2.0 TSI (EA888 gen3): too little oil pressure at idle
Typically between 70,000 and 120,000 km. It does not show up on every car.
critical
severity
between 70,000 and 120,000 km
mileage
800–3,500 EUR
repair cost
3 sources next to the write-up.
The fault
How you spot it
In these engines the oil pump is adjustable, and the factory setting deliberately keeps the oil pressure low at low revs to reduce the drag of driving it. At low revs the stock pump works at around 1.8 bar, up to 2 bar at most. With a warm engine at idle this can fall further, and values below 1 bar have been reported. The camshaft adjusters feel the low pressure first, because the oil pressure itself is what holds the adjuster in place: this is where the clacking noise heard at idle comes from. The chain tensioner follows, which the same pressure tensions, and the timing chain therefore wears faster. The reference values for this engine family are 2 bar at idle, 3 bar at 2,000 rpm and 4.5 bar at 4,000 rpm. The turbocharger and the camshaft are lubricated from the same circuit. A strengthened oil pump raises the idle pressure by about 20 per cent. Repairing the pump costs between 800 and 2,800 euro, and replacing a worn chain is a further 1,200 to 3,500 euro.
Which model
Who it affects
The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.
Engines and transmissions
Engine
DNUE
Engine page
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Engine
DNFC
Engine
DNFB
Checklist
2.0 TSI (EA888 gen3): too little oil pressure at idle
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Checklist
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Sources
How we know
MIK Motoren GmbHMIK Motoren GmbHProfitieren sie von einem Kauferlebnis, wie es nur wenige KFZ-Händler bieten können! Bei uns bleiben keine Wünsche und Fragen offen. Ob Motoren, Ersatzteile oder Tuning. Unser Kompetenzbereich reicht weit über ihre Vorstellungen hinaus. Herzlich Willkommen!
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Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
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