Timing Chain Change - how much?

[Scotty 0]

How much should I be looking to pay to get this done %-6

What Mileage Should This Be Done At /

Still Learning This vr6 Caper

[ Edited ]

[andy 0]

thread title changed so post now irrelevant

[ Edited Sun Sep 12 2004, 08:03AM ]

[VR6Steve 0]

As a general guide, it seems most peoplr have it done around the 100k mark.

Also its not so much a parts cost, but more labour as the gearbox needs to come out. Its also more down to the plastic chain guides wearing thin than the chains themselves needing replacement. However the chains do also stretch slightly too.

[vdubgirl 3]

Personally i'm not bothered about mine until they start to rattle my cars covered 111k and engine still sounds sweet as a nut :-)

Seems alot of money to fork out for the tensioners to be changed when you dont necessarily need to have them done :-)

[acf8181 0]

the parts cost about £100 from GSF (they're genuine ones, but cost half the price of the same items from vw)

labour would most likely be a good 4-6 hrs at least.

its a bit of a game of russian roulette to wait till they rattle, its concievable that if the wrong tensioner or runner let go it would immediatly jump loads of teeth and trash the engine.

however, from what i've been reading, later (obd2) cars are much less likely to have problems.

i reckon on obd1 its a must...they always wear down the upper tensioner 'blade' runner. obd2's have a single row top chain, so it wears that item less.

[madmonkee 0]

so how would one know when it was time for a change??

[VR6Pete 1,455]

you will get a rattle between 1,000 and 1,200 RPM normally, sounds abit like a sewing machine!

[Glyn Mk3 0]

If anyone wants to hear the six pot sewing machine let me know &|

[acf8181 0]

you will get a rattle between 1' date='000 and 1,200 RPM normally, sounds abit like a sewing machine![/quote']

well, that actually means they should have been changed already. if its rattling, the chain could theoretically jump teeth any second.

theres a sound clip of rattling chains on this page - http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1127339

the best thing to do is to remove the coilpack, inlet, cam cover, tensioner bolt, and upper cover...then have a look at the condition of the runners that you can see (you won't be able to see the lower ones fully, but shine a torch down there. if the upper tensioners are still perfect then in all likelyhood the bottom ones are too. be prepared to see the top blade about to fall apart if you have an obd1 car on about 120k! lol