Author Topic: Timing Chain tensioner Failure List (timing issue)- Please Update with Your Info  (Read 362461 times)

Offline andygo

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That engine has the stronger conrods, pistons etc from the pure S3 engine I believe, hence its prolonged usage. The mk6 lump will be cheaper to produce generally, so why spend money beefing it up when they already have the older, perfectly good and reliable engine to drop in?

Offline Jags 84

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Evening guys I have had the dreaded noise on start up for a few months now but recently it has got a lot worse so I have booked the car into Vw west London next week voicing my concerns about the timing chain problem. I was told they rarely see these come in with this problem  :whistle:. They had a technician come out to have a quick look at the car & was told the investigation fee is £144 however they may need another 4 hours labour to investigate it. Is this correct? I was asked where the car was purchased from? I told them it was a private purchase. He is seems to think I will not be offered any goodwill as the car was not brought through VW or does not have a warranty. The car Is a 09 plate with 66k miles with a full VW history so where do i stand with this? Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

Offline Pld118

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@Jags 84,

On the basis that you've no warranty and bought privately and assuming that your car still actually works, albeit 'rattling':

If your car is showing symptoms of this problem and your objective is to take preventative measures so as to avoid a near future catastrophic failure of timing chain components and consequential engine damage, then instead of wasting your time and money having a garage investigate, despite their apparent claims of unfamiliarity with such problems, your money might be better spent cutting to the chase and simply commissioning competent mechanics who have done the job before to simply replace the timing chain tensioner and associated parts, which takes in the region of 3 to 4 hours and can be done using VW parts at an Independent Specialist for approx £350, according to previous recent forum posts.

The list of parts and VW parts is on this thread I think.

Hope this is of some assistance.

Offline Poached

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Agree with Pld118.

VW have a set procedure and wont deviate from this. With regards to the 'goodwill', you're unlikely to see much if the car has been serviced outside the dealer network. Age is also a factor.

You can log it with VWUK but I'm not sure it will go far...Book the car in for the parts to be replaced.

Offline Pld118

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@Jags 84,

On 20 March 2014, forum member mikegti77 posted the below list of parts used/ labour fitting time towards resolving the problem with his car. 

In our own case (my wife's car recently had these parts replaced 'under warranty'/ approved VW)the timing chain itself was also replaced.

"... all prices below are plus VAT.  You maybe able to get anyway with less bolts, they changed what they thought required replacing to avoid re-using bolts.

06K109467K - upper tensioner x 1 (£35.56)

D 174003A2  - sealant x 1 (£28.19)

N 10552402  - hex bolt x 1 (£2.87)

N 10701501  - bolt x1 (£2.64)

N 90596906  - bolt x 1 (£4.87)

N 91029602  - bolt x 1 (£4.70)

WHT001760   - damper bolt x 2  (£4.18 each)

06H109210Q  - timing chain cover x 1 (£60.85)

N91096702 - bolts for cover plate x 10 (£0.16 each)

4 hours labour @ £42.00 "

There are Technical Service Bulletins on the problem which certainly main dealer VW garages can access.
« Last Edit: 30 July 2014, 09:18 by Pld118 »

Offline mikegti77

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Agree with Pld118.

VW have a set procedure and wont deviate from this. With regards to the 'goodwill', you're unlikely to see much if the car has been serviced outside the dealer network. Age is also a factor.

You can log it with VWUK but I'm not sure it will go far...Book the car in for the parts to be replaced.

Agree 100% with Poached & Pld118...

Your best off putting your money into actually fixing the problem, if you know a good VW specialist get them to do it.  The situation sucks, but it's best to get it put right, move on, forget about it and enjoy the car.
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Offline andygo

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My 09 gti has just given me a lovely rendition of the timing chain rattle for the first time. I'm very well aware of the problem as my son had a new engine fitted by VW for the same reason earlier this year.

I have no problem with having it fixed, (there seems to be a reasonable indie near me in Bletchley), but I'm off to France on hols in it tomorrow teatime.

Now that's a worry as you can imagine.

Can't see there is any point changing the oil as its fully synthetic thats done about 1500 miles. My only preventative measure I can think of is before firing the car up each morning to put it in g=ear, and with the handbrake off, rock the car forward. This should have the effect of taking up any play in the chain, at least for a tiny split second when I actually start the car ...

Will that work?

Offline Pld118

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andygo,

I was told my many (qualified/ technicians and non qualified enthusiasts) not to worry about my suspicions that something timing chain tension related was wrong on start up.  The car was VW warrantied to the hilt with roadside assistance too and I'd been told by VW warranty/ the supplying garage that if it failed I'd be covered... so 'stop worrying and just enjoy the car.'

How can you though? My logic was to question, surely people can't want to risk the significant cost of failure and catastrophic consequential damage, notwithstanding the cost of courtesy car supply etc when for a few hundred pounds, many thousands of pounds will inevitably be saved?

So I pursued it and helped by the very knowledgeable Rocket Ross from this forum was supported to speak from an informed position. The aforementioned RR actually felt that our "rattle" might be indicative of a failure just weeks away and yet VW personnel were dismissive of my concerns.

The dealer agreed to review the position, they agreed they could hear the rattle and on stripping things down, different technicians agreed that the timing chain was also visibly slack.  Everything was replaced 'under warranty' immediately.

I've read (and no more than that) that 'a cheap fix' or a 'keeping the wolf from the door' fix is a fully synthetic oil change which can in certain cases, help.  It wouldn't convince me though.

Not a clue about the rocking the car scenario but in the absence of a sympathetic mechanic being able to supply and fit tensioner and related parts before your departure; or if you have no warranty/ breakdown cover, it sounds like "will it hold out, won't it hold out" car thoughts might dominate your thoughts...

Unless your son will swap cars with you and gets yours sorted whilst your away  :smiley:



Offline andygo

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My son sold his gti on Sunday. I spoke to the man at VagTech and he suggested swapping from the 5w40 fully synthetic Castrol oil to 5w40 as all the problems he has had with tensioners/chains etc have been when this oil, as recommended by VW, has been used.

I swapped the oil this afternoon, but on my return from hols (hopefully with car intact) I am going to have the chain and tensioner swapped out in the same vein as I would have had a cambelt change.

Just not worth the aggro dealing with VW who seem to work on the 'If it ain't broke, don't fix
it' philosophy. On the other hand (and I raised this with them when arguing my sons case) why do I need to do preventative maintenance via their service regime? They couldn't answer that one..  :)

Offline RocketRossUK

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Hard to see the type of oil making a difference to the chain slackening. So he thinks just changing from fully synthetic to ........... will make a difference.
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