Engine problems in the Mk 6 Golf CAVD 1.4 Litre TSI engine Twin charged.
Between 2008 and 2012 Volkswagen produced the CAVD 1.4 Litre TSI twin charged engine for the Volkswagen Golf 6th generation. This early generation of engine was problematic with issues in the pistons and rings. Some problems include the piston ring land cracking over time which can be expedited by using the incorrect fuel. The CAVD engine must use 98 octane unleaded fuel as lower octane fuel will cause the engine to ping and result in prematurely cracked pistons.
Another issue is the timing chain tensioner. It appears that at the 100,000 km mark the faulty timing chain tensioner fails, which creates slack in the timing chain allowing the chain to become loose and thus allowing it to jump teeth. Jumping teeth can result in smashed valves and cylinder head damage.
There is a solution. in 2012 Volkswagen rectified this problem by upgrading this engine to the CTHD engine. This engine was released with upgraded pistons and piston rings, oil squirters, a superseded timing chain tensioner and a few other tweaks. This is a much more reliable engine and does not share the same problems as it’s predecessor. With minimal modifications (approx 2-3 hours) the CAVD engine can be replaced with the late model CTHD.
Another alternative is to use the CAVD Engine, however at Grant Walker Parts we install a new revised timing chain in every second hand engine.
