Is This the Worst VW Engine Ever? MK5 GTI's Timing Chain Fail

[@HumbleMechanic]

Thank you all for watching! What is the best thing to do with this car? Also here is the link for Boroscope Im using amzn.to/4fN88Pv

[@oliknow]

getting rid of it. blown engine, signs of neglect, poor whatever with the exhaust. as we say ... when you start there will be a rats tail of never ending stuff also needs fixing. time is money afterall

[@kevingrierson2331]

I guess part out is the best option. But I love these sort of teardown and analysis videos. Very educational.

[@tisurboi7411]

absolutely crazy idea, but you should get an ebay cylinder head and throw it on. i think it would be interesting to see.

[@miketdavies]

It's dead, Jim. Scrap it, "part" it out (there might be a couple worth something), or just set it on fire and walk away

[@slam_r_us]

@@HumbleMechanic sell it/ scrap it and then do my timing chains 😂

[@rabbitenjoyer6320]

"Metal water pumps? Nah, MATTEL water pumps" 💀

[@n9wox]

0:49

[@skylinefever]

When the M16 gun arrived, some guys called it Mattel 16 because it had a plastic stock. I think they called it things far dirtier.

[@benjohn626]

Hey Charles and Paul! About a year and a half ago i inherited a 2011 Tiguan with a CCTA that came with a LITTANY of issues, namely timing chain tensioner failure (thankfully, no bent valves). I watched just about every video you have about the CCTA and it weak points. With the help and insight from your videos, I was able to literally tear this entire thing apart and rebuild it. its been running strong for the past year. To add to all this, I hadn't even changed my own oil before. You are a lifesaver. As for the CCTA in general, It's a love-hate relationship. I've owned a MK5 GTI, a MK6 GLI, a MK7 Golf R, and now this 5N1 Tiggy. When they fail, they fail catastrophically. But when they're working, they are amazing. I should seek help and quit the CCTA cold turkey lol.

[@kilovwdude6457]

Man i feel you

[@andicandi2634]

😬🫣 you mean Charles 😊 both Paul (shopDAP) and Charles (Humble Mechanic) have been the best teachers for me over the past 5 years, I have been able to learn so much about my MK7R and MK8R thanks to them! I don't know what I would do without either of them 😅🙏😊

[@benjohn626]

@@andicandi2634 whoops! Brain was moving faster that my fingers and I straight up goofed it! Both of them helped me for sure but yeah it was mainly Charles.

[@denzelfashington3110]

I wonder why VWs didn’t do various other engines based on 2.5 5 cyl, it’s almost like they hated reliability

[@HumbleMechanic]

HAHAH that 2.5 was so good.

[@erichzander2363]

I used to wonder the same thing. I had a 2008 Rabbit with the 2.5 with the manual trans. I just couldn’t spend the 10-15k extra for the GTI. I had 190,000 miles on it when I sold it. Only thing I ever did to that car was oil changes and tires. The only non maintenance parts I had to change were the crank sensor and the clock spring. I bought the car new and drove the piss out it for 12 years. Still had the factory clutch. The main reason I sold it was the interior was falling apart, the headliner and fabric on the door panels was coming off leaving a sticky mess!

[@Pokingclams]

Because that would make too much sense

[@mrD66M]

VW trying to make MOAR money on parts/ aftermarket OOW repairs... oh nooooo... VW owner here (diesel BKP) Keep the Humble beard growing 👍

[@mikelawson503]

07 jetta Wolfsburg with 231,000 miles, original engine and transmission. Still a daily.​@HumbleMechanic

[@muzallisam5068]

i just love it when there is a kit specificly named "bent valve fix kit for the ccta''.

[@jacoblittle3209]

As a former MK5 GTI owner my car had began having many of these same issues (failed intake manifold, HPFP, diverted valve, water pump,rear main seal, etc.) and I'm so glad that one night while parked at the curb some drunk hit and totalled that thing. I loved that car and was pissed when it happened but in the end it was ultimately a good thing

[@nigelboom3943]

Former mk6 GTI owner. Water pump, spark plugs, timing chain, gearbox, oil leak issue, turbo eventually needed replacement. Traded it in for a mk6 GTD. Love it. The GTI was a nice car but the maintenance costs, fuel costs, oil costs (1 liter every 1500miles) I just couldn't justify the maintenance costs for the performance. Put the foot down and your speeding and risking losing your license. Now I have the GTD, amazing car, strong engine, 50mpg easy, performance when I want it, 99% of the time I'm cruising.

[@razmann4k]

What have you moved on to now?

[@jacoblittle3209]

@@razmann4k something I never thought I'd see myself in... A Ford. Fiesta ST. When I first got it it was slow as hell but I've since got it up to 372whp on the dyno and being about 600 lbs lighter than the GTI it's a little rocket in comparison

[@swampwiz]

I know the feeling. I had a 1.8T Mk IV New Beetle (bright yellow paint!) that was as much of a lemon as it looked; Hurricane Katrina put it out of its misery, and the 1.8T Mk IV Jetta Wagon (manufactured in Wolfsburg) that replaced it is still going strong after 175K miles.

[@Greenious]

For those who may not know, this MK5 GTI has the EA888 Gen 1 engine, not the EA113 engine used in earlier model years (2004-2008~). The main difference is that the EA113 uses a timing belt instead of a chain but is an overall much more reliable engine. Also, the EA888 Gen 2 & 3 are improved over the first generation as these problems are (mostly) fixed, even though you’ll still need to worry about plastic water pumps and other modern VW goodies.

[@VeeDub2000]

@@Greenious yeah I have the EA113 with a belt (BPY) and I hear all these GTI horror stories and I’ve had none of them. I consider myself lucky I guess 😆

[@Greenious]

@@VeeDub2000 Same here (BWA), especially since my car has not had an easy life.

[@TopGoose-bf1mx]

Gen2 wasn’t in any VWs in the US. Only Gen2 in the US was the Audi Valvelift motor.

[@Greenious]

@@TopGoose-bf1mx I actually did not know that! I'm from Australia so they're plentiful around here.

[@Gazshadows]

The EA113 uses a belt and chain combo, cambelt on front side of the engine and chain on rear side of the engine.

[@mechanicsdiary1438]

As a tech for 50 years i agree about issues with this platform. However if you change your oil fix issues as they arise, and have a good shop doing service the timming chain issue could have been cought in advance. If you fix nothing and have knuckle heds working on your car . There is no good car.... Great channel, thanks for all your hard work

[@godspeed1986]

As an owner of an MK5 Jetta with the CCTA engine and 150k miles, I've experienced almost all of these failures. The timing chain tensioner failed but thankfully I had just parked in my garage. It skipped a tooth but no valve damage. Still cost about 3k to fix. One common failure that wasn't mentioned is injector seals going bad and spewing fuel in the engine bay. That happened. Also, had failed ignition coils multiple times and just recently the intake valve mechanism failed. Thankfully ECStuning has a cheap cap to keep it in place that I was able to use to "fix" it. Also, my PCV valve failed which in turn caused my rear main seal to fail. Even though I replaced it within a week. Then my K03 turbo failed. I ended up doing a K04 upgrade which makes the car super fun to drive. However, I have spent much more on repairs then I paid for the car and it's worth to keep it going. It is a love/hate relationship. 😆

[@nextlayersecurity]

Just sold my ECStuning Manifold Actuator cap on Craigslist last week. It worked for awhile but I think the linkage connector had too much play in it (even with actuator held in place). Codes would return with reported cylinder misfires. Also, had implausible value on something manifold-related. I ended up buying ECS assembled Manifold and had someone install it (under $1k total). no codes and all is well. I thought about upgrading TURBO to K04 but figured that airflow and coding required and didn't want to poke the beast. I did not want IMI OEM and instead went with Borg Warner .. it works fine but there's this interesting frequent whooshing sound (that I assume is some sort of pressure reliever).

[@skylinefever]

A different recirculation valve/BOV and a higher boost pressure could change the sound. Changes in the cold side ductwork could also do that. Different compressor wheels also change the sound. Some turbo guys will spend a lot to make their car hiss like a snake.

[@parbjotkhela3072]

Humblemechanic and pual drop a video same day lets go

[@HumbleMechanic]

THATS AWESOME!

[@Deutscheautoparts]

❤

[@trethegreatestt9880]

@@DeutscheautopartsI have a p0441 that will not go away I’ve been chasing for an year rebuilt the entire evap system trying to fix and still nothing

[@n9wox]

​@tethegreatestt9880 did you select the Paul install option?

[@trethegreatestt9880]

@@n9woxI tired for some reason it didn’t work so now I’m fucked 🤷🏽‍♂️😭😭😂

[@skipsterz]

Mk5 (BPY) owner here. It’s a sad state when another 2 door GTI gets scrapped, no matter what gen it is. 😞

[@AgonxOC]

I am also holding onto my MKV (BPY) and she still going strong. Turbo may need replacement soon, but I am nearing 200K.

[@Naguapo]

@@AgonxOCsame here. I’m thinking it’s a boost leak.

[@TassieLorenzo]

Will Mk5 2-door bodyshells be valuable one day? It's worth the Humble Mechanic keeping the bodyshell for a full restoration project in 20-30 years time, maybe a Mk5 2-door R32 replica (or Mk4 bodyshells would be more valuable for that)? With all the modules (if wanting to do a Concours OEM build) will restoring a 50 year old Mk5 cars in 2060 be more of a pain than restoring a Mk1 or Ur-Beetle in 2024?

[@WyrdSquirrel]

@@AgonxOC BPY owner here too, I just had to order a whole new turbo, after 198K. Im not giving up on her yet!

[@ptspyder]

Love my bpy too. Unfortunately it's sidelined right now with a vac leak causing it to over fuel *even though the ECU thinks it's too lean* and a leak I can't find in the coolant system. Waiting for the cooler days in the winter to tear into it.

[@rennkafer13]

140k on my EA888.1 and still going strong. I will say it is a late 2012 GTI that had the updated tensioner from new, plus I run LiquiMoly, change it at less than 10k miles, and am always gentle on it until fully warmed up. So they're not all problem children.

[@mk6_csg978]

Same, mine is a early 2012 gti with 117k and still going strong. I have taken care all the maintenance. I keep up with oil changes on time and it’s been pretty reliable after 11 years of ownership. I think is all about taking care of car and taking care of the things that need to be fix and not just ignore the problems. That’s what I’ve done and so far it’s been a great car to me.

[@laplays6916]

My Late Model 2012 GTI (CCZB) with 107,000 km has most of the common issues resolved, timing chain, water pump, evap, ignition coils, timing cover gaskets all fixed, but now have a leaking rear main seal. The intake manifold was fixed by the previous owner but i got hit with all of the issues with in a very short amount of time. I'm the same with driving the car gently until it's warmed up and oil changes done below 10K KM. Wish i saved up more money and got a MK7 GTI or MK7 R.

[@jesusmiranda6748]

be careful of still using the updated tensioner they are still prone to failure, its better to get the whole revised one with the special part number to avoid problems, did this on my 2010 mk6 gti

[@rennkafer13]

@@jesusmiranda6748 mine looks completely different than the early version.

[@yah5o]

18:06 - missed opportunity for "in the bin"

[@fouzaialaa7962]

wrong channel mate !!

[@jamesherndon9762]

Little pro tip I’ve learned and figure you might like, but the t30 heads fit inside of a 12 point 11mm. So whenever one gets rounded I hammer the 11 on it and it gets em out with ease!

[@dougbuchanan9741]

Hey Charlies. Nothing give me more pleasure than a person who clearly loves VW getting a car back on the road even if it means breaking even on the money spent verses the money recieved.

[@thegodfreyspecial423]

As owner of a Gen 2 EA888 (built late 2014 - VW Tiguan with slushbox) I live in fear - but - at 308,000km I have learned a few things: change the oil - often - with very high quality oil. Am currently using Cera Tec with good results. Keep an eye on the timing chain: my original chain and tensioner lasted until 275,000km which is apparently not common. Always let it warm up before driving - there is always debate about this on the internet but I have owned several cars where this practice has served me well in the long run. At least once every two oil changes I run a can of Sea Foam through the gas tank - this seems to keep the injectors running quiet. I run only 91 Octane fuel. Lastly: I run an Integrated Engineering Stage 1 tune for over 200,000km: I am starting to believe it is part of the longevity of the engine, and it still rocks and rolls. Another oddity: my engine doesn't burn alot of oil (maybe 1 quart over 7000km) and similarly I've never had issues with carbon on the valves.

[@ihatefsi]

my ea888.1 with 117k miles burns no oil. 3-5k mile oil change intervals. i updated the chains at 110k and cleaned the valves and replaced the injectors at 114k. Preventive maintenance is key.

[@anthonysharpe5104]

In Australia we got the BWA engine in the Mk5 GTI. The CCZA and CCZB engines were in the Mk6 GTI and Skoda VRS. I’ve purchased one of each where the timing chain had skipped timing and bent all 8 intake valves. Actually the Skoda bent one exhaust valve as well. There was no other damage so I had the head reconditioned with new valves and seals and put them back together with new chains, guides etc and they were good to go. In Australia they generally seem to fail at around 150 to 190,000 kilometres b

[@bgee461]

You know when a vw mechanic calls something bad, it's like... BAD bad. Michael Jackson BAD

[@skylinefever]

I love the power glove. It's so bad. And I mean baaad. The AVGN then makes an aristocrats level joke about it. For many years I liked Nissans and I wanted a 300ZXTT. However, I am not afriad to face the fact that they can be a maintence nightmare. A relevant meme has a man with baby hands. He says hi. I am here to repair your 300ZXTT.

[@sammishie1501]

I am the 9th, yes, 9th owner of my BPY GTI. She's been around. Hear me out though, the FSI is a pretty simple engine. I don't know how to explain it, but it's relatively easy to work on. Sure the tools are expensive but its a spectacular car to learn with. When I bought it almost everything that is supposed to be sealed was not but it still ran like a champ, though under powered, and refused to die.

[@scotturich]

I had that car as my first Autocross car and it blew the rear main seal because of the crappy PVC system. The timing guides are a ticking time bomb. Definitely the worst engine ever.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Man I haven't autocrossed in a while. I Was thinking about running the red R32. It will be WAY out classed, but it will be super fun.

[@bmxican0704]

I have a 2014 mk6 gti. Did timing chains etc at 99k miles. Car runs like a champ

[@rkan2]

Would be good to make a program to swap southern VW bodies with bent valves to cars with rotted rust belt bodies but with good engines lol 😂😂

[@JaimieSigamoney]

Enjoy your video's as always, I leave out this build and focus on the turbo charged Vr6 R32 build.... I have been patiently wait for an update on the R32 build

[@bigkaswrx8115]

I bought a used GTI once, 2006 3dr, 155k miles. Drove out the dealer and 5 minutes later oil pump failed. Drove it back to the dealer engine knocking like crazy 😅🤷‍♂️ funny thing is I went with Vw over Subaru for more reliability.... I now just stick with honda lol

[@NJRoadfan]

A BPY/CAEB/CPMA survivor here (the latter two are longitudinal). Now have a car with a Gen 3 EA888, fingers crossed they got it right this time. Also, you'd be silly to not do pistons if you had the head off. These engines love to burn oil and usually need revised pistons and rings.

[@roccoracer]

I just bought my son a 2007 Rabbit 2.5. It still runs and drives excellent with 180k miles.

[@littlelight_mk6933]

My MK6 GTI has a CCTA and dare I say it has been super reliable! 2 water pumps, 2 intake manifolds, a few sets of spark plugs/coils and countless oil changes, it just hit 190k last week! ALSO, there’s a guy on FB marketplace that sells rebuild/refurbed gen1/2 TSI’s for like 2-3k!

[@wakaflockaproject]

Is that gen 2 ccza engine?

[@littlelight_mk6933]

@@wakaflockaproject ea888.1/ccta

[@logicxhardcorex]

2 water pumps and 2 intake manifolds is not reliable bruhhh cope harder

[@littlelight_mk6933]

@@wakaflockaproject ea888.1/CCTA

[@littlelight_mk6933]

@@logicxhardcorex not coping, just saying. I trust this car to drive across the country with no problems

[@roccoracer]

I am going thru this same scenario with an MK1 TT 3.2. The more I look, the more I find. I am $6k deep, it still needs more. I love it so I will keep going.

[@kevingrierson2331]

I had a 2006 A3 with the BPY engine. I was well over 214,000 reliable miles before I sold it. And I know the previous owner wasn't someone that really took car if the car. I bought it with somewhere over 100,000 miles on it. I don't understand why VW went to this engine at all.

[@kevingrierson2331]

It's sèems like VW gets to some level of reliability and they purposely change things up to cause new types of failures.

[@mediocreman2]

Yep agreed. Surprised to hear him whine about the BPY. My BPG has 203k miles on it and only had 2 significant issues; carbon build up, and of course you have to change the $20 cam follower every 20k miles.

[@kevingrierson2331]

@@mediocreman2Exactly! I did a carbon cleaning and changed the cam follower every 30,000 miles.

[@avi-tar2827]

07 A4 Avant BPY owner here with 240k miles on the clock. It got the upgraded intake cam via recall (the original was soft). Recently had to do the direct injectors and will need a new cam cover and PCV assembly due to oil leaks. Otherwise a solid engine if you do the normal maintenance (HPFP follower, timing belt+driven components). It's a daily driver and still runs well enough.

[@JoshFiver]

This video wouldn’t leave my suggestion feed. Finally watched it, and now I know why. I will be working on my 2009 gti with ccta this winter. The only thing that is currently wrong is the water pump issue(which I have the metal replacement) however I will be completely removing the engine.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Hahaha thanks KZbin. I’d just the water pump, don’t pull the engine. Remove the intake manifold. You don’t en en have to do that. But it makes it easy

[@JoshFiver]

@@HumbleMechanic I will be checking the top end as well. Will be a fun little project for my stepson (8) and I. New clutch, new turbo, stage 2 software, and engine back in!

[@JoshFiver]

@@HumbleMechanic I appreciate it! Just as an aside, I will be doing the water pump, camshaft housing re-seal, new clutch, rear main seal, upper and lower timing covers, and probably sending off the ecu to APR.

[@CPTSaveAHoe247]

You guys hate CCTA/CBFA but I love them. Best money makers ever.

[@HumbleMechanic]

HAHAH you are not wrong!!!! Made a lot of $ on them.

[@arsenyrazhkov4559]

Me and a buddy fix these for a living basically full time. All of them need cylinder heads if it’s a crank no start 100% of the time. Btw, we valve slap all the cylinder heads even really bad ones, no issues at all. We even had one car with a head where the valve broke off, and as the piston came up it wedged the valve right in the centre of the spark plug hole 😂 thankfully the cylinder wall survived

[@TinoR626]

I valve slap them as well, the stem is designed to be the weak point and bend like it did. We also have a local yard here where I can pull thse motors all day long for under 200. I got a gli right now with bent vales and a tiguan with the same issues.

[@VeeDub2000]

I will not tolerate anymore MKV GTI slander! I have a 2006 FSI (BPY engine code) and have owned it since it was brand new. This thing is a tank. Glad I don’t have the CCTA engine tho!

[@Yaboybash]

CCTA is better tho Don’t need a timing belt to replace, don’t need to replace that hpfp part (forgot the name) It’s more efficient and broader aftermarket support

[@VeeDub2000]

Did you not watch the video? The CCTA is horribly unreliable. He even says (as a VW mechanic) it’s the worst engine they ever produced! I’d never buy the CCTA

[@Yaboybash]

@@VeeDub2000 it’s better than the BPY tho, also yes they were poor engines due to factory parts (factory timing tensioner) fix the tensioner and it’s BETTER than the BPY. The EA888.1 was in the late 09’ MK5 and later MK6….. why would they keep a “worse engine” in a newer GTI? Think. Just think…

[@Irishdrivingbloopers]

@@VeeDub2000 I have a 2009 FSI engine in my MK5 over here and its still as good as new. I would also much prefer replacing a timing belt rather than the engine lol.

[@thf1403]

The old ea113 is tank. Sucks that you guys in USA don’t get the GTI with the CDL engine like in the mk6R. We have it in Europe in the GTI EDITION35,EDITION30 and Scirocco R

[@MrSkoda105s]

It broke too in my Škoda Octavia RS 2010. It did 317.000 km before it died. Intake manifold also failed , lots of carbon build up and also crankcase seal between engine and transmission leaked … I sold it after the timing chain snapped.

[@Salmon_Rush_Die]

To me, the BPY is almost trouble free in comparison to the TSI mkV. HOWEVEr, VW/Audi never told us owners about doing intake ports, timing chain replacement, or HPFP follower inspection/maintenance... Only if you were paying attention, doing your homework, would a DIY-er ever know to do these any of these things -- or else face total engine failure by 150K... Also, that head looks super clean. A replacement? Or do you think a frequent oil-changed engine?

[@LoveLikeaHurricane]

Well i remember with my 07 mk5 GTI I was inspecting the $50 cam follower every 10k miles or so. I believe I replaced it 4 times just for piece of mind. Sold it at around 120k miles. Other things are failing/leaking, but minor I guess compared to TSI.

[@mediocreman2]

No timing chain on BPY, and the cam chain tensioner is pretty easy by comparison. The only real issues on BPY is the $20 cam follower every 20k miles and carbon buildup at about 160k miles. The cheap plastic on the oil cooler might be an issue at around 200k miles as well, but it's kind of hard to call that an issue when it takes so many miles to happen.

[@TinoR626]

​@@mediocreman2just like the 1.8T you know he's talking about the cam chain.

[@JoediyLab]

Part it out Charles, That way you can recoup some of that initial purchase. I have a MK5 with BPY and my engine is doing fine, just replaced the cam follower and after autocross season will replace PCV, diverter valve and oil filter housing. Thanks so much for the great videos.

[@tubefaze]

"Thankfully they got a lot better with the next gen, the ea triple 8s" Oh, thank goodness.

[@fastinradfordable]

But it’s literally like the exact same engine 😂

[@tally5k339]

@@fastinradfordable gen 3 is regarded as a big step up compared to these earlier ones, especially if you live in a region that got them with dual injection. Still has water pump issues though because it's a VW

[@Sargonarhes]

So the Mk7 should be much better than these flawed engines, I hope. I already had the rear coil springs fail, and I didn't receive a recall notice for mine like other VWs did.

[@eax9]

I hope to see 2.7 biturbo roll into your shop in all its glory. S4/A6/Allroad oh my!

[@nofnname]

I have a 2013 gti manual Wolfsburg edition with 97,000k miles. How screwed am I? lol. Should have just gotten a mk VII. Still no issues so far though

[@HumbleMechanic]

Id check those chains ASAP!

[@RoadrunGTI]

A lot of issues were resolved by 2013. Check which type of timing chain tensioner you have through the viewing port in the lower timing cover. Also check how much stretch the chains have by reading block 93 in VCDS.

[@MrScott-eb8nl]

Honestly what if you just put a 2.5 in it? Yes it's slower but it would keep that thing out of the junkyard for far longer than another TSI. With the money saved, you could spend the money on mods and whatnot as well. Just a thought. Great video as always! Cheers

[@koyuuu]

I didn't know Mk5 GTI's came with EA888.1, here in Australia, our Mk5 GTI's have the EA113 which I think is more reliable.

[@HumbleMechanic]

they did a mid year change in 2008. Early was 113, late was 888.1

[@WarbeastXT]

usa models only

[@MonsterBicycles]

@@HumbleMechanic Is the EA113 a more reliable engine than 888.1?

[@rnldmanuel88]

I'm from Melbourne I think I saw a mk5 with a ea888 for sale on market place a while back

[@mediocreman2]

@@MonsterBicyclesYes. Only real issues are carbon buildup and you need to replace cam follower every 20k miles. But if someone hasn't done that before you got it, then they can literally slowly destroy the engine from inside as metal pieces float around and cause other issues like with the balance shaft and oil pump.

[@hankstar.1]

Another reason if anyone doesn't know or if there's anyone starting to work on their own vehicles. Do not put a super thick layer of silicone on or into the bolt holes. Because if you get too much in and go to tighten those bolts it can crack blocks. Or crack anything that your doing from the hydraulic force of tightening.

[@CanalFrizeman]

I am from Europe and i have two GTI,s. I didn,t had any problems like that. Maintenance on time is the key.

[@Pokingclams]

@@CanalFrizeman thing is. What was vws maintenance schedule on timing chain or its tensioner? Or that little screen on the oil camshaft bracket? Maintenance can only take you so far when you have bad engineering.

[@bgee461]

OK but why? Why do all non-european cars just work great? You can claim it works great as long as you make it work great... OR you can just have it work great with nothing extra required from you.

[@StopTeoriomSpiskowym]

In europe coulture repairs of this model is better. In Usa they drive till stop and broken. In EU 1.4 Tsi is legendary.

[@WarbeastXT]

Europe mk5 gtis have tfsi engines only AXX and BWA thats why

[@CanalFrizeman]

@@Pokingclams Timing chain and its tensionar, must BE checked once a year.

[@jamesplotkin4674]

Wouldn't break my heart one bit to junk it, as I'm not getting anywhere near one of these. I have a Corolla, thank you very much.

[@XantoS771]

First gen ea888 is such a pos. Funny enough, the previous "tfsi" mk5 gti from 2005-2006 is waaay better (as in "reliable", but they still have cam follower problems) than the "tsi", post 2008 one

[@Dski9393]

I have a lower miles 2009 and been using vids like yours to pre-emptively replace problems. Pre-emptively did a full timing gear update then got reimbursed in the class action. Just replace the original PCV before it failed. Age is catching though. Currently have a broken intake and leaking cam cover..... Also headliner is starting to get floppidy.

[@HumbleMechanic]

Did you own an EA888 CCTA? If so what problems did you have?

[@mattborman5780]

It’s been Pokémon with issues on my CCTA: gotta catch ‘em all! Timing chain (caught in time). Rear main seal. Cam bridge screen failure. Intake manif replacement. Diverter valve failure. Oil separator. N80 valve. Cam cover/girdle leak.

[@debigulator]

Just crossed 200K miles in my 2009 GLI. Timing chain (100K), rear main seal (2x), a few PCVs, intake manifold, on my 3rd clutch, original water pump made it to 175K (!). I keep extra oil and spare coils in the trunk. Starting to get oil leaks again, so it’s not long for this world. Bought it totaled out at 7,500 miles. It’s been a pain at times, but I’ll still miss it.

[@slam_r_us]

Intake manifold, water pump, and clutch(my fault tuned to stage two on stock clutch) that’s about it 🤔 I do need timing chains soon 93k miles

[@debigulator]

@@slam_r_us Haha I did an APR stage 1 on my first clutch. Even on “low torque” it wore it out.

[@slam_r_us]

@@debigulator damn lol mine lasted about two weeks and only two hard pulls 😂

[@oj4249]

Love your videos Charles. So inspiring. My goal is to be a VW apprentice next year 🕯. But as you’ve said in your videos doesn’t matter where you end up working as a tech. 🇿🇦🔥.

[@1SaG]

Interesting... I wasn't even aware they put that engine into the Mk V - maybe a US-only thing? My 2005 Golf GTI had the previous 2.0 TSI which uses a timing belt. As I've probably stated numerous times on your channel: I owned a 2009 Mk VI GTI after that Mk V (both picked up brand-new from Ze AutoStadt in Wolfsburg) and while the Mk V's engine seemed pretty healthy when I sold it (dynoed it for the buyer and it apparently made 219 hp with a little over 100,000km on the clock), the Mk VI was a bit of a nightmare. Multiple failures during my ownership (water-pump, ignition coil, AC giving up the ghost) and when I traded it in for my next car, it had ~ 120,000 km on the clock. A couple of weeks later my dealer told me that the new owner had suffered "catastrophic upper failure" - he didn't go into detail, but from what I understood, it sounded to me like the engine had indeed suffered from a faulty chain tensioner and probably broken a valve or two as a result.

[@te71se]

I believe just like the B6 Passat they changed over mid way through the model run. On the Passat it was 2008.5 onwards that had the TSI CCTA so I imagine it was around then for the MkV GTI and GLI too.

[@bohr_II]

yeah i don’t think they put this engine in the mk5 in europe atleast. the mk 6 came out in like 2008-09 i think

[@jledge8715]

You would have had a tfsi engine. Belt one end, chain the other.

[@1SaG]

@@bohr_II "Regular" Mk VI Golf press event was late 2008 in Iceland - the Mk VI GTI came out in Germany ...err... early 2009, I think. Probably around April or May I think? That's the time of year GTIs usually launched. I also do know for a fact that the EA 888 engine was put into the Mk III Scirocco from the get-go (2008) as I drove that engine at the press launch in Portugal.. :) Plus that they kept using the EA113 in both the Scirocco R and Golf R Mk VI. Which *might* say something about the faith they had in the 888 vs the 113, as the 113s in those models were rated at 265/271 PS respectively. Oops... wikipedia has the answer: "Some Mk 5 GTIs bound for the North American Market produced in late 2008 and early 2009 came with a different engine. The EA113 engines used in the earlier years were traded for a new design in late 2008 as VW Audi Group began producing new engines for the upcoming Mk 6 GTI (among other models) which was released for sale in late 2009. Some of the Mk 5s exported to North America in these years received this new engine and were delivered to customers with the redesigned EA888 engine. This early version of the EA888 engine produced very similar horsepower and torque numbers compared to the EA113. "

[@PaulStewart28]

I have the CBFA version of this motor in a 2010 Mk6 with 110k on the clock. I had the chain tensioners done preventatively then had the water pump done when it started leaking. I had the walnut blast for the carbon buildup also and when I look at the money I've spent it's a bit of a shocker. I love the car and will drive it as long as it runs but let the buyer beware, this is not a car you can put the key in and drive it like a Toyota. You must pay close attention and fix things promptly.

[@euroberto85]

I wonder how hard it would be to put a passat 3.6 in it and even keep front wheel drive

[@StopTeoriomSpiskowym]

3.6 its like 3.2 vr6

[@Afraz_9n3]

Not very hard. The engine mounts are the same because VW Lego 😂and slap a 2.3 vr5 gearbox and you've got a FWD VR6🤷🏽‍♂️main thing would be electronics

[@Thatdude3033]

I've got a 2010 Jetta Wolfsburg with the CCTA. With some "bulletproofing" and consistent care it's been fairly reliable. I replaced the engine when I purchased it "you can Guess the failure". threw in some new parts Timing chain, DV+, Mann Filters, water pump, ac compressor ETC. It has been stupid reliable with oil changes every 4500 MI (because I beat this engine daily). put on a mk 42 designs exhaust that sounds amazing with 3 inch intake and an Unitronic down-pipe with stage 2 unironic ecu tune. Needless to say I love this car! on the track it is a blast and surprisingly stable.

[@rail176]

You should do a vr6 swap in there

[@HumbleMechanic]

That has crossed my mind. This is a great spek GTI. 2dr, red slick top

[@rail176]

@@HumbleMechanic you should do it.

[@TassieLorenzo]

@@HumbleMechanic How much is a junkyard 3.6 from a Passat?

[@DiggerDog1962]

Excellent video. I love the way the Mk 5 drives when it's in good shape, but I'd never buy an old one after watching this.

[@rodneynoriel1528]

I’ve got no idea why VW abandoned the 2.0 16v platform. Probably the best engine vw ever made, and was out through the paces with Audi Motorsport. Timing belt up front so easy to service and bullet proof.

[@eppyz]

Go back further VW air cooled engines literally run forever our family has a 1960 VW Beetle convertible that's been in the family for 64 years on its original engine and still purs like a Singer sewing machine with over 1 million documented miles😎👍

[@zoinked1351]

Probably what it always comes down to - emissions.

[@eppyz]

@@zoinked1351 Emissions and weight reduction, to increase performance with smaller motors. I am sure VW is capable of building a very reliable car, they outsell asian cars in Europe and many VW's in Europe have 150k+ miles on them, so why can't Americans get their VW's to last? Lack of maintenance? or?

[@Frady180]

@@eppyz ehh but they constantly need maintenance or else they don't run well at all.

[@eppyz]

@@Frady180 all cars need maintenance though? Most of the Euro car issues are more with the owner and the lack of funds to do "proper" maintenance. Going to Joe Blows Garage to get a water pump installed using China parts to save a dime, then it leaks 5k miles down the road isn't the cars fault. I think one problem here in the USA is people buy cars they really can't afford, and well because of that crazy high car payment start skipping maintenance and whatnot and with cars like Euro cars? You just can't do that. Honda and Toyotas of yesteryear were very basic cars is why they were so reliable. Even those brands being forced to modernize are having their own problems too. Proper maintenance with OEM parts is a must to get longevity out of ANY car or truck these days.

[@einfelder8262]

My 2008 MKV has the BWA engine. Happy days. South African built, Australian delivered. Owned it since new; my service specialist says it's a far better engine than any of the later ones.

[@12entz65]

Misfire cylinder 2 on my 156k MK6 2.0 CC, 3rd time cleaning up intake valves fixed the misfire twice, not so lucky this time, just ordered new injectors & PCV valve. ✌️

[@ElectricDoktorLand]

I had an 09 with an 888 and loved the engine. Then at 165k a truck drove into me and totaled it. Maybe it was a good thing because maybe it was gonna go to hell. It guess it was a good thing the body shop guy was like “Let it go.” And I listened. I don’t miss it as much thanks to this video. Keep at it. I always enjoy your vids.

[@zuluvoyager6037]

I have a 09 cc with the ccta. Ive done timeing chains on it as preventative maintenance, but mine did have the old style tensionor in it. Timing kit from paul was a little less than $400 and a day of work and i was good to go. Also had the intake flap go bad so i did a new intake and did the carbon cleaning while i was in there. The car is really fun to drive since its a manual. I did a downpipe and a stage 2 tune. So much fun. The next project will be a k04 swap.

[@al-fred520]

Reporting here from the live that happened on Saturday night. Love your videos Charles ❤

[@syaieya]

My family has a golfballed A3 that did the exact same thing. We got halfway through a teardown 7 years ago when it was still worth something and even then couldnt commit to putting it back together

[@TheTardis157]

This engine is the reason why I avoid the 2.0 like the plague. So I opted for the lovely late CBEA in a 2012 A3 TDI. Timing belts are so much better to have to service than a chain. Plus mine has gears to drive the balance shafts instead of chains so even less of a chance of failure. Well, aside from the high pressure fuel pump... Thanks Bosch for the CP4 that fails in everything.

[@CalandMike]

Crazy you'd post this, and I came to defend what I thought was a FSI mk5 (I like the BPY, I'll take the heat lol,) but you're right. I just posted the ccta engine swap on my MK6 a couple weeks ago. These things are PLAGUED with issues; chain tensioner, guides, chains themselves, balance shafts, intake manifolds...One of the WORST engines ever made in my opinion. Right up there with the 5.4 triton and the 6.2/6.5 detroits.

[@HumbleMechanic]

HAHAH The BPY has its issues too, but I do think it's a better engine overall.

[@josepht.3342]

I’m a mk5 BPY owner with over 200k miles on my car and i just autocrossed my car. She’s still running strong, I’ve had to replace a few things as expected like the pcv system, valve cover and diverter valve but nothing horrible yet 😅

[@robbievangeenenNL]

I think you made the right call.

[@pilfered1685]

My Mk5 (BPY) 2dr GTI is just about to hit 150k/mi and is running great! I hit a deer and got the whole front end replaced a couple years ago, so the car overall is looking brand new!

[@Rockport1911]

I was schoolboy back then and was so exited when the MK5 released as a revamp of the GTI, everybody wanted one in red with the Detroit wheels :) We didnt knew anything about timing chain or DSG reliability back then tho :)

[@l1nuxro07]

Have a MK5 that slipped the chain (on start up, sounded like the starter was skipping) at about 140K roughly 5 years ago. All 8 intake valves smacked, somehow the exhaust valves were ok. Did all the repairs myself, cost close to $1500. Car now has 240K. Getting ready to swap it out for a '24 Bronco.

[@dedb25]

I have a MK5 1.9 TDI, with +/- 270.000 KM on the clock. just every year a oil and all filter change + normal maintenance. still run good

[@akitadog01]

My 2008 GTI w/ 2.0 FSI has been surprisingly reliable for the almost 17 years that I’ve owned it. Only one issue under warranty where the trip meter would not reset. I replaced the cam follower and diverter valve myself, and the headlights recently stopped auto leveling, but I just cranked them to a standard position. Might not bother with fixing it.

[@CroftVan]

I really feel for VW owners. The amount of patience and resilience required to own and drive a VW makes them worthy of a standing ovation.

[@Timpan1999]

Had a '07 GTI with the BWA engine. Had a few door lock assemblies go bad and the thermostat broke so it was open all the time. It was mounted under the intake behind the alternator, let's just say the job at home took a few more hours than the 3 it was supposed to be according to the repair manual. Loved the car though, except for the rust which made me sell it eventually.

[@hunterfriend398]

Sand the sharp edges and send that sucker. I've done the same on my 2006 Audi A8 with the 4.2 Timing belt BFM engine. Guy I bought it from cut the belt to do timing job and started the car, bent 3 intake valves (cylinder 5) and 2 exhaust valves (cylinder 6), wrapped the timing belt around the crank. One of the intake valves was bent back and FORTH lol. Sanded it cleaned everything up threw everything back together, and from 127k miles to now 164k miles its still chugging along and running smooth

[@Hawkinsian]

Hi there!, fresh sub saying hi, i leased a 2019 Seat Leon Cupra for about 4 years, loved the car!, i never knew about the history of the EA888 engine, very interesting!....but yeah...very shocking about the corners being cut with the engine!. In the end i got rid of the lease and bought a Focus ST3 (2015,40k miles), i;ve had my fair share with that too (Water pump failing, radiator crapping the coolant!), seems all good now!

[@jabezhalligan3426]

Doing a full rebuild on this same motor on my MK6 (2012) Jetta GLI fully building it and already had a built head, so far 4-5k deep in it

[@lewzes]

I haven't had any big issues from my 4 years of ownership on my 09GLI with gen 1 ea888

[@scottricci7154]

The 2.5 l i-5 was still timing chain. So was the vr6. But my vr had clapped out timing chains but still ran. Didn’t destroy the motor. So thats good!

[@bchaveezy]

Man I need to live near you so I can get all the spare parts!

[@HumbleMechanic]

Hahaha there are a lot

[@AngusMcDangus]

I was on your last Insta live. Nice work!

[@HumbleMechanic]

NICE!!! THANK YOU

[@simonh870]

In the UK the Mk5 GTI only got the EA113 engine which was a good solid unit. The Mk6 Golf came with the Gen 1 EA888 which was junk, and to be honest that has done well to rack up the miles which it has before failing.

[@David-wb1yo]

Hey Charles, I hope you see this, I wanted to thank you as I did MrSubaru for helping me make the move from a 20 year career in restaurants to being a tech at a Subaru dealership as of almost a year ago. It was literally channels & content like yours and his that gave me the confidence to go for it. I followed your tool cart videos and his Subaru specific tool videos for any tools that I didn't already have and started buying them and making a plan to make the career switch about two years ago. And I'm glad I did. I love to learn and the Sr tech over there seems to love to teach & share his knowledge. It's been awesome and people and channels like yours and Mr. Subaru made that change possible. I sincerely thank you.

[@youtubeviewer2919]

MkV with BWA engine owner for over 10 years here.. very fun car with K04 turbo installed for years with no engine issue. so far has been quite reliable, just need to be on top of the mintenance. Replace the cam follower every few engine oil change and that’s it Most expensive repair is actually the mechatronic repair

[@iracc876]

So glad I saw this video right after I ordered a downpipe and tune for my CC (CCTA engine)

[@andydurbs]

😂

[@cm.5023]

Wife's 2011 Tig was trouble free till the it ran low on oil (her fault) and the crappy tensioner they used gave out. 3k for a used engine was a hard pill to swallow. The replacement engine began leaking oil about a year or so later and we decided to trade it in.

[@DustyKelley2000]

As the owner of a BPG FSI A4 Quattro, i feel the pain😂 swapping fuel pump cam followers all the time, oil leaks everywhere, wastegate flaps absolutely melting apart, etc. But by god the thing keeps holding on for dear life. The timing chain on the rear of the head snapped a while back and bent 0 valves and I couldn't believe it.

[@EMena911]

Awesome video! You should do a garage tour! Super awesome setup!

[@sipe12]

I liked the part where you showed looking for parts and used engines and prices, interesting, keep up that part.

[@devineleven514]

I've learned so much from you over the last few years on mk series i would not care to touch myself. thank you for giving me motivation again to work on my vehicles. since covid, i dropped everything. should have went into automotive instead of aerospace....

[@devineleven514]

I have a 2017 jetta se 1.4 and a 1971 super beetle (4th one idk why i like pain i guess) bought a 1.8t audii b5 awm and worked on it to learn about turbo systems and sharpen my wiring skills apparently lol. I feel more confident on my skillset and ready to tackle bigger tings but the mk6 is almost due for belt (68k) and i would love to see just a visual (hint hint)

[@devineleven514]

btw i bullied Paul bc he talkin sheit

[@HumbleMechanic]

Hahha

[@cmlsgarage]

My favorite engine from VW/Audi is the 2.0t FSI. I have it in both my EOS and my Audi A4

[@greasemonkeychris4128]

Man that crank sprocket design is.... something. I miss keyways.

[@michaelbetancourt3954]

I say fix since you will be doing your own work love when you and paul collab cause you can tell you get frustrated some times its real dont feel fake i say 3.6 engine

[@amimaster]

My Mk5 GTI has BWA engine and somehow the problems you listed at the beginning also resonate with me. I bought it used 100k Km ago, intake duct lasted like 2 weeks before disintegrating. From then, it always had an horrible LTFT problem, always running around 9~15% and lacking GTIness 99% of times... Then, first the water pump just imploded, the mechanic that swapped it claims to have replaced the timing belt. After 2 years, It started making some ticking and cyclic noises. I sent it to ANOTHER mechanic that claimed that timing belt was old AF and the noise came from valve lifters. He replaced both timing belts, belt tensioners and plenty of carters, seals etc. He gave it back to me telling me "It wasn't a GTI anymore, now It's not perfect but it's better". It was. But after having spent like 4K€, in 3 months the engine started to vibrate at exactly 1000rpm, and now it's halfway back to how it was before. It runs ok only when I clear error codes and LTFT, but it doesn't last much. :/ Long story short, every time I spend money to it, my GTI is a GTI only for a couple of weeks. Quite costly.

[@Tayntdcoffee]

I have a 2010 GTI with the CCTA since 40K - now at 129K miles. I change the oil every 5K and use Cera-tec, changed out the leaking thermostat housing at about 60K to the metal replacement, replace the melted fuse box, changed the chains/tensioner at 100K before there were any problems to make sure, and have done all the other normal stuff as needed. Been a pretty good car for me for 10 years - had to change out a DM Flywheel cause I got some vibration after my daughter put it in park before coming to a stop during driving lessons 😬. Had to have a DSG put in by VW just before it was out of the extended warranty at 80K 😁. I'll likely be trying to sell it next year to swap to an Audi S3 or and Allroad.

[@Ariesofwar]

Welp I’ve gotta be that guy, I have a ccta engine in my GLI with 175+ miles. Had the car for around 8 years. Have only had to replace the oil separater, boost pressure sensor, turbo literally just went out and re-seal the upper, lower and camshaft housing and vacuum pump gasket and of course the intake manifold. Timing still within 3 degrees, still original water pump. It’s been a better car then all the old Hondas I’ve owned in the past “jdm” days

[@ThePeavey23]

My mkv rabbit 2.5 is my beater that I drive to work , the engine is so reliable even with 195k . Yes it’s not fast or turbo but I’d still quick and fun to drive also sounds great with just a muffler and a cat!

[@williamgrover9723]

Reminds me of my B5.5 TDI which had an issue with timing chains failing. Thankfully I had mine upgraded before it broke

[@kylegreenley8950]

My BPY has been so good to me.. mostly because I look after the maintenance.. but I couldn't imagine having all those issues happen with a mk5. Even though i'm currently at 328k on mine. Gonna drive it until it can't go anymore.

[@chuckgladfelter]

Like your videos. I'm glad I have a domestic GM product where there's reasonable reliability and parts are cheap and available. Love German cars, though.

[@ΘωμάςΤσιλίκας]

Hello man! I love the way you analyse it😂 . Personaly i love old Japan cars with simple reliable engines. I worked as a mechanic in the past and i hate unreliable engines and unreliable friends!!!❤

[@natestrand4922]

Owner of a timing belt GTI and it’s been solid for 118k miles