2009 Jetta 1.4TSI CAVD Low oil pressure

Robert Woods said:

Any news with this?

I have a car in the workshop with the same issue, first thing I've done was removed the sump and checked the pick up pipe which to my surprise was clean, I know the timing chain was replaced at some stage so haven't stripped to check. This morning its was around 2 degrees Celsius and when started it didn't sound too well and the minute it reached 2k rpm the oil pressure light came on. So turned it off and this afternoon when it was 12 degrees Celsius no lights came on. So my main thought are to do with oil viscosity. Also my engine uses a paper element oil filter as its a Japanese import.

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have you measured actual oil pressure??

Crasher said:

I have a set of those and it checked OK but I would have liked the accuracy of a proper digital deep reach (for the centre bore) vernier 3 point bore micrometer would give but they are daft money and with it being a new genuine carrier I assume (never assume, always check) that it is to spec. My gut feeling is it is something to do with the chain cover but a new one is £500 so it is an expensive gut feeling.

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Hi Crasher,

I've read your discussion with @naushad2982 with high interest since I am also struggling with the same symptoms on a 1.4L TSI CAVD in a VW Scirocco MKIII for almost half a year now.
Did you finally find the root cause and were you able to fix the issue?
If yes, I would be very grateful if you could share your experience with me!

Here is my story with this engine so far:

After the timing chain jumped I had the head repaired, new pistons, chain set incl. adjuster, hydros, all valves.
Turbo was also done.
After that the engine ran, but was too loud in my opinion. Oil pressure measured warm 0.3 bar at idle. 1.2 bar at 3000.
Lamp never on. Then oil pump changed - no change.
Checked oil pressure at turbo in parallel - idle warm 1 bar. 3000 - 3 bar.
According to a few UK forums, changing camshaft housing and camshafts should fix the problem. Done - as before.
Replaced Oil cooler then - no change and now given up.
Driven 150km already then oil pressure lamp popped up. Hydros loud and power too low. One notices that the adjuster does not work ... Really do not know what to do.

If there is any advice from anyone on how to proceed now, I would appreciate it very much!

Thanks in advance

The problem went into meltdown, sorry lockdown, so it landed in my lap as everyone else went on a full pay 3 months holiday whilst myself and my business partner worked all hours to make sure they had a job to come back to, not one said thanks, what it must be like to be an employee!

I gutted the engine down to a bare block, had it dipped then found the top deck was warped. I had that skimmed and then built it back up painstakingly carefully… literally blueprint standards… I have never been so carefull building an engine and I have built hundreds.



The block was presure tested, the crank checked by an engineer and polished and the rods checked by the same chap. Then I built it up with new Nural revised design pistons, Glyco bearings, Febi FULL chain kit, new genuine revised design oil pump, piston jets, FULL brand new genuine head, new genuine cam carrier, INA lifters and arms, two new FAI cams, new FAI VVT solenoid, Febi rear crank seal, full Elring gasket set, genuine front diamond washer kit, all new fasteners etc etc. The only components I reused were the chain cover and sump. I put it back in and started it up, it still sounded like a skeleton wanking in a biscuit tin so I gave up and fitted a genuine crate engine as it was actually damaging my mental health.

Man, thats terrible. I am sorry to hear that this took such an unsatisfying ending.
Thank you for your clarification though. This will help us to evaluate our next steps.

I can't explain why but my gut feeling was the chain cover. The recon engine from VW clearly had a new block and recon head but the chain cover was obviously brand new, why would they change it?

One last question: On your picture of the new engine, I can see a black oil filter (03C 115 561 D right?). According to all the data sheets we have found, the silver one (03C 115 561 H) should be used. Did you notice that and if yes, do you know why the black one was used here instead of the silver one?