GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Smoke at idle

Finder

Ready to race!
Location
Canada
I don't know if aftermarket is better, that is why I'm asking.
But I do know OEM isn't the greatest if I have to replace them because they failed.
 

Nitrous1024

Ready to race!
But I do know OEM isn't the greatest if I have to replace them because they failed.

That's not a good way to look at it. Anything in contact with moving parts has to fail (or get worn) at some point even with the world's best lubrication. The only time you can complain about the OEM seals is when yours fails quicker than the Mean Time Between Failure for the OEM parts in that range.

These valve seals fall under the category of "routine maintenance" in a particular technical service bulletin that I saw online for the BPY/BWA engines.
I wished I had bookmarked it to show you.
I have to change mine as well, but labour costs to get it done here in Jamaica is ridiculous. It works out to be the $119 per hour (in your currency) for a 4 hour job at the dealership. I feel that my car is possibly losing compression in this area.
 

Finder

Ready to race!
Location
Canada
I'm not saying they are bad. I would just like to know if there are better ones. If I'll be paying a lot to have this done, might as well have the best ones put in.
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
I got mine from Techtonics Tuning...probably not oem, but went and picked the seals and valve guides up from them.
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
I needed to add to this; with the CC, there is no longer intake vacuum draw in the crankcase. I missed this before...not sure why. The gauge vacuum; is the same as at the MAP sensor...not inside the crankcase. The crankcase will be under light pressure from blow-by with the "PCV to intake manifold" tube removed. I am still curious of the outcome or of any resolution.
 

Finder

Ready to race!
Location
Canada
4 years later.. :)
I had IE intake and exhaust valve seals installed back then and at the same time I replaced the piston rings. No more smoking problems after but I don't know which of the two was the culprit.
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
Thanks for posting the resolution. No new valve guides though?
I remember when mine began smoking way back causing me to rebuild in 2015...I suspected the valve seals. But since it was being torn apart I went ahead with; replacing the valve guides (if found to be loose, and they were), head rebuild, rod bearings, and piston rings...along with the valve seals...why not, right? It now smokes when I floor it or boost gets high...without much oil loss. I expect/plan to replace the K04 this year. The K04 has 98k miles on it. I may just send the core away to Comp Turbo Tech for a sub $500usd rebuild if the internal wastegate is still tight. I just do not expect to put many more miles on the MK5 in the years to come...only adding 2000 to 2500 each year the past three years.
 

Finder

Ready to race!
Location
Canada
I gave the shop IE valve guides to install at the time but they said it will be too much machine work in getting them adjusted. The old ones were in good shape so they let them in place and only did the seals.
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
Well...the culprit wasn't the valve guides, LOL.
Was a bit more work for my shop too, doing the guides. The guides were found a bit loose, but my mach-shop tech said the seals were likely the worse of the two. They were hard and cracked. But they did a great job. And for just $425usd.
 

penance

Fakinsupa
Location
BC West Coast
Car(s)
GTI
Thanks for this thread.. and following up!

Currently experiencing this exact issue on my 2007 w. 204000km. Was going to throw my OEM PCV back on - take of the catch can - but doesn't sound like it'll make a difference.

Got excited to see a solution here, that worked (and for both you), then I realized I had a short block replacement after piston ring(s) went back in 2017. Included new intake/exhaust valves, stem seals, vacuum testing valves, and a few other things.

So now I'm wondering, what, did those new valves start to fail in 4 years. Guess an exploratory shop bill is in my future :cautious: bahh.
 

Nitrous1024

Ready to race!
I still suggest installing the OEM PCV. The front PCV works when idling, and the rear one works when under boost.
Your valve stem seals can fail at any point after 2 years, so I'd do the easier option first by re-fitting the OEM front-PCV. Have you done any compression testing recently?
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
I too recommend using the OE PCV. Removing the PCV, for the delete or a catch-can, eliminates crankcase vacuum. Loss of vacuum, for removing the 'manifold-to-pcv' tube, reduces piston ring and valve stem sealing.

penance...
Was going to throw my OEM PCV back on - take of the catch can - but doesn't sound like it'll make a difference
It would be worth trying the OE PCV again...as doing so has eliminated or reduced others exhaust smoke problem. But smoke coming from the exhaust can be from a number of causes. It isn't a 'what fixes one fixes all' situation.
 

penance

Fakinsupa
Location
BC West Coast
Car(s)
GTI
I haven't had compression testing since piston ring issue few years back, no.

Good to know about loss of vacuum. I remember back in 2011 ish, when I put this CC on everyone seemed in favor of getting rid of the OEM PCV since they were prone to breaking.

Dug out the old (new "P") OEM PCV and threw it on last night; top middle screw hole on cover seems to be stripped slightly, but the PCV seal seems to hold well with other 3 screws.

I tried doing a few extended idles this morning, and so far not seeing any smoke. I will hold back judgement though until I've had it out for a couple days. May not be until July - camping soon, and not with this car.

If this fixes it I'll be happy - had this and a P000A error issue on deck. Both looked like they could get expensive to fix. Thankfully the error just ended up being a shady VW tech damaging my camshaft valve timing solenoid and then epoxying it back together.
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
Good to know about loss of vacuum. I put this CC on everyone seemed in favor of getting rid of the OEM PCV since they were prone to breaking.

Dug out the old (new "P") OEM PCV and threw it on last night; top middle screw hole on cover seems to be stripped slightly, but the PCV seal seems to hold well with other 3 screws.
Right...back then most everyone were replacing the PCV with a catch-can or PCV delete just to eliminate a possible failure item. Or they thought it best for the reduction of valve build up. But with those, you give up more by eliminating crankcase vacuum and reducing its ability to seal well.

Regarding the one loose screw. If not ready to replace the rocker cover, you can use a larger diameter screw until then. If the larger diameter screw doesn't go through the holes in the PCV, you can drill the four holes of the PCV with a larger diameter drill bit. But hang on to the four original screws for when/if you replace the rocker cover in the future. Sometimes, just using the same size screw having a different thread pitch will allow it to grab. Just don't go with a longer screw without measuring the depth of the holes in the cover. You don't want to pierce a hole into the inside of the cover.
 
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