[Vwdiesel] Signs of PD worn cam syndrome?

[travis gottschalk]

Do NOT pull the rocker assem. to inspect the cam. Roll the engine over. If you pull the rocker you have to replace the stretch bolts and they are normally special order as dealers rarely have them and they aren't very cheap either. If it was cold the PD can pop and fart some just like any other diesel. Not as much as the NA engine but it still does make some noise. My engine has just shy off 100K miles. I did the timing belt at 95K as I have read 100K and/or 5 years which ever comes first so the rubber doesn't become dry and break on the belt. I have heard of people with 350K miles on there PD engines without doing cams. I have heard of 50K miles and doing a cam. Thing is you hear about the issues, so if someone doesn't have an issue you don't hear about it. Not all will fail the cam but a higher % does then on the non PD engine. The newer BRM PD engine (after the BEW) has steeper lobes and it fails even more cams. The PD design has been in use across the pond for around 10 years  (they got it well before the states) and they had several sizes of power (still a 1.9 but with 100, 130 and 150 depending on intake and injectors and computer). It is a heavier built engine then the ALH engine and can handle more power to it. You just have 4 more lobes on the cam on the same sized cam. But if you think about it how much is it to rebuild/reseal an injection pump on an ALH engine when they start to leak (about as common as the cams going out on our cars). So you are still paying around the same about over the life of the engine. And we get a stock 10 more HP from the factory and a higher geared 5th gear. And the tools for a timing belt are MUCH cheaper to buy (around $300 vs $70). And our timing belts OEM were 100K miles, the ALH was 60K unless you upgraded the kit but the first still was 60K. So all told average cost of the two engines is around the same.

ALH engines anymore are getting more and more miles on them and it is hard to find a lower miles ALH engined car. Even PD engined cars are getting up there in miles since the last one was sold in 07 (called the 06 special to be able to sell, father owned one) and those were driven hard since 09 was the next diesel in the states. the new common rail engines have there own set of issues. The exhaust is the expensive and fragile thing on them (particle trap) and the common rail pressures I have heard some making metal in the system. Father loves his 09 other then the height though. I hear the newest ones are going to be longer for more back seat room but they are taking away the rear disk breaks and going to drum. Also the 09 and 10 had independent rear suspension (no beam like all the years before). They are going back to the beam to save money according to articles I have read. To bad they don't have a diesel mini van out there yet. I wouldn't mind one. Kind of off on a tangent writing, sorry. 
Travis G