Unexpected Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 most modern diesels have a dual mass flywheel - disastrously poor things that they are. Budget another £800-£1200 to do. Oh, and you might as well put a new clutch in whilst it's out. I am curious about the dual mass flywheel. I know my car has one and as Its done 200k miles I'm wondering if it will go pop soon. Anyone know the symptoms of a knackered dual mass flywheel? Or will the car suddenly just stop being propelled forwards? I heard you could get it replaced with a normal flywheel but the engine wont run quite as smoothly. Anyone got experience in this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I am curious about the dual mass flywheel. I know my car has one and as Its done 200k miles I'm wondering if it will go pop soon. Anyone know the symptoms of a knackered dual mass flywheel? Or will the car suddenly just stop being propelled forwards? I heard you could get it replaced with a normal flywheel but the engine wont run quite as smoothly. Anyone got experience in this? the problem is them going pop at low mileages - 40k - 80k, 200k is getting your money's worth. I would imagine you'll be ok as it's gone this long. I'd google symptoms for your particular car. Not likely to be a readily available SMF unless your car is known for troublesome ones. Not sure what happened to VW. The 1.9 PD TDI was a great, reliable engine but the progression to 2.0 ******ed it up a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unexpected Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 the problem is them going pop at low mileages - 40k - 80k, 200k is getting your money's worth. I would imagine you'll be ok as it's gone this long. I'd google symptoms for your particular car. Not likely to be a readily available SMF unless your car is known for troublesome ones. Not sure what happened to VW. The 1.9 PD TDI was a great, reliable engine but the progression to 2.0 ******ed it up a little. Thanks, I'll try google. And yes, you're right. I read reviews about the old passat and the new ones and based on the reviews I decided it had to be the old one. Ended up buying a mint 200k miler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks, I'll try google. And yes, you're right. I read reviews about the old passat and the new ones and based on the reviews I decided it had to be the old one. Ended up buying a mint 200k miler I'll stick my neck out here but if it is a 130 passat that will defintely be the 1.9 PD TDI. I don't think they have particular DMF problems although obviously they can fail and I'm pretty sure there are SMF alternatives available. The B5/B5.5 passats do have a number of design flaws though thatyou may want to check out - CV boots rings a bell along with water ingress from blocked drain channels which can screw with the electrics. I'm sure google will give you plenty of ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bear Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 The 1.8K head gasket just needs to be replaced with a quality one and then you're reliable - probably some annoying accountancy trick whereby they saved 3p per car during production at the time. I used a Mike Satur HG kit and mine's been tracked and thrashed mercilessly and no problems at all. Wider question, whatever happened to gear driven cams? I love the sound they make but I guess they're too costly? Buckers I can't think of any wildly produced car that had gear driven cams due to both noise and cost. In fact I can't think of any road car, although there may well have been some, with gear driven cams. Maybe your thinking of the nice sound of some of the chain drive DOHCs like the old Lotus-Ford twin cam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkG Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 However there is a major difference between then, about 1970, and now. In those days it was very unusual for a car engine to do 100,000 miles without serious attention, 50,000 miles would have been considered pretty good. I owned several cars designed in the early to mid 70s and most of them had over 100k on the clock before I sold or scrapped them. The only ones that that required major engine work were the 1980s Rover, which had a disastrous design flaw, and the Lancia that trashed its supercharger. I do wonder how many cambelts actually do fail though? I suspect that it's not that many but as the result is seriously expensive we hear a lot about it. Don't know about today, but one of my X1/9s had previously suffered a snapped cambelt (AFAIR the bills showed about 300 quid in repairs) and one of my relatives' Fords broke a cambelt (it was defective and repairs were covered under the warranty). With Fiats and Lancias I used to get it done as soon as I bought them so I knew I wouldn't have to worry about it again for 25-30,000 miles... of course it only cost about 200 quid on a relatively simple engine with a reasonable amount of space to work on them. Edit: actually I seem to recall that snapped cambelt was the leading cause of the demise of Lancia Gammas; flat-four engine with two cambelts, one of which also drove the power steering pump, so that one would snap under heavy load while the other half of the engine would continue running for a while and smash the rest to pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rxe Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Modern cars look more complex than old ones, but the principles are all the same, and in many cases are easier. Suspension is pretty much the same as it ever was. Big lumps of metal separated by little bits of rubber that wear out. In many ways suspension and brakes are easier than before, 30 years ago you needed a stack of shims and very careful measurement. These days the chassis are made more accurately, and there is no adjustment possible: you just undo a load of bolts, throw the old part in the bin, put the new part in its place and tighten the bolts up. The good bit about the engines is that they actually tell you what is wrong most of the time. A cheap CAN bus reader will tell you the basics and the internet forums will generally assist with diagnosis. Compare that to setting up a pair of Webber 40 DCOE carbs, and you realise that the modern world is easier. Packaging is a lot harder as more stuff is crammed into the engine bay, which means that more dismantling is required. There are more noise deadening panels which look fearsome to remove, but underneath is a conventional engine. The only other problems for the home mechanic are weird tools - new fasteners such as Ribe, double hex and that annoying square thing mean that more tools have to be in the drawer. The really good thing about modern cars is the consistency. When bits fail, they usually fail the same way. When I searched on the web about my gearbox problem, there were loads of people with the same issue, and you could see the history of the fix being developed. To start with, confusion and checking various things. Then identification of the problem. Then an illustrated guide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bear Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Modern cars look more complex than old ones, but the principles are all the same, and in many cases are easier. Suspension is pretty much the same as it ever was. Big lumps of metal separated by little bits of rubber that wear out. In many ways suspension and brakes are easier than before, 30 years ago you needed a stack of shims and very careful measurement. These days the chassis are made more accurately, and there is no adjustment possible: you just undo a load of bolts, throw the old part in the bin, put the new part in its place and tighten the bolts up. The good bit about the engines is that they actually tell you what is wrong most of the time. A cheap CAN bus reader will tell you the basics and the internet forums will generally assist with diagnosis. Compare that to setting up a pair of Webber 40 DCOE carbs, and you realise that the modern world is easier. Packaging is a lot harder as more stuff is crammed into the engine bay, which means that more dismantling is required. There are more noise deadening panels which look fearsome to remove, but underneath is a conventional engine. The only other problems for the home mechanic are weird tools - new fasteners such as Ribe, double hex and that annoying square thing mean that more tools have to be in the drawer. The really good thing about modern cars is the consistency. When bits fail, they usually fail the same way. When I searched on the web about my gearbox problem, there were loads of people with the same issue, and you could see the history of the fix being developed. To start with, confusion and checking various things. Then identification of the problem. Then an illustrated guide. Think of the old Lotus ford twin cam again. Not only a pair og 40s but a distributor with points under the front one. Then identification of the problem. An old mechanic used to say to me, any c**t can fix them, it takes a good man to know what's wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I can't think of any wildly produced car that had gear driven cams due to both noise and cost. In fact I can't think of any road car, although there may well have been some, with gear driven cams. Maybe your thinking of the nice sound of some of the chain drive DOHCs like the old Lotus-Ford twin cam? Gear driven cams were used on something as ordinary as the Ford V4, and V6, until about 1980 when they were "modernised" for unleaded fuel , and got a small chain in the bargain, probably cheaper to make too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bear Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Gear driven cams were used on something as ordinary as the Ford V4, and V6, until about 1980 when they were "modernised" for unleaded fuel , and got a small chain in the bargain, probably cheaper to make too! Sorry, I meant overhead cams driven by gears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachman Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I am curious about the dual mass flywheel. I know my car has one and as Its done 200k miles I'm wondering if it will go pop soon. Anyone know the symptoms of a knackered dual mass flywheel? Or will the car suddenly just stop being propelled forwards? I heard you could get it replaced with a normal flywheel but the engine wont run quite as smoothly. Anyone got experience in this? it can manifest itself as a very rough start if you start it inj gear with the clutch down. Or as a constant grumble at idle with the clutch disengaged. And the old clutch shudder, though when bad it can mean you end with a loud bang when the clutch engages (and the flywheels match up). This is how they work. On the B5.5 Passat, it's actually just an A4 in a fat suit. They treat front suspension parts as consumables in the same way..... but easy to change. The old 1.9tdi 130 is a superb banger car (by that I mean older car). It's reliable, provided it's had correct oil and regular changes... it has a cable gearbox so hard to ruin it, it is large, interior is long lasting and most of them are a good spec (all climate remote locking, 4 electric windows, most with cruise, alloys etc.). They should be able to do 50mpg all day .long even if you boot them, and 60 taking it easy on a run. And will do 300K plus with just cambelts, pumps etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 it can manifest itself as a very rough start if you start it inj gear with the clutch down. Or as a constant grumble at idle with the clutch disengaged. And the old clutch shudder, though when bad it can mean you end with a loud bang when the clutch engages (and the flywheels match up). This is how they work. On the B5.5 Passat, it's actually just an A4 in a fat suit. They treat front suspension parts as consumables in the same way..... but easy to change. The old 1.9tdi 130 is a superb banger car (by that I mean older car). It's reliable, provided it's had correct oil and regular changes... it has a cable gearbox so hard to ruin it, it is large, interior is long lasting and most of them are a good spec (all climate remote locking, 4 electric windows, most with cruise, alloys etc.). They should be able to do 50mpg all day .long even if you boot them, and 60 taking it easy on a run. And will do 300K plus with just cambelts, pumps etc. And if you need more rear legroom, the mk1 skoda superb is the same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Sorry, I meant overhead cams driven by gears. I think that may be a rare thing, although some old Ducati motorcycles did this! And a Honda! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tbatst2000 Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Remind me never to buy a car again. I love zipcars - the only class of automobile where worrying sounds coming from the engine can be removed by fine tuning the volume control. I'm a real petrol head, but I'd still rather rent than own in this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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