GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Loud screeching noise from engine bay

dbizzle22

Go Kart Champion
The exhaust leak will eventually completely burn through the manifold gasket, which can eventually cause damage to the cylinder head. It's something you will want to have fixed, trust me.

I would fight like hell to have it covered under the PZEV warranty. Mine was still under the extended factory warranty, so they covered it. They actually went ahead and replaced the entire turbo because they claimed the exhaust manifold was "damaged".

FML! Just called to verify my extended factory warranty that came with my car and OF COURSE ... it expired at the end of August. Going to call to ask if there's some kind of grace period but it looks like I'm going to have to hope and pray the dealer will cover it.

Thanks for the heads up on repairing the leak ASAP. Anything else I should have done for a 70K car while all that is out? Besides a K04 :)
 

dbizzle22

Go Kart Champion
Regarding pulling the engine to fix these exhaust manifold studs. Is it a full-on removal of the engine using a cherry picker? Or just drop and rotate a bit to get an angle to fix the stud?
 

Roadrunner_GTI

Drag Racing Champion
Regarding pulling the engine to fix these exhaust manifold studs. Is it a full-on removal of the engine using a cherry picker? Or just drop and rotate a bit to get an angle to fix the stud?

I wouldn't automatically assume the engine needs to be pulled. If there's anything left of the broken stud, then it can be extracted with the engine in place.

From the bottom of the car, with the downpipe removed you can access the stud. Just for reference, you can see the stud if you have an aftermarket downpipe.



 

dbizzle22

Go Kart Champion
I wouldn't automatically assume the engine needs to be pulled. If there's anything left of the broken stud, then it can be extracted with the engine in place.

From the bottom of the car, with the downpipe removed you can access the stud. Just for reference, you can see the stud if you have an aftermarket downpipe.




Ah, I do have a downpipe so I can should be able to get under and have a look around. If I remember it was a few bolts to remove a head shield and that general area is fairly open from there.
 

BudgetPhoenix

Autocross Champion
the issue with people having to pull the engine with that stud is when its fully broken off flush theres no room to really get it out even turbo removed. Several others reported having to do the same since there's no room to extract it even with a right angle drill, but I do remember one guy said he paid $800 to have some extraction expert lay on top of the engine for hours and drilled it out slowly bit by bit with some type of rotary tool and special bits
 

dbizzle22

Go Kart Champion
the issue with people having to pull the engine with that stud is when its fully broken off flush theres no room to really get it out even turbo removed. Several others reported having to do the same since there's no room to extract it even with a right angle drill, but I do remember one guy said he paid $800 to have some extraction expert lay on top of the engine for hours and drilled it out slowly bit by bit with some type of rotary tool and special bits

Ouch, that's no easy pill to swallow either :(
 

sauceman101

Ready to race!
Ouch, that's no easy pill to swallow either :(

I'm patient, and I wasn't able to extract it my stud while the motor was between the fenders. The bolt was flush with the head though. In my case I paired pulling the motor with the transmission, to do the clutch, LSD, RMS, timing tensioners, timing covers, and cam cradle seal. I let the exhaust leak go for maybe 10-12 months iirc before I figured out what the hell it was. Head fortunately wasn't warped. Gasket in that area was totally toast. Only further issue down the road this seemingly caused was a coolant leak. That escaping exhaust gas damaged one of the hard plastic coolant lines mounted below the vacuum pump. It was fine when I put the motor/trans back in, but showed visible signs of damage. Would have been smart to replace then but :iono:, if that's the worst thing I incurred letting that exhaust leak go for awhile than you may be alright as well. Old school APR stage 1 tune through all of that, not sure if any of the aftermarket tunes' increased exhaust gas back pressure/heat will further the broken gasket, potential warped head issue.
 

dbizzle22

Go Kart Champion
I'm patient, and I wasn't able to extract it my stud while the motor was between the fenders. The bolt was flush with the head though. In my case I paired pulling the motor with the transmission, to do the clutch, LSD, RMS, timing tensioners, timing covers, and cam cradle seal. I let the exhaust leak go for maybe 10-12 months iirc before I figured out what the hell it was. Head fortunately wasn't warped. Gasket in that area was totally toast. Only further issue down the road this seemingly caused was a coolant leak. That escaping exhaust gas damaged one of the hard plastic coolant lines mounted below the vacuum pump. It was fine when I put the motor/trans back in, but showed visible signs of damage. Would have been smart to replace then but :iono:, if that's the worst thing I incurred letting that exhaust leak go for awhile than you may be alright as well. Old school APR stage 1 tune through all of that, not sure if any of the aftermarket tunes' increased exhaust gas back pressure/heat will further the broken gasket, potential warped head issue.

Those of you who dealt with this broken stud, any idea what it was that led to this happening? Once I fix it I want to do what I can to prevent it.

For me, car has been happy on APR stage 2 tune for 5 years, 60K or so. Once smog time came for me here in CA I had to get o2 spacers put on. The o2 spacer install required some tugging to break them loose since they've been on for so long. Nothing out of the ordinary there but I wonder if tugging on the entire turbo back assembly during the o2 install caused the bolt or gasket to go. Straw that broke the camels back kind of thing. The noise started 2 weeks or so later.
 

sauceman101

Ready to race!
Those of you who dealt with this broken stud, any idea what it was that led to this happening? Once I fix it I want to do what I can to prevent it.

For me, car has been happy on APR stage 2 tune for 5 years, 60K or so. Once smog time came for me here in CA I had to get o2 spacers put on. The o2 spacer install required some tugging to break them loose since they've been on for so long. Nothing out of the ordinary there but I wonder if tugging on the entire turbo back assembly during the o2 install caused the bolt or gasket to go. Straw that broke the camels back kind of thing. The noise started 2 weeks or so later.

The only guess to the cause of my leak was likely the catback switch the summer before, maybe I moved the downpipes enough to send some movement up past the stock flex pipe. Hard to believe if the case. But my leak started about 3 months after iirc. Maybe coincidental, maybe not. I drive the car a lot less now than I used to (30k miles a year two years ago, 5-8k now) I've put 13k or so on mine since pulling everything two springs ago. Fresh studs in the head have all held. Will be going to K04 finally in the next year. I'll take a look at those bolts again then but will likely replace again.
 

Roadrunner_GTI

Drag Racing Champion
The only guess to the cause of my leak was likely the catback switch the summer before, maybe I moved the downpipes enough to send some movement up past the stock flex pipe. Hard to believe if the case. But my leak started about 3 months after iirc. Maybe coincidental, maybe not. I drive the car a lot less now than I used to (30k miles a year two years ago, 5-8k now) I've put 13k or so on mine since pulling everything two springs ago. Fresh studs in the head have all held. Will be going to K04 finally in the next year. I'll take a look at those bolts again then but will likely replace again.

Mine broken with a completely stock exhaust, even downpipe, so I honestly have no clue what caused it. From what I can tell, it's a fairly isolated failure, but it's always the driver side stud. I can appreciate that there is a decent amount of stress on the studs, but this shouldn't cause it to snap. It could be related to a defective batch of studs that were used, but beyond that, I have no real explanation.

I will say that if I have to pull mine again, it's getting a k04. :laugh:
 

dbizzle22

Go Kart Champion
Mine broken with a completely stock exhaust, even downpipe, so I honestly have no clue what caused it. From what I can tell, it's a fairly isolated failure, but it's always the driver side stud. I can appreciate that there is a decent amount of stress on the studs, but this shouldn't cause it to snap. It could be related to a defective batch of studs that were used, but beyond that, I have no real explanation.

I will say that if I have to pull mine again, it's getting a k04. :laugh:

K04 would be awesome but life's priorities are going to win out here. Just going to order a turbo installation kit that has all the gaskets and hardware I'll need and get this fixed.

I might just go down to stage 1 while all these parts need to be removed. The car has been reliable with the stage 2 overall but as the car and aftermarket parts age, the fewer parts that can go wrong the better.
 

dbizzle22

Go Kart Champion
Just to update this thread:

Like others, I had a broken exhaust manifold stud. It hadn't fallen off yet but was loosely hanging on still. Exhaust manifold gasket doesn't look too bad. Purchased a turbo refresh kit from ShopDAP and had the various parts installed. Also took the time to go back to Stage 1 so no need to fuss with downpipe worries any longer.
 

sauceman101

Ready to race!
Just to update this thread:

Like others, I had a broken exhaust manifold stud. It hadn't fallen off yet but was loosely hanging on still. Exhaust manifold gasket doesn't look too bad. Purchased a turbo refresh kit from ShopDAP and had the various parts installed. Also took the time to go back to Stage 1 so no need to fuss with downpipe worries any longer.

Sorry to hear it was the same thing, at least it sounds as if you have it sorted at this point!
 

mirchandise

Passed Driver's Ed
Bringing back an old thread. I've got the same issue, broken driver's side stud. Noise came and went for a while making it hard to track down. Finally got it diagnosed - shop pulled the manifold and found it warped on the driver's side. Most of the stud fell out as they were pulling off the manifold and now there is just a little bit of it left in the head. I've got 80k on the car. Been stage 2 since 30k with no issues until now. Not sure what I'm going to do - seems like its going to cost a lot to get that stud out and I don't know if its worth it at this point. Oh well.
 

autonoob

Passed Driver's Ed
An engine squeal, screeching or squeaking noise is usually one of the few things that can be wrong. Sounds of this nature are usually caused by a roller bearing going bad on one of the engine accessories such as an alternator, water pump, or idler bearing.
 
Top