Seat Leon TD FR 150 - Cam Failure?

[Cottis]

Hi

2 yrs into ownership and another 30k that I have put on the car (now at approx 125k total) I am hearing a slight machine gun gentle noise just noticeable above engine revs and only does it in low gears at low speed. Gets over 2k rpm and is fine.

Is deffo Engine Speed related but only under load and deffo not road speed related. I can not get the noise to repeat when stationary in neutral but I start moving in 1st or 2nd at low speed and the slight ticking is there. Had a good listen to the engine where I can, as was hoping it was bearings in alternator or something like that but I don't reckon it is. Gut feeling is camshaft failure, as is common on these ARL units.

Hmmm, it is going to the garage tomorrow for a check up but I have always serviced this with PD oil with less than 7k mileage between servicing (I always think the manufacturers service intervals are rubbish) I know Stephen used to service this car before I owned it and I know he was asked to work it on it regularly but ovvo early in its life, it probably went back to VW every 10k, arghghg.

Need to see if it deffo is Camshaft but if it is, I might scrap the thing and go back to an older car. Everytime I drive something fairly modern, it just lets me down, whereas the old stuff seems to keep going (if you can find parts for it)

Sigh, hate cars sometimes. To make this more amusing, I was supposed to be driving it up to Scotland for the golf this weekend. Hmmm, time to hire a car I reckon.

Never had this issue. If the fault has only just started showing itself (and it is not really noisy) would undertaking a 1000 miles trip over 4 days be insane. I think it would be but no idea how long they hang on until letting go.

Anyone want a tidy breaker, as I cannot do this work myself and with all the other parts that would get replaced in the process, I can see it being a very costly job

[Audi J]

Everytime I drive something fairly modern, it just lets me down, whereas the old stuff seems to keep going (if you can find parts for it)

I have to agree with you there. Especially with VAG cars of that era. I hope their brand new cars are better made (emissions scandals aside)

[Cottis]

I just cannot see how Camshaft failure at that stage of an engines life (having been very well serviced) is in anyway acceptable.

I have taken XUD engines past 250k with pathetically poor servicing and thrashing the life out of them. This one has been treated really quite well (by my standards)

Now where did I put my S2? Arghhgg, I sold it. Stupid stupid decision was that.

[Rusty]

Cam lobe wear is a common failure. My mum's gt tdi golf had it replaced under warranty by vw.

[Rubberdubber]

It is quite common on the 150s, if you look club tdi you will see that they do about it in the US, could be a chance fro an uprated cam and other suitable engine mods, looking on the bright side ?

[Cottis]

It is quite common on the 150s, if you look club tdi you will see that they do about it in the US, could be a chance fro an uprated cam and other suitable engine mods, looking on the bright side ?

Ha ha, don't tempt me although the thought had crossed my mind. Would be interesting to see what it could do.

A mechanic friend popped round earlier to have a listen and he thinks it is not camshaft but transmission related, either DMF or something in the box itself. Its going in tomorrow to get looked at, so fingers crossed it is fixable quickish. I can see a hire car being needed. That might be good also, depending on the choice.

[Monkeymagic]

Whip the cam cover off which doesn't take long and inspect the lobe but more importantly the hydraulic follower surfaces which tend to veh scalloped out by the worn lobe. Not a difficult job to replace it all and full kits readily available on sites like dark side performance.

[Cottis]

Its the gearbox on its way out. Better than the camshaft but really? After 124k? What do they make them from? Paperclips? Hahaha, sigh.

[Monkeymagic]

It's a 6 speed is t it? I've seen a few of this where rivets holding various bits together fail. You think they would of learnt after riveting doffs on mk1 mk2 mk3 and early mk4 golfs..

[Cottis]

Yeah 6sp box Stephen. Seems manufacturers rarely learn. Oh well, could be much worse

[Audi J]

So whats the verdict. new gearbox, or sell?

[Cottis]

Will deffo sort the box out when it really starts to grumble badly.