easily tella difference from the two of them. I parked one at the end of our long driveway and the other one just outside of the garage, with both running. and walked back and forth between the two of them to compare. Big Difference!!

I need to schedule some time later this month or next month to leave the higher mileage car down in St. Louis with Oilhammer. I figure I have about 10,000 miles before it gets really bad. That would put it at 60,000 miles.

 

[Joell]

MoGolf: Just received a note from my friend in the UK. His Passat engine has the designation of AWX. He just brought it home form the shop where they perform annual inspection and in discussion with the Tech they have not heard of the BS ussue. Makes sense to me as VW used North America as their test laboratory.

 

[samspock]

If I am reading this right, mine is 1 of 5 made and 4 sold.
USA 2005 GL Sedan TDI Tip FWD BLUE, SHADOW BLUE ANTHRACITE Cloth 5
1
Unless my interior color is actually Grey. I am not sure what the difference is. In that case it is actually one of a kind!:

USA 2005 GL Sedan TDI Tip FWD BLUE, SHADOW BLUE GRAY Cloth 1
1

My car is one of only 42 in the Country in that configuration!

USA 2005 GL Variant TDI Tip FWD SILVER, REFLEX SILVER ANTHRACITE Leatherette 42

Who's got one of the rare ones where only 1 was produced in that configuration?

 

[MOGolf]

AWX does not have a BS module. It is a 1.9L PD engine similar to BEW.

BS modules in 2.0L Passat diesels don't appear to have shown up there until 2006 model year BMA engine. They too had chain driven modules and got replacement geared module parts.

 

[Joell]

AWX does not have a BS module. It is a 1.9L PD engine similar to BEW.

BS modules in 2.0L Passat diesels don't appear to have shown up there until 2006 model year BMA engine. They too had chain driven modules and got replacement geared module parts.

Thanks, I am amazed how you fellows keep up on all these different engines and their inherent problems.
For what it's worh, last night I sent an email to VW, today I got a call from a very cordial young man who seemed very sincere in listening to my comments regarding the BS and Ceramic plugs issue on the BHW engine. He provided me with a case number for future reference. Admitted that they currently have no programs to offer the customers regarding these two issues. However, he did not deny knowledge of their existence like the first person I talked to, but again he did not confirm either.
I told him that I scheduled an appointment to have the GP changed out to Bosch steel but had to cancel due to an upcoming medical procedure. He instructed me to call them back when I have it done so they could check with the dealer. We will see what they have to say once the switch is made. A thought did occur to me after the coversation concerning the switch to steel GPs. If the old ceamic plugs are no longer available, then good business practice dictates that VW should not charge for the re-flash when replacing with the steel ones.

 

[volkswagendude]

We have two 05 Passat TDI-- GLS wagons. The 40k car was driven the last few days and remarkably it is pretty quiet. The 50k car is another story. It is loud and making that marbles rattling around sound.
You can easily tella difference from the two of them. I parked one at the end of our long driveway and the other one just outside of the garage, with both running. and walked back and forth between the two of them to compare. Big Difference!!

That dreadful marbles sound might also be a bad alternator pulley, ask..me..how..I know, or even a bad tensioner.

MoGolf has a thread somewhere about the alternator pulley.

I hope its either one of the two problems I mentioned up above, otherwise, off to Oilhammer you go!

 

[Smokerr]

Thanks, I am amazed how you fellows keep up on all these different engines and their inherent problems.
For what it's worh, last night I sent an email to VW, today I got a call from a very cordial young man who seemed very sincere in listening to my comments regarding the BS and Ceramic plugs issue on the BHW engine. He provided me with a case number for future reference. Admitted that they currently have no programs to offer the customers regarding these two issues. However, he did not deny knowledge of their existence like the first person I talked to, but again he did not confirm either.
I told him that I scheduled an appointment to have the GP changed out to Bosch steel but had to cancel due to an upcoming medical procedure. He instructed me to call them back when I have it done so they could check with the dealer. We will see what they have to say once the switch is made. A thought did occur to me after the coversation concerning the switch to steel GPs. If the old ceamic plugs are no longer available, then good business practice dictates that VW should not charge for the re-flash when replacing with the steel ones.

Agreed 1000% on you should not be charged for re-flash.

I know this is BS issue thread, but it also occur ed to me that a lot of the complaints on hard winter starts are messed up glow plugs. I would bet the one I was was about half or less effective, and the starting was lot worse last winter. Not for a nice -25 deg morning to test that!

 

[oilhammer]

While I have not seen it, there have been several reports of broken/cracked ceramic glow plugs found in engines that had hard cold starts but had no DTCs.

 

[johnboy00]

That dreadful marbles sound might also be a bad alternator pulley, ask..me..how..I know, or even a bad tensioner.

MoGolf has a thread somewhere about the alternator pulley.

I hope its either one of the two problems I mentioned up above, otherwise, off to Oilhammer you go!

It could also be the fan bearing, I had to have mine replaced at about 65K.

 

[Plutogogo]

Finally made the 1200 miles (round) trip to Oilhammer Monday to have the BS assembly upgrade, engine mounts and alternator pulley replaced. Although my car wasn't the worse Oilhammer has seen, but it's so much quiter and smoother now. The car sounds and drives like a complete different car. The stumbling problem I was having during the acceleration is also gone now. I want to thank Oilhammer and their people made the whole process as pleasant as possible. Now, once I finish with the glow plugs upgrade, I will feel good about the car again!

Chao.

 

[DickSilver]

Since I got the geared BS installed last month by Fast Enough Performance (Lex, KY), and steel glow plugs & reflash last week, my wife informed me that I can have the keys to HER car when I pry them from her cold, dead hands!!

 

[oilhammer]

Yeah, my wife won't give up ours anymore either.

 

[JoshFM]

Can someone clarify this for me: Are the "Balance Shaft Module" and "Oil Pump Chain" threads in this forums discussing the same thing? If they are two different failures, I might have bought the wrong car! I'm trying to determine if these are two different chains, or actually the same unit? Please forgive my ignorance and confusion. Thanks.

 

[leicaman]

If you have a 2004-2005 VW Passat with the BHW engine, you are tallking about the same thing. The official name of the part is the Balance Shaft Module. Originally equipped with a chain. Now only parts available are those with a gear. The passat was the only VW car that has this particular pesky part.

 

[johnboy00]

Yes, it's the same issue. Initially the thought was that the Balance shaft modules were failing because of a small hex-shaft that could wallow out the metal hole that it was mounted in. The chain drive made this problem worse because it put unequal forces on the hex shaft. The chain/tensioner was thought of as a replace at timing belt time item.

As time went on it became clear that the chain system is less robust than initially though with some failures as low as 60K. VW addressed the issue by coming out with a gear drive balance module which eliminates the chain.

The conventional wisdom is that after repair; Since the hex shaft doesn't have the unequal forces caused by the chain drive, it will not fail and since the chain no longer exists, it can not fail. Problem solved!

So yes it is only one issue.