W8 Passat Engine Teardown and Inspection ~ TINY V8

[@HumbleMechanic]

Thank you guys for watching! I know you want to know the miles on this engine, Im not totally sure. It could kinda go either way. Also should we do a teardown on that Transmission too? If not, it's going to the scrap. LOL

[@glynwatkins9968]

yo yo yo Charles how's it going

[@Evil12monks]

Thanks for the informational video.

[@HumbleMechanic]

@@glynwatkins9968 HEY HEY!!! working on the next video. LOL I think you guys are gonna love it.

[@Ronibumenchannel]

Wow amazing...

[@panzerveps]

Yesh please! Love transmission teardowns!

[@robc5955]

As a VAG fan I am astounded both by their engineering, but also the way they make stuff almost needlessly complicated.

[@reallyhappenings5597]

I'm a vag fan too 😉

[@churblefurbles]

astounded is one word for it lol

[@shadowopsairman1583]

Solution, LS.

[@gxp99]

VW: Hey lets put the timing chain on the back of the engine so you have to remove the transmission to replace it. Great idea... said no one. Uttery lunacy!

[@tempest411]

@@gxp99 There used to be a time, long ago, when access to serviceable items on an engine was part of regular car reviews.

[@JerS66]

As an owner of two running W8 wagons, one with 150,000 miles and one with 48,000 miles, I really loved this video. While the guts are terrifyingly over-engineered, it was still helpful to see the internals of the engine. Definitely want to see what magic lies in the 4-mo gooey-go!

[@lillpeter2]

sell one you greedy fuck😂

[@shrikelet]

The whole VAG W-engine programme is endlessly fascinating. It's a shame we'll never get to see how reliable and compact they could have gone with further development.

[@alouisschafer7212]

VAG half-arses everything for cheapness pretty sad

[@jeffmiller3150]

They make a 16 cylinder 1000+ horsepower in the Bugatti.

[@Till-jm6ku]

A VR6 is pretty compact and the W engines are kind of based on it. The just needed a way to make a really good and sophistocated Engine for the Phaeton and Bentley Continental. And I have to say, that Bentley has the most sophisticated, even and quiet 600hp+ ever put into a car.

[@Paco_Burrito_Suave]

Exactly.

[@JasonLuther1]

They would have gotten worse. Typical VAG fashion

[@tiko4621]

This man really has the WD40 sponsorship.. WINNING

[@HumbleMechanic]

They have been a good partner for years!

[@sindriatlason6925]

wetting bolt heads with wd40 does absolutely nothing.

[@CreamAle]

Not too rare of a sponsorship. Usually a TV thing with those sat morning car repair shows. But on KZbin even folks like MCM have their own painted cans.

[@Fosgen]

@@sindriatlason6925 True. It is better to use water or acetone. Last two at least work.

[@Ave_Satana666]

mah man needs a jacket with wd-40 patches

[@A.R.77]

Gotta love H.M.'s positive attitude in the face of horrific over engineering and ghastly odds.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Hahah I’m wired different

[@EXOVCDS]

It's always more fun when you don't have to worry about putting it back together. =)

[@jerryarvin567]

@@EXOVCDS creebe Wrath

[@HumbleMechanic]

Facts!! Also good to see ya man!

[@EXOVCDS]

@@HumbleMechanic Thanks!

[@pastedtomato]

Water cooled alternator. *Angry Wizard noises

[@CodyBosch]

I love this comment.

[@DuBstep115]

Everything attached to this engine is just pure Y tho

[@markyrd1507]

Just like a god damn Smart Car water cooled alternator, hate working on a Smart no space for pulling alternator out

[@danielgeorge6385]

and an expensive piece of s...

[@YungEagle3k]

@@markyrd1507 Germans

[@clockhanded]

I had no intention of watching this. Once I started I couldn't look away. Hopefully some of this mechanical skill, talent and knowledge rubs off on me.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Lol glad you enjoyed

[@Mik-ly9sp]

Thank You very much for making this video. I have been a mechanic working on cars since 1988, and an aircraft mechanic working on 737'S 747'S (until their early retirement a few months ago) since 1993. You really taught me something today that I never knew existed. Until watching your video I never heard of a W8 engine. And what a cool piece it is. Keep up the good work and greeting from Australia

[@draftwood]

We had a W8 Passat in the family from new. Wonderfully sophisticated engine sounds and fun to drive. Intuition told me to sell it at around 35 thousand miles as little niggling problems started showing up. This video confirmed my intuition....

[@basithph8958]

Oh yes the W8 the fascinating yet a nightmare of an engine

[@HumbleMechanic]

LOL It really wasn't bad. The main issue was the engine came out for most everything.

[@dereklacy]

@@HumbleMechanic and most parts were unobtanium

[@VEKYR900]

@@dereklacy good note , only thermostath is very expensive :/...

[@Dcc357]

VW should have made a VR8. It would be disgustingly fantastic if one could fit in a Golf lol.

[@terencejay8845]

The Passat has always been popular in the UK. I've had two. I don't think the W8 was ever available here as dealer stock. Shows how different the USA market is with its long preference for V6 & V8's across so many ranges.

[@miketeeveedub5779]

That is one of the most amazing cranks I've ever seen! Those offset skinny rod bearing journals and counterweights just make my head go boom 🤯 after years of seeing small block and big block Chevy's. Truly one remarkable engine - thanks for the dissection Charles! BTW - be interesting to see you dissect a Bentley twin-turbo VR8-, or gasp, a Bugatti quad-turbo VR16. Might be a few years though...if ever! Cheers!

[@zorg1396]

Bentley is a V8 or W12, the W8 was Passat only ;)

[@buffuniballer]

I believe some of the 90 degree GM V6 engines used similar rod journals to make the engines an even fire arrangement. Otherwise, they were odd fire where you would have some cylinders firing after 135 degrees and others after 105 degrees. It averages out to 120 degrees between each firing event, but it wasn't smooth power delivery. So this isn't new. VW just added an extra level of complexity with their design of other parts of the engine.

[@ElectricSwordfish]

Honestly refreshing seeing someone that's been around big American muscle acknowledging and appreciating European engineering.

[@300DBenz]

“Look at all this crustyness! Looks like it was at the bottom of the ocean!” Welcome to my world, every car older than 3 years old looks like that!

[@HumbleMechanic]

Im so thankful I live in the south. LOL

[@rageauto1291]

If you think thats bad. I have a 1986 passat with a 5Cyl as my daily... Origional engine still. Never been opened... Imagine what the internals look like on that one

[@laynelindenfelser7426]

Minnesota gang.

[@tempest411]

@@rageauto1291 It's been a LONG time since any manufacturer built a car that vould stay on the road that long.

[@rageauto1291]

@@tempest411 dont make em like they used to. Planned obsolescence... But people are protesting it now. Fighting fir right to repair. It's about time people fight back. I heard the new VW up. Cant rebuild the bottom end. Have to buy a whole sub assembly from agents. We are making the world worse

[@sharg0]

As a machinist I'm just shaking my head at the thought of all the molds, tooling and machining needed for that engine. And I don't know if it was available in Europe at all - I'm quite sure they didn't sell it in Sweden.

[@ferfire9]

It was available, one guy i know owned one , in Portugal by the way.

[@nielsdebakker3283]

I have seen them in the netherlands.

[@goggologgo6590]

They sold around 70 of those in Sweden.

[@rondeezy_thepancakeslayer1242]

They literally made everything in Germany lol. Imported to Japan, Canada, the US and other countries.

[@DubioserAltschauerberger1510]

They build only 5000 W8 between 2001 and 2004. Germany and for rest of world. Chances are significant low to find many W8 even in Germany

[@xXTECHxKNIGHTXx]

Lets see that transmission tear down this was really cool to see!

[@michaelszczys8316]

When he took off the engine oil pan it LOOKED like a transmission.

[@wickertwm]

It is amazing how grungy it looks now from oxidation. When new it was almost a piece of art. BEAUTIFUL

[@intraxx88]

VW engineers in 2000-s got some good stuff smuggled from Netherlands

[@DehnusNorder]

Nah, this is their Bentley/Audi Engine. It's not meant originally for a Passat. At least not in Europe, VW just keeps telling themselves (especially back then) that in the USA everybody wants a huge engine. Which is really not the case. People want reliable easy to maintain engines, and that you get from a reputation you build over the years. Had they done that, most wouldn't have been harping about how unreliable VWs are :(. It is really VAG's and VW USA's own fault.

[@PringleSn1ffer]

They make really cool engines, just not the most reliable or at least not the easiest to work on. At the end of the day not every engine design is gonna be a winner when you're doing your own thing like VW instead of playing it safe like most manufacturers. Just ask Mazda about that one as well with their rotaries.

[@dragospahontu]

@@DehnusNorder their boss was insane

[@garybulwinkle82]

They are definitely smoking something!!! These new engines are throw away or disposable! Just not worth rebuilding; just buy another (hopefully different) car!!!

[@JohnDoe-vw3yc]

VW engineers: why build simple when we can do complicated

[@Bata.andrei]

Not only complicated, but stupid design, most of the time, and that is why I hate working all vwag cars.

[@droppindeuces6981]

AND-a Produce less power too!

[@Bata.andrei]

@Juan Ignacio Caino BMW and Mercedes cars are also sometimes unnecessary complicated, but are most of the times reasonably well designed.

[@adotintheshark4848]

@Juan Ignacio Caino can't be BMW..there's no plastic garbage all over the engine.

[@takeomack2782]

...and I...wait for it....have one! 🤣

[@markusortmaier7174]

I love that this engine generations are so overbuilt. Everything is Metal and Not plastic.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Big change from 2021 huh LOL

[@alouisschafer7212]

oh boy Volkswagen has changed since then...

[@alouisschafer7212]

@Alfred Wedmore If your engine needs a balance shaft just stop and start from scratch.

[@hellbringer09]

@MagicSticki wanna know what you are smoking? because no, not really. i live above a mechanics shop. lets just say the Vws and Audis are in like clockwork for quite literally everything and Justin makes a killing on shop time on them...unless they are diesel avoid them like the plague... jdm brands or gms its just oil changes and brakes and basic maintenance, fords and Chryslers you get the negligent owners almost as bad as the VW/Audi people who cant afford the parts constantly.

[@THESLlCK]

@@alouisschafer7212 my car has a balance shaft and it sounds awful every time it rolls in

[@kevinbarry71]

And Honda and Toyota were getting at least that power level out of 3.5 L six-cylinder engines, at the same time this engine was in production. And they did it reliably. I love the video, keep those things coming

[@alouisschafer7212]

Toyota 2JZ makes 500-600hp with a Turbokit and a new ECU... on stock internals and pump gas... in the 1990s!

[@uzernaim1648]

@@alouisschafer7212 as do many forced induction engines from the same era

[@gjmob]

Those crank big end journals look pretty fragile. Those wedge shaped pistons seem like they would have balance issues, but the VR6 was a revvy engine wasn't it?

[@alouisschafer7212]

@@uzernaim1648 japan stands out here by a lot. The Honda K- Series , Toyotas 1jz 2jz, Nissans rb26 and the Mazda Rotary. All of these legends making mad power went into regular production cars over there

[@H33t3Speaks]

@@alouisschafer7212 We’re so fucking tired of the 2JZ dewd...

[@supra60]

The more I watch this video, the more I appreciate my BMW i3 and my Viper. Simplicity and light weight is the most beautiful thing. Bring on the electrification of cars without the 6000lb gvwr. The anxiety induction value of that W8 is crazy, there's no way I'd ever consider owning one. It does look fun to just tear down things constantly without the impending doom of reassembly. FOLLOWING!

[@LoneRevD]

"It needs a rebuild" "Whats that gonna cost?" "Um, you might want to sit down...."

[@rondeezy_thepancakeslayer1242]

They actually do not make any bottom end parts for these. If a bearing went, you bought a new $10,000 engine from VW lol

[@BrianYYH]

@@rondeezy_thepancakeslayer1242 lol I’d laugh all the way out of the shop

[@yanicktanguay2746]

Also you need to find some one with a table big enough to face the cylinder head.

[@MCMonsterbuilder]

I love Passats and this Engine always intrigued me. I almost bought a 100.000 mile seemingly well maintained W8 Passat last weekend. If I was just a little more impulsive, had a garage or if said car was a wagon I 100% would have gotten it. I'm still thinking about it. It could never replace my 1.9Tdi Passat. Way to expensive with how much I drive and fuel prices here in Europe but it would nonetheless be a nice addition to my nonexistent Garage.

[@RobertWelchman]

Thanks for the break down. I owned one of these. Absolutely loved driving it. Such a smooth power plant. Off the line was a bit slow given the power but as I understand it that's because the transmission wouldn't hold the power, so they limited power in first gear. Thank god I owned it on CPO though as the engine had to came out twice. Once for ticking hydraulic lifters and a second time for a cam adjuster. The engine bay is so tight in these.

[@NickyyDubbs]

This has always been one of my favorite engines. These unique engines are the reason why I got addicted to Vw lol.

[@trillrifaxegrindor4411]

overly complicated,massively under powered,failure prone................sign you up

[@Vdubkid616]

😄 I was just talking to my dad about his manual w8 wagon 👌👌

[@HumbleMechanic]

That is such a cool car! Even today I might consider buying one. HAHA

[@MrTheHillfolk]

Omg drool 😍

[@Vdubkid616]

I know he only ended up with it because I pestered the guy in my parts store to sell me it and he never would, so I was in one day and he said he was thinking about selling it but at the time I didn't have enough to buy it, my dad's nissan terano engine had just seized so I convinced him to buy it with the intentions of buying it off him, that was about 5 years ago and I don't think I'm ever actually getting it from him

[@Vdubkid616]

Keep up the awesome content btw 👍👍

[@spencedeezenuts6357]

i didnt even know that vw existed

[@tyronesteele7785]

Haha, I wish I had watched this video before I changed my thermostat and had a dowel fall down the intake unnoticed. Definitely makes for a bad day. Found pieces of broken piston and rings in the oil pan 😱😱😱. I bought a second hand engine and I'm about 2/3 way through replacing it. Kinda painful with a tiny garage and no hoist. Just doing a bit at a time after work and on weekends but I'm determined for the beast to live again. Such a fascinating engine with an awesome sound. Great video by the way.

[@matsl89]

Hmm... so when does the black r32 w8 project start? ;)

[@HumbleMechanic]

would be SICK!

[@matsl89]

@@HumbleMechanic Well, you have the motor and a spare r32 so ;) perhaps time to call shopdap to see what Volkswagen specific tools you need😁

[@seannaesseannaes]

@@HumbleMechanic *pokes the humble mechanic * Come onn... dooo it!

[@hoost3056]

A TWIN TURBSKI W8.....SHE'S BEGGING....PLEADING....FOR BOOST👍

[@DonryuRaiden]

@@HumbleMechanic you know deeply inside, you want to do it!

[@petrolpower96]

Thank you so much for the video! Love the W8, but odds for me ever working on one is slim, love this engine, so epic to have a proper teardown and the fact you explain as much as possible is fantastic. A transmission teardown would be fantastic! Thanks for another solid video, Charles

[@HumbleMechanic]

Thank you! Looks like we are go for transmission teardown

[@crownjwl]

Yes please, would love to see how trans n 4motion work!!!

[@HumbleMechanic]

AWESOME!

[@fanisfbt]

It doesn't have a 4motion AWD system , it's a Quattro one because of the b5 Audi longitudinal design platform (Audi A4 b5)

[@marcuscoster6529]

@@fanisfbt AWD is branded 4motion on the Passat. I don't know if it's mechanically the same as any Audi models or not but it isn't called quattro.

[@fanisfbt]

@@marcuscoster6529 it's actually Quattro AWD system but it is badged as 4motion for advertising reasons!!

[@PincheALsGarage]

Great stuff sir! We just got our 12V VR6 running today was epic and now we are starting the breakin procedure

[@sofielee4122]

i've always wondered why nobody ever pushes these weird little engines up over 300 but now it kinda makes sense. those super narrow con rods would probably do strange and less-than-wonderful things if they were pushed too hard

[@Josh-ce9sv]

Nah... the W8 and W12 can both easily make more power once they can breath. Given the cars purposes they were in- they have quiet intakes, lots of cats, resonators, mufflers...

[@jvanausdeln]

From an engineering standpoint, it seems to me like having two connecting rods would reinforce the journal. I think opposing force would be incredibly well balanced.

[@Josh-ce9sv]

@@jvanausdeln I've never driven a W8, but I own a 2006 444hp / 413lb/ft W12 Phaeton for the last 9 years and it is extremely smooth. My father in law owns a Bentley W12 twin turbo and before that he owned a '05 420hp W12 Phaeton. Great engines. Anything VW VR based is great.

[@exparrot9074]

I love how this is seemingly a super complex engine when you think about a W8 at first. I for one, could never picture how the crank would be laid out for a W motor like this until you broke it down. In typical VAG fashion, what is seemingly super complex is really just an elegantly simple solution: rod bearing journals which are slightly offset and a slanted piston top.

[@jameshaulenbeek5931]

One chain... *2 Chainz* Awesome video, love it! I would be very interested to see the transmission as well.

[@jh-ky5uu]

This takes me back, my late friend/stall neighbor took one had to do a cam adjuster on one of these back on the day for a CEL. Got it all back together only to have the CEL come back. VTA said “ oh yeah you need to do all the adjusters and housings, or the light will keep coming on” Lol. I’ve never seen a W8 go out and back so fast... haha

[@lanceboyle492]

The super fine mesh on the (broken) screens for the cam adjusters are a common failure point: they clog up with the tiniest amount of sludge buildup. The broken screens probably saved the engine. Other major failure point is the lock up torque converter as VW used the v6 transaxle which wasn’t up to the torque.

[@taomicioli]

lost screen caused a locked cam adjuster on a 30v 2.7/8 in advanced only on the dr bank....

[@whoismario]

Such a fascinating and engine. Really deserves more engineering credit than it received. Looked like that one wasn’t very well maintained and lived a tough life up north. Glad you finally got to tear one down.

[@Ssengel69]

What a fascinating yet horrifying video on engine engineering. I bet they sound great with an exhaust.

[@HumbleMechanic]

they really did sound great.

[@7spower998]

The melodious sound of a W8 flat-plane crankshaft is music to the ears

[@gglen2141]

I had an opportunity to buy a W8 passat a ways back. Nice car, Great condition, awesome price. But watching the engine smoothly running in the clean engine bay I had a premonition. Like in a movie when there is a "scene of hell" in blurry red with writhing demons. I walked. Glad I did.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Hahah that would make a fun movie

[@kimballscarr]

I remember many years ago reading Sir Harry Ricardo's books on the Low Speed Internal Combustion Engine and the High Speed Internal Combustion Engine... what the difference structurally was structural stiffness required of the high speed engine, and brute strength required of the low speed engine... not some magical tipping point in revolutions per minute! This Audi/VW W8 is the epitome of the high speed engine.

[@panzerveps]

Hah! I wore a timing chain as a necklace just the other day! 🤣

[@HumbleMechanic]

HAHA you have to at least once.

[@joezupp4968]

My son sent me this video because I build weird. I’m thinking about putting a W 8 and six speed into my vanagon. It will mean reconfiguring the engine bay, but weird is cool. Thanks for the education on it. I’m a diesel mechanic that has loved VW cars for 30 years.

[@HumbleMechanic]

That’s a hell of a swap!!!

[@joezupp4968]

@@HumbleMechanic I'll post it to your page when it's done. I build oddball stuff all the time. I'm also subscribing to your page

[@stephenprice7502]

This was super interesting. First time I've seen a W8 stripped down. Crazy that such a massive engine creates so little power compared to a modern day 4 cylinder!

[@jamescarla26]

Four pots are producing crazy power now. With dual clutch box golf r is pulling near 4 second to 60mph...crazy! I would say, make it a fair playing field and get the w8 blown? Supercharging would feel correct given its weirdness😂....

[@satunnainenkatselija4478]

Sure, they'll do that for a while. A short while. I bet these factory-tuned modern engines would not even last an hour if made to run at 100% throttle. The laws of physics were not defeatable back in the day nor have they become such. We see a lot of low-mileage cases needing rebuild. All corners have been cut to save cost and increase horsepower and then some. That's not a sustainable equation. Everything is aluminium, just maybe crankshafts are still steel but only on a rich day.

[@zdfsbnsdfn]

Thanks for being as excited about this as me!

[@Jack-yl7cc]

All those crusty old triple square and Allen head bolts and it seems like you didn't break, strip or round out a single one, now that's what I call impressively good luck(and being highly skilled, no doubt helped a lot too).

[@HumbleMechanic]

Also HIGH quality tools are a must here.

[@qwiklok]

In order to replace the head gasket, the engine must come out and a major tear down as shown. No in place work can happen. What a job. This video was 30 minutes real time less than an hour. But to pull the engine, tranny, 1 day. shave heads, reassemble, clean up, 1 week. It could be a dream project restore engine. Paint valve covers, timing chain covers bright red, intakes, silver, pulleys black or chrome. It could be a showpiece. Why not? Rare engine, rare station wagen. Gorgeous car

[@spencedeezenuts6357]

cant believe this only put out 271 hp we have come so far.

[@MightyWhiteofYou]

Some years ago I was looking at a w-8 Passat. After owning a 1.8 T that always was breaking I reconsidered. After watching this I’m thankful that I went with a 5.7 Hemi which is the easiest motor to work on.

[@theothermike3195]

Cool video!! All I could think of when you pulled that manifold was how cool that engine would look with those giant valve covers polished and some crazy velocity stack injection set up!

[@HumbleMechanic]

I AGREE!!!

[@theothermike3195]

@@HumbleMechanic Are these strong engines? Will they handle boost? Other than being MASSIVE, they seem to be stout, 4 bolt mains, that weird girdle thing, but that crank looks weak.

[@edinko8973]

@@theothermike3195 they are boosted from factory, with small air pump in filter airbox, actually my w12 D2 a8 has 2 airpumps and boost preassure of 1.5bars measured. Boost come from low rpm. To some 3500rpm

[@trillrifaxegrindor4411]

had me thinking,how close is the dumpster

[@TheStevenBateson]

Even though people say its "scary" its nothing different then keeping anything else running, I am very fortunate to live in a state where european cars are quite common so i have a bunch of tuner/repair shops that specialize in cars with engines like this. (other than pulling the engine for everything). I feel like if anything this video made me less scared to take on this little beast.

[@carlkwasnjuk9518]

Here I thought you were going to rebuild this and install it into a Vanagon.

[@jameshaulenbeek5931]

Or the Miata...😂

[@HyperMAX9001]

I would put it in a VW bus.

[@oStreekzBruh]

vw tech here and can confirm, i stash all engine harnesses that get discarded. one time i had the proper connector for a urovan horn connection lol. saved that other techs butt haha

[@karstgeo7290]

Now I know what mine looks like inside! Great video man.

[@stevebot]

Many moons ago, an old-person green Passat 4motion W8 beckoned to me from a used car lot. I chose the path of career IT, Japanese 4x4 stick and chronic alcoholism. Coolest 8 cyl crank ever, still no regrets in life choice.

[@ma77bc]

I would love to see a build of the W8. Really cool.

[@zorg1396]

There are no and never were, sadly, parts to service the bottom end. Not a bloody bearings or piston rings, let alone oversized pistons! 😓

[@zorg1396]

@humblemechanic: in the video you asked whether there's some fancy coating on the valves. No, there's not, it is made from Alusil (hypereutectic aluminium alloy) and a special honing process of the walls form hard silicon crystals on their surface, so the pistons (made from the same alloy) slide directly on the aluminum wall (on a oil film of course :) ). Regarding the belt, it is a comon failure on these engines. It has to be replaced let's say every 80-100k miles (together with the tensioner and the wheel you found jammed), but nobody does this.....voilà :) I am also adding that last year somebody in the US bought off the very last one of this little belt in the whole world... We at the W8 forum also discussed whether the balancing shafts help to distribute oil, hence upon this failure the engine dies slowly (jamms at the first valve and spins the main bearing)... Cheers from the CZ! ;)

[@andypdq]

I got half way through the video and thought: "I must be asleep and having a nightmare involving horrendous over complication and potential expense, this can't possibly be real" It is...

[@qwiklok]

Wow, wow, wow. Fun, superb video, They say this W8 engine is one of the top 10 most complex car engines ever. Now we know why. I must be blessed or lucky or both. have 2 W8 4WD silver wagons. I live in BC Canada, cold, snow country. My daily driver, the W8 silver Passat 4 Motion just turned 333,333. I bought it in 2017. Do all my own mechanical work. You need to be a bit crazy, need small hands, own the manuals and watch humble mechanic for the master teacher! It purrs, reliable, ultra smooth, lots of power, ok gas mileage at 20-24 mpg US, a dream car. Very few issues. Will never sell it, rare car Superb engineering. Never fails Why? I use the best Pennzoil Euro platinum @10l every 10-15,000 miles / 15-20,000km. Every second oil a change, I use bluchem oil cleaner- comes out jet black. I have the best spark plugs rhethunium kind. No oil additives except before oilchange for 100 miles. I clean the mass airflow sensor 2x year. Use bluechem gas injector treatment 1x year. Of course clean filters. I actually car wash the engine often. It does not sit idle. The only issue in super cold is the oil air separator clogs up once in 3 years and the PCV system needs to be removed and thoroughly cleaned. This because of high humidity and cold. oh well. I may put an engine blanket on next winter to keep the engine hot. will see. Look after the engine, it will look after you. A comment about power and mpg. Yes, engines have got better, inevitable. This car will still go so fast as to be nuts, limited to 250kph. Now where in San hell can anyone drive that fast? The dotted lines merge into 1 solid line. It hits 60 mph in 6 seconds. It stops so fast and with insane control - you could go through the front window. The brakes are massive. I have towed 3500 lb. trailers for 1500 miles with lousy gas mileage of course @ 14 mph US. It can plow through deep snow like a Jeep with incredible 4WD traction. It can climb hills like a Jeep Wranglet. It can handle, corner like crazy, and yet be super comfy on a long 8 hour trip. The car weighs 3850, with me and luggage, 4250. NO PAYMENTS. Sure go ahead buy a Tesla at 50,000. enjoy the 700 a month payment. Ok, I spend up to 200 month on premium gas expensive in Canada. But what a fun car to own and maintain along with my 2002 passat V6 and other 2003 W8 project car. A bit of a mini Veyron. . . .lol less $3M..

[@abysstoid1503]

You used more wd40 in this video than I have in my entire life

[@HumbleMechanic]

Haha

[@83JackDaniels]

Nice video. I like my W8 very much. I'm driving it since 2009.

[@ioanjones9269]

YES, trans teardown would be very informative

[@lorenzoparedes2306]

I'm neither a mechanic nor an engineer, but I have rebuilt 3 engines, all 4 cylinder. One Japanese, two Swedish. My point is that the engine presented in this video is, from my perspective, very complex and demonstrates a gigantic invesment of design and engineering time. Then, even after the engine design phase is done, there's the nightmare of making the castings, forgings, and parts to fit all together and run smoothly and somewhat reliably for years. Kudos to the engineers, and to those who dare to overhaul these machines. I would probably be too chicken to take one apart.

[@THESLlCK]

Americans be like: This 4 liter is SMALL! In all seriousness though, this is awesome

[@THESLlCK]

@@GlassTopRX7 lol yeah people don't realize that DOHC engines are gigantic for their displacement. A corvette 6.2L pushrod is much smaller and lighter than a BMW M3 V8 DOHC

[@ProjectFairmont]

@@THESLlCK lighter? Debatable. Smaller yes, but if an engine fits it fits. A C8 has a huge ass.

[@brendanPREGO]

Wish this was up a few weeks earlier when my sister was looking to get rid of her W8 wagon. Still on the bucket list for me.

[@jonathans7995]

transmission tear down would be sick!

[@JoseRivera-ym3wj]

Take away anything that's not essential for performance (like the secondary air pumps), vapor blast everything for super cleanliness, upgrade parts to make it twin turbo. It would be a super sweet and rare engine. Too bad someone called dibs on the block for a coffee table. I love engine teardown videos like these. Let's one now the inner workings of an engine.

[@juancodarini3149]

We wanna see it running again Charles! Jajajaj

[@ericfleming6876]

I have a 2003 W8 6MT with roughly 220K miles. Loved that car. Switched to a 2018 Golf R 6MT. Love that one even more.

[@HumbleMechanic]

the 7.5 R is so good!

[@ericfleming6876]

@@HumbleMechanic I've had it for about a month. I haven't done any mods to it yet. Wanted to just drive it plain first to get a feel for it. Now I can't wait. Was thinking of just going stage 1 and then doing the mods but I might go straight to stage 2 and be done.

[@Off-Road10]

I've always wanted to see someone build one of these. Idk if they can handle boost but it would be kinda cool to see one built.

[@onecookieboy]

I bet the crank would break, those split rod journals don't have much meat between them. See the video's of the landrover defender v6 which has a reputation for breaking cranks, it's exactly the same.

[@mikeholme2312]

Loved this and would love to see the Tranny!!! I have been keeping a spare W8 engine and have been tempted to buy complete vehicles for manual drivetrain sparesies. I have a 2004 6spd manual wagon with 256,000 miles and it still drives extremely fun!. I have had sea to sea distance trips without issue. Alternator died and I found an engine with 88,000 miles on it (claimed)including the alternator for $700.00 USD and bought it right away! Needless to say, I saved a ton of money this way because an alternator alone is at least this much dinero.... Here's where it gets interesting... I sent oil samples to Blackstone Labs for the high mileage engine, and they responded with a positive diagnosis overall, and then I sent the oil in for the low mileage engine just to confirm health of the engine I had never heard run. Blackstone replied asking me why I sent oil from the same engine in. They seemed to have overlooked the fact they were in fact different engines..... soooo..... a cared for high mileage engine shows similar wear characteristics as an engine with a fraction of the miles. Happy time for me! This was great news for my high mileage car, so now I continue to drive smart and have fun while waiting for the grenade to blow, enjoying driving but not beating on the car, knowing I have another engine to install. The low mileage engine occupies a stand in storage awaiting its ambiguous future. I know the Balance shaft belt cover is visibly broken so even though the oil checks out, there is a problem. No balance shaft belts exist to purchase and the cover is also cracked and needs to be replaced. I was watching your video thinking "I need that Balance shaft cover!" then yours came apart and revealed there was a greater problem. I have thought of disassembling the spare motor entirely, as it is a spare and a research piece, but why do that if it potentially has thousands of miles of functionality left? I am very interested in seeing the 6spd Transmission teardown. Please? (thought begging would help!) Thanks for your videos, I have loved every minute of your channel!

[@HumbleMechanic]

Keep it together. If you do want to venture down that path, check for all available parts. That’s the place you’ll have the biggest issues

[@demontech06]

I can tell you first hand what happens when the engine is started after the dowel pin fell into the cylinder unnoticed.

[@jamescarla26]

😱

[@johnfisher747]

Oh that rattle? That’s completely normal following service, it’s just the new parts getting to know each other, give it a few thousand ks, if it’s still there at the next service we’ll look into it 😅

[@hydrocarbon82]

Fun fact: Audi/VW engineers don't play computer games, they play "one-up your coworker" on autocad...

[@baldymeek7742]

this engine looks strong

[@martokisful]

I think the same, maybe with a different oil pan it would be RAD material for a swap in a tiny hot hatch, maybe like Suzuki Swift GTI or a Daihatsu Charade GTTi with like a supercharger to add some more power

[@baldymeek7742]

@@martokisful cram it into a lupo i would :D

[@Uncle-Duncan-Shack]

Nice teardown. That's gotta be one of the most expensive exercises in getting 4 liters of displacement into an engine. But it means it will fit sideways into the car. Looking forward the transmission teardown. That engine probably did not have too high mileage, but it was not well maintained, amazing how well it stood up to the lack of clean oil.

[@bradley3549]

The Passat this engine was destined for is not a transverse drivetrain, it's longitudinal like the Audi A4 it shares a platform with. That chassis was designed with a I4 or V6 in mind. Though many people have swapped 'normal' Audi V8s into those chassis, and the next generation chassis came with one from the factory. Which makes the complexity of the W8 all the more baffling. VW just really wanted something to differentiate from the Audi models I guess.

[@lesfoster4127]

Please tear down the alternator, I’ve always thought the water cooled alternators were interesting even though I never got to replace one.

[@HumbleMechanic]

I kept it!! Love the idea

[@takeomack2782]

I still have my 2003 Passat W8 Passat. Runs great.About to do a coolant glean with a electric thermostat replacement.

[@nenadvucicevic2026]

Please save this w8, there are not much left out there. You should make a w8 rebulid series, maybe drop it in some b5.5. Keep up the good work Charles! Regards

[@ehholden2376]

No burn it

[@noaht5191]

I can literally smell this video. WD is my jam.

[@commodore665]

it's an interesting engine layout , and to think the Bugatti Veyron has two of those joined to make a W16 with turbo chargers , I'd love to see a teardown of that engine

[@HumbleMechanic]

Me and you both! HAHA

[@qwiklok]

UPDATE FROM REBUILD. Wow, a lot of work. Bentley manual was good except for engine removal which took 2 days part time. Went very carefully, took lots of pictures. 232 000 km on core replacement. Old engine overheated at 325,000 with blown small hose and forward frost plug. Ya, complcated but by necessity. Alternator 1s 150A. can't find replacement bearing so cleaned and repacked it. Took heads off, clean and nice looking. Rock Auto sent wrong headbolts so had to reuse originals since lack of time. Sandblasting was a good move, repainted looks fantastic. Pated all accessories, bits and pieces, trannt too in in primer green. . I used anti corrosion spray on all bolts. Reassembling was slow and methodical. tricky with so many pieces. photos helped. timing was tricky. Basically a 2 week project. now a show engine. Learned a great deal. Not for the feint hearted by any stretch.

[@levigato125]

Over engineered like the current German hot V’s.

[@dragospahontu]

It's nothing compared to new engines, simple to work on.

[@shanemitchell5807]

The blocked oil rings are across all VW engines. Nice one VW!

[@NICK-uy3nl]

Probably one of the worst engines ever made; heavy, complicated, expensive and unreliable. The proverbial 'boat anchor'

[@adotintheshark4848]

you forgot "underpowered"

[@noblevengeance312]

This is one of the coolest engines ever made.

[@SGTMARSHALL1]

Really enjoyed learning what makes the W engine tick, definitely feel it can be improved and put on a diet. Looks like someone made that engine work for all it was worth and failed to show it some love for all the hard work

[@mor4y]

I remember actual v4 engines, used in Ford transit vans and some saabs. Quite a cool little engine, absolutely tiny for a 2ltr unit. Would love to see one in a single seater racer 👌

[@brianwinters4991]

Wow I'm glad I've never had work on one of those !

[@jacquescoolen1400]

Was a little confused at the end when I saw 2 sprockets for the timing chain on the crank(21:35)..... Had to go back and saw It was a double chain form the crank to the intermediate gear(14:14)..... Pretty cool engine I'd say..... thanks for sharing it with us..... and please do a teardown of the transmission......

[@samuelberghuvud5527]

WD40 sponsorship? That's a like and sub

[@stanruther]

My Passat W8 is still one of my favorite cars of my past!

[@kioschraffenberger3131]

Great Video Thank You for the entertainment for the morning Coffee.👍

[@xarups]

Rebuild this!!! Place on a Golf or Passat as a retro-project... Would be one series that I would definitively watch! Cheers!

[@chadharmon5716]

You have a very professional and interesting way of editing your videos

[@HumbleMechanic]

thank you

[@chriscisneros155]

Years ago I was going to buy a w8 wagon. Water cooled alternator, three rear timing chains didn’t need that kind of maintenance nightmare.

[@ufakaaa]

Please someone get this man a W16 to tear down. The internet needs to see that.

[@davidbaldwin1591]

2:04 Although I agree about the heat shrink, from a practical standpoint, no injector that has its own "carport" for a manifold, is likely ever to see rain, much less a steam jenny.

[@HumbleMechanic]

You’re not wrong. :) even if it’s no harm, it takes 5 seconds. Now inside the car, behind the dash where heat can cause damage, I’m cool with leaving it.

[@Sawubona2007]

The block are quite valuable for people looking to make a coffee table out of them.

[@coolissimo69]

Great teardown, Charles and awesome recording footage.Really enjoyed every second.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Thanks!!!

[@kuljautus]

Great video! And some parts humorous too. Thanks! Greetings from Finland

[@BravNeff]

Can't wait for more videos about the W8!