Destroyed engine on 1.9tdi

[MitchelB]

I was just looking for information about my car, and wondering if it was a common problem with them.

Right i remapped my seat leon 1.9tdi stylance with 55,000 miles (44,000 when I brought the car) from 105 to 145 BHP, it has had the remap for about a year now and around 10,000 miles. In the year I have had the car it has probably seen 4000RPM+ about 5 times so I wouldn't say I thrash the engine, I changed the oil and filters after I did 6000miles in the car, so I was driving home from work down the M1 in 5th gear doing 70mph so around 1700RPM and one of the pistons came off and shot into my engine head, and from what the garage have told me destroyed the cylinders, valves, crankshaft and pistons. So looking for a full engine rebuild.

Like I said I'm looking for your opinions on the matter, would you say the remap caused this to happen? Because I feel the engine would have eventually done this itself in say another 10-20k miles I just think the remap made it happen quicker, this is very strange for a VAG Diesel engine to go at only 50k miles is it not?

 

[Deleted member 74601]

Engine code?

Certain engine codes are well known to blow themselves up.

 

[MitchelB]

Bxe

 

[MJ]

Bxe

Seen a few of these go, ONLY on BXE engines though.

I'm afraid it's down to cost cutting in the build process of the engine, not the map.

Usually the big end bolts snap and the crank throws a rod through the block.

Best thing to do is source a second hand BKC engine and fit that.

 

[MitchelB]

Yeah I thought it would be down the engine rather than remap, well I'm having full engine rebuild only thing that's staying is the engine block. Would you advise taking the remap off to be on safe side or you think it will handle it?

 

[MJ]

I'd advise you use a completely different engine and leave the map on.

BXE and BLS engines don't like rebuilds, you're better off sourcing a low mileage BKC, swapping the components (which are all interchangeable) and running it as it was, it'll probably work out cheaper that was as well.

 

[Masterkm]

Not liking the news on this as mine is a BXE engine with 92k on the clock now and only needed a turbo around 84k. Car was remapped also. What reg is your car Mitchel?

 

[MitchelB]

Mine is a 08 reg. yep this is something I didn't find out when I was doing my research on Leon's before I bought it.

 

[Masterkm]

Mine is a 56reg Dec 2006 car and dont know if this is also the year where these engines gave in. I have always read that later cars with low mileage always threw a conrod through the block. Only read one high mileage at around 130k on an audi or toledo that did this. Touchwood mines doing fine atm lol.

PS, The car looks really nice in your avatar if that is it

 

[MitchelB]

I didn't find anything about engines giving up, maybe I should have searched more, not really had much luck with the car tbh, passenger seat airbag also broke about 8 months ago, the igniter in the airbag broke which resulted in a new airbag being fitted. Sucks really because a week before my MOT ran out they just changed the law where airbag light on dashboard was a MOT failure, and yes the leon in my avatar is my car which I'm having so many problems with .

 

[Masterkm]

Just done a quick google search and they are all 2008 57reg> cars across the VAG group with only one 07reg Golf. What caused the ignitor to break does sound odd and first I have read of that fault. VAGCOM is something you should invest in and find/fix faults that are like that.

Not just yourself mate, since I had mine I had a few probs after the turbo went and all the mods I did to mine. Dont plan on keeping mine longer than the summer anyway

 

[MitchelB]

Ahhh that's interesting to know, is it just the 1.9tdi that have this engine problem then? Think I'll be staying well clear of these engines from now on, I'm more of a petrol guy anyway to be honest, one garage said it may have broke from moving the chair, since mk2 Leon's passenger seat has alot of room to move forward an backwards it does slam back when someone moves it.

Mine will also be going once it is paid off, or maybe sooner if I can find a new car I like. I do love the look of my leon though, not many 1.9 stylance with BTCC body kit on.

 

[Masterkm]

Your car does look nice and is the first 1.9TDi I have seen in white with the kit, saying that though the kit has been overdone on many leons now It is just the 1.9TDi with BXE known to have this fault as said by MJ above but the BKC is bulletproof so best to fit that in there. I will try to go to a petrol next if funds allow but with a**holes around my area vandalising cars Im in two minds throwing alot of cash in a decent car only for someone to scratch it.

When I slammed mine back, I found out what it was with VAGCOM and found out the connector was just loose a bit and just took the seat out and put it back making sure the connectors were firmly put in, behold it was all good from then on lol

 

[Fermanagh man]

This is a problem with the bxe engines.
I have one (which sees 4000rpm regularly) and its the only thing I dont like about my car but I think the easiest thing to do for those of us who dont want a blown engine is to change the rods for rosten forged ones.
They about £400 and therefore in my eyes very cheap looking at the alternatives.
This is the next job for my car after egr delete.

 

[MitchelB]

This is a problem with the bxe engines.
I have one (which sees 4000rpm regularly) and its the only thing I dont like about my car but I think the easiest thing to do for those of us who dont want a blown engine is to change the rods for rosten forged ones.
They about £400 and therefore in my eyes very cheap looking at the alternatives.
This is the next job for my car after egr delete.

How many miles has your leon done?

The most annoying part Is that VAG are well known for producing brilliant engines, so it seems ridiculous that they go produce a disel engine which gives on at 50k miles... I mean the main reason i went and got a VAG is because of the engine reliability! But I guess it's the luck of the draw, no matter how well you maintain a car something can still go wrong, just typical it does it to me. Seems I have very bad luck with cars.

 

[Fermanagh man]

How many miles has your leon done?

The most annoying part Is that VAG are well known for producing brilliant engines, so it seems ridiculous that they go produce a disel engine which gives on at 50k miles... I mean the main reason i went and got a VAG is because of the engine reliability! But I guess it's the luck of the draw, no matter how well you maintain a car something can still go wrong, just typical it does it to me. Seems I have very bad luck with cars.

My car has done 43000 so far it had 37000 when I got it in December last year and it had been remapped by the guy who owned it before. I sincerely feel sorry for you mate when you by a car you think is bullet proof and then a con rod lets go at 1700rpm theres no excuse for it but all manufactures seem to have problems at the moment.

A mate of mine at college had a car he was putting through an MOT for his girlfriends brother this week, it was and Audi a4 with the 90hp 1.9 tdi and it had 270,000 on the clock and had never missed a beat so I dont understand why the bxe engine was made so bad.

 

[MitchelB]

Your car does look nice and is the first 1.9TDi I have seen in white with the kit, saying that though the kit has been overdone on many leons now It is just the 1.9TDi with BXE known to have this fault as said by MJ above but the BKC is bulletproof so best to fit that in there. I will try to go to a petrol next if funds allow but with a**holes around my area vandalising cars Im in two minds throwing alot of cash in a decent car only for someone to scratch it.

When I slammed mine back, I found out what it was with VAGCOM and found out the connector was just loose a bit and just took the seat out and put it back making sure the connectors were firmly put in, behold it was all good from then on lol

The guy I got the car from had it brand new and custom built it to how he wanted it, it's got sport exhaust, BB'S seat leon sport 18"alloys. I mean it's a lovely car and it's one if those cars everytime I see it I fall in love with it even more, you think rebuilding it though will be up to a good standard and will handle the remap still?

There is nothing worse than someone purposely damaging your pride and joy. But I am seriously considering part x'ing it with a dealer see what I can get and maybe get a golf or a leon cupra.

I found out it was the igniter that had gone when I got it remapped I asked them to check why I had airbag fault come up on dashboard everytime the car started up. And instead of buying A brand new airbag which SEAT themselves wanted like £350 for a new one, I got one out of a scrap leon for £100 and just got a upholster to fit it for £65 so got it done for half the price.

 

[Masterkm]

Rebuild Im not sure as MJ stated above, Im sure you could find a BKC lump to put in it and then it will be fine with the remap too. Its all down to costs tbh