What causes thrust bearing failure?

[Strange Mud]

If you're lucky, it'll only strip the gear on your starter or burn it out if you try to start it in gear. I have a hard time believing it could turn the engine over with a gear engaged; that'd be a lot of oomph for a starter motor. I could see it chipping the teeth on your flywheel though.

it'll move a car along fine...Taco's used to have a bypass in the MT's for if you got stuck you could move truck with just the starter motor.. I have a csb of a buddy that removed the clutch sw in his stang. We swapped cars for a ride and afterwards when we went back to our own cars he reached in to start it from outside. Evidently he always leaves it in neutral....I don't.

 

[dunkelweizen]

I was reading through your thread about it just now! Is the problem solved now (so 2017/2018+ cars with an upgraded clutch are fine), or is it still a bad idea to upgrade the clutch? I also wonder if it's the same for 1.8L engines or if it's a 2.0L thing.

I haven't read anything that would suggest that removing the CDV would cause the thrust bearings to fail, though.

I've personally seen more cases on the forums of 2017 & 2018 with crankwalk than 2015s (anecdotal). I didn't even know it was a thing at the time it happened to my stock 2016 (with CDV in) a couple of years back. It has been rearing its ugly head a lot more lately, partly because there is a bigger sample size now and there's been time for this to develop, as well as upgraded clutches accelerating the demise of bearings that were destined to fail anyway.

As Twist said, no point in worrying about something that you have no control over. Go out and enjoy the car

 

[Raguvian]

This information comes from doing searches in all MK7 Groups I'm a member in. Search "Crankwalk" or "Thrust bearing failure"

There is a bunch of stuff on Youtube from the Humble Mechanic as well as other sources. Just do some digging.

I was reading about the cars with the upgraded clutches and single mass flywheels having issues but was curious about the stock clutch cars also having issues.

That's pretty disappointing to hear if the weak stock clutch already has issues.

 

[eventhorizon]

I was reading about the cars with the upgraded clutches and single mass flywheels having issues but was curious about the stock clutch cars also having issues.

That's pretty disappointing to hear if the weak stock clutch already has issues.

Yea it is man. I've seen people with under 20k miles on tow trucks with 2017+ models with Crankwalk. Most of them aren't even tuned.

 

[MSchott]

Yea it is man. I've seen people with under 20k miles on tow trucks with 2017+ models with Crankwalk. Most of them aren't even tuned.

I’m having a hard time picturing how you would know how a car on a tow truck is tuned. Not to mention knowing what year it is prior to the LCI.

In general the premise that the thrust bearing has a statistically significant failure rate is unsupported. The internet has a tendency to overinflated issues.

 

[eventhorizon]

I’m having a hard time picturing how you would know how a car on a tow truck is tuned. Not to mention knowing what year it is prior to the LCI.

In general the premise that the thrust bearing has a statistically significant failure rate is unsupported. The internet has a tendency to overinflated issues.

I've spoken to people in some Facebook MK 7 groups with MT cars. They have reported Crankwalk at low miles. I'm just presenting facts.

 

[robmarktoo]

On the MK7's you can't. You have to press in the clutch pedal in order to start the car.

Most manuals won't let you start without pressing the clutch all the way in, at least back to the mid 90s

 

[Raguvian]

Yea it is man. I've seen people with under 20k miles on tow trucks with 2017+ models with Crankwalk. Most of them aren't even tuned.

So far all the ones I've read have only been for MT GTIs. I'm just going to hope my poverty GSW doesn't have the same issue.

How has your GTI w/ Stage 3 clutch been holding up?

 

[MSchott]

I've spoken to people in some Facebook MK 7 groups with MT cars. They have reported Crankwalk at low miles. I'm just presenting facts.

Thanks but I’m still skeptical. A thrust bearing is a simple cylindrical piece of metal. I’m sure it wears eventually but I can’t see it found so without abuse in under 20,000 miles on a stock car.

 

[dietcokefiend]

Thanks but I’m still skeptical. A thrust bearing is a simple cylindrical piece of metal. I’m sure it wears eventually but I can’t see it found so without abuse in under 20,000 miles on a stock car.

Considering pictures of them sitting in the oil pan are out there, without it being mangled into a ball, my gut is loose fit or improper installation. I don't think they are wearing out in those cases but instead getting detached. These thrust bearings aren't like older ones where they are welded or part of the main bearing. These sit by themselves in their own groove,

 

[eventhorizon]

Considering pictures of them sitting in the oil pan are out there, without it being mangled into a ball, my gut is loose fit or improper installation. I don't think they are wearing out in those cases but instead getting detached. These thrust bearings aren't like older ones where they are welded or part of the main bearing. These sit by themselves in their own groove,

Here are just a few

https://excelerateperformance.com/news/mk7-golf-r-engine-replacement

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16591

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16006

 

[eventhorizon]

So far all the ones I've read have only been for MT GTIs. I'm just going to hope my poverty GSW doesn't have the same issue.

How has your GTI w/ Stage 3 clutch been holding up?

Hey bud, we will have to wait and see. Tbh, I'm worried since I recently had camshaft phaser failure, sending my engine out of timing. Both camshafts need to be replaced, as well as timing chain and tensioner. I've heard of this happening to earlier revisions of the GTI and R's but I'm one of the first with a 2017 with only 23k miles on it.

 

[MSchott]

Considering pictures of them sitting in the oil pan are out there, without it being mangled into a ball, my gut is loose fit or improper installation. I don't think they are wearing out in those cases but instead getting detached. These thrust bearings aren't like older ones where they are welded or part of the main bearing. These sit by themselves in their own groove,

I’m not convinced that this is in any way common on stock cars. The internet has a way of building mountains of mole hills. You only read of issues which are news. Cars with no issues get no mention. In my case, 64,000 miles, no issues at all with the engine, transmission or clutch. I believe this is common to the vast majority of stock MT GTI’s.

 

[MSchott]

Hey bud, we will have to wait and see. Tbh, I'm worried since I recently had camshaft phaser failure, sending my engine out of timing. Both camshafts need to be replaced, as well as timing chain and tensioner. I've heard of this happening to earlier revisions of the GTI and R's but I'm one of the first with a 2017 with only 23k miles on it.

Do you take account that your drivetrain is heavily modified?

 

[eventhorizon]

Do you take account that your drivetrain is heavily modified?

Yes of course. Pay to play.

My car is out - of - warranty due to heavily modified drive-train.

But, My best friend whom is a Volkswagen technician, has seen complete engine replacements on completely OEM vehicles. Consider yourself a lucky one.

Here is a link to the recall from Volkwagen's MK7's included for Camshaft Failures.

Time to climb the Internet mound.

https://www.goapr.com/tsp/3f4b0448-abe5-496d-9c9f-17108ccf2271.pdf