Scirocco Central

Hi all

One way or another I am purchasing a petrol Scirocco in the next week. I have see one I like on a 13 plate, 1.4TSI 160bhp, however I have read the horror stories about terminal engine failure due to one thing or another on earlier 1.4 160 engines - is this something I should be concerned about with a 13 plate?

All the stories I've read seem to relate to pre 2010 engines, and it seems VW have fixed the issues in the later engines. If there is any doubt in my mind I will go for the 120bhp - but I want the 160!

Thanks

hello. the issues with the 160 are quite common but that still wouldnt push me away from it, as when you can get a working one its a really fun engine compared to the 122 hp one. maybe get a obd reader plug it in while you test drive and look for any misfire readings on it. if you can somehow get a compression test you would get rid of all doubts

Thanks for the reply. Are the miss-fire issues just as common in later engines as well then, given the model I'm looking at is a 13 plate?

13 plate is fine. It was pre 2012 models that had issues, particularly 2009/10 ones.

As above - 13 plate is fine. The primary problem was down to weak Mahle pistons used on pre-2012 engines, post Jan 2012 they switched to using KS pistons which have proven to be far more reliable (I have not heard of any failures), all the other issues such as misfires were also fixed before 2012.

Yeah my 2010 had misfires like a month into ownership, had it covered under warranty luckily, new plugs and new coil pack has it running like a dream now (touch wood).

The reconditioned engines after 2013 have new pistons KS.
Also all engines after 2012 have a new remap ECU.
The big problem was the Mahle piston didn't resist the missfires. Too weak.

I had a 2011 Scirocco from new. Checked the plugs, coils when I got it after reading RW1 advice. Had stage 1 to just over 180ps. Did 58k and had no problems at all. Lovely engine, economical and lots of fun. By 2013 as said above the problems had all been sorted.

I have a 2012 with a stage 1 Revo. It was all checked prior to the map going on and I've had no problems


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Yes - to the OP - I was in a similar situation of doubt AFTER buying a 1.4 160 TSI.

I knew it was the engine I really wanted and didn't (somehow) know about any of the problems prior to buying.

Thanks to the helpful people on this forum I feel much more at peace with my car now. It is a 14 Reg (built last qtr 2013 IIRC) so will have all the fixes and improvements.

I've now put 16K miles on it in the last 12 Months and, touch wood, no issues. In fact it hasn't even needed any oil between services and I'm easily averaging 40MPG over the whole year without even trying - and that includes some great drives as well as some central London slogs.

It feels a lot faster than the performance figures published by VW.

It's a great engine, in a great car. It makes a pleasant noise, pulls extremely well and suits the DSG gearbox (not sure if that's what yours is) very well too IMHO. It's a shame they dropped it from the line-up with the facelift but I can understand why given the issues and cost they had early on.

Reminds me of my Mk1 Golf GTI I had 25 years ago somehow - much more than the tepid MK3 Golf GTI 8V I had between times - the DNA seems to have returned.

Going in for it's first MOT next week as it reaches 3 years old.

Blower, are the new revised piston KS good enough for a tuning? Can they handle 220-240hp ?
And how is your car with the wossner forged piston ? All its okay there?
And which of this 2 piston will be better?

I went for the 160 1.4TSI and had it for about 6 weeks now ... and its awesome! Love the engine, love the car!

13 plate should also have the upgraded dry clutch. Wouldn't touch a plate any earlier than this: the dry clutch issues on the 160s were pretty notorious. Presumably the upgrade fixed things.