Rattling noise at 11,000rpm - Chain tensioner?

[Guest pj_golf_vr6]

Hi,

I've got a 1995 M Reg Golf VR6 and at around 11,000rpm when the engine is warm I'm getting a rattling noise coming from the engine. I took it in to VW to be serviced and asked them to look in to it, but they said they couldn't hear anything!!!!!

I found a US forum talking about the Chain tensioner breaking and the noise being caused by the chain hitting/touching it. They also had a recording of the noise on the webiste and it sounds exactly the same as the noise on mine.

Has anybody had this problem before? How much to get it fixed? And does anybody know anywhere in Berkshire that will do it other than VW dealership - I don't trust them!!!

Thanks.

[Guest Olly_K]

stealth racing do this, as do AmD. but 11,000rpm ?

mine redlines at 6500 !

[patrick green 0]

11,000 rpm??? !amazed are you sure about that?

[DundeeDub 0]

got a feeling it might be 1,100 rpm, if its not that might be where the noise is coiming from...lol

[VRmonster 1]

u sure ur not on an r6, in stead of a vr6, lo. cos only motorbikes rev so high lol.

[jcorallo 0]

yeah - mine revs to 11,000rpm - and it also rattles a lot - followed by a long long long silence........! heh!

Seriously though, the VR6 is known for wearing out chain tensioners. The only way to daignose it is to pull the cover off and see for yourself.

There are also instances of the chain tensioner bolt not holding pressure, but this is less common.

Jules

[Macca 1]

Have you looked at the noisey engine thread in the general forum? Does your engine sound anything like this:

http://www.negativelight.com/clips/tchain/chain.wma

[Guest pj_golf_vr6]

Hi,

Oops...I meant 1,100rpm - a bit optimistic at 11,000rpm!!

It's not quite as bad as that, but that's pretty much the noise it makes.

[alivr6 0]

if you need to get the car fixed i know of a mechanic in west london.....top dog for dubs and has been doing it for ages. let me know if thats not to much distance!

Ali

[andy 0]

if it is the chain tensioner, its very easy to fix, unscrew the old one, screw a new one in, 5 min job

[neilw 0]

macca... mine sounds exactly like that... is it the tensioner or the timing chain?

[FishWick 21]

If you do replace the upper tensioner bolt, I would fill it with oil first and match the piston length with the old one, otherwise the chain will be slack when you start the car and the cam wheel might jump a tooth.

[patrick green 0]

Ali who do you know in west london? Where are you coz im in Hayes & need someone who knows VR's! Thanks mate

[Guest pj_golf_vr6]

I think you are talking about the chain guide, that's a relatively easy job to replace because it's just behind a cover on the gearbox side of the engine.

I found a US forum where a guy had replaced both the guide and tensioner and he had posted pictures and descriptions of how to do it. To get to the tensioner you have to remove the gearbox!!

Can anyone confirm this?

[FishWick 21]

Yep, box has to come off to do the tensioner blade but you can replace the guide rail though, so long as you remove the hoist hook from the manifold first. The guide rails tend to split in half. I would replace the upper tensioner with a solid polymer one from a MK4. Part no 021 109 509E and you also need the late tensioning bolt, no 021 109 507B, which is sprung loaded aswell as hydraulic.

K

[ Edited Thu Apr 29 2004, 08:45PM ]

[Glyn Mk3 0]

I've a feeling my chain and/or chain tensioner bolt and/or chain tensioner guide rail have a problem, my engine sounds similar to those sound clips. But can that sound be caused by any single one of the above being faulty/broken??

Spoke to Trust VW dealers in Stafford, they said they had never actually replaced a timing chain on a VR6 (probably because after 100k no one takes a car to the dealer for service!) but anyway, to have just the chain tensioner parts replaced, they said the job would take 15 hours! and cost £1200!

The part numbers are as follows:

Upper Guide Rail 021 (OR 071) 109 513 £8.54 incl. VAT

Upper Tension Rail 021 109 509 E (for engine numbers 217001 and above) £7.70 incl. VAT

Upper Tension Bolt 021 109 507 A £23.63

Lower Tension Rail 021 109 467 £23.63

The dealer says that only the Upper guide rail and tensioner bolt can be replaced without removal of the transmission. This confirms what the VWVortex article says.

I've had a quick look, and my Tensioner Bolt looks (at least externally) in good condition and the copper crush washer is thick enough to be seen, and also looks fine - mine is a '97 highline. I don't have the tools to remove the top engine cover at uni, but I'm taking the car into Midland VW (not a dealer) just to assess the problem.

Over the phone Midland VW quoted me £650 to replace all the tensioner parts. But I'm gonna have them listen to it first to check. Is it really that common for a timing chain to need replacing above 100K miles? I'm hoping it's just the Upper Guide Rail and/or Bolt so that the transmission doesn't have to come off!!

Anyone had experience of replacing the Upper tensioner parts, other than what is on the VWVortex site??

Glyn

[ Edited Fri May 14 2004, 05:30PM ]

[VR6Steve 0]

Why not take it to either Stealth to see that very nice extremely busy man called Vince :-) or to Midland VW who i have also heard good things about and get a second (professional) opinion? It may or may not be worth doing "half" the job?