98 Passat 1.8T elec and engine issues

[starship1956]

I have a 98 1.8T and have 3 interesting problems that I would be grateful for input on. Car only has 32000 miles on it.
1. When engine cold and first start, lot of clacking-clatter sounds from engine compartment. Does not appear to change with higher rev. Clears in less than a minute. Sort of reminds me of the sound of an old cars noisey air pump.
2. When outside temp at 60 degrees or less and sustained for several days as when winter begins, on cold start only, at almost exactly 3000 RPM consistently, rather loud screaching sound from engine compartment. Like a screeching howl...described to me as a "screaming banchee" sound. If I maintain 3000 RPM on throtle, sound is continuous. Clear after running a minute or two after arm up. Does NOT happen in warmer months at all. Belt checked OK. One shop thought it was the idler pulley...removed and checked but spun OK...they did not replace it.
3. Coolant temp guage more often either fails to register and then at random time goes up to proper temp 190 degrees. Or it suddenly drops to zero randomly..or it comes up part way and either holds there or slowly drops again. Geting more frequent over time.

[boschmann]

#2 sounds like a tensioner or idle pulley to me too. Hopefully it's not the timing belt tensioner. The temp sensors were common to fail, usually they just stop working though.

[John_E]

If the clatter arises at the rear of the cylinder head, it may be oil starvation in the cam chain adjuster, generally caused by leaky internal cam seals. When mine began to clatter on hot idle, as well, I took it in for warranty replacement of the cam chain adjuster and cam seals.

[veedubmechanic]

The clatter at the rear of the engine is the cam adjuster. older models (98-01) usually make alot of noise on startup. It makes noise for , like you said, about a minute or so. Its used for emmisions purposes. Normal sound.

The temp guage problem is deff. related to the ect at the rear of the engine. THey always go bad... all the time... even the new ones...

[capt.boomer]

Starship, i have the same EXACT problem with my '98. Right at 3000 RPM....I've been wondering what it was. Veedub says it the cam adjuster...any ideas on how much that is to fix, or if it even needs to be fixed, Veedub? I've owned my Passat since 1/20/04 and today is 2/25/05...in that time period i have replaced the following...

1.) CTS (coolant temp. sensor)--just read "0" all the time.
2.) Tie Rods--Rattled
3.) Dipstick holder-- Became frail over time b/c of heat and broke one day when i was checking the oil level
4.) Air Mass Flow sensor--Driving along, and car suddenly had no power and sputtered...idle was irregular.
5.) Locking mechanism (driver's door)--never worked right...sometimes lock would never go down when locking the car. Express window/sunroof feature wouldn't work.
6.) Brakes: Rotors, Pads (Front)
7.) Air Filter
8.) 4 tires
9.) Light switch assembly for headlights/foglights.--Tail lights, and parking lights would not come on.
10.) Radio...simply a P.O.S.
11.) Bought more coolant from dealership because coolant was lost when i sprayed it everywhere while replacing the CTS. (Coolant level is fine after all of this, if anyone was thinking that might be the problem with the coolant light flashing...mentioned below.)

Problems I still have...but can't afford right now.

1.) Can't lock the car via the key FOB, b/c alarm goes off every 10 mins. Also, interior lights flicker like strobe lights when I try to do this. "fix it all shop" couldn't figure it out, but they did say that it is probably the control comfort module under the driver's seat. (Will need replaced/checked by dealership)

2.) On very cold days (<30F) when my car has sat outside over night--I start the car, and the coolant light flashes and beeps. Supposedly means that the coolant level is low...checked it and is just fine. Flashing usually goes away once the coolant temp. is reading 190.

3.) When stopped, and car is running there is a constant odor inside the cabin like burning oil. ( could this be any one of the 1,000's of oil problems, sludge?) Also, my oil level is "bone dry" when I take my car for an oil change. Oil light comes on around these times.

4.) Spark Plugs have "white" residue on them. Mechanic said it's from the engine running too lean...can't figure it out.

5.) Of course, I still have the "Screaming banshee" sound at 3000 RPMs on cooler days (<40F).

6.) Just recently, the sunroof started opening randomly while driving, or car is off and parked.

7.) Sometimes, when I push any rear window button on the driver's window console to go down, the window goes up instead, and vice versa.

I have EASILY put $3,000 into this car in one (1) year!! That does not include oil changes or the premium gas. Absolute worst purchase EVER! What a P.O.S.!

[veedubmechanic]

Sounds like your Confort Control module is bad (controls - windows, lights, sunroof alarm issues)

golf/jetta 1.8t have a problem with coolant resivour level sensor going bad and where in cold startups the coolant light flashes (requires replacing resivour)

Whining noise could be either a turbo, water pump, timing belt tensioner or serpentine belt tensioner ( Highly reccomended to replace t-belt/tensioner/w-pump at 80kmiles)Turbos normally last 80-100k on 98-01 passats. WHining noise during startup for the first minute or two is the secondary air pump-normally go bad if the fuse blows or combi valve fails and customer doesnt change it and water gets into lines and jacks up pump

Excessive white residue on plugs is normally coolant being combusted with the air/fuel. But a lean mixture can cause it. Try changing your plugs.

Normal oil leaks for pasats - valve cover gasket, cam seals, cam adjuster seals (normally leaks down back of engine by coolant temp sensor and onto exhause somehow). Oil pan gasket-actually sillicone/drain plugs.

Hope this helps some!

[starship1956]

Well, I have to say that they replaced an awful lot of components in the engine compartment on this one...all under warranty thank goodness. The chattering has gone away but the high pitched squeal still exists..only it has to be even a lower temperature outside for it to happen..now has to be less than 40 deg...before it was happening at less than 60 deg. They replaced the head, turbo, water pump, timing belt tensioner, serpant. belt, power steering pump belt, all associated oil pipes, gaskets, hoses, etc, temp sender unit and valve, spark plugs, oil pump and toothed belt tensioner pulley, damper and belt. Heck..except for the block and a few misc components this is almost a new engine. All with only 33K on the car....and for a 98 that is very low. If I get the time I'll take it back again on the squeal..but they had it for alomst a week and a half..and no loaner because the warranty doesn't cover one! I'm tired of it. The radio has very poor AM reception. The right rear door lock pin keeps falling into the door. Sometime whan I hit the button to bring the window down it does not respond..untill I hit it again. The temp sender and valve makes the gauge needle act different. Rather than coming up slowly like it did...it stays down for a rather long time (the air blowing is already getting warm) and then seems to shoot up rather rapidly to operating temperature. Wierd stuff.

------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by capt.boomer

Starship, i have the same EXACT problem with my '98. Right at 3000 RPM....I've been wondering what it was. Veedub says it the cam adjuster...any ideas on how much that is to fix, or if it even needs to be fixed, Veedub? I've owned my Passat since 1/20/04 and today is 2/25/05...in that time period i have replaced the following...

1.) CTS (coolant temp. sensor)--just read "0" all the time.
2.) Tie Rods--Rattled
3.) Dipstick holder-- Became frail over time b/c of heat and broke one day when i was checking the oil level
4.) Air Mass Flow sensor--Driving along, and car suddenly had no power and sputtered...idle was irregular.
5.) Locking mechanism (driver's door)--never worked right...sometimes lock would never go down when locking the car. Express window/sunroof feature wouldn't work.
6.) Brakes: Rotors, Pads (Front)
7.) Air Filter
8.) 4 tires
9.) Light switch assembly for headlights/foglights.--Tail lights, and parking lights would not come on.
10.) Radio...simply a P.O.S.
11.) Bought more coolant from dealership because coolant was lost when i sprayed it everywhere while replacing the CTS. (Coolant level is fine after all of this, if anyone was thinking that might be the problem with the coolant light flashing...mentioned below.)

Problems I still have...but can't afford right now.

1.) Can't lock the car via the key FOB, b/c alarm goes off every 10 mins. Also, interior lights flicker like strobe lights when I try to do this. "fix it all shop" couldn't figure it out, but they did say that it is probably the control comfort module under the driver's seat. (Will need replaced/checked by dealership)

2.) On very cold days (<30F) when my car has sat outside over night--I start the car, and the coolant light flashes and beeps. Supposedly means that the coolant level is low...checked it and is just fine. Flashing usually goes away once the coolant temp. is reading 190.

3.) When stopped, and car is running there is a constant odor inside the cabin like burning oil. ( could this be any one of the 1,000's of oil problems, sludge?) Also, my oil level is "bone dry" when I take my car for an oil change. Oil light comes on around these times.

4.) Spark Plugs have "white" residue on them. Mechanic said it's from the engine running too lean...can't figure it out.

5.) Of course, I still have the "Screaming banshee" sound at 3000 RPMs on cooler days (<40F).

6.) Just recently, the sunroof started opening randomly while driving, or car is off and parked.

7.) Sometimes, when I push any rear window button on the driver's window console to go down, the window goes up instead, and vice versa.

I have EASILY put $3,000 into this car in one (1) year!! That does not include oil changes or the premium gas. Absolute worst purchase EVER! What a P.O.S.!

[starship1956]

Well...it is December 2005 and now that the temperature is cold now...I'm going back to the dealer to have them figure out what the squeal at 3000 rpm is again. They've replaced a lot under warranty late last year. Let's see what they come up with this time around...but it beeter be a warranty deal or I will have a fit. You know...I've also noticed that when it is very cold out and the car has been sitting for a week or so..when I back up and turn, the suspension groans quite a bit. I've had them do a grease job and it does not seem to effect it....just a small detail in the whole scheme of things.

[veedubmechanic]

Originally Posted by starship1956

I've also noticed that when it is very cold out and the car has been sitting for a week or so..when I back up and turn, the suspension groans quite a bit.

theres your problem. you let any car sit for a week and its going to moan and groan when you drive it. the brakes will squeel. the belts will make noise.

mention to them about the viscous fan clutch and bearing. they make noise alot on older cars, especially those that sit for a while