VW bug oil pan meets curb

Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
815
Location
Ames, IA
Last night our bug managed to get the brand new oil pan punctured. 3 miles later, my wife and daughter wisely pulled over as quick as they safely could. I was able to follow them by the oil trail, and am amazed at how little drains at 30 mph rpms. It was coating the car, and not the ground at that point.

The car was towed home and I pulled the pan, as well as a rod cap. The bearing and other internals were still wet, and it appears minimal damage was done.

to be sure, I have JB Welded the pan (I’ve done this on a few tractors) and will put in a jug of Valvoline Maxlife sitting on the shelf. If all is well, I’ll order a new pan (with a built in shield) and fix it.

Is our bug a ticking time bomb now? It’s the NA 2.0
Thanks.
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The only thing that would worry me about that engine was proper torque on the rod cap...

If the bearings weren't scorched, or showing signs of wear, then you lucked out. Button it up, refill the oil and press on.
 
possibly...

Did you notice and smearing of the bearing, metal in the pan or filter (if you have one)? If the bearing itself looks OK and the engine didn't appear to make any metal, I would put it all back together and test run it. Listen for noises, well unusual noises, watch your oil pressures and temps if you have the gauges. If all is good, I would run it for the rest of the good weather and prepare for an off season overhaul, it is not that big of a job.
 
You got lucky! One of the neighbors has a big rock in their driveway that you have to drive around (it's a farm road). Their son was doing Driver's Ed and the girl driving the car at the time ran over the rock, knocked a giant hole in the oil pan, and rod knocked the car in a span of about 500 feet.
 
possibly...

Did you notice and smearing of the bearing, metal in the pan or filter (if you have one)? If the bearing itself looks OK and the engine didn't appear to make any metal, I would put it all back together and test run it. Listen for noises, well unusual noises, watch your oil pressures and temps if you have the gauges. If all is good, I would run it for the rest of the good weather and prepare for an off season overhaul, it is not that big of a job.
No metal in the plan. I'll pull the filter tonight and see what it looks like. Thanks!
 
I thought it was a VW bug. I said to myself you would have to back up pretty far to kerb it.
Those cement parking chocks should be outlawed! But caution the driver(s) to stay away from them.
 
There is a hybrid oil pan available. Lower section is steel. Much sturdier then the all aluminum pan.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-mtc-parts/hybrid-oil-pan-assembly/06a103601t~mt/

Nice one and pretty decend price, however I'd fit a belly pan/skid plate bevor:


There's also a plastic one the TDI comes with. While not as sturdy as the steel
pan it's made from glass-fibre reinforced PA and still pretty solid. You probably
can find it on a junk yard.

OP, that's why I use to fit belly pans to ANY car my wife drives. :devilish:
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Filled it with oil and fired it up. It has a terrible lifter tick that won’t go away. I haven’t run it a ton, but did warm it up and drove around the block a couple times. I may need to pull the valve cover and check it out.
 
Filled it with oil and fired it up. It has a terrible lifter tick that won’t go away. I haven’t run it a ton, but did warm it up and drove around the block a couple times. I may need to pull the valve cover and check it out.
Hope that's not a rod big end. Do the 2L use HLA and in want form? stationary class 3 lever? When those go flat it can be a bugger to get them free. Those on here who use solvents may wish to chime in. When I was a kid and did mechanic in a can my choice would be Charcoal lighter fluid. Don't know if that was a bad idea or not. I seemed to works sometimes.
But those were giant lifesaver roll sized moving hydraulic lifters. not pencil eraser sized fulcrum HLA.

Good luck.
 
So, I fired it up to move it, and the tick was quieter. I had read about a cycle of RPMS pressurize the lifters, so I did that, and the tick went away.

Hearing no other issue, and having a full oil pan, I went for a 20 minute drive, and thought we lucked out, until a few blocks from home with the oil can started flashing. It would go off, and then come back again, mainly around 2000 rpm.

My next plan is to drop the pan again and plastigauge the main bearings. I’ve also read it may be necessary to change the oil pump and possibly a balance shaft. The local auto recycler has 2 engines from Jetta’s with similar mileage for $350, so it may be easier to do a swap and just be done with it.
 
Are the rod bolts one time use? Did you follow the spec for tightening? I don't know beyond that, other than VW loves to use one-time use bolts.

When I had a TDi I recall this being a common problem. It didn't take much to crack a pan. Some would go as far as to buy skidplates that bolt underneath--I contemplated but never went for. Shortly before I got rid of the car I was shocked to find scratch marks on my pan, I don't remember dragging but I knew there was a few times I was close--I guess I was closer than I thought... lousy roads!
 
one of my coworkers’s 1.8t audi had an oil pump faile and pressure light came on, very loud hydraulic lifter noise. drove it 20 miles to work.

new pump and it was like it never even happened.

rev to 2000rpm, i think that’s when the warning beeper turns on
 
The main bearings were wiped out, so it's toast....I have a friend who swaps engines on vehicles on the side, so talking to him, or I may borrow the lift and stand to do a swap myself.

The local junkyard has two engines with slightly more miles, so it is probably the best bet. Thanks for all of the feedback.
 
That has crossed my mind, seeing as how the High school is 2 miles from our house, and dance is 6 miles away. The oil light comes on right at the 6 mile mark.

The problem is, it will die mid January, -10 degrees outside in a blizzard. It won't die June 15th when it is sunny and 80 degrees.....
 
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