VW Passat V6 thrust bearing. Thrust bearings are installed on the crankshaft next to the main bearing. They control the sway motion of the crankshaft in the crankcase. If your crankshaft moves to much it will accelerate the wear on internal engine parts like main bearings and crankshaft journals. This thrust bearing is for bearing kits that do not include a thrust bearing.
Do-it-Yourself Tip
This VW Passat V6 thrust bearing set is designed to be replaced along with the main bearings at the same time. While you have the bottom end of your Passat engine apart, now is a good time to also change your connecting rod bearings. This will keep you from doing the same work twice if the connecting rods fail next.