VW Polo 1.4 TDI sudden engine knocks and power loss

General Discussion
1

Hey there.
I have a VW polo 1.4 which is on aprox 170.000 miles. It is from 2007.
I drove about 80 km the other day to a city to buy something and as i was on my way home again suddenly when i exit a roundabout the car sounds different. The engine has a knocking sound to it which gets faster and louder whenever i go up in RPM.
Between 1000-1500 you can barely hear it but over 2000 it is very loud.

The gear shifter also shakes a lot when going over 2000rpm
As i got it towed home i saw that there was engine oil coming out under the car but the excact leak hasnt been discovered yet.

The car can start fine and can drive but has a loss in power as well.

Any ideas to what it can be?

2

It sounds like you drove with a very low oil level due to a leak. If that is the case then you have major damage so quit starting it until a shop can really tell what is wrong.

3

The oil lamp in the dashboard did not turn on?

4

I don’t know if it did , I wasn’t there.

5

By the time the oil light turns it is too late

2 Likes
6

You blew up the engine, I’d guess. Look for a jagged hole in the lower part of the engine with a jagged metal part sticking out.

Broken connection rod that punched a hole in the engine block.

5 Likes
7

The symptoms certainly sound like a serious engine-oil problem. What was the engine oil level on the dipstick after this happened? If the oil level was ok, and nothing has happened prior that would make you think of major engine damage other than these recent symptoms, this could also be a problem with the fuel injection pump or other engine accessory. Fuel injection pump problems aren’t an uncommon complaint from car-owners w/ diesel engines here.

8

A faulty fuel injector can cause lack of power and a horrible knocking sound. That knock can easily be heard over the sound of the engine and very closely resembles a rod bearing knock.

1 Like