VAG Group Petrol 2.0T - EA113 (Good) vs EA888 (Bad)

[g7jhp]

I've been looking for a 2.0T VAG Group car as a replacement family hack.

The list included Golf GTI, Audi A4 Avant, Audi S3 Sportback and Skoda Octavia all with the petrol 2.0T engines. When you start getting into the detail of which VAG models, variants and engines you soon run into the engine issues associated with some of the newer models.

There are a number of threads on the subject but rarely across the different VAG brands so I've tried to do a quick overview of models.

For those familiar with Porsche engine issues on the 996, 997.1, 986, 987.1 models between (1999 and 2008) before the Gen 2 engines arrived, it seems like a similar minefield of buyer beware.

So what's the difference between the EA113(2005-2008) and newer EA888 (2009 onwards) VAG engines?

The EA113 being the older belt driven engine is seen as good and reliable (if properly maintained).

Golf GTI Mk5 (2005-2008) - 197bhp
Golf GTI Mk5 Edition 30 & Pirelli Edition (2007-2008) - 227bhp
Golf GTI Mk6 Edition 35 (2011-2012) -232bhp
Audi S3 Sportback (8P) (2008-2012 - 265bhp
Audi A4 Avant TFSI 2.0T (B7) (2005-2008) - 197bhp or 217bhp on DTM Edition
Skoda Octava TFSI 2.0T Mk2 Pre-facelift (2005-2008) - 197bhp - Engine code BWA


The EA888 being the newer chain driven engine being seen as bad and unreliable due to timing chain tensioner failures and excessive oil usage.

Golf GTI Mk6 (2009-2012) - 207bhp - Engine code CCZA
Audi A4 Avant (B8) (2009-2015) - 207bhp - Engine code CDNC (from 2008-2013)
Skoda Octavia TSI 2.0T Mk2 Facelift (2008 onwards) - 197bhp - Engine code CCZA

This isn't an exhaustive list just Golf, A4, S3 Sportback and Octavia vRS models.

Hopefully this will help awareness of the potential pitfalls on these models. it's a heads-up which will allow you to read around and decide whether it's worth the risk or not.

We'll see how the next generation of EA888 engine runs in the Golf GTI Mk7 (2013 onwards), Audi A4 Avant (B9) (2015 onwards) and Skoda Octavia Mk3 (2013 onwards).

[g7jhp]

MrBarry123 said:

Don't assume that a car has the EA888 block fitted just because it is a 2009 onwards model. The EA113 is still present in the facelifted Scirocco R available today.

Yep, that's why I included the Audi S3 and Golf GTI Mk6 Edition 35. The list at the top wasn't exhaustive.

A quick search on Four cylinder EA888 petrols or Four cylinder EA113 petrols will give you a more complete list.