Volkswagen Sharan engines
Engines

Volkswagen Sharan engines

Volkswagen Sharan is a minivan with 5-7 seats. The car belongs to the class of family cars. Under its hood, you can find a wide range of powertrains. The motors used have sufficient power to provide excellent dynamics to the minivan.

Brief description of Volkswagen Sharan

In 1991, the Volkswagen concern, together with the Ford company, created a venture project to develop a minivan. Automakers planned to occupy the corresponding segment in the European market. As a result, in 1995, the first Volkswagen Sharan rolled off the assembly line. Production was established in Portugal.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
Volkswagen Sharan first generation

In 2000, it became necessary to update the car. Therefore, the Volkswagen Sharan has undergone a restyling. The changes affected mainly the appearance of the car. The car received an updated bumper, headlights, foglights and some other small items.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
Volkswagen Sharan after restyling

In 2004, the Volkswagen Sharan underwent a second restyling. The appearance of the car has changed slightly due to the use of more plastic. Complete set of the car became richer. Updated power units have become more economical and environmentally friendly.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
Car after the second restyling

In March 2010, the second generation of the Volkswagen Sharan was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. As a platform, the manufacturer used the base from the Passat. The car received sliding rear side doors. In the basic configuration of Sharan you can find:

  • alloy wheels;
  • electric front windows;
  • parking sensors;
  • power steering;
  • air conditioning;
  • remote door closing system;
  • power side mirrors.
Volkswagen Sharan engines
Second generation Volkswagen Sharan

Overview of engines on various generations of cars

Both generations of the Volkswagen Sharan have a wide range of engines under the hood. Engine power fluctuates in large aisles, which allows each car owner to choose the best car for himself. All internal combustion engines are able to provide decent dynamics. You can get acquainted with the power plants used in the table below.

Volkswagen Sharan powertrains

Car modelInstalled motors
1 generation (7M)
volkswagen sharan 1995AJH

THE BODY

AFN

AVG

ADY

AAA

AMY

Volkswagen Sharan restyling 2000AWC

Ay

BVK

BRT

ATM

FAMILY

Volkswagen Sharan 2nd restyling 2005AWC

Ay

BVK

BRT

ATM

FAMILY

2nd generation (7N1)
volkswagen sharan 2010CTHA

CFFE

CFGB

CFGC

ACZA

Popular motors

On early Volkswagen Sharans, the AHU diesel engine gained popularity. Its resource is more than 500 thousand km. The motor is famous for its simplicity of design and high reliability. The engine is time-tested and has proven itself in the eyes of car owners.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
AHU diesel engine

Another popular engine on early Volkswagen Sharans is the ADY powertrain. The motor has found application not only on other models of Volkswagen cars, but has also been massively used outside the brand. The reason for this lies in the colossal resource of the internal combustion engine. At the same time, ADY is not too sensitive to the quality of the gasoline being poured.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
ADY petrol engine

Another popular motor was AYL. This is the most powerful engine that can be found on the Volkswagen Sharan. The power unit has a small camber angle between the cylinders, so the design provides for a common cylinder head. The engine lends itself perfectly to forcing.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
AYL powerplant

One of the most popular engines on the second generation Volkswagen Sharan was CTHA. This is an economical motor designed for measured driving. ICE is demanding on the quality of gasoline. There is a phase regulator on the intake shaft of the power unit.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
CTHA engine disassembly

Which engine is better to choose Volkswagen Sharan

When choosing a first generation car, it is recommended to look at the AHU engine. Diesel has a large margin of safety and a high resource. Therefore, it is quite possible to find a Volkswagen Sharan with an AHU engine in excellent condition, despite the considerable age of the internal combustion engine. However, it should be borne in mind that diesel does not quite meet modern environmental standards.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
Diesel AHU

A good choice would be a car with an ADY gasoline engine. The motor shows one of the largest resources among the engines used on the Volkswagen Sharan. The cast-iron cylinder block provides the internal combustion engine with excellent maintainability. Engine power is enough for quite a fast ride.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
Motor ADY

For those who want to have a dynamic car, a Volkswagen Sharan with an AYL engine is an excellent choice. The motor turns the minivan into a fast passenger car. Auto becomes able to provide a driving style close to sports. At the same time, the internal combustion engine shows a good resource.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
Powerful AYL engine

With caution, you should choose a Volkswagen Sharan with a CTHA engine. The main advantage of the motor is its economy. The disadvantage is a strong sensitivity to fuel quality. One filling is enough to cause detonation that can destroy the pistons. Therefore, when operating a car far from megacities, it is recommended to refuse to choose a car with CTHA.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
Damaged CTHA pistons

Reliability of engines and their weaknesses

The AYL engine is trouble-free and reliable. The motor is very often used by tuning enthusiasts, as it has a huge margin of safety. It has no obvious weaknesses. Malfunctions appear mainly due to the considerable age and mileage of the power plant. These faults include:

  • breakage of the ribbed belt of attachments;
  • decrease in compression;
  • drop in power;
  • malfunction of sensors;
  • valve burnout.
Volkswagen Sharan engines
AYL after forcing

The weak point of the CTHA engine is the pistons. They are damaged by detonation. Also, the motor is prone to carbon formation. Often, the compression drops at the power unit, the timing chain stretches, or an antifreeze leak appears.

Volkswagen Sharan engines
Piston damage by detonation

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