Possible New Engine Needed?

[Snoopy]

Is there anything that can be done to stop this happening, is it pot luck if it fails?
I've read through some of the other posts about parts from America? are these a guaranteed fix.
Off topic a bit but is it worth taking out the VW warranty to cover this sort of failure

You don't need to buy any parts from the usa
All parts are available from vw dealers or tps
The parts have the same part numbers
All that's needed is the revised tensioner, new lower camchain cover, sealer for the the cover, new bolts,

Only difference is the Americans do it as a kit.

Basically there has been a few revisions of the tensioner basically as its ratchet system that it falls back on when the car is not running is not strong enough. When its teeth fail all tension is released from the chain. The chain slip as you try and start the car as there is no tension. The tensioner then gets oil pressure, tensions up due to the presure. The engine then plays with the camshaft timing to try and keep the car running. Pistons meet valves and damage pistons bending and mashing as they go.

The revised tensioner from last year is much better. 95% of cars that ate failing are 2009 or  early 2010 as there was a revision to the tensioner in the middle of 2010 due to the original one been so rubbish. VW know its an on going issue but there policy is simply to replace engines if and when they go bang how long thats the policy is a good question.

I'm going to replace mine with the revised version next year as if the car had a cambelt that would have been.changed at 4 years old anyway so the expense of fitting the new  tensioner will be less than a cambelt change would have been. Plus I simy have no time this year to do it.
Until then I cross my fingers everytime I start the car and took out vw forth year warrenty.

[Aidy06]

Great news. Ive got her back with new engine. They contributed 100% parts and 30% labour and so cost me 1000 quid. It needed a service now anyway which was included and so not too bad in the end. Engine is on warranty for 2 years. Had a go at them too as their attempt at washing it was so poor they fixed the broken parcel shelf and gave me the insurance costs for the first 2 days that my insurance didnt cover the courtesy car. So glad to get rid of that Up! thing. It was an automatic and changed gear like a learner driver. Was so nice being back in the gti. 

Glad you got your car sorted but making you pay 70% towards the overcharged labour costs on something that you had no control over and quite frankly shouldn't be happening is disgusting

[darrent]

Is there anything that can be done to stop this happening, is it pot luck if it fails?
I've read through some of the other posts about parts from America? are these a guaranteed fix.
Off topic a bit but is it worth taking out the VW warranty to cover this sort of failure

You don't need to buy any parts from the usa
All parts are available from vw dealers or tps
The parts have the same part numbers
All that's needed is the revised tensioner, new lower camchain cover, sealer for the the cover, new bolts,

Only difference is the Americans do it as a kit.

Basically there has been a few revisions of the tensioner basically as its ratchet system that it falls back on when the car is not running is not strong enough. When its teeth fail all tension is released from the chain. The chain slip as you try and start the car as there is no tension. The tensioner then gets oil pressure, tensions up due to the presure. The engine then plays with the camshaft timing to try and keep the car running. Pistons meet valves and damage pistons bending and mashing as they go.

The revised tensioner from last year is much better. 95% of cars that ate failing are 2009 or  early 2010 as there was a revision to the tensioner in the middle of 2010 due to the original one been so rubbish. VW know its an on going issue but there policy is simply to replace engines if and when they go bang how long thats the policy is a good question.

I'm going to replace mine with the revised version next year as if the car had a cambelt that would have been.changed at 4 years old anyway so the expense of fitting the new  tensioner will be less than a cambelt change would have been. Plus I simy have no time this year to do it.
Until then I cross my fingers everytime I start the car and took out vw forth year warrenty.

Thanks for that Snoopy. Has anyone priced the job up before? Would the local main dealer know what I was on about or would I be met with vacant looks? I see you're in Durham which dealers do you recommend uphere?

[andykram]

This has me worried too since mine is a July 2009 model. If this upgrade is reasonable money I'd like to get it done as a sort of insurance policy. A couple of hundred quid or whatever is still cheaper than a grand!

[littlejon]

I agree that 1000 quid is expensive for something that to me shouldnt happen. However since it was out of warranty it made it trickier to negotiate.

By the way darren, I went to lookers in darlington as its near where i work. I normally went to lookers teesside and they have been ok in the past. My wife has used pulman in durham before and they were quite good too. It appears that this is well known about from the dealers perspective as before they had even done a diagnostic they suggested it may need a new engine.

[Snoopy]

Another member on here I've met has had poor service from both pulman dealerships and I hear too many poor reports about them from trade sources.  I have had hit and miss experiences with Benfield scotswood road I've used them about a dozen times in the past 3 years. I have also used benfield silverlink a couple of times for jobs on our other vw products, no bad experience there apart from they washed the car with something that stipped all the protection waxes it had on and made the paint work look like it had been attacked with a brillo pad..
Never let them wash a car of ours since but the repairs were done as expected.
There are a.few vw specialists In Durham take a copy of how its done to them and I'm sure they can price it up.
It's no worse than doing a timing belt if anything its simpler

Cost wise if you get the part numbers of the latest tensioner and cover off the USA site and price them up at a dealer I cannot see it been more than an hour at the max two labour. Maybe it tells you the alloted time on the elsawin system or the American site.

[darrent]

Thanks for the replies lads, and sorry again Littlejon for the thread hijack.

[Rossc0]

I'm so glad I've read this thread.

My GTI has just been diagnosed with the EXACT same problem. It's a Sept 2009 with 44k miles on the clock.

I'm now left with a bunch of bent valves and shrapnel throughout the engine. How did you go about raising it with VW?

It's out of warranty by about 9 months. It has a FSH with the main VW dealer in my area and I bought it from them. Needless to say I don't fancy a £6000 bill for a new engine plus fitting/extra parts so I'm really hoping that VW pick up the tab here.

[Neil gti]

  not another one 

Get in touch with VWCS and raise your concerns with them bud
If the dealer hasn't already contacted them ?

I always change my oil every 5k but makes we wonder if I should get the new style tensioner fitted, coming up to 4 years old and 50k on the clock, is this issue a ticking bomb 

[Snoopy]

not another one 

Get in touch with VWCS and raise your concerns with them bud
If the dealer hasn't already contacted them ?

I always change my oil every 5k but makes we wonder if I should get the new style tensioner fitted, coming up to 4 years old and 50k on the clock, is this issue a ticking bomb 

YES
Oil makes no difference. If you read my previous post it explains what happens.
Its simply down to a poor tensioner design.
When you turn off your engine the oil pressure drops.
Leave the car a while overnight for example
The oil pressure drops and the tensioner falls back onto its ratchet its that that fails.
Etc I expained what happens next earlier in the thread.
Its a ticking time bomb thats a very weak link that destroys engines.
It could also strand you somewere as the car may not start at all...